Chapter 1243

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Wang Xiaohua rode in his eldest brother Wang Dashan's car, first returning to the County Town, going to Central Garden Community to pick up some of Li Jianjia's clothes, and then together they returned to Shanggou Village.

Upon returning to Shanggou Village, the time was already past ten o'clock at night.

Inside the Wang Family's building, however, the lights were still blazing bright.

Tomorrow Li Jianjia's funeral was to be held; although it was a cenotaph burial, Wang Changgen felt that the dead are the greatest, and it could not be handled carelessly.

Right now Wang Changgen, Li Xiulan, and Wang Erhai were discussing tomorrow's procedures with the Master of Ceremonies.

The Master of Ceremonies, Azan — Wang Changgen had to call him Granduncle; his seniority was very high.

Wang Dashan, Wang Erhai, and Wang Xiaohua, the three brothers, in turn had to call him Great-Granduncle.

Previously Lao Zan did not serve as a Master of Ceremonies, but the people who understood funeral rites in the nearby villages gradually died off; there was truly no one to be found to preside over funeral affairs, so people started going to invite Lao Zan to help.

Once this matter had a beginning, afterward there would be a continuous stream of people going to ask him for help.

Although Lao Zan's health was poor, he was also happy to help; it wasn't for the sake of earning those fifty or a hundred yuan in funeral red envelopes — rather, every time he presided over a funeral, he would feel as if he had held a funeral for himself once.

This was equivalent to dying once, and then discovering he was still alive, and then he would feel that living one more day meant earning one more day.

He did not fear death like Wang Changgen did; instead, he had long since made his psychological preparation, patiently waiting for death.

Right now Lao Zan was discussing with the Wang Family whether tomorrow's cenotaph funeral would use a coffin for burial, or a golden urn for burial.

According to the local custom, the first burial must use a coffin; only at the second burial, when collecting the bones, would it switch to a golden urn.

However, in recent years, many people are taken to the crematorium with the deceased placed in a coffin, and then the coffin is burned together with the body; by the time they come out of the crematorium, the bones left after the flesh and blood have been burned are already placed in a golden urn.

Customs have never been unchanging; rather, they gradually evolve with the changing times.

"If you ask me, just put some clothing directly into a golden urn, then take it for burial, and be done with it."

Wang Erhai spoke thus.

Because he knew his Third Brother would certainly advocate simplifying everything.

You must know that when Li Jianjia was originally sent to the crematorium, it was simplified to the utmost degree.

However Wang Changgen said:

"Nonsense! A white event is greater than heaven; how can the procedures be omitted!"

Wang Erhai let out a dry heh-heh laugh and stopped speaking.

Wang Changgen then said to Lao Zan:

"First place the clothing in a coffin for burial, then select an auspicious day for the second burial!"

Li Xiulan at this moment asked a sentence:

"There are no bones to collect at all, so how can there be a second burial?"

Lao Zan then said:

"This is indeed a problem; additionally, your youngest son's wife has not left an heir for the Wang Family, so actually a second burial isn't necessary either."

Wang Changgen sighed:

"Would she blame our Xiaohua down below if we do it this way?"

Wang Erhai hurriedly said:

"Dad, rest assured; how could she possibly blame Third Brother? She has always been protecting Third Brother. Just recently, Third Brother passed his driver's license exam on the first try — that was Jianjia protecting him!"

Wang Erhai casually found a stiff excuse to fob off Wang Changgen, and Wang Changgen actually believed it as true, even stating firmly:

"That does make sense; otherwise with that dull-witted bookworm of his, he might not get a license even after ten tries! The driver's license exam tests hands-on ability, not test-paper ability!"

Wang Erhai didn't know whether to cry or laugh; Lao Zan then asked:

"So it's settled then? Tomorrow the funeral will be held with a coffin?"

Li Xiulan hurriedly said:

"Why not wait for Xiaohua to return and ask him before finalizing?"

But Wang Changgen said:

"Ask him what for? He doesn't understand anything! Before, the person passed away and he didn't even notify us — he simply doesn't understand a shred of propriety!"

Wang Erhai hurriedly explained:

"Dad, wasn't it because your health was poor at the time? Third Brother did it for your sake!"

Yet Wang Changgen's face was full of severity:

"That kid still hasn't returned even now; he truly doesn't take this seriously at all. The funeral procession departs at eight o'clock tomorrow morning! And I was planning to have him keep the wake tonight!"

Wang Erhai gave a bitter smile:

"How to keep the wake? There's no corpse!"

But Wang Changgen said:

"Who says no corpse means no wake? The proper rules that should exist cannot be lacking! Other families all keep a three-day wake; I only let him keep one night — what's wrong with that?"

Then Wang Changgen said to Wang Erhai:

"If Wang Xiaohua doesn't come back tonight, you'll keep the wake in his place!"

Wang Erhai didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

At this moment, the sound of a small sedan's engine came from outside the courtyard.

"Must be Third Brother and Eldest Brother returning!"

Wang Erhai hurriedly went out, and indeed it was exactly as he had thought.

Only see Wang Dashan get out from the driver's seat, Wang Xiaohua then from the passenger seat get out.

"Big Brother, Third Brother, how come you're back so late? Dad and Mom are discussing tomorrow's procedures!"

Wang Xiaohua just says:

"Simplify everything is fine."

Wang Erhai however says:

"Problem is our dad isn't willing, he says the proper procedures can't be lacking, and even hired Azan Zeng Shugong to come preside!"

Wang Xiaohua brows slightly furrow once, but soon then let go.

He changes address:

"That also okay then, that old thing wants to do it however, then however do it fine."

Wang Erhai weakly says:

"You not anxious return school right? Our dad also said, want you tonight wake keeping."

Wang Dashan cry laugh not get:

"Person not even have how wake keep? Others wake keep is to guard the deceased's corpse, Third Brother wake keep is for what?"

Not wait Wang Erhai answer, Wang Xiaohua just gives answer:

"For procedures, for regulations, for that old thing, able to not so fear death."

Wang Dashan and Wang Erhai both not help stunned.

"This and our dad have what relation?"

"He not much time left, naturally will rabbit dies fox grieves, feel same, he not is giving my wife hold funeral, he is giving himself rehearse one's own funeral."

Wang Xiaohua so explains.

Wang Dashan and Wang Erhai both faces reveal shock, a while not know should say what good.

Everything still truly as Wang Xiaohua said that way.

Although Wu Banxian told him still able live until his grandson Wang Dujin starts primary school, that is at least still six seven years time, but Wang Zhanggen inner heart yet also knows, six seven years a shake just past, time very fast passes.

This not, this night agreed procedures, he then to three sons says:

"Later I go, you all just follow this procedure go, first coffin, after golden urn, sigh, not know when burned by fire will it be very painful... also not know at that time able not go crematorium."

Wang Dashan busy persuades:

"Dad, you don't think so much, eight characters don't have a single stroke matter!"

Wang Erhai echoes:

"Right, Wu Banxian all said you still can live very long, you now worry this do what!"

Wang Xiaohua however not go comfort him, instead says a lie:

"At that time I help you go pull strings, maybe can directly earth burial."

Actually he knows, this is fundamentally impossible matter.

Now policy strictly forbids direct earth burial, direct earth burial cannot get death certificate, later will have a series troublesome.

But Wang Xiaohua this lie once spoken, Wang Zhanggen yet believes true, satisfied nods:

"You brat finally not wasted I raise you this big, at that time you should already graduated become official, this matter you help go say a greeting, should very easy just able solve!"