Chapter 311

"Your family isn't close to mine; after traveling such a long way, how could you possibly not be hungry? In the past, every time you came to our house, you had to eat three bowls of rice!"

Wang Lin pulled Zhang Chengze into the main hall and comforted him: "I know your father left suddenly; you're very sad. Not only you are sad, my younger aunt and I are also sad, but people are iron, food is steel—skip a meal and hunger will make you uneasy."

"And we still have to rush through the night; if we don't eat something, how can we manage?"

"Needn't even mention that with your father gone, his funeral affairs are waiting for you to handle; if you have no strength and faint from hunger, what will you do?"

"Father, what are you saying?"

Liu Dongzhu stood up, ready to attend to Zhang Chengze, and seeing him in mourning clothes felt off; hearing Wang Lin's words also startled her, making it hard to find a way to respond:

"I remember Uncle was in good health; how could he suddenly leave?"

She was a child bride raised in the Wang Family; as a child she often saw Zhang Deben, and each time Zhang Deben came, he would specially bring her some wild fruit. She liked that uncle very much.

I never thought…

Her uncle would be gone like this!

Wang Lin opened his mouth, wanting to answer Liu Dongzhu's question, but the words stuck; he waved his hand and sighed, "Dongzhu, go to the kitchen first and bring a set of bowls and chopsticks!"

"I'm going right now!"

Liu Dongzhu realized it wasn't the time for talk and hurriedly rushed to the kitchen.

Zhang Chengze, pulled by Wang Lin, barely managed to sit down, and his gaze suddenly fell on Wang Ping'an in the cradle, exclaiming in surprise:

"Uncle‑in‑law, this is your family's Ruhai's child, right? Born so quickly? By the way, your Ruhai went to the capital for the exam this time—how did it go? Did he say when he'd return?"

"Chengze, our family's… our Ruhai, while rushing to the capital for the exam, accidentally lost his life!"

Wang Lin said with a complicated expression.

"How could that be?"

Zhang Chengze's face changed dramatically, suspecting Wang Lin of teasing him; he had just seen Wang Ruhai about to bring glory to the family, how could he be gone? Yet seeing his uncle‑in‑law not look like a liar, he hurriedly changed his tone and said:

"Uncle‑in‑law, why didn't you tell us about this?"

"What matter?"

Liu Dongzhu brought a set of bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen, and couldn't help asking upon hearing this.

Zhang Chengze gave Liu Dongzhu a complicated look, his face and eyes full of sympathy, and sighed, "Dongzhu, you must restrain your grief!"

Liu Dongzhu, bewildered, filled a large bowl with rice for Zhang Chengze, handed him the bowls, and was about to ask what the matter was.

Zhang Chengze took the bowls, looked at Zhang Guihua who had hurriedly packed luggage and came out, and asked, "Uncle, your Ruhai's trip to the capital for the exam ended in disaster. Such a big matter—how did you let someone inform our family? You arranged Ruhai's funeral but still didn't tell us?"

"It's because elder brother has liked that brute—Ruhai—since childhood; letting your father know about this, you can't imagine how sad your father would be!"

Zhang Guihua gave a perfunctory reply, feeling embarrassed to tell Zhang Chengze the truth, and hurriedly changed the subject: "Chengze, eat first; we'll talk on the road about anything else!"

Zhang Chengze then forced himself to swallow his doubts, gulping down the dry rice, planning to ask after finishing the meal.

For such a huge matter, his younger aunt couldn't possibly fail to inform their family without reason; there must be some hidden circumstances.

"Mother, are you preparing to rush overnight to Uncle's place?"

Liu Dongzhu asked.

Zhang Guihua nodded.

Liu Dongzhu said, "Mother, I also want to go!" "No!"

Zhang Guihua refused, "You've only just given birth to Ping'an; your body hasn't recovered. The night wind is strong, it's easy to catch a cold, and it's unsafe. Stay at home and take good care of Ping'an!"

Liu Dongzhu said, "Mother, you know that Uncle has liked me since childhood; especially at my wedding, Uncle was overjoyed. He kept urging me, saying that if I ever had a child, I must let him see the child. Now Ping'an is born, and Uncle still hasn't seen him even once; Ping'an also wants to see his grand‑uncle one last time!"

Zhang Guihua knew that her elder brother not only liked Dongzhu but also liked that brute Ruhai; when Dongzhu gave birth to Ping'an, she thought of telling her brother the good news so that he could come personally to see Ping'an.

Also,

so she could also get a glimpse of her brother!

She hadn't seen her brother for many years!

"But Ping'an…"

Zhang Guihua hesitated, but before she could finish, Liu Dongzhu cut in, "Mother, rest assured, Ping'an has so many life‑preserving things; he won't be in danger!"

"Alright! Go pack some clothes; we'll probably have to stay at your uncle's house for a while!"

Zhang Guihua waved her hand and said no more; she actually hoped her brother could see her well‑behaved grandchild. Though her brother had passed, she believed that before she left, his lingering spirit would not depart.

Her brother still hasn't seen her for the last time!

"Mother, I'm going right now!"

This novel you

Liu Dongzhu could not wait and turned back to the bedroom.

Not long after.

Liu Dongzhu, having packed his luggage, walked out and saw Zhang Chengze put down the bowls, saying, "Younger aunt, I've finished eating; let's clear the table and leave!"

"You've only just eaten one bowl of rice!"

Zhang Guihua frowned.

Zhang Chengze forced a wry smile, "Younger aunt, I'm not hungry; if you hadn't forced me, I couldn't even finish this bowl!"

Zhang Guihua said no more, knowing her nephew had no appetite for food; in such a situation, not only her nephew but even she herself had no appetite, and she said:

"Fine, once I clear this table we'll leave!"

At night, outside Hutou Gou, on a main road.

Zhang Chengze watched the surroundings carefully; night is the most dangerous—he wasn't afraid of bandits, since they were a poor family with no wealth, mountain bandits and thieves wouldn't target them; what he feared were wild beasts.

Taking advantage of the younger aunt and uncle‑in‑law's inattention.

Zhang Chengze whispered to Liu Dongzhu, "Dongzhu, tell me the truth—what really happened to Ruhai? How did he lose his life while rushing to the capital for the exam, and why wasn't the funeral even notified to our family?"

Liu Dongzhu said, "The body wasn't found!"

Zhang Chengze was stunned, instantly understanding why his younger aunt hadn't informed their family; without a body, a grand funeral can't be held—at most they could build a simple memorial, and wait to find the body before arranging a full mourning.

Otherwise it will turn the dead into lone wandering ghosts!

An unremarkable hillside.

"What's going on? How did the Wang Family Members run off with someone? Could it be that old Taoist warned them, saying I was watching from the side, and that scared the Wang Family Members away? But I'm just guarding the house, not harboring ill intent!"

Hu Jiushisan, feeling depressed, watched the Wang Family Members' departing silhouettes and said, startled and doubtful:

"That's not right; the old Taoist must have guessed my purpose for coming here. Even if he told the Wang Family Members, he couldn't speak ill of me. Could it be that this household was lured away, or that something major has happened?"

Should I go over and take a look?

(End of chapter)