Chapter 313: Aunt San’s Funeral

When they arrived at Xiaogouwa’s house, Father told Li Yi to take Daya inside first.

He then went over to Liu Darei, asked for a cigarette, and lit it.

Just as Li Yi was about to say something to him, he saw his father turn and walk outside.

Immediately afterward, the sound of firecrackers going off could be heard outside.

Only then did Li Yi remember that the locals had a custom of setting off firecrackers—known as “soul-chasing firecrackers”—after someone passed away.

The purpose was not only to mark the time of death but also to drive away the little ghosts blocking the way and clear a path for the deceased’s soul.

It also served as a call for villagers to come to the aid of the family, so any firecrackers going off in the early hours of the morning—except on New Year’s Eve—meant someone had passed away.

Sure enough, after hearing the firecrackers, many villagers got up and hurried over to Xiaogouwa’s house.

The reason the villagers were able to pinpoint Xiaogouwa’s house so accurately was, on the one hand, that the direction the firecrackers were launched came from near his home, and on the other hand, because they all lived in the same village and were generally aware of what was going on in each household.

Aunt San had been worn down to the bone over the years, and the villagers had long suspected the worst.

Before long, a crowd had gathered at Xiaogouwa’s house.

They hadn’t come to gawk; as soon as they arrived, they sprang into action—some stoked the fire, while others helped set up the funeral pavilion and place the coffin, preparing for the upcoming burial.

Inside the house, Xiaogouwa, along with his second younger brother and third younger sister, stood weeping loudly beside their mother’s body.

This was their final farewell to their mother!

Once their mother was laid to rest, they would never see the person dearest to them in this world again.

By five o’clock in the morning, all the preparations were nearly complete!

At this point, Xiaogouwa asked everyone else to step outside, while the three siblings dressed their mother in the funeral garments they had prepared earlier and gently washed her face with warm water.

Once everything was in order, they laid their mother in the coffin!

Although the family was destitute, Xiaogouwa still laid a mattress that their mother had used during her lifetime at the bottom of the coffin before placing her inside.

The moment the coffin lid closed, the three siblings burst into tears once more…

After Aunt San’s burial, Li Yi didn’t go home; he just went inside to rest for a while.

At half past six, he set off for the county seat with Uncle Lei, Uncle Genliang, and the others, driving two vehicles.

After a person dies, a funeral is the last mark of dignity!

Originally, Xiaogouwa had planned to keep it simple: find a few people to help dig a hole next to his father’s grave and bury his mother there.

But Li Yi refused. He knew that deep down, Xiaogouwa didn’t want to be so hasty; it was just that the family simply had no money.

That was why he had to put his mother through such hardship.

Li Yi certainly wouldn’t let his own brother have any regrets over this matter. After all, this was Third Aunt’s final journey in life, and it was something that could never be made up for later.

While he didn’t insist on a grand, lavish ceremony, it couldn’t be too meager either.

So he told Xiaogouwa to handle the arrangements at home, leaving the rest to him.

A funeral doesn’t have as many requirements as a wedding, where you have to consider the bride’s wishes; for this, money is all that matters.

With enough money, things are easier to handle—and can be done well!

And although Li Yi wasn’t exactly wealthy at the moment, he had more than enough to arrange a decent funeral for Auntie San.

After arriving in the county seat, Li Yi sent Uncle Lei and the others to hire a drum troupe, while he went back to Liu San’er’s second uncle’s house to ask him to help with the funeral feast.

Master Liu had a very favorable and vivid impression of Li Yi. After hearing the details of the situation, he immediately agreed.

He then drew up a list for Li Yi to go buy the ingredients, while he immediately contacted the kitchen helpers and set off for Nianzishan Village…

…….

Aunt San’s funeral lasted three days. During that time, the drum troupe performed for three days straight, and a “ritual master” was also invited to conduct a memorial service.

Though it wasn’t particularly lavish, it was a standard arrangement—they didn’t rush the burial just because of a lack of funds.

Throughout the funeral, not only did Li Yi stay and help the entire time, but the vast majority of the villagers pitched in as well.

The women helped at home by washing vegetables, serving dishes, and burning joss paper and incense, while the men took turns over at Dongpo to dig the grave.

In the middle of winter, the ground in the open fields had frozen solid, so before digging the grave, they had to first burn firewood on the surface to thaw the ground before they could break ground!

Moreover, local graves are typically seven feet deep—just over two meters.

A pit that deep certainly couldn’t be thawed with a single fire; they had to thaw one layer at a time as they dug, which was extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive.

Fortunately, the villagers all knew this was Auntie San’s final journey in life; though the work was hard, no one complained.

After all, this is something everyone will face one day—today it’s Aunt San, and tomorrow it might be a member of one’s own family.

So, taking turns, everyone finally finished digging the grave pit after two days.

Then, on the morning of the third day, the crowd carried the coffin and laid Aunt San to rest on the eastern slope!

After the funeral, Li Yi didn’t return to the old house; instead, he went to the new house first.

Since there was a bathroom there, he planned to take a good shower before going back to see his wife.

For one thing, he’d been running around nonstop at Little Dog’s house these past few days—climbing up and down, tending the fire, hauling coal—basically doing everything under the sun, and he was filthy from head to toe.

On the other hand, the “white business” itself was still considered rather inauspicious.

Although Li Yi didn’t care about such things, he had to consider Tang Xue’s feelings—it was better to go back feeling fresh and clean after a shower!

After his shower, he changed into the clean clothes Third Sister had sent over and set about doing laundry at the new house.

The clothes were so filthy that it took Li Yi a full three hours to get them clean.

After hanging the clothes out to dry, Li Yi locked the door and headed back to the old house.

But just as he reached the entrance, he saw someone standing outside the front gate.

It wasn’t until he got closer that he recognized the figure—it was Xiaogouwa.

“Hey, what are you doing standing here? Why aren’t you coming in?” Li Yi frowned.

Xiaogouwa shook his head and said, “After all, my sister-in-law is still pregnant. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go in like this!”

“It’s fine!”

“Forget it, Yi, let’s talk outside. Besides, I have to go back and cook dinner for my younger brother and sister!” Xiaogouwa insisted.

“Alright then, just tell me what’s on your mind!” Li Yi didn’t press him and said straight away.

Xiaogouwa pulled a small package wrapped in a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to Li Yi.

“Brother Yi, there’s 220 yuan in here. Take this money. I’ll pay you back the remaining 160 once I earn some money!”

Li Yi didn’t take the money from his hand but asked, “If you give it all to me, are the four of you planning to starve?”

“No, I kept 50 yuan. That’s enough to get us through until next year!” Xiaogouwa said.

“Fifty yuan won’t be enough. Just take the money for now; we can pay it all back together once I’ve earned some money!” Li Yi said.

“Brother Yi, that’s not right…”

Before Xiaogouwa could finish, Li Yi cut him off: “With Auntie San gone, you’re the pillar of the family now. Your first priority isn’t whether to pay me back, but figuring out how to raise your three younger siblings. Got it?”

Xiaogouwa nodded and said, “I understand, Brother Yi!”

“Dongzi and Qiangzi are doing well in Beijing. I’ve also made arrangements for you and Dayong. I’ll go over the details with you in a few days. You should head home now!” Li Yi said.

“Alright!”

With that, Xiaogouwa turned to leave, but after taking just two steps, he stopped.

Then he turned around, knelt directly before Li Yi, and bowed his head deeply.

Li Yi was taken aback at first, then immediately walked toward him—he couldn’t possibly accept such a grand gesture.

But before Li Yi could reach him, Xiaogouwa had already stood up and dashed off in a flash.

Watching the puppy boy’s receding figure, Li Yi felt a lump in his throat.

In truth, he really wanted to tell Xiao Gouwa that he owed Li Yi nothing.

In his previous life, after leaving home out of shame, he was gone for eight years. By the time he returned, his father had already passed away.

According to his second older sister, when his father passed away, it was these younger brothers who helped arrange the funeral.

Little Dog, in particular, had done the most.

So, in a way, he was repaying Xiaogouwa for his kindness—though he didn’t deserve such a grand gesture.

But he couldn’t voice these thoughts to dxmbang—after all, there was no way to explain them. He could only resolve to help the siblings more in the future.

With that thought, Li Yi let out a long sigh and turned to walk toward the courtyard.

However, just as Li Yi turned, a muffled engine roar suddenly echoed from behind him.

Li Yi turned to look and saw two olive-green jeeps appear in his line of sight, driving straight toward him!