Chapter 191: Zhongyuan Chapter 2
The orange-red flames, viewed from a distance, looked like blooming flowers in the darkness.
After everyone had paid tribute to their own ancestors, each family took out cakes, pork, and fruits that had not been offered before and placed them in one place. They then took out incense and candles, lit them, and stuck them in the soil. Stacks of unwrapped paper money were piled together.
There was a small mountain of paper money, surrounded by burning incense sticks. Lin Li was lighting the paper money with a torch. He shouted to the north, "Dead people in Nanlin Village, come here to collect the money. It will be better for you down there. Bless Nanlin Village and the living people..."
Everyone listened to Lin Zheng's chattering, and when they thought of their relatives and friends whose lives were unknown, they burst into tears.
Of the more than 3 people in Nanlin Village, only the or so of them fled together at the beginning. Every family has relatives and friends in Nanlin Village and other villages who did not flee. After a year, they are thousands of kilometers apart, and it is unknown how many of their fellow villagers, relatives and friends are still alive.
The pile of paper money caught fire, and the ashes of the paper money drifted away with the wind, as if blowing people's thoughts and worries to the people they missed.
As they talked, they waited for the pile of paper money to burn out. After the incense, candles and paper money had burned out and the fire had completely extinguished, they packed up the fruits, pork and pastries and slowly walked back.
It was very dark at night, and I could only see the winding torches moving forward. Stars twinkled in the sky, frogs and insects chirped in my ears, and fish splashed in the rice fields from time to time.
After the 1th day of the seventh lunar month, a group of people walked back to their own yards, packed up their things, and prepared to go back to Xinghai No. 7 Community to sleep. Those who had cars asked those who didn't to get on their cars and squeeze in together to go back to the city. When July was over, they gave up their leases and went back to their own yards to build sheds to live in.
Children under ten years old were not allowed to burn paper. Fortunately, Lin Zisu was already 12 years old, so she went to pay respects together. There were many people, and she wanted to go and see it too.
Her aunt Lin Hongmei and second aunt each brought their five-year-old sons, as well as other women with their children, all played in Lin Zisu's yard, waiting for everyone to come back after burning paper money.
Although every family's yard was fenced, there was no gate installed. It was unsafe for women and children to stay in the yard at night. They all gathered in Lin Zisu's yard. It was safer to be together. She blocked the gate with her RV, and the four dogs were also in the yard, so it was safe.
The dozen or so children without relatives did not celebrate the Ghost Festival, and stayed in the Type 1 courtyard of Xingcheng Community to study. Zhao Mu and Liang Laidi also put their two daughters in Lin Zisu's courtyard and followed everyone to the river to burn paper. Seeing so many people paying tribute, they were very moved. They also missed their families, fellow villagers, and playmates from childhood.
Lin Youcai and Lin Xianwen drove a mule cart to send people back to Xinghai Community in the city. Lin Zisu and Shen Xianglan washed up first. After sending people back, the father and son could go straight to bed.
The mother and daughter were lying on the bed chatting. Lin Zisu said, "Mom, should we plant some fruit trees in the front yard? In spring, we can smell the fragrance of flowers. In summer, the unripe fruits hanging on the branches are also a beautiful sight. In autumn, the fruits are ripe and look good hanging on the branches. They can also be eaten. How wonderful!"
Shen Xianglan: "When the house is finished, it will probably be August. Will the seeds survive if I plant them?"
Lin Zisu: "Then plan out the location and keep it. Didn't Dad say to make cement floors in the front yard and on both sides of the house? Cement floors are also good, so that you don't get muddy feet on rainy days."
Shen Xianglan: "Okay, I'll buy the fruit tree seedlings if they're for sale."
Lin Zisu: "Are there any stores that sell flower and tree seedlings in this era?"
Shen Xianglan said with a smile: "Why do you think there are terms like fruit farmers and gardeners? Where do the flowers, plants and trees in the homes of the rich and powerful come from, and where do the fruit trees in the orchards come from? Although this is not the ancient times in our place, it feels similar. There are all kinds of things that should be there, and things that shouldn’t be there.”
Lin Zisu: "That's right! Planting flowers and trees seems to have a history of thousands of years. We are also known as the Flower Planters! Maybe this is some parallel universe!"
Shen Xianglan blinked her eyes. "Let's not talk about topics like parallel universes. Why haven't your father and the others come back yet? I can hardly open my eyes... Ah~" She yawned and turned over.
After taking a shower, Lin Zisu lay down and chatted with the air conditioner on. As they were chatting, she began to feel sleepy.
There was a noise outside, Shen Xianglan laughed and said, "People really can't stand being talked about. Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao will appear."
"Mom, sister, open the door! Open the door!" Lin Xianwen shone a flashlight into the dark RV. "Dad, they are not asleep, are they?"
Lin Youcai: "Just wake me up! It's so hot, and I'm covered in mud, soot, and sweat. If I don't take a shower, I'll die! It's very troublesome to take down and wash the roof tent!"
Lin Xianwen got out of the car and knocked on the door, "Knock, knock, knock!"
Lin Zisu was already sitting in the driver's seat. Shen Xianglan pulled down the privacy curtain, looked at the two people outside and said, "Wait a moment!"
Lin Zisu drove the RV away from the gate of the courtyard. Lin Youcai drove the mule cart into the courtyard. Lin Zisu then drove the RV to the gate of the courtyard to block it.
Lin Xianwen: "On the night of the 7th day of the seventh lunar month, don't go out if you can! All along the way, there are people burning paper on the roadside! There are piles of fire and smoke everywhere. You can just use a camera to shoot a movie."
Lin Zisu: "Chinese horror movie?"
Lin Xianwen: "Add to that people with disheveled hair and wearing white dresses or red wedding gowns, wow! It's so exciting!"
Lin Zisu: "And then you were so scared that you hugged me and screamed at the top of your lungs?!"
Lin Xianwen rubbed his arms together, "You said it as if you weren't screaming at the top of your lungs!" He shook his head, "It makes my back cold~"
"Ouch!" Lin Xianwen covered his head and turned to look at his father behind him.
Lin Youcai slapped him with a slap and said in disgust, "Hurry up and take a shower! Tomorrow is Monday!"
Lin Xianwen: "Isn't it your working day yet?"
Shen Xianglan's eyes narrowed, and she looked at her son and said faintly, "Don't you want to build the house? Don't you want someone to watch over it? Don't you want to go to the sentry post for training tomorrow?"
"I'll wash right away!" Lin Xianwen took his spare clothes and towel and rushed to the bathroom.
. . . . . .
Time flies, and time passes quickly in the busy life.
At the beginning of August, the monthly exam results at the end of July came out.
Tao Mingyuan heaved a sigh of relief when he saw his intermediate class results. He finally graduated from the intermediate class. He went to the elementary class results bulletin board and looked for his wife and son. He saw that both his wife and son had scored 80 points in both subjects. He almost cried with joy, and was more excited than when he passed the exam.
My eldest son Tao Zhihui’s scores in two subjects in the junior class are: 84 and 87, and my daughter-in-law’s scores in two subjects in the junior class are: 89 and 81!
When Zhu Xiaoyu saw her grades, her eyes immediately became red and filled with tears. She studied whenever she had some time every day, and her efforts paid off. After a few months, she finally graduated from the beginner class!
After seeing his own results, Tao Zhihui jumped up and down with joy, "Dad, Mom, I want to buy some candy! I want the candy sprinkled with sesame seeds, sweet and crispy, mmm~ the kind that smells delicious!"