Something happened. This is not going to be bloody.

Chapter 295: Unfilial Son - Return to the Village for Burial

Inside the rental house.

Tian Xiaohua only felt that her grandmother was very warm at the moment. She whispered:

"Grandma, you said my mom was quite quiet today. In the past, my mom made most of the decisions at home. I saw that she especially respected my dad's wishes today. Although she hasn't read much, I always think my mom is a wise person and worth learning from. Grandma, by the way, I saw Li Xiaona a few days ago. She works in the cafeteria of our school!"

The last sentence Tian Xiaohua said was full of emotion.

Li Ping thought about Li Xiaona, and then said:

"Li Xiaona? She's the daughter of Li Guoli from our village. You two are about the same age, right? She got married two years ago. I heard her in-laws weren't very nice to her. I haven't heard about her working in your school cafeteria."

Xiaohua rubbed her face against her grandmother's clothes. The fabric seemed to feel the child's dependence and became softer. She said:

"She was my deskmate in elementary school. We are the same age, from the same background, and now we are in the same school, but there is such a big difference. Over the years, my mother has spent no less money on me than my brother. Alas, I am just sighing. Maybe I am too sensitive recently. I guess my period is coming."

Li Ping smiled and patted her granddaughter's hand and said:

"You are like your mother. You have good ideas and thoughts. The best thing grandma did in her life was to arrange a marriage for your mother and your father. Life is not easy for women. No matter how educated or powerful a woman is, as long as she chooses to get married, she is someone else's wife. Husband and wife need to tolerate each other. If they find a good man, they should support each other for the rest of their lives, just like your parents. If they find a bad man, they should leave in time and live their own lives, just like grandma. After Tian Wei ran away with someone else, grandma was upset for a while, but life still has to go on. You can't die for a man, otherwise you will be sorry for the parents who raised you."

Tian Xiaohua nodded solemnly, and she smiled and promised that she would be independent and strong and always be herself.

The conversation between the grandparents and grandchildren still echoes in the house. The warm atmosphere and simple words demonstrate the beauty of human affection.

The impermanence of the world is like a flower that is about to bloom, but suddenly a heavy rain falls, and the petals fall to the ground and are covered with dust. It is no longer beautiful, and may even be stuck in the mud. But after the wind and rain, there will always be new buds blooming on the branches again.

Don't blame the world for its impermanence, learn to enjoy the beauty of the present moment.

***

Tian Junfu and Zhou Leng met the fish stall owner at the door of the police station. The owner's entire family was waiting at the door of the police station, including a couple, two elderly people, and three children.

When the Tian couple approached, the whole family gathered around and knelt down together. One of the children cried and refused to kneel, and was spanked by the woman.

The scene suddenly became chaotic, with the sound of a child crying, a woman scolding in tears, and the fish stall owner asking for forgiveness. If Tian Junfu hadn't supported the two elderly people, they would have bent down and kowtowed.

The fish stall owner said with tears in his eyes:

"Brother, I am indeed responsible for this, but I have a family with old and young to take care of, and I still have to live my life. I don't know how that fish, which was cut into pieces, could have harmed someone! It's all my fault. I apologize to you, kowtow to you, and ask for your family's forgiveness."

In fact, the purpose of this family's behavior is just to gain sympathy, hoping that the other party will not pursue the matter or pay less compensation, which is also human nature.

Tian Junfu was a soft-hearted person. He had been a down-to-earth person all his life. He had never thought about how much money he should ask the other party to pay. He held the old couple's arms tightly and said loudly:

"Brother, we are here today to talk to the police about this. It's not your fault. No one wants this to happen. We will not pursue it. I plan to close the case and take my father back to the village for burial."

The family on the opposite side breathed a sigh of relief when they heard that the matter would not be pursued. The old couple even fell to the ground, hugged Tian Junfu's thighs, and cried and thanked him.

Zhou Leng's hands were pulling the belt on Tian Junfu's waist tightly. She felt that if she was not strong enough, the other party's pulling would definitely make the crying more embarrassing. Until she heard the man's low voice saying:

"Wife, please be gentle. You are almost lifting me up with one hand. I can't breathe."

Zhou Leng smiled awkwardly and then loosened his hammer-like hand.

The policeman guarding the gate saw the chaos outside and quickly came out to find out what was going on.

Ten minutes later, everyone sat together in the police station mediation room.

The owner of the fish stall is surnamed Yu. Because of the good luck of having surplus every year and the fact that he never shortchanges the fish in terms of weight, he has a good reputation in the market.

Tian Junfu did not ask the other party for compensation, but the owner of the fish stall took the initiative to contact the hearse, accompanied him to pick up the body, and took it to the crematorium for cremation.

After finishing his business in the city, the fish stall owner drove the two men back to the village. After sending them to Tian's house, he did not leave immediately, but stayed to help with the funeral arrangements.

Funerals in the village are very particular. Families have to hire funeral music. If it is a happy funeral, they have to hold a banquet, worship the land temple, and set up a mourning hall for relatives and friends to kowtow and burn paper. The Tian family does not have any of these. They simply ask someone to choose a date and then bury the body.

Tian Dayong only returned to the village on the day of the burial and wore mourning clothes to avoid gossip from the villagers.

Tian Wei's funeral did not cost much, and the fish stall owner took the initiative to cover all the expenses. When he was about to return to the city after the funeral, he wanted to leave some money for the Tian family, but was rejected by Tian Junfu.

The two men stood in the Tian family's yard, pushing the bulging envelopes.

Tian Junfu said politely: "Brother, I really can't take this money. Logically, no one wants to encounter such a thing. You have done enough. Go back and live a good life. My father may have this disaster in his life."

The fish stall owner couldn't push anymore, so he put away the envelope, held Tian Junfu's hand tightly, and expressed his gratitude again.

Tian Junfu saw the other person out the door, and only turned back into the house after seeing him drive away.

The busyness and fatigue of the past few days swept over Tian Junfu. He lay down on the kang, picked up the clothes beside him and used them as a pillow under his head. After just a few minutes, he began to snore.

Zhou Leng witnessed everything. She also took a wooden stool and sat under the window sill outside the house. The sun shone on her body and the man's regular snoring was heard behind her. Slowly, she closed her eyes until the light and shadow slanted and a cool breeze blew past her, then she opened her eyes.

A simple dinner, chewing in silence, no comfort or communication, just life as usual, Tian Wei was not worth their tears or worries for several days.

Half a month later, Li Ping was driven back to the village by Tian Dayong. During the half month she was away, she avoided the rumors and discussions in the village, and even avoided the farce of Li Shuhua crying at Tian Wei's grave.

Li Ping, who was in high spirits due to the good news, walked with the wind under her feet and directed her grandson to carry the specialties she bought into the house.

Zhou Leng, who was meditating on the kang, opened his eyes. Before he could stand up, his mother-in-law grabbed his hand. She talked incessantly about how beautiful the scenery outside was, how it was a pity that Zhou Leng didn't go, and how successful his two children were now.

Even Zhou Leng, who was calm and composed, was annoyed by her mother-in-law's repetitive language. She looked at Tian Dayong, who was gloating outside the window and showing his big white teeth. Zhou Leng gritted her teeth and said:

"Mom, Dayong hasn't eaten yet, I'll go make him some cold meat."

Zhou Leng broke free from her mother-in-law's hand, stood up and walked out quickly.

Many years later, when the familiar pain swept through his body again, Tian Dayong realized that his mother would always be his mother.