dognovel Chapter 1639 Countdown
Chapter 1639 Countdown
Chapter 1639 Countdown
Li Xuewu and the old man sat for a while, and then Sha Zhu led his men to the backyard to relieve them.
Sha Zhu came to burn paper money, while Liu Guangfu, Yan Jiefang, Lao Qi, and others came to keep watch and had already prepared playing cards.
They couldn't stand the cold either, so they closed the window of the east room and lit the stove up really hard before they could play.
Sha Zhu first knelt down and lit three incense sticks, then lit two more longevity candles, before kneeling down again to start burning paper money.
Unable to resist the smoke, Li Xuewu bypassed him and went outside, exchanging a few words with an old man who followed him out.
The boys in the east room were having so much fun that they were slamming their cards down with loud shouts, a stark contrast to the solemnity before the altar.
However, the old man and Sha Zhu did not mean to be harsh; in fact, they even offered to prepare late-night snacks for the young people.
They are not filial sons and grandsons, and have no obligation to grieve for the deceased. It is just a custom and etiquette. Otherwise, who would bother to come here? It's not like there are no other places to play cards.
Liu Guangfu and Yan Jiefang came to keep watch at night because their family's funeral had been attended by Uncle Yi and Shazhu, and since no one else had contributed, they were expected to step aside.
The same goes for the other kids; if they don't come today, who will come to their house in the future?
Logically speaking, Li Xuewen and his two brothers should also have done their part, but since they are all capable men...
Li Xuewen didn't show up, but Li Shun and his grandmother kept helping out, and Li Xuewu and Li Xuecai provided manpower and vehicles.
Etiquette and rules are one aspect, and interpersonal relationships are another. If someone is truly capable, they'll need help.
To put it bluntly, if the Li family were to have a funeral, there would probably be a long line of people waiting to keep vigil before any preparations even begin.
"Alright, let them stay here."
Seeing that Sha Zhu had burned the paper money and come out, Li Xuewu nodded to him and said, "It's nothing, I'll just sit in the front yard for a while and then go back."
"Hmm, nothing's wrong." Sha Zhu rubbed the dust off his hands, glanced at the old man, and said, "You should also rest in the back room. They're all drinking water over there. They have to get up early tomorrow."
"Why don't you just stay here for the night?"
He then said to Li Xuewu, "I've already heated the kang (heated brick bed), and the bedding is ready, so there's no need to go back and forth."
"I can't stand the smell of their cigarettes."
Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and said, "I'm too old to smoke, and even the smell makes me feel choked. Let's find a quiet place to rest."
"That's fine, come over early for breakfast tomorrow."
Sha Zhu raised his chin and said, "I've already prepared the noodles. They'll be cooked as soon as they're put in the pot, and the sauce is ready-made."
"We'll see, we'll see if we can catch up."
Li Xuewu patted the old man's arm, gestured to the front yard, and then instructed Sha Zhu, "When you're done here, go to the front yard too. Don't go to other houses and bother the kids."
"Got it." Sha Zhu waved his hand and went back inside to watch the card game. He also had to keep watch for a while and couldn't let the candles and incense burn out.
It's clear that he put his heart and soul into it; it wasn't just for show for the old man. The ceremony was very well prepared.
We can't compare to the wealthy and powerful; for a small family like ours, this is already quite an achievement for a funeral.
Leaving aside the deaf old lady's passing, the departures of the third uncle in the front yard and the second aunt in the back yard didn't seem particularly extravagant either.
Every place has its own customs, but in the Dongcheng area, weddings are generally more lively, while funerals are more frugal.
As the old saying goes, if you truly deserve that honor, you don't need to live frugally; the organization will naturally take care of it for you. If you don't have that status, forcing yourself to be elevated will only make you look pathetic in the end.
"The old people in this courtyard are getting old and have passed away. In the future, there really won't be many people left."
Looking at the deserted courtyard, with most of the houses dark, an old man with his hands behind his back couldn't help but sigh, "Things have changed."
"Next year, at the latest by next year, the compound should have people on board." Li Xuewu glanced at the dark house and nodded, saying, "The group is holding a meeting to discuss this issue."
"It's better to have some people around," an old man sighed. "Before, it was so noisy and chaotic that it felt like there was never a moment of peace. Now that it's quiet, it feels so peaceful."
He shook his head and said, "Are all these people just scoundrels?"
"Perhaps we only realize the value of something after we've lost it."
Li Xuewu pointed to his house and said, "Come sit here for a while and rest your legs. They're playing cards in the back room too."
The roads are difficult to travel on snowy days. Those who live nearby can manage, but those who have moved away naturally don't want to travel back and forth.
The old neighbors who are attending the funeral tomorrow morning have all decided to spend the night in the back room.
It's been a long time since we last met, and when we suddenly got together, we either reminisced or played cards, just to have some fun.
Li Xuewu couldn't stand it any longer and decided not to go any further. Seeing his elder brother at home through the window, he turned back towards home.
"I'm not going, I'm going up ahead."
The old man knew there was a generation gap between him and the Li brothers, and they didn't have much in common. He felt it wouldn't be right to interrupt the two brothers' conversation.
The two parted ways in the front yard, one going forward and the other to the right.
Hearing the commotion in the yard, Li Xuewen got up from behind his desk and went to the living room.
"Mom's in the backyard too, did you see her?"
"She's at Zhu Zi's house, looking after the kids."
Li Xuewu explained to his older brother, glanced into the house, and asked, "Nobody's coming this way?"
“Someone came this afternoon, and they all stayed in the back room after lunch.” Li Xuewen poured his younger brother a cup of hot water and asked, “Did you come from home?”
"No, I came right after get off work."
Li Xuewu scratched his head and said, "I called home and found out that the old lady and the others had gone."
“What’s there to be afraid of?” Li Xuewen said nonchalantly. “Birth, aging, sickness and death are the natural course of life.”
"That's what you think." Li Xuewu glanced at his elder brother with amusement and said, "You'll believe it when you get old."
"I will never believe in this, no matter what."
Li Xuewen was quite stubborn. He handed his younger brother a cup of tea and said indifferently, "Can it really turn into a soul?"
"Who knows?" Li Xuewu wasn't going to argue with him about this; it wasn't like when they were kids anymore.
"However, a culture that has been passed down for thousands of years, if you say there's absolutely no evidence, it wouldn't be where it is today, right?"
He's a master of nonsense. He can never win an argument with his older brother when it comes to physics, and his older brother is no match for him when it comes to twisted logic.
Li Xuewen curled his lip, glanced at him, and asked, "Staying here tonight?"
"What's wrong? Are you scared to be alone?"
Li Xuewu looked at him with amusement and teased, "Didn't you say you didn't believe in this?"
"I'm just asking if you're staying here or not. What does it have to do with whether I'm scared or not?" Li Xuewen rolled his eyes and said, "If you weren't staying here, I wouldn't have to serve you anymore."
"Wow, that sounds interesting."
Li Xuewu tilted his head and said, "When did you ever serve me? I don't remember."
"Alright, that's enough for now. Go do what you need to do and don't waste my time."
The two brothers couldn't agree on anything, and after only a couple of sentences, Li Xuewen wanted to kick them out.
The question I just asked Li Xuewu if he wanted to stay here sounded more like I was worried about my younger brother staying here.
Having finally found a night where no one would bother him, he couldn't help but enjoy the pleasure of reading.
As he said this, he got up, took his teacup, and went into the inner room, without saying anything about the two brothers catching up.
Li Xuewu became an unpopular person with his elder brother. After drinking a cup of tea, he said a word and went out.
I'm not used to staying at home. There will be a lot of noise in this courtyard tonight, with people coming and going, so I won't be able to get a good night's sleep.
I told my older brother I was leaving, but I didn't even get a response. He just nodded, signaling me to hurry up and go.
The two brothers have such a complicated relationship that you'd think they'd fallen out.
"What, you're leaving already?"
Qin Huairu came out of the back room, saw him walk around the hanging flower gate, raised her chin and asked a question.
Li Xuewu pointed to the west courtyard and said, "It's too noisy. Let's find a place to spend the night and come back tomorrow morning."
"You have a place to stay?" Qin Huairu asked knowingly, her tone laced with sarcasm.
Li Xuewu glanced at her and said, "I was just thinking of a place. How about we go to your house? Is Brother Guoyou home?"
"Go to hell—" Someone came out of the back room to use the toilet. Qin Huairu joked without restraint, glaring at him, "I'm not even home, what are you going to do there?"
"Hahaha—" the seventh brother's wife laughed and joked, "If Liu Guoyou finds out, he'll beat you up!"
Li Xuewu simply walked by without engaging in any idle chatter. He went to the west courtyard, retrieved his car, and headed out.
Does he still need a place to stay?
We consider the world our home, and every place has a home.
Qin Huairu is just talking nonsense. If she really wanted to talk about that, she wouldn't joke about it in front of others.
However, there was also a hint of regret in her words; she was no longer qualified to invite him to her home.
A while ago, Zhang Songying took a day off and came to visit her shopping. The two chatted about their lives.
She was the one who took the initiative to ask Zhang Songying if she was still in contact with him, but Zhang Songying just shook her head with a bitter smile.
After the New Year, Qin Huairu was 35 and Zhang Songying was 33. In her words, people know when to advance and when to retreat.
To be honest, Zhang Songying still sees him a few times a year because of work.
But if we're in contact, we don't have that kind of relationship anymore. We're already at this level, at this age, why are we still arguing about such trivial things?
It's alright if Li Xuewu is old, after all, they were destined to be together, and even if they get old, they will still think of each other.
Li Xuewu is ten years younger than them, so why bring that up? Does he need girls around him?
So even when passing through Gangcheng, Zhang Songying had no intention of staying overnight; once it was over, it was over.
Furthermore, Li Xuewu did not try to persuade him to stay.
However, when the two sat down to talk about this, neither of them accused or complained about Li Xuewu's ruthlessness.
Even if we don't talk about Zhang Songying, Qin Huairu has to admit that if it weren't for Li Xuewu, would her family have the life they have now?
If she hadn't been the director of the guesthouse, would she have gained the favor of a cadre like Liu Guoyou? She wouldn't even be able to get a hot meal while she was a widow.
So both of them had a scale in their hearts, one side of which was the memories of the past, and the other side was "parting amicably".
-
In the past few months, Tong Huimei has become obsessed with embroidery, and the basket on the octagonal table is full of needles and threads.
A pair of plump magpies are embroidered on a silk cloth held up by a bamboo support, their feet resting on the branches of a winter snow-covered plum tree. This embroidery has a lovely name: "Joy on the Eyebrows".
"This duck is so fat—"
Jin Jiaojiao came over with a kettle and refilled her teacup with hot water. She leaned over to take a look, pursed her lips and suppressed a smile, and praised her enthusiastically.
Tong Huimei rolled her eyes at her and said reproachfully, "I'll leave it for you to use as a pillowcase, so you can sleep with a fat duck under your head."
"That's great!" Jin Jiaojiao said with a smile, not caring at all. "I don't mind."
"I'll prick you with a needle—" Tong Huimei couldn't stand her mockery and gestured with a needle held between her fingers to scare her.
Jin Jiaojiao feigned fear and hid, saying in a coquettish voice, "Oh, sister, how cruel you are—"
"If I wanted to be ruthless, I'd stab you with an awl!"
Tong Huimei glared at her with a smile, but then seemed to hear a noise and craned her neck to look outside.
Jin Jiaojiao saw this and couldn't help but glance at it, then laughed and teased, "Stop looking, can't wait any longer or what? It's been done several times already."
"You talk too much—" Tong Huimei was laughed at, but she didn't blush. They had slept together before, so why would she care about this?
However, just as she turned her gaze to the embroidery, she heard the sound of the door opening from the direction of the gate.
"It must be him—"
Tong Huimei put down her work and hurriedly walked out, but Jin Jiaojiao called out to remind her, "Put on some clothes! Hey! You'll catch a cold!"
Reminded by her sister, she turned around, grabbed her coat, and put it on as she walked, just as her sister had said, she was in a great hurry.
She didn't care that Jin Jiaojiao was laughing at her behind her back, as if she wasn't in a hurry at all.
There's no rush. Why did I rush back to tidy up the house as soon as I got the call this afternoon, boiling water and changing the sheets?
"You walked here?"
Seeing that he closed the gate but didn't park the car inside, Tong Huimei asked in surprise.
Li Xuewu turned around and saw it was her. He nodded and explained, "It's cold, so it's inconvenient. I left it at the club."
It's true that I was worried about the car starting in the cold weather, but I didn't bother the club and just put it away.
There were hardly any people in the alley on such a cold day, and he wasn't worried about being seen; he was just looking for convenience.
"Aren't you cold?" After locking the door, Li Xuewu came over, took her hand, and asked with a smile, "Why aren't you inside?"
"I heard a noise at the door."
Enjoying his closeness, Tong Huimei explained somewhat shyly, "I knew it was you."
“An elderly person in the compound has passed away. I sat there for a while, but I didn’t dare to come over directly.”
Li Xuewu took her hand and walked into the courtyard, explaining as they went, "We went to the club for a walk again."
"Ah—" Tong Huimei looked at him in surprise and asked, "Is he your neighbor?"
"Yes, from the old compound." Li Xuewu didn't explain further, afraid of scaring her.
Seeing Jin Jiaojiao waiting at the door, he asked with a smile, "Aren't you all cold?"
"I'm afraid of the cold—" Jin Jiaojiao covered her mouth and laughed, glancing at her sister teasingly, and said, "My sister isn't afraid of the cold."
Tong Huimei didn't want to talk to her; this girl just loved to make fun of her. She lifted the curtain and let Li Xuewu into the room.
"Wow, how much is burned? It's so warm."
Feeling the sweltering heat, and glancing at the red-hot stove, Li Xuewu turned to the two men and said, "Be careful, and be extra cautious when you go outside."
It's 20 degrees Celsius inside, but it's minus 10 degrees Celsius outside. How can anyone stand that? They're bound to catch a cold.
"She was afraid you'd find it too cold here."
Tong Huimei glanced at her younger sister and said with a smile, "Not only the stove, but even the kang (heated brick bed) is smoking."
"What? You even installed a heated kang bed?"
When Li Xuewu heard her say that, he looked into the inner room and saw that some furniture had been moved from the east room and a heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove) had been installed facing south, giving it a real feel of a traditional heated kang in Northeast China.
However, there are only three rooms in the main house, which are divided into east and west rooms and a living room in the middle. Even if the rooms are laid out, how long can it be?
But it's more than enough to sleep three people.
"She noticed how warm the heated kang bed was in the backyard of the club and remembered it, so she begged Guodong to help her tidy it up."
Tong Huimei said with a smile, "We've been staying here since early autumn, and it's definitely much more comfortable than the four-poster bed."
"It has a slightly earthy smell."
Jin Jiaojiao wrinkled her nose and said, "I suggested using cloth to make cushions to surround it, but she insisted that it was useless."
"It's not very useful." Li Xuewu went into the inner room and tested the temperature of the kang (heated brick bed) with his hand; it was indeed scalding hot.
"Unless you don't use yellow clay, it's impossible not to have an earthy smell." Li Xuewu sat on the kang mat and felt it; it was indeed much more comfortable than a hard wooden bed.
Don't assume that older people only like a warm bed; young people like it too, it just depends on whether they're used to sleeping on it or not.
Sleeping on a heated kang bed all of a sudden is absolutely unbearable. Not only do my bones feel uncomfortable, but my throat also feels swollen and sore when I wake up in the morning.
"I told you so—but you didn't believe me!"
Tong Huimei glanced at Jin Jiaojiao, handed her a cup of hot tea, and said, "Have you had dinner yet? Would you like me to make you a bowl of noodles? Everything's ready."
"No need, I've already eaten with the club."
Li Xuewu took off his shoes, propped himself up on his hands and slumped onto the kang (a heated brick bed), saying lazily, "Wang Xiaoqin from the Third Regiment was there, and we chatted for a while while eating."
“We came back in the afternoon, and she was already there,” Jin Jiaojiao explained. “Her child is learning calligraphy with an old gentleman at the club, and she comes here often.”
"Her workplace is close by, so it's naturally convenient."
With one arm draped over his forehead and his eyes slightly closed, Li Xuewu said, "If I were in Beijing, I could come here often."
Jin Jiaojiao glanced at her sister and covered her mouth to chuckle.
I don't know what's wrong with the two sisters; it's like they have some little secret.
Tong Huimei didn't say anything, but bent down, picked up Li Xuewu's leather shoes, and took them to the door. Then she brought in a pair of slippers.
"Let's soak our feet in hot water, we've had a long day."
Jin Jiaojiao brought in the hot water she had prepared beforehand, but Li Xuewu waved his hand and said, "Wash your face first."
Not wanting to disappoint them, he propped himself up, got off the kang (heated brick bed), and went to the outer room.
Jin Jiaojiao quickly helped him take off his outer clothes and then found him some pajamas to change into.
While she was washing her face, Tong Huimei had already laid out the bedding at the end of the kang (a heated brick bed).
It's impossible to lie on the kang (heated brick bed) now; the little girl has burned too much heat, and it's impossible for anyone to lie down there. If it gets too hot, the quilt could catch fire.
Every time Li Xuewu comes here, he enjoys the treatment of a "landlord." When he washes his face, someone hands him soap and a towel; when he brushes his teeth, someone brings him a water cup and squeezes toothpaste for him. This life is too sweet; he can only enjoy it occasionally, or he'll definitely get diabetes if he does it for too long.
"Who embroidered this?" After washing up, he glanced at the objects on the octagonal table and noticed the floral embroidery.
Jin Jiaojiao glanced at the inner room with a smile, while Tong Huimei came out hurriedly with a flushed face, tidying up in a flurry.
"I embroider for fun when I have nothing else to do."
She stuffed the basket into the west room, and when she came back, she didn't forget to glare at Jin Jiaojiao, who was secretly laughing at her.
Li Xuewu smiled and praised her, saying, "It's very good. My grandma used to love embroidering this. When the four of us children were little, my grandma embroidered the uppers of our shoes. There were so many different patterns."
"It's just that her eyesight deteriorated later, and my mother stopped letting her embroider. We still have these items at home."
"Really?" Tong Huimei finally received affirmation and said with a little joy, "I'm just starting to learn too."
"Take your time, it's a great hobby," Li Xuewu complimented her before going into the inner room to soak his feet.
Feeling a little smug after receiving the praise, she glanced at her younger sister, raised her neck, and strode quickly into the house to help him take off his socks and wash his feet.
Li Xuewu was far too noble to do that. He waved his hand and tried to do it himself, but he still couldn't persuade her otherwise.
“Practicing martial arts is most damaging to the feet,” she said while massaging Li Xuewu’s feet in the water. “We used to help each other when we were little. My master’s wife said that if your feet are damaged, you can forget about performing on stage.”
"It's all the same. When I was serving in the army in the south, I would get the chance to burn my feet, and if I didn't, I would have to wrap my feet in cloth."
Li Xuewu looked her up and down, and said with a smile, "Some new recruits don't take this seriously. After a day, they can't walk anymore, and their feet are covered in blisters."
"The kind that keeps pestering us until we get here?"
Tong Huimei gestured to his ankle with her hand, then looked up and asked, "Isn't that the same as the old lady's?"
“Here.” Li Xuewu pointed up from the calf and explained, “It’s different from the old lady’s bound feet. I’m afraid that if I walk too much, my calf muscles won’t be able to handle it and I’ll get varicose veins.”
“Without this, the Long March would never have been completed.” Li Xuewu, supporting himself on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), wiggled his toes and said, “There’s a lot of rain in the south; some people’s toes rotted away.”
"Ah!" Tong Huimei exclaimed, "Is it that serious?"
“There are even more serious cases than this, such as amputation.”
Li Xuewu pursed his lips and said, "At first it was just a blood blister, but after it broke, it became infected with the local soil and water."
"Because there was a lack of the corresponding medicines on the front lines, we didn't take it seriously at first, but we didn't expect it to get worse and worse."
He paused for a moment before saying helplessly, "The conditions are what they are. There are many reasons for non-combat casualties, and this is the most common one."
"On the first day we entered the mountainous area, the veterans emphasized that protecting our feet was the most important task."
"So how did you guys get through it?"
Jin Jiaojiao was also curious about his story and leaned over to ask, "Just relying on luck?"
"Luck?" Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and said, "You have to earn your own luck."
He shook his head and said, "When people are desperate, they don't care about anything else. They'll do anything as long as they can survive."
He didn't go into any deeper details, after all, this kind of thing is not suitable for publicity; the process is not important, only the result matters.
The two women had never been exposed to these things before, so they were quite curious and asked him all sorts of questions about his past.
Even after turning off the lights and lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), Jin Jiaojiao was still wondering why Bai Xiang insisted on starting this fight.
However, she heard her sister's panting beside her and realized that she herself still had a tough battle to fight.
After a heavy snowfall, strong winds often follow, and at night the window panes creak and rattle in the wind.
However, Li Xuewu spent a lot of money to renovate this courtyard, and the windows were all reinforced with glass, so there was no risk of them being blown open.
Moreover, the two sisters had already learned to live a simple life, even how to paste paper on windows, so the house was never cold.
Tong Huimei lay down beside him, her voice tinged with weariness, and said, "She's become lazy. She used to get up early to practice her skills, but now that it's cold, she just stays in bed and won't get up."
"I was just going through a rough patch and needed to rest and adjust," Jin Jiaojiao said coquettishly, lying in his arms. "I'll start practicing again once I'm ready."
"You've been trying to adjust all autumn, but you're still not all better." Tong Huimei reached out and pinched Jin Jiaojiao across him, saying, "When are you going to grow up?"
"Ah—" Caught off guard, Jin Jiaojiao shrank back, dodging her hand and scolding, "Weren't you slacking off too? Don't say it was because of me!"
"Who else could it be but you—"
The two sisters still had the energy to bicker, but Li Xuewu forced himself to go to bed early, otherwise he wouldn't be able to get up tomorrow.
That's just his habit; he can stay up late, but getting up early is difficult, especially since he's just done physical labor.
Seeing that he didn't move, the two sisters chatted and laughed and then went to sleep.
In winter, the days are long. Let alone getting up at four o'clock, it might not even be light by five-thirty.
Li Xuewu checked his watch before going to bed, and when he got up at four o'clock, he had only slept for six hours.
As expected of a strong young man, he only yawned twice while eating the egg noodles that Tong Huimei cooked for him.
"Getting up too early makes you sleepy."
Jin Jiaojiao also got up and prepared water for him to wash his face. She was also dozing off, looking tired.
Li Xuewu gestured with his chin, indicating that she should go back inside for another nap, and she obediently complied.
Tong Huimei was helping him find socks and shoes when Jin Jiaojiao's soft snoring could be heard from the inner room.
Did she used to snore?
Li Xuewu and Tong Huimei were silent for a few seconds, listened carefully, and then asked with a smile, "How come I didn't notice?"
"She's probably exhausted." Tong Huimei chuckled to herself, having been the one who kept asking for more all night.
"Don't come out, you'll get cold."
After Li Xuewu finished eating and felt warm, he put on his coat and gestured to her, "I can go out by myself."
"I'll see you to the door." Tong Huimei looked at him with some reluctance, unwilling to let him leave.
Li Xuewu touched her pretty face and smiled slightly, saying, "I will return to Beijing at the end of next year."
"Hmm—" Tong Huimei knew she had no right to ask him to do anything for her, so she just obediently responded.
Li Xuewu nodded and said, "If you get tired of staying in Beijing, just buy a train ticket and come to Gangcheng to find me. You know the address."
"Okay, I understand." Tong Huimei simply replied, but she never intended to leave this place, much less dare to go to Steel City.
She was just as timid as Jin Jiaojiao. Li Xuewu arranged the route from here to the club, and they took that route. He also arranged the route to the theater for their performance, and they took an extra step.
Without any further arrangements from Li Xuewu, they stayed on their own path, unwilling to take another step.
If she's really clever, she'll have a house and a salary, so why not find a boyfriend while she's still young?
Even if they embark on a new life, Li Xuewu will likely not make things difficult for them; he might even offer his blessings.
But the two sisters never mentioned this idea, and we don't know what they were thinking, but they certainly never did it.
In fact, this kind of complicated situation is most likely to occur in the acting profession, such as getting too immersed in the role or having too much experience and knowledge.
Neither of these things is a good thing for a girl.
Actors are heartless; how many of them who fall in love with their senior or junior brothers end up with a good ending?
It's simply a matter of the husband and wife continuing to perform, then breaking away to take on apprentices and form their own troupe to continue performing.
He is knowledgeable and well-informed, and is fawned over by the high-ranking officials and dignitaries in the audience. However, he is arrogant and incompetent, looking down on others and himself.
They look down on those with inferior conditions and can't reach those with superior conditions, ending up empty-handed.
These two situations are still considered good, at least they still believe in love. The real danger is that they try to please everyone and treat opera as a side job.
The barriers to entry in this industry are both high and low; it's a mess, a mixed bag, and it's common for actors to also work as prostitutes.
Even worse, there are women on stage, men off stage, and neither men nor women in bed.
Having witnessed too much filth, the two had long lost faith in life and decided to continue living like this.
He's only 20 years old this year, and his life has just begun. There's plenty of time to consider complex issues.
-
This wasn't Li Xuewu's first time attending a funeral in the courtyard, so he was familiar with the process. However, this time, he chose a traditional burial according to the wishes of an elderly woman.
The difference between cremation and burial is that it skips the crematorium process.
Guided by an elderly man who often presided over funerals on this street, everyone pitched in to prepare the old woman for burial.
After the filial son, Sha Zhu, and his wife, dressed in mourning clothes, completed a series of procedures, eight young men worked hard to carry the coffin out of the courtyard and onto the truck.
Although it was only a little past five in the morning, the lively neighbors were already standing at the door, wearing cotton-padded coats and hunching their shoulders, waiting.
Everything was kept simple, and to avoid controversy, no funeral music was played, but someone did light a string of firecrackers.
Sha Zhu carried the banner and, along with a group of young men, boarded the truck. The others boarded the cars that had been prepared in advance.
As the firecrackers went off, the truck serving as the hearse slowly started moving, and other cars followed one after another.
The convoy looked quite luxurious, but also very complicated.
The presence of both four-wheeled and three-wheeled vehicles added a point of interest to the funeral, making it a topic worthy of discussion.
Li Xuewu drove in the middle of the car, with his father and three neighboring men in the car. The three men had been waiting to ride in his car, eager to see what was new and exciting.
The imposing appearance of the cruiser is quite eye-catching, and many people are staring at it and discussing it.
Compared to the common availability of the second-generation Antelope, this vehicle is only deployed in some important departments within the Honggang Group.
Sha Zhu chose a cemetery that was neither too far nor too close for the old lady; it was also a cemetery that allowed burial.
The burial pit had been prepared long ago; it was dug out by a machine last night. At this time of year, manpower is really scarce.
Sha Zhu had some influence in the canteen and restaurants, and also had connections with people in the engineering company.
To operate an excavator, you not only need to get an invoice from the finance department, but you also have to give the driver a small bribe.
After all, this isn't as simple as building a cellar in your house; most people wouldn't be willing to do this.
The convoy arrived at the cemetery in a grand procession. With the help of the young men and the old man's guidance, they brought the convoy to a steady stop in the grave pit, and then proceeded with a series of procedures.
Li Xuewu deliberately wore many layers of clothing, braving the cold wind from the empty cemetery area, but he still couldn't help sneezing.
The boys were the first to give in, so they gathered up the firewood left over from digging the grave the night before and rekindled it. The intense flames finally dispelled the chill of winter.
Under the illumination of the flames from the car headlights, reflecting the rising sun, Sha Zhu used a shovel to fill the first shovelful of soil.
As the old man muttered incantations, it was finally the young men's turn to take the lead, and each of them quickly piled up a grave mound with a shovel.
There was still some loose soil around, but it was for preparing for the final burial in a few days, so it couldn't all be used.
Sha Zhu generously released a rooster and poured two bottles of liquor, which impressed everyone present with his filial piety.
They say they call her godmother, but no one has ever heard Sha Zhu actually call her that, nor has anyone heard Uncle Yi actually call her godson.
Anyway, they all know it in their hearts, and everyone else understands it too—that's the kind of relationship they have.
Having no children, I'm already grateful for this arrangement.
Due to the restrictions of observing traditional respects for the elderly, the old man did not come to the grave; he waited at home instead.
If it weren't for Sha Zhu stepping in, there would be no Lao Li'er, and no grand spectacle like today.
Putting everything else aside, at least half of these cars and three-wheeled motorcycles must be there for Sha Zhu.
After hanging the banner and covering it with a wreath, everyone dusted themselves off and got into their cars to leave.
Someone used a shovel to put out the fire. The sun had already risen, a bright red one. The old friends were gone, and it was a brand new day.
The convoy returned along the same route, leaving behind a person's entire life—birth, aging, sickness, and death, which is a cycle.
Today, everyone is seeing off an elderly woman; in the future, her descendants will be the ones to see her off. Isn't that how everyone goes through life?
When they arrived at the compound, it was already past seven o'clock. Hot water had been prepared at the entrance. Everyone washed their hands and rinsed their mouths, ate the candy distributed by He Yushui, thanked her with smiles, and accepted a pack of cigarettes.
He Yuzhu prepared all of this. Although it was out of friendship, he couldn't let people come for nothing, so he gave them cigarettes.
Li Xuewu was given a pack of cigarettes by He Yushui even though she knew he didn't smoke, because he was driving.
He glanced at it; it wasn't the cheapest kind, but it wasn't particularly expensive either. He Yuzhu was really willing to spend money on this funeral.
However, he also set up a table in the back room last night, which can be regarded as an admission of his relationship with the old man.
Today I received a gift from an older woman, so from now on, the older man will have to repay the gifts he receives.
In reality, everyone who gets things done knows that it all comes down to favors and money, leaving no one with anything.
You must prepare cigarettes, alcohol, tea, and candy; if the feast is shabby, you'll only lose face.
Li Xuewu ate the candy, casually tossed the cigarette to Lao Qi, strolled around the yard for a bit, and then went out to work.
In fact, the funeral is over at this point, and the rest is left to the family to handle.
Like Li Xuewu, many people who were in a hurry to get to work took advantage of the time they had to go home and change their clothes.
Breakfast was eaten in the funeral parlor before the funeral procession. Li Xuewu didn't want to join in the commotion, so he asked Tong Huimei to cook noodles.
The old lady and the others had to stay at home for a few more days, which was his idea, so that they wouldn't be bothered by the marks in the yard.
He didn't care about these things before, but after the old lady went through that ordeal, the family became very cautious.
Even her second uncle called several times to inquire about the old lady's health. He knew that Hong Min had caused a scene and he almost went to Guangzhou to cause trouble for her.
Li Xuewu didn't want to waste time on useless talk. He had already warned the other party not to come to the Li family again, and his words were enough to deter them.
Others may not be aware of his abilities, but Hong Min is.
In preparation for the mid-month meeting, Li Xuewu was notified by the office as soon as he arrived at the group that he needed to prepare to attend the discussion meetings of the industrial group and the economic group.
Everyone else only participates in one session, unless they are members of the core group, but he is treated differently.
Li Xuewu was reluctant to take the lead, but Old Li didn't consult him and directly gave the order.
If he were to confront Old Li, it would seem rather pretentious.
So after the office secretary notified him, he only muttered a few words and then sent the person back.
Zhang Enyuan rested in the office building last night, but not in his room.
This kid is really going all out, hoping to make a good impression at this meeting.
He knew that Gu Cheng had come to talk to the leader. Time flies, and he had already been working for Li Xuewu for two years.
If nothing unexpected happens, whether the leader returns to Beijing or works at the group next year, he will be reassigned to a lower-level position.
Compared to Gu Cheng, he still had many more options, after all, he had grassroots work experience.
Moreover, he is much older, so he doesn't need a young person like Gu Cheng to temper his character.
Li Xuewu is not someone who can be fooled. Although the leader is very loyal, his performance still matters.
For the past two years, he has not known how his superiors have evaluated him, or whether they have been satisfied with him.
But he cannot miss any future opportunities.
This meeting is very important to the leaders. With one speech and two meetings, he serves as a support and service force for the leaders' written work.
If we can't count on him, then we shouldn't expect any mercy from the leadership for future arrangements.
"Is there something wrong with this?" He asked softly, noticing Li Xuewu's dissatisfaction. "Or is it that Director Li is not satisfied with your proposal to establish the Northeast Headquarters in Liaodong?"
"What does this have to do with anything?" Li Xuewu shook his head, sat down behind his desk, looked at the documents on the table, and said, "It's just that there are too many people causing this."
He snorted and said, "It would be great if there were only three people in charge of the group. They could get the work done while sitting down and playing cards."
Zhang Enyuan found this laughable, but still managed to suppress his laughter as he reported, "General Manager Gao came looking for you, but when he saw you hadn't arrived yet, he said he would come to see you later. I told him you had something to do this morning and asked for leave."
"Hmm, it's nothing. They must have heard the news."
Li Xuewu helplessly pushed away the documents his secretary had just brought him, sighed, and said, "Economic work, who can't talk about it? Why do I have to get involved?"
This wasn't Li Huaide deliberately making things difficult for him, but rather because he didn't want Gao Yaqin to have too much power.
He was the only one in the group who could control Gao Yaqin in economic matters, and he had her firmly under his control.
Gao Yaqin had no choice but to admit defeat, as she came to see him early in the morning, indicating that she had received the news well in advance.
Otherwise, I would have said so yesterday when I came, instead of waiting until now.
Li Xuewu actually wanted to participate in the discussion of organizational work, but neither Li Huaide nor Gu Weijie gave him the opportunity.
However, this also confirms what Gao Yaqin said yesterday, it seems that Gu Weijie's time in the group is really coming to an end.