C29

The Qi Xiang family lived in the most western part of the village, and everything in the village was usually the last to be heard, because it was too hot in the summer, so Deming couldn't make it on his way to the hospital. When the hospital doctor announced that he would die, he dragged him home for Deming to see the last time after midnight, then dragged him to the crematorium at daybreak, and returned with his urns to the mourning hall. Qi Xiang felt very sad, because such a strong young man said he would be gone without a body, and behind him was a sickly mother, a pregnant sister, and most importantly, the Liang family's pillar collapsed at night.

Qi Yuan and his mother rushed over to the Deming family, Deming's ashes were already delivered, Deming's mother was sitting on a horse in the living room, hugging the ashes with a hunched back, tears streaming down her face, but she couldn't utter a single sound. Wife Deming was standing at the door of the bedroom, holding the door frame with a pale face, her red eyes sadly looking at Deming's ashes, Deming hurriedly supported Deming's wife's arms, Deming's wife was trembling slightly, her hands were cold, and she was wiping her eyes with tears.

Grandfather wiped the tears from his eyes and said to Grandma, "Son's mother, go and persuade Deming's mother to put Deming's casket in the coffin. Don't let the child leave in a troubled manner."

Third Uncle helped Third Uncle to put the casket into a coffin he had bought earlier this morning in the living room. Deming's mother collapsed on the ground and cried, "My child!"

Qi Tan felt that his wife had slipped out of the house, so he called for his third aunt, "Third Aunt, quick, I can't help you anymore, Sister Deming is still pregnant."

When Third Aunt heard this, she rushed over to help support Deming's wife. "Deming's daughter-in-law, you have to take care of yourself. You're carrying Deming's child, that's Deming's root."

Wifey Deming bit her lips and silently shed tears. She wiped them away together with Third Aunt. Wife Deming helped the Deming couple to their room in the west room. The room was clean and fresh, the bed sheets were neatly spread out, there were no wrinkles on the broom, and the corners of the bed were also swept clean. Qi Yuan and Third Aunt helped wife Deming onto the bed, and they saw that there was a hot water bottle on the table beside the bed, and they poured a cup of water on top of her hand, and said, "Sister-in-law, drink some water, for the sake of the child in your stomach, you have to be fine too."

Third Aunt also said, "That's right, Deming's daughter-in-law. Deming knows you're pregnant and is very happy. Deming is gone, but you still have to take care of your health and have children."

His wife took the cup and tightly held it in both hands. Her slender fingers exposed her bones slightly as tears dripped into the cup, and he sat down on the bed next to her. Third Aunt saw that his wife was half lying on the bed and had nothing to do, so she went out to greet him.

Qi Xiang said, "Sister-in-law, you should drink some water. You haven't eaten or drank anything since last night, right? Drinking some water to warm your stomach is also good."

He then drank a few mouthfuls of water, and more than half of the cup of water instantly flowed down. Seeing that wife Deming had stopped, Qi Yuan took the cup and filled it up again, then handed it to wife Deming, saying: "Sister-in-law, since brother Deming left so suddenly, we'll have to look ahead, you still have some of brother Deming's bones in your stomach, for no other reason but that you have to take care of yourself for the sake of brother Deming. If things go this way, you'll have to live or die ah."

Deming's daughter-in-law lowered her head and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm sorry, but I should have pulled him down and not let him go. If I had been more resolute, Deming wouldn't have done this." Tears flowed down his face, and he felt sour in his heart.

Deming's daughter-in-law continued, "Deming was so happy to hear about having a child that he didn't sleep for a few days. I know he likes children, so why didn't he want to have a child a few years earlier and let him have the habit of being a father?"

Qi Yuan heard his wife berating him, he put his arm around her shoulder and said, "Sister-in-law, no one knows what's going on, you can't blame yourself for what's going to happen next, you have to look back on it, you have to raise big brother Deming's child well, don't let him leave in peace."

This young woman, who had just experienced the excitement of being a mother, immediately tasted the sorrow of losing her father. Qi Yuan did not know how his wife had survived this trial in the past, but he wanted to comfort her so that she would be able to stay alive for the sake of someone else who had not been born yet. He gathered his courage and continued walking forward.

His wife, Deming, laid on his shoulder and used her crying voice to vent the sorrow of losing her loved ones. Qi Jing was infected by this sorrowful atmosphere, and when he thought about his future father, who was still smiling yesterday as he asked for his date of school, and who could no longer see his unborn baby, tears welled up in his eyes.

Someone pushed the door open and wiped away his tears. His mother was carrying a big bowl of noodles, thin noodles, green onions, and a large egg floating in the milky soup. "Wife Deming, eat something," she said.

His mother's tone didn't have the intention of negotiation, but when Qi Chang heard that there was an order, he quickly stood up. His mother took the bowl to the bedside and used her chopsticks to pick up the noodles in the bowl. "I gave you some egg noodles. "Your mother-in-law is now lying on the brick bed, unable to do anything. Deming still has a lot of responsibilities that his family has to handle. Do you know who else in this family will stand up to take charge?"

Deming's daughter-in-law took the bowl from her mother and started to eat with the chopsticks in her hand. Mother looked at Deming's wife who was wolfing down the noodles and sighed. "Wife Deming, people still have to look forward. No matter what the hurdle is, as long as you can persevere, you will definitely be able to get through. "If you have anything to do at home, then just come to my house. Do you think we, as villagers, can just stand by and watch without doing anything?"

After a pause, she continued to eat the noodles until all the noodles in the bowl had been eaten. After drinking the soup from the bowl, his mother took the bowl and said, "You haven't had a rest since last night, have you? After you're done eating, you can lie down and rest. If there's anything else, I'll come and get you. "

Seeing that Deming's daughter-in-law was lying down, Qi Yuan helped her put a sheet at the end of the bed on top of her and followed her mother into the yard.

In the village, there were usually people who helped arrange marriages and funerals, and under the guidance of the steward, everyone methodically went about their duties. Third Uncle helped them to observe etiquette at the door, and beside the table was a large basket specially made for carrying firewood in the village. Some of the relatives would bring a few knives and burning paper when they came, and two people would stand at the door with small hammers. People in the village would usually come and help out with this kind of white matter. After everyone was done, they would eat a meal at the main house, but the aunts and uncles didn't go to work today, instead, they helped out the Deming family. They all saw their uncle helping to set up the stove, while their auntie helped to clean up the food in front of the kitchen door.

Seeing that, Mama Qi walked into the yard and said, "Well, your grandma wants me to take care of Deming's wife. You go home and prepare lunch, and pack up your luggage in the afternoon. Remember to call your dad and tell him to come back in the afternoon and send you to school tomorrow. I probably won't have time to send you off tomorrow."

Qi Xiang said, "Mom, I understand. You can rest assured at home. Deming's daughter-in-law is actually quite strong. Tell her she can listen to advice. "

Mama Qi nodded and said, "It's getting late, let's go home and cook."

When Qi Yuan returned home, he told his grandmother about the Deming family, and his grandmother sighed in admiration at how such a young man had just left. After cooking two servings of food, his grandmother had already cooked a porridge and distilled the rations, and Qi Yuan had just returned home from lunch to bring the dishes to the small table in the kitchen.

Qi Yuan said, "I still remember when I was young, De Ming brother played with me while picking Sophora Rice from the tree. I said our dad said that it could sell for money, but in the end, De Ming himself picked all the Sophora Rice from both sides of the street, dried them and bought an iron frog on the string for me, and our mom even accused me of asking for stuff from De Ming's brother, saying that his father was sick and had spent all his money on the hospital, and Deming's mother is still not well, so it wasn't easy for him to sell these two things, sigh ~"