Chrysanthemum Auntie wants to be collected

  Liang didn't have time to study the pearl, and a series of things that followed kept her busy.

  Chen Chong helped invite craftsmen, the coffins in the warehouse were painted, and they didn't even have time to dry thoroughly before his mother's body was put inside.

  Liang Tian and his two elder brothers knelt in front of the coffin, tears involuntarily streaming down their faces.

  "In an emergency, one must act expediently. When a person dies, they should be laid to rest as soon as possible. You will surely understand the filial piety of your family." Due to Liang Mancang's request, Chen Chong invited villagers to help with the funeral arrangements.

  The Liang family had a burial ground on the back mountain of Lao Lang Cave, where they guarded the spirit for a day. In the end, that gentle woman was buried in the main tomb of the Liang family.

  "Mom, waaahhh..."

  Four children knelt on the grave and kowtowed, Chen Chong persuaded them for a couple of sentences.

  "Hurry up and stop crying, people can't come back to life after they die. You guys shouldn't be too sad either. And who knows when Shou Shan will come back." The four kids were all very young, the oldest was only nine years old, and the youngest, Qiu Qiu, was only three years old. Although the separation seemed to favor the children, Chen Chong still didn't think much of them.

  Lao Lang Cave is a poor village, even in good years there are people who freeze to death or starve to death every winter, let alone in a year of disaster. If things go wrong, these four children may not be able to make it through this winter.

  Chen Chong looked at the smallest ball, that child was born with a clear and beautiful appearance, if sold... The three siblings might be able to get through it. But he didn't know how to bring up this topic either.

  Forget it, let's take things one step at a time.

  Many people died in the village, and Chen Chong's older brother also passed away. He still had to go help with other things, so he said: "I'll head back first, Man Cang, take care of your younger siblings. If you have any difficulties, go to Grandpa Chen for help." Try to lend a helping hand whenever possible.

  "Thank you, Uncle Chen. I will definitely take good care of my younger sister." Liang Man Cang's eyes were red from crying as he gave Chen Chong a deep bow.

  "Good kid." Chen Chong sighed and instructed, "There are wild beasts on the mountain, you few don't stay here to guard, hurry back!" In autumn, wild beasts also start preparing for winter. Although this place is close to the village, it's not guaranteed that you won't encounter some danger.

  Chen Chong left, and Liang Tian Tian knelt on the ground and solemnly kowtowed. He said softly, "Big brother, second brother, let's go back. The wind is strong, don't let Ball get sick again." The little child may not understand what happened, but seeing his brothers and sisters crying, he also cried, his small face reddened by the wind.

  Li Mangcang wiped away a tear and sobbed: "Mantou, don't cry anymore, let's go."

  Four children didn't even have time to eat a mouthful of hot food before heading home.

  "Sister, I'm hungry." Qiuqiu said pitifully in Liang Tian's arms.

  Liang Tian suddenly remembered that his aunt in the village helped cook dinner last night, and he hastily ate a mouthful, but now the ball still hasn't eaten anything.

  Gulu gulu......

  Just as I was blaming myself, I heard my second brother's stomach growling loudly beside me.

  Liáng Tián tiào le kǒu qì, kuī zì jǐ hái shì gè dà ren ne, jū rán méi zhù yì xiē shì er.

  Translation:

  Liang Tian sighed, losing himself being an adult, and didn't notice these things.

  "Ball, let's go home and cook." These two days, there were villagers helping out, and the big bag of food at home was almost gone. Liang Tian Tian slightly furrowed her brow, not knowing how many more days they could hold on.

  Funerals are always held at dawn when the village is just starting to stir and smoke begins to rise from the chimneys.

  All the way, there were paper money everywhere. The village was not only their family who died, but also more than a dozen people died in this disaster, and the whole village was filled with sadness.

  The old house of the Liang family is located in the west of the village, and Liang Tian Tian and his family come down from the mountain at the east end of the village, almost passing through the entire village.

  When they passed through the village, a woman in her thirties came out to pour water and saw them. She was stunned for a moment, "Man Cang, where are you four going?" The four children were all wearing mourning clothes, and the woman was even more stunned. "Who died in your family?" At first glance, it was a heavy funeral, and the woman's first thought was Liang Wangshi.

  "Chrysanthemum Auntie, my mother is gone." Liang Mancang was apparently very familiar with this woman, and upon mentioning his mother, tears began to fall rapidly.

  "What? How could your mother...?" The woman was shocked, and the wooden basin in her hand fell to the ground. She muttered: "Your mother is several years younger than me, how could she..."

  Liang Tian Tian searched through his memories.

  The woman's husband is surnamed Chen, and the villagers call her Madame Chen. She is related to the village head, being either a paternal aunt or uncle, but they are not close.

  Because her husband passed away a few years ago, Chrysanthemum Aunt brought up a daughter alone and also took care of a blind mother-in-law. In the family of three women, she was a young widow, so it's rare for her to go out in the village. It's normal that she doesn't know what's going on outside.

  Chrysanthemum aunt is closer to mother and can be considered as one of her good friends.

  "The Turkic soldiers have arrived, and my mother is dead." Liang Mantou puckered up his mouth, a small child who couldn't understand why his mother had abandoned them to die.

  "What?!" Chrysanthemum Aunt was an experienced person and immediately exclaimed. Her eyes, however, involuntarily turned red, "People just say they're gone and then they're really gone... Ah, it's a pity for you all..."

  "Sister, I miss mom." Qiuqiu was infected by the atmosphere and wailed. "I'm hungry..."

  Liáng tián tián patted the little guy in her arms and said, "Sister will go back and cook for you to eat."

  "You haven't eaten yet, come on, to Auntie's house, Auntie just cooked." Chrysanthemum Auntie didn't even have time to wipe away her tears, and took the ball from them as they headed into the courtyard. "Let's go, all of you come to Auntie's house, Auntie just cooked." Chrysanthemum Auntie pulled several children into the yard without saying a word.

  The yard is not big, just a main room, and next to it there is a shed with miscellaneous items.

  "Mother, who's here." A little girl suddenly ran out of the room, looking around ten years old. She was slender and pretty, with a big and square face, not like an ordinary rural girl.

  Liáng Tián Tián recognized her as being Chrysanthemum Auntie's daughter, whose name was Little Flower.

  "Xiao Hua, tell your siblings to hurry up and set the table, they haven't eaten yet."

  "It's a full house, Tian Tian you're here too." Xiaohua is apparently very familiar with the siblings, suddenly "hmm" and asked, "Why are you wearing mourning clothes?" Then thought of something, mysteriously asked, "Did your grandmother pass away?" Apparently she was clear about the experiences of the Liang siblings in the Liang family, and even had some schadenfreude when saying this.

  "Xiao Hua, our mother is gone." At the mention of old affairs, Liang Man Cang's eyes turned red again.

  "What?" Xiaohua's reaction was the same as her mother's, also widening her eyes.

  "Alright, Xiaohua, don't say anything else, go set the table first." Aunt Chrysanthemum wiped away another tear, clearly still grieving over Liang Tian's mother's passing.

  A voice came from inside the room, "Chrysanthemum, who are you talking to?" The voice was somewhat aged and belonged to Xiaohua's blind grandmother.