magic eye doctor

Chapter 3798 Ancestral Graves Turn to Ashes
Small towns generally don't have many entertainment activities, and people go to bed early. Counties and cities usually have night markets, which are lively at night.

After 11 p.m., many streets in Shishi quieted down, but every pedestrian street was still bustling with activity. People browsing the night market were busy having late-night snacks, and the stall owners were busy at work.

Huang Zhichang's widow, Huang Li, was in a car that passed a fork in the pedestrian street. She glanced at the bustling night market through the car window and felt nothing but frustration.

This city can be said to be the stronghold of the Huang family and the birthplace of the Huang family.

In this city, Huang's former students and friends are everywhere.

The Huang family once held sway here, but who would have thought they would one day suffer a humiliating defeat and end up being universally reviled.

Today, the Huang family is scattered, some have died, some have dispersed, and some have been forced to relocate.

Old Mrs. Huang, who was also forced to relocate, felt resentful. The Huang family may have done a lot of things to eliminate dissidents and to embezzle public funds, but they had also tried their best to build up Shishi and contributed to its prosperity.

But now, when people mention the Huang family, they only remember the Huang family's mistakes. Who remembers the Huang family's achievements?
Despite her dissatisfaction, she couldn't show her emotions. Old Mrs. Huang coldly withdrew her gaze and silently looked ahead.

The taxi turned left and right for a while before finally arriving at a street that was very far from the former residence of the Huang family in Shishi and closest to the cemetery. It stopped in front of a hotel.

Grandma Huang paid the fare, got off the bus with her bag, and waited for the bus to leave before going into the hotel to check in.

She came from Xiangshi by bus and was supposed to arrive at her destination at 9:30 p.m., but due to traffic, she was delayed and didn't arrive until after 11:40 p.m.

It took another ten minutes or so to get from the bus station to the hotel I had booked.

It was close to midnight, and the streets near the hotel were very quiet. Fortunately, the main street was a major thoroughfare and not remote. There were also staff members at the hotel reception.

After completing the check-in procedures, go upstairs to your room.

Grandma Huang only brought one change of clothes and some essentials. Her backpack wasn't big, and she declined the waiter's help, carrying it herself.

The waiter opened the door, let the guest check the room and leave after confirming there were no further requests.

The long bus ride was tiring, so after putting down her things, Grandma Huang only washed her face and lay down.

She wanted to rest early to conserve her energy for the cemetery visit the next day, but unfortunately, she tossed and turned after lying down and couldn't fall asleep until she heard the rooster crow three times before she finally drifted off.

Huang Lishi slept restlessly, while the people of Jiudaomei Village slept soundly, almost everyone slept without a dream until dawn.

People in rural areas get up early. Basically, every household gets up soon after dawn. Men and women usually have different tasks. Men go to the fields if they need to, or cut grass if they need to, or prepare tools and other items for the morning's work.

The women are usually responsible for making breakfast.

Even if the men don't work early in the morning, they will help clean the house or feed the chickens and ducks.

The rice seedlings have just been transplanted and haven't taken root yet, so ducks can't be allowed into the fields. Villagers can only raise ducks by sending them to the riverbank, which is far from the rice paddies.

The Le family's ducks were not allowed outside; they were kept in the backyard of the South Building.

When Le's father, Zhou Qiufeng, got up in the morning, he didn't pay attention to the chickens and ducks. After washing up, he made breakfast first.

The couple had just gotten up when Old Man Yan, Lan Sanhei Jiu, Young Master Ren, and the handsome young man from the Chao family arrived at the main room of the North Building after getting ready.

Wu Shao woke up when the Le family got up and opened the front door. She also got up early and ran to the garden to pick a handful of fresh radish seedlings to help with breakfast.

The Le family made breakfast, while Lan San and Hei Jiu helped clean the house, making sure the area in front of and behind the house was spotless. They also helped by taking millet to feed the ducks in the backyard of the South Building and changing the water in the temporary bathing pool for the ducks.

The two handsome men are quite the domestic helpers.

Ren Shaowu and the handsome young man were not idle either. They prepared their baskets in advance and put the necessary tools into them.

Old Yan watched as the young people busied themselves.

Just as breakfast was about to be ready, the young master of the Le family finally showed up with his big wolfhound.

The little girl came downstairs without even combing her hair or washing her face.

The handsome young man quickly took over the care of his little sister, and with the help of the young master and his wife who were also there to join in the fun, he combed her hair, tied it up, and even watched her wash her face and brush her teeth.

After tidying up, they led the little dumpling back to the main room.

The little girl was exceptionally well-behaved in the morning, and Wu took the opportunity to rub her head quite a bit. In the end, the doting young man pulled her away and isolated her, preventing that guy from getting close to his little dumpling again.

For breakfast at Le's house, the main dishes were rice noodle rolls and steamed buns made yesterday, two medicinal dishes were heated up, a pot of soup was cooked, and each person had a boiled egg.

The guests and hosts of the Le family were having breakfast before 6:20 a.m.

After breakfast, Lan San and Hei Jiu were in charge of washing the dishes, while the Le couple heated up pig feed to feed the ducks and carried grass to feed the cows.

During the Qingming Festival, people go up the mountain to sweep tombs, and cattle are not allowed to graze on that day.

After finishing her chores, Le's father, Zhou Qiufeng, packed the offerings for ancestor worship into a basket on her back, tidied up, and set off.

Le's father carried a basket containing offerings on his back, while Lan San and Wu Shao each carried a basket.

The big wolfhound went up the mountain with the young lady, while Old Man Yan stayed home to guard the house.

The Le family set off early without waiting for the Zhou family or other villagers.

The handsome young men were all wearing highly durable camouflage uniforms, and even the little girl was the same. She had her head tucked into her clothes, covered her head with a piece of blue cloth, and wore a hat.

As the Le family and their group approached the foot of the mountain, the people of Mei Village were either having just finished breakfast, eating breakfast, or feeding their livestock.

Grandma Zhou's family hadn't had breakfast yet, but they had already prepared it and were waiting for Zhou Tianming to come back so they could eat.

While waiting for Zhou Tianming, Brother Zhou and Ms. Li fed the chickens, ducks, and pigs and prepared the offerings for the grave visit.

The Zhou family has everything ready except for the final push.

Zhou Tianming, who had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Dongfeng, had his chartered car arrive at the intersection of the road leading into Meicun Village.

Zhou Tianming was worried that there would be too many cars on the ground in front of the village office building, and that it would be difficult to move the cars after they entered. So he didn't let the taxi take him into the village and got off at the intersection.

Zhou Tianming, weary from his journey, hurried into the village with a backpack and a men's shoulder bag on his back, heading straight home.

He looked around and saw that Zhou Bapi's door was open, but he didn't see anyone outside. He didn't go to his eighth grandfather's house either, and the same thing happened when he got to the intersection outside his grandfather's house. He didn't see any elders outside, so he didn't go to greet them and went home first.

On his way home, he passed by several villagers' homes, only meeting the owners of two households and exchanging greetings with them.

When Zhou Tianming passed by the Le family's house, he didn't hear any voices or see the big wolfhound. He didn't say a word either and hurriedly went back to his own home.

When Zhou Tianming arrived home, the three elders of the Zhou family were relieved and spent a long time asking him how he was doing.

Zhou Tianming threw his bag into the main room, washed his face in the bathroom on the first floor, and then ate.

Cao Qingyue didn't come home for Qingming Festival because she lives far away. Cao Bingyue went back to Shizijingyan after school yesterday to accompany Cao's grandmother to pay respects to the Cao family elders during Qingming Festival.

Grandma Zhou hadn't finished her meal when Village Chief Zhou called to ask if Tianming had returned. Once he knew Tianming was home, he scheduled a departure time.

The Zhou family members from the same clan went to sweep the tombs together; it had been arranged a few days ago.

Everyone gathered at Village Chief Zhou's house. Each family usually sent one or more people to the mountain, while those who didn't go to sweep the tombs stayed at Village Chief Zhou's house to prepare lunch. Once everyone was there, they set off.

After Zhou Ge, Ms. Li, and Zhou Tianming finished packing, they joined the main group as the Zhou family's team arrived.

After the Zhou family's procession passed, Grandma Zhou tidied up, took a pig's trotter and a duck, and went to the village chief's house.

The Zhou family set off at a moderate pace, neither too early nor too late. They met fellow villagers along the way and traveled together as a group.

When the villagers reached the foot of the mountain, they saw the Le family's electric tricycle. They chatted and joked for a few moments before going their separate ways.

The Le family's small team set off early. When they arrived at the foot of the mountain, they went to the bamboo forest to pick up a few dried bamboo tails, split them into blocks, and carried them up the mountain.

When we arrived at the graves of Grandpa and Grandma Le, we cleared the weeds around the graves, gathered some dry grass, and used the bamboo we had brought to make firewood to start a fire and heat up the food and drinks.

After paying respects to their ancestors, the family members, including the grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, and great-aunts, accepted the offerings and split into two groups.

Le's father, Zhou Qiufeng, went to pay respects to several elders of the Zhou family. The little girl and the handsome young men went hiking and picked wild bamboo shoots and wild vegetables in the mountains.

After separating from his daughter, Zhou Qiufeng, the father of the boy, first went to pay respects to Zhou Qiufeng's father, and then went to wait at the grave of Zhou's great-grandfather for the Zhou family's procession.

Village Chief Zhou and the others climbed up the mountain and were quite surprised to see that Yueqing and Zhou Qiufeng, the couple who had cleared away the weeds around the grave mound, were waiting for them.

When Yueqing came to pay respects to the Zhou family's ancestors, the Zhou family members were naturally overjoyed and greeted the couple with smiles.

After exchanging pleasantries, the Zhou family members asked where Lele had gone and why they hadn't encountered anyone on the way.

Le's father grinned and said, "Chao's nephew and two friends also came. The young men are energetic and love wild vegetables. After paying respects to Le's ancestors, they took Le to find bamboo shoots."

"Oh, Lele wants to eat bamboo shoots? My family went to the mountain across the street yesterday and picked a whole basketful. Qiufeng, why don't you come to my house and get some?"

“I have some too, they’re gray bamboo shoots. Come to my house and get some later.”

“My family picked a basket of mushrooms yesterday, let’s go get some too.”

"I caught a few bangbang fish yesterday. Yueqing, go and get them for the handsome guys to try."

The Zhou family members were incredibly enthusiastic, saying they had any wild game at home and asking Zhou Qiufeng from Yueqing to go back and get some for Lele and her friends to try.

City dwellers seldom find mountain produce, but those who live in the countryside can easily find wild vegetables and game in every season by simply being diligent and taking a trip through the mountains.

Zhou Qiufeng was happy that her family members were kind to her children and friends, and she frequently agreed, saying that if her son didn't bring back much, she would go and get it herself.

Men and women worked together to set out offerings and worship their ancestors.

After paying respects to the Zhou family's patriarch, we then went to sweep the tombs of other ancestors.

During the Qingming Festival, Le's father accompanied his wife back to the Zhou family to pay respects at their graves. He and his wife naturally joined the Zhou family's large group, sweeping and paying respects at one grave after another.

All common ancestors listed in the genealogy must be honored with ancestral rites.

When the Zhou family was paying respects to their ancestral grandfather, Old Mrs. Huang and several members of the Huang family also climbed the burial mound where the Huang family's ancestral graves were located.

Grandma Huang went to bed late last night and didn't wake up until almost eight o'clock this morning.

She got up a little late, quickly got ready, bought incense, candles, paper money, and other items for ancestor worship, and then took a taxi to the cemetery.

The car only went as far as the foot of the cemetery.

The Huang family members had almost all gathered and were waiting for Huang Lishi at the foot of the mountain.

About ten members of the Huang clan who had moved to other places returned this time. For those members of the Huang clan who were unable to move to other places, each family had a representative.

Most of the people who come to sweep the tombs in groups during the Qingming Festival are middle-aged people in their thirties and forties.

The Huang family members who gathered at the foot of the mountain did not appear to be in good spirits.

The Huang family members originally thought that Huang Zhenbang could lead the Huang family to rise again after his release, but who knew that the flame of hope would be extinguished in the blink of an eye.

Today, the Huang family has little hope of making a comeback. They only hope that their descendants will not remain single, but will be able to find healthy people to marry, so that their descendants can gradually break free from the curse of hemophilia and preserve the Huang family line.

It is because of their hope for the continuation of the family line that they persevere in sweeping the tombs despite the pressure; otherwise, who would come to visit the graves?

When Huang Lishi arrived, the Huang family members surrounded her and asked her questions.

"Grandma."

"Grandma Tai-shu".

Some of the younger members of the Huang family helped Huang Li-shi, some took the bags she was carrying, and some handed her water.

When Huang Zhichang was alive, he was the most senior member of the Huang family. Now, apart from Huang Zhichang's son, who belongs to the Mao generation, all the other members of the Mao generation have died long ago, and even the Zhen generation, who are over fifty years old, are few and far between.

Therefore, Huang Zhichang's widow is still the oldest member of the Huang family in terms of seniority, belonging to the great-grandmother category.

Grandma Huang nodded in agreement, rested for a bit, and then started climbing the mountain.

The Huang family's small group made no attempt to conceal themselves and were recognized on their way up the mountain. However, the others at most exchanged a few sarcastic remarks.

The Huang family members had long been accustomed to countless insults, and when they heard people cursing, they remained relatively calm and did not retaliate or physically punish them.

Passersby didn't approach, after all, there were elderly people in the Huang family group, and if the elderly Huang family members used them as bait to deliberately extort money, they would be in trouble.

The Huang family members' journey up the mountain went relatively smoothly.

After climbing the mountain, the Huang family members unanimously went to pay their respects at the family's ancestral graves.

Every year, members of the Huang family sweep the tombs. The Huang family ancestral graves are brick-built, and the area enclosed by the brick stele is quite clean, but the area outside the stele is overgrown with weeds and vines.

Upon arriving at the ancestral graves, the Huang family members put down their belongings and rested.

After resting, they simply cleared away the dry grass and debris on the ground, ignoring the surrounding weeds, and set out offerings of wine and paper money.

However, just as everyone had arranged the offerings and wine, lit the incense sticks, and lined up to worship, they suddenly heard a "snap" sound.

With that sharp, teeth-grinding sound, the stone tablets, bricks, and even the bricks paving the ground surrounding the Huang family's ancestral graves instantly turned to dust and spilled out in a flash.

The men and women of the Huang family witnessed the ancestral gravestone tablet crumble into pieces.

The stone tablet looked like it was made of flour, spreading out in a fluffy mass, spilling dust.

Then they realized that the paving stones under their feet had turned to powder, and they felt as if they were walking on sand, sinking into it instantly.

The stone tablet and floor tiles turned to dust and scattered, which should normally cause dust to fly everywhere.

However, when the Huang family ancestral graves turned to dust, it was like pouring out white sugar or dissipating like water, without any dust flying around.

The sudden change terrified the Huang family members, who let out a high-pitched scream: "Ahhh—!"