A different life with a system reborn

Chapter 41 Funeral
"It was very cold in that place. We were defending our position, and the shells were bombing one after another. The planes in the sky rumbled like the Lord of Hell was coming. My comrades fell one by one."

Grandpa paused for a while as he spoke, lost in memories, as if the cruelty of war was right in front of his eyes.

"The gunshots around me became less and less until a shell exploded around me. My palms were cut off by shrapnel, and I fainted. When I woke up, I realized that we had held our position. , we waited for support, I survived, I survived.”

Grandpa's eyes were still so calm, and he talked about the cruelest war in the calmest words.

"I shouldn't have survived. There were 158 people in our company, and I was the only one left. I shouldn't have survived. I joined the company as soon as I became a soldier. There were 178 people in the company at that time. After several years of war, There are 158 people left, and they are all the same as my family. The result... the result... Later, after I recovered from my injury, I retired from the army and returned to my hometown. I used to dream about them all the time, but over the years I began to not remember them. Their looks."

When the great-great-grandfather spoke at the end, his tone became even deeper.

"When I returned to my hometown, my old mother had passed away. Siyazi, thank you for letting me feel the company of my relatives in my last time."

The great-grandpa spoke and held Zhao Dongsheng's hand tightly.

"Siyazi, there is a cloth bag at the bottom of the box beside my bed. Please take it out."

Zhao Dongsheng hurriedly walked to the wooden box. It was a very common red-painted wooden box. It had been used for a long time. The red paint on it had almost fallen off, and the exposed wood had also turned black. The wooden box had a copper The lock is just buckled and there is no padlock on it.

Opening the wooden box, there were several clothes inside, neatly folded. Next to the clothes was a black-and-white photo of an old man wearing a military uniform and a military cap. It had been framed. This was prepared by my great-grandfather for himself. Zhao Dongsheng resisted looking at the photo, reached out to the bottom of the box, and took out a cloth bag with something wrapped in it. Zhao Dongsheng did not identify what was inside, but quickly picked it up, walked to his great-grandfather, and put it on his On hand.

Grandpa didn't take it, but pushed it towards Zhao Dongsheng.

"I see that you also have a watch, but you never wear it. You must like watches very much. I gave this to you. Open it and see if you like it."

Grandpa returned the things in his hand to Zhao Dongsheng, but he had very little strength. Zhao Dongsheng opened the cloth bag, and inside was a beautiful dark red silk package. It had been a long time and the color was not so bright.Opening the silk cloth again, a gold watch with a dark red strap was exposed inside. Zhao Dongsheng recognized it. This was a Patek Philippe 1463. He had seen it when he bought his own watch last time. It could be seen from the strap. , its owner takes good care of it and maintains it regularly. You can't tell that this is a watch from the 40s.

"This watch was a trophy when they drove away that faction to the Bay. It was handed over at the time and then assigned to the company. I made meritorious service in that battle, so it was rewarded to me. The company The boss also told me to take this to get a wife. Haha, I didn’t expect that my hand was broken and I couldn’t wear it, and I had no plans to get a wife. Originally, I planned to wait until you get married before giving this to you, but now Looks like I can't wait for that time."

Zhao Dongsheng was originally feeling a little heavy, but when he heard the last sentence, tears burst out silently and fell on the old man's hand.

"Si Yazi, please put your watch away and don't let others see it. This is the only thing that my great-grandfather can leave you. Please help me sit up."

Zhao Dongsheng quickly wrapped the watch in cloth and put it in his pocket.Then I wiped away my tears and helped my great-grandfather to sit up.

"Si Yaozi, wipe your tears, don't cry, open the door, and let them in."

Zhao Dongsheng wiped away his tears and opened the door with red eyes. The village secretary, his father, and two old people who were waiting outside came in.

"I will set up a stall and ask Huihuang to take care of my funeral affairs." Grandpa's eyes became brighter, and even his words began to become stronger.

"Yeah, okay" Dad responded from the side.

"There is a photo of my body in my box. The coffin is in the hall. It was made to my size. I have a piece of land on the mountain. As you know, Party Secretary, I will bury it there when the time comes. There is no need to report the funeral. I have no relatives. There’s no need to invite monks or Taoists, I don’t believe that. I still have a little money under my pillow. Then I’ll ask the party secretary to arrange some meals for the masters who are helping me... Company commander, have you come to pick me up?”

The great-great-grandfather explained his funeral affairs, but at the end he began to slump again. He murmured the last word and closed his eyes with a smile.

Zhao Dongsheng held his grandfather's hand and could no longer feel any warmth.The whole room was silent for a while, and there was only the sound of a few old people smoking.

"Hey, Dongsheng, don't be sad. The old man passed away in his 80s. It was a joyous occasion. You took care of him when he was alive. Now you can sort out the old man's remains. Huihuang, clean the coffin in the living room and decorate the mourning hall. ." The village party secretary arranged things and then walked out first.

The old man passed away peacefully. Zhao Dongsheng took out his photo from the bedside box. Under the photo, there were faded but neatly arranged old-fashioned military uniforms.

I changed my great-grandfather's clothes, then combed his pale hair with a wooden comb, and put on his hat.Then he held the old man's tall but thin body and gently placed him in the coffin that had been arranged outside.

Zhao Dongsheng’s funeral is very cumbersome. When an elder in the family dies, his immediate relatives must report the funeral to relatives and friends. He wears a rope on his head and then goes to someone else’s house to kneel and kowtow to report the funeral. Then he asks for help. The next day he will invite relatives and friends After drinking white wedding wine, a monk or Taoist priest will be invited to recite sutras for salvation. On the third day, about eight people will carry the coffin on a frame for burial.

Since my great-grandfather had already arranged for the funeral, many steps were omitted, but there was still a need for someone to guard the spirit for three nights, and Zhao Dongsheng took the initiative to undertake this task.

Zhao Dongsheng wore a hemp rope on his head, and several old ladies from the village prepared white cloths for him to wrap. Then he knelt in front of the memorial tablet and burned money and paper. If anyone came to pay homage and offer incense, he would kowtow to them as a great-great-grandson.

Everyone in the village knows that Zhao Dongsheng takes care of the elderly in the village, and they have special recognition for him.

In three days, the neighbors came to help. The money left by the great-grandfather was not much, and it was definitely not enough to arrange a funeral. However, the neighbors came to offer incense and worship. After Zhao Dongsheng kowtowed, he would give one to him. The red envelope is given to the village secretary to pay for the funeral expenses.The gift money is not much, but it is basically enough to cover the funeral.

(End of this chapter)