After I was in debt of one million, I opened a factory in the 1990s

Chapter 571 Customs
Cui Changjia walked into the house, trying hard to hold back her tears. The house was completely cleared out. A portrait of her grandfather was placed in the middle. The floor of the house was covered with straw mats and rice straw. Many of the village's aunts, aunts, and sisters-in-law were standing or sitting, wearing mourning clothes.

According to the customs of the village, the mourning shed outside the house is where men pay their respects, while the one inside the house is for female relatives.

There was a cushion in front of the portrait. Cui Changjia knelt on it, kowtowed three times, and began to cry. Soon an aunt came over and helped her up. While putting mourning clothes on her, she said, "Child, don't cry. We can't keep crying."

Cui Changjia wiped her tears and nodded as a response, and asked, "Aunt, where is my aunt?"

"It's in the back room. Go and have a look."

Cui Changjia opened the curtain of the inner room and went in. The aunt was lying on the bed, her back to the door, and her expression could not be seen. Her mother, the second aunt and two sisters-in-law were sitting beside the bed, all with heavy expressions.
Whenever we meet, we can't help but cry.

As it gradually got darker, no one came to pay their respects, and the people in the house gradually left. Only a few close relatives were left outside guarding the mourning shed.

When it was completely dark, the old man's urn was moved into the house, and the people guarding outside also followed in. They were going to stay there all night.

That night, Cui Xiuyuan and Cui Chengze stayed to keep vigil, while Cui Changjia and Zhou Qingyan accompanied their parents back to their own home, along with Chang Yuanliang.

Chang Yuanliang used to come back for the New Year, but he didn't come back this year. The house was not cleaned up and couldn't be lived in. It was not good to trouble the people in their village so late, so he stayed at Cui Changjia's house.

When Cui Changjia's family renovated their house, they installed radiators, but because the house was too big and the temperature outside was below zero, the house was not very warm even with the heater on.

Fortunately, Jiang Hongying was afraid that they would feel cold when they returned, so she lit the heating stove in the living room.

Cui Changjia knew that it was cold at home, so she wore cotton shoes and a pair of long trousers when she set out, and changed her sweater to a thicker one. She also asked Zhou Qingyan to wear more clothes, but she didn't expect that he was still freezing. After entering the house, they huddled around the heater and it took them a long time to recover.

Jiang Hongying took out two military coats from the closet, heated them up on the stove, and asked Cui Changjia to deliver them to Cui Xiuyuan and Cui Chengze. They would stay there until midnight before returning.

It’s even colder in the village at night, and you can’t bear it if you wear thin clothes.

Zhou Qingyan quickly took it over, "Mom, I'll go, don't let Jiajia go."

"I'll go," Cui Changjia said, "I can also say hello if I meet someone."

"I will go with you."

"Don't let both of you get cold. Go home and talk to your dad and ask him to teach you what to do tomorrow."

There are many customs and etiquette for weddings and funerals in my hometown. If I don’t tell Zhou Qingyan, he probably won’t understand anything and will be laughed at tomorrow.

Cui Changjia took his clothes, put on his hat and went out. Zhou Qingyan watched Cui Changjia leave before turning back.

Jiang Hongying brought a pot over and squatted on the stove, saying to Zhou Qingyan, "Qingyan, let's eat something tonight."

In fact, a son-in-law like Zhou Qingyan who returns to his hometown for the first time should be treated well, but there is a funeral at home now, so no one can take care of him.

There was rice in the pot, and she was going to make some porridge, but it was too cold.

"Mom, I can eat anything."

Cui Wenquan called Zhou Qingyan, "Qingyan, come over and sit for a while."

Zhou Qingyan walked over, moved a stool and sat next to the heater. Cui Wenquan took a teacup and poured a cup of hot water and handed it to him, "Warm yourself up for a while." Chang Yuanliang said to Cui Wenquan, "Brother Quan, Mr. Zhou is the son-in-law of the cousin's daughter. You don't have to worry too much about the etiquette. Just let him follow the two brothers-in-law."

Cui Wenquan nodded, tears welling up in his eyes unconsciously.

He was in a very heavy mood. He just came back to see his eldest brother this summer. The two of them went to the ancestral grave together. At that time, his eldest brother told him where he would be buried and where the next generation would be buried in the future. But in just half a year, he was gone.

Zhou Qingyan felt very uncomfortable watching this. Although he was Cui Wenquan's son-in-law, he treated him no different from his own child. Sometimes when he came home late and passed by his room, he would always ask a question.

He had only been back for a few days, but he had become much thinner, wearing a black woolen hat, and looked several years older.

"Dad," Zhou Qingyan took two tissues and gave them to his father, "You have to take care of your health too."

Cui Wenquan took the tissue, folded it and wiped his eyes.

Chang Yuanliang also said, "Brother Quan, we finally saw each other for the last time. When our eldest brother left, he saw you getting up again, so he probably had no regrets. Don't feel bad, you are over 80, which is considered a long life."

Cui Wenquan smiled bitterly, "There are three of us brothers, and I am the only one left."

Chang Yuanliang sighed, "To put it bluntly, this day will come sooner or later."

There was a lot of charcoal in the stove, and the fire was burning brightly. While they were talking, there was a squeaking sound from the pot. The three people were staring at the flames in the stove licking the bottom of the pot, all in a trance.

There was a squeak outside and someone entered the yard. Zhou Qingyan got up to see that it was Cui Changjia and Cui Xiuyuan who came back.

"My brother was talking to him there, so I found a reason to call him back," Cui Changjia said, "After dinner, let my brother go and watch over him."

Cui Xiuyuan has been crying since arriving at the mourning shed. His eyelids are swollen from crying, and the tip of his nose is red from blowing his nose constantly. He looks so miserable.

"Brother, sit here." Zhou Qingyan asked Cui Xiuyuan to sit on his stool, and he moved two stools over.

Cui Changjia rolled up her sleeves and went to the kitchen to help her mother cook.

Their kitchen still has a big stove. Jiang Hongying, wearing a thick cotton coat and an apron, is standing in front of the stove cooking.

She cut cabbage and tofu, and prepared pork belly and meatballs, ready to stew a pot of cabbage and tofu, one bowl for each person.

Cui Changjia walked to the kitchen and sat down, while stuffing firewood into the kitchen, he said, "Mom, should we prepare offerings for tomorrow?"

The custom in my hometown is to bring offerings when there is a funeral.

"Later, the aunts in the courtyard will come over and prepare it with me. Since you are a married girl, I have to prepare one for you as well."

"Please persuade my dad. He is not in good health. Let him wear something warmer tomorrow. He is afraid of cold."

"He didn't listen." Jiang Hongying sighed, "Let him go. Fortunately, I brought a lot of thick clothes when I came back." She was always worried about Xiaobao, and said, "I don't know if Lele can take good care of Xiaobao."

"Chang Ying is here. Besides, Sister Wang is here. It's okay. Don't worry."

Speaking of Wang Chunhua, Jiang Hongying sighed, "Don't mention it. Chunhua is such a good child. She is careful, skillful, and patient. Xiaobao comes to her all day long, but she never gets annoyed."