Xu Chacha poured herself a glass of hot milk and sat down next to her. "Sister."
Xu Yanshu turned her head and saw that the dazed look in his eyes was clearly something he had been thinking about. "Get up, good boy."
She picked up the remote and intended to switch to the children's channel.
"No need, let's watch the news. I love watching the news too," Xu Chacha stopped her.
The weather forecast was being broadcast on TV, and Xu Chacha listened attentively to the weather forecast for F Town for the next few days. Fortunately, the rain was not continuous, and the host said it would probably stop tonight.
She nodded, tilted her head back, and gulped down half a glass of milk. The two watched for another ten minutes or so before Mr. and Mrs. Xu finally came down. The four of them quietly finished their breakfast, and the driver had already arrived at the garage, ready to depart.
They needed to reach F town before noon, a drive of about three hours. Xu's mother fastened Xu Chacha's seatbelt.
"Sleep for a while, baby. We'll be there when you wake up."
Xu Chacha nodded obediently. She hadn't slept well last night, and now that she was in the car, her habit of feeling sleepy in the car when she wasn't sleepy in bed had kicked in.
Her little head bobbed up and down, then tilted gently to the side, and she fell asleep soundly against her mother's shoulder. Her thick eyelashes fluttered against her rosy cheeks like little fans, and her sleeping face was peaceful and adorable.
Take a nap, and you'll see your aunt when you wake up.
...
The hotel was booked by Xu's mother through connections. It was near that popular beach, and the rooms were fully booked during holidays. She only managed to reserve two suites by pulling strings.
They put down their luggage, had lunch at the hotel, and went back to their room to change into the clothes they were going to wear to the funeral.
To make it look more dignified, Xu's mother specially chose black dresses for the two sisters, with Xu Yanshu's dress having a thin white belt around her waist.
Xu Chacha wore a black bow, and the hem of her skirt was left blank. When the wind blew up, the hem of her skirt looked like waves.
Xu Chacha's hair had grown almost to her back. Her mother sat down to help her comb her messy hair and braid it into a neat fishtail braid, leaving only some wispy strands at her temples. The little one suddenly looked more energetic.
If she didn't have urgent business to attend to, Mrs. Xu felt she could "play" this doll-dressing game for another whole day.
"Alright, go and call your sister." Xu's mother patted her.
"Mmm." Xu Chacha got up and ran to pull Xu Yanshu, "Sister, come here, Mom will braid your hair."
Xu Yanshu was quite reluctant, "It's okay, sister doesn't need braids."
"Why?" Xu Chacha stopped and asked in a low voice, "Don't you want to have the same braids as me, sister?"
Xu Yanshu: "..."
Just as she was thinking about how to avoid hurting Xu Chacha's feelings and making her refuse, the other person spoke again.
"Does my sister dislike braids, or does she dislike having the same braids as Chacha? Does my sister think it's shameful to have the same braids as Chacha?" The little girl's voice was full of grievance, making one's heart ache.
"Fine, I'll do it, okay?" Xu Yanshu rubbed her forehead in resignation.
...
At 1 p.m., the group set off on time. The drive from the hotel to the funeral venue took about half an hour. Xu Chacha took another nap in the car and woke up automatically before arriving at their destination.
She wiped the window with her hand and saw a large flower field outside. The rain seemed to have lessened a lot, and small puddles had accumulated in the uneven ground.
"We've arrived." The driver stepped on the brakes.
Mr. Xu unbuckled his seatbelt first, saying, "Let's go find the old man first."
Xu's mother nodded, went out to set up the umbrella first, and then followed Xu Chacha out.
"Thank you, Mom." Xu Chacha took out her own transparent umbrella and pushed her mother's hand back. "I have one too."
The funeral was not a grand affair; it was held in the deceased's hometown according to his wishes.
The old house was only two stories high, with ivy covering the off-white walls. Rainwater slid down the dark brown tiles and landed on the leaves, making the green even more translucent.
Two security guards, dressed in suits and with mismatched styles, stood under the eaves; only familiar faces were allowed in.
Someone went in to announce that the Xu family had arrived, and the old man, who had been kneeling, was slowly helped to his feet by Wen Mubai.
"Grandpa, why don't you go and get some rest? You didn't sleep well last night," Wen Mubai said.
The old house has poor sound insulation. Last night there was thunder, wind, and rain. The elderly person is a light sleeper, so they definitely didn't sleep well.
"It's alright, go see the guests." The old man, his back hunched, was helped by Wen Mubai to the door to greet them.
"Why did you come out? It's so windy outside." Xu's father took off his cloak and covered him with it. Although it was October, the temperature had suddenly dropped these past few days, and he still needed to be careful not to catch a cold. (GZH: lesbian2088, all yuri resources are available)
The old man was helped over by Xu's father, while Wen Mubai stood aside.
She was also dressed in all black today, a velvet mid-sleeve long dress that reached her ankles, paired with leather boots that exuded a classic elegance. Her long, black hair was neatly combed and draped over her back, her slender figure encased in the thin fabric, and her porcelain-white skin glowed with a cool hue.
Wen Mubai stood there, like a proud and aloof black rose, black from head to toe, with only a red wooden beaded bracelet on his snow-white wrist breaking the black and white ink painting.
"Auntie!"
The voice, as always, was full of energy, effortlessly shattering the oppressive atmosphere around them and reaching Wen Mubai's ears.
She turned her head and saw Xu Chacha standing not far away, side by side with Xu Yanshu.
The girl's soft skirt was pulled back by the wind, and a few raindrops from outside the umbrella fell on her thin shoulders. Her yellow rain boots under the skirt were kicking up round puddles as she ran towards herself.
They were so eager, so impatient.
"Cha Cha." Wen Mubai smiled, but only realized the forced smile when she heard her own hoarse voice. She had no choice but to suppress the awkward smile, squat down and pick her up. "How many times have I told you, don't be so clumsy, walk slowly."
"Oh." Xu Chacha pretended not to hear her lecture, wrapped her soft little arms around her neck, and whispered, "Chacha is here, Auntie, don't cry."
The little girl's soft, clear voice, mixed with worry, infused her with a warmth that reached straight to her heart.
This seemingly naive and ignorant girl can always see through her disguise at a glance.
Wen Mubai felt a little helpless, but also relieved. She tightened her grip on Xu Chacha, gently touched her eyelids, and said in a soft voice, "Yes, Auntie, don't cry."
Chapter 30
The funeral wasn't as sorrowful as Xu Chacha had imagined. The old man seemed very calm, and everyone coming and going acted as if nothing had happened, chatting and eating and drinking as usual.
However, when people passed by the main mourning hall, they would subconsciously lower their voices and slow down their pace.
The door to the mourning hall closed, and Mr. and Mrs. Xu supported the old man on either side as they kowtowed and offered incense to the kind-smiling old woman in the photograph.
Xu Chacha stood quietly to the side, led by Wen Mubai, watching their actions without saying a word.
"Scared?" Wen Mubai half-squatted down so that he could look her in the eye. He hadn't seen her for several days, and he felt that this girl had grown quite a bit.
Xu Chacha shook her head, her bright black eyes meeting hers. She cupped her little hands around her ear and said, "Auntie's grandma is beautiful, like an angel grandma. Chacha isn't afraid."
"You," Wen Mubai sighed softly, his long fingers gently brushing against her nose, "are the most sensible."
Xu Chacha felt a little ticklish from being rubbed, wrinkled her nose and moved away, "I also want to go and pay my respects to Grandma, and wish her happiness over there."
"Go."
The flower stand next to them was filled with white flowers for mourning, and Wen Mubai took one and gave it to Xu Chacha.
The little one imitated the adults, respectfully kneeling on the cushion, clasping his hands together, closing his eyes, and earnestly bowing three times before getting up and placing the flowers on the altar.
I heard that this woman lived a carefree and easy life. Before she passed away, she seemed to have some idea of what was going on. She even called her husband to her bedside and said that she wanted to be buried in the flower field that she had cultivated herself.
The old man sat quietly by her bedside all night, watching over her until the very end. He then took care of her funeral arrangements over the next three days, and all the procedures were carried out with great dignity.
After they finished offering incense, the sliding door of the mourning hall was opened, and people stood outside, each holding a flower.
"Thank you all for taking the time to come today. These are all people she was close to and cared about when she was alive. She would definitely be very happy that you could come." The old man was quite old, and he would cough every few words. He finally finished speaking after speaking three times in a row.
Wen Mubai stepped forward and took Xu's mother's hand, leading him to sit down on a mahogany armchair outside.
"Please rest for a while, I'll go make some tea."
"Wait a minute." The old man beckoned to Xu Chacha behind Wen Mubai, "Let me keep this doll and play with it. It looks quite adorable."
Xu Chacha let go of Wen Mubai's hand and leaned closer, her eyes crinkling with a smile, "Does Grandpa like you too?"
"I like it, this big, round head is so cute." The old man said, then coughed again. He turned his head away to avoid it, then turned back and patted the seat next to him. "Sit down."
Xu Chacha didn't go over, but instead turned her head and blinked twice at Wen Mubai with her doe-like eyes.
Wen Mubai understood, placed his hands on her waist and lifted her to a chair, then straightened her skirt. "Is the service comfortable, my little darling?"
Xu Chacha giggled, half-covering her mouth with her little hand, "That felt good, thank you, Auntie."
"If you ask me, this is hardly enough." The old man pointed with his cane. "The osmanthus cake we ordered from that restaurant today is the best. Go and get a plate for this little one to try."
"Thank you, Grandpa!" Xu Chacha smiled sweetly at him, then shook Wen Mubai's arm. "Auntie, thank you for your hard work too."
Wen Mubai reached out and scratched her chin twice as a way of "venting his anger," then turned around to make tea.
"Little one, come closer, let me take a good look at you."
Unlike most children who shy away, Xu Chacha boldly placed her hand on her chin and leaned closer to him, her bright, dark eyes sparkling. "Look, Grandpa."
The old man pushed up his glasses, squinted, and observed with great seriousness, "Hmm, a high nose, thick eyebrows, and rounded earlobes—this is the sign of great wealth and nobility."
Xu Chacha clutched her stomach and burst into laughter, showing him no respect whatsoever. "Grandpa is a charlatan, he's just fooling kids."
The old man laughed at her expression, his white beard trembling. "By the way, what were you whispering to Xiaobai inside just now?"
The room was only so big, and no one could hear what she was saying, so Xu Chacha didn't intend to hide anything.
"Auntie asked me if I was scared, and I said Grandma is pretty, so I'm not scared." Xu Chacha's short legs, clad in little rain boots, dangled in the air and swayed, crossing over each other. "Where's Grandpa? Does Grandpa miss Grandma?"
The old man pondered for a moment, "It's not time to think about it yet. I haven't even realized she's gone yet."
"Oh." Xu Chacha nodded as if she understood but not quite.
"But you're absolutely right when you say she's beautiful." As if remembering something, a smile appeared on the old man's face. "When I was young, I was captivated by her face, and I don't know where I got the courage to pursue her so relentlessly."
He definitely wouldn't dare do that now. He's older and just wants to save face and have a way out. The idea of shamelessly chasing after someone and being unable to shake them off is embarrassing just to talk about.
Xu Chacha quite enjoyed listening to the older generation's love stories. She rested her chin on her hand, her eyes sparkling, and asked, "And then, how did Grandpa win over such a beautiful woman?"
“I knew she loved to paint flowers, so I bought the seeds and learned to plant them myself. No matter whether they died or survived, I would bring her one.” The old man counted on his fingers. “I brought her one for about four or five years. At first, she was quite unwilling to talk to me, but later when she saw me giving her beautiful flowers, she would dry them and make them into bookmarks to return to me. We kept giving and receiving them back and forth, and that’s how our feelings developed.”
"How romantic!"
"Beautiful, so beautiful." The old man stared blankly at a spot in the air, lost in thought, his eyes brimming with tears. "The flower is, and so is she."
Xu Chacha pulled him back with her voice, "Is she prettier than my aunt?"
The old man snapped out of his daze, looked at her, and burst into laughter, subtly wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes. "Your focus is really unusual, child. I'm laughing so hard I'm almost in tears."