Tomb Sweeping

“Mother, what do you think I should write?”

“I’ll have to open your little head to take a look.”

Zhuang Zhuang held a brush in his hand and rested his head on the table. In front of him was the couplet paper that Xiaoguo had cut for him, but he just didn’t know how to start. After all, this was his first time writing a couplet. After thinking for a long time, he still couldn’t think of anything suitable.

“Mother…”

Zhuang Zhuang had no choice but to ask Xiaoguo for help.

“Okay…” Xiaoguo put down the broom and sat opposite him. After thinking for a while, she said, “You can write about spring, wealth, and peace.”

Although she wasn’t good at coming up with couplets, she could help Zhuang Zhuang come up with the themes. Spring represented the time when Jiang Danhe would return, and wealth was something close to her heart. She hoped that Zhuang Zhuang and Jiang Danhe would always be healthy and safe.

With a theme in mind, Zhuang Zhuang’s mind raced. In the end, his eyes lit up and he started writing swiftly on the red paper.

Xiaoguo tilted her head and watched from the side. As Zhuang Zhuang’s last stroke landed, the couplet was revealed.

“Welcoming joy and spring, welcoming and receiving wealth, receiving blessings and peace. May all our dreams come true.”

After reading it out loud, Xiaoguo’s face was flushed with emotions. She hugged Zhuang Zhuang and said, “Good son, you’re amazing!”

“Hehe, not at all…”

Zhuang Zhuang smiled in embarrassment. Xiaoguo kissed him twice before letting go. She turned around and picked up the couplet to admire it. This was Zhuang Zhuang’s first couplet. She had to take her time to admire it.

“When your uncle comes back, we’ll stick them on the wall!”

“Okay!”

Zhuang Zhuang nodded happily.

Xiaoguo took out a few more square pieces of red paper and said to Zhuang Zhuang, “Write a few more ‘fortune’ characters.”

Zhuang Zhuang nodded and wrote obediently.

It was almost noon when Qin Anming returned. Xiaoguo had wanted to pick him up, but he told her there was no need. Instead, he paid for his ride in a horse-drawn carriage from the county and alighted at the gates of Peach Blossom Village.

Qin Anming brought back a lot of things that he had bought for them. Xiaoguo took the shopping bags from him and looked at the wide variety of fruits and snacks he brought back. Although she was happy, she felt a tinge of heartache. How much did all these cost…?

However, Xiaoguo did not say it out loud. After all, it was the new year and they only do this once a year.

Just as she was sorting through the stuff, she found a bag of joss paper at the bottom. She was puzzled. Why did Qin Anming buy this during the new year?

“It’s almost the new year. It’s time to pay respects to our parents,”

Before Xiaoguo could ask, Qin Anming came out of the back room and answered her question.

Xiaoguo paused and nodded. “Yes, it’s about time.”

Although they were not her biological parents, when she heard Qin Anming mention them, she could feel an indescribable feeling welling up in her heart.

“When are you going?”

“Maybe this afternoon.”

Qin Anming said. The weather was good today. It was perfect for visiting graves.

Xiaoguo didn’t say anything when she heard that. She just nodded in acknowledgment.

After lunch, the three of them prepared to set off. Zhuang Zhuang would be going with them. After all, the two elders had yet to officially meet their grandson.

After changing into plain-colored clothes, they set off for Qin Manor on the donkey cart.

Along the way, they bumped into a lot of people. During this time, many people were still rushing to town to shop for new year goods.

Xiaoguo was fine when they arrived at Qin Manor, but Qin Anming was in a daze. As the saying goes, a day of separation feels like years have passed. The surroundings looked familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

Things have turned out beyond his imagination. He was no longer starving and living his days in misery. All of these would not have happened if not for Xiaoguo. If she hadn’t appeared like a savior that fateful day, he would have…

At the thought of this, Qin Anming was in a daze. It was only when Xiaoguo noticed his abnormality that she nudged him from his thoughts.

Only then did he realize that they had arrived at Qin Manor. Qin Anming was a little excited when he saw the familiar door.

Xiaoguo asked Zhuang Zhuang to follow her uncle while she went to the family who were holding on to the house keys. Holding the five catties of pork in her hand, she knocked on the door.

“Who is it?”

After a while, a voice sounded. Xiaoguo took two steps back and waited for someone to open the door.

“Auntie.”

When Xiaoguo saw the neighbor, she smiled.

“Yo, it’s Xiaoguo!”

The woman was very happy. She scrutinized Xiaoguo from head to toe. She didn’t recognize her at first. To think that she was getting on so well now.

Xiaoguo exchanged a few pleasantries with her and went straight to the point. After explaining her purpose for visiting, she handed the pork to the neighbor.

When the woman saw the pork, her laughter became even more real. She attempted to refuse the gift a few times before reluctantly accepting it. Then, she happily picked up the pork and walked home. “I’ll get you the key.”

Xiaoguo smiled and nodded.

Not long after, the woman ran out and handed the key to Xiaoguo. “If you have time, come in and have a seat.”

“No, no.” Xiaoguo quickly waved her hand. “My brother and I have to go now.”

The woman patted her head and nodded in agreement. Going to the grave was of utmost importance.

Xiaoguo said a few more words before leaving. The woman stared at Xiaoguo’s back with a smile, her heart filled with envy. They were both widows, but why did Xiaoguo look so charming? The clothes she was wearing were obviously good stuff. Her figure did not look like she had given birth at all. She was slender yet curvy in all the right places.

Comparisons were really infuriating.

After watching them return to their house, the woman closed the door and went back. She had to think about how to consume that piece of pork.

Xiaoguo opened the dusty lock. With a tug, cobwebs and dust flew out when she opened the door.

She immediately hugged Zhuang Zhuang and turned her body to block the dust. It would be bad if the dust got into his eyes.

Qin Anming waved his sleeve to avoid the dust. He really didn’t expect to see so much dust in the house when there was no one living here.

The three of them waited for the dust to settle before entering the house. They had come back to visit the grave after all. It wouldn’t make sense if they didn’t go home to take a look.

The house had not changed much, but it just looked slightly empty.

Xiaoguo walked around the house and realized that the old folks were right. Houses need the energy of people to thrive. Those that were not inhabited for a long time would quickly decay and become lifeless. Houses that were constantly inhabited by people were often filled with vitality, even if they were old houses that had been in disrepair. They would not collapse easily after five or ten years.

The few of them walked separately around the house for a while before leaving. After locking the door, Xiaoguo handed the key to Qin Anming for his safekeeping.

In the future, Qin Anming’s wedding would have to be held here. After all, this was the root of the Qin family. No matter how far one has drifted, their roots still remain in the same place.

The three of them drove the cart to Qin Manor’s cemetery. Anyone who passed away in the village would be buried here.

All graves here were without tombstones. Xiaoguo didn’t know where to go at all. Qin Anming led Xiaoguo and Zhuang Zhuang to the furthest corner of the cemetery.

Xiaoguo grabbed Zhuang Zhuang’s hand and followed closely behind Qin Anming. She didn’t know how long she had been walking before they came to a stop.

She really didn’t expect the cemetery to be so big. The two elders of the Qin family were resting at the furthest end of the cemetery. On their left was a dense forest, and on their right was a small river.

Their burial spot was backed by the mountains and overlooking the rivers. The feng shui was pretty good.

Qin Anming was the first to kneel down. Xiaoguo did the same, with Zhuang Zhuang following closely behind her.

“Father, Mother…” Qin Anming called out twice and started kowtowing. Xiaoguo and Zhuang Zhuang kowtowed together with him.

Little Zhuang Zhuang was wearing a serious expression on his face. After all, he had experienced this previously. So, he just followed whatever Xiaoguo did.

Qin Anming had a lot to say to the two elders, while Xiaoguo listened quietly at the side. Although they weren’t her parents, she couldn’t help but feel a little sad.

After he was done, Qin Anming exhaled heavily. He felt much more relaxed now.

Next, it was Xiaoguo’s turn. Before she could open her mouth, she suddenly saw something that shocked her.

“Brother, what is that!”