C3 (1/2)

Looking at my grandfather's stooped body, I couldn't help but feel pain in my heart. I thought about how many times my grandfather had gone through these kinds of events, despite the fact that he had been here and there for so many years.

I sighed lightly, shaking my head to throw this thought out of my head and walked to the main hall. I saw that the woman was silently crying as she sat by the side. There were a few people by her side who were comforting her with low voices, or whose eyes were red and swollen like hers.

Thus, I walked over to her and told her about my grandfather's matter. After that, we returned to my grandfather's place, only to see that my grandfather was sitting by my side with his eyes closed. Although he looked better, the wrinkles on his face and the sweat drops on his forehead hinted that my grandfather had not recovered.

”Grandpa, the family has come,” I whispered into his ear.

”Oh, he's here.” When his grandfather heard this, he opened his eyes and swept away his exhausted expression. He then looked at the woman and said, ”Your excellency (honorifics of the deceased), please leave.”

After saying this, I instinctively looked at the portrait that he drew. It was only then did I realize that my grandfather had already finished framing it with a wooden frame, and was standing straight on top of the ice coffin.

The woman wiped her eyes and lightly nodded her head as she walked towards the portrait. However, at this moment, her grandfather added, ”Do me a big favor!”

The woman stopped and knelt in front of the portrait without a sound. She respectfully kowtowed three times before standing up and reaching out with both hands to hold the portrait.

I found it strange when I looked at it. This portrait and the deceased were clearly the same, why didn't this woman notice it?

However, before it was my turn to be curious, I was awoken by a ”Ya” sound. It turned out that when this woman was holding the portrait, she suddenly cried out, her face turned pale white, and at the same time, she retreated a few steps, pointing at the portrait as if she was electrocuted, unable to speak for a long time.

”He … ”He …” The woman's chest heaved violently, as if she was unable to breathe.

”What's wrong?” It was only then that Grandpa stood up with my support and asked what was going on with the woman in a low voice.

The woman clutched at her chest for a long time before she finally started crying. As she cried, she said, ”My husband, you died so unjustly!”

My face immediately darkened. Why is this woman howling in grief at this moment? You should know that we can't mourn before the portrait is released. Otherwise, the dead would not be able to leave peacefully.

”Stop, quickly stop, tell us what's going on.” Grandfather immediately patted the woman's shoulder, hinting her to stop.

”He … ”He just blinked,” said the woman, pointing to the portrait in shock.

I almost laughed out loud when I heard this. I thought that I would be able to see a ghost in the blink of an eye. It was just a picture of a funeral, so I said it so mysteriously that I thought I was watching a cartoon.

However, to my surprise, my grandfather actually took it for real. He immediately walked towards the portrait, looked at it for a while, then opened the wooden box again and took out the wolf's hair. He said to me, ”Quick, light five sticks of incense!”

He respectfully lit five pillars of green incense and handed it to his grandfather. Grandfather picked up the green incense and bowed three times, at the same time chanting, ”The dead are gone, the living are at peace, souls return to the netherworld, spirits dissipate in heaven and earth. Since you are not a person of the mortal world, then you are the soul of the netherworld. Go wherever you should go!”

I was even more surprised when I saw it. Why did it seem like my grandpa was talking to a dead person?

However, since my family was still by the side, I had to take into account their feelings. I forcefully swallowed the words that were about to escape my mouth. I stood at the side with my hands behind my back as I watched my grandfather do all of this.

I thought that Grandpa would do whatever he did after he finished talking, but I didn't expect him to bow three times and say softly, ”Old man Ma Hanlin pays his respect!”

After my grandfather finished speaking, he placed the five pillars of green incense above the head of the deceased Ice Coffin. Then, he placed the five pillars of green incense onto each of his hands. Like me, he stood there respectfully.