C5 (2/2)

The middle-aged man in the photo looked to be in high spirits. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised as he smiled in a satisfied manner. I looked into his bright eyes and thought there was something in them.

”Shier, are you finished digging the grave?!” Shouts came from far away. It turned out that Grandpa had come to investigate. When he saw that I was holding a picture in my hand, he asked who it was. I didn't know how to answer, so I handed him the photo. He looked at it and was stunned. After a while he forced a smile and said, ”The people on top look so much like Liang Zi!” If Liang Zi could grow up, he would be like this! Who gave you this picture? ”

I didn't answer.

When the grave was finished, I went home with Pappy. Jin Faliang's body had already been filled up. The burial was a heavy wooden chest. The lid of the wooden box was nailed shut. This made me rather dissatisfied, saying that I wanted to take another look at my brother's final remains. Why did he seal the chest so early? Father said that his body was badly mutilated, and his head was split open. What was there to look at if he lost his original appearance?

As the weather was very hot, a faint stench of decay came from the box. The sky was completely dark. Mother was reluctant to part with her brother's body, so she insisted that he leave it at home for the night and bury it in the morning. The others couldn't force her, so they agreed.

I lay awake for the rest of the night. He got up and went into the yard and got a basin of cold water to wash himself. The moon in the sky was like a silver plate. Everything was quiet, not a single breath of wind blowing. Her mother was sitting on the ground, her upper body leaning on the wooden chest that held the corpse, falling asleep. Her tear-stained face had a faint smile on it, probably dreaming that Jin Faliang was completely unharmed.

My heart felt like it was being cut by a knife. Go back to the house and get the picture. She woke her mother up. She realized it was a beautiful dream, and her smile changed to one of sadness, and she began to sob again. I showed her the picture. As expected, she was stunned as soon as she saw him.

After a long while, she asked, ”Shier, where did you get this picture from?”

I said a stranger had given it to me, but I didn't know who it was.

Mother said, ”When we grow up, we'll be like that! Too long! Old handsome! Wuu …! My Light! ” He cried again.

I found a crack in the wooden box and passed the photo inside, letting it fall into the box. It should be a funeral gift I gave to my brother.

Only I didn't think of it at the time. There will be a day when Jin Faliang finds me with that photo in his hands. At that time, he looked exactly the same as the person in the photo. He looked so high-spirited and handsome.

The next morning. Mother let out a heart-wrenching howl. He jumped on top of the wooden chest, preventing Jin Faliang's body from leaving the house. Two people had pulled her away. The people carrying the boxes hurried to the fields, not stopping until they arrived at the place.

As we do here. The gravedigger had to dig the grave. After the body's wooden chest is buried, I bury it. Grandfather even brought some paper grass over to light it up. The others left one by one. I busied myself most of the day, piling up the grave. Then he stuck some reeds covered with white paper on the grave and went home.

The family spent two or three days in deep grief. That evening, at dinner, my father mentioned my marriage. He said that Old Zhao's daughter had agreed to change the marriage. Now I was the only one who disagreed. Mother cried and said, Shier, I will rely on you to continue the joss stick in my house, and now that it is no longer lit up, you have to agree to this marriage.

Jin Yuxia also advised me to listen to the words of the lord, and quickly arrange the marriage, to let my family have a big fat kid.

After a round of persuasion, my original belief wavered. Besides, who doesn't miss love amongst the youngsters? Ever since I met Zhao Xinxin, my heart has always been tied to hers. If I could really marry her into my family, I would be satisfied no matter what happens in my life.

I shoved two mouthfuls of food into my mouth and bit down on it forcefully. I sighed and said, ”It's just that it must have been hard on my little sister, Yuxia. I let her marry a crippled man without a leg at such a young age!”

However, Jin Yuxia did not seem to mind it that much, and said: ”It's fine, I've married anyone before!”

In the middle of the night, I was lying in bed in a daze, about to fall asleep. A creak woke me up. I sat down and opened the lamp. It turned out to be my younger sister, Jin Yuhong, who had pushed open the door and entered.

Jin Yuhong is fourteen years old this year, and has already dropped out of school. She spent most of her time taking care of her brother Jin Faliang.

With Jin Faliang's death, she became much more taciturn.

”What's wrong, Little Sister? Why are you still not sleeping? What are you doing here?” I asked.

”Bro, I just had a dream!” Jin Yuhong looked very uneasy. Her two big eyes looked left and right, as if she was preparing for something.

”What kind of dream is this?”

”I dreamed I fell into a well. It was my sister who pushed me into the well! ” Jin Yuhong said in fear.

I said, ”Stupid girl, it's just a dream. What are you afraid of? Your sister loves you so much, how could she push you into the well! ”

Jin Yuhong looked to be hesitating, but finally mustered up some courage and said: ”Brother, I think my sister caused Second Brother's death!”

Hearing that, I was shocked and scolded angrily: ”Little Sister, what nonsense are you spouting! How could Yu Xia kill Liang Zi! ”