CHAPTER 377: CHAPTER 377: GOING TO SUFFER

Song Yuanhuan, upon hearing Second Grandpa’s request, immediately obediently picked up the remote control to change the channel. The evening news had been broadcasting for several years now, and the rapid development of the country filled the well-respected old revolutionary, who had endured hardships, with joy.

He was now sitting in his chair, watching the news broadcast with deep concentration, moved to tears of satisfaction and pride. Occasionally, as he wiped his cheeks with his rough fingers, he couldn’t help but smile. It was clear he was overjoyed, moved to tears of happiness.

However, as the news broadcast was drawing to an end, quite a few villagers had arrived at the Song Family home. By then, most had finished their dinner and came solely to witness the charm of the big color TV. Since Second Grandpa generally didn’t like interacting with the villagers, he shakily stood up as their numbers grew and asked Song Yuanhuan to walk him back home, though his steps on the way were unsteady.

With many villagers at the house, Xu Xiuxiu had wanted to accompany Song Yuanhuan to take Second Grandpa home, but he ended up waving her off. By the time Song Yuanhuan returned after walking Second Grandpa home, the house was filled with villagers, and a group of children stood excitedly fixated on the big color TV, creating an unprecedented lively scene.

"Brother Lao Song, you’re really blessed! Your kid not only bought a car but also a big color TV. These are hefty items, the only ones in the village, impressive!" Even the old village chief came to the Song Family with a beaming smile, glanced at the family’s small car, and then at the big color TV, which was leagues better than the black and white ones, before offering his praises.

"Indeed! Indeed! The Song Family is truly blessed!" As the village chief couldn’t help but praise them, the other villagers naturally joined in the chorus of compliments, pouring out flattering words like beans.

Father Song, although he made a few modest replies, ultimately could not hide his delight. His usually stern face was creased with smiles as he chatted leisurely with the villagers while watching TV, discussing their children and marveling at the country’s prosperity and development. He happily reminisced about his own tough times until past eleven o’clock at night when they reluctantly left for home.

Mrs. Song, who had wanted to watch more TV after dinner and the evening news, had to embrace her role as the hospitable hostess due to the arrival of the villagers. She mingled with the guests, busying herself with serving tea and water, and even refilling their cups. She worked so hard that by evening her back ached fiercely, and when she finally turned off the TV and went to rest, she was still frowning and sucking in air through clenched teeth.

In bed at night in the Song Family Village house, Xu Xiuxiu leaned against Song Yuanhuan, listening to his steady heartbeat and the occasional barking of dogs outside. Although the living conditions when returning to the hometown for the New Year were far from perfect, she had to admit that it was a place that naturally calmed one’s spirit and made one want to relax and indulge.

Without the hustle and bustle of the big cities and lacking their competition, Xu Xiuxiu sometimes preferred to spend her entire life in this peaceful countryside, if not for being accustomed to the city’s vibrancy.

"Xiuxiu, Second Grandpa’s health isn’t very good," Song Yuanhuan said, his voice laden with too many emotions.

Xu Xiuxiu was momentarily stunned. She had already noticed Second Grandpa’s condition; the surprising speed at which he had aged was alarming. In her memory, he was a strong and sturdy old man. Although he appeared fine today, his body had trembled noticeably after the news broadcast, showing the decline in his physical functions.

"Xiuxiu, I’m actually very scared," Song Yuanhuan turned his head and buried his face in Xu Xiuxiu’s neck and shoulder.

"What are you scared of?" Xu Xiuxiu asked quietly, taking deep breaths.

"I’ve seen too much life and death; I always thought I was accustomed to the bloodshed, accustomed to being indifferent," Song Yuanhuan confessed calmly. He had killed countless bandits with his own hands, and had personally executed many with a shot to the head, but when faced with that innocent little girl in the wardrobe, and the revolutionary veteran granduncle, Song Yuanhuan had to admit, life was too fragile, even unbearably so.

When he had left his hometown before the New Year, his granduncle was still full of vigor, but when he had taken the old man back home previously, looking at his trembling, aged figure, Song Yuanhuan was very scared—scared of facing life and death, scared of loss.

"Everyone has to go through this sooner or later," Xu Xiuxiu, in contrast, was a bit more open-minded about life and death. Just like her mother’s unexpected demise—was it not sad? She was sad, but she shed tears far less often than Xu Jingjing did. It’s just that she believed one’s inner feelings and outward appearance could be separate.

She wasn’t afraid of facing death either; what she feared was leaving with reluctance and regrets. After all, having been reborn and possessing a small space that ordinary people didn’t have, Xu Xiuxiu always felt that every extra day she lived, every additional day of happiness, was like something stolen.

"Mhm," Song Yuanhuan responded softly and didn’t speak further.

The winter in Song Family Village was very cold, the weather which had been fine the day they arrived at home was, after a night’s attack, now overcast, and the outside was already blanketed with white snow. This cold winter seemed to be especially tough for the elderly. Xu Xiuxiu and Song Yuanhuan had involuntarily spoken of death last night, and early this morning, a loud firecracker in the village shook down a lot of white snow from the tree branches.

At the dining table, the Song Family gathered together for a meal. Just a moment ago, they had been sighing about the overnight snow outside—no wonder they had shivered from cold in the latter part of the night. This moment they were startled by the firecracker announcing someone’s death. In rural areas, specially made firecrackers with gunpowder for homemade hunting guns—very loud—can spread throughout the entire Song Family Village. Whenever anyone in the village dies, they would have someone set off a firecracker at their doorstep, to inform the neighbors as well as the figures above and below, saying that the family has someone being sent off, and they humbly request that everyone could extend their care as much as possible.

"Ah! New Year’s is just around the corner, why couldn’t this person hold on for a few more days? Now the children going down there—it’s not to visit, but to suffer!" Mrs. Song spoke up after a stunned moment.

This was because there was a custom in the countryside where the elderly should pick a day to pass away. Normally, there isn’t much of a chance, but passing away before the New Year would make people feel sad; not to mention that it would make the descendants’ New Year’s Eve unsettled, and more importantly, there was a belief in the countryside that those who die near the New Year’s are going down to serve as ’appetizers’ for the powerful, while those who die a few days after the New Year are considered to be visiting relatives and would be treated extremely well. Thus, after knowing someone in the village had passed away, Mrs. Song uttered those words that sounded almost like a sigh.

"I’ll go out and take a look!" Song Yuanhuan was the first to put down his eating utensils.