The hall suddenly is filled with people. Most of them aren’t looked ordinary. They all look unfamiliar, not like Ye family or Zhou family’s relative.
Ye Qing Xin looks around. Jing Bo Yuan is not there. All people are busy with serving the guests.
All of guests seem to be high-class people.
Song Mu and Ji Yi are also busy with all the guests.
The cold funeral hall suddenly turns crowded.
A lot of people notice Ye Qing Xin and immediately stand up. They offer their condolences.
They all act very polite and Ye Qing Xin could notice faintly their intention to get her favor.
Ye Qing Xin presses down her sadness and confusion. She replies them politely. She could see that now it seems the funeral has more visitors than one can attend.
Except the strangers men, the relatives come over to offer their condolences. Even the neighbors.
Ye Qing Xin could notice what is happening. She takes opportunity of the gap between greetings with everyone else to pull Song Mu to a side: “Why are there so many people now?”
Song Mu is so busy, she is excited: “Today this early morning Major Lu and the secretary of municipal government come to offer their condolences; their employees also come. Look at the one with blue shirt….” Song Mu points to the a man that is talking with Ji Yi. “This year he is promoted to be county secretary, also that one….”
“That one is the big major…..”
“That one is director of the police…..”
Song Mu points one by one.
“Xin Xin, what is your fiancee’s background? He unexpectedly can gather this full force.”
Last time the time Jing Bo Yuan came over to propose to Zhou Qiao Qiao’s house, Song Mu already feels that his family is unordinary. Yet she didn’t expect that even the major of the city can be so courteous toward her. Song Mu is admiring him.
Ye Qing Xin is startled for a while. She suddenly remembers her words last night. Jing Bo Yuan should notice that she is sad because of this cold funeral…..
These people come because of Jing Bo Yuan.
Those relatives and neighbors probably come for the major and county officials.
But regardless of their sincerity, but they acts politely. At least this funeral can be regarded as impressive.
Ye Qing Xin feels touched, she looks at Jing Bo Yuan.
“Where is he?” She asks Song Mu.
Song Mu understands her question and answers: “This morning he goes with the major and his secretary. He said that he had something to do. He asked me to let supervise and urge you to eat….” Then Song Mu suddenly pats her head. “Look I’m busy and I become muddle-headed. Let’s go, let me take you to eat.”
Both of them are going to the kitchen. Then suddenly there’s a group of people come over. They are Ye Jun Dong’s relatives, Song Mu knows them.
Ye Qing Xin knows that Song Mu wants to serve them. She says: “You can go ahead. I can go eat by myself.”
Song Mu hesitates and says: “Okay, Jiu Jiu is helping at the kitchen. You can find her.”
Ye Qing Xin enters the kitchen. Song Jiu and several old auntie are plucking vegetables. Looking at Ye Qing Xin, Song Jiu put down the vegetables and washes her hands. She prepares a bowl of porridge and two stuffed dumplings for her.
“Xin Xin, come here to eat.”
Ye Qing Xin looks around, she asks Song Jiu: “They are……”
Yesterday there’s no cook.
Song Jiu plucks the vegetables again and sits down in front of her. She answers: “It’s your big boss Jing. Last night he invited them. Did you remember the Nan Hai restaurant, the one that you treated me? These cooks are from that restaurant.”
“You were asleep that you didn’t know anything. It’s miserable for me. I was woke up early morning and did this. My arm is in pain.”
Ye Qing Xin says: “Sorry to trouble you.”
Song Jiu smiles: “But I’m not working as hard as your Big Boss. Last night you were asleep. He carried you up back to the room, then he watched over the and sat beside the coffin. In the middle of night I went to the restroom, I looked that he carried Xiao Guo up back to the room. He is so strong. Xiao Guo is an eighteen years old boy. But he did effortless. It seems to be so light.”
Ye Qing Xin forces herself to finish the food.
“Then it means that he didn’t sleep last night?”
Song Jiu thinks about it: “He shouldn’t sleep last night. This early morning around 4 a.m. I was woke up. I looked that he was sitting on funeral hall. He looked like a sculpture. I thought he was asleep so I wanted to look over for a while. At last I hadn’t approached and he just turned his head to see me. He surprised me that I just turned my head and ran. He was too terrifying.”
“Didn’t you so easy-going last time, what happened to this time?”
Song Jiu says: “I also don’t know.”
Now it’s already 10 a.m.
She comes out from the kitchen. The funeral band is changing their tune and keeps on playing. The people inside the funeral hall turns lesser, but it’s quite packed.
Because of the major, several relatives and neighbors take initiative to stay and help. The middle-aged man is distributing tasks. When he is done, Ye Qing Xin passes him a glass of water.
“Shu Shu, drink the water.”
The middle-aged man is surprised and smiles: “Mrs, you can call me Pan Yang.”
Ye Qing Xin: “How can I call you that, I should call you Pan Shu Shu.” She continues to ask: “What is your relation with Bo Yuan?”
Pan Yan answers honestly: “I am one of Bo Wei’s manager.”
Ye Qing Xin nods: “I heard from Song Mu that this morning major and secretary came over, how did they know about my mother? How could they come?”
Pan Yang is somewhat hesitant.
Ye Qing Xin just says frankly: “Did he ask you to leak this information?”
Pan Yan nods. She asks again: “My family is poor and we are commoner. We are too far related with the majors. How could they come to offer condolences?”
This action should stir great sensation in T city.
Ye Qing Xin remembers Ye Qing Guo’s accident last time. Major Lu and several other higher officials appear so sudden.
Pan Yang doesn’t know whether he should say the truth or not.
Ye Qing Xin knows that he is hesitating, she says: “Just say it. I’ll not tell him. I’ll just pretend that I don’t know.”
Pan Yang thinks about it and says: “Last time your family was in hard condition, Chief Jing used your name to donate a huge sum of money to municipal government. This money is used to construct a new building. This time Chief Jing said that the road is not really good, it should be fixed. I told this to Major Lu and exposed how cold and deserted the funeral is….”
Ye Qing Xin understands it now.
Ye Qing Xin gets inside the funeral hall because it’s too hot outside. She thinks that her mother should never expected that she will have this grand funeral.
Ye Qing Xin wants to smile but her tears can help but to fall down. Her smile turn sad.
At 04.00 pm. Jing Bo Yuan returns.
He still wears the same grey shirt as yesterday. He already wears it for two days.
He comes inside the funeral hall. Indeed he can see the woman is sitting down and staring blankly.
Jing Bo Yuan comes over and sits down beside her. He clutches her cold hand. “Xin Xin.”
Ye Qing Xin looks at him and smiles at her. She hugs his arm: “You are back.”
Then she says: “Thank you.”
Jing Bo Yuan just looks at her and hugs her.
It’s summer night. There’s a lot of mosquitos around. Everyone starts to eat around five o’clock. Everyone who is offering their condolences has left.
One of the funeral band member that made hurting remark, stands up and apologizes to Ye Qing Xin: “Last night I said the wrong thing. Mrs please forgive me. Let me punish myself by finish this one cup.”
He drinks it all.
“If you don’t mention it I already forgot about it. It’s nothing.”
That man just feels relieved: “Thank you Mrs Jing.”
When they are done. Ji Yi returns back to the hotel. Ye Qing Xin sends her out and thanks her sincerely: “San Shen, these two days, I am really thankful for your help.”
Ji Yi smiles: “We are family no need to be too polite. It’s Fen Fen that is too insensible. She said to come to help but at last she is gone. Please forgive her.”
Ye Qing Xin smiles: “Of course, I’m really thankful with your help.”
Ji Yi says: “go back inside. There’s a lot of mosquitos here.”
Ye Qing Xin insists to watch her leave and she returns.
The time she comes back, she watches Jing Bo Yuan is smoking at one corner. There’s a five years old girl in front of him. She is talking with him. Her voice is loud but Ye Qing Xin cannot hear it clearly. Jing Bo Yuan just throws his cigarette away and strokes that girl’s head. It looks like a picture of father and daughter.
Ye Qing Xin watches them. She couldn’t help but to stroke her belly.
If their kid is a girl, perhaps when she grows up, it will be like this.
“Xin Xin, why are you not coming inside? The mosquitos don’t bite you?” Song Mu comes out from the kitchen and notices Ye Qing Xin is standing outside the door.
Ye Qing Xin wants to get in the kitchen to help. Song Mu says: “No need no need. You are pregnant, you should have a good rest.”
“Thank you Song Yi. If it’s not for your and Shu Shu’s help to arrange this, I’ll be confused for what to do.”
Song Mu laughs: “Qiao Qiao and I are best friend. I should help her. But even if I don’t help but you also have him right. I could see that he is more capable than us. Also the woman with Ji family name. She is also a capable one.”
Ye Qing Xin smiles but doesn’t say anything else.
Tonight it’s still Jing Bo Yuan and Ye Qing Guo that stay up till late night to watch. Ye Qing Xin also wants to stay up but Jing Bo Yuan asks her to go to sleep inside the room.
Ye Qing Xin lays down on the bed but she couldn’t fall asleep.
She looks at her phone. It’s 11:00 p.m.
She remembers that Song Jiu said that Jing Bo Yuan didn’t sleep last night. She feels sorry for him.
She gets off her bed and comes out. Just in time she sees Jing Bo Yuan comes out from Ye Qing Guo’s room.
Looking at Ye Qing Xin, Jing Bo Yuan frowns and comes over: “Why are you coming out?”
Ye Qing Xin doesn’t answer and asks: “Xiao Guo falls alseep?”
Jing Bo Yuan nods: “Yes.”
Ye Qing Xin looks at his tired face. “Let me watch over, you can go sleep for a while.”
Jing Bo Yuan doesn’t say anything and just hugs her. He carries her back inside the room. He doesn’t care whether she is willing or not. He carries her to the bed and covers her up.
Then he strokes her belly. “Sleep. Even you don’t want to sleep, our daughter should want to sleep.”
Ye Qing Xin asks: “You like a girl?”
Jing Bo Yuan says: “As long as you are the one that give birth to it, I’ll like it.”
Ye Qing Xin smiles.
“My ma doesn’t know about my pregnancy. If I told her earlier, tell me will she be happy? Then she will be in a good mood, and will not pass away so quickly?”
Jing Bo Yuan touches her face: “I think she will wish that you and Xiao Guo can live well and happily. If you are sad, maybe she will be angry.”
“Sleep, so your mother can be at ease. Also for our daughter.”
Ye Qing Xin falls asleep.
The next day, she wakes up earlier than usual.
Like yesterday, a lot of people comes over to offer their condolences.
During the afternoon, unexpectedly, Tai Zheng Ting comes over with his family.
A lot of people know about Tai Zheng Ting and Zhou Qiao Qiao’s relationships. Except their broken engagement, a lot of them also know that Tai Zheng Ting helped this family. Tai Zheng Ting and Li Shu Fen burn joss stick for Zhou Qiao Qiao.
Then Li Shu Fen holds Ye Qing Xin’s hand and acts like a real aunt. She cries and comforts her.
Ye Qing Xin knows clearly that she is acting.
For her mother, Ye Qing Xin doesn’t want to make a trouble so she just accepts it.
Then she looks around and sees Tai Shi Yun and Tai Shi Shi.
She reminds them: “Biao Jie (Older female cousin), it’s your turn.”
Tai Shi Yun is unhappy, Tai Shi Shi seems lost in thought and watches the coffin. She looks weird.
Li Shu Fen pushes both of them forward: “What did I teach you, go and burn joss stick for your Gu Gu.”
Both of them burn the joss stick.
Ye Qing Xin then places two rush cushion in front of each of them. “Biao Jie, when you kowtow, don’t forget to use this on your knee so it will not be hurt.”
Tai Shi Yun is startled, she doesn’t plan to do it.
But a lot of people are watching. Tai Zheng Ting also told them beforehand that they need to follow the tradition to do loud kowtow three times.
She just thinks she just do it for repay for her words and rude remark to Zhou Qiao Qiao.
Tai Shi Shi also follows her.
When Ye Qing Xin is watching them, she turns around and looks that Tai Zheng Ting has seized the opportunity to talk with Jing Bo Yuan.
But the time their talk is done, Tai Zheng Ting comes over with furious temper.
Ye Qing Xin comes closer to him and asks: “What did you say to to him?”
Jing Bo Yuan says to her. “I just told him that your mother’s death is related to her daughter.”
Suddenly there’s a loud noise from outside. Then there’s a scream from a woman. There’s something happened outside.
Someone runs inside and says something to Song Fu. Song Fu’s face changes. He runs out to see it.
Ye Qing Xin wants to take a look, but Jing Bo Yuan stops her: “There’re a lot of people, don’t go.”
After a while, Pan Yang comes inside and runs to both of them. He is running out of breath: “The family of four that just came. The man suddenly was so angry that he slapped one of the young woman. The young woman fell down and her head hit a pointy rock. She fainted and bled a lot of blood. She is sent to the hospital. I don’t know whether she could live.”
He shakes his head: “I saw the pointy rock sticked in to the head. I’m afraid that she will be dead.”