After dinner, Tang Qing took Li Li and Li Ya to the Li family's old house.
Autumn insects chirped along the way, and the night breeze brought coolness.
In addition to the pleasant climate in mid-spring, the weather in Yancheng is also good around the Mid-Autumn Festival. Although the sun is high at noon and it is still a bit hot, the fragrance of osmanthus on the branches in the morning and evening is very pleasant.
Logically speaking, the old house of the Li family belongs to the Li family. Li Li is not Mr. Li's biological child, but also shares the same bloodline with Mr. Li. Li Li should have brought Tang Qing here, but today it was Tang Qing who brought Li Li and Li Ya.
Tang Qing walked in the middle, Li Li and Li Ya followed on both sides.
Under the clear moonlight, the Li family's old house looks particularly quiet, with its white walls and black tiles moving like an enigmatic hermit.
Li Li unlocked the door, and Tang Qing pushed the heavy door hard. The creaking startled the birds perching under the eaves, fluttering and circling under the night sky for a while before returning to their nests.
Li Ya unconsciously came over and took Tang Qing's hand. Tang Qing held Li Ya's soft, slender hand tightly in his palm.
Li Li stood in the front yard and looked back at the gate to see Tang Qing hesitate to speak.
Tang Qing handed Li Ya's hand to Li Li, turned around, closed the door, and locked it.
Li Li walked to the middle courtyard holding Li Ya's hand, and Tang Qing followed silently.
In front of the Grand Master's chair, Li Li and Li Ya stood side by side and bowed three times.
There was no light on, and the moonlight shone through the bluestone flower window, filling the ground with sadness.
Walking to the backyard, Li Li was in front, Li Ya was in the middle, and Tang Qing was last.
The fragrance of jasmine flowers in the garden is refreshing.
Li Li's nose felt sour and tears rolled down her eyes.
Li Ya leaned down and kissed the stamen, her tears moistening the root soil.
Tang Qing stood quietly, without sadness or tears.
Li Li knelt down and faced Master Li's bedroom in the backyard. Li Ya then knelt down.
After kowtowing three times, Li Li stood up and pulled Li Ya into Master Li's bedroom.
Tang Qing was still standing next to the jasmine flowers, and the two sisters missed him in Master Li's bedroom.
Half an hour later, Li Li and Li Ya walked out of Master Li's bedroom side by side and walked to the next door.
The next room was Aunt Li's bedroom. Li Li stood in front of the door for a long time before holding Li Ya's hand and pushing the door open together.
Tang Qing exited the backyard and came to the middle courtyard, caressing the armrests of the Grand Master's chair, praying in his heart that Sister Li Li and Li Ya would be able to hold on tomorrow morning.
More than an hour later, Li Liliya returned to the middle court.
Tang Qing felt relieved when he saw the two sisters each carrying a box in their hands.
From entering the Li family's old house to leaving, Tang Qing, Li Li, and Li Ya didn't say a word.
Silence is sometimes better than sound, everything is said without words.
From the beginning, Tang Qing had considered that she would bring Li Li and Li Ya to the Li family's old house to pay homage to Master Li. As for how to pay homage to Master Li, it was entirely up to Li Li to decide.
The first time Li Ya entered the old house of the Li family, the first time she entered the bedroom where Aunt Li once lived, this was the most real closeness she had to her mother, and Tang Qing could not interfere with her state of mind.
Returning to the old courtyard on Lushan Road, Li Lili Ya walked into the east wing with a box in hand and didn't come out for a long time.
Tang Qing dragged three wooden benches into a row and lay down to sleep.
"Master Jiujin, Master Jiujin..."
"What's the fuss about?"
"You can get up and have breakfast now."
"Breakfast? Are you kidding me? What do you want for breakfast after dinner?"
"Master Jiujin, it's past five o'clock. Didn't you say you were going to Xishan Cemetery at six o'clock?"
"Ah?! It's after five o'clock?"
Tang Qing turned around and sat up, only to fall heavily to the ground.
"Mom, I thought I was in my own bed. I didn't even sleep at all. It seems that this hard bench is better than the bed. I slept until dawn, haha."
Tang Qing got up from the ground, patting the dust off his body while laughing at himself.
"Master Jiujin, you are too tired."
Fatty Sun brought some meat buns to Tang Qing.
"Master Sun, you have worked even harder to make the meat buns so early. Well, they are so delicious, your mouth is full of oil!"
Tang Qing grabbed a meat bun and ate it.
"Why don't you go wash your hands first?"
Li Li came over and handed Tang Qing a new towel.
"Hehe, if you eat sloppily, you will become an emperor. Is your little secretary here? Where is she?"
Tang Qing took the towel handed over by Li Li with one hand and still grabbed a meat bun with the other and ate it in big gulps.
"Master Jiujin, I'm here."
The little secretary ran to Tang Qing.
"Bring some new towels up later. Where is your husband?"
"He took the steamed meat buns and went up with the engineering team members first. They should be there soon."
"Okay, this contractor deserves praise. Remember, bring a few more new towels with you."
"I remember, but what's the use of bringing new towels?"
"You will know by then that this new towel should not be used by anyone else, only for your aunt and uncle."
Tang Qing finished eating the meat buns in his hands and went to wash his face.
"Auntie? Auntie? Who is it?"
The little secretary froze in place, thinking hard.
"Humph, don't you know what my eldest aunt is? Don't you know what my little aunt is?"
The Shanghai aunt gave the little secretary a contemptuous look.
"Sister, who is the eldest aunt that Master Jiujin mentioned, and who is the little aunt?"
The little secretary asked Auntie Shanghai with a smile.
"Don't laugh. This is not a happy event, but a funeral. What do you look like with a smile on your face?"
"Sister, don't you understand? Please give me more advice in the future."
"Big sister? Alas, being a nun is easy."
"Sister, you will always be young and beautiful. You are the predecessor of the contractor, and I am the current contractor. Aren't you my eldest sister?"
"Before Sang Nong knew Alabi Nong, for the sake of Nong being a big sister, Arab and Nong were arguing."
"Sister, can you tell me who the eldest aunt and the little aunt that Master Jiujin is talking about are?"
"The eldest aunt is your master, and the younger aunt is Li Ya."
"Why is Boss Li my aunt-in-law? Why is Manager Li my aunt-in-law?"
"It seems that I have a weak point. No wonder I am willing to make the chamber pot eggs of the contractor smaller. Ala told me that the contractor is called Boss Li's aunt. Shouldn't I also be called Boss Li's aunt? Now Boss Li has a wife.
Sister, is Yi going to be a great aunt, and Li Ya is going to be a little aunt?"
"Yes, yes, I understand, I understand, thank you big sister for your guidance."
"It's difficult to talk to Nong. It's a good thing that Ala broke up with the contractor, otherwise Ala would have to call the two little women aunt and aunt."
"Aunt Shanghai, what are you muttering about?"
Tang Qing washed her face and walked over, grabbed another meat bun and stuffed it into her mouth.
"Master Jiujin, Allah said these meat buns are so delicious, so delicious!"
The Shanghai aunt quickly grabbed a meat bun and ate it.
"You just took your first bite. How do you know that the meat buns are so delicious? Do you think I am the child in your belly? So easy to deceive? Tell me, is it because the little secretary told you that the big sister is so happy?"
"Master Jiujin, God doesn't care about Yiyin."
"Aunt Shanghai, if she gives you face, you should also give her face. Don't we just live by each other's face?"
"Master Jiujin, please listen to me. Don't argue with the foreman or the little secretary."
"Aunt Shanghai, this is not a question of whether to care or not. If you really want to care, they have nothing to make you care about. What I mean is that everyone bows their head but does not raise their head to see each other. If you can be polite to each other, be polite."
"Master Jiujin, Allah knows."
"It's good that you know. You eat slowly. When you get to the mountain, you and Silly Girl won't go up."
Tang Qing grabbed a few meat buns and walked out. This was good for her, she could sleep and eat, and her body was well-worn.
"Master Jiujin, I want to go up there."
Auntie Shanghai catches up with Tang Qing.
"What are you going up for? Who will take care of you then?"
"Alam needs to be taken care of."
"Aunt Shanghai, do you know? I'm not sure what happened on the mountain today. My heart is pounding so fast."
"Master Jiujin, are you not sure? Then, then, then..."
"Aunt Shanghai, don't panic. I'm not worried about whether I can get things done. I'm worried about Li Li and Li Ya."
"What are they two so worried about? Do they dare to embarrass you?"
"It's not about them making things difficult for me, it's about whether they can hold on."
"Can they hold on? What do you mean?"
Auntie Shanghai watched Tang Qing walk out of the old courtyard.