ABPUBALC - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Funeral (Part 2)

Since they had to help out with the vigil, the two did not go up the mountain and just stayed busy at home.

Over the past two days, Lin Xing first helped Gu Qiming patch up the bow and arrows, then wove two new bamboo baskets.

Intertwine the rice stalk leaves to lengthen them, then gradually add more leaves to increase its thickness. The resulting strap is easier to carry than hemp rope and will not hurt the shoulders.

Around midday, Lin Xing made a pot of clear soup noodles. As simple as they were, the basic vegetarian noodles had two golden fried eggs swimming in their depths. Then he went to the yard to pick some greens to add to the pot.

Gu Qiming sucked down two giant bowls. The noodles were chewy and delicious. Gu Qiming really enjoyed the hand-rolled noodles Lin Xing made, and if they had any meat, he would’ve loved them even more.

“I’m going to the butcher’s tomorrow morning to see if they have any meat today. I haven’t had meat in days.”

“Alright.” Lin Xing narrowed his eyes in amusement. They hadn’t eaten pork at home for several days, and Gu ge had always been a big meat eater. It was already quite commendable that he had been able to endure until today.

“I’ll just ask him directly which family has puppies for sale. That way, I can come back with a puppy.”

“Then I’ll go with you!”

Since Gu Qiming mentioned his desire to adopt two puppies, Lin Xing had been looking forward to it every day.

After dinner, Gu Qiming cleaned up the house and followed Lin Xing to Lin Wanfeng’s house to help with the vigil.

In the mourning hall, Lin Wanfeng was the only one present. Those who had helped keep the vigil last night had already left, and now it was Gu Qiming and Lin Xing’s turn to take over.

They originally shouldn’t have come immediately after their wedding, but not many people live nearby. Furthermore, everyone finds it inauspicious, so they decided to have three families take turns coming over.

Inside the funeral parlor, silence prevailed. White candlelight flickered, threatening to die out with the slightest breeze. Lin Wanfeng remained as disconsolate as he had been the day before. Upon the arrival of his guests, he greeted them with a few words, but offered no further conversation.

Both of their waists were circled by a white hemp rope and they were kneeling on the straw mat without daring to communicate.

Gu Qiming’s heart actually thumped. The flickering lamplight illuminated the yellow paper on Granny Wang’s face, and the more he looked at it, the more frightened he became.

Fearless and intrepid in his daily life, he was actually quite sensitive to these things. Especially after his inexplicable transmigration, he had become even more superstitious.

Now, having to share a room with a corpse, he didn’t believe for a second that he wouldn’t be afraid.

He originally wanted to grab Lin Xing, but he was not very familiar with the rules and didn’t know if he would be offending the deceased, so he dared not reach out.

He tilted his head and looked at Lin Xing, seeing him looking down in a daze, with his eyes a little absent-minded. He carefully moved closer to him, feeling a little better.

Later. As Gu Qiming was about to fall into sleep, he suddenly heard an urgent voice from outside the door. A loud “father” rang into his ears, jolting Gu Qiming awake from his hazy state of mind.

Only Lin Wanfeng’s turbid eyes regained their light as his legs tried with all their might to get him up. Yet, he had knelt for too long, such that his legs felt like they had been filled with lead and were useless. Fortunately, Gu Qiming and Lin Xing stepped forward to help him stand.

The man who spoke was a young fellow, appearing travel-worn and dusty, with a twin-hilted sword grasped in his hand.

Lin Wanfeng looked at the youth before him. His face, which was thin and gaunt, suddenly stirred with emotions. His throat felt locked, as if he’d lost his voice and could utter no sounds.

Lin Zheng’s chest rose and fell gently. Looking at his biological father standing in front of him, even though it had only been two years since he had last seen him, it felt as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

Gu Qiming glanced at the three individuals and instantly realized that this was not a situation they could intervene in. It was a family affair, and it was inappropriate for two outsiders to be involved.

He tore off the linen from around his waist and handed it to the two young men, saying, “It’s not convenient to say much today. I belong to the Lin family. Tonight, I came to help keep the vigil. Now that the real family members have returned, it’s not appropriate for us to stay any longer. We’ll take our leave now.”

Lin Xing also knew that it wasn’t time to catch up on old times. After just one glance at Lin Yun, he hastily followed Gu Qiming.

Lin Zheng accepted the piece of cloth and spoke his gratitude.

Looking back at Lin Wanfeng, whose old face was streaked with tears, he had no idea what to say for a while.

Lin Yun broke the silence. He carefully said, “Father, A’Zheng and I have returned...”

“Shut your mouth! What right do you have to speak here?”

“If it weren’t for you, why would my son leave for two years and not come back...”

“That’s enough!”

Lin Zheng only felt a throbbing headache, “Is now really the time to be causing a scene? Mother is still lying in the room, if there’s anything to be said, wait until we bury Mother tomorrow before discussing it.”

With that, he dragged Lin Yun along and knelt before Old Mother Wang, not even bothering to spare Lin Wanfeng a glance.

Seeing his son’s attitude, Lin Wanfeng didn’t dare to speak further, fearing that his son, in a fit of anger, might disappear without any contact for several more years.

Yesterday, Lin Zheng set up his stall in Jinguan, never expecting to receive such devastating news. He rushed back without even stopping for food. But now, it seems his father has not learned his lesson at all.

Kneeling on the grass mat, Lin Yun gazed at his once feisty mother-in-law, who now lay lifelessly on the ground. A lump formed in his throat, and tears unexpectedly started rolling down his cheeks.

He stifled his voice, trying his best to appear less abrupt. Lin Zheng gently wiped away the tear stains on his face and then pinched the back of his neck. Catching a glimpse of the furious expression on his father’s face from the corner of his eye, he once again bowed his head in silence.

Lin Wanfeng looked at his son’s indifferent expression and felt the hope that had ignited in his heart suddenly chill again.

The accusations that reached the tip of the tongue could not be uttered.

In that moment, he felt as though he had never truly understood his own son.

His son, Lin Zheng, had always been sensible from a young age. While other children were still playing with mud at the village entrance, Lin Zheng would be helping him with the fieldwork, never crying or making a fuss. He had never given him or Wang Zhi any trouble.

Later on, his son grew up and, following the village hunters, acquired a set of impressive skills. The family’s income increased, and they no longer worried about food and clothing, amassing a considerable fortune.

He and his wife were considering finding a suitable bride from a reputable family for their son, but to their surprise, their son declared his intention to marry Lin Yun, the younger brother of the Lin family.

In his memory, that was the first time Lin Zheng defied them.

He had a disagreement with Wang Zhi, and as a result, Lin Zheng spent his days living in the mountains, not returning home. Later, when he and his wife went up the mountain to look for their son, they saw two people chatting and laughing at the doorstep.

That was the first time he saw a smile on his son’s face.

It was only at this moment that he suddenly realized, ever since Lin Zheng had come of age, he had never seen him throw a tantrum or cry, but neither had he ever seen him smile.

After that incident, he finally relented and agreed to let Lin Yun enter his household.

Lin Yun was indeed virtuous. After marrying into the family, he showed great filial piety towards his in-laws. No matter how difficult Wang Zhi made things for him, he never complained. The only flaw was that he hadn’t borne any children. What more could one possibly find dissatisfying about him?

Lin Wanfeng began to regret his actions. He knelt on the ground, his hands trembling, yet he couldn’t utter a single word.

Was it truly because he disliked Lin Yun that he wouldn’t let him through the door, or was it because Lin Zheng defied him that he harbored a grudge against him all this time?

How had he only realized today just how indifferent his son truly was…

　　——

After Gu Qiming and Lin Xing returned home, Lin Xing prepared a basin of hot water by the bed to soak their feet. They had knelt for more than an hour, and their knees were still a bit sore.

Gu Qiming was being unruly, his large foot pinning him down, preventing any movement. Lin Xing’s cheeks suddenly flushed with color, too shy to lift his head and meet his gaze.

Despite having shared even more intimate moments together, he still often found himself utterly flustered by Gu Qiming’s teasing, unable to think straight.

The two sat on the bed, clad only in their undergarments. Gu Qiming gently kneaded Lin Xing’s knee, which had already begun to show hints of purple bruising.

Gu Qiming felt a pang of heartache. Although he had knelt in the previous nights, it was always on the soft bed. Never had it left him with bruises of blue and purple.

As he massaged, he softly said, “If Lin Zheng hadn’t called out ‘Dad’ right before he entered today, I wouldn’t have recognized him as Lin Wanfeng’s son. He’s as expressionless as a block of wood; anyone unaware would think he’s just here to seek shelter for the night.”

Gu Qiming’s massage was satisfying, with just the right amount of strength and technique. Lin Xing comfortably squinted his eyes and said, “Lin Zheng has been like this since we were children, never wanting to play with us and always wearing a cold expression towards everyone.”

“And what about his husband? Can Lin Yun really tolerate him like this? Being faced with a wooden block every day...”

“It’s not like that at all.”

Lin Xing retorted, “Lin Zheng treats Yun’Ge very well, always putting him first in everything. He even smiles at him and will stand up to those who bully him, dealing with his brothers and sisters-in-law. When he’s with him, it’s as if he becomes a completely different person.”

Before, Lin Zheng, aside from hunting in the mountains, would just stay at home, ignoring anyone he came across without so much as a glance. I feel that ever since Lin Zheng married Yun’Ge, he has become much warmer towards others, greeting people and even occasionally helping out villagers with their tasks.

“I see.”

After some contemplation, Gu Qiming considered that, based on Lin Xing’s description, the boy could be autistic, characterized by an aversion to engaging in conversation and communication difficulties. Of course, it was also possible that the person was just inherently cold-natured.

However, since he had never interacted with Lin Zheng, he found it difficult to jump to conclusions hastily.

Gu Qiming put down Lin Xing’s legs, pulled over a quilt from the side, and covered both of their bodies. “Did you just say that he also went up the mountain to hunt?”

“Indeed, he learned from the old hunter in the village. He’s quite skilled, having started hunting in the mountains in his early teens.”

At the very least, on the few occasions Lin Xing had seen him, there was always prey in his hands. There was even a time when he had seen him leading a sheep down the mountain.

Gu Qiming’s enthusiasm surged as he whispered into the person’s ear, “Is he impressive, or is your husband more impressive?”

Lin Xing knew that this person was teasing him again and stuttered in response, “Gu... Brother Gu is formidable...”

He was not sure who was the most formidable, but in his heart, Big Brother Gu would be the mightiest.

Gu Qiming was satisfied, “That’s more like it. Your Brother Gu is certainly the most formidable.”

By the time they had returned, it was nearing the hour of the ox(1:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m). Lin Xing was lying in bed, drowsy and hardly understanding anything Gu Qiming was saying. Before long, he had drifted off to sleep.

Gu Qiming also couldn’t hold on. Since he had transmigrated, he had changed his bad habit of staying up late. He hadn’t been up this late in a long time, except for when he was tossing and turning Lin Xing on the bed.

He lowered himself and buried his head onto his wife’s fragrant, soft chest and fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

Wang Zhi was buried on the afternoon of the third day. Lin Zheng walked at the front of the funeral procession wearing a white robe with his head lowered. His expression could not be seen.

Lin Yun followed closely behind, still shedding incessant tears; his eyes were red and swollen, a testament to his extended period of weeping.

For Lin Yun, Wang Zhi was indeed a truly special existence. He had lost his biological mother at a young age, and his sister-in-law treated him rather poorly, so he had always been envious of those who had mothers.

Although, after he married over, Wang Zhi never showed him a kind face, she also never resorted to beating or scolding him at every turn.

Lin Zheng treated him well, but Wang Zhi didn’t dare to openly challenge him. However, covertly, she didn’t hold back from making things difficult for him.

He respected Wang Zhi, and in addition to the fact that he had not given birth to a son or daughter for the Lin family in two years, he felt sorry for her in his heart. However, it was impossible to say that he didn’t hate her.

He felt like killing the two of them the day he was taken away.

Sold into a wealthy family, he became a scrub servant, never to shed his lowly status for the rest of his life.

He wanted to escape, yet he had no direction.

Unexpectedly, Lin Zheng came looking for him later on.

He had no idea how Lin Zheng managed to find him; all he could remember was the countless injuries Lin Zheng had endured in his search, the numerous pairs of shoes worn through as he traveled, step by step, to find him. On the day they finally met, Lin Zheng’s feet were entirely bloodied.

He cried as he bandaged Lin Zheng’s wound, but Lin Zheng said it didn’t hurt at all. He cupped his face and gazed at him intently.

To redeem him of slave status, Lin Zheng tirelessly worked day and night in the city, undertaking every manner of dirty and exhausting job. Finally, he had saved up fifteen taels of silver to buy out his servitude, taking him away from that place.

It’s truly laughable, he mused that when these two Lin elders had sold him, they hadn’t gotten more than five taels of silver.

However, at present, Wang Zhi was dead.

Lin Zheng’s birth mother had passed away.

He had cried intermittently since last night.

But he was not weeping for Wang Zhi.

He merely couldn’t bear to see Lin Zheng without a mother just like himself. So, he couldn’t withstand the burning pain in his heart, and he had been crying since last night.

Lin Xing watched Lin Yun cry, tears streaming down his face, and quietly took out a plain white handkerchief from his waist and handed it to him.

Lin Yun took the handkerchief and glanced at Lin Xing. His little brother, who used to cuddle up to him in the past, was now someone else’s husband.

That was the only good news he’d heard in the past two years.

--------------------

 <Prev><TOC><Next>

------------------------

Next Chapter: Puppies!