Chapter 276: The Tomb-sweeping Festival

“…” She even knows about hush fees!

“Don’t worry, I won’t say anything, absolutely won’t say it!” Third Aunt saw Lian Fang Zhou looking at her and answered by swearing with an honest smile, happily putting the golden hairpin away.

The Tomb-sweeping festival would be in a few days and it would be the first Qingming festival since Lian Fang Zhou’s parents had passed away.

According to local customs, the first Tomb-sweeping festival after a relative has passed away cannot be performed on the day of the festival, but before.

After discussing this with Third Aunt and Lian Ze, Lian Fang Zhou planned on visiting the grave of their parents two days before the festival.

Now that the days at home were more calm, the panic of constant worry about what will happen tomorrow was gone. Although Lian Fang Zhou and her siblings were still sad, they no longer grieved.

The day before they visited the graves, they bought all kinds of insense, candles, white flags, offerings, firecrackers, and sparklers. That night, the siblings went to Lian Li’s house and asked them if they wanted to visit the grave tomorrow together.

Who told them to be their elders? Even if they did not want to invite them, they had to.

Madam Qiao sneered when she heard their intentions: “Oh, so now they think of us at this time? I don’t see them acknowledging us on any other day?”

She thought bitterly in her heart: Just wait for my son to come back after finishing the exam! I’ll see how you look then!

Lian Fang Zhou was quite speechless. Hadn’t they given them meat from their wild sheep and the pig they killed for new year? How was this the only time they thought of them?

She didn’t bother to pay attention to Madam Qiao but looked at Lian Li flatly, waiting for his answer. As for the younger siblings, they were just accompanying her, there was no need for them to speak.

Honestly, Lian Li was reluctant to visit his brother and sister-in-law’s graves. There was no reason for this, but the eldest branch had long been used to riding on the head of the second branch.

Therefore, he felt that it was fine for him as the eldest brother to visit the graves of their elders but why should his younger brother expect him to contribute to their branch?

The logic was ridiculous, but that was what Lian Li was thinking.

If Lian Fang Zhou and her siblings had come to him carefully and respectfully begged him to ‘appreciate his face’, he would have felt better in his heart. However, the looks of indifference on his nieces and nephew’s faces made him feel very aggrieved.

Lian Li was still pretending to think about it, deliberately waiting for Lian Fang Zhou to say a few coaxing words and beg him. Lian Fang Zhou smiled faintly and said: “If uncle and aunt are busy and have no time, then don’t go! Father and Mother will understand! Let’s go!”

“Yes, we are not free—”

“We will go out tomorrow morning and help. Your parents are my relatives, my brother and sister-in-law, and there are no other elders, others will say that we are unfilial! We’ll go!” Lian Li felt suffocated but decisively broke off Madam Qiao’s words.

The Lian siblings exchanged silent glances, thinking: Oh, now you remember who our father and mother are, you…

Hearing Lian Li’s consideration for himself, Lian Fang Zhou’s eyelids didn’t even twitch. She faintly responded ‘okay’ and took her siblings away.

“That little bitch, making it look like we owe her!” Madam Qiao yelled, staring at their backs. She couldn’t help but say to Lian Li: “Why did you agree to go? Just say we are busy! Huh, if that couple was alive, they’d be alive, if they die, they die. What kind of grave are they going to?”

When behind closed doors, Lian Li never reprimanded and controlled the vicious and mean words of his wife. That was why Madam Qiao dared yell at Lian Fang Zhou. Imagine someone who was accustomed to scolding and cursing all day long and suddenly telling them to be patient, how was that possible?

He glared at her and said without anger: “You think I want to go? Anyways, its my brother. Can I not go? There are many eyes in the village watching us!”

Lian Li was indignant. If it was in the past, he could have found an excuse for being busy with farm work. Even if people doubted him, they wouldn’t say anything about it. But now it was different. The second branch was well established in the village. The eyes on them were heavier than before!

In this case, he has a few more things to worry about!

“Even if your heart is uncomfortable, you will be honest tomorrow and remember that it is to build a good reputation for our son! Don’t make trouble for me, do you understand! I don’t care where you put your eyes or mutter in your heart, don’t say a word to me!” Lian Li glared at Madam Qiao and scolded her. He also had no choice.

Madam Qiao snorted and rolled her eyes as an agreement.

The next morning, Lian Fang Zhou’s family finished breakfast and arranged the offerings and tools to clean the graces. They filled a few baskets of different sizes and Lian Fang Zhou said: “Alright, let’s get ready to leave! Ah Ze, you go tell eldest uncle and eldest aunt that we are leaving now. If they are busy, it will be fine to go later.”

Lian Ze nodded and ran to Lian Li’s house.

Originally, Lian Li and Madam Qiao had thought about making a fuss deliberately. When they heard what Lian Ze said, their breath was immediately stuck in their chests and they followed Lian Ze in annoyance.

Going to the grave was a major event and everyone in Lian Fang Zhou’s family was going, including Third Aunt and Ah Jian.

Lian Li and Madam Qiao came over and the group went up the mountain together.

Lian Fang Zhou had already assigned everyone a basket in advance. Though Lian Fang Qing and Lian Che were empty-handed, she had no intention of asking Lian Li or Madam Qiao for help.

Madam Qiao was anxious. She hadn’t intended to help much but it would have been nice if she could save some face!

Lian Li had been very happy about this at first but thinking about how many people he would meet along the way, he was unhappy again. Since they are going such a long way, shouldn’t they do everything to look good to people, so they don’t have to deal with the gossip? He kindly went to take the basket carried by Lian Fang Zhou, saying: “Fang Zhou, let me carry it!”

The basket in her hands was filled with money, paper, candles, firecrackers, and other things. Lian Li wanted to look good to others and Lian Fang Zhou didn’t want to stop him. She smiled and thanked him, handing over the basket.

“Don’t go empty-handed, help!” Lian Li took the basket and turned to Madam Qiao.

Madam Qiao reluctantly went to pick up the basket in Third Aunt’s hands, stretching her face and saying “Give it to me!”

“Sister-in-law is too polite!” Third Aunt took two steps back slightly and smiled: “This aunt, sister, doesn’t have anything to give Second brother and sister-in-law, so let me do my part! This basket is filled with offerings, where has my sister-in-law done this sort of heavy work? What if it is dropped?”