When the pears are green

When the wet Song Changhe and Song Changsong carried Lianlian to Song Li and Song Yue, Song Changhe stopped and told the two sisters in a sad voice to wait for Zhang to come here.

Song Li and Song Yue nodded obediently towards Song Changhe.

Song Changhe sighed, took a step forward and continued walking forward.

A corner of the white cloth covering the door panel was blown up by the wind, revealing Lianlian's hair covered with mud and sand.

Song Li was afraid that Song Yue would be frightened, so she quickly hugged Song Yue in her arms and covered her eyes, and did not let go until Song Changhe and Song Changsong left.

Song Yue held Song Li's arm and looked at the water dripping on the ground, her eyes couldn't help but redden.

A few women who were laughing and talking about Lianlian quickly shut their mouths when they saw Song Yue, and quickly walked past Song Li and Song Yue with an apologetic smile.

Song Yue was so angry that she stamped her feet and shouted at the women: "What kind of people are you? You only know how to gossip about others. You are talking about my aunt like this. Aren't you afraid that my aunt will come to talk to you guys at night?"

Several women paused for a moment, then rushed forward one after another.

Song Yue finally calmed down and turned around to see Song Hui and Song Changming walking towards her with Song Changrong, who had a sad expression and lifeless eyes.

"Uncle Changrong, my aunt is gone, you, you..." Song Li was unable to continue, and tears as big as beans rolled down her cheeks.

Song Yue covered her mouth and looked at Song Changrong, who was extremely sad, and kept wiping her tears.

Seeing this scene, Song Hui and Song Changming also shed tears.

Only Song Changrong, who was soaked all over, was still staring blankly ahead, with a few strands of white hair at his temples.

Dark clouds that came from nowhere obscured the bright sun, and the sky became dim and bright. Only the spring breeze was still blowing on the treetops and the corners of the clothes of pedestrians on the road.

Not far away, Song Ershun was walking slowly towards them, supporting the hunched-over Song Sanshun, followed by Zhang, Li Hua and Song Tian.

A large family looked at each other in silence in the busy street, with only the sounds of sighs and sobs mixed together.

Song Sanshun glanced at Song Li, whose face was filled with sorrow, and said to Zhang with a sigh, "Mrs. Changhe, little Li is back, so you shouldn't go over there. My second sister-in-law and Mrs. Changsong are here."

"Okay, Third Uncle, I'll come over in the afternoon." Zhang rubbed her sore eyes and turned to tell Li Hua that if she needed help, she must come to her.

Li Hua held Zhang's hand and nodded, then turned to Song Ershun and Song Sanshun and said, "Dad, Uncle, let's go back. We still have to find someone to report the death to Zhoujiazhuang!"

Song Sanshun responded softly: "Well, let's go."

Zhang deliberately distanced herself from Song Sanshun and the others, and asked Song Li softly, "Xiao Li, why are you here today?"

Song Li sighed and replied, "Mom, Qingye is getting married tomorrow, so I thought of bringing him and his bride to see you today."

Zhang couldn't believe what she heard, and frowned to confirm with Song Li: "Xiao Li, you said Qingye is getting married tomorrow? You and Qingzhou didn't tell me when you came here in the first month of the year, why is it so sudden?"

After hearing this, Song Yue nodded in agreement.

Song Li explained helplessly: "Mom, Yueyue, I'm telling you, you may not believe it, but Qingzhou and I only found out about their wedding a few days ago. The bride is from another place, and she has no parents, so there aren't so many rules, and it's easy to organize. I heard from Qingye that Xiaoxing will also come back to attend the wedding, and she should be home today."

When Zhang heard that Song Xing was coming back, a faint smile appeared on her face involuntarily.

The mother and her two daughters walked towards the village while talking. When they reached the village entrance, Song Yue went back to the Wu family first.

Song Li looked at Song Yue's back and asked Zhang: "Mom, should I go to Uncle Changrong's house to burn some paper for Auntie?"

Zhang patted the back of Song Li's hand and replied, "You have a wedding tomorrow, so don't go. I will explain to your third grandfather when I go there in the afternoon."

Song Li nodded gently, feeling sad about Lianlian's death. The death of Xiao Tianyou was not just the last straw that broke Lianlian's back. This child was clearly Lianlian's Achilles' heel. After more than ten years of marriage, only one child survived, and he died in childhood. No one could calmly accept this cruel reality.

In front of the Song family courtyard, Jiang Qingzhou drew a nine-square grid with tree branches and asked Jiang Huan to use it to kill time.

Jiang Qingye held Jiang Yao's little hand and stood aside watching Su Mian and Jiang Huan play hopscotch.

"Yaoyao wants to play too." Jiang Yao said as she broke free from Jiang Qingye's hand, waving her arms and running around in the large and small grids behind Su Mian.

“Ahahaha…Ahahaha…this is so fun.”

Jiang Huan and Jiang Yao chased each other around Su Mian.

Jiang Qingzhou asked Jiang Qingye to take good care of the two children, and turned to wait for Song Li and Zhang at the village entrance.

It is not the busy farming season, and something big has happened in the village, so three or five villagers gathered at the entrance of the alley to chat about Song Changrong and Lianlian.

"The daughter-in-law of the Song family is finally relieved. A crazy and silly beautiful young daughter-in-law running outside all day long will sooner or later get into trouble." A middle-aged woman with a patched shirt said with a pursed mouth.

Another old woman with a mean face laughed and interrupted, "You are just worrying about nothing. As long as she doesn't leave the village, no one would dare to take advantage of her even if she is crazy. After all, her niece is married to a good man. If something goes wrong, it would be a slap in the face of the head of the village."

The elderly woman patted her cheeks twice after she finished speaking, causing the others to laugh as well.

When the women saw a stranger coming, they stopped laughing and talked in low voices while secretly observing Jiang Qingzhou who was walking towards the village entrance.

"Who was I thinking? It turns out to be the eldest son-in-law of Song Changhe's family." A woman recognized Jiang Qingzhou.

The elderly woman agreed, "Oh, that orphan son-in-law. It seems he has a younger brother who's a burden at home. I heard that the two children of the eldest daughter of Song Changhe's family were brought up to their first month by Song Changhe's wife. If it were me, I wouldn't care! I don't know what the Song Changhe family likes about this orphan. Apart from his good looks, what else can he offer?"

"Hey, Auntie, you've said so much, aren't you afraid of getting a mouthful of dirt in the wind?" Zhang, who was passing by, retorted angrily.

The elderly woman laughed dryly and whispered to Zhang: "Sister-in-law, I am praising you!"

Zhang rolled her eyes at the elderly woman and handed the key to Jiang Qingzhou, asking him to take Jiang Huan and the others home first, and then go to the kitchen to get some wood ash and sprinkle it at the gate of the yard.

Jiang Qingzhou nodded to Zhang and quickly turned into the alley.

Zhang did not bother with the women too much. She smiled and asked them to find a sheltered place to talk so as to avoid getting their tongues bitten by the strong wind.

The women dispersed in embarrassment.

Zhang was like a victorious general, and proudly asked Song Li to learn more from him.

Song Li hugged Zhang's arm and acted coquettishly: "Mom, I'm stupid and I can't learn. If anyone bullies me in the future, I will come to you for help."

Zhang smiled and tapped Song Li's forehead, saying lovingly, "Silly girl."

When Song Li and Zhang returned to the Song family, they met Song Changhe walking out with a donkey cart.

Zhang hurriedly asked Song Changhe: "Master, is Changrong feeling better?"

"Alas, he's still motionless and doesn't even want to drink water. Changrong has a hard life. He lost his son not long ago, and now he lost his wife. It's going to take a while for him to recover. It's really hard for my uncle. Not only does he have to bury the young, but he also has to worry about Changrong. I see that my uncle has aged a lot." Song Changhe said while sighing, holding the donkey's back.

Song Changhe paused for a moment and then said to Song Li, "Xiao Li, I just told Qingzhou and Qingye that your mother and I can't go to Qingye's wedding tomorrow. Your aunt will be buried tomorrow, and there is no point in attending a funeral and then a wedding. When Xiaoxing comes back, I will ask him to go to town to find you. He has a good relationship with Qingye, and we can't let him have any regrets."

After hearing this, Song Li quickly responded: "Dad, I know."

Song Changhe looked at Song Li deeply, and then told Zhang: "Xiangxiang, it's not easy for the children to come here, you should treat them well. I won't be back at noon. I have to take Changming to Zhoujiazhuang to report the death. Changsong and Second Uncle went to the next village to buy a coffin. Xiaohui went to Mingde to help write a couplet. I guess Xiaoyue and her family of three will be here in a while."

Zhang, with a worried look on her face, told Song Changhe to go and do his own thing.

After Song Li watched Song Changhe leave, she asked Zhang in confusion, "Mom, why is the burial so soon? I thought it would take seven days?"

"Xiao Li, you haven't experienced it, so it's normal that you don't understand. Your aunt died a violent death. According to the rules, she had to be buried the next day, otherwise it would be bad for your uncle Changrong." Zhang answered while hugging Jiang Huan who ran out of the courtyard gate.

Zhang squatted down and asked Jiang Huan with a smile: "Huan'er, do you miss grandma?"

"Of course I did. I also brought some delicious food." Jiang Huan said as he took out a paper bag from his small shoulder bag, which contained various snacks, dried fruits and preserves that Su Mian brought from Bianzhou.

Zhang looked at the seven or eight snacks in the paper bag and teased Jiang Huan: "Where did Huan get these?"

Jiang Huan picked up a piece of dried hawthorn and stuffed it into Zhang's mouth, saying, "My aunt brought it from Bianzhou. I didn't finish it myself, so I left one of each for grandma. Grandma, is it sweet?"

Zhang put her hand over her frowning brows and nodded with a smile, "This is what Huan'er left for me, so of course it's sweet."

Seeing this, Song Li rubbed Jiang Huan's hair and asked, "When did Huan'er grow his hair? How come I didn't know?"

"Mom, I kept it secretly, of course you don't know. If you knew, it wouldn't be kept secretly by me." Jiang Huan raised his little face and answered seriously.

Zhang narrowed her eyes with a smile, took the paper bag, rewrapped it, and said to Jiang Huan: "Good Huan'er, when your grandfather comes back, I will show off to him. That little bully from Yuen Long will be here later, as long as he doesn't mess with you, you don't mess with him either, okay?"

Jiang Huan nodded heavily, smiled, took Zhang's hand and walked towards the Song family.