The New Year's Eve dinner was early, and the dumplings were finished before the Spring Festival Gala. Liu Handong turned on the TV, and the two old people sat attentively waiting to watch the live broadcast of the party. Shuiqin went to wash the dishes, and Wang Yulan set up the mahjong table and called everyone to sit down: "Little fun
It’s a dollar to play.”
Zheng Jia pulled up a small bench and sat next to her grandma to watch TV with her. Grandma Pan was in good spirits today and had a clear mind. She asked her granddaughter: "Jia Jia, where is your father?"
"He visited the United Arab Emirates with an economic delegation."
"Well, Premier Zhou once said that diplomacy is no small matter, and leading a delegation to visit is more important than celebrating the New Year at home. Where is your brother?"
"Jiatu is in Hawaii... discussing business with friends."
"Well, this kid Jiatu also knows how to make progress, which is good."
The old lady did not ask about her daughter-in-law's whereabouts. It seemed that she was not considering it at all. She looked at the busy family members and suddenly said: "Jiajia, do you have a camera? Let's take a group photo."
Zheng Jiayi took out a Nikon SLR camera from her bag, put on a fixed-focus lens, and set up a tripod. When the family members heard that they were going to take pictures, they all gathered around, with Liu Xiaoyong and Grandma Pan at the center, standing or standing in two rows.
Squatting down, Grandma Pan is wearing a bright red Tang suit embroidered with blessings and longevity today. It is very festive. Her family members are surrounding her like stars holding the moon in their arms, and their happy wrinkles are all smiles.
With a snap, the automatic shutter started, freezing this moment forever.
After taking the family photo, the mahjong players continued to play mahjong, and those watching TV continued to watch TV. Liu Handong went to the balcony to smoke and looked out the window in trance at the night.
"What are you thinking about?" Zheng Jiayi's voice came from behind.
"What do you want to do next?" Liu Handong said, "The business of the accessories sales department is booming, but I have a bad feeling. This business is in the hands of others. If they say anything, we will have to stop."
Zheng Jia said: "I think you are not suitable for starting a business, so you might as well work with someone else."
Liu Handong laughed and said: "I have such a bad temper that I beat my leaders at every turn. When I was in the army, I was discharged early because I beat the instructor. I can only work alone."
Zheng Jia said, "If you want, you can do it with me." After saying that, he coughed twice.
"With you?" Liu Handong puffed out his cigarette and looked at Zheng Jiayi doubtfully.
"Zhongyanhuang has many overseas projects that require talents like you. The salary is very high, with double salary and various benefits. Three to five million yuan per year is available. Please consider it."
"Let me think about it." Liu Handong said perfunctorily. Three to five hundred thousand yuan was not attractive to him. There were some things he couldn't say to Zheng Jiayi. In fact, Liu Handong had already chosen his own path, which was to lick blood while taking advantage of others.
, I haven’t opened for half a year, and I have been open for half a year. My small team has begun to take shape, and my small trial has been a great success. What I am missing now is a project.
"Let me know when you've thought about it." Zheng Jia returned to the living room. Grandma was watching TV happily, and she and Grandpa Liu were commenting on this year's host.
"Xiao Liu, do you still remember when grandma was picked up by you?" Old Mrs. Pan suddenly mentioned the past with great interest.
"Remember." Liu Handong nodded as if he was pounding garlic.
"How is that old man who scavenged? He's celebrating the New Year. I wonder if he has food to eat and family to accompany him. If you are free, help grandma find him and settle him properly so that he doesn't become homeless."
"I know." Liu Handong agreed wholeheartedly, wondering where I could find him in this huge sea of people.
After a song and dance, Grandma Pan fell asleep. Zheng Jiayi turned down the TV volume and called Liu Handong to come over and help carry Grandma back to the bedroom. However, when she touched Grandma's hand, she felt something was wrong. An ominous feeling came to her mind.
I put my face against grandma's face and couldn't feel my breath anymore.
"Grandma!" Zheng Jia shook the old man, tears welling up in his eyes. People playing mahjong stopped and came over to check. Grandma Pan passed away suddenly on New Year's Eve and died without any illness.
No one cried. Grandma Pan lived a long life, which was a happy mourning. However, the old man passed away with only one granddaughter by his side, which seemed wrong.
Zheng Jia made the decision and first notified the Provincial Party Committee's Veteran Cadres Bureau because Grandma Pan had retired as the Propaganda Minister of Jiangdong Province and the funeral should be organized before calling his father. However, Zheng Jiefu was visiting abroad and could not be contacted for the time being.
The only way to get the message through is through the diplomatic service.
Mrs. Zheng who was far away in France and Zheng Jiatu who was on vacation in Hawaii both received calls and said they would come as soon as possible. He Jian and Ma Guoqing put the old man's body on the bed and covered it with a quilt. There was no need to post the prepared Spring Festival couplets on the door.
A piece of white paper is pasted to represent mourning.
The staff of the Provincial Party Committee's General Office hurried over and brought four wreaths. As soon as the white wreaths were placed at the door, the residents in the courtyard of the Provincial Party Committee's family members knew what was going on and came to pay their respects one after another. Guests at home came in.
Over time, all the dignitaries came. He Jian, Ma Guoqing and others could not get on stage, so the reception work had to be left to Liu Handong and Zheng Jiayi.
I was busy until the clock rang at midnight, and the number of guests gradually became rare. The leftover food and wine in the kitchen seemed to be gone before they were cold, which made people feel sad that life is short.
The family didn't need many people to keep vigil, so Liu Handong sent Ma Ling, Wang Yulan and the others to go home and rest. Ma Ling originally wanted to be brave and stay, but she was really afraid of guarding the dead, so she went back with her parents.
The sound of firecrackers was still going on outside, and the house was deserted and sad. Grandma Pan's portrait had been placed on the table. Liu Handong and Zheng Jia sat on either side, throwing paper money into the basin.
"I was raised by my grandma, and I am not close to my parents. When I was a child, I went to primary school in Omi, and my father worked in Beijing. Every Spring Festival, my grandma and I spent the Spring Festival. My younger brother spent time with my parents in Beijing. One year, my grandma bought a
The train ticket took me to Beijing, and I got off at the second stop and bought the ticket again because I couldn't bear to leave my grandma..." Zheng Jia recalled the past with sadness.
"I was also raised by my grandfather. My father was a scout and died in Vietnam. My mother remarried. I was disobedient and naughty since I was a child. Only my grandfather could control me." Liu Handong also talked about the past.
Before I knew it, the night was already deep, the sound of cannons gradually faded away, and I didn’t know how to spend the long, lonely and cold night.
"I'm cold." Zheng Jia said, looking up at Liu Handong. Her eyes were red and swollen. There was no lust in them, only sadness.
Liu Handong gently hugged Zheng Jiayi and patted her back to express comfort.
I don't know how long it took, but Zheng Jiayi raised his head buried in Liu Handong's arms and whispered: "Thank you, I'm fine."
After staying up for a few more hours, at dawn, a large number of retired veteran cadres came after hearing the news. Staff from the Provincial Party Committee Veteran Cadres Bureau came to rearrange the mourning hall. The hearse from the funeral home came to take the body away, still escorted by Liu Handong and Zheng Jiayi.
, after returning, I found that the courtyard of the Provincial Party Committee’s family members had become a sea of wreaths, and there was no sense of celebrating the New Year. Grandma Pan had a special status. Her son was a deputy national leader. Who would dare not give face to the Zheng family’s funeral.
The provincial party committee has established a funeral committee. The family does not need to worry about the funeral at all. The cemetery has been selected. It will be buried together with Zheng Zeru in the revolutionary cemetery in the eastern suburbs. Now we are waiting for the return of the Zheng family.
The news came that Jeff Zheng would not attend the memorial service and told him to keep everything simple and not to make a fuss.
Mrs. Zheng and Zheng Jiatu took the opportunity to arrive in Omi. The Provincial Party Committee sent people to greet them. They stayed at the Provincial Party Committee Guest House and were attended by dedicated personnel. A day was chosen to hold a farewell ceremony for the body. The memorial service was of high standard. All the leaders of the four teams in the province were present. The Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee
Xu Xinhe came to the scene in person, wearing a black cashmere coat and a small white flower on his chest. He shook hands with Grandma Pan's family and expressed his condolences with a solemn expression.
It is worth mentioning that Pingchuan Municipal Party Committee Secretary Gao Xianxian also came to attend the memorial service. Secretary Gao’s eyes were red. From time to time, he took off his glasses and wiped non-existent tears with a handkerchief. People who knew him asked him what his relationship was with the Zheng family. He was just mysterious.
A smile, but the words are unclear.
As for the old Liu family, they were not considered family members at all, and were not even qualified to attend the memorial service. At Zheng Jiayi’s insistence, they attended the ceremony anyway, and together with the general public, they paid homage to Grandma Pan’s body and listened to the sounds of mourning.
Farewell to relatives.
After the funeral ceremony ended and the ashes were sent to the cemetery, the Revolutionary Cemetery looked desolate. Zheng Jiayi picked up his collar and tightened his coat, feeling the biting cold.
…
In the courtyard of the Provincial Party Committee's family members, Liu Xiaoyong was sitting on the Grand Master's chair, feeling extremely lonely. After a long while, he said: "Dongdong, pack your things and go back to Jiangbei."
"Grandpa, why don't you stay at my place for a few days?" Liu Handong understood what grandpa meant. This house belongs to the Zheng family, and Grandma Pan is no longer here. Living here is unfair and will cause gossip.
"Go back to Jiangbei." The old man said without any doubt.
Liu Handong immediately went to pack his things. Grandpa's few clothes were packed in a suitcase. Thinking of leaving here, Liu Handong also felt a sense of loss. In Zheng Jiayi's bedroom, photos of her junior high school days were still embedded in the frame.
Inside, he smiled at himself.
As soon as Zheng Jia came back, she saw the suitcases in the living room and hurriedly persuaded Mr. Liu not to go back in a hurry and stay in Omi for a longer period of time.
"I miss people after seeing things, I can't live here anymore." Liu Xiaoyong's attitude was very firm.
Zheng Jiayi had no choice but to send them away. The old house was closed and locked, and all memories were dusted away.
Mrs. Pan passed away suddenly. The saddest thing was actually Wang Yulan. She wanted to be like a dragon and a phoenix, and curry favor with people who became officials, but she had been busy for so long and did not get any practical benefits. However, thinking about a selfless person like Zheng Jeff, even the death of his biological mother was so painful
If you don't come back and take a look, how can you take care of these people who are beyond your reach?
Before the new year was over, Liu Xiaoyong returned to his hometown in Jiangbei. Zheng Jiayi also went to Beijing to take up his new job. The winter vacation ended soon and Jiangdong University started. Liu Handong ushered in a new semester. His plan was to graduate at the end of June and study in the first half of the year.
The task is heavy, but there are too many things to do.
First of all, Grandma Pan’s last wish must be fulfilled, and the old man who scavenged and petitioned must be found and properly resettled.
Then there was an imminent event. Shu Fan was about to turn eighteen. In a legal sense, she was a person with full capacity and did not need her uncle to take care of her property. The empress of the Qingshi Hi-Tech Empire was about to officially ascend the throne.