Xue Ling didn't sleep for long and got up to help after more than half an hour.
There was little business in the store in the afternoon. Cheng Tianyuan went out to get goods, while she and Cheng Muhai cleaned the inside and outside of the store.
Cheng Muhai was very particular about hygiene and even went to the warehouse behind to clean it.
Cheng Tianyuan didn't go away for too long. He came back with a few boxes of beer, cigarettes, and some daily necessities, and moved them into the warehouse one after another.
Xue Ling couldn't help but ask: "Do you need to buy groceries for the kitchen? Do you have anything to eat for dinner?"
Cheng Tianyuan replied with a smile: "I bought some mutton and bones when I came here just now. I will arrange dinner."
"Okay! Then go and get busy!" Cheng Muhai looked at the dark sky and explained: "The weather is very cold. Eat dinner early. If there is no business, you and Ling Ling can go back early to rest and help take care of the children.
Ran Ran."
Cheng Tianyuan quickly carried the mutton to the kitchen.
At this time, Ahu drove up in the No. 3 bus, his tough face was red from the cold, and his eyes seemed to be red.
Cheng Muhai saw it and walked down quickly.
"Huzi, why are you here? Is it cold? Lingling, go to the kitchen quickly and pour a cup of hot water for him to drink and warm himself up."
"Thank you, uncle..." Ahu's voice was a little hoarse, and he seemed to be crying.
Cheng Muhai looked at him with narrowed eyes and whispered: "Huzi, what's wrong?"
Ahu's eyes were red and he swallowed more: "My aunt... is gone. I came over to discuss the matter with Ayuan. The hospital is now in a mess, and my sisters and I are all crying. My uncle is sitting there.
Every now and then, Amin loses his soul. Now I have to hurry up and make funeral arrangements for my aunt. We all can’t just be sad, there are still many things to be busy with!"
Cheng Muhai was stunned when he heard this.
Xue Ling just brought the water out and felt extremely uncomfortable for a moment.
"What's going on? Didn't you wake up in the morning? How come it's only been one afternoon and you're saying there's no one left?!"
Ahu took a deep breath and whispered: "My aunt's heart was not good. She didn't beat much in the afternoon, and then... she stopped moving. The doctors tried to save her for a long time, but unfortunately they couldn't save her. She died in the hospital like this...
...No one can accept it... My mother fainted from crying."
Xue Ling's eyes were also red and she handed him the water glass.
"You drink something first, sit down and have a rest. I'll go find Brother Yuan and come over. You wait."
Her mind was a little confused, and she couldn't help feeling the fragility and powerlessness of life again.
Ahu took it and sat down, then swallowed: "Thank you, sister-in-law... I plan to discuss with Ayuan whether we can split the store's share in advance and allocate two thousand yuan so that Amin and I can pay for my aunt's funeral first."
Take care of the scenery."
Xue Ling nodded and said: "It should be no problem, just wait."
Then, she turned around and hurried to the kitchen to find Cheng Tianyuan.
After hearing this, Cheng Tianyuan hurriedly walked out, looked into Ahu's red eyes, and let out a long breath.
"...Don't be too sad. Amin will definitely not be able to bear it now. You are the backbone, so you can't bear it too. Drink the water first. I will go to the bank to pay the money now and send it to you later."
Ahu nodded and whispered: "I have already found a car, and I have to get my aunt's body out of the hospital first. Do you know Chen Min's house? The neighborhood committee here has a centralized place for funerals. Go inside his house
After a few dozen meters, we saw a small ancestral hall, that's it. We have to get the body there first, and we'll be there later."
Cheng Tianyuan remembered it and said: "You go and do your work first, I will go over to help later."
Ahu looked at Cheng Muhai and Xue Ling and apologized: "In the next few days, I have to ask my sister-in-law and uncle to help me look after the store. Amin and I can't come."
"Don't worry!" Xue Ling reassured, "We are here."
Cheng Muhai smoked a cigarette and sighed: "We all mourn and accept the change. People cannot be resurrected after death. Those of us who are alive must live a good life."
"That's right." Ahu stood up, handed the cup back to Xue Ling, and hurriedly rode away on a tricycle.
Cheng Tianyuan said: "Daughter-in-law, you and dad are watching the store, and the kitchen has to watch the fire. It's not even five o'clock yet, and the bank hasn't opened yet. I'll rush over there quickly, take out some money, and send it over."
"Go quickly! Drive carefully on the road and don't rush." Xue Ling reminded.
"Hey!" Cheng Tianyuan drove away in a hurry.
Then, Xue Ling and her father-in-law looked at the store.
Winter night falls quickly, and just after half past five, it becomes completely dark.
As soon as it gets dark, the north wind howls, and it gets colder.
The weather was so cold that the workers rarely came out after get off work. After eating in the canteen, they each hid in their dormitories to rest.
Except for a few people buying some daily necessities, the store quickly became deserted.
Xue Ling closed the back door and windows, and then went to the kitchen to cook.
Cheng Muhai discussed: "Ling, it's too cold, let's close the store and go to the kitchen to eat!"
"Okay, since there are no customers anyway, let's close the door early tonight." Xue Ling looked at the dark sky and guessed: "The weather forecast says there may be heavy snow tonight."
Cheng Muhai couldn't help but sigh: "It's so helpless to encounter such bad weather during a funeral!"
Xue Ling finished cooking the rice and brought it to the table. He also brought a whole pot of mutton stew to the table.
"Dad, just the two of us, let's eat like this! It won't get cold easily when we eat like this. There are vegetables, meat and soup inside."
Cheng Muhai smiled softly and said: "If this was twenty years ago, it would be considered a top-notch meal!"
Xue Ling has been with them for a long time and understands that this is a small dialect here, and a good meal means a good meal.
"Okay, let's have a good meal!" Xue Ling served him rice and then ate around the dining table.
At this time, the sound of cars sounded outside.
Xue Ling immediately recognized that it was his own jeep and quickly put down his bowls and chopsticks.
"Brother Yuan should be back!"
Cheng Muhai said: "Ask him to come and eat together, he must not have eaten yet."
Xue Ling hurriedly went to greet him and saw that his eyebrows were slightly furrowed and his nose was slightly red from the cold.
"Have you eaten? Come in first and have something hot to warm up."
Cheng Tianyuan nodded and followed her into the kitchen.
She spooned a bowl of hot soup and handed it to him.
Cheng Tianyuan took two sips, licked his lips, and explained in a low voice: "I withdrew three thousand yuan from the bank and gave it to them. Chen Min was so sad that the three sisters Chen Lan also cried miserably. Fortunately, Ahu
I kept busy and managed to hold up the scene. Now some of Chen Min’s relatives have also gone over, and they are all busy organizing funeral arrangements.”
Xue Ling couldn't help but ask: "Will I have to be busy for at least a week?"
Cheng Tianyuan explained: "My aunt is not very old, and Amin is not married. According to the tradition here, the funeral will be held the day after tomorrow. The family will probably be busy for a few days, which is what it should be."
"Eat!" Cheng Muhai knocked on the bowl, sighed and whispered: "You are still young, and you don't have much exposure to things like this. When you reach my age, you will be mentally prepared. The people around you will gradually grow old.
Dead. There is an old saying in the book that is right, birth, old age, illness and death are also human nature."
Xue Ling and Cheng Tianyuan looked at each other and ate in silence.
After dinner, Cheng Tianyuan cleaned up the kitchen, then checked the doors and windows, and took Xue Ling home.
On the way, Xue Ling asked: "It's the end of the year, you should have a good idea of the store's general ledger, right?"
Cheng Tianyuan explained: "I have a summary of each month's accounts, and I know what I have in mind. It's just the last month. I will wait until the end of the year when the store closes on the 25th or 6th, and then we will check it all together. How much money does the store make now, and how much goods are still on deposit?