There were mats on both sides of the coffin. At this time, all the brothers and sisters of the Zhou family were there. Manbao looked around and wanted to sit next to the eldest sister, but Zhou Dalang grabbed him and whispered: "Just sit here and stay with me for a while."

Remember to return gifts when guests come to pay homage. Do you know how to return gifts?"

Man Bao nodded hesitantly.

Lao Zhou's family has never held a funeral, but other families in the village have. Man Bao also went there, knowing that the filial sons guarding both sides would bend down and bow their heads in return.

As soon as the day dawned, guests came to the door with a memorial ceremony. The first ones to arrive were the Qian family, and then some other families in the village.

Lao Zhoutou's family and many other families in the village borrowed tables, chairs and benches. Because they knew there would be many people eating, they simply placed them along the road in front of Lao Zhou's house under the big banyan tree at the entrance of the village.

The meals were also distributed to the neighbors' homes to cook, with each family responsible for ten tables. The chopped meat was distributed to each family, as well as bags of flour mixed with wheat bran...

No one thinks this is wrong. There are so many people invited, and they are not from a wealthy family. Who can have a banquet with white flour and white rice?

What's more, this is still the first year after the disaster.

When the real funeral was held, Lao Zhoutou and Qian didn't care at all. Even the sons and daughters of Lao Zhou's family didn't interfere. Young Qian led several sisters-in-law and the old people in the village to organize the whole process outside.

came down.

Lao Zhoutou helped Qian out, and the two of them sat beside the coffin, but they did not wear linen clothes, but only tied a white linen cloth around their waists.

The two of them threw some millet festivals into the brazier from time to time, and their eyes were a little red.

Whenever the villagers came to pay homage, the couple would solemnly return the favor.

When the Zhang family arrived, they saw Lao Zhoutou and Qian bending down to thank the man who had just offered the incense. When they raised their heads, they met each other's eyes.

Lao Zhoutou pressed his wife's hand, put on his shoes and walked out, "Cousin, cousin, are you here?"

Boss Zhang frowned, "You are the elder brother, why are you sitting there?"

Zhang Laoer looked around and said: "Brother, you don't care about him. I don't like it. My cousin feels guilty. By the way, cousin, where should we sit?"

A young man took advantage of the opportunity and came up and said: "I am the cousin of the Zhang family. Come on, your table is in the yard. I will take you there."

Zhang Laoer handed the small bag he brought to the person collecting the memorial ceremony at the door. He didn't mention his name. He walked over to the table with his hands behind his back and looked at the table. "This table is not enough."

As soon as he finished speaking, the people who were lagging behind from the Zhang family finally arrived. A large number of people came in loudly. Men, women, and children were crowded into a pile. One of them even held him in his arms. It looked like there were only seven or eight people.

Looks like a month old.

Not to mention one table, even three tables may not be able to sit down.

Lao Zhoutou stared in stunned silence at these people he knew or didn't know.

Qian's brows twitched, but she didn't say anything or get up. Instead, she grabbed a handful of millet knots and threw them into the brazier, causing it to make a crackling sound.

Thinking of the steamed buns and vegetables that so many people were going to eat, Lao Zhou's heart ached. He stretched out his hand to grab Boss Zhang, pulled him aside and asked, "Cousin, who are these? How come I don't recognize some of them?"

Boss Zhang's face darkened and he said: "So you have married a daughter-in-law and forgotten your mother. Which of the people here is not your cousin? Those two are from my cousin's family, and that one is from my second aunt's family..."

"Second aunt?" Lao Zhou said with a dark face, "My mother is the only daughter of my grandparents, isn't it? Why is there a second aunt?"

"It's my cousin!"

Damn it!

Lao Zhoutou almost couldn't help but curse out loud. He smacked his lips and couldn't speak. He was heartbroken beyond measure.

But his mental activities were not limited at all. He stared at Boss Zhang. If it weren't for the fact that this was his uncle's son, he would really, really want to...

Lao Zhoutou closed his eyes, took a deep breath and said: "Cousin, you sit down first, sit down first, no, that's not right, give the second brother the incense first..."

"Let's burn incense for a while," Zhang Laoer, who came over with a bowl of water, said dissatisfied: "I said cousin, it's almost noon, and your meal hasn't been served yet? We went out early in the morning and came here.

You’re already hungry, why don’t you eat something first and then burn the incense?”

"Yes, yes," an old lady holding a child said with a sad look on her face: "We adults can be hungry, but children cannot be hungry."

Old Zhou turned around and was about to leave, but the village chief finally squeezed in from outside and said quickly: "Come on, come on, this is my cousin from the Zhang family. I haven't seen you for many years. How are you?"

"Okay."

"How can it be considered okay? Look, Uncle Yin is younger than your son, and you actually came in person. I don't know how happy Uncle Yin is to know about it. Come on, let's give it to your son first.

Uncle Yin will light the incense stick, and I will ask the kitchen to prepare meals for you immediately."

After finally appeasing the Zhang family, the village chief pulled Lao Zhou's head aside and said sweatingly: "Uncle Jin, today is a big day for little Uncle Yin. You have to suppress your temper. Why don't you come here?"

Do you want more people? Just be patient, be patient."

"How can I bear it? His family just brought me three tables, and they may not all be able to sit at them," Lao Zhou said angrily: "He is my uncle's family. It's unreasonable not to call him. If he calls me, your direct relatives will come."

That's fine. Then I got the sons of my cousins ​​​​who have gone through so many twists and turns. How much relationship do I have with them? How much relationship does my Zhou Yin have with them?"

"Okay, okay, it's just what you want when you come."

Old Zhoutou then took a deep breath and reluctantly swallowed it. As a result, before he could breathe out, Uncle Lai's son came over with two small bags. He said with an embarrassed look on his face: "Brother Jin,

What do you think you should do about this?"

He opened the bag and showed it to Lao Zhou.

Lao Zhou saw what was inside at the first glance and almost breathed his last.

The village chief was so frightened that he quickly supported him. Seriously speaking, Lao Zhoutou was quite young, so don't let him get angry.

Zhou Lang, who was sitting outside, couldn't help but take off his shoes and ran down, asking: "Dad, what's wrong with you?"

Uncle Lai's son showed him the bag, and Zhou Lang looked confused. Isn't this the small cloth bag that people usually use to carry money and food?

He opened it directly and saw a few grains of wheat mixed in a large pile of yellow-brown bran. His eyes widened.

Who would give gifts like this when they come to your door for dinner?

It’s better not to give it away!

Zhoulang closed the bag and asked angrily, "Who gave it to me?"

Uncle Lai's son quietly pointed to the Zhang family not far away, "I sent two bags in total..."

Zhou Lang looked at the Zhang family who occupied three tables but could not sit down, and were moving to the next table to squeeze out people, and remained silent.

That's his grandma's natal family. He has to call the person who comes here his cousin. How can he say that?
Chapter completed!