Restart life

Chapter 299 0296 [Taking a photo with a coffin while wearing funeral clothes during the Lunar New Year]

Bian Guanyue only wanted to visit Chen Guiliang's home; she was too embarrassed to stay at Chen's house for the New Year.

She arrived on the evening of the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, and after lunch on the 29th, she was going to leave to spend the Spring Festival at her maternal grandparents' house in the county town.

When Bian Guanyue left, her grandmother was the most reluctant to let her go, holding her hand and talking to her the whole time.

"I'll come and visit often during my holidays," Grandma said.

Bian Guanyue nodded: "Yes, I will come often."

Grandma said a few more words, then went back into the house, took out a silver dollar, and stuffed it into Bian Guanyue's hand, saying, "I don't have any old things left, just this. You must keep it safe and don't lose it."

Bian Guanyue realized something and was both happy and touched: "Thank you, Grandma."

The family drove them to the village road on the other side of the mountain pass, where Yang Shuo had been waiting for a long time.

Once in the car, Bian Guanyue kept waving.

Only after leaving the village did Chen Guiliang explain, "Grandma had four sisters and no brothers. When they got married, each of them secretly brought four silver dollars as dowry. Silver dollars can be used to perform 'wind healing,' which is a folk remedy. Grandma's four silver dollars were borrowed by the villagers to perform 'wind healing' for their children, and after being borrowed from one village to another, only this one was left."

This was even more valuable than Bian Guanyue had guessed. She took out the silver coins and exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't this Grandma's only remaining dowry?"

“Yes,” Chen Guiliang nodded, “Here you go. Grandma likes you very much.”

Bian Guanyue's nose tingled with emotion. She thought of her deceased grandmother and said softly, "Then how about I come to visit Grandma every winter and summer vacation?"

Chen Guiliang smiled and said, "Okay. If I'm not available then, you can go home and visit them for me."

"Then it's settled." Bian Guanyue wiped the corner of her eye with her finger.

After dropping Bian Guanyue off in the county town, Chen Guiliang went to visit her maternal grandparents for a while. He had to head back to the village in the late afternoon to have New Year's Eve dinner at his own home.

Some songs became wildly popular after being featured on the Spring Festival Gala, and their ringtone sales skyrocketed.

Even if Chen Guiliang could foresee the future, it would still be difficult to obtain the copyright. For example, Ah Niu's "Peach Blossoms Bloom" is copyrighted by Rock Records, but Rock Records also owns Rock Mobile, which operates its own digital music division.

Chen Guiliang only sent someone ahead of time to acquire one song, "Invisible Wings".

Both songs were released in January 2006, but the SP (Special Permit) rights for "Peach Blossoms in Full Bloom" were surprisingly harder to acquire than those for "Invisible Wings." Isn't that counterintuitive?

Because they belong to different record labels!
Zhang Shaohan's record label, Linfair Records, is an independent record company in Taiwan that doesn't prioritize the SP (Special Permit) business market in mainland China. They're willing to sell any song as long as the price is right.

The comedy sketches at this year's Spring Festival Gala were somewhat inferior to those of last year.

This led to the creation of several memorable phrases: "The egg-laying rooster," and "The fighting rooster among roosters." Yay!
I spent the first day of the Lunar New Year at home.

From New Year's Eve to New Year's Day, Chen Guiliang spent a lot of time sending and receiving New Year's text messages. He didn't know how many people, whether he knew them or not, sent him New Year's greetings.

I visited my maternal grandmother's house on the second day of the Lunar New Year.

My maternal grandparents are both in good health. My uncle's wife, a widow, is also several months pregnant.

I went to my dad's maternal grandmother's house on the third day of junior high school.

I also met my cousin Zhang Qing (my aunt's daughter).

When my cousin was little, during winter and summer vacations, my aunt would leave her at Chen Guiliang's house so that my grandmother could take care of her. Chen Guiliang would take my cousin and younger cousin to play together, climbing trees on the mountain and catching fish in the river. The three of them got along very well.

"Are you about to take the college entrance exam?" Chen Guiliang asked.

Zhang Qing is very introverted and shy: "I'm taking the college entrance exam this year."

"What schools do you expect to get into?" Chen Guiliang asked, knowing the answer already.

Zhang Qing said, "Three books."

Sichuan Province has had the lowest undergraduate enrollment rate in the country for over 20 consecutive years. The other four provinces, which constantly complain about their poor performance, actually have undergraduate enrollment rates that far surpass Sichuan's.

The kids here are lucky if they can get into a third-tier university.

It's very rolled up.

At that time, most of the third-tier universities were private colleges affiliated with public universities. The tuition was extremely expensive, with even the cheapest ones costing nearly ten thousand yuan, and the normal ones costing twelve or thirteen thousand yuan.

If Chen Guiliang doesn't intervene, even if Zhang Qing gets into a third-tier university, she will still have to choose a junior college because her family can't afford it.

Chen Guiliang pulled Zhang Qing aside and said privately, "If you get into a third-tier university and don't have enough tuition, call me. Don't tell anyone about this."

Zhang Qing lowered her head and replied, "Mm."

Chen Guiliang was speechless: "You were quite mischievous when you were little, how come you're becoming more and more introverted? Lift your head up and talk."

Zhang Qing obediently looked up.

Chen Guiliang urged, "In the last six months, work hard and try to get into a second-tier university."

“I’m stupid,” Zhang Qing said.

Chen Guiliang said, "I'm not a parent, don't try to fool me with that. You know in your heart whether you listened attentively in class or reviewed and did your homework diligently after class."

Zhang Qing smiled awkwardly after being teased, but finally became lively again, sticking out her tongue at Chen Guiliang in a funny way.

“That’s more like it. Always keeping your head down, never saying a word, you’re as sullen as a widow.” Chen Guiliang laughed too.

Grandma's four sisters all brought their families to Grandpa's house for the New Year's gathering.

Four families, four generations living together, with a total of more than twenty people.

Chen Guiliang was naturally the center of attention, but he had developed so well that he seemed unapproachable.

Uncle Feng Tao is even more down-to-earth.

Feng Tao has completely taken over Tao Chenggang's computer shop and moved it to the newly built digital plaza. Although he can't compare to a big boss, he's considered successful by ordinary people. His apprentice, from the next village, has become an experienced hand, managing the two newly recruited apprentices. His salary has naturally increased as well.

After lunch, the apprentice was brought by his parents, who brought gifts to thank Feng Tao for taking care of him.

The great-grandmother, who is almost 90 years old, is getting increasingly unwell and now even walking is difficult for her. She sits in a chair basking in the sun, watching her four daughters, sons-in-law, and their descendants play cards and chat.

Occasionally, when children played and ran by, the old woman would call them over and take out a few pieces of candy to put in their hands.

Chen Guiliang also moved a small stool over to chat with his great-grandmother: "Grandma, how many bowls of rice do you usually eat?"

Although Grandpa's health was poor, his hearing was fine: "His appetite has decreased. He used to eat a whole bowl, but last year he could only eat half a bowl. The coffin in the house has been idle for more than ten years, but it should be usable in the next couple of years."

The old man was not afraid of death; more than ten years ago, he felt that he was about to die.

So she had her own custom-made coffin and burial clothes made, and then took a beautiful portrait of herself. The coffin was kept in her family's storage room, and the portrait was always hanging on the wall. She would occasionally take out the burial clothes to wear.

She felt like she had gained something every extra day she lived.

He lived for more than ten years in one go, and without suffering from any serious illnesses.

Grandma felt very lucky.

The old ancestor said, “Last year during Qingming Festival, I asked your cousin to carry me to look at land. It’s halfway up the mountain in Wanjia’ao. The feng shui there is very good, and I’ve always liked it. Your third uncle has connections; he’s already talked to the village secretary. I’ll be buried there after I die. Come and visit my grave when you have time. But don’t let it interfere with your work; don’t come back if you’re not free.”

“I come back every year to pay respects at your grave,” Chen Guiliang said with a grin.

The expressions, tone, and content of their conversation seemed strange, yet also quite heartwarming.

When Chen Guiliang was less than a month old, he fell seriously ill and needed more than 20 yuan for hospitalization.

At the time, Chen Guiliang's mother stayed at the hospital with him in her arms, while his father and grandmother went everywhere to borrow money. Even his father's stepfather's relatives in the city wouldn't lend him any. In the end, his father went to his great-grandmother's house and managed to get the money.

Without his ancestor, Chen Guiliang probably wouldn't have lived to be a month old.

Grandma suddenly became interested and asked Chen Guiliang to help her into the house to see the coffin.

She meticulously described the specifications and materials of her coffin, and even rummaged through it to find a few coffin nails. Then, she happily changed into her burial clothes, sat beaming beside the coffin, and had Chen Guiliang take photos of her as a memento.

It's Chinese New Year...

Once the old man started talking, he went on and on: "Now the country is promoting cremation, and I feel bad for the government, so I want to break the rules and have a traditional burial. When the funeral is set up, remember to come back and play cards."

Chen Guiliang agreed, "Okay. When I come back, I'll play cards with Guirong and the others while keeping vigil for your spirit. I also want to win their money."

Grandpa laughed and said, "I'll become a ghost and bless you to win more."

Chen Guiliang said, "Then you stand next to me and secretly pass the cards to me."

The two talked more and more outrageously, but they also became happier and happier as they chatted.

The old man was genuinely happy, while Chen Guiliang hid his sadness.

Grandpa lowered his voice and pointed to the corner of the wall, saying, "Go get a hoe, dig it up there, there's a jar buried there."

Chen Guiliang knew what it was.

The floor inside the house was also dirt, not cement.

Chen Guiliang dug around in the corner for a while and soon unearthed a pottery jar.

Zuzu recalled: "When I was young, I donated all my gold and silver jewelry to fight the Japanese invaders during the several war donations organized by Feng Yuxiang. When the people's army liberated Longdu, I donated another two or three hundred silver dollars."

“Our family is well-liked in the village. We don’t own much land, and all the money came from your great-grandmother’s husband selling smuggled salt. Many people in the village followed him in selling smuggled salt when they were young. During the political movement, my area was spared disaster, and there were even people who specifically protected me.”

"Sigh, it's only in the last twenty years that there have been more and more thieves. I think a hundred or two hundred silver dollars were stolen from the cupboard I hid in. I put the rest in a jar and buried them all in the corner of the wall."

“I know you have money now. Take these things and keep them safe, don’t spend them recklessly.”

There weren't many silver dollars left in the jar, only a dozen or so.

Most of them are Yuan Shikai silver dollars, and there are also a few Sun Yat-sen silver dollars.

It's actually not worth much money.

When Chen Guiliang's father was in debt, a single Yuan Shikai silver dollar was only worth thirty or fifty yuan. Even if all of them were sold, it wouldn't be enough for Chen Xinghua to pay off his debts.

Although the price has increased, a single Yuan Shikai silver dollar only sells for around 100 yuan. Unless it's a rare variety, the total price is only a little over 1,000 yuan.

Zuzu winked at Chen Guiliang: "Hide it, don't let them know."

Although the old lady has many descendants, she used to love Chen Guiliang's father the most, and now she loves Chen Guiliang the most. Because of all her descendants, she feels that Chen Guiliang and his father have suffered the most.

"I definitely won't let them know." Chen Guiliang stuffed the silver coins into the inside pocket of his down jacket.

After Chen Guiliang filled the corner of the wall with soil, the old man pointed to his own portrait on the wall and said, "Go and wipe the dust off for me."

Chen Guiliang brought over a long bench, took down the portrait, and carefully wiped it with a towel.

After wiping the portrait, they wiped the coffin.

Grandpa, dressed in his burial clothes, sat beside him with a smile, watching.

Chen Guiliang forced himself not to cry.

Finally, he had his great-grandfather take off his funeral clothes, put on a down jacket he had bought from Beijing, and sit in the courtyard to take another photo.

Grandfather called all the other descendants over, and twenty or thirty people gathered together to take a family photo.

(End of this chapter)