Chapter 234 - 233: Asking About the Cemetery

Chapter 234: Chapter 233: Asking About the Cemetery

The village on the Gong family’s side is different from the Lin family back in the day. Before the Lin family relocated, the village had only two major surnames and a few minor ones. The village chief was always someone from one of the major families. It was tough for outsiders to cause trouble because the villagers were united by family ties and very cohesive in dealing with outsiders.

But on the Gong family’s side, the clans were scattered back then. Neighbors had different surnames, each calculating their own interests, not as unified against outsiders.

Lin Wanwan still has a chance to inquire. She didn’t know where the Gong family lived before and hadn’t thought in that direction. Now that there’s a connection, she also wants to see the cemetery where her parents are buried.

Lin Zhantian and Xie Yuanying are still arguing with the Gong family members. Lin Wanwan passes through the crowd and looks at Gong Dexiong, who is sitting in the back, silent. She pauses slightly, feeling somewhat familiar.

Gong Dexiong seems to sense Lin Wanwan’s gaze and nods slightly to her.

Lin Wanwan remembers, isn’t this Gong Mingyu’s father? Remembering the first time she met him and his out-of-control reaction, could he have recognized her back then?

By this guess, she must resemble her parents greatly.

Lin Wanwan can’t help but touch her face, her thoughts wandering.

"Hey! You’ve now changed your name to Lin Wanwan, and you don’t even have the surname Lin anymore. Yet you still want to seize the Gong family’s house?" Gong Keyi suddenly steps in front of Lin Wanwan and speaks directly to her.

Lin Wanwan raises her eyes to glance at him, disdainful of arguing, and walks out. Let them argue; she already knows where the village is. It’s not difficult to inquire about her parents’ cemetery anymore.

"Hey, why are you leaving?" Gong Keyi steps forward to grab Lin Wanwan, but Lin Wanwan uses a capture technique to throw him over her back.

The elderly Gong family members, seeing their grandson getting hit, immediately start fighting with Lin Zhantian and Xie Yuanying. Naturally, other Gong family members can only join the fray, while Lin Wanwan quickly leaves amidst the chaos.

Let them fight like dogs tearing at each other; there’s no need to argue with fools.

Walking along the village road, the villagers stand in their doorways curiously looking at Lin Wanwan. Some have heard the commotion and head towards the Gong family.

"Hey, hurry, the Gong family is quarreling."

"With whom?"

"An outsider, seems to be from Jiangbei."

Watching the excitement is a universal human interest, regardless of race.

Lin Wanwan soon walks out of the village and finds a powerful errand boy. When he rides up on a small donkey, Lin Wanwan steps forward and speaks.

The errand boy looks shocked. Inquiring about someone’s cemetery is something he’s hearing for the first time, feels a bit ominous.

But... the offered cash is too enticing, surpassing a typical job. He can’t refuse this one.

There’s nothing money can’t solve. If there is, just add more money.

Removing the coat that easily exposes his identity, the errand boy crosses the bridge with a determined look as if embarking on a heroic mission, entering the village road.

Lin Wanwan waits by the trees near the lake for about forty minutes; the errand boy comes out.

"Miss Lin, I’ve found the cemetery. Shall I take you to see it?"

Lin Wanwan nods: "Thank you."

Riding the errand boy’s small donkey forward for ten minutes, they arrive at a public cemetery. The errand boy extends his hand forward: "It’s in this cemetery building. You mentioned Gong Deyan and his wife’s ashes are placed there."

Lin Wanwan jumps off the small donkey and walks forward. The errand boy parks the vehicle and follows her, speaking as he walks: "They bought a spot for the ashes box in the cemetery building. The village chief only opens the building on Tomb-Sweeping Day and New Year’s Eve, usually not open."

Lin Wanwan stands outside this small brick house, peeking through the door slit inside. It’s full of row upon row of cabinets, each separated into compartments with corresponding ash boxes and portraits.

"Not even buried." Lin Wanwan’s eyes sting.

Her parents are kept in such cramped little compartments, not even buried for peace!

She straightens up, looking at the miniature villa-like graves surrounding the cemetery building, asking: "Are you sure they are in the room’s compartments, not in these graves?"

The errand boy says: "I’m sure. If you don’t believe it, look for the tombstones here and check if those two names are there. Compartments are cheaper, burying in the cemetery costs tens of thousands. Most people here put ash boxes in the cemetery building."

Lin Wanwan remains silent for a moment, says: "Alright, thank you."

Settle the payment on the spot, the errand boy quickly leaves. Although everyone grows up under the red flag as atheists, being in a cemetery is still unsettling.

Lin Wanwan doesn’t stay long either and returns to the village, asking a house by the lake for directions to the village chief’s house.

Because Lin Wanwan is attractive and speaks well, the villagers she asks enthusiastically guide her.

While heading to the village chief’s house, she encounters villagers with happy faces having enjoyed the spectacle at the Gong’s.

Lin Wanwan doesn’t care about the outcome of the quarrel. Inevitably, Lin Zhantian and his wife will suffer losses as it’s the Gong family’s home turf. But they chose to intervene, and it’s their due.

The village chief’s house is not far from the lake, Lin Wanwan finds it quickly.

As Lin Wanwan steps into the cement courtyard of the village chief’s house, the middle-aged women sewing dolls at the door look up, one of them using the dialect asks: "Who are you? Causing trouble?"

Lin Wanwan vaguely understands and replies in Mandarin: "Hello, is this Village Chief Wu’s house? I have something to discuss with him."

The middle-aged women discuss in dialect for a moment, and the previous woman switches to accented Mandarin: "Oh, you’re looking for my husband, he’s here, I’ll call him."

Then she shouts into the building in a string of dialect.

And invites Lin Wanwan inside: "Come in, have a seat. He’s playing cards in the back, he’ll be here after this round."

On non-working days, middle-aged people’s rural pastime is playing cards.

Lin Wanwan is led inside, sitting on a regionally styled long bench. The village chief’s wife pours her a cup of boiled water in a bowl.

Lin Wanwan smiles and thanks: "Thanks, I’ll just wait for a bit."

The village chief’s wife returns to her position at the door, picks up the doll and continues sewing, asking: "Where are you from, young lady? What business do you have with old Wu?"

Lin Wanwan replies: "I’m from Yongcheng."

"Hey, Yongcheng is a good place, full of business people and wealth."

Lin Wanwan smiles and doesn’t respond. The women ask several more questions, Lin Wanwan selects a few to answer, ignoring the ones she cares not to respond to.

Soon, a group of middle-aged men, crude, dark, and oily, emerge from inside, seeing Lin Wanwan and smilingly joke in dialect, prompting laughter among the men and women inside and outside.

Although unable to fully understand, Lin Wanwan can vaguely guess, probably cracking some jokes tinged with color.