The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 690 - 689: Dad, We’re Home—

Chapter 690: Chapter 689: Dad, We’re Home—

Wang Yongfu was at the very front, tears streaming down his face as he called out, "Dad, we’re home—," carrying the coffin step by step towards the house.

When the coffin reached the doorway, there was a moment of confusion. These sons, according to custom, would usually stop in the front courtyard, which was Wang Yongfu’s yard. But, since Wang Laozhu had last been with Wang Yonggui, should they stop in the middle courtyard instead?

Lady Lin was completely reluctant to have Wang Laozhu’s coffin stop in her own courtyard. After all, her father-in-law hadn’t left anything to her family, not to mention this was her new house.

This year, she was planning to find brides for Jindou and Jinhoo, but their grandfather had to die right now, neither sooner nor later. After observing three years of mourning, how old would her sons be? By then, would there still be any good girls waiting for her family? Even if she wanted to arrange a marriage now, she couldn’t bring herself to say it. What family would immediately look for a bride for their grandson after the grandfather’s death?

Thinking about this, Lady Lin felt a surge of anger building up inside her, and since she wasn’t one to hide her feelings, it showed plainly on her face.

But Wang Yongfu wouldn’t have it. As the eldest son, especially after his own father’s death, all the former grievances were automatically forgotten. What remained was how his father, Wang Laozhu, had been so biased and affectionate towards him as the eldest son.

The more he thought about it, the more regret he felt, and the sadder he became, wishing he could follow his father in death.

What was the problem with letting his father’s coffin stop in his own courtyard? He could still talk to his father, even if it was just a body. It would make him feel better.

So, seeing Lady Lin’s reluctance, his eyes immediately reddened with anger. Out of consideration for the presence of outsiders and fear of disturbing his father’s spirit, he merely growled, "What are you standing around for, aren’t you going to get ready?"

Lady Lin wanted to say something but, seeing Wang Yongfu’s reddened eyes, she shivered and didn’t dare to speak.

Wang Yongzhu had intended to suggest stopping the coffin in her own courtyard, considering the rituals had already been performed and they could bury the deceased after just one more day.

But seeing Wang Yongfu’s grief, she kept her thoughts to herself, dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, and immediately started to cry, forgetting that the handkerchief had been soaked in ginger juice...

News of Wang Laozhu’s death had spread, and members of the Wang Family Clan as well as others in the village with close ties to the Wang family came to pay their respects.

White cloth was hung at the entrance of the Wang family’s courtyard.

Though Lady Lin was reluctant, she did not dare resist, and with Lady Jiang and Liu Xiaoqiao helping out, Wang Yongzhu and Old Granny Zhang were sufficient to manage the mourning rituals.

The family was all assembled, but it was Liu Xiaoqiao who noticed something was amiss: "Why haven’t I seen Big Sister?"

Ever since their mother, her husband, her sister, and Third Brother went to Qi City, Wang Yongzhen and Mutou were hardly seen by anyone, staying behind closed doors and rarely stepping out.

Had it not been for their need to go to the old house to pick vegetables and noticing fewer vegetables in the garden, it would feel as if no one lived in that house.

Mutou was sensible enough to find work in town shortly after the new year, claiming he was earning money through odd jobs. No one knew what arrangement had been made, but Wang Yongzhen never left the house.

The door would only open briefly when Mutou returned.

But now that Wang Laozhu was dead and the whole village knew about it, even families from other villages had come to visit. How could his own daughter not show her face?

However, with guests already in the house and not wanting to spread word of this issue, Liu Xiaoqiao called over Jinguan and asked him to notify Wang Yongzhen at the old house.

As for Mutou, he seemed like he would be returning the next day, so there was no need to go out of one’s way to summon him.

Wang Yongzhu observed every move Liu Xiaoqiao made, feeling increasingly reassured in her heart.

Such attentiveness should have come from Lady Lin as the eldest sister-in-law, but at the moment, Lady Lin was preoccupied with stewing in her own resentment, and there was no counting on Lady Jiang.

Liu Xiaoqiao stepping forward, taking charge in an orderly fashion, suggested that in the future, the Wang family’s affairs could be entrusted to her.

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Wang Yongzhu had just thought this when she heard a wail from outside, which frightened her, making her whole body shudder.

"Dad, oh my dear dad, why did you have to go like this? How could you just leave your daughter behind? With you gone, how am I supposed to go on living? Dad, please open your eyes, take a look at your daughter, dad. Your daughter has failed you, letting you slip away like this—"

Wang Yongzhen wailed as she stumbled in, throwing herself on the coffin and bursting into loud sobs.

Not to mention Wang Yongzhu, Old Granny Zhang’s face immediately darkened – what was she saying?

Lady Lin was already seething with anger, and hearing this off-tune eldest sister-in-law spouting these words, what was she implying? That her father-in-law’s death was suspicious?

"Look here, elder sister, you may be careless with your meals, but you can’t be reckless with your words! Our dad died of an illness, so how come in your mouth, it seems like he was murdered? Could it be that you followed him to Yongcheng? Or did you witness it yourself? Crying like this, are you sad because there’s no one to secretly give you silver and gifts anymore?" Lady Lin stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at Wang Yongzhen.

Wang Yongzhen was only concerned with crying; she had felt uneasy from the start because her father went to Yongcheng without taking her along.

Moreover, her son Mutou had been advising her every day to just stay at home and not go out and annoy others.

Wang Yongzhen thought since Wang Laozhu wasn’t home, and she had no face to go to the Wang Family’s new house, she might as well listen to Mutou’s words.

After the fifteenth day, Mutou went to town to look for odd jobs to subsidize the family expenses, leaving her to mope around the house.

No matter how noisy it was outside, she wouldn’t open the door, and gradually, she grew accustomed to it.

Today, hearing the hustle and bustle outside, the crying and shouting, she wanted to go out and take a look, but remembering Mutou’s instructions every time he left, Wang Yongzhen barely restrained herself and simply lay down on the kang bed, pulling the blanket over her head.

But unexpectedly, it wasn’t long before Jinguan came running to tell her that her dear father Wang Laozhu had passed!

In an instant, Wang Yongzhen felt as if the sky had collapsed! How could this be possible? Wasn’t her father perfectly well when he left home?

Especially since he went to the city to live the good life with his second son, she was expecting that someday he would take her and Mutou to the city as well, to see the world.

How could he just be gone?

Right then and there, without even bothering to comb her hair or properly put on shoes, she ran frantically to the Wang Family home.

As expected, at the doorway, she saw a swath of white, and Wang Yongzhen’s heart sank.

Then, hearing the faint crying inside, Wang Yongzhen was completely desperate.

In her panic, a lot of words spilled out without careful thought, only to be rebutted by Lady Lin.

It was only then that she came to her senses and explained sulkily, "Little sister-in-law, that’s not what I meant, I just felt it was so sudden, dad was fine when he left home, how could he just..."

As she spoke, she glanced at the coffin and began to cry pitifully again.

Old Granny Zhang, no longer indulging her habits, sneered coldly, "Your dad was fine at home, so who was it that insisted on sending him on a long journey? At his age, a trek of hundreds of miles, could he withstand it? When he arrived in Qi City and couldn’t adapt to the new climate, being old, he just couldn’t bear it and passed away! Actually, I should be asking you, what exactly were your intentions? Now that your dad is gone, you should blame yourself!"

"Exactly, elder sister! I advise you to hold back a bit! Our dad is really gone!" Liu Xiaoqiao came over and left behind a profound statement.

Wang Yongzhen shuddered and didn’t dare cry or shout recklessly anymore; she knelt down solemnly and began to burn paper offerings.

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