The message sent to Rofoyi to the north was not a pretext.

In Chen Jizhou's office, he saw the calendar on the wall, and suddenly thought that today was a special day - Qingming Festival, and his heart was suddenly full of repentance.

There are three major ghost festivals in China: Qingming, Zhongyuan, and Hanyi, since it is a ghost festival, it is naturally a ghost haunted day. Xiang Bei remembered that Zhou Xuecen and Nuo Yi were not together, if it was their own festival, would they come out of heaven to take a holiday to breathe? If you are lucky, maybe a family of three can still get together.

Where to get together has the greatest probability, and I think of a place to the north: Hedong City Funeral Home.

The ashes of the mother and daughter are there, and the souls have to go back to find the body nine times out of ten.

Without further ado, there is still an afternoon left for the Qingming Festival, and he must try his luck.

"During the Qingming Festival, it rains a lot", the wisdom of the ancients can be seen from the 24 solar terms. As I walked out of the newspaper building to the north, the sky was foggy and drizzling. The rain was not heavy, like a layer of mist falling down, falling on people's faces, clothes, and feeling wet.

This is the most lively place in Hedong City, where there are many people, the yang is heavy, and people don't care about what Halloween is not Halloween, they should hurry up, they should shout and shout.

Xiangbei would not be overwhelmed by such a light rain, he wrapped up the faded old jacket tightly and walked straight forward. In his memory, there was a flower shop two stops away from the newspaper office, and three years later, he didn't know if the flower shop was still there.

Surprisingly, the flower shop hasn't closed down yet. Head north and walk into the store.

"Hello, what flowers do you want to buy?"

Sure enough, the flowers are all beauties.

Xiang Bei nodded politely at the boss and glanced at the flower branches next to the glass window. Roses, chrysanthemums, lilies...... Purple and red, fragrant flowers, walking into the sea of flowers, people's mood is also comfortable.

"How do you sell lilies?"

"There are 6 pieces in a bouquet, the original price is 309, and I will give you 247 yuan. ”

Walking north, I frowned, are flowers so expensive now? I can't eat, drink, wear, or use, why?

"It's too expensive, can it be cheaper?"

"Nowadays, the price of everything is rising, and the people can't even afford to eat pork, so the price of this flower has naturally increased. ”

The beautiful boss explained.

Xiangbei really can't figure out the intrinsic connection between the high price of pork and the increase in the price of flowers. However, he said that it is expensive, and there may be a reason for it.

"Alright then, bring me a bouquet. ”

There are two kinds of bargaining in this world, the business of the dead and the business of the newborn.

The shopkeeper skillfully pruned the branches, and the white lilies were skillfully matched and tied, some of the bones of the flowers were budding, and some of them had opened their petals, revealing their slender cores. After wrapping the flowers, the shopkeeper took out a piece of transparent plastic paper to wrap the flowers, the outermost layer of pale green wrapping paper, and finally tied a beautiful knot with purple string.

"Do you pay with your mobile phone or cash? The shopkeeper handed the flower to Xiang Bei and pointed to a small sign on the cash register.

"Mobile phone payment?" Xiang Bei was a little puzzled, maybe because he had been in prison for too long, he felt too disconnected from this society, "uh...... I'll pay in cash. ”

Xiang Bei was embarrassed, and took out a whole bill from his wallet and handed it to the shopkeeper.

It is a half-hour drive from the newspaper office to the Hedong City Funeral Home, and you can take a taxi north to the Hedong City Funeral Home. At this time, the rain has become heavier and heavier, from the original delicate rain to egg-sized raindrops, such a special day, suitable for this kind of weather to set off.

Hiding from the rain to the north, he rushed to the hall of the funeral home and found the columbarium from memory. Zhou Xuecen's ashes are placed next to Nuoyi's lattice, and the ashes of the two are so close that it is like a mother caring for her young son.

I wonder if they can be together in heaven.

Xiang Bei stood quietly in front of their photograph and placed the bouquet on the ground, but was surprised to find that there was already a bouquet of flowers on the ground, judging by the freshness of the flowers, this person must have been there not long ago. Who has been here? Zhou Xuecen's friend? Or has someone misplaced it?

Xiang Bei didn't think much about it, took out a tissue from his coat pocket, and carefully wiped the dust on the stone slab.

"Wife, Nuoyi, I've come to see you...... Some time ago, because I was dealing with some things, I never came. You should be happier than me now, after all, you mother and son can still be reunited in heaven, and I want to live alone in this world. I know you hate me, and I disappeared when you needed me the most. But I don't want to leave, because I can't do it for many reasons. Wife, do you know, during the three years in prison, I understood one thing, for you, I want to live. ”

Xiang Bei stood in front of the columbarium, like a student who had confessed his mistake. He suddenly remembered

When the two lived in the newspaper dormitory, every time they quarreled, he also stood in front of Zhou Xuecen in such a posture to self-examine.

Xiang Bei said this for a while, feeling tired, so he simply sat on the ground, half of his body leaning on the ashes.

"When I'm done with everything, I'll go to you, and we'll be reunited as a family of three. Wife, I know you love the sea, I went to Marina City the other day, and that was where we went on our first trip. I saw a cemetery over there, facing the sea, and the environment was exceptional. I didn't discuss it with you, so I took it upon myself to buy three cemeteries, including my own, anyway, I have to live in it sooner or later, so it is better to buy it for myself in advance, so that the three of us can be together again. Ay...... You don't know, the cemetery is now precious, not cheaper than buying a house, and the three add up to more than 100,000 yuan. You said that we used to work hard to save money to buy a house, and now we have to save money to buy a cemetery, which is really not easy to live or die. ”

At some point, a white butterfly flew in and circled north. Xiangbei stopped talking and reached out to catch it, but the butterfly obediently stopped on his hand, as if kissing the palm of his hand. Tears fell northward.

Although heaven and man are separated, Xiangbei feels that Zhou Xuecen and Nuo Yi are in front of him, just like he used to do at home, he is lying on the sofa, pillowing Zhou Xuecen's legs and chatting, and Nuo Yi is playing with toys on the carpet on the side. He had so much to say to them in his heart.

"Xuezen, there's one more thing I'd like to discuss with you. The matter of Luohe Village, I want to investigate it again, I know you may not agree. However, I felt more and more that everything was caused by it, and I lost my job and was falsely imprisoned...... If it weren't for it, our family of three would not be separated by yin and yang. So, whether there is danger or not, I have to find out, and besides, now I am alone, I have nothing to worry about, even if there is any danger, I don't care. ”

Before I knew it, it was afternoon, and by this time the rain had stopped, and the sky had become more gloomy.

"I'm leaving. Do you two know, I really want to live here, our family of three together, but there is no way, the funeral home does not allow you to stay overnight, saying that it is yin. Xiangbei smiled and got up to leave, "Don't worry, I will come to see you often." ”

When I turned around, I saw the footprints on the ground to the north, a pair of footprints neatly facing the ashes of Zhou Xuecen and Nuoyi, the footprints were very large, they looked like men's feet, and if you distinguish them carefully, they looked like they were left by a pair of leather shoes. Xiang Bei hesitated for a moment, then took out his phone and took a photo.

The butterfly, which had been flying by its side for a long time, seemed to be tired, stayed on the columbarium wall for a while, and suddenly flapped its wings and left.

Gaze north at it.

The white animal seemed to have completed its mission, flying farther and farther, but it was extremely dazzling in the night, and finally became a tiny white dot and disappeared into the night sky.

Before leaving, Xiang Bei straightened out the flowers on the ground, and then picked up the flowers next to him and smelled them, so familiar with the fragrance.

On the way back, Xiangbei thought about tomorrow's arrangements and made a call to Luo Fangyi.

"Xiao Luo, do you have time tomorrow night? Let's have a meal together. ”

"No problem, Master, where's the location?"

"Uh...... The Four Seasons Grill Bar is right next to your unit, and I think there are a lot of restaurants in it. ”

"Okay, see you tomorrow night at seven o'clock. ”

By the time he left north, it was already dark, and he felt a chill in the air.

In the remote suburbs, there are not many buses, so I waited for half an hour to the north and finally waited for the bus to the city. There was no one on the bus, just four or five men and women who had boarded the train together from the funeral home station. Everyone seems to have come here with one purpose, and they all left in one direction.

The unfortunate weather made everyone in the car very depressed, and he could even hear the sound of a young woman sobbing in front of him. Alas, the atmosphere was eerie.

After experiencing it, people will understand what it is to touch the scene and hurt it, and Xiangbei is depressed enough every day, and he can't watch such a scene anymore, otherwise, he will become depressed directly. He turned his head and looked out the window, where the drizzle was like silk, and wisps fell on the glass, as if a layer of fog had fallen.

At every corner, you can almost see someone lighting a fire, the fire is not large, but it is very conspicuous. Xiang Bei thought it was very interesting, this was mourning the dead?

The car drove to the stop in the city center, and hurriedly got off the bus north to find a wreath shop.

"Boss, do you have any paper money?" Xiang Bei didn't understand the rules of white things, and asked directly.

In the small room, there are large and small wreaths, shrouds, as well as beautiful women, iphones, paper houses, and cars, which look weird and ridiculous.

An old man in his sixties came out of the pile of beauties with reading glasses,

"Do you want a coin or a yellow paper,

"The boss is dressed sloppily, and at first glance he looks like the heir of the automobile building.

"Well, I don't understand, burn it for your family, what should I buy?"

"It's the first time you buy it, red and white ceremonies, each with its own rules, are all treasures left to us by our ancestors, and we should know a little about it. It's a pity that there aren't many people who understand this now," the old man simply took out a wad of paper money from the counter, "Look at it, this is this year's new version of the dark currency, all of which are 100 million yuan." ”

"100 million yuan a piece? Okay, get me some. ”

The old man snorted, but put away the coins and took out a stack of yellow paper: "I have been in this business for decades, and I have never deceived customers. A lot of people like to burn the coins. Actually, this kind of printing is not worth anything at all. If you look at this yellow straw paper again, after you buy it back, spread it out, and then take a piece of real money of 100 yuan on the paper, and feel that this 100 yuan is a poke, from right to left, from top to bottom, row by row, cover it, and spread the whole paper all over. Such burnt paper is hard currency underneath. The dead man had to save face with the money. Fold, fold the burning paper, divide the burning paper into seven or eight parts, and fold it twice in a diagonal line, so that it is convenient to burn. ”

It's really interlaced like a mountain, and the line is the champion.

The boss said while teaching on the spot. Listen to it with relish to the north.

"Young man, I've said so much, do you want to buy it?"

"Buy, buy, I want double!" said Xiang Bei.

"Okay, 20 bucks. ”

Xiang Bei took out the money, and felt that the paper money should also be sincere, so it was better to simply learn more knowledge from this old man: "Boss, I see that I am burning paper on the street today, what is the point of this?"

"Hehe, you're asking the right question," the old man sat down on the stool with a smug face, and took a sip of mixed tea, "Young man, sit down and listen to me tell you slowly." ”

Pull it down, I don't have time to listen to you slowly. Looking north at the sky outside, he saw that Qingming was about to pass, and what was the point of waiting for twelve o'clock to burn money again? He didn't say much, he packed up the pile of hard currency and was leaving.

"Young man, you can't be in a hurry. This paper money is also divided into time occasions, I tell you, around 10 o'clock is the best time. ”

When Xiang Bei heard this, his anxious heart also relaxed, and he sat on the bench opposite, listening to the old man's slow chatter.

"Why do the living burn money for the dead at the crossroads? The crossroads are the place where yin and yang meet, it is not only the place where yang people pass, but also the place where they must pass through the underworld at night. Therefore, burning money at the crossroads is in the hope that the demons will lead them to the underworld to give to those who have died. ”

The old man said that he was the Tao, not only giving him fish, but also giving him fish.

"And then, how do you burn?"

The old man took another sip of mixed tea, took out half a piece of chalk from his pocket, stuffed it into Xiang Bei's hand, and his tone suddenly became low: "You will find an intersection in a while, and this intersection is best a place where dead relatives are likely to go." You take this chalk and draw a circle on the ground, leaving an opening to rush to, this gap is where the dead man is, and then make a cross in the middle. You put the paper in the circle you have drawn and light it, and you say the name of the other person and pray. Also, this paper can't be burned to relatives, the lonely ghosts and black and white impermanence on the side of the road all need to be dotted. You throw some outside the circle, bribe the ghosts, rain and dew, and finally burn them all. ”

"Understood, thank you boss for the advice. "Xiangbei can't wait to get up and leave, the yin here is too heavy, and the boss looks nervous, not scared!

"Wait a minute. The old man stopped him again.

"What else?" said he turned north.

"Remember, if it's a loved one, you have to kowtow three more times. If you have a grudge, you can spit on the ashes. Don't get up and leave when you're done, don't look back!"

The old man squinted his eyes, and did not seem to be interested in the actions of the north, and continued to tell the story he had told all his life: "Young man, let me tell you a story that I have personally experienced. A few years ago, on the night of the Midyear Festival, a man in my village was drunk and walked home, and saw groups of people in tattered clothes grabbing money and dividing money everywhere on the edge of the field, by the bridge, and at the intersection. The drunken man was curious, and when he looked over, he saw his grandfather who had gone out to ask for food and died in the field a few years ago. It turns out that in the old society, because of the war and famine, many of the older generation fled to other places and never came back, and every time the descendants lit candles and burned paper by the river, they would follow the river to the place where the candles were lit to receive money. Hehe, don't you think it's strange? Remember, if you see a pile of burned paper on the ground while walking, don't step on it, you can walk around, you can't really go around it, it's too easy for those unclean things to trick you!"

The dim light in the room hit the old man's face, just shining the yin and yang sides, like Yama in the underworld.

"Good, good. He shuddered north and walked away. The old man's voice drifted farther and farther away......

(End of chapter)

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