"We're still two days away from visiting the graves, Brother Ming, why are you back early? Is it that easy to get leave?" Zhou Yan asked.
Aunt Zhao and the others also looked at Zhou Ming.
"I was transferred back to train the martial arts team at Jiazhou No. 1 Middle School. My former mentor is now coaching the team there, and as a national champion in Emei boxing, I'm considered an outstanding graduate returning to mentor my junior brothers and sisters." Zhou Ming said with a smile. "I'll probably be here until the Chinese New Year, so I'll use this time to see if I can become an apprentice to a master of spear fighting."
"Don't you have a sect?" Zhou Yan asked, puzzled.
"Now the country is paying attention to the protection and inheritance of traditional culture. Emei martial arts has been included in the list. We need to collect and organize relevant materials, and I have signed up to join." Zhou Ming put down his chopsticks and explained with a smile: "In recent years, fewer and fewer people are learning martial arts. Many martial arts have been lost because there is no one to take over. I feel very sorry and heartbroken. In the past two years, I have visited old boxing masters and martial arts families everywhere and learned from them and organized a lot of materials."
"Although the practical significance of martial arts is diminishing and competitions are mainly based on martial arts routines, but these skills honed and refined by our ancestors over thousands of years should not simply fade away quietly. As a martial arts instructor, I feel it is my responsibility to do something, not to promote and develop them, but at least to leave a trace of them."
Zhou Yan looked at him with deep respect.
He had initially thought him a crude and uncouth martial artist, but he never expected him to possess such sentiments and ambitions!
In his memory, Emei martial arts was later listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.
There's no way around it, as a symbol of Jiazhou, it's just too famous. Even a food blogger who frequently travels between Jiazhou and Emei has heard of it to some extent.
Among them, there must be many people like Zhou Ming who have made silent contributions behind the scenes.
After dinner, Zhou Ming played with Zhou Momo for a while. Seeing that the restaurant was getting busy, he said goodbye and went home first.
"Hey! Ha—" Zhou Momo struck a few punches in the open space in front of the door, and after a while, she got tired and ran back to the braised food stall to sit down and continue her daily sales job.
"Granduncle!" Zhou Momo suddenly stood up, ran to a bicycle parked in front of the restaurant, looked up at Zhang Zhengping and asked, "Have you eaten yet?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Tieying also looked towards the door and asked with a smile, "Uncle, please come in and sit down."
"I haven't eaten yet. I just gave Lihua acupuncture and chatted for a while, then forgot to check the time." Zhang Zhengping said with a smile. "I'm not going in to sit down. I'm going back to eat. Tieying, could you pack me three liang of pig's head meat and a jin of braised vegetables? I'll take them back to eat and drink with my third sister. Pack plenty of dried tofu too."
"Okay!" Zhao Tieying replied with a smile.
Zhou Miao had already chopped and packed the pig's head meat and braised vegetables, and put them in Zhang Zhengping's bicycle basket.
"How much money?" Zhang Zhengping pulled out his wallet and asked with a smile.
"Uncle, do I still need your money?" Zhou Miao went back to cut the meat, gently reminding him, "Ride back slowly, it's getting dark."
"If you don't take the money, I won't come again next time." Zhang Zhengping took out one yuan and handed it to Zhou Momo, smiling as he said, "Momo, take this."
"Okay." Zhou Momo took the money and said with a smile, "Then you must come again next time."
"Okay, Momo is such a good girl, Granduncle will definitely come." Zhang Zhengping smiled, reached out and patted the little girl's head, then got on his bicycle and rode away.
"Boss, why is he cutting in line?" someone muttered in the queue.
Zhou Miao said calmly, "This is my uncle. He's taking it back to drink with my mother."
"Heaven has the Thunder God, earth has the Uncle God, heaven and earth are vast, but the Uncle is the greatest. I have no problem with that." the man who spoke first replied.
The crowd laughed.
Zhou Momo ran back, tiptoed, and dropped one yuan into the money box. She looked up and whispered, "Daddy, next time you should buy something for Granduncle. If you don't take the money, he won't come anymore."
"Alright." Zhou Miao nodded with a smile.
"Youngest daughter is even teaching her father about social etiquette." Zhao Tieying couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this.
"Zhou Yan, there's mail!" The postman shouted, pushing his bicycle through the crowd.
"Here! It's a letter for my Guo Guo! Did it come from Shancheng?" Zhou Momo immediately jumped over, raising her little hand and shouting.
"Your Guo Guo's name is Zhou Yan?" The postman looked at the little one and nodded with a smile: "Yes, it was sent from the Shancheng."
"Yes, my Guo Guo's name is Zhou Yan." Zhou Momo nodded and raised her little hand: "I swear! It's true!"
"Zhou Yan is cooking in the kitchen, could you give this to her?" Zhao Tieying said with a smile.
"Sure." The postman handed the letter to Zhou Momo.
Holding the letter, Zhou Momo turned and ran towards the kitchen, calling out, "Guo Guo! Sister Yaoyao sent a letter! Sister Yaoyao's letter!"
Zhou Yan was practically sparking with the spatula in his hand when he turned back to look at her and laughed, "You put it away first, I can't handle this right now."
"Oh!" Zhou Momo nodded obediently, ran behind the stove and sat down, holding the letter in her hands, her eyes full of anticipation: "Guo Guo, what do you think Sister Yaoyao wrote?"
"May be she complimented your painting." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"Really?!" Zhou Momo smiled brightly, eager to open the letter right now. After thinking for a moment, she added, "Oh right, Granduncle just came to buy braised food. He asked me to take one yuan from him. He said that if Daddy doesn't take the money, he won't come next time."
"Okay, then we'll buy him something later." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. This old man was just as stubborn as the old lady.
Zhou Momo, holding the letter, sat behind the stove, keeping watch. Seeing Zhou Yan busy, she didn't bother him. She picked up some small twigs from the firewood pile beside her and tossed one into the stove every now and then, muttering in her childish voice:
"Little Wok, let me feed you!"
"Is it good, Little Wok? Is it good?"
As Zhou Yan was cooking, listening to the little one's self-entertaining chatter, he felt that the heat of the wok had lessened a bit today.
The firelight illuminated her slightly round face, and her smile was so innocent and lovely.
No wonder those villains feel remorse and realize their mistakes when they see their childhood memories, it's no wonder they're healed.
Never mind, even if she goes on strike today, he'll still pay her today's wages.
Emotional value is value too, after all.
"That's the last serving of stir-fried pork cracklings with cabbage, we're done." Zhao Hong carried the last dish out and reminded Zhou Yan.
"Quick, look at the letter!" Zhou Momo immediately jumped up from the small stool, held the letter high in both hands, and handed it over.
Zhou Yan wiped his freshly washed hands on his apron to make sure they were dry before taking the envelope and carefully tearing it open.
"Are there paintings inside?" Zhou Momo looked at him expectantly.
"Yes." Zhou Yan took out the letter from the envelope. As always, the last page was a drawing. This time, he didn't rush to read the letter. Instead, he squatted down and carefully unfolded the drawing next to Zhou Momo.
On a campus path strewn with fallen ginkgo leaves, a girl in a long dress carrying books strolled along, turning back to reveal a sweet smile. The wind blew through her long hair, and the golden ginkgo leaves fluttering in the air seemed to glow.
"Wow! It's Sister Yaoyao! She's so beautiful!" Zhou Momo exclaimed.
Zhou Yan was somewhat mesmerized by the painting, it was so beautiful. The person in the painting was Xia Yao, exuding youthful energy and artistic flair.
The face, which had been somewhat blurry in his memory, came alive again at this moment.
Zhou Yan truly hadn't expected that Xia Yao's reply would be a self-portrait.
This must be... the reply he received after he sent Xia Yao the painting Zhou Momo had drawn of him in the kitchen.
That makes sense then.
"Take this and admire it." Zhou Yan smiled and handed the painting to Zhou Momo, the two art lovers were exchanging ideas remotely.
"My hands are a bit dirty." Zhou Momo pulled her hand back and looked at him, saying, "Guo Guo, why don't you put Sister Yaoyao in a photo frame and hang it above your bed?"
Zhou Yan looked at the little one's hands, now stained black with charcoal, and nodded with a smile, "Okay, then I'll put it in a frame later so you can look at it slowly."
"Mmm-hmm." the little one nodded obediently.
Zhou Yan left the kitchen, first pressing the painting down with a flat wooden board before unfolding the letter to read it:
"Zhou Yan: Seeing this letter is like seeing me in person; I hope it brings a smile to your face..."
Her handwriting was as beautiful as ever, and her words were as refreshing and pleasant as a clear spring.
She said she received the rice candy and peanut candy he sent, which were delicious, and thanked him on behalf of Deng Hong and Zhu Yuyu.
Then she talked about some interesting things that happened at school during this time, as well as some new ideas about her major and future employment.
Compared to her last letter, Zhou Yan felt that her confusion had dissipated, her goals had become clear, and she had regained her confidence.
She has made her decision to become the best advertising designer and make a name for herself in the field of advertising design and illustration.
Through the words, Zhou Yan seemed to see the radiant smile on her face, and a determination as fervent as the sun.
Just like in the painting.
"Autumn has arrived in the Shancheng. The ginkgo trees at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute have turned golden. When the wind blows, the golden leaves fall and scatter all over the ground. It's so beautiful.
Deng Hong lent us her camera and took photos of us, capturing a moment of autumn.
I really like Momo's drawing, so I drew one for her. I hope she likes it..."
Zhou Yan looked down at the little one who was gazing up at him expectantly.
"Guo Guo, did Sister Yaoyao mention me?" the little one asked, her eyes full of anticipation.
"She said the drawing was for you." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"Really? But I think it's for you." Zhou Momo said with a smile. "Don't worry, I won't take it from you."
Zhou Yan: ...
Zhou Yan didn't believe it, but this line of writing did look different from the previous ones, the style of the writing had changed, probably because her state of mind had fluctuated.
At the end of the letter, she also sent her greetings to Aunt Zhao and Comrade Old Zhou.
As thoughtful as ever.
Although Aunt Zhao looked very gossipy, but she refrained from asking.
However, upon seeing Xia Yao's painting, she smiled more happily than anyone else.
"Bring the frame and fix it properly, don't get it dirty or damaged." Aunt Zhao earnestly instructed.
Zhou Yan flattened the painting and placed it in the frame, the size was just right.
This painting is indeed extremely beautiful, both the people and the scenery are lifelike.
Zhou Yan doesn't understand painting, but a painting that the general public finds beautiful must be a good painting.
The five people at Zhou Erwa Restaurant unanimously agreed that the painting was beautiful.
"The painting is so beautiful, and the girl is so pretty." Zhao Hong exclaimed with admiration. "Zhou Yan, keep up the good work. If you can marry her, life will be so much better."
Zhou Yan took the painting upstairs, intending to pack it in a box, but after thinking about it, he placed it on top of the box beside his bed.
The humble room instantly gained a touch of brightness.
It looks quite nice as a decorative painting.
"So beautiful!" Zhou Momo skipped upstairs and peered at the box, asking, "Why can Sister Yaoyao draw so beautifully? Mine looks kind of funny."
"Your painting is beautiful too. Xia Yao said she really likes it." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
Zhou Momo turned to look at him, blinked, and said, "Guo Guo, I drew you. Does Sister Yaoyao like my drawing or you?"
The little one's eyes were bright and clear, pure and innocent, Zhou Yan seemed to see his own reflection in them.
"It's time, you should go paint." Zhou Yan glanced at his watch and said with a smile.
"I'm going to draw now!" Zhou Momo turned around and ran to her room to get crayons and drawing paper, then scurried downstairs.
Zhou Yan put the letter in the box, glanced at the painting again, smiled, changed his clothes, and went downstairs for a run.
When he returned from his run, Comrade Old Zhou was massaging Aunt Zhao's shoulders, while Zhou Momo sat upright at the table, drawing intently.
After taking a shower, Zhou Yan glanced at Comrade Old Zhou, who was setting up a chessboard, and said to Aunt Zhao, "I'll go over the menu for Sunday later and see how to arrange it. I also need to confirm the number of people so that things don't turn out badly."
"Your father and I counted the number of people last night. There are nine from your eldest uncle's family, seven from your second uncle's family, three from your third uncle's family, plus your youngest uncle, your grandmother, and your granduncle, plus four from our family, making a total of twenty six people. Three tables are just right." Aunt Zhao said. "You can arrange the menu as you see fit, just like when we're having a family dinner. Show off your best dishes so everyone can eat more comfortably."
"Okay." Zhou Yan nodded, having a general idea of what was going on.
This was the first time they were hosting a meal after moving, so it was a very important event that Zhou Yan had to make sure everything was arranged properly.
"What's the plan for lunch on Sunday? Shall we find a restaurant in Jiazhou?" Zhou Yan asked again.
"As is customary, your grandma will make a basket of steamed buns as provisions and bring two boxes of pickled vegetables, a simple solution." Zhou Miao said.
Zhou Yan laughed and said, "Eating pickled vegetables is too simple. I will braise a pot of meat and vegetables early in the morning, pack some for lunch, and leave some for dinner to serve as a dish."
Aunt Zhao nodded: "Sure, that's definitely better than eating pickled vegetables."
Zhou Yan took out paper and pen from the counter, quickly wrote out the menu, and then calculated the required ingredients and quantities.
The braised dishes include braised pig ears, braised pig head meat, and braised beef. Choose a few types of braised vegetables and arrange them on a plate.
The dishes include braised pork ribs, braised beef with dried bamboo shoots, and crucian carp with perilla leaves.
Stir-fried dishes include double peppers minced beef, twice-cooked pork, spicy stir-fried pork liver, Mapo Tofu, and Yu Xiang Shredded Pork.
There were twelve dishes in total.
All of them were quite substantial.
This meal costs 15.8 yuan according to the restaurant's selling price.
The meal allowance is not low.
"Except for the cross-legged beef, bring out all the dishes?" Aunt Zhao came over and looked at the menu Zhou Yan had just prepared, somewhat surprised.
"We've gathered here now, but the next time might be during the Chinese New Year. I'll cook a portion of all my signature dishes for everyone to try. Twelve dishes should be just right." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"Alright." Aunt Zhao nodded, her gaze falling on the last dish. "Yu Xiang Shredded Pork? I've never seen you make this before, have I?"
"I often make this in the cafeteria, it's one of our Kong Sect's signature dishes. I plan to put it on the menu next week." Zhou Yan casually made up. He planned to showcase it on Sunday so everyone could try it, test the waters, and make adjustments accordingly.
"I haven't had Yu Xiang Shredded Pork many times, but Yu Xiang Eggplant is delicious. Your maternal grandma used to make it all the time, it's so good with rice, and it's even better with sweet potatoes." A nostalgic look appeared on Aunt Zhao's face. "I haven't had it in a long time either. Mine always feels a little off, it's not as good as your maternal grandma's."
"That must be because the flavor of the pickled Erjingtiao peppers is different. Next time, try using the Erjingtiao peppers that maternal grandma pickles." Zhou Yan looked at her, wondering if she was reminiscing about Yu Xiang Eggplant or her childhood self.
Aunt Zhao smiled and nodded: "That makes sense. Next time I go back to my parents' home, I'll bring back a whole jar of the brine from your grandma's kimchi jar."
Zhou Yan and Comrade Old Zhou played three games of chess, ending the battle with a perfect record.
"Dad, your chess skills are getting worse and worse. I think you need to practice more." Zhou Yan said with a smug look on his face.
"Today doesn't count." Comrade Old Zhou said, putting away the chess box, somewhat unconvinced. "I think it's going to rain tonight. The air pressure is a bit low and the air is a bit stuffy, which affected my judgment. We'll start over tomorrow."
"If you're not good at it, blame the road for being uneven." Aunt Zhao pouted, yawned, and carried Zhou Momo upstairs to sleep.
Comrade Old Zhou blushed, put the chess set back under the counter, and followed them upstairs.
For the next two days, the restaurant was as busy as ever.
There's no other way. Compared to weekdays, closing on Sunday noon minimizes the restaurant's losses.
Moreover, on such special days, even if it's a weekday, he has to close the restaurant to sweep the tombs.
After closing for business on Saturday night, Zhou Yan and his family went back to Zhou Village.
The old lady told her sons about tomorrow's plans.
The offerings for the memorial service were very simple, the old lady was always frugal in this regard and refused to be extravagant.
When it came to the meal arrangements, the old lady heard that Zhou Yan wanted to take the braised meat out for lunch and asked with a smile, "Isn't it troublesome to get up so early to braise it?"
"No trouble at all, I'm used to it, and we'll be eating it tomorrow night anyway." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"Okay, we'll do it your way." the old lady nodded.
The next morning, Zhou Yan rode his 28-inch bicycle out to buy groceries.
Three tables of dishes, a wide variety, but only a small amount of each ingredient was needed.
After buying groceries, he returned to the restaurant. Comrade Old Zhou was already sitting in the restaurant, helping him prepare the ingredients.
By eight o'clock, the braised meat was almost all ready.
Zhou Yan cut two jin of braised pig's head meat, put a bowl of braised vegetables in an enamel basin, and put a jar of pickled radishes in a canning jar.
The tomb sweeping doesn't take a whole day, but the Old Zhou family has a tradition of hiking and having a picnic together. This was decided by the old lady. After sweeping the tomb, the whole family climbs to the top of Laoxiaoding, and then goes home.
"Zhou Yan!"
"Fourth Uncle, Fourth Aunt!"
"Aiya, Momo's hair is so cutely braided today."
Just as Zhou Yan finished packing the pickled radishes, the sounds of people outside could be heard.
"Coming!" Zhou Yan responded, packed the food into a straw-lined basket, and then pushed his bicycle out the door.
More than a dozen 28-inch bicycles were parked at the entrance. The entire Zhou family, spanning four generations, had come out, including Granduncle Zhang Zhengping.
Not all the bicycles belong to the family, some were borrowed from the village. Everyone knows that Old Zhou's family is going to sweep the tombs, so borrowing a bicycle is just a matter of saying a word.
Zhou Yan greeted everyone, and Zhou Momo ran over, carrying her own camouflage water bottle, "Guo Guo, I want to ride your bicycle!"
"Hold on tight." Zhou Yan smiled and lifted her onto the front bar, which was tied with old clothes.
"Let's go." the old lady said, sitting on the back of Zhou Ming's bicycle.
The group chatted idly as they headed straight for Jiazhou City.
Laoxiaoding is located within the old city of Jiazhou, with the Jiazhou Confucius Temple situated nearby.
The old man's tomb was built at the foot of the back mountain. At that time, Jiazhou had not yet built a large scale martyrs' cemetery. Because the old man was a first-class meritorious person, he was placed there with a group of martyrs for future generations to pay their respects and remember. Every year on Qingming Festival, students would come to sweep the tomb to commemorate him.
The group parked their bicycles at the foot of the mountain, informed the tomb keeper, and he agreed to watch over them.
The group carried their belongings inside, their expressions becoming more solemn.
The children chased each other, their faces beaming with bright smiles.
"Fanwa!" Zhao Hong called out.
The old lady smiled and waved her hand: "Don't shout. Let them have fun and pray happily. If they all look so downcast and dejected, the old man will think we're not doing well."
Everyone laughed upon hearing this, their expressions lightening considerably.
"Third Sister has a good attitude. If I was lying in there, I don't know how much Yurong would cry." Zhang Zhengping said with a smile.
"Forget it, when Yurong keeps vigil for you, she'll definitely drag a few people over to play mahjong." The old lady rolled her eyes at him.
Zhang Zhengping pondered for a moment and nodded in deep agreement: "There is some truth to that. She is capable of doing it. I'll just stand by and whisper in their ear, and they'll all fail."
Zhou Yan tilted his head, feeling like he had just heard a joke from the underworld.
He had attended several wedding banquets in Sichuan and Chongqing, but he had never attended a funeral.
However, according to his local roommate, it is a traditional activity for the sons and daughters to play mahjong together while keeping vigil at the funeral parlor.
The style is quite different from other places.
That's why people say Sichuan people are amazing.
In any other place, such an act would earn the label of "unfilial children" to be carried to their graves.
The cemetery was relatively small. The group arrived at a tombstone inscribed with: "Tomb of Martyr Zhou Yi."
The group stepped forward to sweep away the fallen leaves in front of the grave, wiped the dust off the tombstone with a new cloth, and then laid out the sliced meat and liquor they had brought.
Zhou Yan took the rag and wiped the back of the tombstone. He found that the back was engraved with Comrade Zhou Yi's life story. The hundreds of words briefly summarized his military career, from leaving home in Sichuan on August 16, 1937, through the Battle of Shanghai-Songjiang, the Battle of Taierzhuang, and finally falling in Tieyuan.
Yet every single word is so poignant.
A scene flashed through Zhou Yan's mind: before leaving, Zhou Yi held Zhang Shufen's hand and said, "I must go. We'll fight all the battles we need to fight, so our descendants won't have to fight anymore!"
The old woman, dressed in black, stood to one side, gazing at the tombstone in silence for a long time.
Zhou Yan slowly clenched his fist and silently said in his heart, "Grandpa, the country is safe and sound, and this prosperous era is as you wished."