Chapter 213: Winter Solstice Offerings (2)

When Lian Fang Zhou and her siblings arrived at Lian Li’s house, Lian Li’s expression was gentle with a faint smile on his face. Madam Qiao’s face was blank. She snorted from her nose and pretended not to see them.

However, after having experienced waves of cold eyes and cold words, the simple expression on Madam Qiao’s was not effective at all, none of them took it to heart.

“Uncle, are you starting?” Lian Fang Zhou asked Lian Li with a smile.

“Yes, put everything up.” Lian Li nodded reluctantly.

Lian Hai greeted them and explained to the siblings how to place everything. Sensing the atmosphere, he gave his mother a warning look.

Madam Qiao felt sullen in her heart and she cursed a few words. Fortunately, she only cursed in her heart.

When the offerings, bowls, and chopsticks were all placed, the wine was poured, and the air was filled with incense, Lian Li led the family to kneel down in a line and kowtow, saying words like ‘bless this house to be prosperous’ and ‘descendants of peace’ and so on.

After three rounds of wine, everyone burned paper money in the brazier.

Finally, they set off the firecrackers and it was done.

Lian Fang Zhou and the others put away the fish and chicken they had brought, Lian Hai helping them with a smile: “You go prepare first, we will come later.”

Seeing that siblings wanted to take away the ancestor offerings instead of staying, Madam Qiao couldn’t help but feel annoyed. How could they be so ignorant? Was there any reason for these things to be sent back? What would she use when she went to worship the ancestors?

The annoyance on Madam Qiao’s face became more and more intense. Just as she was about to start cursing Lian Fang Zhou’s family, Lian Hai walked to her side and smiled, gently pushing her. He said: “Mother, pack your things and wash your hands. We will go to my cousins’ house in a while!”

Madam Qiao snorted and stared bitterly at Lian Fang Zhou before she turned and walked away.

After the siblings left the door of the main house, Lian Ze couldn’t help but laugh. “Sister, eldest aunt did not curse anyone today!”

Lian Che immediately added: “She wanted to scold, but cousin stopped it!”

“She listens to her son!” Lian Ze snorted softly.

Lian Fang Zhou laughed and said: “Forget her! If she scolds us or doesn’t scold us, we are not easy to provoke!”

“That’s true!” The siblings all smiled.

When they came back, Third Aunt’s sadness had passed. She greeted them with a smile and took the basket from Lian Fang Zhou. Looking at their faces, she smiled: “Your complexion is good, not like you’ve had a fight with someone. Your eldest aunt didn’t say a few words?”

The siblings laughed.

“Eldest aunt had a lot she wanted to say but cousin stopped her!” Lian Ze explained with a smile.

“So I thought!” Third Aunt patted her thigh and let Lian Ze and his little siblings inside to sit by the fire while she and Lian Fang Zhou went to the kitchen.

The fish and chicken offerings needed to be put into the soup and heated up before they could be offered to their parents.

While they worked, Lian Li and Lian Hai also came in from the outside.

“There are some small things to do at home, so your eldest aunt could not come!” Lian Hai said to Lian Fang Zhou, smiling apologetically with his eyes.

Lian Fang Zhou hurriedly smiled and said: “It’s okay!” None of them felt regretful or upset that Madam Qiao did not come, only relieved.

The offerings were put up, the incense and the candles were lit, and the four siblings knelt down with Lian Hai while Lian Li and Third Aunt stood to the side.

Knocking her head down, Lian Fang Qing couldn’t but start to cry, tears in her eyes.

While she cried, Lian Che rubbed his eyes with his hands, choking. Even though Lian Fang Zhou and Lian Ze did not cry, the also felt sad.

A feeling of sadness from the depths of her heart suddenly swept forward with a burst of force, impacting Lian Fang Zhou’s entire heart with dull pain.

Inexplicably, her nose was sour and she felt a strong sense of grief.

This was not from her own thoughts, but it still felt so deep! She knew this was the remnant consciousness of the previous soul, suddenly returning at this moment.

Lian Fang Zhou didn’t tell if it was shock, fear, or something else, but she could only sit there in a daze.

Suddenly, she was awakened by the sound of “Sister! Sister!”

Lian Fang Zhou, who had recovered, looked at the nervous and concerned faces around her. Seeing the tears on the faces of the little brother and sister, her heart warmed, and she smiled faintly, saying softly: “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

 “Cousin Fang Zhou, get up quickly! Don’t be sad!” Lian Hai sighed, full of pity: “Second Aunt and Uncle don’t want to see your sadness! Now that you are living well, they will be pleased in heaven so don’t be sad!”

Third Aunt and Lian Li also persuaded a few words.

Lian Fang Zhou thanked him and her three siblings helped her up. She couldn’t help but glance at Lian Hai and think in her heart: My former cousins never called me cousin Fang Zhou! He never seemed to look directly at me.

At this time, she happened to hear Lian Li whisper to Third Aunt: “This is the winter solstice ancestor worship, why haven’t you gone back to the Tian family? In any case, that is your husband’s house!”

Third Aunt sneered, lowering her voice to say coldly: “Oh, Brother, are you caring for me? If you cared about me, why say this? Go back? Haha, do I have a foothold there? If the Tian family wanted me back, they would have asked someone to come get me! You don’t know, I’ve been back so long but they hadn’t even sent a message over. They probably wish I would never return!”

“You!” Lian Li couldn’t make an expression and he sighed: “I don’t know what to say!”

Lian Fang Zhou subconsciously remembered Third Aunt’s situation at her husband’s house.

Indeed, very unbearable.

Lian Fang Zhou jumped, shocked. The things she was remembering were not things she had heard recently, but from long ago. However, she knew they were not her imagination but fact.

A flash of realization went through her mind and her whole body suddenly changed color. The memories of the original soul seemed to be recovering, bit by bit!

Realizing this, the memories of the past in her mind seemed to be clearer.

The corners of Lian Fang Zhou’s lips raised slightly as she secretly rejoiced.

After burning the paper money and setting off firecrackers, Lian Hai and Lian Li chatted for a short while and then left.

Before they left, Lian Hai had enthusiastically invited Lian Fang Zhou, her siblings, and Third Aunt to have dinner with them, but Lian Fang Zhou politely declined.

Their uncle must be unhappy, though he didn’t show it on his face, and Madam Qiao would no doubt be upset. Lian Fang Zhou didn’t want to look at their faces, let alone her younger brothers and sister.

And anyways, it wasn’t that their family had no food.