TSWPF -Chapter 307 Paying Respects

Li Qingling gave a soft “mm” and turned toward the kitchen to check what vegetables were still missing.

That evening, they were hosting the entire village for a meal at their home, so everything had to be prepared properly. If they didn’t have enough food, it would be embarrassing.

Seeing Li Qingling head into the kitchen, Liu Zhimou finished up what he was doing. After saying a word to her, he went out to look for the village head.

To avoid dirtying Li Qingling’s home, the pig had been slaughtered directly at the village head’s house. The pig head was boiled there as well. Once everything was ready, the village head would lead Liu Zhimou and the clansmen to pay respects to the ancestors.

By the time Liu Zhimou arrived at the village head’s place, the pig head had already been cooked. The villagers were preparing to carry all the butchered pork over to Li Qingling’s house, where the women of the village would help with cooking.

Such a lively scene usually only appeared during the New Year.

“Zhimou, you came at just the right time. We’re about to go pay respects to the ancestors,” the village head said with a smile, his hands clasped behind his back when he saw Liu Zhimou.

Liu Zhimou smiled and nodded, replying with a simple “Alright.”

Seeing how happy everyone was made him feel happy as well.

“Zhimou, Xiao Ling is at home, right?” Aunt Huang asked with a smile as she carried a basin of pork.

“She is. Thank you all for the hard work,” Liu Zhimou replied.

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all. We wish things like this could happen every day!” Aunt Huang said cheerfully. With an official coming from their village, they could eat so much meat even when it wasn’t the New Year. They were thrilled—why would they feel tired?

Back when Li Qingling and Liu Zhimou’s parents had passed away, leaving behind only these few children, how many villagers had secretly mocked them? People thought they wouldn’t grow up, that they couldn’t even support themselves. And now? Who still dared to laugh at them?

People really shouldn’t laugh at others—times change. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Who knows whether someone will make something of themselves in the future?

Just look at these children of Liu Zhimou’s—such great success already. They had slapped the faces of those who once laughed at them.

Thankfully, back then she had latched onto Li Qingling early. Otherwise, she would have regretted it for the rest of her life.

“That’s right. It’s so lively and festive—normally you’d only see this during the New Year,” someone else chimed in with a laugh. They wished they could appear in front of Liu Zhimou every day so he’d remember them. Maybe someday, if they ran into trouble, he’d lend them a hand.

Besides, being close with an official gave them a lot of face when talking about it.

After all, not just anyone could be friends with an official.

Liu Zhimou simply said that as long as everyone was happy, that was enough.

“Happy, happy…”

As they chatted animatedly, an indiscreet woman edged up to Liu Zhimou and asked with a smile whether his parents really came from the capital, and whether their family background was truly impressive.

Back then, she had already felt that Liu Zhimou’s parents didn’t look like rural folk. Which villagers were that refined? Not only were they good-looking, they were also literate.

Sure enough, she hadn’t been mistaken. That couple really had been young master and madam from a distinguished family.

Before Liu Zhimou could answer, the village head’s face darkened and he shouted, “Tie Tou’s wife! What nonsense are you spouting? Hurry up and get back to work!”

He didn’t know where these rumors had started, but by the time he heard of them, the whole village already knew.

The woman didn’t dare ask any more questions. She gave an awkward laugh, twisted her hips, and ran off.

“Zhimou, don’t take their words to heart,” the village head said gently.

Liu Zhimou shook his head. “It’s fine.”

His parents indeed came from the capital, and their family background was indeed quite good. But he didn’t want to say such things publicly, lest it invite gossip.

As for people talking behind his back, he simply treated it as though he hadn’t heard it.

“After paying respects to the ancestors, remember to light incense for your parents and tell them this good news,” the village head added.

Liu Zhimou agreed, saying he would.

Grandfather had always wanted to bring his parents back to the capital and reinter them in the ancestral graveyard. He couldn’t stop that. Sooner or later, his parents would return—after all, the capital was their true home.

They had grown up there; it was their native land.

But for now, there was no need to bring it up. They would talk about it again after his posting ended and he returned to the capital.

The village head patted Liu Zhimou on the shoulder and praised him as a good child, then clasped his hands behind his back and strolled toward the kitchen to check whether the incense and candles were ready.

To the village head, it didn’t matter where Liu Zhimou’s parents originally came from. They had lived in Niutou Village for over ten years, so he regarded them as villagers of Niutou Village. Only then could the village rely on this connection and receive help from Liu Zhimou’s family.

He had ambitions of his own—he wanted more village children to follow Liu Zhimou and leave Niutou Village, to see the world beyond, instead of being trapped in this tiny patch of land, facing the soil day after day for their entire lives.

That was why, no matter what, he had to hold tightly onto Liu Zhimou’s family and make sure they didn’t forget Niutou Village.

Of course, now wasn’t the right time to bring this up. When the opportunity was ripe, he would try to mention it to Liu Zhimou.

Liu Zhimou let out a soft breath. His face showed no dissatisfaction at all. He had already anticipated such situations, so they didn’t affect his mood.

Everyone had curiosity. It wasn’t strange for villagers to be curious about his parents’ identities.

“Let’s go—time to pay respects to the ancestors,” the village head said, having people carry the pig head and incense. With a wave of his hand, he led Liu Zhimou and the others in a grand procession toward the ancestral hall.

Meanwhile, Li Qingling was busy cooking with Aunt Huang and the others.

Hosting the entire village was a massive task—one person alone couldn’t possibly manage it. Thankfully, everyone who had time came to help. With many hands, the work went quickly. Before long, the prep work was done, and all that remained was to stir-fry the dishes.

Watching everyone working in full swing, Li Qingling curved her lips into a smile. Everyone was so enthusiastic.

Was it because they’d soon be able to eat pork, so they worked extra hard?

“Xiao Ling, when are you leaving?” Aunt Huang asked curiously as she washed bowls borrowed from villagers’ homes.

Li Qingling smiled. “The day after tomorrow.”

Aunt Huang looked at her with reluctance. “That’s too soon. We haven’t even had a proper chat yet, and you’re already leaving.”

It was true—familiarity bred contempt, while distance brought fondness. Keeping some distance from the villagers actually made it easier to chat with them.

“Aunt Huang, you can come over tomorrow to chat with me. I’ll be home all day and won’t be going out.”

Hearing this, the other village women also chimed in, saying they wanted to come and talk with her as well.

Li Qingling welcomed everyone with a smile, nodding and telling them to come if they liked.

With her agreement, everyone worked even harder.

By the time the village head and the others carried the pig head back, Li Qingling and her group had nearly finished cooking.

“Xiao Ling, where are Rou Rou and Ning Ning? Let’s go pay respects to my parents together,” Liu Zhimou asked softly as he walked up to her.

Li Qingling replied that Li Qingning and Liu Zhirou were playing by the pond. She told him to go call them back while she changed her clothes.

She was covered in grease and smoke from cooking, and the smell was strong. She couldn’t go see her parents-in-law looking so untidy.

Liu Zhimou nodded and went to find the girls.

When Master Luo heard Liu Zhimou’s intention, he pressed his lips together and said that he wanted to go as well.

After a whole day and night of mental preparation, it was time for him to meet his little disciple.

Liu Zhimou glanced at him and agreed.

Liu Zhimou and the others—six people in total—along with Master Luo made seven. Carrying offerings, they headed up the mountain.

Upon reaching Liu Zhimou’s parents’ graves, Liu Zhimou arranged the offerings one by one and led Li Qingling and the others in kneeling and kowtowing three times.

“Father, Mother, we’ve come to see you. Are you doing well over there? We’re doing quite well, so please don’t worry about us,” Liu Zhimou said as he burned paper money, talking softly about what had happened recently. At the end, he poured a cup of wine onto the ground. “Father, Mother, Master has come to see you. He wants to talk to you.”

As he finished speaking, Master Luo slowly squatted beside Liu Zhimou. With tears blurring his eyes, he stared at the three characters carved on the tombstone—Liu Wenjing. After a long moment, he choked out, “Jing’er… Master never imagined that we’d meet again like this. You…”

As he spoke, his throat felt stuffed with cotton, and no more words would come.

He simply sat down on the ground and patted the tombstone, as though patting his little disciple. Letting out a bitter smile, he said, “You… how could you be so heartless? You left for over ten years without even writing a single letter to your master. If not for meeting your son, I would have gone to my grave without knowing what happened to you.”

This little disciple of his—truly… truly heartless. Not contacting his father might be one thing, but why not even contact him? And hiding himself so well that no one could find him…

“When Master goes down to meet you one day, I’ll definitely punish you properly, teach you what it means to respect your elders!”

“The only thing that comforts Master is that you left behind several children. Someone will see Master off in his old age. Don’t worry over there—with Master here, no one will dare bully your children.”

Master Luo didn’t even know what he was saying anymore. His words were jumbled, jumping from one thought to another.

He spoke to his little disciple for nearly half an hour before slowly stopping. With a sigh, he patted the tombstone again. “Master will come see you again when he has time. You all take good care over there.”

Seeing Master Luo try to stand, Liu Zhimou hurried to support him. His master was already advanced in age—he was afraid the emotional strain might be too much.

“Master, don’t be too sad. You still have us.”

Master Luo gazed deeply at his disciple’s tombstone once more, sighed again, then forced a smile to reassure Liu Zhimou that he was fine.

Before Liu Zhimou firmly established himself, he had to take good care of this old body of his—he couldn’t afford to collapse.

“Let’s go. We should also pay respects to my parents-in-law,” Liu Zhimou said.

The group then went to pay respects to Li Qingling and her siblings’ parents before slowly making their way back down the mountain.