These past few years, visiting the graves was done in secret.
This year, with the policies relaxed, many families were out paying respects.
Grandpa Su, therefore, openly led his children and grandchildren to the graves.
Chen Zi'an, unwilling to be left behind, even though he didn't need to go, brought Chen Xiuyuan along, claiming it was for the ancestors to see Chen Xiuyuan.
In the afterglow of the setting sun, as the paper money burned, it cast a brilliant firelight, illuminating Grandpa Su's face with a reddish hue.
Grandpa Su sighed, "For so many years, our ancestors must have been wronged underground."
"It's alright, Father, from now on, life will be better!" said Su Laoda.
However, it was unclear whether he meant life would be better for the living or for the departed!
After Grandpa Su had paid respects to all the ancestors, he suddenly squatted down and drew a small circle on an empty patch of ground near the ancestral graves.
Su Lao'er, puzzled, was about to ask when Su Laoda quickly pulled him back.
"For Little Sister!"
Grandpa Su said nothing, silently lit a stack of paper money, and prepared to head home.
The Su family members also fell silent, unsure of what to say.
They followed Grandpa Su quietly down the mountain, though the three Su brothers couldn't help but glance back at the small circle a few extra times.
All the siblings were reunited, except for their little sister.
It would be a lie to say they weren't sad.
The departed were gone. Even if they had made mistakes in the past, those would gradually fade with time, but the longing would only grow.
They wondered if their little sister was alright underground. Had her personality changed?
How did such a good family end up like that?
If only they had persuaded her properly back then, perhaps it wouldn't have come to that.
Thinking that Grandpa Su might be in low spirits, the younger generation of the Su family tried to cheer him up.
Grandpa Su understood his grandsons' intentions and said, "I'm fine. I'll go home and comfort your Grandma!"
Grandma would surely be feeling worse.
Although she had gone to worship the Dragon King on the surface, in reality, she had probably secretly burned paper money for their youngest daughter.
When everyone returned home, Grandma Su was already back.
But it was evident that her eyes were a little red.
Su Xiaotian, who had gone with Grandma Su, knew that Grandma Su had not only paid respects to the Dragon King but had also secretly burned paper money for her aunt, and had cried for a while.
It was Su Xiaotian who had finally persuaded her to return.
Fortunately, Grandma Su also knew that it was not the time to bring up unhappy matters. Seeing Grandpa Su return with his children and grandchildren, she managed to force a smile.
"Grandma, this is the most abundant New Year's Eve dinner our family has had in years, isn't it?" Su Xiaotian said in a sweet, soft voice.
Grandma Su looked at the table full of delicious dishes, and her smile became more genuine.
How many years had it been? No, the Su family had never had such a lavish New Year.
"Stop your flattery and quickly get to the table to prepare for the meal!"
Grandma Su gently poked Su Xiaotian's forehead.
Su Xiaotian pretended to stumble backward and then busied herself with getting the chopsticks.
The Su family had returned quite late and would soon be heading back to the capital.
Therefore, they had prepared many dishes but very little staple food.
Fortunately, some friendly families, knowing they hadn't steamed New Year's buns or fried oil cakes, sent some over.
Grandma Su filled a large plate and brought it to the table.
There were two large tables, one on the kang and one on the floor.
As in previous years, the table on the kang was occupied by the elders.
At the head of the table were Grandpa Su and Grandma Su.
Beside Grandpa Su sat Su Xiaotian, and beside Grandma Su sat Chen Xiuyuan.
Chen Xiuyuan was followed by Su Manxiu, an arrangement made to look after the little one.
Further down sat the three sisters-in-law, Wang Xianghua and her sisters.
And beside Su Xiaotian sat Chen Zi'an and the three Su brothers.
As for the younger generation of the Su family at the other table, there were no formalities; they sat casually.
The family sat around the table, which held the ten dishes Su Xiaotian had mentioned, symbolizing completeness.
Interestingly, in the center of the table was a braised pig's head.
The whole pig's head was divided equally between the two tables.
Grandma Su's knife skills were exquisite; although everything was cut into small pieces, the shapes remained intact.
Su Xiaotian had specifically sprinkled a lot of red chili threads on it, saying it symbolized good fortune.
Grandma Su actually disliked pig's head, but upon hearing the phrase "good fortune," she said nothing more.
Besides that, there was steamed fish, stewed lamb, braised pork, sweet and sour meatballs, dry-fried pork intestines, stir-fried liver slices, winter fruit braised pork, stewed wild chicken, stir-fried rabbit cubes, and fragrant venison.
Ten dishes, all meat, made Su Xiaotian feel a bit overwhelmed.
Su Xiaotian then pestered Grandma Su, who made cold mixed vegetable dishes, saying that each dish represented a month, making twelve dishes just right.
After all, eating only meat would require an exceptional appetite to manage.
Grandma Su, doting on her granddaughter, finally made two more vegetable dishes, and then it was done.
But Grandma Su was still muttering, "You child, you've said everything good and bad. First, you say ten dishes for completeness, then you say one dish per month. Does that mean our family will have to eat vegetarian food for two months next year, like rabbits?"
Hearing Grandma Su's mumbling, everyone laughed.
"Grandma, even if you made thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, or seventeen dishes, I could still find auspicious words for them."
Su Xiaotian's little face was full of bright smiles.
"Alright, next year we'll make sixteen dishes for the New Year!" Grandma Su said, her smile becoming even more radiant.
Su Xiaotian knew that even this year, making sixteen dishes wouldn't be a problem.
With so many dishes prepared, the seafood brought back from the south by Chen Zi'an and Su Manxiu had not yet been served.
Grandpa Su finally found his treasured wine and poured a cup for everyone in the family.
"Father, would you say a few words before we toast?" Chen Zi'an suggested with a smile.
"I have nothing much to say. The family has been well this year, and I am at ease. I only hope that next year will be the same, and every year after that will be as good." Grandpa Su's words were simple but conveyed his heartfelt wishes.
Everyone exchanged pleasantries and auspicious greetings, interspersed with the children's chatter about wanting lucky money after the meal.
In short, the atmosphere in the room was incredibly warm and lively.
Su Shan, wrapped in a padded jacket and wearing a hat, walked to the door of the old Su family's house and listened for a while.
Such liveliness had nothing to do with him.
Once upon a time, his relationship with his brother was very close. When did it change to what it was now?
He sighed and slowly walked home with heavy steps.
Meanwhile, at the old Su family's place, the merriment continued.
"This venison is hard to come by even in the capital," Grandpa Su said, taking a bite of the venison.
"Indeed. The venison in the capital is all farmed; it doesn't have this kind of flavor," Chen Zi'an replied.
Su Xiaotian, however, was thinking that in a few years, eating wild game would no longer be allowed. By then, many animals in the mountains would be protected species and couldn't be eaten.
"We returned in such a hurry this time that we didn't even inform your Grandpa Dong and the others. They'll probably blame us!"
Grandpa Su suddenly brought up this topic, and everyone was taken aback.
They were having a good meal, why would he mention this?