Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

Subsequently, Di Xuan, YingEr, Da Mao, and others spread out to have their own fun, only Liu Sisi, due to health issues, naturally couldn’t participate in these activities. However, she couldn’t bear to leave either, standing at the periphery watching everyone play football.

Perhaps knowing Liu Sisi was watching from the sidelines, Di Yelei put extra effort into his kicks. He manipulated the ball to go in and out several times, repeatedly breaking through the opponent’s goal, demonstrating exceptional bravery!

Liu Sisi couldn’t help but stand and clap enthusiastically from time to time, itching to join in herself!

Of course, that was just wishful thinking!

During a break, Di Yelei put down the ball and walked over. Bare-armed and grinning broadly, he raised an eyebrow towards Liu Sisi.

“Sisi, what do you think? How many goals did your husband score just now? How’s my football skill?”

Liu Sisi’s eyes turned into crescents, laughing out loud. She took the towel in her hand, carefully wiping the sweat slipping down his forehead while expressing her heartfelt admiration.

“Indeed, you were outstanding! This is the first time I’ve seen you play football. So aside from hunting, you’re also adept at other sports!”

“Indeed! Who do you think is your husband? Isn’t it so, little kitten?” Di Yelei boasted haughtily.

“Pfft! Look at your smug face. Lower your head, let me wipe the sweat on your neck too.”

Liu Sisi rolled her eyes at him, glanced back at the others, then leaned in and whispered something.

Di Yelei straightened up, raising an eyebrow in surprise: “Really that’s necessary? We’re all just having a good time, is that really needed?”

“Of course, it’s necessary! Times have changed, if you outshine everyone else, what will they think? A seventh-rank sub-captain acting so superior is totally unacceptable!”

Liu Sisi reasoned gently.

She understood Di Yelei’s intentions. While winning would definitely be celebrated, it might leave an impression of arrogance and rudeness in the hearts of others, so Liu Sisi suggested that Yelei should avoid grabbing the ball too much.

Sure enough, when Di Yelei went up again, he almost fell over trying to dodge an opponent, losing the ball while the crowd gasped in surprise.

After that, the ball stayed in the opponent’s hands until just before the final whistle, only then did the ball return to Di Yelei’s hands. After a long-range shot from Di Yelei, the ball went straight into the opponent’s goal. The goalkeeper could do nothing to stop it.

Di Yelei was grinning from ear to ear!

Though they lost the second half, Di Yelei’s long-range shot just at the end of the game left a deep impression on everyone.

Liu Sisi just shook her head, chuckling. Such stubbornness to not admit defeat was what won her heart.

“Sisi, hehehe….”

He dashed over, flashing a wide grin at her: “Good Sisi, help me wipe my sweat again.”

“When you’re drenched in sweat, what good is it to wipe your face? We might as well not wipe at all.”

Despite her words, she still raised her hand to carefully wipe his sweat.

She then took out Qingming pastries and other food items, handing them over.

Di Yelei didn’t decline, he took them and began eating heartily.

He sighed inwardly as he watched the woman in front of him. Indeed, having a wise wife is a blessing, someone who knows your needs!

The next day marked the arrival of Qingming Festival.

Everyone was up before dawn, dressed in plain clothes, finished their ablutions and began climbing the Ancestral Tomb Hill.

The Di family’s Ancestral Tomb Hill was located at the foot of a mountain on the way to the county. The hill wasn’t large, and the number of graves on it were few. It was no surprise, the Di family had only settled in Upper Village for about a hundred years, naturally they couldn’t compare with those long-established powerful and wealthy families.

Except for Elderly Mr. Di’s branch of the family, there were no other people. What surprised Liu Sisi the most was that Di Gaoyuan’s family had actually followed as well!

There were many members in their large family. The sparks in Di Cheng’s eyes were noticeable, making him involuntarily lower his head.

Everyone, including Elderly Mr. Di, didn’t talk much, and simply let the family follow behind them shamelessly.

The Qingming Festival ritual involves two main tasks: first, repairing the graves, and second, burning paper money and offering sacrifices.

Today, the entire Di Family had come to sweep the graves. Di Yelei and Di Ah-Bao were the first ones to start cleaning the weeds from the tomb. Even Di Cheng and Di Xuan helped.

Liu Sisi, on the other hand, obediently followed orders and carried out each task with Zhao and other women, starting with tearing paper money.

All the items used for the ritual were brought out one by one, hung on the small trees beside the tomb or bamboo poles, or even pressed beside the tomb by placing rocks or clumps of soil.

What surprised Liu Sisi the most was that they tore up the silk and cloth into strips called torn money.

After Di Yelei and Di Ah-Bao had cleared all the weeds from the ancestors’ tombs on the Ancestral Tomb Hill and repaired the broken tombs, they turned back and started the rites.

Pig’s head, whole sheep, whole chicken, Qingming pastries… A large variety of food and pastries were laid out for the ritual.

Then, they started burning incense for worship.

Following tradition, they inserted three incense stick at each tomb after the worship.

While inserting the three incense sticks, they also had to pay respect at solitary and wild graves that were nearby.

After the worship, they looked up to see remnants of burnt paper bills flying everywhere, a distinctive scene near Qingming Festival. Graves without paper money were generally lonely ones without any descendants.

Lastly, they burnt the “baggage”. The “baggage” was the mail post sent from the “world of the living” to the “afterworld” by the descendants for their ancestors.

After all this, the Qingming ritual was considered complete.

Then, it was time to share and eat the sacrifice from the Qingming ritual.

The locals believed that consuming the offerings would bring luck and longevity to the descendants, ensuring a year of good fortune.

According to tradition, the person who distributed the food was Mrs. Zhao. Since all the food and items had been prepared by Liu Sisi, she naturally stood aside, and didn’t move.

As Zhao was distributing the food, her eyes were rolling around, which made Liu Sisi frown.

As expected, after glancing at everyone, Zhao directly gave the whole sheep to Di Ah-Bao.

“Since Ah-Bao is the youngest here and Mrs. Xin is still recuperating, this little lamb is for you!”

Liu Sisi looked at the fat lamb, which was so big and yet she called it little?

However, she didn’t say anything.

Next, Mrs. Zhao picked up the whole chicken and pig’s head and gave them to Mrs. Xin.

“Ah Bao has lost weight recently, this chicken will help him to regain his strength.”

By now, only pastries and the Qingming pastry were left.

Mrs. Zhao picked up the plate of Qingming pastries and handed it to Liu Sisi: “Sisi, your food is delicious, especially these pastries. I really like them. Let’s keep them for dinner.”

The corners of Liu Sisi’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. She understood Mrs. Zhao’s hidden motive, and immediately smiled.

“If mother-in-law likes the Qingming pastries that Sisi makes so much, then that’s great!”

She suddenly turned around and instructed Granny Hu behind her: “Granny Hu, did you hear what my mother-in-law said clearly? It’s rare that my mother-in-law enjoys the Qingming pastries made by Sisi and wants them often. From today onwards, make sure to give my mother-in-law two Qingming pastries for each meal. All of you servants need to pay close attention to the food and not undermine my mother-in-law’s devotion to Buddha.”