Seeing the groups of people passing by her, she understood that they were all here to attend the Li family's funeral.
She saw Sang Yongbo directing the traffic in front of her. All the cars that came in drove into the wheat field.
Many people dragged the wheat straw and kept spreading it in the wheat field to prevent their cars from getting stuck.
There were very few people in the village who farmed. Most of the fields were given to relatives and friends outside the village. Many people came early in the morning to look at the fields, afraid that the rain would flood the fields.
The wheat field was ruined, but not only were they not angry, they even took the initiative to shovel the water and help spread the wheat straw. The Li family was a big local family, so they had to give them face.
Moreover, Li He donated money to the local school, built bridges, and repaired roads, so everyone had more or less benefited from it.
Sang Yongbo opened the canvas bag in his hand and took out the money. Without counting, he stuffed it into everyone's arms. "Don't waste it for nothing. Take what you have to take."
Although he didn't farm anymore, he knew who the fields at the entrance of the village belonged to and who was farming them.
No matter who it was, they had to pay for it. It was only right and proper.
Rich and overbearing, he took the money and stuffed it into everyone's hands.
Everyone was a little embarrassed to take the money in public, but seeing Sang Yongbo's enthusiasm, it seemed like he would be angry if they didn't take the money, so they still took it. Everyone took a few tens of thousands of yuan, and they were overjoyed.
Even the whole field didn't yield much in a year. After deducting the seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers, there was not much left.
Before Pan Ying reached the entrance of the Li family, she heard the deafening sound of the suona from afar. When she reached the entrance, she saw 50 to 60 people sitting in the shed at the entrance, playing the suona with puffed cheeks.
What surprised her was that this group of people was very strange.
There were young men, old men, middle-aged men, and even women. Some of them were dressed in rustic attire, and it was obvious that they specialized in this field. Some of them were dressed in white shirts and had shiny leather shoes, and they looked like teachers. Two of the women were dressed exquisitely, wearing long skirts, which made them stand out even more.
He Zhou was standing at the entrance, smoking, and staring at the foot of the right wall of the Li family's entrance.
Pan Ying poked him. "What are you looking at? What's wrong with them?"
Her father was standing there with two middle-aged men wearing glasses. They seemed to be quarreling. The two middle-aged men's ears were red and their necks were thick. They kept stomping their feet as if they had been insulted by her father.
He Zhou puffed out a ring of smoke. "When Uncle Li was alive, he loved playing the suona. Uncle Li searched everywhere for suona players, from both sides of the river, including from Xinyang. He found quite a few suona players, and as he searched, he even picked up a school's vocal music teacher. He didn't explain in detail what he was doing, but when he got out of the car, he saw that it was for a funeral.
No matter what he said, he wouldn't do it. It would be embarrassing if word got out. No matter what, he was still a high-level intellectual and a vocal music expert.
Your dad is negotiating with them right now. "
Pan Ying said, "This is too unreliable."
She stared in the direction of her father without blinking. She saw her father take out a stack of cash from his bag and stuff it into their pockets.
Not long after, the two middle-aged men joined the suona choir with puffed cheeks.
Wave after wave of people entered the Li house. Sang Yongyang, Guo Dongyun, Wang Ziwen, and Yu Dehua stood in the yard to greet them.
He Zhou felt that he was getting in the way. He said to Pan Ying, "I can't help much here. I'll go back first."
Pan Ying grabbed him and asked, "Wait, when did you come back?"
"Let's go. It's too noisy." The suona was too loud. He Zhou was tired of listening and talking, so he led Pan Ying in the direction of his house.
Pan Ying really couldn't help the Li family, so he could only follow behind He Zhou.
He Zhou said as he walked, "Last night, my mom called me. Then I asked Jiawei to drive and come back with them."
This summer, he was still working at his mother's company as usual. However, he had changed his position. This time, he was no longer a porter, but a delivery man on an electric tricycle.
The difference was that as a delivery man, he had no human rights. He adhered to the principle of putting the customer first. He couldn't refute even if he was scolded like a dog.
From time to time, there was a rumbling sound in the sky. Helicopters landed and took off again, all flying in the direction of the river.
He Zhou said, "My god, where did so many helicopters come from? Didn't they say that there was air traffic control? How did so many of them suddenly come? "
Pan Ying said, "They haven't stopped since last night. I estimate that there are more than a hundred helicopters. Look, it's only eight o 'clock now. I think there will be more in the afternoon."
He Zhou lit another cigarette and said, "I didn't know that Uncle Li has such a big scene. Let me put it this way. In just a short while, I saw five or six people on the list of China's richest people."
At the intersection, in front of the houses, there were people everywhere. Some gathered to smoke, some chatted, and some gathered in twos and threes.
Pan Ying pointed at them and said in a low voice, "None of them are ordinary people. Look, which ordinary person can fly a helicopter and bring so many bodyguards, secretaries, and drivers? Not a single one of them is simple."
He Zhou nodded and said, "That's true. They all look familiar, but I don't know their names."
The two stood at the entrance of the village, watching the cars start to drive out of the village.
It was close to noon and half of the cars in the village had left.
Li Pei, Li Lan, and the others came back.
Pan Ying realized that in such a short time, the elegiac couplets had already wound their way to the entrance of the village.
When they reached the central room, the Li family of all sizes were kneeling by the two walls, each looking haggard.
Qi Hua walked over and said to Li He, "Mr. Li, Secretary He is leaving."
As soon as he said that, He Jun walked in and squatted in front of Li He, who was about to get up. He said gently, "Old friend, you're welcome. I have a meeting in the afternoon, so I'll be leaving first. Take care of yourself and accept your fate."
Li He nodded and said, "Then I won't see you out."
There were too many people and he couldn't handle them all, so he decided not to deal with them. Fortunately, Qi Hua, Guo Dongyun, and the others were familiar with his circle of friends and could do a good job of greeting people.
After He Jun left, Li Zhaohui rubbed his red and swollen eyes and entered the central room. He said to Li He, "Go to the kitchen and eat something. How can you not eat? It's been three days, don't make it."
When he heard the news of his brother's death, he rushed back from the provincial capital that night.
He didn't expect his brother to leave in such a hurry.
Li He puffed out smoke rings and said, "I'm not hungry."
Li Zhaohui said, "I don't care if you don't eat, but the children have to eat. If you don't take the lead, who will eat?"
Li He looked at Li Ke, Yang Huai, and the others and shook his head. He went to the kitchen and ate something. After a few bites, he sat back down in the central room.
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