Seeing that Old Zhu had really stopped moving, Zhu Weiqi threw herself onto her grandfather's body and tightly hugged his still, shriveled body that was soaked in sweat and tears. He couldn't cry and could only use his cheek to press against Old Man Zhu's chest as he screamed, "Grandpa!"
His screams startled a lot of people. The people who lived there were all former neighbors of the Zhu Family. They crowded at the entrance of the Zhu Family's house, sighing non-stop.
Some of them helped to carry Old Man Zhu into the house but also instructed Zhu Weiqi to call his parents immediately.
It was a hot and humid season and they had to settle the funeral arrangements quickly.
Those with good eyesight had already found the shrouds that the Zhu Family had prepared. They couldn't help him wear them as this was a family matter.
Zhu Weiqi wiped his snot and looked at Li He. He wanted to say something but he stopped himself.
Li He said, "Come with me, I have a phone in my car. Call your parents."
When they reached the parking lot, he took out the phone from the car seat.
Just as he was about to pass the phone to Zhu Weiqi, he saw Zhu Weiqi struggling to carry the wooden box.
Li He said, "Your grandfather gave it to you. Keep it for yourself."
Zhu Weiqi sobbed and shook his head. "I know I'm useless but I'm not stupid. I know what I'm capable of. Since my grandfather gave it to you, you should take care of it."
He still insisted on putting the box in the trunk of Li He's car.
Li He said, "Your grandfather gave me a few things. You saw it with your own eyes. If you regret it one day and want to go back, you can come and find me."
He didn't want to touch it if he could. Moreover, it belonged to the Zhu Family anyway.
Zhu Weiqi shook his head. "Brother Li, just do as my grandfather says. My grandfather trusts you and I trust him."
"Call your parents then." Li He passed the phone to him. He didn't expect the dumbass to become so smart.
"Grandfather has already …" Zhu Weiqi called his parents. The word 'die' was stuck in his throat and he couldn't say it.
But the person on the other end of the phone seemed to have expected it. After a moment of silence, he hung up.
The Zhu Family was a big family. In just a short while, there were already more than ten cars on the small road. The women started crying even before they entered the house.
She seemed to be really sad.
Zhu Weiqi could not squeeze into the house, so she could only hide on the doorpost, her body twitching non-stop.
Li He paced back and forth in front of the door. He walked around a few times and looked in through the window. Everyone was bathing the old man and changing his clothes. There was a flurry of activity and cries from time to time.
He patted Zhu Weiqi on the shoulder and took out a few thousand yuan from his pocket. "Use this money first. I'm leaving now. Take care of yourself. "
It was useless for him to stay here. He only needed to come here for the funeral. He also wanted to inform Monk Pu and the others.
"Thank you." Zhu Weiqi didn't reject it. He just took it as a deal.
Li He drove to the North Pole Temple. There were not many people in the temple, so he went to the backyard of the temple.
Five or six monks were enjoying the shade in the backyard. Among them, there was even a group of people playing cards.
A monk in his forties was sitting in front of the door, scratching and sniffing as he asked, "Who are you looking for?"
"Is Master Pu here?"
"What's up?" The monk was wary of Li He. There were many people looking for Master Pu, so it was impossible for him to lead everyone there.
Li He smiled and said, "Just tell Master Pu that my surname is Li and I live on Sanmiao Street."
The monk was skeptical, but he still went to pass the message.
After a while, he came back and said, "Follow me."
He led Li He through several corridors, through a door, and stopped in a yard. It was a very wide yard made of bricks. The house looked like it had been renovated not long ago as the wood was still showing white stubble.
There was a big locust tree in the middle of the yard, and a big tree was planted on one side. They were as tall as the eaves of the house. Under the shadow of the tree was a big stone table, surrounded by stone benches.
Monk Pu was wearing a short monk's robe, exposing his yellow belly. Below him was a pair of monk's shoes on his bare feet. He walked here and there all day without any clothes or shoes to stretch his body.
"Ah, you're back. I was thinking of going to see you."
He hurriedly ordered the monk to pour tea.
"I've been back for a while, but I haven't had time to see you."
Monk Pu pointed to the stone bench and said, "Sit there."
"How's your body?" Li He sat down and lit a cigarette.
Monk Pu picked up the cigarette box and lit one for himself.
"I'm alright, I won't die for the time being."
"Aren't you guys called Nirvana or Parinirvana?"
Monk Pu smiled and said, "Daoism talks about life, Buddhism talks about death. Live if you want to live, die if you want to die. Die freely, don't be confused, don't fall into life and death. There's no need to talk so much nonsense. "
"Comrade Li, have some tea." The monk who led Li He in placed a cup of tea in front of Li He.
"Thank you." Li He didn't touch the cup of tea. He remembered that the monk had just picked his feet. Who knew if he had washed his hands or not.
Even if he had washed his hands, he wouldn't drink it.
Monk Pu smiled and said, "What's the matter?"
He knew Li He wouldn't come if there was nothing important.
"Master Zhu has gone."
"Amitabha." Monk Pu closed his eyes and played with the Buddhist beads in his hand. "Everything is impermanent. There's life and there's death.
Great sorrow has no tears, great enlightenment has no words, and laughter has no sound.
Li He didn't say anything and waited quietly for a while. Monk Pu looked a little more solemn this way. Monk Pu didn't stop drinking and eating meat.
After a while, Monk Pu asked, "When did it happen?"
"An hour ago."
"Did he give you the box?" Monk Pu continued to ask.
Li He nodded and said, "He gave it to me. Two porcelain jars, a jade annulus, and three books."
Since even Shoushan knew about it, Monk Pu definitely couldn't hide it from him.
Monk Pu nodded repeatedly. "That's good, that's good."
"They look very ordinary to me. Is there any explanation for them?" Li He looked at those things seriously in the car. He felt that they were ordinary and didn't feel anything. Therefore, he came to Monk Pu to report his death and also to clear up his doubts.
The key was that Old Zhu's death was too sudden.
Monk Pu said, "Liangzhu's jade annulus can't be found even in the Forbidden City. Even if Pu Yi wanted to see it, he still had to buy a ticket."
Li He was amused by this. "This jade annulus has a history?"
"This is green jade. The quality of jade is naturally rare. This is also a jade annulus from the Warring States period. It's a cultural relic. Of course, it's nothing if it's just these. It's just that many lives are involved in it. "
Li He furrowed his brows. "Tell me in detail."
What he disliked the most was trouble, let alone human lives.
Monk Pu took a sip of tea and said, "It's said that the things in the box were blown up by the Japanese from a tomb."
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