Mysterious Assistant of the Washed-Up Queen-Chapter 480 - 316: Ancestral Worship, Spring Festival Gala Part 2
Of course, they didn’t use one common set of Chinese terms for maternal grandparents here; instead, they used another, effectively calling them ’Grandma’ and ’Grandpa’ (referring to the maternal side).
Early the next morning, Chu Tian went out to buy some items. Then, taking all the offerings he had prepared, he arrived at East Mountain Cemetery.
His paternal grandparents, as well as his parents, were buried here.
At the service hall, he paid ten years of management fees in one lump sum and purchased some more items before turning to head up the hill.
It was called a hill, but it was really just a small mound of earth. In this plain, it was difficult to find a real mountain, though there were plenty of such mounds, most of which had been flattened.
After all, the talent for farming is in our national genes. When it comes to breaking new ground, we are adept. Any mound that can be moved is sooner or later flattened and sown with crops.
East Mountain remained simply because it was too vast. After so many years, it still hadn’t been completely dug up, so this remaining part was turned into a cemetery.
Walking through rows of tombstones, Chu Tian, who had never experienced such a thing, felt extraordinarily conflicted.
On one hand, there were memories of another world where his parents were alive and his grandparents were buried in the countryside. Aside from on TV, he had never seen so many tombstones at once.
On the other hand, there were the memories of this world, where just a few years ago he had personally carried his parents’ ashes to this place. The entire process remained vivid in his mind.
With such complex emotions, he finally stood before a black tombstone.
He silently arranged all the offerings, then burned the paper money, lit the incense, and stood there dazed for a long time before he finally spoke his first words.
"Dad, Mom, I’ve come back to see you."
For some reason, even though these were the parents of this body and the soul had long since changed, when he spoke those words, Chu Tian’s tears could not be held back and instantly fell.
Once he started, it was as if he had opened the floodgates. He recounted everything about his life over the years—the happy and the unhappy, the good and the bad—just as if he had arrived home for a holiday and was enthusiastically sharing all the fresh experiences he’d encountered with his long-unseen parents.
While talking, he cycled through crying and laughing, and at times, his face was completely calm.
The tears on his face dried and then wetted it again, over and over.
Finally, when he had nothing left to say, he put away his smile. Looking seriously at the names on the tombstone, he slowly spoke,
"Dad, Mom, you probably know by now... I’m not the ’me’ I was before. I’m sorry..."
Though he faced two people who were long gone, he didn’t know why he felt so guilty, filled with remorse, as if he owed them something.
He hadn’t wanted to say it, but he couldn’t help but blurt it out.
He had wanted to say he would treat them as well as their real son would have, but then he thought of how they were no longer of this world. Who would care? Suddenly, he found he could not say anything more.
At last, he hastily wiped away his tears and, taking the remaining items, went to find his paternal grandparents’ graves and hurriedly paid his respects.
As for his maternal grandparents, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to visit. He simply didn’t know where they were buried, or even their names. With no way to find out, he had no choice but to let it be.
Chu Tian didn’t know how long he had spent inside, but by the time he left, it was already dark, even though it had been just after eight in the morning when he had set out.
Back at the hotel, he sat in a chair, not wanting to move at all, his mind awash with all kinds of thoughts.
But no matter what, he had done what he came back to do. As for other relatives, to be honest, Chu Tian wasn’t familiar with them at all.
His father had two younger sisters who had married off long ago. They had returned when his father passed away, but Chu Tian really didn’t know them well. Later on, there was even less contact.
His mother had two older brothers, but perhaps their relationship wasn’t good. In any case, there wasn’t much interaction. They hadn’t even come when she died, so naturally, he didn’t bother to reach out. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚
This situation was actually quite good; it saved him a lot of trouble.
「Several days had passed since he returned from his hometown.」
During that time, Xu Qingqiu had asked him where he’d been, but Chu Tian had simply fobbed him off with some excuse.
As for Xu Qingqiu, since his own family hadn’t experienced any deaths, he didn’t understand these matters well. He didn’t even consider those possibilities, so he naturally had no suspicions.
「Before they knew it, Chinese New Year’s Eve had arrived.」
When they left home in the morning, one could already feel that the festive atmosphere on the streets had grown much thicker.
The number of cars on the streets had noticeably decreased, and red lanterns and small colorful lights were hung everywhere.
The roadside green belts and trees were wrapped with all sorts of shiny light strands. It seemed that due to the tight schedule, some workers were still hurriedly laying out nets of lights and wires.
By the time they arrived at CCTV, the main entrance was already adorned with Spring Festival couplets. A long string of big red lanterns had been hung, presenting a very festive scene.
This must have been the result of urgent work in the last couple of days.
Entering the lobby, it was even more festive. Elements of the Spring Festival Gala were attached everywhere: from the entrance to the walls around the hall, from the pillars in the middle to the doors of every office.
Everywhere one looked was vibrantly red, bustling with busy staff members.
Additionally, each staff member had a red scarf wrapped around their neck. This was a standard accessory for the Spring Festival Gala that almost everyone participating received.
Many company annual meetings had imitated this practice. This was particularly true for traditional enterprises, which study Wang Yangming’s philosophy of the mind while distributing red scarves. It has become a sort of culture in itself.
After communicating with the staff, Chu Tian and his group made their way to the lounge area, but this time it was different from before.
In the past, they knew few people, so there was nothing else to do but wait.
But now it was different. Sister Hua had gotten to know quite a few people recently. Additionally, it was unclear whether Zhao Fengsheng needed their help or if he genuinely liked Xu Qingqiu, but either way, he had introduced them to many contacts within the circle.
That was why they had arrived so early: to greet certain people, visit others, show their faces, and build relationships. Otherwise, coming over in the afternoon would have been completely sufficient.
Of course, since it was their first time participating in the Spring Festival Gala, and many senior performers were arriving before noon, they decided to arrive a bit earlier as well.
"Let’s go through it once more! Remember, at the third cue, you all must be quick. The formation has to change immediately, and there can be no delay, got it?"
In the corridor, a dance troupe from somewhere was still rehearsing intensely, aiming for perfection even in these final moments.
As they passed through the hallway, they could still hear people in other lounges practicing.
Sketches, comedies, songs, dances, and more—all forms of programs and all kinds of people had their nerves stretched taut.
And so, in between intense practicing and eating boxed meals, evening arrived in the blink of an eye.
At this moment, the whole nation was immersed in a vibrant, festive atmosphere. By the afternoon, even the last-minute folks had put up their Spring Festival couplets. Friends in the north had hung all sorts of colorful lights and cleaned their homes.
Friends in the south had their windows shining brightly, and neighbors warmly greeted familiar faces.
Whether in the north or the south, as night fell, a lavish New Year’s Eve dinner was prepared. Families sat together joyfully, drinking, chatting, and feasting.
「On the evening of Chinese New Year’s Eve, at 8:00 p.m. Beijing time, the Spring Festival Gala officially began to the sound of lively music.」
"Flowers bloom in thousands of households, wealth welcomes the New Year! Dear viewers, Happy New Year to everyone!"
After the opening dance, amidst the blessings of several hosts, the curtain rose on the Spring Festival Gala.
"It’s not going to be the same old stuff tonight, is it?"
"Hmph, as long as it’s not a hodgepodge of internet jokes, I’m fine. I’m really over those."
"Come on, come on, it’s the New Year. If you like it, just watch; if not, go out and play cards. Watching the Gala is about enjoying the festivities; there’s no need to be picky."
Online, once the Spring Festival Gala started, netizens also became lively. Some critiqued it, while others defended it.
But no matter what, everyone held onto a sliver of expectation for the programs to come. They hoped to see content they would enjoy, which was not at all unreasonable.
