Chapter 27 Ancestor Worship

On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, three days before the New Year, according to Su Tianyu's hometown customs, they had to visit ancestral graves before the New Year. However, the Su family was a family in exile overseas. The living had left, but the dead were difficult to move. The family graves were still in their homeland, the Hua District, so they could only use traditional customs to burn paper money and other items at intersections and ports to express their condolences.

Before Su Tianyu came to Dragon City, he would buy some sacrificial offerings and burn them at intersections to commemorate his parents every year during the New Year holiday. But this year was his first year back home, so Su Zhengcai made it more grand. He had his third sister prepare many things in advance, wanting Gou Liuzi to comfort his parents, that he had grown up and become an adult.

In the evening, around seven o'clock.

The Su family, a large group of dozens of people, pulled a truckload and a half full of sacrificial items and arrived near Haiyan Pit to begin the ceremony.

Third Sister drew many circles on the ground, placing the sacrificial items in batches. Then Su Zhengcai first offered incense and burned paper money to his parents, grandparents, and various elders.

As the paper money was about to burn out, Su Zhengcai took the lead, bent down, knelt, and shouted, "Kowtow!"

For a family with flourishing descendants, holding such a traditional ceremony was quite shocking. Dozens of people bent down and knelt, kowtowing towards the distant east. The burning smoke slowly drifted away, representing the living's longing for their deceased relatives.

After Su Zhengcai finished honoring his parents and elders, he stood up and stepped aside, saying to Su Tianyu, "Kowtow to your parents too, burn some paper."

Su Tianyu originally didn't have much sentimental emotion, because his parents had passed away several years ago, but today the Su family made it so grand, it inexplicably touched a soft spot in his heart.

Su Tianyu stood next to the circle, lit the paper money, and placed white wine and offerings.

The sea breeze blew, and Su Tianyu inexplicably thought of the scene when his father was about to enter prison. At that time, he had already been tortured beyond recognition by the relevant inspection departments, his body was thin, and his face was bloodless, but even so, Su's father still told his son in a very calm tone: "Our generation lives with baggage, but your generation is different. Son, live well, live well, I will always be proud of you."

After his father was taken down due to political issues, Su Tianyu's will was once very depressed. But at that time, his mother, already sick in bed, still encouraged him to apply for military school, to follow his own life plan, and not be affected by the family.

Before his mother passed away, she didn't add any negative emotions to Su Tianyu. She was always optimistic and strong. The night before she closed her eyes, she was still in the hospital with Su Tianyu watching courseware and chatting with him.

Thinking of this, Su Tianyu felt a little uncomfortable. After burning the paper money, he knelt on the ground, kowtowing while softly murmuring, "Dad, Mom, I graduated... The New Year is coming soon, I'm sending you some money to spend, you don't have to worry about me down there. I know what to do with my future life."

Three kowtows on the ground, Su Zhengcai lovingly touched Gou Liuzi's head: "Okay, you've become successful, they can close their eyes in peace seeing that."

The memorial ceremony ended.

A car stopped at the intersection, the Bai brothers got out of the car, and Bai Hongbo said to Gou Liuzi, Su Tiannan, Su Tianbei and others, "Let's go, let's find a place to get together?"

"Why are you getting together every day? Don't you have anything serious to do?" Su Zhengcai educated Bai Hongbo.

"Uncle, the meaning of life is not just about living, a pleasant process is also very important." Bai Hongbo grinned and replied, "Let's go, or we'll go together?"

Su Zhengcai waved his hand and cursed, "Go, go, get lost!"

Bai Hongbo smiled and shouted to Su Tianyu and others, "Let's go, let's go, the New Year is coming, let's have some fun."

The Chinese New Year is all about having fun, so Su Tianyu and others didn't refuse. After simply cleaning up the memorial site, they left with Bai Hongbo and the others.

...

In the evening, around nine o'clock.

The group had dinner at a restaurant and then went to the entertainment city in the central street of Zha Nan, where they sang karaoke and had a big party.

Inside the private room.

Bai Hongbo very directly said to Third Sister, "Miao Miao, want to play dice?"

"Just the two of us? That's no fun." Third Sister said, eating fruit, lacking interest.

"It's more fun with just the two of us. If you win, you can order me to do one thing; if I win, you just kiss me." Bai Hongbo said affectionately.

Third Sister squinted at him, "If I win, and tell you to eat shit, you'll eat it too?"

"As long as you're willing to watch, I won't even ask for sugar." Bai Hongbo replied with a firm gaze.

"Get lost, go eat it in front of your own kids!" Third Sister had obviously heard a lot of Bai Hongbo's gossip recently.

"Oh, are you jealous?"

"I'll eat your mom."

Beside them, Su Tianyu, after singing a song, sat on the sofa, covered in sweat, and turned his head to see Bai Hongbo's younger brother, Bai Hongtao.

Bai Hongtao was twenty-three years old this year, looking gentle and fair-skinned, usually speaking very little, and also having a fierce personality. During the previous battle with Lu Feng at Fumanlou, he was the main force of the Bai family. If it weren't for him that day, Da Bai's big face would probably have been chopped in half by the other side.

"Why aren't you singing?" Su Tianyu asked with a smile.

"Oh, I don't like singing." Bai Hongtao replied, playing with his phone, "I'd rather play mahjong or something."

Bai Hongtao and his brother also had different hobbies. One loved women, and the other loved gambling, but neither of them was addicted to the point of losing their minds.

"Tomorrow, if we have nothing to do tomorrow, let's set up a couple of tables and play mahjong or something." Su Tianyu said with a smile.

"Okay!" Bai Hongtao put down his phone, sat up straight, and chatted with Su Tianyu, "Hey, when will our business on the sea resume?"

"I'm not sure either, but Director Yu has been running around these days, and I heard that he's contacting other district's gangs. I didn't ask for specifics..." Su Tianyu replied softly.

...

In the ungoverned pre-planning area outside Dragon City, a dozen men gathered together. This group was the same group of Lao Leizi (old mercenaries) who were hired by Yu Mingyuan to rob the gang's goods.

The group gathered in an old, dilapidated bungalow. The leader took a bag of money and distributed "wages" to everyone: "The New Year is coming, let's all take it easy. Those who should go home should go home, and those who should relax should relax. But remember, it's best if you don't contact each other, and don't tell others your contact information. In short, keep a low profile. When there's more work, I'll notify you."

"Okay!"

The Lao Leizi responded, and then dispersed with the money. Those who had families went home for the New Year, and those who didn't took the money to enjoy themselves.

A day later, before going home, one of the Lao Leizi found a friend and whispered to him, "I have some goods, can you help me move them? A lower price is fine."