Alone and Unaccompanied

As soon as these words were spoken, the scene was in an uproar. Jin Wan, standing on the side, felt as if struck by a thunderbolt!

His body trembled uncontrollably, and he forced a smile that looked worse than crying. "Mother, what are you saying? You've been making this mutton soup for a lifetime. Everyone still loves it so much. How can you just say you're done, and that's it?"

Since even Grandma Sun's own son had spoken up, the young villagers below also began to plead with her to stay, while those of a similar age to Grandma Sun remained silent, their faces filled with unspoken emotions.

Without responding to their pleas, Grandma Sun calmly waved her hand at everyone. "Eat slowly. I'm a bit hungry too, so I'll make myself a bowl of mutton soup."

"Jin Wan, don't stand there at the door, come in and close it. You haven't had your mother's mutton soup in a long time."

Upon hearing this, Jin Wan immediately obeyed. In a daze, he tried several times to lock the door, struggling to close it, and finally managed to shut it after several attempts...

Outside the Ansi Courtyard, many people were still confused, discussing what had just happened. It wasn't until several respected elders spoke out and quieted them down that they calmed down.

"Mr. Gu, should the flatbread be a little crispier?"

Gu Ning'an smiled and nodded. "The usual way will be fine."

"Alright..." Grandma Sun replied, then called on Jin Wan to clean up the dishes and prepare for the meal.

Jin Wan, pale-faced, silently did what Grandma Sun had asked.

After about a cup of tea's time, Gu Ning'an, Grandma Sun, and her son and grandson gathered around the stone table in the courtyard.

In front of each person was a bowl of milky white mutton soup and two pieces of crispy, fragrant flatbreads.

"Alright, let's start eating before it gets cold," Grandma Sun called out, and everyone began to eat.

As usual, Gu Ning'an ate at a steady pace. Grandma Sun also ate slowly, taking small sip and bites of soup and flatbread. Jin Wan ate slowly, but his head was lowered as if he wanted to bury his entire face in the soup bowl.

As for Jin Xingwang, he ate the fastest, with the sound of him slurping soup filling the air.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, everyone had finished their mutton soup.

Grandma Sun looked at them and smiled, asking, "Was the mutton soup delicious?"

"It's delicious, probably one of the best dishes ever made," Gu Ning'an said, and Jin Wan and his grandson quickly added their praises.

"Delicious, the mutton soup my mother makes is unmatched in the world!"

"Grandma's cooking is the best!"

Hearing this, Grandma Sun slowly leaned back in her chair, her eyes squinting into a narrow slit as she smiled. "If it's delicious, then that's good... that's good..."

By the end, Grandma Sun had fully leaned back in her chair, her body relaxed, and her eyes closed.

Seeing this, the room fell silent for a moment, then two heart-wrenching cries rang out!

"Mother!" "Grandmother!"

Jin Wan and his grandson rushed to Grandma Sun's side, kneeling beside her, crying out loudly.

Gu Ning'an stood up from his seat and walked toward the corner of the courtyard.

There, in front of the two patrolling officers, a slightly hunched, illusory figure appeared.

"Shall I accompany you?" Gu Ning'an said softly.

Grandma Sun shifted her gaze from her own body and shook her head. "I've already troubled you enough today. I came into this world alone, and when I leave, I want to go alone."

After hearing this, Gu Ning'an was silent for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Safe travels, Grandma Sun."

"Please take care, both of you."

The two patrolling officers nodded in response to Gu Ning'an, and after covering Grandma Sun with the large black umbrella, they led her through the wall...

Outside Ansi Courtyard, the neighbors and villagers, hearing the wails from inside, naturally understood what had happened.

Some in the crowd sighed, some wiped away tears, and others stared at the unfinished lamb soup in their hands for a long time before drinking it all in one gulp...

...

The large "奠" character (symbolizing an offering), white candles, white lanterns, and the smoky scent from the burning yellow paper filled the entire courtyard.

In mourning attire, Jin Wan knelt before the memorial tablet. His eyes, swollen and red like walnuts, occasionally picked up some joss paper and placed it into the large black pot burning with flames.

By midnight, the villagers who had come to pay their respects had all left. A young couple, also dressed in mourning, stood behind Jin Wan. They were Jin Wan's son, Jin Hong, and daughter-in-law Lian Shuang. They ran a small business in a neighboring town. Though their business wasn't far from Lexiang County, it still took them three days on donkey carts to get here.

This was only the time it took for them to travel back; it didn't include the time it took for the letter of Grandma Sun's passing to reach them.

Normally, they would have needed five days to learn the news, and three more days to return, but they managed to get back in less than half a day after hearing of Grandma Sun's death...

"Father, why don't you lie down for a bit? It's already the second watch of the night. If you keep kneeling like this, your body won't be able to handle it."

As soon as Jin Hong finished speaking, Lian Shuang also chimed in, "Yes, father, you're not young anymore. Grandma, if she knew, wouldn't want you to hurt your body by kneeling like this."

"Don't worry about me," Jin Wan rasped, sounding as though he were rubbing two pieces of sandpaper together. "Have you written down all the condolence money the villagers gave? We won't hold a memorial feast. We'll have to add some to send back to them later."

Jin Hong nodded and replied, "Yes, we've written it all down, every household is recorded."

"No, wait..." Lian Shuang shook her head. "There's a string of twenty copper coins, but no name recorded."

"What's this about?" Jin Wan frowned.

Jin Hong continued, explaining his wife's words: "The twenty copper coins appeared suddenly, with no name recorded."

"But we double-checked when we took the ledger from the butcher Liu."

"It was definitely correct at that time, but now these twenty copper coins—no one knows who gave it or when it was given..."

Hearing this, Jin Wan suddenly remembered a figure in a blue robe and began muttering "twenty copper coins" to himself. It seemed that he understood something and waved his hand to his son and daughter-in-law, saying, "That doesn't count as condolence money, don't worry about paying it back."

"Father, do you know who it is?"

"If it's not condolence money, why was it placed on the ledger?" Jin Hong and Lian Shuang asked, one after the other.

Jin Wan showed a complex expression and said softly, "It was Mr. Gu. He must have paid for the last bowl of mutton soup."

"Give me the money."

Jin Hong, confused, reached into his sleeve and took out a small bundle of coins, handing it to Jin Wan, who was still kneeling.

Taking the bundle of coins, Jin Wan looked at Grandma Sun's memorial tablet and said solemnly, "Mother, Mr. Gu may look down on me, but he came to see you. He also paid for the bowl of mutton soup."

"I don't deserve to keep this money, so I'll send it with you."

As he spoke, Jin Wan tossed the coins into the black pot before him, making a loud, clanging sound.