Chapter 125: Chapter 125 This is not ashes
Huo Tingdong opened the car door and asked, “Do you want to get out?”
Lin Qi nodded and said, “Yes.” She was still holding a bouquet of flowers she had bought on the way, along with so snacks that kids like.
Huo Tingdong lifted Lin Qi out of the car and asked, “Do you rember which row and number it is?”
Lin Qi said, “Of course, I rember, I co here to pay my respects every year.” She always ca alone, never bringing Momo here.
Therefore, it was also Momo’s first ti.
Han was huddled inside the car, shivering.
He looked at the eerie tombstones on the hill, shuddering so hard his shoulders were shaking.
Didn’t Momo say he was going to see his brother?
What kind of place was this?
Momo turned around and saw Han curled up in the corner, unable to help but laugh and cry at the sa ti, “Why are you such a scaredy-cat?”
Han looked around and suddenly a flock of crows flapped past, their bleak and piercing cries making Han shrink his shoulders even more.
His innocent little face was filled with fear.
He didn’t like this gloomy place, his face showing resistance.
Momo said, “Aren’t you coming out?”
Han shook his head.
He didn’t want to get out.
Lin Qi said, “Han, it’s not safe for you to stay in the car alone.”
Huo Tingdong returned to the car door and coaxed, “Good boy, Han, Daddy will hold you, don’t be afraid, okay?”
Han looked at Huo Tingdong’s gentle face, finally crawled from the corner to the car door, and opened his arms for Huo Tingdong to hold.
Huo Tingdong held him in his arms and glanced at Lin Qi.
Momo, being sensible and well-behaved, held Lin Qi’s hand. This was his first ti here, only Lin Qi knew where his brother was buried.
Lin Qi said, “Let’s go.”
Row 99, number 17.
Following her mory, Lin Qi arrived at row 99. Glancing over, so headstones were no longer there, turning into neglected graves; so had collapsed from lack of maintenance over the years; others, because their descendants didn’t pay for their upkeep, had their ashes removed and placed aside, unclaid.
She made her way step by step to a gravestone.
The gravestone was bare.
When she buried this baby, she hadn’t even settled on a na, so the inscription wasn’t carved, leaving only “Mother: Lin Qi, mournfully stands.”
The pine tree next to it was one she had planted by hand seven years ago, now having grown unnoticeably to 1 ter in height.
The offerings in front of the gravestone were scattered about, so carried away by stray dogs, so accidentally knocked over by other grave sweepers.
Lin Qi squatted down, picked up a small broom nearby, and swept away the dust, then wiped the stone.
Huo Tingdong said, “Why bury him in West Suburb Cetery?” He could see that this cetery was in serious need of managent fees, unmaintained, and desolate to the extre.
Lin Qi said, “Because, the ceteries in many other places are too expensive, costing hundreds of thousands or even millions. I can’t afford the better ones.”
Huo Tingdong stared at the empty gravestone for a long ti before asking, “Have you thought of a na for him?”
Lin Qi laughed bitterly, “At the ti of his burial, I hadn’t decided on a na, but later I thought of calling him ‘Lin Jinxi’. I originally had plans to earn money and buy him a better cetery.”
Her mother’s ashes were still kept with the Lin Family.
She had always wanted to bury her mother and this child together.
Huo Tingdong said, “The Huo Family has a family ancestral tomb. When the ti cos, we can transfer him to the Huo Family tomb.”
Lin Qi’s gaze beca unfocused for a few monts.
“”
Han stayed completely nestled in Huo Tingdong’s arms throughout the process, not daring to look at the tombstone, nor to glance around.
Momo looked at Han and comforted him with a sentence: “Han, don’t be scared, this is my brother.” He pointed at the tombstone, “My brother is in here, his na is ‘Lin Jinxi.'”
Huo Tingdong said, “Tomorrow, I will contact the cetery’s manager to retrieve his ashes.”
Lin Qi nodded, “Okay.” It’s better to be buried in the Huo Family’s ancestral cetery than here.
She had heard that the Huo Family had built an ancestral cetery, where the deceased mbers of the Huo Family are buried.
It is essentially their ancestral grave.
Lin Qi asked, “Can I go along when he’s buried?”
Huo Tingdong replied, “Yes, you are his mother.” He turned to look at Lin Qi, “So, get well soon. I want to hold a proper funeral for this child.”
Lin Qi was sowhat surprised.
She had seldom seen a hint of human warmth in this man.
In her eyes, Huo Tingdong had always been like a cold-blooded machine, without warmth, but now, it seed her view of him had sowhat changed.
“Okay.”
The next day.
Huo Tingdong sent Mo Ke to contact the cetery manager and retrieved the urn.
The urn was a small one, made of white jade, sealed in the burial chamber for many years, it had lost so of its luster and was tightly sealed.
Mo Ke took great care in keeping it and brought the urn back.
Lin Qi had been preoccupied with this matter, and so, early the next morning, she called Huo Tingdong. Hearing that the urn had been retrieved, she wanted to have a look.
Huo Tingdong said, “Tonight, I will bring it over.” He had planned to send the urn directly back to the Huo Mansion for safekeeping.
Since she wanted to have a look, he would bring it for her to see.
That evening.
Huo Tingdong brought the urn.
Lin Qi waited outside the hospital departnt building.
Han was still very scared, but Momo was not afraid at all.
Especially when Mo Ke carefully presented the urn, he boldly stepped forward and took the urn before Lin Qi.
Lin Qi imdiately reminded him, “Momo, be careful.” She asked with so puzzlent, “Momo, aren’t you scared?”
Momo muttered, “Scared of what, my brother is inside.”
He turned to look at Lin Qi and asked innocently, “Mommy, can I open it to see my brother?”
Lin Qi was stunned for a long ti and before she could stop him, Momo had already opened the urn.
“Momo, stop.” The urn shouldn’t be opened so carelessly.
But Momo had already opened it.
He glanced inside. It was a mix of gray and white ashes. He couldn’t help but take another look, and suddenly his face showed a trace of doubt.
“Mommy…” He stared at the ashes in the urn, his eyes wide, “It doesn’t seem to be ashes in here.”
Lin Qi was taken aback, “What?”
Huo Tingdong also showed a surprised and doubtful expression, “Not ashes, then what is it?”
Momo frowned slightly and reached out to grab a clump of the ashes, rubbing it between his fingers, his expression growing stranger, “Ashes shouldn’t be like this.”
Lin Qi was astonished and asked, “How do you know?”
Momo said, “I read in books that often, after many bodies are cremated, not all bones turn completely to ashes, usually leaving so bone remnants. Mommy, look, the stuff inside doesn’t look like ashes.”
Lin Qi was shocked, “If it’s not ashes, what could it be?”
Momo sniffed at it and rubbed it between his fingers, speculating, “I think it’s like a mix of concrete and magnesium powder, without even a bit of bone residue.”
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