Grandma Jiang’s tomb is at Babaoshan in Beijing.
It always rains during the Qingming Festival. It was drizzling outside when she woke up in the early summer morning. She knew that Cen Huaian would go to the martyrs' tomb with the school today, so she told him to wear a raincoat.
She and Cen Zhengnian took the bus to Grandpa Jiang's house first. At this time, most of the Jiang family members had arrived.
But there are also those who didn't come because they were too busy with work and couldn't rest even on their days off. For example, my aunt Yang Mei, her work had to come as soon as she was told and had to be dealt with promptly.
The children didn't come either; they were sent to school.
It was still drizzling at this time, and Grandpa Jiang was too old to get wet in the rain, so Jiang Zhishu drove and took Grandpa Jiang, his second uncle, and his second aunt there first, while the rest of the people took the bus.
When we got off the bus, the rain outside had not stopped, but it was a little lighter.
Cen Zhengnian held a large black umbrella over Chuxia's head, and the two of them followed everyone else towards the cemetery.
Uncle Jiang was walking in the front. He looked more serious today. Everyone had a heavy expression. Even the most lively Jiang Zhida was wearing a neat black Zhongshan suit today. His usual cheerful look was gone.
There are many people buried in Babaoshan Cemetery, and it is not just the Jiang family who came to visit the graves today.
But no matter whether they know each other or not, they just nod to each other when they meet, without any greetings.
Grandpa Jiang, Jiang Zhishu and the others had already arrived. Jiang Zhishu was clearing the weeds growing in the corners around the cemetery. Grandpa Jiang was sitting in front of the cemetery, throwing gold ingots and other things into the brazier while talking to the tombstone.
Uncle Jiang was handing paper money to Grandpa Jiang, his head down and his eyes red. Aunt Jiang was standing by, looking at the words on the tombstone with a blank look in her eyes, not knowing what she was thinking.
There are several pots of blooming flowers placed around the tombstone, not only jasmine, but also gardenia, jasmine, lilac...
Chuxia and Cen Zhengnian walked over and placed the flowers in their hands in front of the tombstone.
She prepared this specially. There are not many flower shops at the moment, but there is a market selling potted flowers and plants.
Before early summer came, I went with Cen Zhengnian to buy yellow and white florets. She used newspapers and colorful cloth to tie the flowers into a bouquet, and decorated them with some small flowers and branches. The whole bouquet looked very beautiful.
When Cen Zhengnian saw the flowers that Chuxia had wrapped, he seemed to think of something and raised his lips slightly: "My grandma will definitely like it when she sees it. She loves flowers very much."
Grandpa Jiang's hobby of growing flowers and plants was introduced by Grandma Jiang. In Cen Zhengnian's words, Grandma Jiang was a person with a very elegant taste for life. Chuxia listened to her and an image of an elegant old woman emerged in her mind.
Others who were supposed to burn incense did so, and those who were supposed to guess the offerings did so, while Cen Zhengnian silently took the small broom he brought in the basket and cleaned the area around the tombstone.
After everyone had finished paying their respects and Grandpa Jiang had said everything he needed to say to Grandma Jiang, Cen Zhengnian knelt in front of Grandma Jiang's grave, and Chuxia knelt beside him.
"Grandma, I brought Chu Xia to see you."
Chu Xia: "Grandma, I am your granddaughter-in-law Chu Xia. I'm sorry I came to see you just now."
She finished burning incense with a serious look on her face and said, "You have a great-grandson, but he has to go to the martyrs' graves today and can't come to see you. I will bring him next time."