227: Death is not the end of life, forgetting is

"I don't have many taboos. If there's anything you need help with, just say the word."

"That's good." Ye Kaijun pointed to the memorial hall in the second bedroom: "Why don't we go inside and talk?"

"Sure."

Discussing matters inside a memorial hall was a bit strange, but Ye Su had no taboos and didn't think much of it, so he followed Ye Kaijun into the room.

After entering, Ye Su couldn't help but glance at the four memorial portraits, and only then did he notice four small urns on the altar.

Ye Su was certainly no stranger to these things.

As a male descendant, whenever an elder in the family passed away, Ye Su had to follow the adults, stopping for roadside rituals during the funeral procession, and finally follow the hearse to the crematorium to have the ancestor cremated.

After cremation, the ashes would be placed in such urns, then taken to a feng shui site on the mountain so the ancestor could be laid to rest.

Ye Su hadn't expected that besides setting up a memorial hall in the house, Ye Kaijun had also kept the ashes of the four people at home.

Just from this alone, Ye Su could feel how devastating the successive deaths of his family members had been for the old man.

Seeing Ye Su enter the room and gaze at the four urns on the altar, Ye Kaijun knew what he was thinking, so he took the initiative to say:

"These are the ashes of Wu Xiaolan and the other three."

"Mm."

Ye Su didn't know what to say, so he could only bow slightly toward the portrait of Wu Xiaolan in the middle.

This gesture from Ye Su caused a glimmer of comfort to flash in Ye Kaijun's eyes:

"Do you think I'm a weirdo for letting the ashes of Wu Xiaolan and the others stay in this room for so long?"

"Of course not." Ye Su shook his head to deny it, then added with a bit of worry:

"It's just that Aunt Lan and the others have already passed on. You still need to let go and look forward. I believe that Aunt Lan and the other three are watching over you from above, and they would also want you to live your life well."

"You're right." Ye Kaijun smiled with relief: "That's why I asked you to come today. I want you to help me move Wu Xiaolan and the others to Ander Building. I already picked out the spot yesterday."

Worried that he might be imposing, Ye Kaijun added: "Of course, if you think this isn't appropriate, that's fine too. I can just take a taxi there later."

Hearing that Ye Kaijun had let go of his mental burden and was finally willing to send his family members on their final journey, Ye Su was happy for him and replied with a smile:

"There's nothing inappropriate about it."

Hearing Ye Su agree so readily, a glimmer of light appeared in Ye Kaijun's cloudy eyes, and at the same time, he made up his mind that he could make Ye Su his heir.

"Since you say so, I won't stand on ceremony with you. Give me a ride later to take Wu Xiaolan and the others to Ander Building."

"Okay."

First, he waited for Ye Kaijun to offer four sticks of incense at the memorial hall and burn some paper money in the room, muttering about sending them on their way, before finally moving the four urns down.

The ashes and the urn together weighed over ten pounds each.

Given Ye Kaijun's current physical condition, it would be very difficult for him to carry all four urns downstairs at once.

Fortunately, he didn't refuse Ye Su's help.

Except for Wu Xiaolan's urn, which he carried down himself.

The remaining three urns were all placed into boxes that Ye Su had prepared in advance and carried downstairs.

He placed the boxes in the back seat and had Ye Kaijun sit in the back as well to ensure that the four urns wouldn't have any issues. Only then did Ye Su carefully drive to Ander Building, where he and Ye Kaijun placed the four of them into their memorial niches.

"If I pass away in the future, I'll have to trouble you for one last favor: could you place my ashes together with Wu Xiaolan's?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Su's heart tightened, knowing that Ye Kaijun was entrusting him with his final arrangements.

But Ye Su couldn't reveal that he already knew about Ye Kaijun's current physical condition, so he could only force a smile:

"Don't say things like that. Keep a positive mindset; you might just live to be over a hundred."

"Haha." Ye Kaijun laughed heartily:

"I'm already at this age, I don't have that many taboos. Whether it's living to be a hundred or just living for a little while longer, it's not that important."

Seeing Ye Su hesitate, Ye Kaijun's eyes revealed a touch of earnestness and anticipation: "Just tell me whether you agree to do me this favor or not."

"Mm..." Ye Su nodded silently: "If that day really comes, I will definitely help with this favor. However, I don't know how to arrange funeral matters; you wouldn't mind, would you?"

"What's there to mind? You just need to get a death certificate, take me to be cremated, and then place the ashes next to Aunt Lan."

It was clear that after settling the four family members, Ye Kaijun had truly come to terms with life and death; even when talking about his own funeral arrangements, he was as relaxed as if he were chatting about what to have for lunch.

On the contrary, Ye Su, as a bystander, wasn't quite used to this atmosphere and felt a tightness in his chest.

Only now did Ye Su realize that knowing when someone would pass away, yet being unable to do anything about it and having to watch their life slip away day by day, could feel so heavy.

After receiving Ye Su's verbal promise, Ye Kaijun nodded with satisfaction, then looked toward the four memorial niches in front, his eyes filled with reminiscence.

Shaking his head, he snapped out of his heavy mood. Seeing Ye Kaijun staring blankly at the memorial niches of his four family members, Ye Su had no choice but to place his hands on Ye Kaijun's shoulders and comfort him:

"You shouldn't be too sad. Isn't there a saying that goes: Death is not the end of life, forgetting is. As long as you still remember Aunt Lan and the other three, it's all the same whether they stay at home or are placed here."

"Don't worry. At my age, I've seen through everything; I won't get stuck in a rut anymore." Ye Kaijun chuckled and turned to look at Ye Su:

"However, that line just now doesn't sound like something someone your age would say. Where did you see it, and then use it to lecture me?"

"Hehe." Ye Su scratched the back of his head: "It was from a foreign animated movie I watched before, called 'Coco'."

Death is not the end of life, forgetting is.

Recalling Ye Su's words just now, and looking at the ashes of the four people before him, Ye Kaijun felt even more touched:

"Hearing you say that, I actually want to see what kind of animated movie that is."

"That's simple. When we get back later, I'll turn on the TV for you."

"Haha." Ye Kaijun smiled kindly: "Okay."

Ye Su had originally thought that Ye Kaijun would stay here for a while longer.

Unexpectedly, after Ye Kaijun looked at the five memorial niches again, he said to Ye Su: "Alright, let's go back."

"Okay."

Although surprised that Ye Kaijun wanted to leave so soon, Ye Su respected his wishes and helped him leave Ander Building.

"It's still early. Do you need to buy some groceries or anything? I can drive you there."

"No need. Look at what I'm wearing right now. If I went to the vegetable market, people would think there's something wrong with me."

"Alright then."

After what Ye Kaijun said, Ye Su also felt that wearing a Zhongshan suit to buy groceries at the market at the end of May was indeed a bit eye-catching, so he took Ye Kaijun back home, helped him turn on "Coco", and finally left Ye Kaijun's house.