The four sat down, and Song He Xie opened a bottle of red wine: "Brother, welcome home."
The clinking of glasses made a crisp sound.
The red wine slid down the throat, slightly astringent, then sweetened aftertaste.
"Tomorrow we'll head back to the countryside…" Song Heping put down his glass: "To sweep the gravestones for mom and dad."
There was a moment of silence at the dinner table.
Lingling's eyes were a little red, she lowered her head, picking at the rice grains in her bowl: "Hmm. Dad's grave and mom's grave have now been relocated together, and we renovated them again the year before last Tomb-Sweeping Day."
"Must have cost quite a bit."
"It was all the money you sent back, brother." Song He Xie said: "We renovated using the best specifications, marble tombstone, fenced it in, plus a large expanse of concrete ground."
Song Heping nodded, picked up a piece of braised pork and put it in his mouth.
