As soon as they got out of the car, they saw white streamers everywhere in front of the old mansion and people in mourning clothes, standing densely at the entrance.
The rain didn't stop. Instead, it poured down harder. Black umbrellas blocked the entrance tightly.
Shen Yanche didn't know the reason either. It was only after he went inside and asked that he found out that an elder of the Shen family, an old granduncle, had passed away last night.
Granduncle Shen was a centenarian. He had accumulated a lot of connections and relationships in his life. All the people in front of the old mansion had come to pay their condolences.
According to Shen Yanche, this granduncle was highly respected, but he himself had only met him a few times. He had only been held by the old man a few times when he was a child.
Although the incident was sudden, they had to accept it at this moment.
Shen Yanche held an umbrella and led Nanyu into the ancestral mansion. There were even more people inside. Everyone looked gloomy and listless.
As they walked further in, they could hear the wailing of women.
Nanyu lowered her eyes, carefully avoiding the puddles. She restrained herself from looking around and just followed Shen Yanche with her head down.
When they entered the mourning hall, the wailing was even louder than before.
Shen Yanche led Nanyu to kowtow first, and then went to the side to burn paper.
People came to kowtow and pay their respects continuously. Nanyu stayed quietly.
Some people noticed her and quietly asked about her identity. The person answering spoke even more quietly. In the end, it turned into some meaningful looks.
Nanyu felt uncomfortable, so she averted her eyes.
Occasionally, she could hear someone sigh and say that with the passing of the head of the Shen family, the family's good fortune was gone, and they didn't know what would become of the Shen family in the future.
Another person said that wasn't the youngest of the Shen family about to have good news? Once there was an heir, the family's good fortune would be continued.
...
Nanyu stared blankly at the tongues of fire curling out of the brazier for quite a while.
Shen Yanche told her to wait there while he went to talk to Shen Suhai.
Obviously, the death of Granduncle Shen was an unexpected event, completely disrupting their original plan to put Nanyu on the family genealogy.
For Nanyu, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Nanyu thought to herself that since the Shen family suddenly had to hold a funeral, could the matter of her being added to the family genealogy be postponed?
She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice that the discussions in the mourning hall had gradually quieted down.
It wasn't until everyone's eyes turned towards the outside of the hall that Nanyu snapped out of her thoughts and slowly turned her head.
The leading man held an umbrella. His figure was tall and solitary. He was wearing a plain robe.
His eyes were a deeper color than the black clothes in the hall.
His features were well - defined, his expression calm. There was no warmth in his eyes wherever he looked, as if he was detached from the mundane world. The whole person had an air of extreme elegance.
He was like the snow in the crevices of a deep mountain.
The moment she saw his face clearly, Nanyu was shocked and quickly lowered her eyes.
She instinctively felt for the Buddhist beads on her right wrist, as if this action could bring her a moment of peace.
Nanyu wondered why Tan Linyuan would appear at the Shen family's funeral.
She didn't need to ask. The discussions gave her the answer.
It turned out that Tan Linyuan was specially invited by the Shen family to perform the Buddhist rite for the granduncle. When the person whispered this, there was full respect in their tone for this "great Buddha" Tan Linyuan.
This reminded Nanyu.
When she and Shen Yanche held their engagement banquet, Tan Linyuan had also appeared in such a manner, praying and chanting scriptures for their marriage.
Nanyu thought with a bit of amusement that it seemed he took on both weddings and funerals. It seemed that after retirement, he could find another job.
The steward of the Shen family stepped forward to greet him and said respectfully, "Mr. Tan, thank you for coming in such heavy rain. We're sorry to have bothered you."
"It's my duty," Tan Linyuan said, his thin lips barely moving. His tone was cold and aloof, like frost and snow.
His eyes were cold as he glanced lightly across the mourning hall.
For a moment, Nanyu's eyes met his, and then they quickly separated.
It was so fast that it seemed like just an illusion.
Nanyu subconsciously bit her lip, and her fingers involuntarily tightened on the Buddhist beads.
Behind him were several monks in dark - colored robes. It seemed they had come with him to perform the Buddhist rite for the deceased Granduncle Shen.
Nanyu immediately stepped aside sensibly.
Tan Linyuan walked towards her and stopped right in front of her.
Nanyu took two steps back. Tan Linyuan didn't turn to look at her but stared straight at the center of the mourning hall.
He stood less than two steps away from her. She could smell the fragrance of incense on him, mixed with his unique coldness.
The light in the mourning hall was dim, making it hard to see clearly, as if covered by a thin veil, hazy.
From Nanyu's angle, she could clearly see his facial contour.
Although she had long known that he was extremely handsome, in this situation, she couldn't help but sigh in her heart that he was truly a perfect person.
Whether it was his features, figure, or status.
She also remembered the faint scar on his chest that was almost invisible. For a moment, she was lost in thought.
In this situation, Tan Linyuan was just too perfect, not like a real person.
Such a person was indeed easy to make people worship and believe in, giving people the illusion of a god on earth.
After straightening his robe, Tan Linyuan sat cross - legged on the spot and began to chant scriptures for the deceased. The several monks followed him at the same time, and the sound of chanting Buddhist scriptures filled the mourning hall.
The steward waved his hand, and everyone in the mourning hall knelt down.
Nanyu didn't know what was going on, but in order not to stand out, she also knelt down.
Being so close, Nanyu could hear his cold voice lingering in her ears for a long time.
In the middle, she lifted her eyelids and could only see his plain robe and his calm face.
That cold air made her feel cold.
Just as she was staring at his side face, Tan Linyuan seemed to sense something and slightly turned his head.
Nanyu was caught off guard and looked into his eyes.
That look was half - smiling, just like before, as if saying to her, "Don't be afraid. I'm here."
Nanyu immediately lowered her head.
She heard her heart beating abnormally fast in her chest.
Her thoughts were in a complete mess.
By the time the chanting was over, it was already noon.
The Shen family had arranged lunch in advance, a vegetarian meal specially prepared for Tan Linyuan and the other monks.
The relatives also sat down to eat in the main hall.
Shen Yanche appeared at this time. He came over and smiled, inviting Nanyu to go and eat.
The steward had arranged things carefully. Knowing that Shen Yanche and Tan Linyuan had a close relationship, he arranged for them to sit at the same table.
"Uncle, we of the Shen family always trouble you. We're really sorry," Shen Yanche said, trying to get closer to Tan Linyuan. "It's raining so heavily. After lunch, you should rest well. You'll have to work hard for the next two days."
Tan Linyuan nodded indifferently and said in a calm tone, "You came back today too?"
"We came this morning. We only found out about Granduncle's death when we got back," Shen Yanche said with a solemn expression. "The world is really unpredictable."
Listening to their conversation, Nanyu said nothing and just ate silently.
It seemed that their way of getting along was no different from before.
However, without that indescribable relationship between the two of them, it seemed more above - board.
Halfway through the meal, Tan Linyuan casually asked, "Since you only found out about Granduncle's death temporarily, you had originally planned to return to the ancestral mansion today. What was the matter you were going to do?"