Dressed as a farmer's widow, she brought her daughter to stock up on food and reached the top

Zhao Cunliang thought of his mother lying on the bed, and with trembling legs, he staggered towards his mother's room.

When he saw his mother, who had already stopped breathing, he fell to his knees and burst into tears: "Mom, I'm so sorry!"

Tian Guilan and the children also followed in. When they saw this scene, they couldn't help crying.

At this time, neighbors came to Zhao Cunliang's house and couldn't help but shake their heads and sigh when they saw the tragic scene. Someone comforted him, "Cunliang, this is a natural disaster, don't blame yourself too much."

But Zhao Cunliang could not forgive himself. He knew that it was his cowardice and selfishness that killed his mother.

Meanwhile, Xiuying's family also suffered losses, but fortunately, everyone was safe. Xiuying was overwhelmed with mixed emotions upon hearing the news of Zhao's mother's death. She could still vividly remember how harsh and vicious Zhao's mother had been towards her, but now she also felt a tinge of sadness.

The whole village was immersed in sadness and helplessness. People began to clean up the mess and rebuild their homes, but Zhao Cunliang's pain in his heart was unknown when it would be healed.

After the hailstorm, the villagers came out of their homes and looked at the devastated village, all of them were still frightened.

Old Zhang looked at his own fields and said with emotion, "Thanks to Xiuying, we were able to harvest the fruits and vegetables in the fields ahead of time. Although the harvest is a little less, it is better than nothing at all."

Aunt Li also agreed: "Yes, if Xiuying hadn't reminded us to reinforce the house, the consequences would be disastrous. Although our family also suffered some losses, they were not too serious."

Brother Wang dusted himself off and said with a smile, "Being safe is the greatest blessing. Everything else can be earned back slowly."

Everyone was talking at once, their words filled with gratitude and relief for Xiuying.

The children were running around in the ruins, and although there was still fear on their faces, they were beginning to regain some energy.

Uncle Zhao looked at the villagers around him and said loudly, "We have escaped a disaster this time. From now on, we must unite as one and help each other. If we encounter any difficulties next time, we will face them together!"

Everyone nodded, their eyes revealing determination and hope for the future.

Xiuying hurried to Zhao Cunliang's house and was greeted by a scene of devastation as soon as she entered the yard. The roof tiles were scattered all over the place, and the ground was littered with broken debris and hailstones.

At this moment, quite a few people had gathered at Zhao Cunliang's house, and everyone was gathered together talking.

"The dead are the most important, so we should take care of the funeral first." Someone said in a heavy tone.

"Yes, this matter cannot be delayed." Another person echoed.

Xiuying saw Zhao Cunliang slumped on the ground in despair, with Tian Guilan and the children crying beside him, and a complex emotion welled up in her heart.

She walked forward and said softly, "Uncle, please take care of Mom's funeral first, and we can talk about the other things later."

Zhao Cunliang raised his head and looked at Xiuying, his eyes full of guilt and pain: "Xiuying, where do I have money..."

Xiuying interrupted him: "The most important thing now is to let mother pass away in peace."

The villagers nodded and began to discuss the specific arrangements for the funeral.

Although Zhao's mother is usually annoying in the village, her aggressive temper and habit of taking advantage of others give many villagers headaches.

But if something really happened, the kindness and simplicity in the villagers' bones would still prevail. Especially when it comes to such a matter of life and death, the villagers only have compassion for Zhao's mother.

Aunt Li helped organize the funeral supplies while wiping away tears and said, "No matter what, the person is gone, so let's not talk about the past."

Uncle Wang came over carrying a bundle of wood and sighed heavily: "Yeah, who could have imagined it would be like this? Alas, this is fate."

Aunt Zhang also echoed: "Everyone should help if they can, so that the old sister-in-law of the Zhao family can pass away with peace of mind."

Aunt Liu, who had argued with Zhao's mother on a daily basis, also had red eyes at this moment. She silently made preparations for the funeral, muttering, "This old woman passed away so suddenly. I hope she can change her temper and be well over there."

The whole village was filled with a sad atmosphere. Everyone worked together to ensure that Zhao's mother's funeral was properly held and to send her on her final journey.

The day after Zhao's mother passed away, Xiuying paid for her funeral.

Since Zhao Cunliang's family was already in ruins and could not afford to hold a funeral, after discussion among the villagers, Zhao's mother's funeral was finally held under the crooked tree in the village.

Next to the crooked tree, a simple shed was erected, and Zhao's mother's body was placed inside. Xiuying was busy arranging various matters and even invited a Taoist priest from the village to pray for Zhao's mother's soul.

Villagers also came to help, some brought tables and chairs, and some prepared meals.

At the funeral, Tian Guilan and several children were there crying and wailing.

Tian Guilan slapped her thighs with her hands and howled at the top of her lungs, "Oh my God, why did you leave like this?" Her voice was loud, but looking closely, there was not much genuine sadness on her face. The few tears that were forced out hung in the corners of her eyes, refusing to fall.

Several children imitated Tian Guilan and cried loudly. Guangzong cried while secretly glancing at the reactions of the people around him. Yaozu and Dafu Dagui followed suit, crying louder than each other, but they didn't shed many tears.

When the villagers nearby saw this scene, they couldn't help but mutter in their hearts.

Aunt Li curled her lips and whispered to the person beside her, "Look at the crying. It's all talk and no action. It's just pretense."

Uncle Wang also shook his head and sighed, "Alas, what a pity. Mrs. Zhao loves these grandchildren so much."

Zhao Cunliang stood there blankly, his eyes empty, as if he had not yet recovered from the disaster.

At the funeral, the sounds of weeping and chanting intertwined. Xiuying watched it all with mixed emotions. She recalled all the bad things Zhao's mother had done to her, but now she felt relieved.

When everything was ready, the funeral procession slowly set off. Zhao Cunliang walked in front, holding his mother's portrait, followed by Tian Guilan and the children. The villagers also followed silently, bidding Zhao's mother farewell.

Taohua and her sisters walked silently behind the funeral procession, their faces full of sadness and helplessness.

Taohua bit her lip tightly, remembering what Zhao's mother once said: "After I die, it will be enough for me to have filial sons and grandchildren. The girls will all belong to other families." Her heart ached.

Shi Liu tugged at Tao Hua's clothes and sobbed softly, "Sister, how could Grandma say that to us?"

Taohua gently patted Shiliu's hand and comforted her, "Don't take it to heart. Grandma is gone, and we should do our final filial duty."