Chapter 155: Sense of Ritual

Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Sense of Ritual

Exactly a week ago, it had been the Qixi Festival, and Ling Qianjun had wanted to give Hua Buwan a gift. However, at that time, his group had just entered a drought-stricken region. With people’s lives in imminent danger, they didn’t have the luxury to care about any holidays. Therefore, Ling Qianjun hadn’t brought the matter up.

However, with the arrival of the Ghost Festival, he remembered that Hua Buwan lived all alone. Considering her relatives might not be around, he decided to come over and check on her.

They had previously discussed how dates worked, so he knew that the date, time, and weather on Hua Buwan’s side were exactly the same as his. The only difference was that her world had an additional calendar called the Gregorian calendar. Seeing Hua Buwan’s reaction now, Ling Qianjun felt he was right to come and remind her.

She likely hadn’t kept track of the lunar calendar dates, and without anyone else by her side, no one would have told her. If Hua Buwan had scrolled through her Moments at night, she might have realized what day it was, as many of her friends would be posting spooky stories. Unfortunately, she had been watching videos and completely missed them.

Once Hua Buwan confirmed the date, she immediately wandered around the supermarket to look for supplies. She first brought out a table, setting out snacks and drinks, then went up to the second floor to grab some fruit and cake. After a moment of thought, she found two candles in the supermarket. Lighting them completed the ceremonial vibe.

As a young person of the twenty-first century, she wasn’t particularly superstitious, but traditional festivals still commanded respect and reverence. Just like the Tomb-Sweeping Festival—does a lack of superstition mean one shouldn’t pay respects to their ancestors? Obviously not.

After setting everything up, Hua Buwan stood beside Ling Qianjun. "You’re still on your exile journey. Will the government officers let you hold a memorial? Or is there some other ritual?"

Ling Qianjun recalled the situation on his side and replied, "We just arrived at a village today. We traded the last few things we had with the villagers for offering supplies, as well as some food and drinks. Tonight, we will join the villagers in their memorial rituals.

"On this road of exile, our group has more or less lost several family members. Everyone wants to use this opportunity to express their longing for them," he added. Although Ling Qianjun’s group hadn’t lost anyone along the way, they still wanted to pay their respects to their ancestors—their fathers, grandfathers, and grandmothers.

"As you should. Do you guys need anything else? Do you need my help?" Hua Buwan asked, looking into Ling Qianjun’s eyes.

Ling Qianjun shook his head. "We aren’t short on anything; we can trade for everything in the village. I just came over to check on you."

"Really? If you need anything, just ask, okay?" Hua Buwan blinked, her voice crisp and clear.

Ling Qianjun smiled and shook his head again. "Really.

"I’ll be heading back soon. We have to gather once it gets dark, so I need to get back in time before they notice I’m gone," Ling Qianjun supplemented.

"Okay, want to sit over there for a bit? I’ll make some braised meat burgers for you to take back for dinner. It’ll be really quick." As Hua Buwan spoke, she started walking upstairs.

Ling Qianjun quickly caught up with her pace. "Let me help you out."

Previously, Hua Buwan had made sandwiches for them to try. They had all found the food incredibly convenient, as it could hold vegetables, meat, and eggs inside. It was just that the outer layer of bread was a bit soft and thin, making it slightly hard for them to get used to when eating. He wondered what the difference was between these braised meat burgers and those sandwiches.

"Sure." Hua Buwan turned around and smiled, nodding her head. "Then you can help me wash the lettuce."

"Mhm," Ling Qianjun replied.

By now, the two had arrived at the kitchen on the second floor.