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261 Necessary Red Envelope

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    ?

    Of course, I can't rest yet!  Because, after my father went to the funeral home, the person who rented the ice coffin came to dismantle the mourning hall.  In addition to the mourning hall, the canopy outside is also his.  When we returned, the ice coffin renters were already busy.  So, after the completion of "Ring Nails", I had to settle the bill with the person who rented the ice coffin.

    Although the hearse and minibus were also called by the person who rented the ice coffin, they were paid first after we got home.  Maybe they belong to the same family, so it doesn't matter who they pay the bill with; or maybe they have contacts, but they are not from the same family. Afterwards, these drivers will give a certain rebate for renting the ice coffin.  The driver was also straightforward, he said, they were all acquaintances, and I wouldn't charge randomly, the total was 400 yuan plus a pack of cigarettes.  Maybe you will think that people who do business usually fool around like this: "Acquaintances, I don't ask for random prices."  Therefore, you may not believe what the driver said.  However, after hearing the price tag, I felt that the driver should be telling the truth.

    I don¡¯t know if you still remember the scene where I found a car to take my father back to his hometown after his father died of illness in the hospital.  It was at that time that I first came into contact with the group of people who depended on the dead for food.  On the surface, they all seem to be honest people, but in fact they are extremely treacherous.  Their honest appearance is just pretending to confuse people, otherwise how can they win people's trust and receive business without capital?  It was under the deception of these "honest people" that we finally negotiated a price with them - five hundred and fifty yuan.

    Maybe you will say that the difference between 400 plus a pack of cigarettes and 550 is not too much!  A cigarette is 120 yuan, plus 400 yuan, it is 520 yuan.  In this way, it is indeed almost the same.  But, you must not forget that when you come back from the hospital, there is only one car, and when you go to the funeral home, it is a hearse plus a CMB.  That is to say, if only the hearse is counted, it would take less than half of the previous fare.  Besides, this is a regular hearse.  The one that came back from the hospital was converted from a slightly larger van.  After putting down his father, besides sitting next to his father, there are only one or two people in the whole car.  That is to say, last time, we spent more than double the normal cost of a hearse, but what we rented was only a temporarily modified car that was two-thirds the size of a normal hearse.  Furthermore, there is a big gap between the two service times.  The modified car just sent us to our hometown, and the hearse had to wait there for a long time after sending us to the funeral home before loading us back.  This is actually equivalent to the difference between taking a taxi and chartering a car.  But in fact, what I have encountered is that chartered cars are cheaper than taxis.  From this, it is not difficult to see how dark those guys in the hospital who specialize in killing people are!

    What's more, strictly speaking, the cigarettes can't be counted into the fare.  In our place, white things and red things, in addition to the pre-negotiated fare, the driver's cigarettes are extra and necessary.  In other words, giving cigarettes to drivers is a custom and has nothing to do with the fare.

    Of course, drivers are not only invited, but also relatives and friends who drive private cars.  Maybe you will say, since you are relatives and friends, you can do a little favor so that you won't have to ask for the fare, right?  One is a cousin, one is the eldest son of his father's cousin, and the other is a cousin.  Of course they wouldn't speak.  But there are rules about funerals. From the point of view of the master, it is necessary to give red envelopes.  Therefore, after paying the bill with the hearse driver, my mother asked my cousin, "How much should I give to those who drive small cars?"

    "It's all from my family, just give me some meaning." The cousin replied without thinking.

    "Then, how about ten yuan?" My mother asked tentatively with a blushing face.  Because, my mother knew that the ten yuan was indeed a little low.

    "ten yuan?"

    Listening to my cousin shouting so loudly, my mother felt even more embarrassed.  Mother regretted it at that time.  I wouldn't be so stingy if I knew it earlier!

    Just when my mother was about to change her words and say "fifty", my cousin said again: "It's too much! Give me five yuan and you'll have it! If you give too much, it would seem alien. If it weren't for the red envelope, you must give it."  According to this rule, you don¡¯t have to pay five yuan. Don¡¯t even mention cigarettes or anything. No one will ask for it!¡±

    The cousin vigorously encouraged the use of a small car to go to the funeral home just to save us money. Therefore, here, he blocked the mother with words first, so as to save the mother from entanglement and embarrassment.  At this point, I have to thank my cousin again.  If it weren't for my cousin's ideas and little help, then my father's funeral would never have been completed so smoothly.

    As for how much money was paid for the ice coffin, mourning hall and canopy, because there is no comparison, I don't remember very clearly now.  However, there is one thing that left a deep impression on me, that is, considering my cousin's face, the man's asking price does not seem to be too high.high.

    After I was busy with everything, I dragged my tired body and found a place to fall asleep.

    Although very sleepy, I know that there are still many things to be busy today.  It was precisely because of this concern that I was a little dazed for a while, and then I got up sleepily.

    The first thing to be busy is to return the borrowed things one by one.  For example, a mahjong machine.  Today, my father will be buried, and from now on, there will be no need for a vigil.  No one was watching the night, so naturally there was no need for a mahjong machine.  Since it is not needed, it is of course better to return it as soon as possible. Firstly, people may need to use it, and secondly, it takes up a lot of space to keep it.  As long as the things borrowed for funerals are returned, red envelopes must be included.  This is our custom here.

    As for why the red envelopes are included, I can't explain clearly.  In my opinion, this may have something to do with "unlucky".  The funeral is to arrange the funeral for the dead.  As long as the dead are involved, it must be considered unlucky.  Therefore, the objects borrowed for funerals are inevitably considered to be tainted with bad luck.  Once such bad luck is transmitted through the loaned item, it will have an adverse effect on the lender.  However, "red envelopes" symbolize "auspiciousness" because they contain the word "red".  Through the "auspiciousness" of "red envelopes" to dilute the bad luck of lending objects, you can avoid disadvantages.  It is just for "auspiciousness", so this "red envelope" is a must.  Of course, here, the symbolic meaning of "red envelope" is far greater than the actual meaning.  Therefore, few people will care about how much money is in the "red envelope".  (Remember the site URL: www.hlnovel.com
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