Chapter 291 Family Tomb Traditions and the Ghost Festival: Honoring Ancestors with Unique Customs

Diana firmly remembered Susie's words and refused to back down. She insisted that Zach also contribute 100,000 dollars, or she wouldn't agree to anything.

The siblings parted ways, each with a gloomy expression, and went home.

As Diana was carrying her groceries downstairs, she bumped into a little girl who was about six years old, dressed in all black and staring at her.

Diana stopped in confusion and asked, "Little girl, do you know me?"

As she approached, she noticed that the little girl was holding a compass in her hand.

The little girl had a cold expression that didn't quite match her age, and she shook her head lightly and said, "No, I don't know you."

Diana looked at her strangely, shook her head, and continued on her way.

Just as she turned around, the little girl suddenly threw a yellow talisman from her hand.

The talisman flew towards Diana's back and stuck to it with a hiss before disappearing in a burst of dark light.

Megan watched as Diana got into the elevator before lowering her head to look at the compass in her hand.

"An evil ghost," she murmured to herself, "it's mine now."

The atmosphere of the Ghost Festival was too heavy, and her power wasn't enough yet. She had to wait a bit longer, at least until tomorrow.

Otherwise, she would have gone upstairs with that woman just now.

Megan pursed her lips, her small face cold, and turned to leave.

**

At the cemetery.

In just over an hour, the wealthy Murray family built a new family tomb with their financial resources.

The main tomb still followed traditional architectural style with a courtyard, but each ancestor's tombstone was decorated in an extravagant and unique way, some with pink bows, others in the shape of a big red heart, and some shaped like auspicious clouds or dragons and phoenixes.

It was all very colorful and innovative.

The ancestors were pleased, and Susie was happy too.

Wade looked around, cautiously approached Susie, and quietly asked, "Do the ancestors like it?"

Susie nodded and said, "The ancestors really like it! Don't believe me, go ask them."

Wade was about to say that it was unnecessary, but suddenly an old voice interrupted him, "Little one, you're stepping on my foot."

Wade was instantly frightened!

The ancestor tutted and said, "What's wrong? Are you afraid of your own family?"

Wade stuttered, "G-g-g-good, good ancestor."

The ancestor patted him on the back, admiring the new scenery, and asked, "Isn't it beautiful?"

Wade replied, "Y-y-y-yes, very, very beautiful."

The ancestor was puzzled and said, "Huh?"

Wade had never stuttered when visiting the tomb in previous years!

The ancestor shook his head and said, "Oh well, let's build a big gate in front of our family tomb and carve a statue of a little boy peeing in front of it. It'll look fashionable!"

Susie repeated, "Uncle Martin, the ancestor wants a big gate in front of our family tomb and a statue of a little boy peeing in front of it to look fashionable."

After a pause, she added, "Why is a little boy peeing fashionable?"

The little one was very puzzled.

"I understand the part about the Golden Boy and Jade Girl, but why would they release a little boy who pees everywhere?"

Martin seemed to sense her confusion and smiled knowingly.

"The Peeing Boy was originally a little boy from Brussels named Julian."

"Was this little boy impressive?" Susie asked.

Hamza, who had been holding back like a mini version of Martin, finally had the chance to speak. He had been unable to mention Lucy earlier and had been feeling quite uncomfortable.

"A long time ago, when the West invaded the Bi kingdom, they placed a large number of bombs in front of the palace, hoping to destroy the city. At that time, everyone was asleep and didn't know that disaster was about to strike. At dawn, a Little Boy got up to pee and found the bombs. He used his pee to extinguish the fuses on the bombs. In order to commemorate him, people erected a statue, which is the Peeing Boy in Brussels."

Susie's mouth opened into an "O" shape.

"How amazing!" she exclaimed. "He saved everyone with his pee! This shouldn't be called 'fancy', it should be called 'awesome'!"

After speaking, she added seriously, "Our ancestors were really farsighted!"

Everyone couldn't help but laugh.

Even the ancestors laughed until they couldn't see their eyebrows or teeth.

Finally, Martin and Manager Zander settled the follow-up plan, and it was getting late. Susie had to go to the Morton Family's side.

Martin had Ryan drive her over, and the rest of them stayed behind to build a new 'home' for the ancestors...

**

The Morton Family's family tomb is a bit special, not in a regular cemetery, but in a martyrs' cemetery.

Not everyone can enter here.

Uncle Roger has told Susie that many citizens come to pay their respects spontaneously every year during Qingming Festival, and they need to make an appointment in advance.

Walking in the solemn cemetery, Susie couldn't help but become a bit serious.

Kellen had just finished tidying up the tombstone and symbolically added some new soil.

Seeing Susie coming, he whispered, "Susie, come here and call your great-grandfather."

Susie inserted the new green branches on the tomb of her great-grandfather, holding her little hands, respectfully bowing and saying, "Hello, great-grandfather."

Kellen was about to speak, but he saw her kneel down with a "plop" and knocked three times on the ground, very sincerely.

Her forehead turned red.

Kellen couldn't help but stifle a laugh, clenched his fist against his lips, and coughed softly, "Okay, great-grandfather must have seen it."

Susie nodded, "Mm-hmm!"

The cemetery is very solemn, and some graves have ghosts floating above them wearing different styles of clothing.

Some wear tattered military uniforms, some wear neat uniforms, and some wear ordinary clothes.

But the Morton Family's family tomb is quiet.

Susie followed her father in burning paper money, and after paying her respects, they collected the chicken and rice, leaving only a few bright red apples, oranges, and pastries in front of the tombstone.

"Let's go."

Kellen rubbed Susie's little head.

**

After eating with the uncles at the Morton Family estate, Susie followed her father back to the Murray Family estate. It was already past seven in the evening, but the Murray Family was still waiting for them to have dinner.

During the Hungry Ghost Festival, Susie could already smell the fragrance of the duck soup from afar.

"Grandma Chloe, Susie's back!" the Murray Family, which had been quiet, came to life as soon as Susie returned.

Big Head Han ran as fast as he could, chanting, "Let's eat, let's eat, let's eat!"

Kellen led Susie; his eyes filled with tenderness.

Unknowingly, the Murray Family had become his second home.

At the dinner table, Wade looked curiously at the table full of different dishes of duck meat and asked, "Sister, why do we kill ducks and not chickens during the Hungry Ghost Festival?"

Susie ate her old duck soup noodles and replied, "Because there is a Nathaniel Bridge in the underworld, and under the bridge flows the River of Three Crossings. Chickens can't swim! If we offer chickens as tributes, our ancestors' belongings cannot be delivered to the other side!"

"So, people kill ducks instead of chickens during the Ghost Festival."

Wade suddenly realized something. "Are there any taboos during the Ghost Festival? Can we go out at night?"