Ji Yunhuai had said the funeral would not take long to arrange, and he had been right.
Old Master Ji had made meticulous arrangements for his own funeral while he was still alive, personally choosing the location, the proceedings, and even the coffin. So despite the suddenness of his death, everything remained orderly, and the day of the funeral arrived only about a week later.
On the day of the funeral, the sky was overcast, with heavy gray clouds hanging low and a fine, cold drizzle falling.
Lu Xiaoxiao wore solemn black-black trousers, a black long-sleeved knit top, and a neatly tailored black cashmere coat. She wore no elaborate accessories, only a small white flower pinned to her chest.
She had pinned up her long hair, revealing her smooth neck and unadorned face, her expression solemn.
Ji Yunhuai also wore a black suit, without a tie, his shirt collar slightly open. A somber exhaustion hung over him, but his back remained straight.
He drove over to pick Lu Xiaoxiao up himself. Neither said much along the way, and an oppressive silence filled the car, broken only by the monotonous sound of the windshield wipers sweeping steadily across the glass.
The funeral was held at a cemetery on the outskirts of the city, nestled between hills and water.
When they arrived at the cemetery, the rain was still falling. It was light but persistent and cold, shrouding everything in a damp gray haze.
Ji Yunhuai got out of the driver's seat first and walked around to the passenger side. He opened a large black umbrella before opening the door for Lu Xiaoxiao.
The tilted canopy kept out the fine drizzle, creating a small, temporarily dry space.
Ji Yunhuai slipped his arm naturally around Lu Xiaoxiao's shoulders, sheltering her beneath the umbrella