The Funeral We Laughed At
奶奶去世的那天，天空一直是灰色的。
Grandma pass-away (POSS) that day, sky continuously be gray color (POSS).
The day Grandma died, the sky was gray from morning to night.
我从大学请了三天的假，坐了一夜的火车回到老家。
I from university request (PERF) three day (POSS) leave, sit (PERF) one night (POSS) train return to old home.
I took three days off school and rode the night train back home.
屋子里来了很多亲戚，大家都穿着深色的衣服，说话的声音很低。
House inside come (PERF) very many relative, everyone all wear (CONT) deep-color (POSS) clothes, speak (POSS) voice very low.
The house was full of relatives, everyone in dark clothes, voices kept low.
妈妈眼睛红着，一直在厨房里忙。
Mom eye red (CONT), continuously at kitchen inside busy.
Mom's eyes were red, and she stayed in the kitchen the whole time, busy with something.
爸爸坐在客厅，跟叔叔小声地商量事情。
Dad sit at living-room, with uncle small-voice (ADV) discuss matter.
Dad sat in the living room, talking things over quietly with my uncle.
我不知道该说什么，就坐在墙边看着大家。
I not know should say what, then sit at wall side look (CONT) everyone.
I didn't know what to say, so I sat by the wall and watched.
到了晚上，全家人围着大桌子坐下吃饭。
Arrive at evening, whole family person surround (CONT) big table sit-down eat rice.
In the evening, the whole family sat down around the big table to eat.
桌上有奶奶生前最爱做的那几个菜。
Table on have grandma life-before most love make (POSS) those several (M) dish.
On the table were the dishes Grandma had loved to cook most.
刚开始，没有人说话。只听见筷子轻轻碰到碗的声音。
Just begin, not have person speak. Only hear chopsticks lightly bump-to bowl (POSS) voice.
At first nobody spoke. You could only hear chopsticks lightly touching bowls.
突然，二舅放下杯子，笑了一声。
Suddenly, second-uncle put-down cup, laugh (PERF) one sound.
Then suddenly, my second uncle put down his cup and let out a small laugh.
“你们还记得吗？奶奶以前最怕家里有人浪费。”
"You-all still remember (Q)? Grandma previously most afraid home inside have person waste."
"Do you all remember? Grandma hated to see anyone in this house waste food."
“有一次我剩了半碗饭，她追着我跑了三个房间。”
"Have one time I leave-over (PERF) half bowl rice, she chase (CONT) me run (PERF) three (M) room."
"One time I left half a bowl, and she chased me through three rooms."
桌子周围的人慢慢笑起来。妈妈也笑了，眼睛里还有眼泪。
Table around (POSS) person slowly laugh-up-come. Mom also laugh (PERF), eye inside still have tear.
Around the table people slowly began to laugh. Mom laughed too, with tears still in her eyes.
姑姑接着说：“她那个脾气，认定了一件事，谁也别想改。”
Aunt continue say: "She that (M) temper, decide-firmly (PERF) one (M) matter, who also not think change."
My aunt picked it up. "That temper of hers — once she decided something, nobody could change her mind."
“你爷爷走了二十年，她还是每天给他留一双筷子。”
"Your grandpa leave (PERF) twenty year, she still every day for him leave one pair chopsticks."
"Twenty years after Grandpa died, she still set out a pair of chopsticks for him every day."
我才发现，原来奶奶一直这么做。
I only discover, originally grandma continuously this-way do.
Only then did I realize she had been doing that the whole time.
三舅笑得最大声：“你们想想她唱歌的样子！”
Third-uncle laugh (DEG) most big voice: "You-all think-think her sing (POSS) appearance!"
My third uncle laughed loudest. "And remember the way she used to sing!"
“一个字都唱不准，可是从来不让别人唱。”
"One (M) character all sing not accurate, but from come not let other person sing."
"She couldn't carry a single note, but she'd never let anyone else have a turn."
妈妈也开口了：“去年过生日，她还偷偷在厨房唱给自己听。”
Mom also open mouth (PERF): "Last year pass birthday, she still secretly at kitchen sing give self listen."
Mom joined in. "Last year on her birthday, she even snuck into the kitchen and sang to herself."
我们都笑了。笑着笑着，妈妈把头低下去，眼泪掉在桌子上。
We all laugh (PERF). Laugh (CONT) laugh (CONT), mom (BA) head low down-go, tear fall at table on.
We all laughed. And while laughing, Mom lowered her head and her tears dropped onto the table.
可是她还在笑。我们也还在笑。
But she still at laugh. We also still at laugh.
But she kept laughing. We all kept laughing.
故事一个接一个：奶奶跟邻居比谁的菜便宜，差点儿吵起来。
Story one (M) follow one (M): Grandma with neighbor compare who (POSS) vegetable cheap, nearly start-argue.
The stories kept coming — Grandma arguing with the neighbor over whose vegetables were cheaper, nearly getting into a fight.
奶奶把电视声音开得很大，说这样听得清楚。
Grandma (BA) television voice open (DEG) very big, say this-way hear (DEG) clear.
Grandma turning the TV way up because she said she could hear better that way.
奶奶在超市非要试每一种新水果，店员都认识她。
Grandma at supermarket must want try every one (M) kind new fruit, shop-staff all know her.
Grandma insisting on tasting every new fruit at the supermarket until the staff all knew her.
我哥哥说：“她还教我开车，结果我们差点儿撞到一棵树。”
I older-brother say: "She still teach me drive car, result we nearly hit-to one (M) tree."
My older brother said, "She tried to teach me to drive once. We nearly hit a tree."
“她下车以后说：‘没事，树没坏。’”
"She get-off-car after say: 'No matter, tree not broken.'"
"After we got out she just said, ‘It's fine. The tree's fine.’"
全家人都笑得直不起来。
Whole family person all laugh (DEG) straight not up-come.
The whole family was laughing so hard nobody could sit up straight.
我看着大家——大家都在哭，也都在笑。
I look (CONT) everyone — everyone all at cry, also all at laugh.
I looked around — everyone was crying, and everyone was laughing.
奶奶的椅子是空的。可是好像她也在桌子边上。
Grandma (POSS) chair is empty (POSS). But seem like she also at table side on.
Grandma's chair was empty. And yet, it felt like she was at the table too.
三舅举起杯子：“敬妈，敬她这一辈子。”
Third-uncle raise-up cup: "Toast mom, toast her this one lifetime."
My third uncle lifted his cup. "To Mom — to her whole life."
大家都举杯，没人说一句正式的话。
Everyone all raise cup, no person say one (M) formal (POSS) word.
Everyone raised a cup. Nobody said anything formal.
饭吃完了，外面天已经全黑了。
Rice eat-finish (PERF), outside sky already all black (PERF).
By the time we finished eating, it was fully dark outside.
我帮妈妈收拾碗，她忽然停下来，看着我说：
I help mom tidy-up bowl, she suddenly stop-down-come, look (CONT) me say:
I was helping Mom clear the dishes when she stopped and looked at me.
“今天晚上，是我这几天笑得最多的一次。”
"Today evening, is I these several day laugh (DEG) most many (POSS) one time."
"Tonight I've laughed more than I have in days."
她说完又开始流眼泪，可是嘴角是笑的。
She speak-finish again begin flow tear, but mouth-corner is laugh (POSS).
Then her eyes filled with tears again, but her mouth was still smiling.
我走到外面，看着夜空，第一次明白：
I walk to outside, look (CONT) night sky, first time understand:
I walked outside, looked up at the night sky, and understood for the first time:
原来告别一个人，不只是难过。
Originally bid-farewell one (M) person, not only is sad.
Saying goodbye to someone isn't only sadness.
也是把她最可爱的样子，一个一个想起来。
Also is (BA) her most lovable (POSS) appearance, one (M) one (M) think-up-come.
It's also remembering, one by one, all the parts of her you loved most.
回屋子的时候，我听见里面还在笑。
Return house (POSS) time, I hear inside still at laugh.
When I went back inside, they were still laughing in there.
奶奶大概也想听见这样的声音。
Grandma probably also want hear this-way (POSS) voice.
I think Grandma would have wanted to hear it too.