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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 081: Supernatural Growth (Part Seven)
To be ungrateful is human. Chi Xinrong repaid a debt on behalf of her father, and I think that’s commendable. Watching her rush out and slip the card into the hands of the two elderly people, I felt genuinely happy for her.
Chi Zhi Ping's grave was chosen at Songling Cemetery. Was this his wish to be with his wife, Ji Xiaoying, or was it solely Chi Xinrong's request? As a Mortician, my role was merely to ensure that the funeral arrangements proceeded smoothly to the end; I couldn't pry into other matters.
The crematorium's announcement called for the family to collect the ashes, and then the Honor Guard from the funeral home played their instruments as they escorted us to the entrance. Uncle Zhang, leading our Honor Guard, received the Deceased's ashes and placed them in the vehicle. A Baymax flower adorned the front of the hearse as our procession left the crematorium in grand style.
Suddenly, my phone rang unexpectedly. I was relieved it hadn’t interrupted Chi Zhi Ping's memorial service; that would have been so awkward! Not being in the habit of checking numbers, I answered the call. A rustling sound came through, and I said, "Ma Wu Funeral Home, responsible for red and white Happy Events such as weddings and funerals..." This was our advertising line; we couldn't afford celebrity endorsements, so I figured I could promote us myself!
After my spiel, there was silence on the other end. The sound resembled countless creatures scuttling about—rustle, rustle! After waiting for a while without hearing a response, I realized that my phone call had shattered the tranquility inside Ding Li’s car. At least a third of the people were staring at me.
Especially Chi Xinrong, who was fixated on me, observing my expression and tone.
“Ugh, boring,” I muttered as I hung up.
Fat quickly leaned over and asked, “Was it Mi calling?”
“Hell no.” I held my phone tightly while pondering that familiar rustling sound. Where had I heard it before?
“It wasn’t Mi!” Fat glanced at Chi Xinrong with disappointment, hugging his bag and turning his head to look out the window.
Outside the car window lay an unobstructed view of late summer scenery. A gentle breeze stirred my hair slightly; looking out at the dense grass covered in vibrant flowers made me imagine their intoxicating fragrance wafting through the air.
“Brother Qi, Rongrong is looking at me! Hehe!” I irresponsibly encouraged this hopelessly narcissistic person with a thumbs-up to go flirt with her.
The phone rang again. This time I deliberately checked the caller ID—unknown!
Under Fat's watchful gaze, I cautiously answered the call.
Before I could say anything, there was that rustling sound again—like something was crawling out of the phone. You could imagine those tiny creatures inching toward your ear; the noise grew louder—then amidst those fragmented sounds came a voice: “She... has... come... ten...” And then silence again.
What the hell! What kind of prank is this? But without a displayed number, how could I trace who was playing tricks on me?
Fat was intensely focused on my phone call, watching my every move with rapt attention before licking his lips and asking impatiently, “Who is Brother Qi?”
“Why do you have so many questions? It’s none of your business!” I shot him an annoyed glance as I put away my phone, still mulling over what I'd heard—the disjointed hints in that voice. She has come... ten. What does that mean? If it were a prank, why go to such lengths to make it so eerie?
I tightened my collar, ignoring the curious glances around me. Leaning back and closing my eyes, I focused on calming my mind, shutting out all distractions.
The carriage was silent. The wheels rolled over the ground, occasionally making a light thud as they crushed small stones beneath them. I could hear the sound of breathing and felt the urge to activate my Demon Eyes. A sharp pain shot through my eyes, causing my face to twitch. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes, sensing something trickling from the corner of my eye, followed by a scream and a loud shout from someone nearby.
My head felt fuzzy, memories fading and my vision blurring. The faces around me morphed into indistinct shapes; the carriage was a chaotic mess. Someone with a pleasant scent stood in front of me, gently wiping my face. Finally, I recognized the person before me.
It was Chi Xinrong, holding a silk handkerchief and gazing at me intently.
"Are you okay?"
I straightened up, looking at her, then at everyone else, and finally at the frightened figure of Fatty who had stood up in alarm.
"What happened to me?"
Chi Xinrong looked anxious, her voice trembling uncontrollably. "You’re bleeding from your eyes."
Bleeding from my eyes? Instinctively, I reached up to touch them.
Chi Xinrong quickly grabbed my hand. "Don't touch it. We'll go to the hospital after the funeral."
With her grip on my hand, I could have easily pulled away, but I chose not to. I hoped she would let go on her own. Fatty's fear turned into anger as he was forcibly moved by Chi Xinrong to sit several seats away from me, glaring at me with hostility.
Eventually, Chi Xinrong released her grip, her fingers slightly trembling as she apologized. "I'm sorry; I was just really worried." I assured her it was fine, but she pressed on with another question. "Have you ever injured your eyes?"
"Sort of," I replied, not wanting to delve into eye-related matters for fear of inadvertently mentioning Li Gui. I also didn’t want to give anyone the wrong idea about why I hadn’t pulled away from Chi Xinrong’s grasp; I simply didn’t want to make things awkward for her.
Chi Xinrong pressed further with a commanding tone. "You don’t want to talk to me?"
"Sort of."
"You..."
"I'm sorry; can you switch Fatty back? I want to rest; I have things to do later." I deliberately adopted a cold demeanor, pushing Chi Xinrong away emotionally. With her, I wanted to keep things clear-cut and decisive; the more resolute I was, the better. I believed she was strong enough to handle temporary sadness and would eventually heal.
But Han Mi was different.
She struggled with depression, and given my past vows to her, I wouldn’t easily be swayed by other women. In my heart, there was only her—even if she wasn’t entirely herself anymore.
Chi Xinrong noticed my determination and, without saying much, stood up and grabbed the car handle, calling for Pang to switch places.
Pang sat back down beside me, the previous hostility gone, but there was nothing to say.
I didn't want to waste words with him either, so I closed my eyes, waiting to open them only when we reached Songling Cemetery.
Just as I was closing my eyes and focusing all my attention on calming my mind, the car jolted slightly and came to a stop.
Then the door opened, and someone came in, heading straight for me.
I heard Chi Xinrong quietly asking who it was, and then that person rudely shouted at me, "Ma Qi, wake up and help me."
I slowly opened my eyes to see him looking down at me, his trembling Adam's apple and complex expression making me detest how he had once looked down on me with such arrogance. Now he was asking for my help.
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