Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 11: Ghost Month Taboos (Part One)
Today, Chi Xinrong was wearing a pair of white high-heeled sandals, with two straps crossing around her delicate ankles. Her bare feet were pale and smooth, with bright red nail polish on her toenails. She wore a white V-neck jacket that hugged her short waist, revealing a glimpse of her fair skin at the waistline of her white pants. From the opening of the jacket, a soft yellow low-cut top peeked out, showcasing a hint of her cleavage.
I couldn't help but look away, feeling embarrassed. My voice dropped to a whisper as I muttered, "Aren't you supposed to be soul-less?" Yet inside, I couldn't help but mock myself; I was the one on the verge of losing my mind while she dressed like that. No wonder Fatty had such wild thoughts about her.
"Cut it out."
"Cut it out? Mine is real! Look at this scar on my arm; it's from when you drove recklessly." I rolled up my sleeve to show her, but she turned her head away in arrogance and continued driving.
I closed my eyes, thinking she wouldn't say anything more. To my surprise, after a few seconds of silence, she suddenly asked, "Ma Qi, are those things on the street really for the dead?" It was only then that I realized what had caught her attention.
Wasn't it Ghost Festival? The owners of grocery stores seized this opportunity to make money by displaying Hell Money, Joss Paper, and all sorts of items meant for the deceased prominently. In my words, they were capitalizing on the occasion.
During this special time, business at the Funeral Home wouldn't be booming either.
These paper products were only sold openly during Ghost Festival; they didn't come from our Funeral Home. Most grocery store owners traveled far to wholesale markets to buy these items cheaply and then sold them at prices several times higher than what we at Ma Wu Funeral Home charged.
Chi Xinrong was waiting for my response. I glanced at the items on the street and joked casually, "Not everything that's not for the dead is necessarily for you."
"Ma Qi is asking for trouble."
"Are you scared?"
Chi Xinrong honked the horn; the sound drowned out her disdainful tone as she replied indignantly, "I'm not afraid of these superstitions."
I looked at her profile, and she was incredibly beautiful from that angle as well. I couldn't help but quietly give her a thumbs up, genuinely not comparing her to Han Mi this time. Just thinking about the superstitious remark she made earlier sparked a whole string of philosophical ideas in my mind, and I wanted to show off my eloquence.
Seeing her silent, gripping the steering wheel with both hands, it seemed she was focused. I began to explain this not-so-original philosophy of mine: "This isn't entirely superstition. The roots of ghost and deity culture in ancient China run deep, passed down from the older generation to the younger ones. Part of it is a way to express grief and remember deceased loved ones. The Ghost Festival signifies the only holiday for those who have passed away, when families gather at home to prepare a lavish lunch. In the evening, it's time to honor the deceased; they burn large amounts of Joss Paper for their departed relatives. There are also kind-hearted people who consider the lonely spirits; during this time, they go to crossroads and burn offerings for the wandering souls."
"If that's true, then why haven't I seen my mother?" Chi Xinrong's voice faltered as she mentioned her deceased mother.
I wasn't good at comforting others, so faced with her sorrow, I could only remain silent.
The atmosphere in the car grew heavy again until I spotted a familiar figure in the crowd.
"Han Mi."
Chi Xinrong heard me and quickly hit the brakes, asking, "Where is she? I don't see her!" Ignoring her, I pushed open the car door and jumped out, running toward where I had seen Han Mi. Whether it was my slow reaction or Han Mi's quick pace, she vanished in an instant.
"Han Mi! Han Mi! Where are you?" I had never felt so lost over someone before. Unable to find her, I felt like my soul had been scattered; I jumped around frantically, running here and there, nearly colliding with a car several times as horns blared chaotically around me.
With Chi Xinrong's urgent honking and drivers getting angry at my reckless behavior, I finally stood still in a crowded area, fists clenched, scanning all the moving legs around me and doing a complete turn.
No Han Mi.
Was it just my dizziness from missing her that created this illusion? Dejectedly, I returned to the car. Chi Xinrong raised a piece of paper in her hand and shouted at me, "Ma Qi, you troublemaker! Because you insisted on following traffic rules and got out halfway, now I've received a ticket!"
"How much is it?"
"Shut up!" Chi Xinrong started the car again. As we drove through more crowded streets and finally burst out into a quiet alleyway, she sighed in relief. "Let's go to Lin Tai's house. Don't say anything unnecessary; just do what needs to be done."
"This should be something I say to you."
I glanced at the quiet alley, where the street-side shops were mostly small grocery stores that I had created myself. Outside these shops, there were plenty of incense and joss paper for sale.
"I think you've fallen into a lovesick state. Whenever you mention Han Mi, you get all animated and forget yourself. Being with me is like handling gunpowder; it only takes a spark to ignite."
"If I remember correctly, it was you who got angry, okay?"
"Forget it. Uncle Lin is waiting for you outside."
I looked over and saw Uncle Lin standing at the entrance of the wealthy residential area, anxiously glancing around.
Chi Xinrong's car slowly moved forward and parked at Minghui Garden. I got out while she continued driving into the underground parking lot.
"Master Ma... you've arrived?"
Uncle Lin looked noticeably haggard, with several new lines etched into his forehead, making him appear listless.
I stepped forward and smiled politely. "Uncle Lin, no need for formalities; just call me Qi." Then I furrowed my brow and asked, "Is there something urgent that requires my involvement?" To put it bluntly, people who understand the situation usually don't come to me unless it's trouble.
A deep furrow formed between Uncle Lin's brows, as if carved by a knife. "Lin Tai's situation is not good. This matter must remain confidential. I didn't know what else to do, so I came to see you."
"Oh."
"What did you see? Can you tell me privately?" Uncle Lin brought up my entry into Chiang's sealed space, which took me by surprise. Throughout this journey, I had considered many things, but I never expected he would still be concerned about that matter.
"Uncle Lin, you know what I do. Before Lin Tai was in this situation, did you consider whether it was wise to seek me out?" I was serious; I am a Mortician, responsible for all matters concerning the deceased. If you are not afraid of bad luck and want to find me, your home will likely never be at peace. Just like with Chiang. Chi Ruiqiang was the first to contact me, but I refused. As a result, Chiang died. To this day, Chiang's Spirit remains missing. I tried using the Soul Compass to locate it, but there was not a single trace.
Was his Spirit's disappearance due to my insufficient skills, or was it something else? At that moment, I wasn't sure. Initially, I thought that perhaps the disappearance of Chiang's Spirit was just a coincidence. At that time, I was at Lin Tai's house, and it could have been due to improper handling that caused the Spirit to go missing. It didn't matter much to me, but it was terrible for Chiang. If this continued, he would become a wandering ghost unless he found me again to restore his Spirit and complete the burial ceremony so he could peacefully enter the Underworld.
Unfortunately, I waited all night, but Chiang's Spirit never appeared.
Now, hearing Uncle Lin talk about Lin Tai's deteriorating condition made me realize that he even disregarded taboos and asked Chi Xinrong to find me.
I thought maybe he knew that Lin Tai had no way back!
Chi Xinrong parked the car and joined Uncle Lin and me as we entered the apartment building.
Uncle Lin looked troubled, wanting to say something but hesitating. Finally, when we reached the door, he still couldn't express what was on his mind. I exchanged my shoes with Chi Xinrong and stepped inside. A foul odor immediately assaulted my senses.
Comment 0 Comment Count