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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 1: Ghost Month Taboos (Thirteen)
It was cold!
The nights of early autumn were already chilly, and perhaps it was all just a figment of my imagination, a result of my longing for a woman's body. I instinctively pulled the blanket closer, only to suddenly feel something moving beneath it, a soft and comforting sensation that felt like a Spirit Snake crawling toward my head.
I slowly opened my eyes and lifted the blanket to see Mi, which surprised me greatly. I wanted to ask how she got there and if she had pushed the door open, but she gently covered my mouth with her hand, leaving only our eyes to meet as she slightly closed her almond-shaped eyes. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and her soft pink lips tangled with mine, pressing her full body tightly against my chest. In an instant, I felt something within me stir eagerly.
At that moment, I disregarded everything else, burying my face in her fragrant scent. After a while, I felt her smooth legs and cute little feet against me, our bodies intertwined in a delightful contrast of black and white.
We spent the entire night entangled together, lost in a haze until I heard someone calling out and knocking on the door, jolting me awake. Instinctively, I reached out to the side, but my hand froze. I suddenly opened my eyes to find that I was alone in bed—there was definitely no one else there. The beautiful scene from last night felt as unreal as flowers in the mist yet left me with a clear sense of longing.
Confused and disbelieving, I hurriedly got dressed. As I stepped out the door, I glanced back at the messy bed with lingering thoughts. There was no luck to be found; perhaps Mi had come and quietly left.
My legs felt heavy as if filled with lead, somewhat fatigued. As I walked out, I called out, "The fat guy is up."
My voice echoed in the empty room. Had the fat guy gone out? With that question in mind, I moved toward the counter and unlocked the door. The person who appeared before me was an unfamiliar middle-aged man.
"Ma Qi," he said. "You don't know me. A while ago, my mother passed away, and your grandfather helped me with the arrangements. My surname is Diao; everyone calls me Diao Liangzi. Your brother Fatty almost died drunk at my place last night; he was taken to the hospital but should be fine now."
I tried to contact Han Mi but had dialed her number several times only to be met with a message saying it was out of service range. How could that be? Doubt crept into my mind as I questioned the man’s words: "How is that possible? He was at home last night..." Mid-sentence, it hit me—I had initially kicked him out before falling asleep and planned to find him later; he must have been at the door when everything else happened. How could all this not exist?
"Alright, tell me which hospital he's at; I'll go right now." Unable to reach Han Mi by phone and seeing that the man seemed uninterested in continuing our conversation, I asked him for Fatty's current location.
The man looked around absentmindedly but still nodded at me with a sincere smile and replied honestly, "City Hospital."
City Hospital—Monkey Spirit was still in the hospital. Thanking the man, I quickly washed up and got ready before heading straight to Hongqiao Supermarket to retrieve my battered motorcycle and then made my way to City Hospital.
Dressed appropriately for once, I rode my dilapidated motorcycle to City Hospital but ended up arguing with the Parking Attendant over where to park due to space issues.
The Parking Attendant had short legs and a round waist; her unattractive features resembled two hanging buckets swaying as she walked. She held a string of numbered tags for retrieving vehicles and had sunspots on her face from too much exposure. With her triangular eyes filled with disdain, she snapped at me harshly, "You can't park here."
"Auntie, why can't I park here?" I asked, noticing plenty of cars parked around—new ones, semi-new ones, and even several electric bikes. It was just my two battered motorcycles that stood out among them like sore thumbs.
"I can't stop, I just can't stop."
"Is my car affecting the cityscape, or is it affecting your mood?"
The aunt ignored my humor and replied with conviction, "Your car parked here doesn't affect others, but if someone accidentally bumps into another car, that would be a problem. You don't seem to be wealthy; can you afford to pay for damages?"
I couldn't believe it; that was her concern. I scratched my head and forced a strange smile. "Auntie, I'm short on time. I don't have the luxury to find another parking spot. Besides, do you really think I can find a better one than this?"
"You need to move your car. It can't stay here."
"Auntie, doing good deeds will bring blessings."
"Are you a monk or a Taoist? Stop pretending to be righteous. I can tell you're not a good person."
I was at a loss for words. If I wasn't considered a good person, then what kind of person was? Frustrated and pressed for time, I realized arguing with the Parking Attendant was futile when my phone rang.
At first, the Parking Attendant didn't react, but when my ringtone played the advertisement for my Funeral Home, she dropped the ticket she was holding in shock. As she hurriedly picked it up and stood up, she muttered, "Damn it, what bad luck." She tossed me a ticket and turned to leave.
It was Chi Xinrong calling.
"Ma Qi, you need to cover the expenses for this trip. I can't be doing all the work while you sit back and relax. Also, I'm currently at Riwadian Dunli Village, Yujia Bay." Her words came out like a machine gun—no pause until she finished her sentence.
"Don't worry; all expenses for this trip will be covered by Ma Wu Funeral Home. Once this is done, I'll officially hire you as a salesperson for Ma Wu Funeral Home."
"You bastard! Are you trying to get someone beaten up? Promoting all sorts of discounts for the Funeral Home and then waiting outside for someone to die so you can deliver a coffin?"
"Alright, you're clever." I chuckled as I walked toward the hospital. After arguing with the Parking Attendant for another ten minutes, if it weren't for Chi Xinrong's call, she would have insisted that I move my car. What a strange aunt! But even strange people know not to mess with folks like us.
A kind word from others makes one feel at ease and helps work go smoothly.
Bad luck and misfortune come rushing in, leaving you defenseless against their onslaught.
We are Morticians, a profession dedicated to serving the dead. While we cannot earn respect from everyone, we can certainly instill fear. Perhaps I should consider changing the ringtone so that it doesn't frighten people when they hear it.
Riwadian Dunli Village, Yujia Bay. This is the hometown of Yuyaya. Something has happened to her, and her parents, unable to bear the sorrow of waiting here, have taken all her belongings back to their hometown.
Chi Xinrong from Yujia Bay did not see Yuyaya's family bury her, nor did he find Yuyaya's grave.
In rural areas, when a child dies young, it is usually not publicized. They quietly find someone to bury the child and do not set up a spirit tablet at home. In the countryside, a child who dies young is often considered a vengeful spirit.
However, Yuyaya is different; she did not die young but in a car accident.
Logically speaking, since the matter has not yet been fully investigated and only a portion of compensation has been paid by Hongqiao Supermarket, Yuyaya's parents should not have quietly buried their daughter without further ado.
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