In the morning, I took Abbot Jingkong over. Jingkong was in the mourning shed, kneeling on a cushion and chanting sutras, and when Jingkong got up an hour later, I put the incense money in his bag and sent it back, and then I took it to the crematorium.
I arrived at the crematorium and they hadn't arrived yet. I went into the morgue and saw Master Shen there.
"Master Shen, thank you for your hard work. The one in the Baihua Hall is my classmate."
"I have arranged everything. The first furnace to be opened is your master's furnace No. 8. It's a coincidence that we are in time. Do you want to deliver it yourself, or should I do it?"
"Thank you for your hard work."
I thought to myself, damn it, I’m not going into the Baihua Hall. If I go in and can’t get out, I’ll be dead.
Liu Gang's parents and relatives came over, and I told them that everything had been arranged and that they could go over there to choose the urn. I brought it with me, and it was two-thirds cheaper.
After everything was arranged, I went to Mao Xiaoli's office.
"I see you're quite busy. Who is it?"
"classmate."
"Oh, what a shame, he's so young."
"Yes, Sister Mao, I want to ask that..."
"Don't ask. You have the conditions and can help me do it, but your master has to agree. Although she doesn't have such an opportunity, there is nothing I can do if she doesn't agree."
“This is a bit too much.”
"Don't talk nonsense, Ke Mingjizhe. I have given you face and a chance. I have decided to take care of you. You provoked me. I didn't want this to happen. I am an evil woman and an unreasonable woman. I will give you another week. If you don't agree, you can do whatever you want."
Mao Xiaoli suddenly turned hostile. I was stunned. What kind of woman is she? No one should marry her.
That day, after Liu Gang was buried, four or five classmates insisted on treating me to a meal, so I went.
When I asked about Shao Yu, they were stunned.
"You don't know? Shao Yu committed suicide more than four years ago."
I was stunned and took a long time to ask.
"How is that possible?"
"Really, all of our classmates who knew about it went there, but they didn't find you at that time."
I never expected this.
"Why?"
"It's a relationship problem, it seems, but I'm not sure about the details."
I didn't expect that Shao Yu would commit suicide.
"He was cremated at your crematorium at that time."
I didn't go to the crematorium at that time because I felt it was troublesome.
When I returned home that day, I was in a daze and actually dreamed of Shao Yu. He was still as cold as before, but from the face painting, it was clear that Shao Yu was smiling. It was actually Shao Yu.
Entering the morgue, I looked at the big screen. There was no one in the Baihua Hall. I breathed a sigh of relief. If there was someone, would you let me in? I couldn't ask Master Shen again.
I was busy, thinking about Shao Yu, who was cremated here four years ago. What happened in the past four years
I was busy until after one o'clock in the afternoon. I went to the information office and found the records and photos of Shao Yu. It was indeed Shao Yu. He was cremated here four years ago, without a doubt. It was actually placed in the Baihua Hall. I thought this was a bit strange.
After get off work, I went to Yinyan's house. She had prepared dinner and I said while eating.
"Yanzi, Mao Xiaoli gave us seven days, and the face painting that Mao Xiaoli gave me turned out to be Shao Yu, my classmate, who was cremated at our place four years ago."
Yinyan looked at me for a long time before speaking.
"Then let Mao Xiaoli come. We can't do this kind of thing. As for Shao Yu's matter, you don't need to ask about it. He's already dead."
"That skin, I suspect it belongs to Shao Yu, how did she get it?"
"You're too nosy. I've told you not to ask too many questions at the crematorium. You can only watch but not speak. Don't get yourself into trouble."
Yinyan looked quite annoyed.
"But I'm in trouble."
I told her what happened in Baihua Hall. Yinyan stood up, sat down again, and put down her chopsticks.
"Okay, eat by yourself and wait for me to come back."
Yinyan left. I didn't ask her where she was going. If I had asked, she would have scolded me. I really wanted to slap Yinyan in the face and tell her that I am a man and you are a woman.
I don't know what Yinyan went to do, but I think she went to look for someone, that's for sure.
I took out the liquor and poured it, drinking it, thinking about the things that had happened in the crematorium. Master Zhou said that this was just a small matter, so what would be considered a big matter? I didn't understand it at all. What had Master Zhou experienced in his life
When I was a little dizzy from drinking, Yinyan's master Li Li came. She looked so ordinary that I didn't quite trust her.
Yinyan brought two bottles of red wine and some dishes and placed them on the table.
"Pour it for my master."
I think I should call her auntie.
I didn't shout, but poured the wine and served it respectfully. I must never tell what I was thinking, no matter to whom.
Li Li is a heavy drinker, and as we drank we chatted about all sorts of things, all about family matters, not a single serious word.
I looked at the watch and it was almost midnight, Li Li said.
"Xiao Ke, don't worry. Mao Xiaoli is an evil person. If she dares to ask you to do this, it's her way. She is not afraid of you telling the manager or anyone else. If you don't do what she says, you will really get into big trouble."
"I don't know what the trouble is. I also don't know why Mao Xiaoli is staring at me."
"You are a person of complete Yin, so of course we have to keep an eye on you. Only you, or your master, can make the best skin and make the most perfect face painting. Mao Xiaoli needs to complete these thirteen paintings. What on earth is she going to do? I don't know."
"How did she make us commit the crime?"
"In the crematorium, many strange things happen. After a person dies, they exist in another form, and most of these forms live and are nourished by Yin energy. The crematorium is an extremely Yin place. There is no better place than this. The next best place is the cemetery, Xita Temple, the graveyard, etc. The first choice is this place. I heard that it is not allowed. Mao Xiaoli can control people of a certain shape."
I'm SBI, that is, Mao Xiaoli can control people from another world, so how and why she does it, I have no idea.
Of course, Mao Xiaoli would not tell anyone easily.
"What is the solution?"
"I don't know. No one knows. The crematorium has been around for decades, and there is really only one person who can do it, and that's Mao Xiaoli."
"What is Mao Xiaoli doing at the crematorium?"
"She was a makeup artist, a chemist, an urn keeper, a corpse pusher. She had done all kinds of jobs. She was a very complicated person. Given her background, she could have done nothing but sit in an office. But she did it."
"background?"
"Her uncle is a leader in the city."
I just can't understand why Mao Xiaoli hasn't married yet and she came to such a place. I feel strange.
It was the middle of the night. Li Li suddenly stood up, walked to the sofa, took out her bag, walked to the table, took out some yellow paper and black charcoal. I didn't know what she was going to do. She looked weird.
Li Li picked up the charcoal wood and started drawing on the paper. It turned out to be Mao Xiaoli, so similar. Her technique was even better than that of an art student. I was stunned.
Li Li looked at me proudly. I was really surprised that this woman who looked like a housewife had such ability.
"There's nothing to be surprised about. My master graduated from Gome."
Oh my god, he borrowed it. After graduating from Gome, he ran to the crematorium and became a refiner. It's beyond your imagination.
I can't quite get over this.
"Why are you here at the crematorium?"
"You're talking too much."
After saying that, Li Li glared at me and said that the people in this crematorium were not normal and had mental problems.
Mao Xiaoli put it on the paper, Li Li picked it up and folded it into a triangle shape.
"Find an opportunity to put it in any corner of her house. Remember, don't let her find it."
Li Li packed up and left. I thought it was a little ridiculous. Would this trick work? This was really ridiculous. I felt it was a bit like the old-fashioned shaman dance.
"This yellow paper has been soaked in corpse oil, you don't understand."
After Yinyan finished speaking, I shuddered. This is too scary.
"I'll leave this to you. Go to Mao Xiaoli's house tomorrow night and tell her about your classmate Shao Yu. Then find a chance to put it somewhere."
I don't want to touch the paper folded into a triangle and soaked in corpse oil.
I took it anyway and put it in my pocket.
I have been feeling uneasy since I returned home. Yinyan has gone back to her own home. During this period, I have noticed that Yinyan doesn't like to be with me as much as before. It seems that there are some problems between us.
Today I was in the same shift as Master Shen. I went into the office, changed my clothes, lit a cigarette, and went into the morgue. I didn't expect the director was there, so I got furious.
"Who told you to smoke? This is disrespectful to the dead and not serious about your work..."
I could see that the manager was in a bad mood today. I had walked into the trap, so I had no choice but to shut up and put out my cigarette.
The director left, and I looked at the big screen. There were no dead people in the single rooms, a total of twelve.
I sent the deceased to the farewell hall and sat in the back room to smoke. When I was done and sent him to the transmission platform, Mao Xiaoli came in and scared me. "Xiaobai, today is Wednesday."
"Sister Mao."
I called out "Sister Mao" and stood up.
"How's your thinking?"
"I'll go to your house tonight and talk about it."
"Okay, Xiao Ke, it's not in vain that you help me. I will teach you a lot of things that will benefit you for the rest of your life."
Mao Xiaoli went out and laughed so hard that I was stunned. I had a painting drawn by Li Li in my office. I was sweating because I had never done such a thing before and I was afraid that she would see it.
I went home to rest in the afternoon. After dark, I went to Mao Xiaoli's place. She sent me a text message saying that we should eat at her place and it would not be refused.
I went in and Mao Xiaoli let me into the house. The dishes on the table were very exquisite. I was wondering, can women in the crematorium cook
"This is what Master Zhou taught me."
I was stunned. Master Zhou didn't like Mao Xiaoli and had told me many times not to get in touch with her. How could he teach her? It was a strange thing, so I didn't ask.
Mao Xiaoli poured the white wine.
"Do one."
I looked at her and did it.
"Sister Mao, Shao Yu's facial painting..."
"I remember this man. It's nothing special. But he used the skin from the inside of his legs. The painting won't last long. He needs skin from his face."
My hands are shaking. How can I cut the skin off a dead person's face
"No one will find out. I will teach you, as long as you agree."
I cannot agree with this, it is an immoral thing to do.
"I understand your concerns. Face painting allows this person to be reborn again. Although he can't do anything, he can feel this world, see this world, and see the people he loves and his family."
I couldn't believe it. How could that be possible? If that were the case, wouldn't everyone be doing face painting? That would be a good business.
I don't believe what Mao Xiaoli said, how could it be possible
“Not everyone can do that.”
Mao Xiaoli's expression is always so weird. (To be continued)