Chapter 10 Father Sleeps on His Back
The master didn't call me for these three days. I was sitting on platform 8 when the master hurried in.
Zhang Xiaoxue was transferred to another class and replaced by a new person.
The master sat down and said.
"Come with me after get off work."
Then we stopped talking until around three in the afternoon.
Let’s get in the car, said the driver.
"Why is the key gone? The administrator also finds it strange."
I don't know whether the master was talking to himself or to me, so I didn't interrupt him. Because I knew nothing.
The master actually drove us to the cinema and we watched a movie together. While watching the movie, she held my hand and she was sweating. I knew she was nervous, and I was nervous too.
After watching the movie and having dinner, it was past eight o'clock in the evening, so we got in the car.
"To the crematorium."
We went to the crematorium again, but I didn't say anything.
When they arrived at the gate of the crematorium, Uncle Zheng opened the door, still without saying anything, and went into the house.
I followed the master and it was the morgue again. The master was looking at the wall.
"Master, you can't see the key by looking at the wall."
I was wondering, am I stupid? I didn't know what was going on, but I came here to look at it.
"Shut up."
I stood aside and kept my mouth shut. This girl was quite powerful. I thought to myself, you are waiting to get married, just wait and see how I deal with you.
As I was thinking about it, the door suddenly opened. I screamed in fright and the master also shuddered.
"What's your name?"
Master Zhou actually came in, looked at me, and then looked at the wall.
"Master Zhou, look."
"I saw it."
Master Zhou picked up a key, the third key, and then walked to morgue No. 3 and opened the door. The master followed him in, and I went in too. We stood at the door. There was a freezer inside, a coffin-style one. Master Zhou went in and took a look and said.
"Open the cabinet."
The master looked at me, meaning for me to open it.
When I walked in, my legs and hands were shaking.
"Why are you trembling?"
I opened the cabinet and saw yellow silk covering the floor.
"Open it."
I opened it and found a key inside. My master was stunned.
"Okay."
Master Zhou left and I stood there in a daze. My master didn't understand either.
Taking the key and locking the door, the master walked to Door No. 1, opened the door, stood there for a while and spoke.
"Four of these ten morgues have been used. Since the crematorium was built, no one has used this one except your father."
"Shouldn't it be twelve rooms? Twelve attributes."
"There are two attributes that cannot be placed here."
"Why?"
"You ask me? I want to know too."
The master was annoyed.
When I opened the door and went in, I found that these ten doors were not fixed. Some opened outwards, and some opened inwards. I couldn't understand it.
After entering, I looked at the cabinet where my father once lay. My eyes became a little wet.
"Don't cry here, at this time."
The master said after opening the cabinet.
"Lie down."
"Are you sick?"
The master stared at me without saying a word. I stood there motionless. Only a dead person would lie there.
"Lie down?"
"Why?"
"I'll explain it to you when I'm done."
I lie down in there, you close the lid and lock it, and I can't get out. I haven't offended her, so she won't harm me, right? At this moment, I felt an inexplicable panic towards my master.
I lay down, and the master closed the lid and actually locked it. I could see her, through the transparent lid. She lit a cigarette and sat on a chair nearby. She looked at me, her face expressionless, and it made me shiver.
Half an hour later, the master looked at his phone, stood up and opened the lid.
"Okay, come out."
I came out, left, got in the car, and I was soaked.
"I want an explanation."
"Let's find a place to eat. I'm hungry ."
This time she was much gentler.
I am not happy, but I am really happy, unhappy from the bottom of my heart.
We found a small restaurant to eat and sat in a private room, which was a very cozy place.
"Master, I need an explanation."
"In a moment."
The master asked for white wine and actually poured one glass for him and one for me.
I don't want to say anything more, just drink.
After a glass of wine, the master said.
"Don't blame me for being so strict. That's all I could do there. As for what happened today, let me tell you. You were lying in the morgue, lying on your back. You owe it to your father. In this life, we have to carry our parents on our backs once. They carried us countless times when we were little. We have to carry them on our backs once when we grow up. Otherwise, after they die, you will sometimes feel it, your back will feel like they are lying on it. Some people feel it very obviously, some not, but you do. After you lie on your back, you'll be fine."
"Why?"
"Don't ask about other things. In the crematorium, you should have fewer questions and not be too curious, okay?"
Yinyan told me this on the day I arrived.
When I woke up in the morning, it was raining heavily. It seemed I had to take a taxi to work.
Downstairs, Yinyan's car was parked there waiting for me.
I went downstairs and got in the car.
"master."
"Call me Swallow when no one is around."
"Yanzi, what should I do about my mother?"
"That's none of your business."
My master and I entered the crematorium room. Zhang Xiaoxue was actually chatting with the director inside. When she saw me, she stared at me intently, which made me feel very confused.
Yinyan walked over and said to Zhang Xiaoxue.
"Sister, don't worry about it. If it's not your cup of tea, it won't be on your plate."
"Virtue."
Yinyan smiled and sat at platform nine.
The day was over by eleven o'clock. At noon, Yinyan and I went out to eat. After the meal, she said she wanted to go home.
I went to my grandma's house to see my mother.
I didn’t expect that Yinyan was there. I was stunned for a moment.
Yinyan was communicating with my mother, but I couldn't see my mother's smile. I thought she was thinking too simply. In fact, it was not that simple. The smell of my father's corpse had made her feel deeply terrified.
"I don't care about your affairs. I am with your mother now. I live with my mother. I can't interfere in the affairs of you young people."
I really don't want that.
Yinyan and I came out and looked at her.
"sorry."
"That's fine. My mom actually wanted to escape from that home a long time ago."
I feel sad.
I didn't expect that Zhang Xiaoxue would call me.
"Mingzhe, I have something to tell you."
"Master Zhang, I'm sorry..."
"I have something to do, really."
In that case, I had no choice but to leave.
Zhang Xiaoxue and I met by the Hunhe River. She was dressed very beautifully.
"Master Zhang..."
"Call me Xiaoxue. This isn't the workplace."
"oh."
I didn't scream.
"I'm telling you about your master Yin Yan."
I was stunned. What was Zhang Xiaoxue going to do ? Even if she was my love rival, she wouldn't do that. I'd look down on her.
"You'd better not talk about this."
"I have to tell you that Yinyan disappeared for thirteen days. During those thirteen days, no one knew what she was doing."
I was stunned. She was missing for thirteen days. So what did she do during these thirteen days?
"I know this doesn't make any sense. It's a thing of the past."
"No, Yinyan disappeared in the crematorium. We haven't found her for thirteen days."
So, I was stunned. How could this happen? I couldn't figure out what this meant. I'd been missing in the crematorium for thirteen days.
"What do you want to tell me?"
"Yinyan is very strange, so you have to be careful. I don't think she's normal."
Zhang Xiaoxue left after she finished speaking. I was stunned. Did Zhang Xiaoxue say this on purpose to ruin my relationship with Yinyan? I don't think so. Zhang Xiaoxue wouldn't be that stupid. She looks like a very shrewd person. Although she told me this with intention, it was probably more of a kind reminder.
I didn't ask Yinyan about what Zhang Xiaoxue said. I think it's better not to ask some things.
I couldn't see anything strange about my master. During lunch, my master whispered to me that we should go to the movies in the evening.
I'll get on the bus in the evening, Yinyan said.
"Stay away from Zhang Xiaoxue, you're so sarcastic."
I didn't say anything, and the two people suddenly became enemies. I heard from others that they used to have a good relationship.
After watching a movie in the evening, Yinyan said she was going to the bathroom, but she never came back. I asked the staff to look for her, and they said there was no one inside. I thought she was joking with me, so I called her cell phone, but it was turned off. I went to the car, but Yinyan was not there either. It was really strange.
This joke was a bit too much, as it was already past ten o'clock in the evening.
I waited by the car. It was twelve o'clock and Yinyan still hadn't shown up. I got scared and ran to her house, but she wasn't there either. Yinyan was not from this city. Her parents were in another place and she lived here alone. I didn't know her parents' phone number.
I went back to look for it, but couldn't find it either. I was completely confused.
I didn't call the police, I called the manager, and the manager said after listening to me.
"Go home and sleep, it's okay."
"You have to explain it clearly."
"If I say it's okay, it's okay."
The manager was a little angry, which I thought was really strange.
I have been trying to contact Yinyan these days. I went to her home a hundred times and called her hundreds of times, but I still couldn't get through. I was a little confused. What did Yinyan mean?
I went there early in the morning, went into the office to change clothes, and saw Yinyan sitting there. There was no change, so I got angry.
"What have you been doing?"
Yinyan looked at me and said.
"Don't ask about this."
"I wouldn't ask if you had nothing to do with me."
"I'm telling you, don't ask."
Yinyan became popular.
I was so angry that I changed into my work clothes and went into the crematorium. I sat on platform 8 and looked at the furnace in the glass.
In fact, Zhang Xiaoxue was right. Yinyan disappeared again, just like last time. So, what Zhang Xiaoxue said was true. So, was Yinyan's disappearance caused by human error, or was there other reasons?
This made me feel the master's terrifying power, which was simply beyond my comprehension.
I didn't say a word until the work was finished.
I went to see my mother, but she insisted not to come back. I didn't insist anymore. I thought, I have to stay with my mother. I still need to consider Yinyan's matter. She scared me.
I was watching TV at home. I didn't expect that Master Zhou suddenly called me and asked me to go to her house. She actually knew my cell phone number.
I hesitated. Master Zhou and Yinyan had a good relationship, and it was obvious. What did she want to talk to me about? I felt a little strange.
I went there anyway, took a taxi, and when I entered the yard, I was stunned to see Zhang Xiaoxue there.
"Mingzhe, sit down. Xiaoxue, go get the food."
Zhang Xiaoxue and Master Zhou actually have a very good relationship, just like his own granddaughter.
I sat down and asked Master Zhou.
"What do you want to talk to me about?"
"Well, it's about Yinyan."
I stopped talking. Since it was about Yinyan, I didn't need to ask. She would tell me naturally.
Zhang Xiaoxue brought out the dish, which was as exquisite as the one made by Master Zhou. It seemed that she had inherited Master Zhou's true skills.
Zhang Xiaoxue brought you beer, and she and Master Zhou poured you some red wine.
"Grandma, Mingzhe, cheers."
I finished drinking and put it down. Zhang Xiaoxue poured me more wine, Master Zhou said.
"Xiaoxue is my granddaughter. You have to know this. Today we are talking about Yinyan. Her disappearance has always been a mystery. No one knows what happened. So, if you want to find out about Yinyan's matter, you might get into trouble."
"What trouble?"
"Yinyan disappeared at the crematorium. All of this is related to the crematorium."
"What else?"
"You can't be with Yinyan. Xiaoxue is your best choice."
I stood there in a daze, and my impression of Master Zhou was immediately reduced.
"I'm sorry, let me think about this for a moment."
Zhang Xiaoxue didn't say anything. We talked about some other things that day. When I went back, Master Zhou saw me off to the door and talked.
"Yinyan is also my granddaughter. Her mother died, and her father went abroad and was never found. I was the one who cremated her mother when she died."
I stood there in a daze, completely dumbfounded. What did that mean?
