Chapter 28: Unexplained "Chuckling" Laughter
We entered the Changqing Hall. The director slowly approached the deceased and put his hand to the place where the deceased was breathing. He shuddered.
"Call an ambulance immediately, hurry up."
I called 120, and the director went out to look for the family members. Several family members came in, and 120 arrived. The old man was carried into the car. I couldn't imagine how all this happened.
Everyone has left, said the manager.
"Come with me to the office."
My work for the day was done, so I showered, changed my clothes, and went to the manager's office.
"Don't tell anyone about this. Why isn't the freezer open?"
I suddenly understood. If it had been opened, the deceased would have died in three days. Because it wasn't opened...
The dead person is alive and the family is happy, but the director is not happy. This is an accident. What if the family has different ideas?
I thought less, but the manager thought more. He called the body collector over and gave him a good scolding, and the matter was settled.
I didn't go home. I found a place to drink to calm myself down. I could have encountered such a thing. It was simply inhumane. I was scared to death.
I went home, it was deserted, and I slept alone. When I woke up, it was dark. I got up, sat on the sofa, turned on the TV, and the "clucking" sound started again.
"Stop laughing, I'm annoyed."
Sure enough, the laughter stopped. I took a look at the face painting and found her even cuter.
Yinyan came and sat down to cook.
"Yanzi, what are you busy with every day?"
"Busy with nothing."
While we were eating, I wanted to say something but I didn't.
"I'll take the face painting."
I didn't say anything. If she wanted to take it away, she must have her own way! Regardless of whether I like face painting or not, it's a sinister thing after all, and it always makes people nervous.
After dinner, Yinyan took the face painting away. I didn’t ask her what she was going to do with it.
I went to sleep. I was really scared today and I felt completely exhausted.
I went to work and met the manager at the door. He looked at me.
"Why are you working again today?"
"Master Shen has something to do, so let me take over for a day."
The director hesitated and said.
"Come to my office first."
I didn't know what the director wanted. Was it about yesterday's incident, or was there something wrong with the family? I went in, sat down, and the director threw me a cigarette before he spoke for a long time.
"Today is the 13th. The 13th is a ghost day. Westerners don't like it, and Chinese don't like it either, but there's not much talk about it. But in the crematorium, the 13th is taken very seriously. No one wants to go to work on this day, and everyone wants to hide. I think Master Shen did this on purpose."
I was stunned. I didn't think Master Shen was that kind of person.
"No way? Master Shen is a very nice person, he wouldn't be that kind of person."
"Of course, I don't think Master Shen is that kind of person. He's been doing this kind of work his whole life and has basically never taken a day off."
As we were talking, Master Shen came in.
"Xiao Ke, it's okay, you can go back!"
"Master Shen, it's okay. If you have anything else, go back."
"I'm sorry, I forgot today is the 13th. I've already finished dealing with the matter."
It seems that Master Shen also thinks that No. 13 is so evil. He left, said the manager.
"Master Shen is a good man, but he has a hard life."
I wanted to ask something, but the manager just lowered his head to work, so I went back.
I don’t want to go home because it’s always so cold. I also don’t like going to my grandma’s house because I can’t stand seeing how cold my mother is.
It was cold outside, so I looked for a place to drink. Yinyan was busy with her own things, so it was no use calling her.
While I was drinking, one of my classmates came in, saw me, shouted, "Ke Mingzhe", and then sat down.
"Dude, where have you been all these years? I've been to so many class reunions, but I couldn't find you. Now I finally ran into you."
This classmate was always talkative when we were in school, and we weren't close, but since we were classmates, I felt quite close. We were drinking, and I wanted to wait until I was done before telling him, finally having someone to drink with.
After drinking, I told this classmate that I had burned someone to death. My voice was very low and he looked at me blankly.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Every classmate knows it, except you, stupid BI."
This classmate stood up and ran away. I was completely disappointed. I was still hoping that there would be an exception. I thought to myself, son of a bitch, I will burn you when you die, and burn you well.
I went home, sat on the sofa, turned on the TV, and I jumped up. I saw the face painting hanging on the wall, in the same place, and it was crying, but I didn't hear any crying. Fuck you, are you kidding me?
I called Yinyan.
"Where's the face painting?"
"It was lost. It was lost for no apparent reason."
"Okay, come to me."
Yinyan came and was stunned when she saw the face paintings on the wall.
"What happened? Did you steal it back?"
I shook my head. Yinyan sat down on the sofa with a pale face. It seemed that Mao Xiaoli was right. What's mine will always be mine. I can't run away from it. I can't throw it away. It seems that Mao Xiaoli's evil is not as simple as a facial painting.
It was snowing heavily when I woke up in the morning. Yinyan prepared breakfast for me and said while we were eating.
"Today is Saturday. I'll go to Mao Xiaoli's house later."
I didn't want to go, but even if I went I knew that the face painting could not be sent back, and Mao Xiaoli could not tell us why the face painting was like that.
But Yinyan insisted, and I didn't want to say much. Only after meeting Mao Xiaoli might she give up.
Yinyan and I went over there. Mao Xiaoli opened the door and said with a sneer.
"Master Yin, you've worked so hard, even in such a heavy rain."
We went in and sat down, and Mao Xiaoli made tea and said.
"I wonder what Master Yin is here for?"
Mao Xiaoli put the face painting on the table and said.
"Take your things back."
"It used to be mine, but it's not mine anymore because I gave it to Xiao Ke and he accepted it. It's like a contract and I can't take it back."
"So what do you want?"
"I'm waiting for you! Of course, we can talk, but if this matter fails, then let it end here. If I tell anyone, I think you all know who I am, Mao Xiaoli."
I think that when I first accepted the painting, Mao Xiaoli wanted to say something, but she never said it. I think she was just waiting for this day.
I could see that Yinyan was nervous.
"Master Yin, you are also a master, don't be nervous. I, Mao Xiaoli, may be evil, but I won't do anything to harm others."
Yinyan has never dealt with Mao Xiaoli at the crematorium, so she may not know Mao Xiaoyan better than I do.
Yinyan has been silent all the time, and I don’t want to say anything more.
"Well, come tonight, after dark, have a drink here, and I'll show you something. Of course, no one has ever seen this before. You're the first, so confidentiality is a must. Come on!"
Yinyan stood up and we went back like this. The heavy snow was still falling.
"Yanzi, what do you mean by Mao Xiaoli?"
Yinyan shook her head.
We went home and Yinyan watched TV, her mind wandering from time to time. I couldn't do anything either, my mind was wandering. The face painting on the table was wrapped up and left there, and no one wanted to touch it. But it was as heavy as a mountain in both of our hearts.
Yinyan fell asleep on the sofa. I carried her to the bed, closed the door, and sat on the sofa to watch TV. I heard crying, so I opened the face painting and hung it on the wall. Mao Xiaoli said, "This thing is mine. Don't think about giving it to anyone else. It's useless."
When I hung it on the wall, the face painting actually smiled. I was suddenly shocked. This face painting looked so much like someone, so familiar, but I couldn't remember who it was. I was stunned and walked around the room, wondering who this person could be. The more I thought about it, the more I couldn't remember.
When it got dark, I woke up Yinyan.
"Xiao Zuo, when we go, Mao Xiaoli might surprise us. Then we can discuss and make a decision."
I don’t know what Yinyan is thinking, but I know that what happened today will not be a good thing.
When we got there, Mao Xiaoli had already prepared the delicious meal. It seemed like she was a good cook, and she had also poured the red wine.
"I drink white wine."
I looked at Mao Xiaoli, she smiled, turned around and went out, getting a bottle of good wine.
"Is that okay?"
"It seems you also know something about wine."
I don't want things to be too awkward. If I really can't get rid of it, then I might as well make friends with him. Maybe the problem can be solved better. Yinyan certainly understands what I mean.
"Sister Mao, this is the first time I drink with you, I'd like to toast you."
Yinyan raised her glass and said, Mao Xiaoli was stunned for a moment, nodded, and seemed very moved. The two of them actually drank the red wine in one gulp.
"Swallow, actually, I haven't had a single friend in all these years. Outside, people treat crematorium workers like ghosts. And inside the crematorium, you know, no one wants to interact with me..."
Mao Xiaoli actually wiped her tears, but I didn't see any tears flow out. It seems that she was sincere.
We drank well and lasted until midnight. Actually, we didn't want to stay up so late, but Mao Xiaoli didn't say anything, so we didn't dare to bring it up.
"Okay, it's 12 o'clock in the middle of the night, come with me."
Mao Xiaoli stood up and walked into the west room. The west room had a light-proof curtain drawn, blocking out all the light from outside. She turned on the light and closed the door.
"You are my good friends, so I will tell you everything today, but only you know it."
After Mao Xiaoli finished speaking, she stared at us.
"That's early."
After Yinyan finished speaking, Mao Xiaoli gently moved the table away and actually opened the lid.
"In this residential complex, every first floor comes with a basement. Of course, mine is different from theirs. I reserved it when it was first developed. I spent an extra 300,000 yuan on the basement."
I took a look at Mao Xiaoli. This girl is really rich.
This basement is very well built. It is not luxurious but elegant. The lighting is exactly the same as during the day. It seems to be designed with great care.
There is a hall in the basement with four rooms.
Mao Xiaoli opened a room and let us in.
Yinyan and I went in and saw a workbench with an unfinished painting on it and more than twenty transparent bottles filled with something. I couldn't tell what it was.
There are also drawing paper, picture frames, a dozen bottles of red liquid, and fine paintbrushes. This is a place for painting. There are half-finished paintings, a dozen or so, hanging on the wall.
"These are all paintings I created, paintings of faces, only faces. The only painting outside is yours, there's not a single painting outside."
Mao Xiaoli had a strange expression on her face.
