Chapter 34 Corpse Oil Paper
In the morning, I took Abbot Jingkong over. Jingkong was in the mourning shed, kneeling on a cushion and chanting sutras. An hour later, Jingkong got up. I put the incense money in his bag and sent it back, and then we took it to the crematorium.
I arrived at the crematorium, but 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 Hundred Flowers Hall is my classmate."
"I've arranged everything. The first furnace to be opened will be your master's furnace, number eight. It's quite a coincidence. 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. 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, 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've already given you face and a chance. I'm determined to take you down. You provoked me. I didn't want this to happen. I'm an evil woman, an unreasonable woman. I'll 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 we didn't find you at the time."
I never expected this.
"Why?"
"It's a relationship issue, 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."
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 always find 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 1:00 p.m., and then I went to the inquiry office and found the records of Shao Yu, including photos. It was indeed Shao Yu. He was cremated here four years ago, without a doubt. He 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 there's that face painting, the one Mao Xiaoli gave me. The person on it turned out to be Shao Yu, my classmate, who was cremated here 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. And you don't need to ask about Shao Yu. He's already dead."
"That skin, I suspect it belongs to Shao Yu. How did she get it?"
"You're too nosy. I told you not to ask too many questions at the crematorium. You're only allowed to watch, not to 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 what she was doing. 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 Wanxiang must have gone to look for someone, that's for sure.
I poured myself some baijiu and drank, thinking about all the things that had happened at the crematorium. Master Zhou had said these were just small things, so what would be considered a big deal? I was completely confused. What had Master Zhou experienced in his life?
When I was feeling 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, I just poured the wine and served it respectfully. I could never tell what I was thinking, no matter to whom.
Li Li can drink a lot, so we drank and chatted about all sorts of things, all about family matters, not a single serious thing.
I looked at the watch and it was almost midnight, Li Li said.
"Xiao Ke, don't worry. Mao Xiaoli is a wicked person. If she dares to ask you to do this, it must be her way. She's not afraid of you telling the director or anyone else. If you don't do what she says, you'll really get into big trouble."
"I don't know what the trouble is, and I don't know why Mao Xiaoli keeps staring at me."
"You are a completely Yin person, so of course we have to keep an eye on you. Only you, or your master, can make the best skin and create the most perfect facial painting. I don't know what Mao Xiaoli needs to complete these thirteen paintings for."
"How did she make us commit the crime?"
"In the crematorium, a lot of strange things happen. After death, people exist in another form, and most of these forms are alive and well with 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 was so dumbfounded. Mao Xiaoli could control people from another world, so how did she do it? I had no idea.
Of course, Mao Xiaoli would not tell anyone easily.
"What method?"
"I don't know. No one knows. The crematorium has been around for decades, and there's really only one person who can do it, and that's Mao Xiaoli."
"What is Mao Xiaoli doing at the crematorium?"
"She's a makeup artist, a refiner, an urn keeper, a corpse pusher. She's done everything. She's a very complicated person. Given her background, she could have easily skipped those jobs and just sat in an office. But she did."
"background?"
"Her uncle is a leader in the city."
I just can’t understand it. 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, picked up 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, which left me 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 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 wrote it on a piece of paper, and 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. Could this trick work? This was really a stretch. It felt a bit like the old-fashioned shamanism.
"This yellow paper is soaked in corpse oil, you don't understand."
After Yinyan finished speaking, I shuddered. This was too scary.
"I'll leave this matter 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 anymore. It seems that there are some problems between us.
Today I was on 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 to be there, so I got angry.
"Who told you to smoke? It's disrespectful to the deceased and not serious about your work..."
I could see that the director was in a bad mood today, and 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. There were twelve in total.
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 are you thinking about it?"
"I'll go to your house tonight and talk."
"Okay, Xiao Ke, it's worth helping 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. 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 I wanted to eat at her place and that 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 countless times not to get involved with her. So why would 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 face painting..."
"I remember this guy. It's nothing special. I just used the skin from the inside of his leg. The painting won't last long. I need the skin from his face."
My hands are shaking. Cutting 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. Although he can't do anything, he can feel the world, see the world, and see his loved ones and 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 lucrative 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.
