He downplayed it, but I was utterly shocked by what I heard.
I knew that the boss specifically dealt with problematic bodies, but to have a fake corpse placed here was quite audacious.
I couldn't resist giving a bit of flattery, "Boss, you're impressive!"
Zhang Sanfen gave me a knowing look and said, "A body is a person's last transformation. If the body has issues, it reflects issues with the deceased."
"But don't worry, as long as you follow the Night Shift Management Manual, there shouldn't be significant problems."
"Significant problems?" I asked, puzzled.
Zhang Sanfen paid me no mind and simply pushed the body out.
As the morgue lights went off one by one, I hurriedly followed.
Outside the funeral parlor, the Chen family members still stood obediently, not even shifting their positions.
Seeing the boss pushing the body out, the lead person hurriedly approached, nodding and bowing, "Mr. Zhang, you've worked hard."
"We've brought some gifts..."
Zhang Sanfen interrupted him, "Sign the paperwork, then take the body."
The man quickly signed his name on the list. I glanced and saw that he had written "Chen Lou."
After signing, Chen Lou reached for the zipper of the body bag, but Zhang Sanfen stopped him, "Did you forget how your cousins ended up in the hospital? All of them are there, parasites deeply rooted in their organs, vomiting again and again."
Chen Lou shivered and immediately recalled those who had touched the body before, now still in the hospital receiving treatments to suppress the parasites. He turned to his companions, saying, "Bring the coffin over!"
Several Chen family disciples swiftly unloaded a casket from a car.
This casket seemed to have some thoughts of its own, thick and heavy, emanating a strong odor of decay.
They opened the casket with haste, placing Chen Yao's body, along with the body bag, inside. They carefully closed the lid.
Chen Lou said to Zhang Sanfen, "Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Zhang. Grandfather mentioned that if you have the time, please visit the Chen Mansion."
After speaking, Chen Lou smiled at me, "Young brother, you're quite young to be the night shift manager at the funeral parlor. I'm Chen Lou from Chen Corporation. If you need anything, you can come to the Chen Mansion and ask for me. Just mention my name."
Though Zhang Sanfen seemed impatient, Chen Lou still bid us farewell politely before getting into his car and leaving.
After the Chen family took the body, the boss returned to the reception area and sat on a comfortable sofa, closing his eyes to rest.
He said, "During the night shift, if there's work, do it; if not, rest. If it's not too busy, you can even take a leave."
"As long as you don't hinder things, working here is quite relaxed."
I smiled along, saying, "Boss, about the brick kiln..."
Zhang Sanfen checked his watch and said, "It's about time. Call Zhao Fei, have him arrange manpower and vehicles. Come back after midnight."
He picked up his heavy backpack from the table, emitting a clear metallic sound.
"Lock the doors, let's go."
I locked up the funeral parlor's main door, and Zhang Sanfen tossed me the car keys, saying, "Can you drive?"
"I can, but I've never driven a Wrangler before."
Zhang Sanfen got into the backseat, "As long as you can drive, use the navigation for directions. I'll rest for a while."
He seemed quite tired, as he spoke those words and then fell silent, sitting in the back with his eyes closed.
I took the driver's seat, fumbling with starting the car. It was a bit unfamiliar at first, but once I got on the road, it went much smoother.
The location of Nanshan Funeral Parlor was already a bit remote, and coupled with the late hour, the roads were sparsely populated.
I picked up speed, following the navigation instructions.
As we moved forward, the surrounding buildings became scarcer, and the road became more desolate. After over an hour, I suddenly turned the steering wheel and drove onto a dirt road.
The dirt road didn't allow for high speeds, so I drove more cautiously.
Before long, there were flickering headlights ahead, and around the lights were shadowy figures. It seemed there were quite a few people.
I squinted, my anger rising.
Three cargo trucks were parked there, and six or seven men were squatting at the roadside, smoking. Upon seeing us approaching, they instinctively moved to surround us, causing me to slow down.
The leader, wearing a black coat, looked agile and was none other than Zhao Fei, who had deceived me.
I slammed the brakes, rolled down the window, and yelled, "Quit the chatter! Where's the coffin?"
Zhao Fei, undeterred, smiled broadly, "Hey, little brother, you're here?"
I was annoyed by his attempt to rip me off for eight hundred, so I didn't bother with pleasantries, bluntly saying, "Enough talk! Where's the coffin?"
Zhao Fei wasn't upset either and continued smiling, "Just drive forward for about three hundred meters, and you'll reach the old brick kiln where the incident happened."
"There are eight coffins out in the open; they're hard to miss."
"Oh, and little brother, it's not that I tricked you, but honestly, only you were willing to take this job. You don't know that the night shift manager at the funeral parlor hasn't been working for a long time, and things have been difficult on our end too..."
His implication was clear: they had no choice and thus resorted to deceiving me.
I didn't want to hear his explanations, saying, "Enough, I'll take care of the task. Later, have your guys come up and carry the coffin away!"
After saying that, I pressed the gas pedal, and the Wrangler's powerful engine roared to life, leaving Zhao Fei to choke on exhaust fumes.
Zhang Sanfen sat in the back, still silent. He only spoke after we drove away, "Zhao Fei is not an ordinary person. He's an intermediary for the government, and he's privy to information that regular folks aren't."
"This time, he owes you a favor. When the opportunity arises, you can ask him to return the favor."