"Master, I'm sorry. I won't doubt you again. Please, save me! I feel like I'm already a walking corpse. I'm still young. I don't want to die. My grandfather is still in the hospital, waiting for me."
I don't know how some people can remain calm in the face of life and death, but I couldn't. Knowing I was about to die, my heart was racing with panic.
"You... sigh. Never mind. Saving a life is more virtuous than building a seven-level pagoda." With that, he stood up, poured me a glass of juice, and handed it to me. "Don't panic. Things aren't at their worst yet. You still have a chance."
I took the cup, gripping it tightly. As I watched the water ripple, I suddenly realized how much I was shaking, nervous beyond control.
"Based on your description of the woman, she's likely not human. The incense she gave you is meant for the dead. You said it had no scent? That's because it's already burned. Naturally, it's scentless now."
Ning Manwan isn't human?
How could that be? I had never heard that my goddess had died. If she wasn't dead, how could she not be human?
I was shocked, and the master noticed my surprise. "Don't be too surprised. Some people go their entire lives without realizing that the people around them aren't human. After everything you've seen, you should be having doubts. The world is full of things that aren't ghosts, many strange and unexplainable creatures."
"But I've never heard that Ning Manwan died. If she didn't die, how could she not be human? We were classmates for five years. If she wasn't human, I would've noticed long ago."
"You weren't in the same class, and you didn't spend every moment together. Isn't it normal you never realized?"
"That can't be true. I know everything about her. Back then, I..." I stopped myself mid-sentence, realizing I was about to say something I shouldn't. I almost confessed to secretly following Ning Manwan.
In campus terms, I would have been seen as a lovesick fool. Now, it would have been creepy.
"So, what was it like back then? Were you following her every day?"
"... I..." How could I admit that?
I quickly shut my mouth and lowered my head.
The master wasn't interested in hearing about my history with Ning Manwan. "For the next few days, you should stop lighting the incense. Go back and wait for my message. When the time comes, I'll take you somewhere."
Confused, I returned to the funeral home. As soon as I entered, I saw the director looking at me with an angry expression. That was when I realized I hadn't asked for leave before leaving earlier.
But then I thought to myself, I had already planned to quit. If they fired me, I wouldn't have to worry about handing in my resignation. I could always find another job. At least my grandfather's medical bills had already been paid. It was better than living every day surrounded by corpses.
"Director..."
The director's voice was stern. "Xiao Liu, I thought you were a good, obedient kid. I was even considering giving you a raise. But now, after pulling a stunt like this, are you unhappy with me? You could have asked for leave if you wanted to leave, but you just disappeared without a word. Don't you know you're working here?"
"Sorry, Director. I was in such a rush when I left that I forgot to inform you. My apologies." I said, though my tone and expression didn't exactly match my words.
I thought the director would definitely fire me, or at least scold me. But surprisingly, he didn't continue reprimanding me. Instead, he took a deep breath and said, "Xiao Liu, you're still young. Sometimes, you don't handle things well. I won't hold this against you this time, but make sure to work properly from now on."
After that, he turned and left without giving me a chance to explain about quitting.
Once the director left, Old Sun, standing nearby, seemed to see my confusion. He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Kid, you're still too young. You wear everything on your face. After finally finding someone to help move the bodies, the director isn't going to let you go so easily."
I hurried over to him, asking what he meant.
I had just started working here, and he had mentioned something about being "sorry." Did he know something?
But when I tried to ask, he wouldn't say a word. He only told me to focus on my work and avoid the morgue at night.
Feeling frustrated and irritated, I lifted my head and noticed the scorching sun. Without thinking, I stepped outside to the heat. Just as I thought to retreat to my dorm, I frowned.
After returning from the master's place, I had become extra sensitive to these things.
For a while now, I had been avoiding the sun, even starting to despise the daytime. At first, I thought it was due to the gruesome work at the funeral home, but now, I realized that living a nocturnal life felt no different from being a ghost.
I stood there in the sun, feeling faint and dizzy. Just as I felt myself about to collapse, I instinctively leaned against the wall to prevent falling.
Despite the discomfort of the heat, I stubbornly stood in the sun, not sure why I was doing this. I didn't know how long I stood there, but eventually, my vision went dark, and I passed out.
When I woke up again, I found myself in the hospital room, the scent of disinfectant in the air.
A nurse walked in and noticed I had woken up. She came over, checked my vitals, and then said, "Handsome, were you feeling down? I was told you stood in the sun until you passed out. Don't you know you can get heatstroke from that?"
The nurse was very attractive, especially her well-endowed chest.
Noticing I was staring, she covered her chest with one hand and slapped me hard with the other.
The slap was so hard that it stung, but it definitely woke me up completely.