When Lin Zhao heard my explanation, his face was full of disbelief, staring at me with suspicion.
Seeing his reaction, I knew that no matter what I said, he wouldn't believe me. So, I stopped explaining, got up from the ground, and steadied myself by holding onto a nearby electric pole. Once I had fully regained my composure, I turned and walked away.
Seeing me leave, Lin Zhao quickly caught up. "Okay, okay, I believe you. I know what you're saying is true, but in broad daylight, even ghosts wouldn't dare to come out, right?"
Right, how could I have forgotten that? If it were truly a ghost, it shouldn't have appeared during the day. But I had clearly seen the old woman just now… Was it all an illusion?
I've been taking care of my sleep recently and don't feel tired. Could this still be some lingering aftereffect of inhaling too much of the White Bone Flower's fragrance last time, even though it's been several days?
Thinking of this possibility, I immediately called my teacher. But no one answered even after the ringing stopped. I figured my teacher might be busy and decided to call again after returning to the funeral home.
Seeing that I had no intention of acknowledging him further, Lin Zhao seemed unwilling to stay silent. He walked a few steps ahead to block my path and said, "Hey, I just saved your life. Aren't you going to thank me?"
I turned back and looked at Lin Zhao with confusion. As a police officer, wasn't it his duty to help me? Was he expecting something in return?
"As a policeman, isn't it your job to save me? What's this about wanting a reward? I have no money, just my life!" I couldn't quite understand his mindset. He had been ready to beat me up in the interrogation room earlier, and now he was shamelessly following me. What was his deal?
I thought my response would make him realize how inappropriate it was to demand gratitude. If others found out, they could file a complaint against him. But to my surprise, he replied with confidence.
"When I'm in uniform, I'm a policeman. Now that I'm not in uniform, I'm just a regular person like you. Since I helped you, the least you could do is treat me to a meal."
So, all he wanted was a free meal. But he didn't look like someone who couldn't afford food…
"Just tell me what you really want. I'm in a hurry to get back to work." I didn't have the energy to deal with someone like him.
But Lin Zhao stubbornly insisted that I treat him. Left with no choice, I agreed, though I had plans to mess with him. Instead of taking him to a proper restaurant, I led him to a roadside stall and ordered a bowl of spicy rice noodles for each of us, making sure they were extra spicy.
Imagine the sight: two grown men slurping noodles by the roadside. Several women walking by gave us looks of disdain. It was a ridiculous scene.
Initially, I thought I'd teach Lin Zhao a lesson. But instead, I ended up suffering. I could handle spicy food, but not excessively so. Lin Zhao, on the other hand, devoured his bowl effortlessly and then leisurely watched me struggle to finish mine. Left with no choice, I endured the spice-induced tears and finished my meal.
Finally, I was ready to head back to the funeral home. Lin Zhao seemed intent on following me further but was called away by a phone call.
When I arrived back at the funeral home, Old Sun told me someone had come looking for me. Since I hadn't returned, he had taken them to my dormitory.
Frowning, I wondered who it could be. Apart from my teacher, I didn't know many people, and those I did know were all from the funeral home. Who else would come looking for me?
With this confusion, I returned to my dorm. Upon entering, I saw a man dressed entirely in black, including a black mask and hoodie. His intense gaze made me feel an oppressive seriousness.
I vaguely remembered seeing him once in the underground antique shop, but we had no interaction. Why was he here now? And how did he know I worked here?
"Who are you?"
"I'm here on behalf of your teacher to keep you alive while he's away."
He didn't tell me his name, just the purpose of his visit. His tone was brief and to the point, exuding a frosty aloofness.
"You're here to protect me? What about my teacher?" I suddenly remembered my earlier call to my teacher that went unanswered. Now, with this man showing up, could something have happened to him?
My teacher had helped me so much and was now my mentor. Naturally, I worried about his safety.
"I don't know. I owe him a favor and I'm here to repay it."
Could he be any more vague? His refusal to elaborate was exasperating.
I immediately took out my phone to call my teacher again. This time, his phone was out of service. My anxiety grew. Could it be that the remaining spirit from the mother-and-child duo had gone after him?
Now that someone else was here to protect me, did it mean my teacher had been harmed?
The man seemed to notice my alarm and interrupted my thoughts. "That man won't die so easily. Even if you died, he wouldn't. Before he left, he asked me to protect you and deal with the escaped spirit. Carry this talisman with you at all times so I can find you if necessary. If you die without it, I'm not responsible."
His bluntness left me speechless. I had intended to thank him for coming to protect me, but his curt words made me swallow my gratitude.
Taking the talisman, I changed into my work uniform and prepared for my shift.
"I'll get to work now," I said.
He nodded without even looking at me, stretched out his long legs, and sprawled across my bed. Judging by how his legs were bent—too long for the bed—he had to be at least a head taller than me.
What was this guy fed growing up? How could he be so tall?
Grumbling internally, I headed to the preparation room, which housed several corpses. Seeing so many bodies lined up, I frowned. Tonight would clearly be another all-nighter.
The preparation room was across from the morgue. Normally, I had to transfer bodies from the morgue, but since entering the morgue at night was forbidden, the preparation room served as a holding area.
As I pushed a body towards the crematorium, I saw Zhang Yun inspecting the furnace. When he noticed me, he nodded in greeting.