The Dead Do Not Rest

My name is Li Xiaofan, and I was born in a small mountain village on the border.

Not long after I was born, my father died at the age of twenty-five.

At first, it seemed like there wasn’t much to be concerned about, except for lamenting that my father had bad luck.

But in fact, his death caused a sensation throughout the county, and people still discuss it to this day.

My father was the first person in the village to go into business in the 1980s.

Everyone thought he would return rich, but one day five years later, he was found covered in blood at the village entrance.

After recovering from his injuries, my father opened a tofu skin shop at the village entrance and never left again.

The peaceful days continued until the third day after I was born.

Early that morning, my father’s body was found hanging from the beam of the tofu skin shop.

His death was horrifying; someone had stripped him of his skin, leaving his entire body red and raw.

According to Er Lai, who found my father, the blood in his veins was still flowing.

Because of this, Er Lai was driven mad for decades.

Later, the authorities came to investigate my father’s death.

The forensic examiner said that my father had no wounds on his body; he had been tortured to death by pain.

The authorities investigated in the village for half a year but found no clues.

In the end, the case went cold.

I thought my father’s death would remain an unsolved mystery, but the year I graduated from university, new leads emerged.

That year, after graduating, I couldn’t find a job in the provincial capital, so I decided to go home to adjust.

On the second day back, I was working in the fields.

Uncle Gazi, my neighbor, rushed to me, panting, “Xiaofan, something big has happened, you need to come back and see!”

I was stunned and quickly asked, “Uncle Gazi, what’s the big deal?”

“Your father has returned!”

My mind exploded, and I felt dizzy.

My father has returned?

Didn’t he die a long time ago?

I pressed my throbbing temples and dropped the hoe, running home.

From a distance, I saw a crowd gathered at my family’s courtyard, all pointing and talking.

I finally squeezed through and saw a man with a buzz cut standing in the courtyard.

This man was as tall as me, with a straight figure, and looked to be around forty years old from behind.

Grandpa was sitting on the threshold, smoking, looking worried.

When he saw me, he still didn’t smile.

I slowly walked over and turned to see a very familiar face.

This face was exactly the same as my deceased father’s.

For a moment, I really thought he was my father.

No wonder Uncle Gazi made a mistake; it turned out that a man who looked exactly like my father had arrived.

I stood there, stunned. Although I didn’t know who this man was, just by his face, he must have a special connection to my family.

“Are you Xiaofan?”

The man suddenly grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, but his smile looked somewhat stiff.

I nodded and returned a smile, asking, “Who are you?”

“He is your second uncle!”

Grandpa’s voice came from behind.

I wasn’t surprised at all by this result; I even thought it was only natural. Only this explanation could account for the origin of his face.

But what Grandpa said next caught me off guard.

“What are you back for?”

Grandpa walked up to Second Uncle with a furious look, his face full of wrinkles showing his displeasure.

Second Uncle also had a stern face, saying, “My mother sent me back to recognize my ancestors.”

Grandpa’s face instantly froze, and the anger he had just shown dissipated.

From their conversation, I sensed some gossip.

Turns out, this sudden appearance of Second Uncle was actually the child of Grandpa and another woman.

I opened my mouth wide, wanting to hear more of what they would say.

But after waiting for a long time, all I got was Grandpa telling us to go inside.

Grandpa went into the house on his own. I intended to help Second Uncle carry his luggage, hoping to get closer and ask him about his past.

But as soon as my hand touched the suitcase by his feet, Second Uncle’s face immediately darkened.

“Don’t touch!”

His words were cold and serious, making me quickly pull my hand back.

Everyone has their own privacy, so I didn’t ask what was in the suitcase. For one thing, I wasn’t close to Second Uncle, and for another, his temper seemed unpredictable, leaving me at a loss.

After entering the house, Grandpa sat in a corner smoking, his brows furrowed so tightly that they could have killed a mosquito, and I didn’t know what he was worrying about.

Second Uncle was also a cold person, sitting there with a straight back, not saying a word.

Seeing the awkward atmosphere in the room, I coughed and walked over to Grandpa, asking, “Grandpa, where will Second Uncle stay tonight?”

Before Grandpa could answer, Second Uncle said, “I’ll stay in the tofu skin house at the village entrance; it’s quiet there!”

Second Uncle’s tone was very calm, but it made me feel a bit sarcastic.

It seemed he had some grudge against Grandpa.

Grandpa didn’t say anything, and the matter was settled.

When it started to get dark, I carried bedding and led Second Uncle to the tofu skin house.

My mother is a clean person, and she always keeps the tofu skin house spotless.

The house isn’t big, but it has everything it needs.

Apart from the smell of soybeans, there were no other odors in the room.

Second Uncle seemed quite satisfied, nodding frequently after taking a look around.

I quickly made the bed and didn’t rush to leave, thinking I could chat with Second Uncle and ask if he needed anything else.

But Second Uncle gave me the order to leave, telling me to go and not to disturb him without reason.

Second Uncle was extremely hard to get along with, which I never expected. I even suspected he might have some mental issues.

The next day, Second Uncle didn’t come home for breakfast, and Grandpa didn’t bother to care.

It was still my mother who kindly asked me to bring some food to Second Uncle.

When I arrived at the tofu skin house, I was met with a closed door.

“Go back, I have food here, don’t come anymore!”

I really wanted to curse, but since he was my elder, I had to suppress my anger.

When I got home, I couldn’t help but complain to my mother. We were supposed to be one family, but it felt like we were two separate families.

My mother didn’t say much, just advised me that Uncle might be a bit unfamiliar with the place and things would get better over time.

I could understand that he was not used to the new environment, but I couldn’t understand why he kept his door closed all day long.

This situation lasted for several days, and it even affected our business.

The tofu skin shop, which used to be bustling with customers, suddenly became very quiet.

But this quietness did not last long.

A week after Uncle came back, our tofu skin shop once again became the busiest place in the village.

Because, my grandfather died!

His body was hanging from the beam of the tofu skin shop, just like how my father died years ago.

He was skinned alive!

Grandfather’s death was sudden, and no one expected it.

When I saw his body, I felt a chill run from my heels to the top of my head.

This scene reminded me of Second Lai’s description of my father’s death.

Due to the excruciating pain, the body was twisted, and the entire person was peeled like an egg, only a thin layer of membrane left.

With a little force, the blood under the skin would flow out.

Without a doubt, Grandfather was also skinned alive.

I couldn’t imagine the pain he must have endured.

Even more unimaginable was the level of cruelty the murderer must have to commit such a heinous act.

The older generation in the village had seen my father’s body, but when they saw my grandfather hanging from the beam, they still couldn’t help but gasp.

As everyone was clamoring to take down Grandfather, Uncle, who had been shut in for a week, finally opened the door and walked out.

Seeing Grandfather hanging from the beam, there was no surprise or sorrow on his face.

It was as if the person hanging there was a complete stranger.

Even if it was a stranger, dying in such a cruel way, a normal person would feel sympathy.

But Uncle, his calmness made me think he really had a problem.

Not only did he show no emotion, but he also stopped the villagers from taking down Grandfather.

“He is still breathing, don’t move him!”

When I heard him say this, my mind went blank.

Because of his face, the villagers just looked at him suspiciously, and no one actually cared about Grandfather hanging from the beam.

I pushed away Aunt Tang, who was supporting me, and rushed over, shouting, “If he is still alive, why not take him down!”

Uncle turned sideways, blocking me, and pressed his hands on my shoulders, still with that cold expression.

“Exactly because he is still alive, so we can’t take him down!”

I couldn’t understand his logic.

I knew that every second counted, and the sooner we took Grandfather down, the better chance he had of surviving.

But Uncle’s strength was great, no matter how I struggled, I still couldn’t break free from his large hands.

I cried out in anxiety, reaching out to scratch and claw at him desperately.

“Are you really a Li? The one hanging there is your own father, can you bear to watch him die?”

I believed that this sentence was not wrong, but I received a solid slap from Uncle.

This slap completely stunned me, even making me forget the heart-wrenching cries I had just been making.

I stared blankly at Uncle, noticing a change in his expression.

From the previous coldness, it now showed a hint of anger.

I even sensed a bit of the frustration of a master disappointed with an unworthy disciple in his anger.

Although it was just for a moment, I was sure I did not misread it.

“If you take him down now, the blood will spill all over, and he will be tortured to death! It’s better to let him suffocate!”

Uncle’s words suddenly calmed me down. I vaguely remembered that the forensic doctor who examined my father’s body said he was tortured to death.

It’s hard to imagine, in the last moments of life, having to endure pain as severe as being cut by a knife or axe.

For a moment, I even felt hatred towards the person who saved my father back then.

My breathing became very rapid, unsure whether to believe Uncle.

I always felt that his mental state was somewhat abnormal, especially in such a situation, he could still show extraordinary calmness.

Just as I was hesitating, my mother grabbed my arm.

“Listen to your uncle!”

My mother pulled me far away, and we waited quietly for Uncle to announce that Grandpa had passed away.

This agonizing time did not last long. As Uncle’s face relaxed, I knew Grandpa was gone.

At that moment, I shivered, feeling something inside me rush out.

I was about to go and take Grandpa down myself, but Uncle shook his head again, saying we had to wait until the body cooled down.

So, we waited until it was dark, and Grandpa’s body finally stiffened.

The funeral preparations were carried out slowly. Late at night, my mother suddenly asked Uncle if he wanted to wrap Grandpa’s body in a white cloth to make him look more presentable.

She said that when my father passed away, Grandpa handled it this way.

Uncle, surprisingly, listened to my mother’s suggestion, nodded, and said he would take care of it.

My mother was weak, and by the late hours, she was too tired, so I persuaded her to go back to her room.

After sending my mother off, I was about to kneel down and continue burning paper for Grandpa when I heard Uncle say, “You go back to the house, I’ll take care of things here.”

Uncle’s words made me see him in a different light.

I originally thought he was a cold-hearted person, but it seemed he did have feelings for Grandpa, perhaps he just wasn’t good at expressing them.

He wanted to have a private conversation with Grandpa, and I didn’t feel right staying around to listen, so I nodded and went into the house.

After a day of high tension, the sudden relaxation brought on a wave of drowsiness.

Just before falling asleep, I seemed to hear the sound of the courtyard gate opening.

Overwhelmed by sleep, I didn’t pay attention and fell into a deep sleep.

I was woken up by the urge to pee. When I woke up, it was around five in the morning, and the sky was already a bit bright.

I pushed open the door, intending to go out to use the toilet, and found that the light in the mourning hall was still on, and there was even a sizzling sound.

After peeing, I got a bit curious and peeked into the mourning hall from the doorway.

This glance made me stagger. In my second uncle’s hand, he was actually holding something in the shape of a human.

The thing was slightly yellowish, and under the light, it looked shiny and somewhat transparent.

Human skin!

This word suddenly popped into my mind, and instantly, goosebumps covered my entire body.

What my second uncle was holding in his hand was actually a piece of human skin!

I froze, and a thought suddenly popped into my head: the person who peeled off Grandpa’s skin was my second uncle.

Although I tried to convince myself that my second uncle was Grandpa’s own son, and how could a son do such a thing to his father?

But the fact was right in front of my eyes. The human skin in my second uncle’s hand, whether in length or contour, was exactly the size of Grandpa.

For a moment, I was at a loss, not knowing whether to rush over and expose the evil side of my second uncle.

Sweat soaked my clothes, and in the July weather, I felt bone-chilling cold.

Just as I was hesitating, my second uncle seemed to have noticed someone was peeking, and he turned his head and shouted towards me: “Who! Who is there!”

I quickly retracted my neck and turned to run back to my room.

My survival instinct told me that if I was caught by my second uncle now, I might end up like Grandpa.

Just as I reached the door and was about to push it open.

A hand suddenly reached out from behind, tightly grabbing the latch.

I felt a pair of demon-like eyes staring at me from behind.

I didn’t dare to turn around, afraid that if I did, I would see my second uncle’s hideous face.

“What did you see?”

My second uncle’s voice sounded in my ear, making me shiver.

I really wanted to say that I already knew he killed Grandpa. But my survival instinct made me stammer for a long time without saying a single word.

“Come with me!”

Without waiting for my answer, my second uncle grabbed my collar and dragged me towards the mourning hall.

I struggled hard, trying to break free from his big hand, but instead, he slapped me on the head.

“What are you yelling about? Shut up!”

My second uncle almost commanded, forcing me to close my mouth, but my heart was pounding, afraid that he would do something to me.

When we reached the mourning hall, my second uncle pulled me to Grandpa’s coffin and pressed my head down to look.

“Did you see this?”

Despite my fear, my second uncle’s reminder made me curiously open my eyes.

This look almost made my jaw drop.

Grandpa’s original appearance had been restored to about seventy or eighty percent, but the skin on him didn’t quite match his original skin color.

Could I have seen wrong? Was that not Grandpa’s skin?

Curious, I reached out and touched the skin.

It was soft and thick, not at all like human skin.

This texture was very familiar to me, it seemed to be the un-dried tofu skin from our tofu shop.

“It’s tofu skin!”

I shouted, and my suspicion about my second uncle vanished.

So, my second uncle wasn’t the one who killed Grandpa!

“What did you think it was? Human skin?”

My second uncle chuckled, and I felt a bit embarrassed.

Even though it wasn’t real human skin, from a distance, it looked exactly the same. That’s why I misunderstood him.

I suppose my second uncle knew what I was thinking, so he brought me here to prove his innocence.

I touched the incredibly realistic tofu skin again. I have to admit, my second uncle is quite skilled to make ordinary tofu skin look so convincing.

For the first time, I became curious about his profession.

Is he a painter? A craftsman? Or a fashion designer?

But when I shared my guesses, my second uncle just smiled and didn’t say a word. Instead, he sat on the threshold and smoked quietly.

I didn’t tell my mom about the ‘human skin’ my second uncle made for Grandpa. Since he did it secretly, he probably didn’t want anyone to know.

If I hadn’t stumbled upon it, I might not have said anything.

But keeping this secret was really bothering me. It wasn’t until the day after Grandpa’s funeral that Village Chief Wang Changgui came to my door.

“Xiaofan, go check on your second uncle. He’s set up a flagpole in front of your tofu skin house.”

My second uncle always does strange things, and I had no idea why he set up the flagpole this time.

“What’s the flagpole for?”

I quickly asked Wang Changgui, but he didn’t know either. He only said that my second uncle hung a flag on the pole with two big characters: “Painted Skin.”

Painted Skin?

I immediately remembered what my second uncle did to Grandpa’s body that night.

He was just giving Grandpa a new “skin,” right?

Could this be his profession?

Is there such a strange job in the world?

My curiosity was piqued, and I put down my chopsticks and headed to the tofu skin house.

From a distance, I saw a white cloth fluttering on the roof, with two big characters written in ink.

The door of the tofu skin house was still closed. I called out to my second uncle for a long time, but he didn’t respond.

With no choice, I went back home.

In the evening, I went to the tofu skin house again.

From far away, I saw someone standing outside the door. As I got closer, I saw a young woman in red clothes.

She had been standing there for a while, and her clothes were damp with mist.

She covered her face with a red veil, and her ears were adorned with a pair of silver earrings. She was exceptionally beautiful, no less than the celebrities on TV.

In real life, I had never seen such a beautiful woman, especially up close, which left me stunned.

We were both looking at each other, and her clear, bright eyes made me feel all hot and bothered.

I don’t know how long I had been looking, but I blushed and was the first to back down. I lowered my head and touched my nose, glanced at her, and asked awkwardly, “Are you here to see my second uncle?”

The woman didn’t speak, her big eyes still staring straight at me, which made me really uncomfortable. I hurriedly went up and knocked on the door.

This time, Second Uncle finally opened the door, frowning and asking, “What are you doing here?”

I thought he was asking about the woman behind me, so I turned around to look, only to find that there was no one there, not even a shadow.

I looked around again, but still couldn’t find the woman’s figure.

In just a blink of an eye, she had disappeared.

I scratched my head, thinking I must have been seeing things, and didn’t pay too much attention. I then said to Second Uncle, “I came to ask about the flag on the roof. You see, because of what happened to my father and grandfather, the villagers are very afraid of the word ‘skin.’ Everyone is asking me, and I don’t know how to explain it, so I came to ask you.”

“There’s nothing to it, go back home!”

With a loud bang, Second Uncle slammed the door shut.

I was used to Second Uncle’s cold temper. Seeing that he had no intention of speaking, I shook my head and went home.

As soon as I got home, my mother asked me what I had found out.

When I told her I had been given the cold shoulder, she sighed and said, “Sigh, after all, he is your father’s own brother. As his sister-in-law, I can’t just watch him go astray. I’ll go and ask tomorrow!”

Although I knew she wouldn’t get anything out of him, I didn’t stop her.

Early the next morning, when we just arrived at the village entrance, we saw that the tofu skin house was already crowded with people.

The crowd was chattering, and no one knew what they were talking about.

We managed to squeeze in and saw Second Uncle standing at the door with his hands behind his back, talking to a plump middle-aged man.

“What should I call you, brother?”

The middle-aged man seemed very polite, extending his hand to Second Uncle.

But Big Brother had no intention of shaking hands, and simply replied, “No need!”

The middle-aged man’s hand hung in mid-air, looking a bit embarrassed, and he retracted it with a smile, then asked, “Can you paint skin?”

Second Uncle nodded and said, “Yes.”

“Even if there’s not a single good piece of skin left, can you still do it?”

The middle-aged man was a bit surprised and continued to ask.

Second Uncle didn’t rush to answer, but took out a cigarette from his pocket and asked, “Dead or alive?”

The middle-aged man’s face lit up, and he quickly took out a lighter, leaned forward to light Second Uncle’s cigarette, and nodded, saying, “It happened two days ago, not a single good piece of skin left.”

Before Second Uncle could say anything, a young man in a suit who was standing behind the middle-aged man suddenly stepped forward, frowning and asked, “Even the funeral home didn’t take it, are you sure you can do it?”

Second Uncle didn’t even look at him, pointing to the flagpole on the roof.

“If I didn’t have the skills, would I dare to put up a sign?”

Second Uncle’s arrogance made the young man’s face turn red, and he pointed at Big Brother, ready to curse, but was stopped by the middle-aged man.

Then, the middle-aged man said to Second Uncle, “Since that’s the case, I won’t ask any more questions. To be honest, my little girl died in a fire two days ago, and her body was completely disfigured. She is my only daughter, and I really can’t bear to let her go like this. Please, sir, come with me.”

Hearing this, I finally understood Second Uncle’s profession.

So-called “painting skin” means covering the disfigured bodies of those who died unjustly with new human skin.

As for what material the new human skin is made of, I guess it’s similar to the tofu skin I saw a few days ago.

However, such a method is indeed very novel, and this kind of profession is unheard of. I wonder where Second Uncle learned it from.

After speaking, the middle-aged man stepped aside and made a gesture of invitation, his face showing respect.

But Second Uncle seemed to have no intention of going with him. With a cigarette in his mouth and his hands behind his back, he said, “Fifty thousand! Bring the person yourself!”

The middle-aged man’s expression changed noticeably. Before he could speak, the young man in the suit jumped out again, as if trying to make up for the embarrassment he had just suffered.

“Just painting a few pieces of skin, why so expensive? Are you deliberately trying to rip us off? Besides, there’s no such thing as paying first before getting the job done!”

The middle-aged man did not stop him this time, as these were also the questions he wanted to ask.

Second Uncle frowned, gave the middle-aged man a cold look, and said, “If you want me to do the job, you have to follow my rules. Otherwise, feel free to leave!”

With that, Second Uncle turned around and was about to go back into the house.

His domineering words and cool demeanor reminded me of the heroes in martial arts novels.

This made me start to admire him a little.

The middle-aged man clearly did not expect Second Uncle to say this. His expression froze, and after pondering for a few seconds, he suddenly raised his head and made a decision.

“Alright, I’ll bring her tonight. Please, sir, lend your assistance.”

With that, he waved his hand, and the man in the suit reluctantly handed over a leather bag, taking out several stacks of hundred-yuan bills and handing them to Second Uncle.

Without even looking, Second Uncle beckoned to me and then threw the money into my arms.

“Take this, use it to get a wife.”

I was about to refuse when I heard Second Uncle say, “Come by tonight.”

For some reason, I nodded. When I came to my senses, the people around had already dispersed, and Second Uncle had returned to the tofu skin house.

Holding the money, I supported my mother and walked home. On the way, she asked why Second Uncle gave me the money, and I had to tell her the truth.

My mother sighed heavily, and tears soon fell.

She sat on a stone by the roadside, holding my hand, and sobbed, “If your father were still here, he should be the one worrying about finding you a wife. But you’ve had a hard life, losing your father at a young age, and now your grandfather is gone too, leaving only me, an old and useless mother. If Second Uncle hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have realized that you’re already at the age to get married.”

“Your mom can’t arrange things for you. Luckily, your second uncle is back, and he’s very capable and can earn a good living. Think of this money as a loan, and you must repay your second uncle in the future. He might seem distant, but I know that the more capable a person is, the less they like to socialize. From now on, stay by your second uncle’s side and do whatever he says, okay?”

I nodded, wiping the tears from my mother’s face.

Hearing her say this, I realized I owed my second uncle a great deal.

After dinner, I followed my second uncle’s instructions and knocked on the door of the tofu skin workshop.

When he saw me, he tossed me a pack of good cigarettes and asked if I knew how to smoke.

I shook my head, and he smiled, then went into the bedroom and brought out a suitcase.

I had seen this suitcase before; it was the one he carried when he returned.

From the way he handled it carefully, it seemed there were important items inside.

I didn’t pry, just asked what I needed to do.

My second uncle didn’t say anything, quietly smoked a cigarette, checked the time, and then told me, “Go get a piece of soybean skin, soak it in water, and be gentle—don’t tear it.”

I nodded and went to the place where the tofu skins were dried.

I knew very well that the tofu skin my second uncle wanted was for creating a skin for the boss’s daughter.

The dried tofu skin was both crispy and resilient. It was said that only our family in the surrounding villages could make such tofu skin, and some people had offered a lot of money to buy it, but my grandfather never agreed.

After soaking in water, the color of the tofu skin gradually became transparent, spreading out like paper, but with much more resilience than paper.

Although we ran a tofu skin shop, my grandfather never allowed me to touch these things. One reason was to keep me from learning the recipe and sharing it, and the other was to make me focus on my studies so I wouldn’t end up selling tofu skin in the future.

This was the first time I had such a close look at the process.

Gradually, I understood why my second uncle chose to use tofu skin to imitate human skin.

Firstly, the thickness of our tofu skin was just right and difficult to puncture.

Secondly, the tofu skin covered a large area and, after soaking, its color closely resembled human skin.

This was also why, when I saw my second uncle making a skin for my grandfather, I mistakenly thought he was the one who skinned him.

After soaking for about ten minutes, my second uncle told me to take out the soaked tofu skin and drain the water.

When the water had almost drained, a voice sounded at the door, “Is the master at home?”

I recognized the voice; it was the middle-aged man from the morning.

My second uncle stood up, waved at me, and slowly opened the door and went out.

There were about ten people at the door, led by the middle-aged man, with four people carrying a coffin covered in white cloth behind him.

It was obvious that the coffin contained his daughter’s body.

My second uncle stood still, staring intently at the coffin for a long time before nodding and saying, “Put the coffin down, you can leave now.”

The middle-aged man was taken aback and hurriedly asked, “Why? At least let us carry it in, right?”

My second uncle waved his hand and replied, “That’s not necessary!”

A hint of confusion appeared on the middle-aged man’s face. He looked at the coffin behind him and then at Second Uncle, and continued, “How can this be? This coffin is made of fine sandalwood. Not to mention that the coffin weighs at least 500 catties, since I am asking for your help, how can I trouble you to do it yourself!”

After saying this, the middle-aged man was about to call the coffin bearers to carry the coffin into the house.

At this moment, Second Uncle took a big step forward, blocking the middle-aged man, and said in an icy tone, “This is the rule! If not, please leave!”

Without waiting for the middle-aged man to make a decision, Second Uncle turned around and went into the house, telling me to close the door and see the guests off.

Seeing that the door was about to be closed, the middle-aged man wiped his sweat and shouted into the house, “Alright, alright, alright! Whatever the master says, we will do!”

Then, he could be heard calling the coffin bearers to gently put down the coffin.

“When should I come back, sir?”

Second Uncle squinted his eyes, looking at the coffin on the ground, and said word by word, “Before the rooster crows tomorrow!”

After the middle-aged man left, turning back every three steps, Second Uncle pushed open the door and went out again.

Before I could say whether to call for help, I saw Second Uncle squat down, wrap his arms around the coffin, and lift it up in one go.

While I was still in shock, Second Uncle had already carried the coffin into the house and gently placed it in the center of the room.

Looking at Second Uncle, who did not even break a sweat, I felt as if I were seeing a monster.

The middle-aged man had just said that the coffin weighed no less than 500 catties.

Second Uncle could actually lift 500 catties, and it seemed like he didn’t even exert much effort.

What kind of person could achieve such a feat?

Even the heroes in martial arts novels might not be able to do this!

“What are you standing there for, come and lend a hand!”

Second Uncle’s words brought me back to my senses.

Returning to normal, I finally felt a bit of fear when I saw the coffin in front of me.

Anyone would be afraid of a corpse, even if it was their closest relative; it’s human nature.

But when I saw Second Uncle’s face, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse.

After I closed the door and turned around, I saw that Second Uncle had already opened the coffin.

A charred body appeared before my eyes, with limbs curled up, hunched over, and not a single part of the skin intact.

The flesh where it was torn was rolled up, and in some places, pus mixed with blood oozed out, looking extremely disgusting.

My stomach churned, and I vomited everything I had eaten for dinner.

After I finished vomiting, I felt a bit weak, but managed to stand up and take the white gloves Second Uncle handed me.

Following Second Uncle’s instructions, I needed to straighten the woman first before proceeding, but when I reached out to touch her head, something sharp caught my glove.

It was so sharp that it even cut my fingertip.

I looked down and found that what had caught the glove was the woman’s earring.

Due to the loss of moisture in the body, the muscles in the ear had shrunk, exposing the prongs of the earring.

But this earring, no matter how I looked at it, seemed familiar, as if I had seen it somewhere before.

I picked up the earring, intending to take a good look at it, when my second uncle handed me three sticks of incense and asked me to pay respects to the corpse.

Every profession has its own rules, and my second uncle’s profession has especially many.

After following him to finish paying respects with the incense, I also had to walk around the corpse three times.

My second uncle walked in front, and I followed behind, only hearing him muttering something softly, like a monk chanting, long and incomprehensible.

After stopping, he handed me a cloth and told me to wipe the entire body of the corpse.

Although I didn’t understand why I needed to do this, I thought it was similar to putting up Spring Festival couplets, where you need to clean the dust off to improve adhesion.

Since it was a female corpse and it was my first time doing this, every move I made was done with great caution, fearing I might make a mistake.

By the time I finished, I was drenched in sweat.

My second uncle took a look, said nothing, and then went into the bedroom alone, not knowing what he was going to do next.

Fear comes from the unknown; once that unfamiliarity disappears, the fear diminishes.

At this point, looking at the corpse no longer gave me the same fear as before.

The room was eerily quiet, and apart from my heavy breathing, there were no other sounds.

Even the sound of my second uncle rummaging in the bedroom had stopped for quite a while.

Just as I was about to stand up to get some water, the room suddenly filled with rustling sounds.

I froze, perked up my ears, and listened again. There really were sounds in the room, and they were getting clearer and louder.

My body trembled, and I turned to see where the sounds were coming from.

Unexpectedly, turning around gave me a fright.

I saw the huddled corpse in the coffin slowly stretching out, with the charred skin cracking piece by piece, making a creaking sound, revealing dark yellow muscles underneath.

This scene was like a chick hatching from an egg.

But instead of bringing the joy of new life, it brought me endless terror.

I screamed and rushed to my second uncle’s bedroom, banging on the door desperately.

After a few seconds, my second uncle opened the door and asked me what happened.

I pointed at the coffin, stuttering and unable to form a complete sentence.

My second uncle took a look, then sat down on a stool without turning back, lighting a cigarette.

“Rare to see, much to be surprised!”

He mocked me and then explained that the cloth I used to wipe the corpse was soaked in something called “softening corpse water,” which helps the corpse soften quickly. Otherwise, with the degree of contortion of the female corpse, it would be impossible to apply the skin.

I had never heard of softening corpse water, but seeing the condition of the corpse, my second uncle didn’t seem to be lying.

I pinched the cloth, thinking that the softening corpse water must contain some kind of corrosive and heat-generating chemical, otherwise, how could the hard, charred skin crack so easily?

I couldn’t figure it out right away, but as long as it made sense, that was fine.

After finishing his cigarette, my second uncle took a wooden box from the suitcase and handed it to me. He himself took a wooden tweezer and started peeling off the charred skin from the corpse, piece by piece, and throwing it into the wooden box I was holding.

It feels great to tear off your own scab, but tearing someone else’s scab feels a bit cruel.

Although the corpse has no sensation, the oozing yellowish pus from the wounds is extremely disgusting.

I turned my head sideways, barely holding back the nausea, and finally endured until Uncle finished peeling off the scabs.

Looking up, I still couldn’t hold it in, and the acid water rose from my stomach.

The corpse covered in pus, combined with the stench of decay in the air, made this enclosed room completely like a foul ditch.

I didn’t dare touch the corpse anymore, so Uncle had to do it himself, using water to wipe the pus clean, and then asked me to fetch the soaked bean curd sheets.

The cleaned corpse looked very much like the dried cured meat during the New Year, but the terrifyingly emaciated head and the occasional oozing pus under the skin made me give up comparing it to cured meat.

Uncle laid out the bean curd sheets one by one on the table, took out a wooden ruler from his sleeve, and measured down from the shoulder of the corpse, reporting the numbers while I recorded them.

His actions reminded me of when my mother used to make New Year’s clothes for me.

But Uncle was much more meticulous, even measuring the heel several times carefully.

After measuring the dimensions, Uncle followed my records, taking a small knife to carve the bean curd sheets bit by bit.

Watching Uncle’s gentle technique in carving the bean curd sheets, I understood where his cold personality came from.

This kind of profession that demands such precision can turn a normal person into a cold and odd individual.

Once all the bean curd sheets were carved, Uncle began to apply them one by one to the female corpse.

While he was busy, he also recited some obscure and difficult-to-understand sentences.

“Zhou Jue Zhou Jue marks the imperial morning, acknowledging the heavy structure, the flame like smoke in the sky, leaping like the brilliance of the sun. Wucheng carries the divine edge, the calm light swallowing the blue, the gate of Changhe facing the red well, the cloud gate towering. The seven non-ordinary covers, connected and spread, the six heavens crossing the northern path, this is the home of ghosts and deities.”

I was completely lost, but this scene reminded me of the old monk who chanted scriptures while busy with Grandpa’s funeral.

Presumably, this is also a rule in Uncle’s line of work.

For just one sheet of bean curd, Uncle took half an hour to finish. There were over ten sheets of various sizes on the table, and it seemed we would be working until the wee hours of the night.

Sure enough, by the time Uncle applied the last sheet of bean curd, it was already four in the morning.

At this point, I was already drowsy, with a buzzing in my head.

But Uncle patted my face, making me more alert, and then handed me two inkstones, saying he needed the ink prepared.

One inkstone contained a black stick-like object, which I had seen in books and knew as ink.

But the other inkstone contained a red square block, which felt rough to the touch and was entirely different in texture from the black ink.

Uncle didn’t give me a chance to ask questions, waving his hand and saying, “Hurry up, I need it urgently.”

I shook my heavy head, using both hands, and soon filled the two inkstones with the two colors of ink.

Uncle took two brushes, dipped them in the inkstones, and stirred them thoroughly. After the brushes were fully saturated, he scraped off the excess ink and started applying it to the corpse.

I was curious, not knowing what he was going to draw on the corpse, and I moved closer with my aching arms.

At first glance, I couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement.

The previously rough and bumpy corpse, after Uncle’s busy work, became smooth and even. The corpse and the bean curd skin were perfectly integrated, and if you didn’t look closely, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between real and fake.

Looking up along the corpse, I found that the black ink I was asked to grind was used to draw the eyebrows of the corpse.

Uncle’s technique for drawing the eyebrows was extremely gentle, even more skilled than those makeup experts, which made me marvel.

After finishing the eyebrows, he picked up the brush dipped in red paint and began to draw the red lips, with just the right amount of pressure.

I suspected that Uncle usually locked himself in the room, practicing on himself.

After all this, Uncle finally straightened his back and sat down to have a cup of tea.

Only then did I realize that the woman was actually very beautiful, which reminded me of a flamboyant phrase.

“Her slender eyebrows are like distant mountains, her delicate nose, and her red lips are like a single red plum blossom in the snow, proud and enchanting, as if she had walked out of a painting.”

However, the only flaw was that Uncle did not reveal her eyes, and I wondered if he had forgotten.

Just as I was about to ask, there was a knock at the door.

“Sir, I’m here!”

Uncle signaled me to open the door, and I saw the middle-aged man standing at the door with a group of coffin bearers.

As the middle-aged man was about to speak, Uncle pointed at him, “You come in alone!”

After the middle-aged man entered the room, Uncle got up and closed the door heavily.

“Sir, what is this?”

The middle-aged man was greatly surprised and asked in confusion.

Uncle did not rush to answer, giving the middle-aged man a cold glance, then lit a cigarette, and slowly spoke.

“I don’t like being deceived. Is she really your daughter?”

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man’s expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and said with a smile, “Sir, you really know how to joke. I’ve traveled a long way and spent a lot of money to seek your help. Isn’t that enough to prove our relationship?”

“Besides, I have no reason to deceive you, right?”

At first, it seemed to make sense, and I subconsciously nodded, but then I felt something was off. Looking at Uncle, the coldness in his eyes seemed to have increased, indicating that he was still on guard.

I was puzzled. I had never seen Uncle show such an expression before. Could this middle-aged man really be a fraud?

But that didn’t make sense either. He had already paid the money, so there was no benefit in deceiving Uncle.

“Sir, you have great skills!”

A heartfelt compliment brought me back to reality. The middle-aged man, visibly excited, walked around the corpse several times, repeatedly giving a thumbs up, praising Uncle’s skills. Afterward, his eyes turned red, and he knelt beside the female corpse, muttering apologies to his daughter, lamenting the loss of a loved one.

Seeing his heartbroken and grief-stricken appearance, I completely dismissed my suspicions.

If this man was a fraud, his acting skills would be too good!

“Seeing is believing; your skills are truly impressive,” the middle-aged man said, wiping away his tears. After a long pause, he shifted gears, “But why didn’t you uncover my daughter’s eyes? Did I come too early and interrupt you?”

“If that’s the case, I’ll step out and come back once you’re done.”

The middle-aged man’s question was exactly what I was most curious about. I immediately turned to Second Uncle, hoping for an explanation.

“That’s the rule.”

I rolled my eyes; Second Uncle’s response was predictable.

My Second Uncle is great at everything, but he’s cold and doesn’t waste words. He treats everyone, family or clients, the same way!

“Rules?” The middle-aged man frowned, clearly unsatisfied, “Every profession has its own rules, I get that. But in any line of work, you should deliver after taking the money. Since you’ve taken my money, shouldn’t you meet my requirements?”

“Please make an exception, just this once, for a grieving father.”

The middle-aged man was firm on the issue of revealing his daughter’s eyes, changing from his earlier compliance to being very assertive. It seemed he wouldn’t back down unless Second Uncle gave in.

Second Uncle gave him a long, hard look, his brow furrowing slightly.

I felt a knot in my stomach, worried for the middle-aged man.

In the short time I’d known Second Uncle, I could tell he wasn’t one to be pushed around. For someone like the middle-aged man, who insisted on breaking the rules even after being told the reason, things wouldn’t end well.

After all, Second Uncle could lift a coffin weighing several hundred pounds by himself. If he got really angry, he might toss the middle-aged man out like a rag doll.

The room’s atmosphere grew tense and oppressive. Second Uncle’s brows were knitted, his eyes cold, and the middle-aged man stood his ground, matching him stare for stare. Caught in the middle, I swallowed hard and took a few steps back, afraid Second Uncle might suddenly lash out and drag me into it.

Just when it seemed things were about to boil over, Second Uncle’s expression softened, and the tension in the room dissipated.

“According to our industry’s rules, if it’s a request from the family, I can help you.”

“But I need to warn you, you’ll bear all the consequences.”

“Are you sure you want me to open the celestial eye for your daughter?”

Second Uncle sneered, his gaze intense, staring at the middle-aged man.

“What do you mean by ‘celestial eye’?”

The middle-aged man was taken aback by Second Uncle’s serious tone, but then figured, people in his line of work are often superstitious. The so-called “opening the celestial eye” is probably just a fancy term, meaning putting pupils in the eyes of the corpse.

It’s a simple task, what consequences could there be? Could the corpse come back to life after the eyes are painted?

Of course, that’s impossible!

Without any hesitation, the middle-aged man eagerly agreed, to make up for the earlier conflict, and also offered to add another twenty thousand yuan to the original amount, as compensation to Second Uncle.

Twenty thousand yuan, that’s not a small amount, especially in the countryside, where earning ten to twenty thousand yuan in a year is already quite good.

At this point, I started to suspect that my second uncle might be deliberately tricking the other party.

Just then, my second uncle picked up the brush. Before he put it down, he took the opportunity to give me a wink while lowering his head.

What does that mean?

I was completely confused. Before I could figure it out, I saw my second uncle lift the brush, lightly dip it in ink, and with two simple strokes, one on each side, he made the female corpse’s eyes visible.

The brushstrokes were simple but perfectly executed.

From a distance, the female corpse, with her willow-leaf eyebrows and closed beautiful eyes, looked like a sleeping beauty, serene and composed.

“Sir, you are truly extraordinary!”

The middle-aged man was completely focused on the female corpse, praising my second uncle’s superb painting skills without noticing that my second uncle had already begun to quietly step back.

“Back!”

Suddenly, my second uncle shouted, his expression serious, and he took a large step backward with his hands behind his back.

In the next moment, a cold wind rose, making the doors and windows rattle. The female corpse, which had been lying peacefully, suddenly sat up as if startled by the cold!

Boom!

It felt like being struck by a thunderbolt. My eyes widened, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was frozen in place.

The female corpse has come back to life?!

How is this possible!

“Sir, save me!”

The middle-aged man, who was closest to the female corpse, was almost scared to death. He tried to escape but was grabbed by the throat and lifted up by the female corpse.

No matter how he struggled, it was all in vain; he couldn’t break free.

At the same time, the female corpse’s tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, revealing blood-red pupils filled with hatred.

Wherever she looked, a chilling aura followed, making the air feel like an icy dungeon!

“Oh my God, a ghost, a reanimated corpse!”

The bone-chilling cold spread everywhere, and the hellish gaze of the female corpse made it clear that everything was real. An unprecedented sense of fear overwhelmed me, and I cried out, trying to escape the room. But my second uncle, who was a step ahead, grabbed me and pulled me behind him.

“Second Uncle, she, she...”

“If you don’t want her to notice you, you’d better shut up!”

I cowered behind my second uncle, trembling. What I was witnessing completely exceeded my understanding.

Before this, I never believed in the existence of ghosts, these intangible beings.

But now, I have no choice but to believe!

I knew my second uncle had unusual abilities, but I never imagined he could bring a dead person back to life with just a brush!

To be more precise, it was a female ghost, a vengeful and ferocious one!

The space in the tofu skin house was limited, and now the female ghost’s resentment seemed to have materialized, like a thin mist covering everything.

Being in such an environment was extremely uncomfortable. If it weren’t for my second uncle, I would probably have had a heart attack from the sheer terror!

“Save, save...”

The middle-aged man’s face turned a purplish color, and his forehead veins bulged. He struggled to speak, unable to form a complete sentence. He could only move his eyes to look at my second uncle, pleading for help.

Strangely enough, the female ghost was only interested in the middle-aged man and did not attack us.

The two seemed to have a deep-seated grudge, and the female ghost’s eyes, filled with hatred, looked like they wanted to burn the man in front of her to ashes!

Damn, this guy is definitely a fraud!

Seeing this, even I, as slow-witted as I am, could figure it out. I’m not sure if he’s the female ghost’s father, but I’m certain he’s the one responsible for her horrific, mangled state.

So, it makes sense that the female ghost would target him alone.

“Uncle, he can’t hold on much longer.”

I shrank my neck and whispered a reminder.

It wasn’t out of kindness, but because the female ghost was awakened by Uncle. If the man dies here, the police will come, and if we can’t explain it, Uncle will be in trouble.

“Exactly, he can’t die yet.”

As Uncle took a step forward, the female ghost’s crimson gaze immediately locked onto him. The female corpse, after being given a new skin by Uncle, could at least be considered beautiful while lying in the coffin.

But now, the skin Uncle had made for her was breaking inch by inch, and yellow and green pus oozed out from the broken skin, making the sight truly disgusting.

“Let him go first, keep him, he still has some use.”

Even when facing an evil entity like a vengeful ghost, Uncle remained indifferent.

I was sweating profusely, genuinely worried for him.

The female ghost responded with a shrill scream, so sharp that it shattered the window glass.

Even though I covered my ears tightly, I still felt as if someone was poking my eardrums with toothpicks. My hands were warm, and when I touched them, they were covered in blood seeping from my ears, causing excruciating pain.

Only someone as godlike as Uncle could remain calm under such an impact.

“Uncle, make her stop!”

“Enough!”

Uncle, who was protective, no longer showed any mercy upon seeing me injured. He threw his brush at the female ghost, who laughed coldly and raised her hand, summoning a gust of dark wind to intercept the brush.

However, the brush seemed to have a life of its own, turning mid-air in a bizarre manner, dodging the dark wind, and flying to the roof beam before swiftly descending!

The female ghost was horrified, and by the time she tried to stop the rapidly approaching brush, it was too late.

The spinning brush, sharper than a boomerang, cut through the air, and a flash of cold light passed over the female ghost’s neck. When it reappeared, it was back in Uncle’s hand.

Thud!

The head fell to the ground, the short neck cut cleanly. The body, now headless, swayed and then collapsed heavily.

Free from the grip, the man managed to catch his breath, his face red as if on fire. If Uncle had been just a bit slower, he would have suffocated to death.

Wow, even the female ghost couldn’t withstand a single move from Uncle!

This move of using a flying brush to decapitate the ghost left me in awe, and my admiration for Uncle grew even more. Despite my injury, I started planning to learn a few moves from Uncle once this was over, so I could travel the world without fear.

“Don’t get distracted, it’s not over yet.”

“Huh?”

The female ghost isn’t dead?!

“Why are you stopping me? I have no grudge against you!”

A sharp, female voice rang out. The corpse, which had been there moments before, now dissolved into a pool of pus, and a red, ethereal figure began to emerge.

Is it her?!

Recognizing the true form of the female ghost, I couldn’t help but gasp. I had actually seen this female ghost before.

No wonder the earrings on the corpse looked familiar!

It was the red-clothed woman with a veil from before!

Back then, I thought she had come to see my uncle, but she vanished in an instant.

I must say, without that disgusting body, the female ghost looked quite beautiful. At least, looking at her, I couldn’t feel any disgust, and even felt a bit of sympathy seeing her aggrieved appearance.

“Keep him, he’s still useful to me.”

“Hmph, killing someone for their crime is a matter of course. He caused me to be burned alive, and after my death, he even planned to use my body for his own purposes. Do you think I would let him get away with it?!”

The last part, the female ghost almost roared out, the deep-seated hatred in her words was moving.

“Xiaoxue, don’t talk nonsense, I didn’t do it.”

The middle-aged man hurriedly denied, he was thoroughly scared.

“Not you?”

“Xu Tianlin, do you really think I’m that gullible?”

“Even if you don’t admit it, I’ll play with you slowly. Perfect, I can also let you experience the agony of dying slowly in extreme pain and despair!”

The female ghost suddenly grew in size, revealing a terrifying side, like a giant net of human skin, overwhelming Xu Tianlin, the middle-aged man.

“Sir, save me, save me!”

Xu Tianlin’s voice changed, he retreated desperately, but could only curl up in a corner, with no place to retreat!

“I said, he’s still useful to me.”

My uncle threw out the brush in his hand again, the female ghost was quite wary of the brush, and had no choice but to temporarily retreat.

Xu Tianlin managed to keep his life.

A stench came, I looked, this guy had wet his pants, peeing all over the floor.

“Killing him won’t solve the problem at its root.”

“So, so you think I should let him go?! Do you know how painful it is to die slowly in despair! Do you know, this person once received favors from my family, but in the end, he repaid kindness with malice, burning me alive in a car! He destroyed everything I had, I just want him to pay with his life. Is that too much?!”

The female ghost was crying and shouting, by the end, she was sobbing uncontrollably.

Looking at her crying, I could clearly feel the sense of powerlessness, and for a moment, I felt a knot in my heart.

I’m not a person who hates evil, but if what the female ghost said is true, Xu Tianlin’s actions, dying at the hands of the female ghost, would indeed not be unjust.

Of course, on the premise that what she said is true.

“Why should we believe you, who knows if what you’re saying is true or false.”

I gathered my courage and stood up to say a sentence.

My uncle glanced at me, I smiled awkwardly, and quickly said, “Uncle, this female ghost looks quite pitiful, why don’t we listen to what she has to say first, and then make a decision?”

Uncle frowned, initially wanting to refuse, but then reconsidered, thinking it would be too harsh. So, he remained silent, tacitly agreeing with my suggestion.

“Hmph, does it even matter now if it’s true or not?”

The female ghost gave a self-deprecating laugh, looking lost and dejected. It seemed she didn’t want to relive the painful memories of the past.

“Go ahead, tell me what happened. If you still want revenge, perhaps Xu Tianlin is indeed the one responsible for your death, but I suspect he was acting under someone else’s orders.”

“If it’s that person, not only can you not handle them, but you also won’t be able to escape their grasp!”

Uncle’s unexpected words surprised the female ghost and made Xu Tianlin shudder.

Xu Tianlin looked at Uncle with the same fear he had for the female ghost, utterly terrified.

“Y-You, who are you exactly?”

Xu Tianlin stammered, this was his secret, something no one else knew, and yet Uncle could see through it. How could he not panic?

“Xiaoxue, please let me explain. It was him, he ordered me to do it.”

“It has nothing to do with me. I was threatened too.”

Uncle, like a worm in Xu Tianlin’s gut, clearly understood everything Xu Tianlin had done. Xu Tianlin couldn’t hold it together, and his mental state completely collapsed.

Disregarding his dignity, he knelt on the ground, kowtowing to the female ghost, crying and begging for her forgiveness. He kept explaining that he was forced by threats and did not intend to harm Xiaoxue.

Seeing Xu Tianlin like this, the female ghost hesitated for a moment and already believed Uncle halfway.

After some thought, she finally spoke, recounting the process of her victimization.

The female ghost’s name was Long Xue, the same age as me, but unlike me, she was born into a well-off family in the county town. Her family ran several factories, and she was a typical rich young lady.

At the end of last year, the authorities were cracking down on factory pollution. Her family’s factory only processed some agricultural products, which were not very polluting compared to other industries, but it was inexplicably shut down.

In those times, most businesses operated on borrowed capital, leaving only some emergency funds, with the rest invested in the market and products.

But after the factory closed, they couldn’t deliver on time, and agricultural products have a short shelf life and no market, leading to losses on both ends.

Her family’s debts piled up, and every few days, people came to collect. Her father, unable to bear the immense pressure, ultimately chose to jump off a building. And her mother, not long after, followed her father.

The bank seized all of her family’s real estate, and the days of having food served to her were over.

Under the double blow of losing her home and her family, Long Xue was devastated.

At this time, Xu Tianlin, an old subordinate of Long Xue’s father, found her and offered her a job.

The job was very simple, occasionally collecting documents from the factories below. Xu Tianlin, out of respect for the late boss, specifically raised Long Xue’s salary.

Long Xue was deeply grateful for the timely help. After profusely thanking Xu Tianlin, she followed him to complete the onboarding process. That same afternoon, she was informed that she needed to travel to a neighboring county to collect some research materials.

In a gesture of kindness, Xu Tianlin even lent his car to Long Xue, reminding her to be cautious before she left.

“At the time, I found it a bit strange. I had just started working for less than half a day and wasn’t familiar with the procedures. I shouldn’t have been sent on a business trip. Looking back, I realize it was all a setup by Xu Tianlin!”

As she spoke, Long Xue’s face contorted with anger and resentment.

“Shortly after I got on the highway, thick smoke started filling the car. I pulled over to the side of the road, trying to escape, but the doors and windows had been tampered with and wouldn’t open.”

As the smoke grew thicker and flames began to engulf the car, in a panic, Long Xue tried to call for help, but she was too choked to speak. In the end, amidst her desperate cries, she watched as her clothes caught fire, spreading to her entire body.

“You can’t imagine the despair and the hidden pain. I watched as the flames slowly devoured me!”

Gritting her teeth, the ghost Long Xue glared at Xu Tianlin, wishing she could tear him apart!

Xu Tianlin trembled uncontrollably, not daring to look up at Long Xue.

“The police later concluded that the fire was caused by old wiring, deeming it an accident. But having been through that inferno, I know for sure that Xu Tianlin was behind it!” Long Xue said through clenched teeth.

She also revealed that Xu Tianlin was extremely jealous. When he worked under her father, he endured a lot of hardship. To get revenge, he took every opportunity to undermine the Long family when their factory was struggling.

After both of Long Xue’s parents passed away, perhaps out of guilt, Xu Tianlin offered her a job. Despite knowing his true nature, Long Xue, in her dire circumstances, had no choice but to accept.

She never imagined that Xu Tianlin would be so cruel, not only causing the Long family to go bankrupt but also using the pretense of helping her to push her into a deadly trap, ultimately leading to her death in the fire.

“Bastard!”

Hearing Long Xue’s story, I felt a burning rage, clenching my fists, wanting to punch Xu Tianlin in the face!

“Jealousy can twist a person. Whether Xu Tianlin originally intended to kill you, I can’t be sure. But to act on your first day, there must have been someone behind him pushing him.”

My uncle, who rarely speaks much, looked at Xu Tianlin, who was kneeling and trembling with fear. Feeling disgusted, he kicked him over.

“A person with such a strong desire for revenge, would he really bring the body here to have me paint its skin, to give her a dignified send-off? Xu Tianlin, if I’m not mistaken, it was that person who taught you to burn Long Xue to death, right?”

The charred corpse was unrecognizable, twisted into an inhuman shape. Using such a thing to test Uncle’s skin-painting skills was most appropriate!

Xu Tianlin was speechless, left with only overwhelming fear.

Seeing him like this, it was clear that Uncle had hit the nail on the head about everything.

“I, I was also threatened.” Xu Tianlin finally managed to squeeze out these words after a long time, but his lack of confidence was obvious.

“That person told me that as long as I brought the corpse to you, he would give me great wealth. He also promised me that if I followed his instructions and burned Long Xue to death, even if the police came afterward, they would absolutely find no trace of evidence.”

Xu Tianlin spoke, trembling, unable to hide anything anymore, and had to tell everything.

“Is it true that there will be no trace of evidence? How can you be sure?”

“Of course!” Xu Tianlin suddenly raised his head, affirming.

But what made Xu Tianlin so obediently follow the other person’s orders, he couldn’t explain clearly.

I felt extremely disgusted by him, thinking he must have been scared to the point of mental confusion. I didn’t even want to look at him, feeling that Long Xue’s death at the hands of such a person was not worth it. I was also very curious about who was behind Xu Tianlin, or who had such power.

After all, from Long Xue’s account, it was clear that Xu Tianlin, who could bring down the Long family’s factory, was definitely one of the wealthy people. Such a person, yet still obeying others?

It was truly inconceivable.

What was most perplexing was that the person’s purpose was to test Uncle. Could it be that he was Uncle’s colleague?

Thinking about it, I suddenly realized a terrifying point: if it wasn’t to test Uncle, then wouldn’t Long Xue not have to die?!

Or, even if Xu Tianlin never intended to let her go, at least she wouldn’t have to be burned alive by the fire!

This means, Long Xue died because of him!

My God, this... The thought struck me, and I was instantly startled. I secretly glanced at Long Xue, seeing her also in shock, and after a long while, she pursed her lips, looking at Uncle with a face full of resentment!

Clearly, she had thought of the same thing!

“If that person wasn’t testing you, wouldn’t I not have to die?” Long Xue’s lips trembled, and she asked, choking up.

Uncle looked at her deeply, neither denying nor admitting.

“You can understand it that way, but even without that person’s instructions, you would have only lived a little longer under Xu Tianlin’s control.”

Uncle’s straightforwardness was unexpected. I opened my mouth, but I didn’t know what to say.

Especially Uncle’s cold demeanor, as if even if Long Xue died because of him, he wouldn’t feel any ripples, let alone any guilt.

He was like a piece of ice that never melted, cold to the bone, devoid of any emotion.

“Don’t engage in futile struggles. You are no match for me, nor for the person behind the scenes.”

Upon learning the truth, Long Xue choked up several times, her eyes flashing. She wanted to rush up and fight with Uncle several times, but in the end, she held back. The reason was simple: no matter who initiated it or who was behind it, the fact that Long Xue died at the hands of Xu Tianlin was undeniable.

Uncle Li made a deal with Long Xue. Once Xu Tianlin was no longer useful, she could do whatever she wanted with him—whether to kill or torture him, it was up to her—on the condition that she didn’t do it in front of me or Uncle Li.

Of course, Xu Tianlin had no idea about this arrangement. He was so terrified that he had passed out. When Uncle Li woke him up, his first reaction was to kneel and beg for mercy, even trying to appeal to Long Xue’s emotions, hoping for her forgiveness.

Uncle Li, being straightforward, gave him a quick look and said, “You can go now.”

“Really?”

Xu Tianlin couldn’t believe his ears. After coming to, he found that Long Xue and Uncle Li had surprisingly changed their minds and were letting him go?

“You are not qualified to test me. If you don’t want to die, help me deliver a message. Tell that person to come and see me personally.”

“I have a short temper. If they don’t show up by midnight tomorrow, they’ll face the consequences.”

Uncle Li grabbed Xu Tianlin, opened the door, and tossed him out of the tofu skin house.

The people who had come with Xu Tianlin earlier were long gone. Clearly, the earlier commotion had scared them off.

Xu Tianlin, having narrowly escaped, scrambled towards the village entrance. Watching him leave, I felt a mix of emotions, hard to describe.

It seemed like Uncle Li was using Xu Tianlin as bait to catch a bigger fish.

Other than that, Xu Tianlin was completely useless, and his life was worth nothing.

I wonder how Xu Tianlin would feel if he knew about the deal between Long Xue and Uncle Li.

I even had a feeling that, even without Xu Tianlin asking, Uncle Li would eventually give Long Xue the ‘opening of the celestial eye.’ Both Long Xue and Xu Tianlin were connected to the person behind the scenes, and as long as either one of them was around, Uncle Li could follow the clues to find the other’s hiding place.

“Stay in the tofu skin house until the trouble is resolved. Don’t go out without my permission, or it might cause unnecessary trouble.”

“If you want to take your revenge, you must listen to me.”

Uncle Li thought for a moment and decided to let Long Xue stay, temporarily residing in the coffin. Even though Long Xue had shed her disgusting body and become a beautiful ghost, she was still a ghost, something beyond the norm.

As the saying goes, humans and ghosts should not mix. Prolonged contact with a ghost can lead to illness due to the influence of yin energy.

Who would want to be in close contact with such a thing? I certainly didn’t.

I tactfully told Uncle Li that it wasn’t a good idea for Long Xue to stay. Unexpectedly, he said, “You’re young and full of yang energy, so you don’t need to worry.”

“...”

I couldn’t argue with Uncle Li’s words, so I had no choice but to accept the situation. Before leaving, I asked Uncle Li when Long Xue would be able to leave.

He didn’t answer me but instead pushed me out of the room, leaving me alone with Long Xue, who was lying in the coffin.

Ghosts and monsters are inherently of a sinister and fierce color, with a cold aura. After Long Xue moved in, the entire tofu skin shop became cold and lifeless. It wasn’t even the dead of winter, but I already felt the biting cold.

In the end, I didn’t follow my second uncle’s instructions to stay put in the tofu skin shop. Taking the opportunity to go to the toilet, I ran back home.

There was no way around it; seeing the female ghost made me feel uneasy. I couldn’t drive her away, so I had to leave.

After returning home, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. When I finally did fall asleep, I was tormented by nightmares.

The scene in the tofu skin shop was deeply etched in my mind. Every time I closed my eyes, I would see Long Xue transformed into a vengeful spirit.

Half-asleep and half-awake, I thought about not having to go to the tofu skin shop the next day and could sleep in. But as it turned out, early in the morning, my mother woke me up, saying that a large group of people had gathered at the village entrance, and they seemed to be quite important.

“I heard from your Aunt Lin next door that your second uncle went over there. It seems those people are looking for him.”

“Looking for Second Uncle?!”

Hearing this, I immediately woke up.

Thinking it must be Xu Tianlin who brought them, I didn’t hesitate. I quickly got dressed, washed up, and rushed out the door.

Seeing how anxious I was, my mother knew something was wrong. She didn’t stop me but gave me two buns and told me to help if Second Uncle was in trouble.

I nodded, agreeing, and while stuffing the buns into my mouth, I hurried towards the village entrance. Passing the small hill in the center of the village, I saw a large crowd gathered at the village entrance from a distance.

Apart from the onlookers, I could vaguely see several cars parked at the village entrance. It seemed that quite a few people had come this time.

As I got closer to the village entrance, I could see Second Uncle standing in the middle of the crowd, facing off against the visitors. The people on the other side were all dressed in black suits, each one tall and muscular. There were at least seven or eight of them.

My heart sank, and I picked up a stone, thinking that if they were here to settle scores with Second Uncle, I would rush in and fight them.

“These cars look really nice, probably worth at least 700,000 to 800,000 yuan, right?”

“Yeah, such rich people have to come and ask Li Family’s Second Uncle for help. Our village is also getting some glory from this.”

“But I wonder what Second Uncle is thinking. He’s not willing. It’s rare for rich people to come and ask for help. Afterward, he could get a lot of money. This kind of good thing is hard to find. It’s much better than staying in the village selling tofu skin, which only earns a little.”

Listening to the villagers’ comments, it seemed that they weren’t here to cause trouble.

I felt a bit relieved, but I still didn’t let my guard down. I held the stone behind my back and squeezed through the crowd of onlookers. I then saw an old man with white hair and a youthful face standing among the burly men.

He was wearing a light blue Tang suit, with his hands clasped behind his back. Despite his age, his posture was still upright.

The old man exuded a calm and refined demeanor, with a scholarly air, and his kind and benevolent face did not suggest any ill intentions. If it weren’t for the events of yesterday, I would have found it hard to associate the vicious Xu Tianlin with this amiable old man.

I never would have thought that the one who orchestrated Xu Tianlin’s secret sabotage and murder of Long Xue would be this person.

Before I arrived, I didn’t know what the old man and Second Uncle had discussed. I could only guess from the villagers’ chatter that he might have come to ask Second Uncle for help.

“Would you reconsider?”

The old man smiled, unhurried, waiting quietly for Second Uncle’s response.

“No interest.”

Second Uncle, clearly not wanting to waste any more words, was impatient, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot.

“Hmm? This young man looks a bit like you, is he... your nephew?” The old man’s sharp eyes noticed that I was different from the others as I slowly moved closer to Second Uncle.

Recognized, I forced an awkward smile and acknowledged the relationship.

For some reason, when his gaze fixed on me, I felt very uncomfortable, always feeling that his gaze was strange. Seeing me, his eyes lit up, as if he had suddenly discovered something extraordinary.

Being stared at by this old man made me feel very uneasy!

I shivered, my whole body covered in goosebumps. Unable to bear his gaze, I moved a few steps closer to Second Uncle, and only then did he withdraw his gaze.

“Good, very good, I didn’t expect the Li family to produce another fine seed!”

The old man’s inexplicable praise left me completely confused.

“I’ve already said, I have no interest in getting involved in your affairs, and as for him, don’t even think about it!” Second Uncle’s face darkened, and he took a step forward, placing himself between me and the old man, the warning clear.

“Even if I don’t come, with your nature, do you really think you can live out the rest of your life here quietly? Don’t tell me you’re planning to retire here, do you even believe that yourself?”

The old man paid no heed to Second Uncle’s warning and continued with a smile, “Why not listen to my advice and come with me? I promise, once it’s over, I will never bother you again.”

“If I can see him get married and have children, I will have fulfilled my duty to my late elder brother for the rest of my life.”

Second Uncle’s words warmed my heart, and I unconsciously tightened my grip on the stone in my hand.

“Speaking of bothering, you’ve caused quite a commotion today, how should I settle this account with you?” Second Uncle, as usual, lit a cigarette, his stern gaze sweeping over the bodyguards the old man had brought, finally settling on the old man.

Clearly, Second Uncle’s patience was almost at its end.

Seeing Second Uncle’s firm stance, the old man gradually lost his smile, and the bodyguards behind him all turned their attention to Second Uncle.

The situation was tense, and my heart tightened, my palms sweating. I quickly moved to stand beside Second Uncle, considering whether to make the first move and take down a couple of them. The villagers, sensing the tension, began to back away.

“Do not seek praise for your beauty, but leave a fragrance that fills the universe!”

I thought a conflict was inevitable, but unexpectedly, the old man suddenly recited an ancient poem.

“Do you remember who used this ancient poem to evaluate you back then?”

After hearing this, Second Uncle’s pupils suddenly constricted, clearly startled.

I was also startled, not because of the old man’s inexplicable ancient poem, but because it was the first time I saw such a complex expression on Second Uncle’s face.

He, who always treats people with a cold face, was now agitated and conflicted!

This was truly unprecedented. It turns out that Second Uncle can also have intense emotional fluctuations!

“Let’s go!”

After a moment’s hesitation, Second Uncle seemed to make a big decision and headed in the direction of the village tofu skin shop.

The old man nodded with a smile; this outcome was within his expectations.

After giving a few instructions to his men, telling them to stay and wait, he followed Second Uncle’s footsteps.

“What, what’s going on? Weren’t they about to fight?” Watching their retreating figures, I was dumbfounded. Looking at the stone in my hand, I felt like a fool!