Chapter 40: Last Wish Who allowed you to dress like this?
"Do you go out often?" Chang Xile asked as he sat by the window in the last row of the bus, looking at the shadows of trees passing by outside the window.
Even though she got up very early, the bus was still full, probably because it was National Day and the destination was in a scenic area, so many people got up early to travel.
Chang Xile's short hair was slightly frizzy, with a few hairs sticking up on top. It was obvious she'd left in a hurry without combing it, and only a pair of headphones served as a decorative accent. Those sitting nearby assumed she was on the phone and continued to doze off, unperturbed.
However, there was no sound in Chang Xile's headphones.
"I'm sick, so I don't go out much." Dai Shanyan's voice emanated from the brocade pouch in her bag, but no one except Chang Xile could hear it. She stared intently at the endless expanse of lotus blossoms stretching along the highway—she had never known such a place existed near her home.
"Your home is so far from the city, doesn't it take a long time to get anywhere?" Chang Xile checked the route the night before and found that Daijia Villa was located in a remote scenic area. To get there, he had to take the subway and then transfer to two buses.
"You don't have to go out to do anything. Someone will prepare it in advance and deliver it to you." Dai Shanyan seemed to be in a bad mood and spoke concisely.
Well, after all, who can be cheerful before attending their own funeral?
"Okay." Chang Xile brushed her hair against the window again, looked at the silver-streaked, strappy dress she was wearing, and asked hesitantly, "By the way, is it really appropriate for me to come to your funeral dressed like this?"
Hearing this, the passengers around her couldn't help but turn around and glance at her. Chang Xile then realized she'd said the wrong thing. She put on a harmless smile, looked out the window, and continued, "Of course, even when playing a script-killing game, you have to fit in with the character!"
Oh, script-killing games, something for young people to play. The passengers seemed to understand and turned back.
"Why is it inappropriate? I have already written in my will that you must dress beautifully to attend my funeral. I don't want the funeral to be all black, it would be so ugly." For this reason, Dai Shanyan carefully instructed Chang Xile to take out all the clothes in the closet the night before, and finally chose the most pleasing dress, and specifically asked Chang Xile to wear it to her funeral.
This dress was a gift from Chang Xile's mother, Ms. Tang Shixin, on her coming-of-age day. It was custom-made specifically for her. While the design appears simple at first glance, the floral sleeves, ruched waist, and light silver pattern add a unique touch. Tang Shixin loves to dress her daughter in this way, reminiscent of playing house as a child.
However, Chang Xile has basically never worn this style of clothes. She prefers to wear loose T-shirts and big shorts rather than skirts.
"But I didn't expect you to squeeze into the bus wearing this." Dai Shanyan added silently.
"The taxi costs 70 yuan," Chang Xile emphasized. "Do you understand what 70 means? It's my food money for two days."
The subway transfer to the scenic area bus can be taken at half price, and the total cost is no more than seven yuan. Chang Xile chose the latter without hesitation.
"It makes sense." Dai Shanyan was convinced by Chang Xile's calculations. She continued to look at the scenery outside the window in silence.
After Chang Xile got off the bus, she walked for a while in the cold morning wind. Seeing cars that she didn't recognize but looked very expensive passing by, she probably knew that she was going in the right direction.
But to be honest, the road leading to the villa is really a bit long.
"I should have worn a coat earlier." Chang Xile sniffed and noticed that a car slowed down and stopped beside her.
"Xi Le?" The rear window slowly rolled down, revealing a familiar face. A young man in a black suit accurately called out her name with a surprised expression.
Chang Xile stared at him expressionlessly, until his smile became a little stiff, then she suddenly said, "Chen Moxin?"
He is a senior in the photography club at Yamashiro University.
"Why are you here?" Chen Moxin smiled and asked knowingly.
Chang Xile was hit by the wind again, feeling cold and wanting to sneeze. She put on a forced smile and tried to end the meaningless small talk: "Let's go on an autumn outing." Then she turned and continued walking up the mountain.
"Do you know that black-hearted man?" Dai Shanyan, who had been silent all the time, suddenly spoke.
"Black-hearted?" Chang Xile couldn't help laughing when she described him that way. "Are you talking about Chen Moxin?"
"That's about the same idea." Dai Shanyan snorted, "He's the son of my dad's childhood friend, but he's a bit pretentious. I don't like him."
It's true that heroes and heroines think alike. Chang Xile was about to say something when she noticed that the car was following her slowly.
After Chang Xile turned around, Chen Moxin immediately raised his hand to signal the driver to stop. He had just vaguely heard Chang Xile mutter his name after leaving, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly, showing his owner's good mood. He invited: "Get in my car, I'll give you a ride."
"No thanks." Chang Xile refused, but after a while she smiled with her lips pursed, then turned around and trotted away with a smile in her eyes.
Chen Moxuan stared at her back as she left, recalling the look of laughter she had on her face before she left. He asked his driver, "Was she shy just now?"
The driver laughed dryly and agreed with a few words, finally ending this long and strenuous journey and stepping on the accelerator to drive towards the middle of the mountain.
Chang Xile couldn't help but burst into laughter after she walked away. She blamed Ms. Dai, who almost made her lose her composure, "Really? Can you please not tell jokes so seriously? Hahahaha..."
"What are you laughing at? Was I wrong? Don't get into the car of a black-hearted driver casually, okay?" Dai Shanyan was very wary of such things. People of her age had experienced countless kidnapping cases.
"You're right." Chang Xile raised her eyes. She finally arrived at the gate of the villa. Beside her, cars had passed through the west gate and entered the villa.
While Chang Xile was still lingering at the gate, a guard in a black uniform politely asked her, "Are you here to attend Miss Dai's funeral?"
Daijia Mountain Villa is located in a remote area, and most visitors come by car. Chang Xile was the first one to come here on foot.
"Yes," Chang Xile answered truthfully, but she felt a little uncertain. Funerals were different; there were only obituaries and no invitations. So, there wouldn't be any "you weren't invited" drama. But could someone like her, who barely knew the Dai family and had had little contact with Dai Shanyan, even get in?
Chang Xile once asked Dai Shanyan this question: "Since there is no visitor list, how can we determine who can enter and who should be kept out?"
"You've come from afar, so you're a guest. The funeral is held in such a remote place. Since you're here, my family doesn't mind having a few seats. But if you've come with bad intentions," Dai Shanyan sneered, "I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve."
However, the guard still refused to let me in. He said, "We should respect the deceased. My host expects visitors to dress modestly. You should change into a black suit before coming back."
"What bullshit!" Before she could react, Dai Shanyan got angry first. Chang Xile reached out and pressed the small bag she was carrying, signaling Dai Shanyan to calm down.
Then she smiled slightly and asked, "Your master, do you mean Miss Dai's family?"
Seeing that Chang Xile was not very cooperative, the guard's polite smile faded a little, and he looked like he was asking, "Is this nonsense?"
Chang Xile ignored it and continued, "So, it was actually her family's idea to wear black to the funeral. But Shanyan had specified before her death that everyone should dress nicely for her funeral, especially not black. I think that obeying her wishes is the truest way to respect the deceased, right?"
"This..." The guard hesitated for a moment. He asked Chang Xile to wait for a moment, then turned back and said a few words on the intercom. When he came back, his expression returned to respectful, and he leaned forward slightly and said to her, "Come in."
Chang Xile nodded in return and then walked into the main door that was open for her.
Waiters stood along the way, offering directions. Chang Xile didn't even have time to speak to Dai Shanyan. She walked through the garden path toward the main hall. As the conspicuous silver round hall gradually emerged from the trees, Chang Xile paused.
There were many strangers standing or sitting in the round hall, chatting. Chang Xile opened his mouth and whispered, "Look."
As dark clouds covered the sun, the sky darkened. The villa was surrounded by mountains. Looking around, the shadows of trees were swaying. Although those people in black were talking, their expressions were neither sad nor happy. They looked like ghosts emerging from a grave.
"That's why I said... it's not pretty at all." Dai Shanyan's tone became even more depressed. "No one cares about what I say, not even at my funeral."
"Are these your friends?" Chang Xile attended Dai Shanyan's funeral specifically on her behalf. Chang Xile met everyone she wanted to meet on her behalf.
"Not really. They're the children of my parents' friends. Just around the same age... Oh, the one in the middle is my brother." A central figure in the crowd: the young man in a black suit sitting in the center. He was supposed to be greeting guests, but now he had a gloomy expression, and it was unclear what he was thinking. Everyone around him tacitly agreed not to disturb him.
Dai Shanyan glanced at them listlessly. Her health was poor, she rarely went out, and she rarely attended gatherings with her peers. So her death wouldn't affect anyone. Perhaps they only remembered there was such a young lady named Dai after receiving the obituary. As for her brother, he had been studying abroad and hadn't returned when Dai Shanyan was seriously ill before her death. She had assumed he wouldn't even attend the funeral.
Chang Xile was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Where do you hide your secret money?"
"In my room." Dai Shanyan reacted. "Why, have you changed your mind?"
"Yes, I'm preparing to inherit your legacy." Chang Xile walked towards the round hall with a smile.
"Then you'd better wait and find the right opportunity. When the time comes, you can go to my room. I have many collections that you can take away. Oh! I should have known not to let you wear such exquisite clothes. There is not even a pocket to put things in." Dai Shanyan was calculating excitedly, not noticing that the air became silent as Chang Xile walked into the round hall.
The man who was said to be Dai Shanyan's brother had one hand on his temples. After hearing the voice, he raised his eyes and glanced at Chang Xile.
To be fair, Dai Shanyan was a beauty, her features deep and beautiful even when seriously ill, making her unforgettable. Her brother looked like her and was also quite handsome, but at this moment his expression was gloomy and too sharp, making people feel oppressed.
"Who allowed you to attend my sister's funeral dressed like this?" he asked her coldly.
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