Chapter 20 Deliveryman (20)
Bai Ye walked to the octagonal table, thought for a moment, and picked up the roast chicken, plate and all. Before leaving, he also took the knife and fork from the table with him.
Step by step, he slowly walked toward the coffin.
Closer and closer, the view in front of me was finally completely clear.
The coffin was lined with soft cushions, and a pillow of the same color was placed near the end of the coffin. An old man dressed in a Zhongshan suit was lying inside.
The other person's eyes were closed, and their sleeping expression was peaceful.
He looks exactly like the old man in the black and white photograph on the octagonal table.
Bai Ye breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he was going to see a skeleton.
But how can this serene "person" eat roast chicken?
Just as the thought arose, the peaceful old man who had been keeping his eyes closed opened them. His eyes were dark and bright, full of spirit, and when he met the young man standing outside the coffin, they suddenly became incredibly bright.
Bai Ye was stunned by the gaze; those eyes, that look, were more vivid than a living person.
How could someone who is already dead possess such a thing?
So, it's also possible that Mr. Fan Xiao will be the one attending the funeral tomorrow?
Bai Ye became suspicious once again.
The old man in the coffin had already sat up on his own, and moved the pillow he was using to his head back, placing it against the coffin lid. He leaned back comfortably.
"Here's my roast chicken, have a taste."
Bai Ye snapped out of his thoughts and immediately focused on dealing with the person in front of him.
He carried the roast chicken to the coffin, then squatted down and handed the plate over.
With his other hand, he offered a knife and fork, saying, "Sir, please use the fork to eat, so you don't get your hands dirty."
The old man looked up, somewhat surprised by the other person's actions, whether it was squatting down to make it easier for him to eat or the thoughtful preparation of tableware.
However, "I don't need a knife and fork, bring me chopsticks."
Bai Ye suddenly realized and chuckled, saying, "I didn't think it through. Knives and forks are indeed not suitable. I'll go get chopsticks."
Young people often use both knives and forks when eating chicken, either cutting or forking, which is very convenient.
However, in the older generation's usage habits, everything can be picked up with chopsticks, whether it's slippery tofu or so-called high-end and fashionable steak.
Bai Ye carried the plate and ran back to the octagonal table, taking away the only pair of chopsticks stuck in the glutinous rice.
On the way back, I also picked up a plastic stool.
Then he sat on a stool, leaning against the edge of the coffin. He held a plate in one hand and used a knife and fork to cut the roast chicken, while rotating the plate so that the old man could eat it with chopsticks.
"This roast chicken tastes bland; it's not as good as it was ten years ago," the old man complained as he ate.
Bai Ye didn't understand, but nodded in agreement, "Indeed, the food these days tastes blander and blander, and it's hard to taste the deliciousness of the past. Not to mention ten years ago, even a year ago tastes quite different from now."
"68 yuan each, that's too expensive."
"Yes, the old man is right. But there's nothing we can do. Labor costs are high now, so prices have gone up. Plus, the restaurants take a cut from our delivery platform, so it's going to be more expensive."
"It's not good. You can eat the rest."
The old man ate the equivalent of a chicken leg, then put down his chopsticks, losing interest.
Before lying down, he didn't forget to remind her, "Don't throw it away, wasting it is shameful."
Bai Ye helped to close the coffin lid again before carrying the remaining roast chicken back.
As soon as they stepped inside the tarpaulin, the other four rushed forward.
"I'm the best at surviving: 'Hey bro, what are you talking about with that guy? You seem to be having a great time. Aren't you afraid it might suddenly get angry and rip your head off?'"
"No, no, it's still under protection during both day and night."
Sunflower took a step forward, full of curiosity, "You get along so well with the old man. Is this how you always dealt with them when you did dungeon quests? What did you do when they were all broken and bloody right in front of you?"
He'd rather die than take the order: "Those guys can't stand seeing us show any fear or apprehension. The moment they sense anything unusual about us, they change their tune. You're something else, bro!"
Amidst the eerie laughter and chatter, this was truly an eye-opening experience.
He's gotten used to making money and leveling up to level two without saying a word.
Bai Ye smiled but didn't explain. She picked up the plate and asked, "Do you want some?"
"What?"
"It was left by the old gentleman. I cut it open, and the rest is very clean."
After thinking for a moment, Bai Ye said, "It's not good to waste it, so the old man told us to eat it all."
The four men all looked grim, seemingly recalling some unpleasant experiences from the past.
He refused to take any orders under any circumstances, his face turned pale, and he turned around and vomited immediately.
After vomiting, his face was as white as a dead person, and he could barely stand. "I need to calm down. I'll go sit over there for a while. Call me when you start the mourning."
Both refused to accept either "Survival is the strongest" or "Making money to level up to level two," and the two turned and left.
Bai Ye looked at the only girl, full of hope, "Let's eat together, I think it should taste good, it smells delicious."
A roast chicken that costs 68 yuan is quite well-made.
Of course, the main reason is that I might not be able to finish it all by myself.
Sunflower looked hesitant, her heart yearning to try it, yet also filled with fear.
Are these bizarre foods really safe to eat?
Bai Ye continued to encourage, "It's edible, as long as we don't mind. It's actually no different from regular food—"
"Aaaaaah!!!"
Sunflower's face turned deathly pale in an instant, her lips trembled, and she stammered, "It, it, it... it moved."
Bai Ye looked down and saw that the roast chicken, which was as dead as could be, had actually started flapping its wings.
But it doesn't matter!
Bai Ye reached out and twisted off the two chicken wings. "Now it's ready."
Sunflower trembled even more violently, its eyes filled with fear, "It's...it's bleeding..."
Bai Ye looked down again. The roasted chicken, whose wings had been broken, was spitting out blood. Its eyes, the size of mung beans, were wide open and staring straight ahead. It tilted its neck back and clucked in protest.
Although they couldn't understand anything, they both strangely realized that the chicken was pleading its case.
Bai Ye prepared to cover the chicken's beak, but Xiangyang Xiaokuihua had already run away, shouting as she ran, seemingly encountering this kind of thing for the first time.
None of the four colleagues were willing to eat, so Bai Ye had to enjoy the delicious food alone.
He sat on a plastic stool, not bothering with a knife and fork, and tore the roast chicken apart with his bare hands, finding it increasingly delicious and sweet.
This is much tastier than the food in the mental hospital.
Smash it, smash it, even the chicken bones are juicy and sweet.
"Stop flapping your wings, all that's left is a pile of chicken bones, where can you fly to?"
Bai Ye slapped down, severely injuring the chicken wing bone, which was devoid of flesh and skin. The bone flew into the air before crashing down and scattering across the plate.
The fall was so severe that even the only intact part of the chicken tip cracked in two.
Bai Ye ate the whole roasted chicken and was completely satisfied, feeling that he would even have the energy to cry mournfully later.
I was in a great mood, and even made a Tyrannosaurus Rex out of the dead roast chicken.
"If you are born a chicken, you will be born a dragon. If you are reborn as a fierce one in your next life, you will not be eaten."
"Tsk, it tastes good. Tell me, how come you're so delicious?"
At three o'clock in the afternoon, the mourning hall under the tarpaulin began to liven up. A middle-aged man brought a group of middle-aged women from somewhere and then pointed to an open space near the coffin.
“You sit there.”
A group of middle-aged women nodded, pulled out a plastic stool, and walked over.
Then, someone brought them paper money, a stove, and bags of gold ingots.
The middle-aged women tore out a handkerchief, burned paper money while wailing and crying, their cries heart-wrenching and desperate.
And each of them was full of emotion, calling out "Second Uncle" or "Old Uncle" repeatedly.
"The relatives are here again?" Bai Ye was confused. "Their own family is here, so should we still cry?"
"Survival is my greatest strength: Just like us, they're all mourners. It's just that they're professionals."
As they were talking, the middle-aged man walked over, pointed at the five people, and started babbling, "You guys, go to that group of aunties. I don't expect you to cry really well, but don't cry like you did before, pretending to be all innocent."
“If you can’t cry, then pretend. I don’t care if you use eye drops or apply ginger, the tears have to come out.”
"Also, I've contacted your company. My dad placed the order, but I'm the one paying. If I'm not satisfied, just you wait and see."
After issuing his warning, the middle-aged man walked to the far end of the tarpaulin and began to communicate with the chef.
Bai Ye took out his phone to check, and sure enough, the order information had changed.
The original name, Mr. Fan, has been replaced by Fan Xiaoxi.
"So this uncle's name is Fan Xiaoxi, and he's now our customer?"
Sunflower Xiangyang also finished reading the message, looked up with a sad expression, "Day and Night, it seems you offended him before. When it's time to settle the bill, will he make things difficult for you?"
"No way? I will do my job well."
Actually, Bai Ye wasn't sure either.
I joined the group of aunties and tried to get used to the sad atmosphere, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't cry out the grief of losing a loved one.
He applied ginger to his face, and tears streamed down his face as he burned paper money and cried. But passing guests laughed and said his crying was quite comical.
Of the five, Bai Ye was the one who was laughed at the most.
A middle-aged woman next to me, who was crying her heart out, couldn't bear to watch any longer. She said, "Young man, if you want to earn this money for mourning without feeling guilty, then really cry! Don't cry so fakely without any conscience. You'll suffer for it!"
"Auntie, I'm crying very seriously." Bai Ye burned another stack of yellow paper.
The middle-aged woman waved her hand, "What's the use of being serious? You have to use real emotion. You can tell at a glance whether someone is crying genuinely or faking it. Just like acting on TV, we can tell whether someone is crying because they're really upset or just pretending to use eye drops and shed tears!"
"Aunt……"
"If you're not really upset, just think about sad things, all the bitterness and sorrow you're hiding in your heart. Thinking about it will make you cry."
After saying that, the middle-aged woman turned her head and started crying again.
Tears streamed down her face as she called out, "Uncle, Uncle." Though they weren't real relatives, her sadness and grief were genuine.
Bai Ye was completely stunned; a true mourner was truly extraordinary.
Such genuine emotion, crying as if his parents had truly died, he deserves this job.
"You little brat, stop crying, do you still want your money?"
While the middle-aged man was strolling around, he noticed that Bai Ye was lost in thought. He went over and scolded her. After he finished scolding her, he thought for a moment and then instructed her, "Go to the front and cry in front of my dad."
"ah?"
"What do you mean 'ah'? Just go when I tell you to. From now on, you're my dad's grandson."
The middle-aged man recalled the old man's words and seemed very dissatisfied that none of the younger generation in the family were present. He was afraid that if no young people cried, the coffin lid would really be too heavy to hold down the coffin by nightfall.
What choices do working people have?
Bai Ye had no choice but to obediently get up and move to the front, changing his address from "Second Grandfather" to "Grandpa".
"Grandpa, I miss you so much! Grandpa—"
Bai Ye held the gold ingot, crying in a way that was both genuine and fake.
The middle-aged man found it jarring and thought Bai Ye looked like a mannequin, but ultimately didn't say much and reluctantly accepted it.
In the evening, the feast was ready, and dinner was served.
For those who are mourning, a special table is prepared for them.
However, apart from Bai Ye actively preparing the rice, the other four knelt there motionless.
"Let's go? Time to eat," Bai Ye urged.
Sunflower, feeling nauseous, thought of the roast chicken from the afternoon. "I'm not hungry, I won't eat."
He absolutely refused to accept the order: "I will never eat it."
Bai Ye looked at the other two, who also shook their heads.
"You guys are really something!"
Bai Ye shook his head slightly, turned around and followed a group of middle-aged women, calling out, "Auntie, wait for me."
When they arrived at the table, they remained unhurried and sat down in the seat where the food was served.
One hot dish after another was served. Bai Ye was the one in charge of carrying the dishes. Every time she carried a dish, she had to stand up and say to the person next to her, "Auntie, be careful, it's hot."
The middle-aged woman next to him watched with a smile, thinking how polite the young man was, and kept putting food on his plate.
"Eat this, abalone, it's very expensive."
"This is delicious too. The Fan family is rich; they bought fresh, wild yellow croaker."
"We can't eat that much; you young people should eat the lobster."
Bai Ye didn't pick up any food herself; her plate was already full of food, all thanks to the two aunties on either side.
He watched the food twist and crawl in the dish, and listened to the people around him urging him to "eat quickly," but his expression remained unchanged as he opened his mouth with a smile.
He said "Delicious" while also saying "Thank you".
Feeding is addictive; Bai Ye ate heartily, completely adored by this group of middle-aged aunties. So they all picked at the food even more vigorously.
By the end of the meal, Bai Ye could barely stand up, supporting her back.
Back at the site, kneeling before the coffin, I almost threw up.
"Brother, I saw you eat a big, fat worm, alive!" Sunflower looked terrified. "How could you dare?"
The night was calm and peaceful. "The insects were quite chewy, and the taste was pretty good."
"That piece of mutton, with blood still clinging to it, looked a bit like rotten meat?" Just describing it made me feel nauseous.
Bai Ye recalled for a moment and nodded, "It seems so, I saw two maggots."
"vomit--"
I'm the best at surviving, but I'll vomit as soon as I turn around.
No one wanted to continue the conversation, so they all remained silent, occasionally glancing furtively ahead.
He refused to accept the order no matter what and even began to doubt whether the person in front of him, who was actually a player, was actually some kind of high-level, eerie disguise.
He made a throat-slitting gesture, aiming to earn money and level up to level two, and gave a knowing look.
He made money to advance to level two without saying anything, continuing to remain silent.
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