8
I have never seen such a strange funeral.
There were so many people that the small funeral hall seemed a bit cramped. The sound of sobbing was incessant, but upon closer inspection, no one's eyes held even a hint of sadness; their eye sockets were dry as the desert. A few had red eyes, and whenever they spoke of the deceased, they reflexively rubbed their eyes with the backs of their fingers, wiping away the nonexistent tears.
As soon as Li Zitong entered the small hall, everyone's attention shifted to her. Many people immediately gathered around her, some offering warm greetings, others, even more arrogantly, acting as if they were elders, pointing fingers at her late arrival. Some even directly asked her how she planned to handle the Li family inheritance. Li Zitong gave vague responses, and those who didn't want to pay attention simply pretended not to hear. I, on the other hand, did my best to play the role of a flower protector.
As we spoke, a middle-aged man squeezed toward us. His eyes were slightly bulging, as if from high brain pressure, giving him a glaring expression. His hair was thinning, yet his physique remained stocky. A thumb-thick gold chain adorned his wrist, covered in black hair. As he passed, the people around him swerved like branches bent by a storm.
"That's my second uncle, Li Kaiyi. I don't want to see him."
"What should we do then? Do we have a battle plan?"
"Yes, I'm going to the bathroom."
Li Zitong turned and walked away. Li Kaiyi wanted to chase me, but I didn't give way and there were so many people around, so he just glared at me and left.
Seeing her leave safely, I breathed a sigh of relief, squeezed out of the crowd, and found a comfortable corner to lean against.
In the center of the mourning hall sat a simple coffin, surrounded by several baskets of recycled white chrysanthemums. The coffin looked flimsy, barely sturdier than an orange crate. The lid remained closed, likely due to the body's poor condition upon discovery. Even the funeral home staff's best efforts would have been insufficient to restore it to a less gruesome state. The only identification of the deceased at the scene was a memorial tablet and a portrait behind the coffin.
That portrait caught my attention. Black and white portraits are inherently ominous, and the face in this photo is so blurry, as if shrouded in mist and veil, that it seems even more eerie.
Before I could concentrate and think carefully, I heard someone behind me discussing, "What did this little girl from the Li family do? She chose such an unclear person for the portrait."
"That's right," another female voice chimed in, "You're late for your own brother's funeral. You're just being perfunctory."
"Haven't you heard? Li Tianci isn't her biological brother at all, so he's acting like this."
Looking back, I saw three or four middle-aged women with thick shoulders and waists, sitting in a circle and talking with saliva flying everywhere.
"She couldn't even find a photo of Li Tianci. Not even one. In the end, she could only make a rubbing from his ID card photo. There's no affection at all."
So that's what happened. The image was blown up from a small size, resulting in low resolution. A closer look revealed noticeable jagged edges around the face. Even after figuring out the blurriness, that face still felt strange to me.
A little later, the staff arrived and the formal funeral ceremony began. Nothing much to say, the same old routine, the same old routine. Farewell, cremation, burial.
After everyone lined up to burn paper money, the ceremony concluded. Leaving the cemetery, a pre-booked bus was waiting at the intersection to take everyone to lunch. Li Zitong tugged at my sleeve, and I knew she didn't want to go. Due to the solemn atmosphere of the funeral, no one had said much off-topic conversation just now, but that might not be the case later. Many people looked like they had a lot to say, and the banquet was bound to be filled with heated arguments. If someone drank too much baijiu, it might turn into a Hongmen Banquet.
Li Zitong pleaded ill and refused to go. But the crowd persisted, offering polite words as they pulled her onto the bus. I tried to help, but I was outnumbered. Then my second uncle, Li Kaiyi, intervened, shouting, "It's not easy for them to come from so far away," and practically yanked Li Zitong out of the crowd by sheer force.
There was a Toyota Corolla parked on the side of the road. Li Kaiyi escorted us into the back seat, started the car, and quickly fled the scene.
"Zitong and the others are tired, let's send her home first." Li Kaiyi said to the passenger seat, and only then did I notice that there was a middle-aged woman sitting there silently.
"Okay, drive slowly and be careful." The chubby woman in a gray sweater turned around and smiled kindly at Li Zitong. "It's not easy for you either. There's a pillow in the back seat. You can lean back and rest for a while."
Li Zitong said "thank you" coldly, closed his eyes and said nothing more. He seemed to understand that they had no good intentions.
Compared to Shanghai, the city of my hometown is pitifully small, so the drive didn't take long. The Li family's house remained the same, tucked away deep in a small alley. It seemed the shantytown redevelopment program hadn't yet reached this area; everything looked exactly the same as it had been over a decade ago.
Li Xueqiang parked the car at the entrance of the alley. I remembered witnessing the murder scene there that year, and a chill welled up inside me. Li Zitong politely thanked them again, saying that he was grateful for their help today and would definitely come back to thank them someday. Just drop them off here.
"How are you going to get in?" Li Kaiyi said jokingly, "The key is here with me."
He pulled a bunch of keys from his pocket, shook them, and walked ahead, unlocking the door. He turned around and asked us to come in and change our shoes, acting like the head of the household. Li Zitong and I exchanged glances, knowing something was amiss.
Aunt Li followed in. She changed into slippers, went into the kitchen, and served us tea and water as if she were entertaining guests. Then they both sat on the sofa and chatted with Li Zitong about family matters. Neither of them showed any intention of leaving, nor did they mention returning the house key.
Li Zitong patiently chatted with them for over an hour, and it was almost two in the afternoon. I couldn't help myself and said I was hungry. It wasn't a lie; I hadn't even had breakfast to catch the train, and now I was feeling a little dizzy.
Li Kaiyi patted my shoulder and said, "It's okay, I ordered takeout."
As if to confirm his claim, a takeout delivery driver soon knocked on the door. He arrived with a massive bag of food, the portions quite staggering. There was beef in sour soup, sweet and sour pork with pineapple, shredded potatoes with green peppers, stir-fried lettuce, a large bowl of pickled fish, a whole roast chicken, and even a bottle of Erguotou baijiu. It was like a banquet, clearly not meant for just Li Zitong and me.
As expected, my uncle and aunt didn't treat me like an outsider at all. They broke open the provided disposable chopsticks and started to eat heartily on the spot. Li Kaiyi also opened the white wine and invited me to drink. After being politely declined, he didn't mind and continued to drink leisurely.
Li Zitong put down his chopsticks after only a few bites. Li Kaiyi, however, continued to eat and drink like a bottomless pit. Second Aunt chatted while they ate. At first, Li Zitong would occasionally respond with a few short words, but after a while, he would just say "hmm" in response, and finally he fell silent, staring out the window at the telephone pole.
Second Aunt, unfazed by the silence, rattled off gossip without a word, her lung capacity and thick skin admirable. They stayed like this until sunset, and Second Uncle, flushed with wine, was almost empty, yet this dinner, which was either lunch or dinner, still wasn't over.
By the time darkness fell, I had heard a complete account of the decades-long grudges between the Li family's distant and close neighbors, and I had a good idea of everyone's age, occupation, and temperament. Second Aunt, finally feeling speechless, nudged her husband with her elbow. Li Kaiyi set down his glass and burped, a whiff of alcohol filling his nostrils.
"Zitong, how long are you planning to stay this time?" he asked drunkenly. "You young people don't like to cook at home, so you can come to our place for dinner if you have nothing to do."
"No need to bother. I'm in a hurry to attend the film festival and will leave tomorrow." Li Zitong replied coldly.
"Well, you're in such a hurry. You're someone who's going to do great things, and time is precious. You're the most successful person in our Li family. As for that unfilial son of ours, well, let's not talk about him... It's a pity that your parents died young and didn't get to see how successful you are now."
He sniffed and stopped talking. Second Aunt took over, moved. "Son, we know you're heartbroken. After Xueqiang and his wife passed away, you loved Tianci the most, acting as both his father and his mother to raise him. And yet, today, someone is saying you didn't care about the funeral. That's sheer nonsense."
Li Zitong gave a brief "hmm".
Second Aunt wiped her eyes and said, "You have to be more open-minded. You still have uncle and aunt. From now on, we will take care of each other. If you have any inconvenience, please feel free to come to us."
Li Kaiyi said, "That's right. We've lived for most of our lives. We can't say we've had a great life, but at least we can say we've had a good life. Don't worry about Tianci's funeral arrangements, just leave them to us. We'll take care of everything, whether it's the seventh day or the anniversary. I guarantee the neighbors won't find fault with us or say a word. And as for this house, you're busy outside and don't come home often. We'll come over every now and then to clean it, so that when you come back during the holidays, it will feel like your new home."
Li Zitong finally gave up on hiding his feelings and stared at the two of them with a blank expression. More than indifference, it was more obvious that he was showing contempt.
"Thank you for your concern. I will still come back regularly. I will clean my parents' and Tianci's graves myself. You don't have to worry about the house. I have already contacted the real estate agency. Starting next month, the house will be sublet to them. Just leave the cleaning and other trivial matters to them."
Li Kaiyi and his wife's faces turned pale as if they'd just been slapped. A few seconds later, Aunt Li Second reacted, adopting the tone of an elder scolding a younger person. "What can I say to you, kid? Tianci's body is still warm, and you've already rented out the house. Isn't that... too heartless?"
Li Zitong acted surprised and said, "That's strange. You two were the ones who taught me how to handle this."
"Nonsense! When did we ever let you take care of the house?"
"When my parents passed away, you were the first to try to sell this house, even secretly arranging for a buyer. If it weren't for the elders still alive who forcibly stopped the sale, the house would have been sold long ago. What is there to fight about today? I will remember this good example for the rest of my life."
Second Aunt's face flushed and paled, and she was speechless. Li Kaiyi slammed the table, "How disrespectful! Back when you two were little and helpless, your aunt and I kindly took you in, providing you with food and clothing. Have you forgotten all this kindness?"
"I have to admit, my brother and I lived in your house for a while," Li Zitong answered slowly, "but we were really fed up with the daily glares and gossip. Two months later, you found out the house couldn't be sold and were utterly disappointed. We couldn't even afford to eat. So we decided to move back into the old house. We're pretty lucky to have lived to this age. I really want to thank you very much."
Li Kaiyi was furious, the veins on his forehead popping out. "You're slandering me, so ungrateful... You're not even a member of our Li family, how dare you occupy our house! I was so kind to pick you up from the street, but you ended up raising such an ungrateful person. If I had known this would happen, I should have told him off!"
"You're wrong about one thing. I wasn't picked up on the street; I was adopted from an orphanage. All the necessary paperwork is in place, legally and in compliance with regulations. Legally, I'm the first heir to this house. There's no point in yelling at the top of your lungs, so save your energy."
"You, you little bastard, you're going too far!" Li Kaiyi screamed, lunging at Li Zitong. I was prepared, grabbing his shoulder. My intention was simply to stop him, but I used too much force, and Li Kaiyi fell to the ground, groaning. Only then did I realize I was dealing with an elderly, hollow figure, and I quickly helped him to his feet.
Li Kaiyi shook off my hand and climbed up groaningly. He rolled up his sleeves and was about to take action, but was stopped by Second Aunt.
"We are all family, let's talk it out."
"Okay, talk about whatever you want to talk about. I welcome it. But topics like inheritance are exceptions." Li Zitong took out a business card holder and placed the first one on the table. "I'm tired after all the trouble these past few days. This business card is from my attorney. It has his phone number on it. If you have anything, talk to him directly."
The uncle and aunt looked at each other, and then the second aunt advised: "This is our own family matter, why should we let outsiders interfere? As the saying goes, even an honest judge finds it difficult to judge family affairs..."
She continued to talk. The two of them refused to leave. Li Zitong finally lost her patience and took out her phone, saying she wanted to call the police. Second Aunt was quick to grab her hand that was dialing.
"Alright, alright, I won't say any more. You're just an impatient kid."
Despite this, the two of them still didn't seem to want to leave. Li Kaiyi simply excused himself, saying he'd drunk too much and was dizzy. He simply lay down on the living room sofa. Second Aunt, making tea to sober up and applying a cold towel to his forehead, acted very hard, mumbling something to herself, suggesting that I might have hurt him.
After struggling for a while until ten o'clock, the two men were at their wit's end and said they couldn't leave tonight and wanted to stay overnight.
Li Zitong said frankly that it was inconvenient and there were no extra rooms, so they could take a taxi to leave.
"But your uncle is so drunk now, who can lift him?" Second Aunt sighed, "How about this, let's put the young people in a difficult position. Zitong, you and your boyfriend can squeeze into your original room. Your uncle and I can sleep in Tianci's original room."
My heart skipped a beat. Li Zitong immediately refused. "No. We're not married yet. How can we spend the night in the same room?"
"Hey, what era is it now? You still care about this kind of thing. What's more, you young people nowadays..."
"I said no, and that's it!" Li Zitong's cheeks flushed slightly, but after a moment, they were covered with a layer of frost. "Isn't the master bedroom still empty? If you want to stay, just sleep there. It's spacious and has a double bed."
Li Kaiyi looked up from the sofa, exasperated: "That room is so nice, why don't you two go sleep there!"
Li Zitong picked up the phone and said, "I'd better call the police."
Second Aunt conceded defeat again, "Okay, okay, we'll borrow the master bedroom for one night."
Li Kaiyi looked extremely reluctant, but his wife pulled him up from the sofa by his ear. I followed them from the living room to the hallway. While the rest of the house had changed in both furnishings and decor, the master bedroom door remained the same.
The moment the door opened, a musty smell hit my nose, and I couldn't help sneezing. The murder scene from over a decade ago had left such a deep impression on me that it felt like a nightmare replay. The room was practically unchanged from the day it was built, except that the body had long been buried, and the bed had been stripped of its sheets and pillows, leaving only the bare wooden frame.
The floor was covered in dust, leaving footprints wherever others stepped. I didn't dare enter the house. The white paint on the walls was mottled and chipped, and the ceiling was conspicuously covered with a number of burnt-yellow paper talismans, each covered in dense red traditional Chinese characters.
Li Kaiyi coughed and said, "How about we go back? The room hasn't been cleaned in so many years, how can we live here?"
"You're still drunk, what if something happens on the way?" Second Aunt was furious and pinched Li Kaiyi's arm hard. He grimaced and didn't dare to say anything.
Second Aunt made arrangements, "If you think the room is dirty, just clean it. I remember there's an old quilt in Tianci's room, go get it and use it."
I thought they were both staying overnight, but Second Aunt helped me clean up the room and left with her bags. I went out to take a call from my father (he was very disappointed that I didn't bring Li Zitong home to stay the night), and when I came back I heard them whispering at the door.
Second Aunt's voice was sharp and clear. "What are you afraid of, man? If you don't stay here for one night, what if she changes the locks tomorrow morning?" "But...what if..." "No, it's just one night. Didn't that girl say the high-speed train is leaving tomorrow?"
I coughed and walked into the hallway. The two stopped talking when they saw me, and Second Aunt turned and left. Li Kaiyi followed me back to the house, trepidatious as he entered the master bedroom. He turned back and warned, "I don't lock the door to my room at night. Young man, if you pass by here on your way to the bathroom at night, don't make too much noise."
I wanted to taunt him—if you're scared, wouldn't it be safer to just close the door? Lock it from the inside and no one can scare you—but seeing him trembling in front of his wife, I felt a little sorry for him. So I kept my mouth shut and just nodded.
Back in the living room, Li Zitong was sitting at the dining table, hugging her knees, lost in thought, looking troubled. Seeing me enter the room, she forced a smile and said, "Thanks to you today, otherwise I would have been in a lot of trouble."
"Don't mention it. I can't really help much." I pulled out a chair and sat down. "Actually, even if you're alone, you can definitely handle it."
"Actually, I do regret bringing you here. I didn't want to argue with them, but I got too angry and ended up embarrassing you."
"No, it feels very familiar, like seeing you as a child again. I miss you very much."
"My childhood self? What kind of image do you have of me?"
"Strong, headstrong, and more handsome than boys."
She seemed a little surprised and bit her lip. "No matter how much you praise me, I won't give you any candy."
"I'm telling the truth."
"I understand what you mean. Come to think of it, it's not that flattering. But, never mind," she patted her chest. "I originally thought it would be 'a dead woman without blood or tears.'"
We smiled at each other and felt like all the stress that had accumulated throughout the day had melted away.
"It's getting late, you should go to bed early." I advised.
"Thank you." She nodded and was silent for a moment. "By the way, would you feel uncomfortable staying in a room left by a deceased person? If you mind, you can switch with me."
I said I didn't believe in ghosts or gods, but at Li Zitong's insistence, we switched rooms anyway.
After a quick wash, I went straight to her room. I saw that she had changed out her blanket, duvet cover, and pillow. The new sheets were stiff and smelled of starch. They must have been prepared by Li Zitong.
Lying in bed, sleep lingered. The wind whistled through the darkened windows. I simply turned on the light and pulled a novel called "The Great Gatsby" from the desk, intending to while away the time and cultivate a sleepy streak.
I ended up reading it all in one sitting. The clock said half past five. Dawn was coming.
Finally feeling a little sleepy, I put down the book and lay down on the bed.
"Good night." I touched the wall with my hand and said to Li Zitong, who was sleeping soundly in the imaginary room next door, and then closed my eyes. Then, the real nightmare finally began.
"Good night." A dark shadow holding a fierce knife whispered in the dark corridor across the door.
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