Chapter 68

Longhai City, the largest funeral home.

The Maserati Quattroporte slowly came to a stop, and Xiao Chen got out of the car.

"Brother Chen!"

Xiao Dao, who had been waiting at the entrance, limped over.

"Uh, everything arranged?"

Xiao Chen nodded and patted Xiao Dao on the shoulder.

"Uh, we'll set off at ten."

"Good."

The two entered the funeral home and then came to the spacious memorial hall.

The place where the body was supposed to be laid out was empty, and on the table in front, there was an urn and a black-and-white photo.

Three incense sticks were burning, and in the photo, Su Yunfei was smiling, looking forward.

Beside the table, there were several wreaths, which Xiao Chen had specially asked Xiao Dao to prepare. There were no eulogies or names, only a few special symbols.

No one came to pay their respects, not even the staff, making the place seem rather desolate and solemn.

Xiao Chen came to the table, looking at the black-and-white photo, and remained silent for a moment.

Xiao Dao stood behind him, his body tense, like a sword about to be drawn from its sheath!

"Do you think Old Su will blame me?"

After a long while, Xiao Chen asked.

"I don't know, but if it were me, I wouldn't blame you. I would do it willingly."

Xiao Dao's voice was not loud, but it was serious and earnest.

The vast memorial hall fell silent again until the mournful music started, and the staff walked in.

"Would you like to start the farewell ceremony now?"

The staff member approached Xiao Chen and Xiao Dao and asked softly.

"Let's start."

Xiao Chen nodded, took out a cigarette, lit it, and placed it on the table.

"Are there just the two of you?"

The staff member was surprised.

"Uh, just the two of us. Let's go through the procedures."

Xiao Dao said from the side.

"Okay."

The staff member was a bit puzzled, glancing at the urn on the table. Everything seemed so strange.

The farewell ceremony began, and the staff member followed the procedures. This was the first time in her many years of conducting farewell ceremonies that it was just for two people!

"First bow."

"Second bow."

"Third bow."

Xiao Chen and Xiao Dao stood in front of the table, bowing, and a chill spread through the air.

The staff member standing in front shivered and looked around. Why did it suddenly feel so cold?

"Alright, you don't need me here. We'll set off at ten. Come back then."

Xiao Chen said calmly.

"Okay."

The staff member was eager to leave. She had never been afraid before, but now she felt a chill all over, as if she were in a cold storage room.

"Old Su, Su Qing and Xiao Meng are doing well. You don't need to worry about them... Su Qing's troubles haven't been resolved yet, but don't worry. With me around, no one can harm her... And Xiao Meng, she's grown up and is even more beautiful than the photos you showed me..."

Xiao Chen stood in front of the table, looking at the black-and-white photo, speaking softly.

In front of him, scenes from the past kept flashing by... their first meeting, their first competition, their first drink... fighting side by side, sharing life and death... there were moments of joy, tears, and even blood...

Time passed, and the mournful music played over and over again.

At ten o'clock, the staff member reappeared. She was surprised to find that the two had been standing in front of the table the whole time, maintaining the same posture, without even moving an inch!

Strange people!

Everything today seemed so strange!

"Sir, it's ten o'clock."

The staff member approached, speaking cautiously, as if afraid to disturb them.

"Uh."

Xiao Chen took his eyes off the black-and-white photo and nodded. "Should we go directly to the cemetery?"

"Yes, there are staff waiting there."

"Good."

Then, two staff members in black suits came in, wanting to take the urn and the black-and-white photo, but Xiao Chen stopped them.

"I'll take the urn."

The two staff members looked at each other and did not touch the urn again.

Xiao Chen held the urn with both hands, while Xiao Dao took the black-and-white photo, followed by the two staff members, and they walked out.

Su Yunfei, who should have been covered in a flag and received infinite honor, was about to be laid to rest quietly.

Xiao Chen's every step was heavy, as if the urn in his arms weighed a thousand pounds!

"Sir, there's a special car over there." The staff member pointed.

"Xiao Dao, you take the photo and sit in that car."

"What about you?"

"I think Old Su would prefer to ride in his sister's car... this way, it's like Su Qing is sending him off!"

Xiao Dao nodded. "Good."

Xiao Chen held the urn and went to the parking lot, opened the car door, and sat down, gently placing the urn on the passenger seat.

"Old Su, this is Su Qing's car..."

Xiao Chen started the car and drove towards the cemetery, with the funeral home's vehicles following behind.

On the way, when they passed a supermarket, Xiao Chen stopped the car, signaled the other cars to go ahead, and went inside.

A few minutes later, he came out with a shopping bag full of items.

"Old Su, we'll have a few drinks together later."

Xiao Chen got back into the car, put the shopping bag on the back seat, and continued driving to the cemetery.

The location became more remote, and the traffic became lighter. It took over an hour to reach the cemetery.

This cemetery was not an ordinary one; each grave was a considerable distance apart...

If an ordinary cemetery was like a residential complex, with houses close together, this place was like a villa, with a small piece of land for each grave!

This was why the graves here were so expensive!

Xiao Chen got out of the car, took the urn, looked around, and smiled.

It was his first time here, but he was satisfied. The reality matched the promotional pictures...

After all, most of the people buried here were important figures in Longhai City, and the funeral home would not dare to deceive them.

"Brother Chen, are you satisfied?"

Xiao Dao came up and asked.

"Uh, facing the sea, with spring warmth and flowers blooming."

Xiao Chen looked at the sea not far away and the unknown flowers around, and nodded.

"Mr. Xiao, shall we start now?"

A staff member came over and asked.

"Uh."

Xiao Chen nodded, came to the grave, gently placed the urn, and then lit incense and a cigarette.

The staff member had also prepared various offerings, including stacks of paper money.

When the incense and cigarette were finished, the urn was placed in the grave.

Xiao Chen and Xiao Dao filled the grave with soil themselves, then pushed the marble coffin lid into place, making sure there were no gaps before stopping.

Then, a series of rituals followed. By the time all the rituals were completed, it was already an hour later, and noon.

The scene was quiet, with only the sound of the waves hitting the rocks in the distance.

Xiao Chen, Xiao Dao, and the staff members all bowed three times, and the burial was complete.

"Mr. Xiao, that's it."

"Uh, thank you for your trouble."

"You're welcome. It's our duty."

"Xiao Dao, you go back with them." Xiao Chen turned to Xiao Dao.

"What about you?"

"I'll stay with Old Su for a while, then drive back later."

Xiao Dao opened his mouth, but finally nodded. "Good."

Xiao Dao and the staff members left, leaving the vast cemetery with only Xiao Chen and a newly erected tombstone.

The wind picked up, and the waves grew larger, crashing against the rocks with a loud roar.

Xiao Chen slowly walked to a cliff a few dozen meters away, looking out at the vast, blue sea.

"Ah!"

Xiao Chen let out a long, mournful cry, a form of release.

At his feet, the waves were more turbulent, rolling and reaching several meters high.

Suddenly, his gaze fell on a speedboat on the sea, about ten meters below the cliff.

"How did a speedboat get here? Is it the cemetery staff's?"

Xiao Chen's eyes showed surprise, but he didn't think much about it, as he had no mood for it.

After standing on the cliff for a while, he went to the car, took the shopping bag, and returned to the tombstone, sitting down on the ground.

"Old Su, let's have a drink!"

Xiao Chen took out a bottle of Red Star Erguotou from the shopping bag, opened it, and poured some on the ground. Then, without a glass, he drank from the bottle, tilting his head back and gulping.

"Ha!"

Xiao Chen exhaled a breath of alcohol, put down the bottle, and took out peanuts and other snacks from the shopping bag.

"Old Su, look, these are recent photos of Su Qing and Xiao Meng... I risked being caught to take them just for you to see..."

Xiao Chen took out his phone, found two photos, and showed them to the black-and-white photo on the tombstone, grinning.

"Su Qing is fine, but if Xiao Meng, that girl, found out I was taking photos of her, she'd probably kick me out as a pervert... Your sister, she doesn't like me, but who am I? I can win her over in no time..."

One person, one tombstone, the scene felt eerie and desolate.

Xiao Chen drank and chatted, occasionally laughing, and sometimes his eyes would well up...

Time passed, and the empty bottles in front of the tombstone increased, scattered everywhere, and Xiao Chen was about seven or eight parts drunk.

"Old Su, you used to say, 'Why must one be buried in one's hometown? Life is full of green mountains everywhere... But the green mountains are fortunate to bury loyal bones, and today, the body is wrapped in horsehide and returned... When the time is right, I'll bring Su Qing and Xiao Meng to see you...'

Xiao Chen leaned against the tombstone, looking at the distant sea, his eyes vacant, mumbling.

The sun gradually set, the wind died down, and the sound of the waves became softer...

Just as Xiao Chen was half-drunk, half-awake, and half-asleep, a faint siren could be heard, gradually becoming clearer...

Then, the sound of a car engine roared, and a large off-road vehicle sped towards the cemetery, raising a trail of dust...

On the car, four men in their thirties, with stern expressions and a killing aura, were holding AK-47s!

This is the third chapter for today. I'll keep writing and try to update more!