Chapter 32
After subduing the spirits of the old man and the yellow dog, Lian Xi’s mobile phone also got his signal back. The two quickly got into a taxi and returned to SuZhou City.
When they arrived in SuZhou City, it was only 11 o’clock in the evening.
After getting off the taxi and stepping firmly on the land of SuZhou, Lian Xi and Lie Chen opened the reaper record at the same time very tacitly. They flipped to the the monthly performance ranking:
24th, WuXi, JiangSu Province ghost official, with 4214 points.
25th, SuZhou City, JiangSu Province ghost official, with 3943 points.
Lian Xi said seriously: “It took almost two hours from the time we took the taxi to the return trip. For two hours, the WuXi ghost officials didn’t increase a single point! They’re so unprofessional.”
Lie Chen looked at him and raised his eyebrow: What’s your point, suddenly?
Lian Xi: “So even if we didn’t subdue the old man and the yellow dog, the WuXi ghost official wouldn’t have done anything. All the points would all go to waste then but fortunately we were there.”
Lord Black Reaper suddenly realized what he was going on about. As he looked at the youth filled with righteous indignation, he curled his lips: “En, you’re right. That makes sense.”
Lian Xi nodded: It makes sense.
Thinking about it this way, the shame in the corner of Lian Xi’s heart, which was originally as small as a sesame seed, was instantly wiped out.
Yes, WuXi’s ghost officials were too unprofessional! We are here to help, not to steal jobs.
—Fortunately, there is you, SuZhou city’s white reaper.
Lian Xi glanced at the indifferent Black Reaper with his hands on his pockets.
—Fortunately, there is you, SuZhou city’s Black Reaper.
Lian Xi: “It’s still early, only eleven o’clock. We have a total difference of 271 points compared to WuXi’s ghost officials. If we are lucky, we can surpass them tonight.”
There is no word for sleep in the ghost official’s dictionary. If i’s a good day, it must be used to catch ghosts.
The two didn’t talk much and directly went to catch ghosts.
However, it is regrettable that the luck of SuZhou’s City’s ghost officials seem to have been used up. Over the entire night, Lian Xi and Lie Chen caught seven more ghosts, but their performance only increased by 380 points.
Lian Xi opened the performance rankings.
24th, WuXi, JiangSu Province ghost official, with 4423 points.
25th, SuZhou City, JiangSu Province ghost official, with 4323 points.
“The ghost official in Wuxi is still working.” Lian Xi sighed and looked to the east. He saw the morning sun rise and the morning light was faint.
It seems that they can only finish up for today.
It’s not that you can’t catch ghosts during the day. It’s just that the sunlight is too dazzling during the day and the guiding golden light function of the reaper record is relatively dim. The brightness cannot be adjusted according to the light intensity and it is difficult to see the guiding golden light during the day. Secondly, there are indeed fewer ghosts during the day than at night.
Ghosts are born of yin energy. When the sky was blue and the sun was bright, yang energy was at its peak. At this time, most ghosts will find a place to hide quietly and will not wander around like they did at night.
After a busy night, the two returned home to rest.
After washing up casually, Lian Xi fell asleep. He slept groggily until ten o’clock in the morning when his phone rang suddenly. He answered the phone, still feeling a little confused: “Hello?”
A man’s hearty laughter came over the phone: “Are you staying up late to play games again?”
Hearing this voice, Lian Xi was slightly taken aback. He glanced at the name on the phone screen: “Chen Kai? Yes I was sleeping just before and woke up now.” After a pause, Lian Xi suddenly realized: “You called me so does it mean the ID card is done?”
On the other end of the phone, his university roommate smiled and said, “Yes, it’s done. I just got it this morning. You send me the address on WeChat and I will give it to the courier. It should be delivered within an hour.”
Lian Xi smiled a lot: “Thank you very much. You really did me a big favor.”
After hanging up the phone, Lian Xi found the WeChat account of his old classmate and sent the address.
In half an hour, the same city express delivered President Hao’s ID card. He opened the courier document bag, took out the thin ID card and squinted his eyes in the sunlight.
[Lian LieChen
Date of Birth: 1995…]
The following information was all made up by Lian Xi.
It’s not easy to get this ID card. First of all, Chen Kai’s relationship was very important. If Chen Kai didn’t have such a good girlfriend, he wouldn’t have been able to get a real ID card if he didn’t spend some serious money. Secondly, filling in the identity information for Black Reaper was also very troublesome. The word Lie is not a surname. After Lian Xi asked several times, the Black Reaper only insisted that he was called Lie Chen. So Lian Xi just decided to play along and gave his surname to the Black Reaper.
It is always said on the Internet that it is easy to get a fake ID card, and it seems that there are fake ID cards everywhere.
But those who have fake IDs usually just use it casually. They don’t need to go to the Public Security Bureau to lie in front of the police.
Su Jiao walked out of the room and saw the ID card in Lian Xi’s hand. He was surprised and said: “Is it that easy?”
Lian Xi smiled and waved his ID card at him: “There’s definitely no problem and the information has even been entered into the official database.”
Su Jiao muttered:”It’s so good to know people. “
Lian Xi:.” Yes, it’s really great. “
Getting the ID cards was the first step and the second step ……
Lian Xi looked up as the Black Reaper came out of his room. He took a deep breath and walked over: “Lord Black Reaper, I think…it’s time to open up your worldview.”
The Black Reaper, who was looking down at the performance rankings, slowly lifted his head up.
……Huh?
Next, it took Lian Xi two full hours to go over some basic common sense of modern society to Black Reaper for the first time.
“First of all, be a good citizen who abides by laws and regulations.” Lian Xi said earnestly, “The underworld has the rules of the underworld, and the living world also has the laws of the living world. Now that you have come to the living world, you must abide by these laws and regulations. For example love the country, love the party, always keep in mind the core values of prosperity, democracy, civilization and harmony…! This is the key to not being 404.” {As in, in error.}
Lie Chen flipped through the ID card in his hand and looked at the photo on it which Lian Xi had taken two days ago. He was very curious about it. He raised his heed. “That rich, strong, democratic, civilized and harmonious thing you just said, can you repeat it again? I didn’t catch it.”
Lian Xi: “…”
This hapless boy!
Lian Xi calmly turned on the phone, Baidu searched it and read the twenty-four words again. As he read it, he thought: I really should carry this on my back…
From basic modern technology products to some of the most common common sense of interpersonal communication, whatever he could think of he said it.
At the end of the day, his mouth was dry and he felt that there should be no more problems.
Lian Xi: “Do you have any questions?”
Lian Xi just asked casually but Lord Black Reaper really raised his eyes to look at him: “I do.”
Lian Xi: “Huh?”
Lie Chen: “What’s with this world “Lian’?”
Looking in the direction of Black Reaper’s finger, Lian Xi knew exactly what he meant: “This, it’s because Lie is not a surname, so I could only make one up.”
Lie Chen said indifferently: “Don’t you know the significance of a surname? It is the root of a creature, where the soul dwells.”
Lian Xi was dumbfounded.
He saw the man lift his finger and coolly swipe it over the words “Lian LieChen”. Lian Xi’s eyelids twitched and he had a bad premonition. Then he took a closer look at the place where his finger had been wiped.
Lian Xi: “…”
[Lie Chen.
Date of Birth: 1995…]
Put your surname back!
Lian Xi was shocked by the Black Reaper and his scalp felt numb. He quickly called his old classmates and asked him to see if he could make a new ID card and express it by tomorrow at the latest.
Chen Kai asked strangely: “What’s wrong, didn’t I just send you my ID card?”
Lian Xi couldn’t say: “Uh, maybe the identity information was not recorded in the database correctly? It’s a bit different from the ID card. “
Chen Kai was surprised: “No, QianQian said that everything is done. I will ask her to find someone to ask.”
Soon, Chen Kai called back: “Lie Chen, your friend, isn’t his information in the database already?”
Lian Xi grasped the key point: “Lie Chen?”
Chen Kai: “Yes, Lie Chen. Isn’t that your friend’s name?”
The fingers holding the phone tightened slightly and Lian Xi smiled: “That’s right. I made a mistake. I will invite you and my sister-in-law to dinner in the future.”
He hung up the phone and looked calmly at the reaper who continued to stare down at the performance rankings.
With a single swipe, one word on the ID card was erased without any sign of it having been there, and even the official online information database was changed.
And nobody noticed a thing… is this also a reaper ability?
Lian Xi considered this. Suddenly, a low male voice interrupted his thoughts: “Family and first names are both the roots of life. Those who forget their names cannot be transferred to reincarnation. In ancient times, there were customs in the world and so when women married they took on the surname of their husbands. It is a promise and agreement given to the world by the lords of the underworld since ancient times. After changing your surname to the other person’s, there will be a trace of your fate together even into the next life. If in this life you are willing to bear their surname, the next life you will be fated to meet again at least once. It may not be possible to continue your fate together but at least you will meet each other again.”
Lian Xi: “The underworld actually takes care of this kind of thing? Shouldn’t this be Yue Lao’s job?” {Yue Lao is the god of love and marriage.}
Lie Chen’s lips moved as though he wanted to say something. But after the words rose to his lips, he couldn’t speak it. After a moment of silence, Lord Black Reaper snapped closed his reaper record and said calmly, “Can’t remember.”
Lian Xi: “?”
Lie Chen raised his eyes to look at him and said confidently: “I have amnesia.” Don’t you know?
Lian Xi: “…”
From time to time you remember, and from time to time you forget. Your amnesia is too weird!
Lian Xi: “Isn’t the King of the Underworld, King Yama?”
He should be counted as their boss right?
Lian Xi thought for a while: “King Yama also takes care of marriage and fate? I keep thinking there’s some weird story related to that right? Something to do with the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva? Didn’t he say something like: “If the Underworld is not empty, I can’t become a Buddha?” So that’s why he could only stay in the underworld? It has something to do with the changing of surnames, right? There’s some kind of story about this.” {Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, also known as the “Earth Treasury” is Bodhisattva known for his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all the hells are emptied. He is responsible for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds.}
The Lord Black Reaper wanted to say something but his mind went blank.
Since it is forgotten, it certainly must not be important.
Lie Chen always has the same uncaring attitude: As long as I don’t ask, then I know everything.
Lian Xi began to think hard. What was the story where the king of the underworld had something to do with love and marriage? He thought about this melon for a long time but he couldn’t think of what it was.
The feeling of a half-eaten melon is really terrible.
It’s not easy to eat melons and he sighed repeatedly.
Lian Xi: “But modern people have long lost this custom. There is no need to change your surname when you marry. Even after you marry, you will still be yourself.”
Lian Xi agrees with this point. In modern society, everyone is independent, regardless of whether they are male or female. Getting married doesn’t change anything.
Lie Chen glanced at him and a sentence flashed in his mind, “It’s not for the sake of mortals that this agreement was made.” But the next moment, President Lie fell into a logical loop. If this was an agreement given to mortals, then how could it not be for the sake of mortals? Who was it for then?
This complicated, strange and self-contradictory question caused Black Reaper to suddenly fall into self-doubt but then he thought for a moment and concluded that the brain of the king of the underworld must be broken.
This should be the reason.
Lian Xi didn’t notice the abnormality of Black Reaper. He now basically understood the reason why the other party insisted on removing the “Lian” from the ID card.
Lian LieChen.
Taking the husband’s surname.
Uh, it’s really embarrassing.
After giving Lie Chen the ID card and teaching him basic common sense, Lian Xi stood up and clapped his hands: “Okay, let’s go to the Public Security Bureau. They’ve already urged us many times that you have to go make your statement. Lord Black Reaper, do you remember all the points that I have just told you? Do you know how to answer the police’s questions?”
“Yes.”
Lian Xi took out his phone and started to call a taxi: “Then let’s go!”
***
When they got to the police station, it was four o’clock in the afternoon and approaching the end of the working day, but the policemen of the Major Crimes Unit were still working overtime.
Lian Xi brought Black Reaper to make his statement and the little detective who was hosting them led them into a small private room. Sitting outside the door, Lian Xi looked at the door frequently and nervously, for fear that Black Reaper would forget the main points he had memorized before and say something wrong.
“You seem nervous.”
A smiling voice rang from behind and Lian Xi turned his head to look. He quickly remembered the other person’s name: “Deputy Wu.” He smiled calmly: “Every time I come to the Public Security Bureau, I feel nervous. I’ve never been here before this incident.”
Depuy Wu was dressed in casual clothes. Hearing his words, he came over with a smile and sat down next to Lian Xi: “How are you doing recently? You saw such a bloody scene before so have you not been sleeping well? Young man, your under eye dark circles are very heavy.”
Lian Xi’s dark circles were all caused by going out to catch ghosts during this period but he didn’t deny it and nodded.
Deputy Wu: “Speaking of which, do you know why the victim, Sun Yan, said your housemate is her boyfriend?”
Lian Xi turned his head curiously.
Deputy Wu sighed: “Oh, young people nowadays have really messed up views about the relationship between men and women. Liu Hao confessed that after he started dating Sun Yan, he already had a girlfriend and didn’t want to let his girlfriend know. But every time Sun Yan calls him, she likes to do it when her roommates is there. So when her roommate asked her who she’s calling, she says it’s Su Jiao. Liu Hao said that your housemate isn’t good at talking and doesn’t have many friends. So no one would ask him if he was dating Sun Yan. Also his dorm is right next to Liu Hao’s, so when Sun Yan comes to find Liu Hao she can say she’s coming to see Su Jiao.”
Deputy Wu smiled and said: “That Su Jiao is pretty unlucky. Pass on my apologies to him. We just grabbed him in for questioning like that, he was so terrified.”
Lian Xi: “……”
When he recalled his housemate’s smug claim that Sun Yan was boasting to her roommate about dating him because he was handsome, Lian Xi face nodded and said seriously:. “Rest assured, I will definitely tell him.”
“Then that’s all from me. I’d better go back to my investigation.” Deputy Wu smiled, got up and left.
Lian Xi: “
“Take care.” Lian Xi couldn’t wait. As soon as Deputy Wu left, he immediately took out his mobile phone.
[Lian Xi: I already know why Sun Yan said you are her boyfriend…]
His housemate responded instantly.
[Su Jiao: Yes, because I’m handsome.]
Lian Xi smiled slightly and told him what Deputy Wu said.
[Su Jiao:…]
[Su Jiao: I don’t believe it! It’s impossible! ! ! ]
[Lian Xi: Accept reality [smile]]
[Su Jiao:! ! ! ]
Looking at his housemate’s angry and defeated appearance, Lian Xi calmly put away his cell phone, his duty done.
Ten minutes later, the door opened with a click.
The young detective sent President Lie out of the room and stretched out his hand: “Thank you for cooperating with the investigation.”
Lie Chen lowered his head and looked at the hand of the small detective: What was he trying to do?
Lian Xi hurried up and pulled Lie Chen away: “It’s okay, it’s our citizen’s duty to help the investigation.”
After leaving the Public Security Bureau, Lian Xi let out a heavy sigh of relief.
“Finished!”
Without a response, Lian Xi turned his head to look at the Black Reaper beside him.
Under the bright sunshine, the handsome and indifferent man tilted his head slightly, and he raised his hand. Lie Chen: “Extending your hand, what does this mean?”
As soon as the voice fell, the next second, a warm and soft hand squeezed Lie Chen’s hand.
The Black Reaper stiffened and slowly raised his head to look at the young man in front of him.
Lian Xi smiled: “It means shake hands.”
A moment later.
Lie Chen: “En.”
…
When they got out of the Public Security Bureau, it was already six o’clock in the afternoon.
Lian Xi’s stomach was growling with hunger and he remembered they hadn’t eaten all day today!
He went with the Black Reaper to a roadside noodle shop. Lian Xi: “Boss, give us two bowls of AoZao noodles.”
The boss was startled and looked over at them “Got it!”
The business here wasn’t good. It was dinner time but there was no one eating. That meant the taste probably wasn’t good, Lian Xi thought silently.
But there were no other options. There were no other restaurants near the Public Security Bureau and Lian Xi didn’t have time to find a place to eat. Later he had to go to the Yuan Hospital to find Dr. Wang and ask him about the nurse who delivered him back then. He could only eat here.
Perhaps Lian Xi brought some popularity to the store as within two minutes, a mother and daughter came in.
Walking ahead was a girl with short hair and a women’s suit. She walked fast and looked very capable. After entering the noodle shop, she turned around and looked at her mother who was standing still at the entrance. She frowned and said in an impatient tone: “Come in now, what are you doing? Even if you’re not hungry, I am.”
Her mother, who was dressed very plainly, stood at the entrance for a few seconds. Her daughter complained again. So she sighed and walked in after all.
The girl was surprised when she saw Lian Xi and Lie Chen but she didn’t look too much as if she had no interest in handsome guys.
She walked to the table next to the two and sat down and shouted: “Boss, two braised beef noodles.”
Boss: “Got it!”
Soon, the boss first served two bowls of noodles to Lian Xi’s table.
It was unknown if it was because he was hungry but Lian Xi ate a few mouthfuls and thought: Hey, it’s actually not bad?
Lian Xi: “Try it.”
Lie Chen glanced at him, then lowered his head to look at the bowl of noodles in the red soup base in front of him. After a few seconds, the Black Reaper picked up his chopsticks and tasted it.
Lian Xi smiled and said, “Not bad right?”
Lie Chen hummed casually.
The two of them ate noodles and Lian Xi said, “AoZao noodles are a specialty of SuZhou. This shop is quite authentic. When I was young, my dad took me to SanTang Street and there was a restaurant there that served great AoZao noodles. Of course, this shop is also good.”
The boss just came out with two bowls of braised pork noodles. Hearing Lian Xi’s compliments, he smiled and said, “The young man understands his food well, my noodles are good.”
Lian Xi: “Very authentic!”
The boss walked into the kitchen: “Haha, then eat more. I’ll give you another shrimp.”
“You are a little different these days.”
The cold and indifferent male voice suddenly sounded. It wasn’t only Lian Xi but the short-haired white-collar worker at the table next door was also stunned and quietly looked at a man in black.
The Black Reaper’s voice has a unique quality. Cold, faint, mixed with a hint of loneliness and alienation. It’s hard to say why a person’s voice makes people feel certain things but if you have to describe it then it was like when that man spoke, it made him feel inaccessible and that he doesn’t want anyone to approach him.
In short, when listening to it you would reach this conclusion: This person is an introverted loner.
Lian Xi: “How am I different?”
Lie Chen looked at him: “Prosperity, democracy, civilization, harmony, freedom, equality, justice, rule of law, patriotism, dedication, integrity and friendliness.”
Lian Xi: “!”
Fuck.
You actually memorized it!
Lie Chen: “You wouldn’t have said this before.”
Lian Xi was startled suddenly.
He understood the meaning of the Black Reaper.
A few days ago he wouldn’t have taught him about common sense, he wouldn’t have told him how to understand the world. He wouldn’t have said I will buy you a mobile phone when we get paid our salary next month.
He wouldn’t have done any of these things.
Why?
Because he only thought of him as a Golden Light ATM machine.
Some people are naturally slow and cautious. It took nearly a month for Lian Xi to get along with Su Jiao before they became friends. And now… in the simple but clean street shop, the young man smiled: “It’s because we are friends.”
Lie Chen’s lips moved and he looked at the young man in front of him steadily. After a while, he calmly said “Oh” and lowered his head to continue eating noodles.
The female white-collar worker who was watching from the side this whole time: “…”
“These two people look good but is there something with their heads? They suddenly started to recite their core values in broad daylight.” The female white-collar worker muttered in her heart. She raised her head and saw her mother on the opposite side of the table quietly looking at the two people at the table next to them. Seeing her mother’s familiar expression, the female white-collar worker immediately reacted and her face sank suddenly: “What are you looking at, Mom? That’s enough, don’t just look at a random man on the street and try to set me up!”
The middle-aged woman was taken aback for a moment and then looked back at her daughter: “I wasn’t…”
The white-collar worker said silently: “No? Then what about Accountant Chen or Xiao Wang from the Tourism Bureau? Can’t you take a break? I don’t want to have a relationship right now, I want to focus on work!”
The middle-aged woman murmured: “But you’re twenty-nine now and you’re not in a relationship. It’s not good to have children when you get older.”
The female white-collar worker banged her chopsticks impatiently: “Who said that I must have a baby, can you just give it a rest? I said I don’t want to get married and I don’t want to have a baby!”
“If you don’t have children, who will take care of you when you get old? I can’t stay with you for your whole life.”
“Then I can make more money? I just want to make more money. If I have more money, people will want to take care of me. Can’t I find a particularly good nursing home?”
“Those people are all dishonest, do you think they will really take care of you? They just want your money. And Xiao-Hui, if you don’t have children, your life won’t be complete. You say now that you don’t want children but when you give birth you’ll change your mind. How can a woman not be a mother? When you become a mother, you will know what I mean.”
“Why do you think that I have to marry a man and have a child to have a complete life?”
“Then what do you intend to do, stay single your whole life?”
“Can’t you keep up with the times, why do women have to marry and have children these days? I am human first, I am my own woman and I have the right to choose my life!”
“Do you know what the people in the village say about you now?”
“I don’t live with them so why do I care what they think? They’ve got problems, do you have problems too? What disgusting three views do you all have, forcing people to marry and have children? I live alone and I’m happy! Go back to the village after eating the noodles, don’t come to look for me again.”
As soon as the words fell, the middle-aged woman lowered her head and stopped speaking.
After a long time.
“Your second aunt told me that she has a distant nephew who also works in SuZhou City…”
“Why are you so annoying! Can you shut up? Do you have to scold me?”
The middle-aged woman closed her mouth again, no longer speaking.
Seeing her mother like this, the female white-collar worker felt anxious. She put down her chopsticks directly and her voice was choked: “Don’t I give you living expenses every month? I don’t ask for anything. I work alone in the city. Is it easy for me? My colleagues’ parents buy cars and houses for them. But I don’t get anything and I still have to give you money. Can you see how it is?”
“Xiao-Hui…”
“I beg you, don’t bother me with this kind of thing anymore. Do you know how busy I am at work? Do you know how stressed I am? I have no time to fall in love and I don’t want to fall in love either!”
“I…”
The white-collar worker wiped her tears: “There’s other people here, so embarrassing.”
The middle-aged woman lowered her head in silence, twisting the corners of her clothes with her fingers.
It seemed that she was not in the mood to eat. The female white-collar worker ate two mouthfuls casually and said “Boss, the money’s on the table”. She got up with her bag and left. She walked towards the bus station, talking to her mother while walking and begging her to stop arranging blind dates for her.
After the white-collar workers left, the noodle shop owner walked over to clean up the dishes. He craned his neck to look at the back of the white-collar female worker, turned his head and said to Lian Xi, “Does that woman have a mental problem?”
Lian Xi did not speak.
The boss looked down at the table and saw that two bowls of noodles were still on the table. Only two bites of one bowl was eaten and the other bowl of noodles hadn’t been touched at all.
The boss simply sat on the stool by himself, took the chopsticks, picked up the bowl of noodles that no one had eaten and ate it. “That woman must have something wrong with her head. She ordered two bowls of noodles when she was alone and even yelled at the air. It’s scary.”
Lian Xi didn’t answer. He opened his reaper record and looked at the latest line that emerged from it. It was a name.
[Li XiuLan, 1967-2020, died of illness. ]
Lian Xi: “Boss, the money is here.”
Boss: “Oh, oh, okay, take care.”
When they walked out of the entrance of the noodle restaurant, Lian Xi looked at the bus station and saw the short-haired white-collar worker just walking to the platform.
“I said, I don’t want to fall in love, I don’t want to marry someone. Are you listening to me…” The voice stopped abruptly and she turned around. The white-collar worker stared blankly at the empty air behind her.
“…Mom?”
In an instant, scenes flashed through her mind and memories flooded in.
Her relatives from the country suddenly called and told her that her mother had had a cerebral hemorrhage while working in the field.
She had stayed all night at the door of the operating room praying but the only answer she got was the doctor’s “apology”.
Her mom was gone.
It had been two months.
“I don’t have a mother anymore.” Looking at the air, she spoke stupidly.
Tears poured down and wet her cheeks instantly.
“I don’t have a mother anymore…”
Lian Xi sighed softly as he watched the back of the white-collar worker as she squatted on the ground and cried.
The world was never black and white.
She wasn’t wrong and neither was her mother.
She wanted her mother to understand her and accept advanced concepts. Maybe one day they could really understand each other. However, she never had the chance to achieve this.
Lian Xi remembered one thing. He looked at Black Reaper beside him: “Did that mother see us before entering the store? That’s why she stopped at the door for so long and refused to come in.”
Lie Chen didn’t say a word but merely handed the Black Reaper certificate to Lian Xi.
Lian Xi: “?”
President Lie raised the corners of his lips, revealing a seemingly calm smile. “We’ve exceeded them.”
Lian Xi: “What?”
Lie Chen: “Exceeded WuXi.”
“WuXi?” After a moment of stunned silence, Lian Xi suddenly opened his eyes wide and looked at the words on the reaper record.
On it was written:
24th place, the ghost official of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, with 4,473 points.
24th place, the ghost official of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, with 4,473 points!!
Lian Xi: “!!!”
Happiness came too suddenly, this middle-aged woman was worth 150 points!
At the same time, WuXi, XinWu District, ShuoFang Town.
A boy who was not tall and looked as though he were only a junior high school student was holding a workbook with a white cover in his hand and looking around. He was wearing a blue and white school uniform and walked through the rural fields. He was still muttering as he walked: “Last night there was a very thick golden light pointed here. Why did it disappear suddenly when I was halfway there? What’s going on..”
The boy pursed his lips and scratched his head. He couldn’t think of a reason. He simply opened the workbook in his hand: “Could it be that the reaper record is broken…”
His voice suddenly stopped,
The boy widened his eyes, his delicate and tender face was full of shock. The next second: “Fuck! Wasn’t SuZhou City’s ghost official more than 2000 points below me yesterday? How could this happen overnight? This is impossible!!!”
***
Chapter 32
After subduing the spirits of the old man and the yellow dog, Lian Xi’s mobile phone also got his signal back. The two quickly got into a taxi and returned to SuZhou City.
When they arrived in SuZhou City, it was only 11 o’clock in the evening.
After getting off the taxi and stepping firmly on the land of SuZhou, Lian Xi and Lie Chen opened the reaper record at the same time very tacitly. They flipped to the the monthly performance ranking:
24th, WuXi, JiangSu Province ghost official, with 4214 points.
25th, SuZhou City, JiangSu Province ghost official, with 3943 points.
Lian Xi said seriously: “It took almost two hours from the time we took the taxi to the return trip. For two hours, the WuXi ghost officials didn’t increase a single point! They’re so unprofessional.”
Lie Chen looked at him and raised his eyebrow: What’s your point, suddenly?
Lian Xi: “So even if we didn’t subdue the old man and the yellow dog, the WuXi ghost official wouldn’t have done anything. All the points would all go to waste then but fortunately we were there.”
Lord Black Reaper suddenly realized what he was going on about. As he looked at the youth filled with righteous indignation, he curled his lips: “En, you’re right. That makes sense.”
Lian Xi nodded: It makes sense.
Thinking about it this way, the shame in the corner of Lian Xi’s heart, which was originally as small as a sesame seed, was instantly wiped out.
Yes, WuXi’s ghost officials were too unprofessional! We are here to help, not to steal jobs.
—Fortunately, there is you, SuZhou city’s white reaper.
Lian Xi glanced at the indifferent Black Reaper with his hands on his pockets.
—Fortunately, there is you, SuZhou city’s Black Reaper.
Lian Xi: “It’s still early, only eleven o’clock. We have a total difference of 271 points compared to WuXi’s ghost officials. If we are lucky, we can surpass them tonight.”
There is no word for sleep in the ghost official’s dictionary. If i’s a good day, it must be used to catch ghosts.
The two didn’t talk much and directly went to catch ghosts.
However, it is regrettable that the luck of SuZhou’s City’s ghost officials seem to have been used up. Over the entire night, Lian Xi and Lie Chen caught seven more ghosts, but their performance only increased by 380 points.
Lian Xi opened the performance rankings.
24th, WuXi, JiangSu Province ghost official, with 4423 points.
25th, SuZhou City, JiangSu Province ghost official, with 4323 points.
“The ghost official in Wuxi is still working.” Lian Xi sighed and looked to the east. He saw the morning sun rise and the morning light was faint.
It seems that they can only finish up for today.
It’s not that you can’t catch ghosts during the day. It’s just that the sunlight is too dazzling during the day and the guiding golden light function of the reaper record is relatively dim. The brightness cannot be adjusted according to the light intensity and it is difficult to see the guiding golden light during the day. Secondly, there are indeed fewer ghosts during the day than at night.
Ghosts are born of yin energy. When the sky was blue and the sun was bright, yang energy was at its peak. At this time, most ghosts will find a place to hide quietly and will not wander around like they did at night.
After a busy night, the two returned home to rest.
After washing up casually, Lian Xi fell asleep. He slept groggily until ten o’clock in the morning when his phone rang suddenly. He answered the phone, still feeling a little confused: “Hello?”
A man’s hearty laughter came over the phone: “Are you staying up late to play games again?”
Hearing this voice, Lian Xi was slightly taken aback. He glanced at the name on the phone screen: “Chen Kai? Yes I was sleeping just before and woke up now.” After a pause, Lian Xi suddenly realized: “You called me so does it mean the ID card is done?”
On the other end of the phone, his university roommate smiled and said, “Yes, it’s done. I just got it this morning. You send me the address on WeChat and I will give it to the courier. It should be delivered within an hour.”
Lian Xi smiled a lot: “Thank you very much. You really did me a big favor.”
After hanging up the phone, Lian Xi found the WeChat account of his old classmate and sent the address.
In half an hour, the same city express delivered President Hao’s ID card. He opened the courier document bag, took out the thin ID card and squinted his eyes in the sunlight.
[Lian LieChen
Date of Birth: 1995…]
The following information was all made up by Lian Xi.
It’s not easy to get this ID card. First of all, Chen Kai’s relationship was very important. If Chen Kai didn’t have such a good girlfriend, he wouldn’t have been able to get a real ID card if he didn’t spend some serious money. Secondly, filling in the identity information for Black Reaper was also very troublesome. The word Lie is not a surname. After Lian Xi asked several times, the Black Reaper only insisted that he was called Lie Chen. So Lian Xi just decided to play along and gave his surname to the Black Reaper.
It is always said on the Internet that it is easy to get a fake ID card, and it seems that there are fake ID cards everywhere.
But those who have fake IDs usually just use it casually. They don’t need to go to the Public Security Bureau to lie in front of the police.
Su Jiao walked out of the room and saw the ID card in Lian Xi’s hand. He was surprised and said: “Is it that easy?”
Lian Xi smiled and waved his ID card at him: “There’s definitely no problem and the information has even been entered into the official database.”
Su Jiao muttered:”It’s so good to know people. “
Lian Xi:.” Yes, it’s really great. “
Getting the ID cards was the first step and the second step ……
Lian Xi looked up as the Black Reaper came out of his room. He took a deep breath and walked over: “Lord Black Reaper, I think…it’s time to open up your worldview.”
The Black Reaper, who was looking down at the performance rankings, slowly lifted his head up.
……Huh?
Next, it took Lian Xi two full hours to go over some basic common sense of modern society to Black Reaper for the first time.
“First of all, be a good citizen who abides by laws and regulations.” Lian Xi said earnestly, “The underworld has the rules of the underworld, and the living world also has the laws of the living world. Now that you have come to the living world, you must abide by these laws and regulations. For example love the country, love the party, always keep in mind the core values of prosperity, democracy, civilization and harmony…! This is the key to not being 404.” {As in, in error.}
Lie Chen flipped through the ID card in his hand and looked at the photo on it which Lian Xi had taken two days ago. He was very curious about it. He raised his heed. “That rich, strong, democratic, civilized and harmonious thing you just said, can you repeat it again? I didn’t catch it.”
Lian Xi: “…”
This hapless boy!
Lian Xi calmly turned on the phone, Baidu searched it and read the twenty-four words again. As he read it, he thought: I really should carry this on my back…
From basic modern technology products to some of the most common common sense of interpersonal communication, whatever he could think of he said it.
At the end of the day, his mouth was dry and he felt that there should be no more problems.
Lian Xi: “Do you have any questions?”
Lian Xi just asked casually but Lord Black Reaper really raised his eyes to look at him: “I do.”
Lian Xi: “Huh?”
Lie Chen: “What’s with this world “Lian’?”
Looking in the direction of Black Reaper’s finger, Lian Xi knew exactly what he meant: “This, it’s because Lie is not a surname, so I could only make one up.”
Lie Chen said indifferently: “Don’t you know the significance of a surname? It is the root of a creature, where the soul dwells.”
Lian Xi was dumbfounded.
He saw the man lift his finger and coolly swipe it over the words “Lian LieChen”. Lian Xi’s eyelids twitched and he had a bad premonition. Then he took a closer look at the place where his finger had been wiped.
Lian Xi: “…”
[Lie Chen.
Date of Birth: 1995…]
Put your surname back!
Lian Xi was shocked by the Black Reaper and his scalp felt numb. He quickly called his old classmates and asked him to see if he could make a new ID card and express it by tomorrow at the latest.
Chen Kai asked strangely: “What’s wrong, didn’t I just send you my ID card?”
Lian Xi couldn’t say: “Uh, maybe the identity information was not recorded in the database correctly? It’s a bit different from the ID card. “
Chen Kai was surprised: “No, QianQian said that everything is done. I will ask her to find someone to ask.”
Soon, Chen Kai called back: “Lie Chen, your friend, isn’t his information in the database already?”
Lian Xi grasped the key point: “Lie Chen?”
Chen Kai: “Yes, Lie Chen. Isn’t that your friend’s name?”
The fingers holding the phone tightened slightly and Lian Xi smiled: “That’s right. I made a mistake. I will invite you and my sister-in-law to dinner in the future.”
He hung up the phone and looked calmly at the reaper who continued to stare down at the performance rankings.
With a single swipe, one word on the ID card was erased without any sign of it having been there, and even the official online information database was changed.
And nobody noticed a thing… is this also a reaper ability?
Lian Xi considered this. Suddenly, a low male voice interrupted his thoughts: “Family and first names are both the roots of life. Those who forget their names cannot be transferred to reincarnation. In ancient times, there were customs in the world and so when women married they took on the surname of their husbands. It is a promise and agreement given to the world by the lords of the underworld since ancient times. After changing your surname to the other person’s, there will be a trace of your fate together even into the next life. If in this life you are willing to bear their surname, the next life you will be fated to meet again at least once. It may not be possible to continue your fate together but at least you will meet each other again.”
Lian Xi: “The underworld actually takes care of this kind of thing? Shouldn’t this be Yue Lao’s job?” {Yue Lao is the god of love and marriage.}
Lie Chen’s lips moved as though he wanted to say something. But after the words rose to his lips, he couldn’t speak it. After a moment of silence, Lord Black Reaper snapped closed his reaper record and said calmly, “Can’t remember.”
Lian Xi: “?”
Lie Chen raised his eyes to look at him and said confidently: “I have amnesia.” Don’t you know?
Lian Xi: “…”
From time to time you remember, and from time to time you forget. Your amnesia is too weird!
Lian Xi: “Isn’t the King of the Underworld, King Yama?”
He should be counted as their boss right?
Lian Xi thought for a while: “King Yama also takes care of marriage and fate? I keep thinking there’s some weird story related to that right? Something to do with the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva? Didn’t he say something like: “If the Underworld is not empty, I can’t become a Buddha?” So that’s why he could only stay in the underworld? It has something to do with the changing of surnames, right? There’s some kind of story about this.” {Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, also known as the “Earth Treasury” is Bodhisattva known for his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all the hells are emptied. He is responsible for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds.}
The Lord Black Reaper wanted to say something but his mind went blank.
Since it is forgotten, it certainly must not be important.
Lie Chen always has the same uncaring attitude: As long as I don’t ask, then I know everything.
Lian Xi began to think hard. What was the story where the king of the underworld had something to do with love and marriage? He thought about this melon for a long time but he couldn’t think of what it was.
The feeling of a half-eaten melon is really terrible.
It’s not easy to eat melons and he sighed repeatedly.
Lian Xi: “But modern people have long lost this custom. There is no need to change your surname when you marry. Even after you marry, you will still be yourself.”
Lian Xi agrees with this point. In modern society, everyone is independent, regardless of whether they are male or female. Getting married doesn’t change anything.
Lie Chen glanced at him and a sentence flashed in his mind, “It’s not for the sake of mortals that this agreement was made.” But the next moment, President Lie fell into a logical loop. If this was an agreement given to mortals, then how could it not be for the sake of mortals? Who was it for then?
This complicated, strange and self-contradictory question caused Black Reaper to suddenly fall into self-doubt but then he thought for a moment and concluded that the brain of the king of the underworld must be broken.
This should be the reason.
Lian Xi didn’t notice the abnormality of Black Reaper. He now basically understood the reason why the other party insisted on removing the “Lian” from the ID card.
Lian LieChen.
Taking the husband’s surname.
Uh, it’s really embarrassing.
After giving Lie Chen the ID card and teaching him basic common sense, Lian Xi stood up and clapped his hands: “Okay, let’s go to the Public Security Bureau. They’ve already urged us many times that you have to go make your statement. Lord Black Reaper, do you remember all the points that I have just told you? Do you know how to answer the police’s questions?”
“Yes.”
Lian Xi took out his phone and started to call a taxi: “Then let’s go!”
***
When they got to the police station, it was four o’clock in the afternoon and approaching the end of the working day, but the policemen of the Major Crimes Unit were still working overtime.
Lian Xi brought Black Reaper to make his statement and the little detective who was hosting them led them into a small private room. Sitting outside the door, Lian Xi looked at the door frequently and nervously, for fear that Black Reaper would forget the main points he had memorized before and say something wrong.
“You seem nervous.”
A smiling voice rang from behind and Lian Xi turned his head to look. He quickly remembered the other person’s name: “Deputy Wu.” He smiled calmly: “Every time I come to the Public Security Bureau, I feel nervous. I’ve never been here before this incident.”
Depuy Wu was dressed in casual clothes. Hearing his words, he came over with a smile and sat down next to Lian Xi: “How are you doing recently? You saw such a bloody scene before so have you not been sleeping well? Young man, your under eye dark circles are very heavy.”
Lian Xi’s dark circles were all caused by going out to catch ghosts during this period but he didn’t deny it and nodded.
Deputy Wu: “Speaking of which, do you know why the victim, Sun Yan, said your housemate is her boyfriend?”
Lian Xi turned his head curiously.
Deputy Wu sighed: “Oh, young people nowadays have really messed up views about the relationship between men and women. Liu Hao confessed that after he started dating Sun Yan, he already had a girlfriend and didn’t want to let his girlfriend know. But every time Sun Yan calls him, she likes to do it when her roommates is there. So when her roommate asked her who she’s calling, she says it’s Su Jiao. Liu Hao said that your housemate isn’t good at talking and doesn’t have many friends. So no one would ask him if he was dating Sun Yan. Also his dorm is right next to Liu Hao’s, so when Sun Yan comes to find Liu Hao she can say she’s coming to see Su Jiao.”
Deputy Wu smiled and said: “That Su Jiao is pretty unlucky. Pass on my apologies to him. We just grabbed him in for questioning like that, he was so terrified.”
Lian Xi: “……”
When he recalled his housemate’s smug claim that Sun Yan was boasting to her roommate about dating him because he was handsome, Lian Xi face nodded and said seriously:. “Rest assured, I will definitely tell him.”
“Then that’s all from me. I’d better go back to my investigation.” Deputy Wu smiled, got up and left.
Lian Xi: “
“Take care.” Lian Xi couldn’t wait. As soon as Deputy Wu left, he immediately took out his mobile phone.
[Lian Xi: I already know why Sun Yan said you are her boyfriend…]
His housemate responded instantly.
[Su Jiao: Yes, because I’m handsome.]
Lian Xi smiled slightly and told him what Deputy Wu said.
[Su Jiao:…]
[Su Jiao: I don’t believe it! It’s impossible! ! ! ]
[Lian Xi: Accept reality [smile]]
[Su Jiao:! ! ! ]
Looking at his housemate’s angry and defeated appearance, Lian Xi calmly put away his cell phone, his duty done.
Ten minutes later, the door opened with a click.
The young detective sent President Lie out of the room and stretched out his hand: “Thank you for cooperating with the investigation.”
Lie Chen lowered his head and looked at the hand of the small detective: What was he trying to do?
Lian Xi hurried up and pulled Lie Chen away: “It’s okay, it’s our citizen’s duty to help the investigation.”
After leaving the Public Security Bureau, Lian Xi let out a heavy sigh of relief.
“Finished!”
Without a response, Lian Xi turned his head to look at the Black Reaper beside him.
Under the bright sunshine, the handsome and indifferent man tilted his head slightly, and he raised his hand. Lie Chen: “Extending your hand, what does this mean?”
As soon as the voice fell, the next second, a warm and soft hand squeezed Lie Chen’s hand.
The Black Reaper stiffened and slowly raised his head to look at the young man in front of him.
Lian Xi smiled: “It means shake hands.”
A moment later.
Lie Chen: “En.”
…
When they got out of the Public Security Bureau, it was already six o’clock in the afternoon.
Lian Xi’s stomach was growling with hunger and he remembered they hadn’t eaten all day today!
He went with the Black Reaper to a roadside noodle shop. Lian Xi: “Boss, give us two bowls of AoZao noodles.”
The boss was startled and looked over at them “Got it!”
The business here wasn’t good. It was dinner time but there was no one eating. That meant the taste probably wasn’t good, Lian Xi thought silently.
But there were no other options. There were no other restaurants near the Public Security Bureau and Lian Xi didn’t have time to find a place to eat. Later he had to go to the Yuan Hospital to find Dr. Wang and ask him about the nurse who delivered him back then. He could only eat here.
Perhaps Lian Xi brought some popularity to the store as within two minutes, a mother and daughter came in.
Walking ahead was a girl with short hair and a women’s suit. She walked fast and looked very capable. After entering the noodle shop, she turned around and looked at her mother who was standing still at the entrance. She frowned and said in an impatient tone: “Come in now, what are you doing? Even if you’re not hungry, I am.”
Her mother, who was dressed very plainly, stood at the entrance for a few seconds. Her daughter complained again. So she sighed and walked in after all.
The girl was surprised when she saw Lian Xi and Lie Chen but she didn’t look too much as if she had no interest in handsome guys.
She walked to the table next to the two and sat down and shouted: “Boss, two braised beef noodles.”
Boss: “Got it!”
Soon, the boss first served two bowls of noodles to Lian Xi’s table.
It was unknown if it was because he was hungry but Lian Xi ate a few mouthfuls and thought: Hey, it’s actually not bad?
Lian Xi: “Try it.”
Lie Chen glanced at him, then lowered his head to look at the bowl of noodles in the red soup base in front of him. After a few seconds, the Black Reaper picked up his chopsticks and tasted it.
Lian Xi smiled and said, “Not bad right?”
Lie Chen hummed casually.
The two of them ate noodles and Lian Xi said, “AoZao noodles are a specialty of SuZhou. This shop is quite authentic. When I was young, my dad took me to SanTang Street and there was a restaurant there that served great AoZao noodles. Of course, this shop is also good.”
The boss just came out with two bowls of braised pork noodles. Hearing Lian Xi’s compliments, he smiled and said, “The young man understands his food well, my noodles are good.”
Lian Xi: “Very authentic!”
The boss walked into the kitchen: “Haha, then eat more. I’ll give you another shrimp.”
“You are a little different these days.”
The cold and indifferent male voice suddenly sounded. It wasn’t only Lian Xi but the short-haired white-collar worker at the table next door was also stunned and quietly looked at a man in black.
The Black Reaper’s voice has a unique quality. Cold, faint, mixed with a hint of loneliness and alienation. It’s hard to say why a person’s voice makes people feel certain things but if you have to describe it then it was like when that man spoke, it made him feel inaccessible and that he doesn’t want anyone to approach him.
In short, when listening to it you would reach this conclusion: This person is an introverted loner.
Lian Xi: “How am I different?”
Lie Chen looked at him: “Prosperity, democracy, civilization, harmony, freedom, equality, justice, rule of law, patriotism, dedication, integrity and friendliness.”
Lian Xi: “!”
Fuck.
You actually memorized it!
Lie Chen: “You wouldn’t have said this before.”
Lian Xi was startled suddenly.
He understood the meaning of the Black Reaper.
A few days ago he wouldn’t have taught him about common sense, he wouldn’t have told him how to understand the world. He wouldn’t have said I will buy you a mobile phone when we get paid our salary next month.
He wouldn’t have done any of these things.
Why?
Because he only thought of him as a Golden Light ATM machine.
Some people are naturally slow and cautious. It took nearly a month for Lian Xi to get along with Su Jiao before they became friends. And now… in the simple but clean street shop, the young man smiled: “It’s because we are friends.”
Lie Chen’s lips moved and he looked at the young man in front of him steadily. After a while, he calmly said “Oh” and lowered his head to continue eating noodles.
The female white-collar worker who was watching from the side this whole time: “…”
“These two people look good but is there something with their heads? They suddenly started to recite their core values in broad daylight.” The female white-collar worker muttered in her heart. She raised her head and saw her mother on the opposite side of the table quietly looking at the two people at the table next to them. Seeing her mother’s familiar expression, the female white-collar worker immediately reacted and her face sank suddenly: “What are you looking at, Mom? That’s enough, don’t just look at a random man on the street and try to set me up!”
The middle-aged woman was taken aback for a moment and then looked back at her daughter: “I wasn’t…”
The white-collar worker said silently: “No? Then what about Accountant Chen or Xiao Wang from the Tourism Bureau? Can’t you take a break? I don’t want to have a relationship right now, I want to focus on work!”
The middle-aged woman murmured: “But you’re twenty-nine now and you’re not in a relationship. It’s not good to have children when you get older.”
The female white-collar worker banged her chopsticks impatiently: “Who said that I must have a baby, can you just give it a rest? I said I don’t want to get married and I don’t want to have a baby!”
“If you don’t have children, who will take care of you when you get old? I can’t stay with you for your whole life.”
“Then I can make more money? I just want to make more money. If I have more money, people will want to take care of me. Can’t I find a particularly good nursing home?”
“Those people are all dishonest, do you think they will really take care of you? They just want your money. And Xiao-Hui, if you don’t have children, your life won’t be complete. You say now that you don’t want children but when you give birth you’ll change your mind. How can a woman not be a mother? When you become a mother, you will know what I mean.”
“Why do you think that I have to marry a man and have a child to have a complete life?”
“Then what do you intend to do, stay single your whole life?”
“Can’t you keep up with the times, why do women have to marry and have children these days? I am human first, I am my own woman and I have the right to choose my life!”
“Do you know what the people in the village say about you now?”
“I don’t live with them so why do I care what they think? They’ve got problems, do you have problems too? What disgusting three views do you all have, forcing people to marry and have children? I live alone and I’m happy! Go back to the village after eating the noodles, don’t come to look for me again.”
As soon as the words fell, the middle-aged woman lowered her head and stopped speaking.
After a long time.
“Your second aunt told me that she has a distant nephew who also works in SuZhou City…”
“Why are you so annoying! Can you shut up? Do you have to scold me?”
The middle-aged woman closed her mouth again, no longer speaking.
Seeing her mother like this, the female white-collar worker felt anxious. She put down her chopsticks directly and her voice was choked: “Don’t I give you living expenses every month? I don’t ask for anything. I work alone in the city. Is it easy for me? My colleagues’ parents buy cars and houses for them. But I don’t get anything and I still have to give you money. Can you see how it is?”
“Xiao-Hui…”
“I beg you, don’t bother me with this kind of thing anymore. Do you know how busy I am at work? Do you know how stressed I am? I have no time to fall in love and I don’t want to fall in love either!”
“I…”
The white-collar worker wiped her tears: “There’s other people here, so embarrassing.”
The middle-aged woman lowered her head in silence, twisting the corners of her clothes with her fingers.
It seemed that she was not in the mood to eat. The female white-collar worker ate two mouthfuls casually and said “Boss, the money’s on the table”. She got up with her bag and left. She walked towards the bus station, talking to her mother while walking and begging her to stop arranging blind dates for her.
After the white-collar workers left, the noodle shop owner walked over to clean up the dishes. He craned his neck to look at the back of the white-collar female worker, turned his head and said to Lian Xi, “Does that woman have a mental problem?”
Lian Xi did not speak.
The boss looked down at the table and saw that two bowls of noodles were still on the table. Only two bites of one bowl was eaten and the other bowl of noodles hadn’t been touched at all.
The boss simply sat on the stool by himself, took the chopsticks, picked up the bowl of noodles that no one had eaten and ate it. “That woman must have something wrong with her head. She ordered two bowls of noodles when she was alone and even yelled at the air. It’s scary.”
Lian Xi didn’t answer. He opened his reaper record and looked at the latest line that emerged from it. It was a name.
[Li XiuLan, 1967-2020, died of illness. ]
Lian Xi: “Boss, the money is here.”
Boss: “Oh, oh, okay, take care.”
When they walked out of the entrance of the noodle restaurant, Lian Xi looked at the bus station and saw the short-haired white-collar worker just walking to the platform.
“I said, I don’t want to fall in love, I don’t want to marry someone. Are you listening to me…” The voice stopped abruptly and she turned around. The white-collar worker stared blankly at the empty air behind her.
“…Mom?”
In an instant, scenes flashed through her mind and memories flooded in.
Her relatives from the country suddenly called and told her that her mother had had a cerebral hemorrhage while working in the field.
She had stayed all night at the door of the operating room praying but the only answer she got was the doctor’s “apology”.
Her mom was gone.
It had been two months.
“I don’t have a mother anymore.” Looking at the air, she spoke stupidly.
Tears poured down and wet her cheeks instantly.
“I don’t have a mother anymore…”
Lian Xi sighed softly as he watched the back of the white-collar worker as she squatted on the ground and cried.
The world was never black and white.
She wasn’t wrong and neither was her mother.
She wanted her mother to understand her and accept advanced concepts. Maybe one day they could really understand each other. However, she never had the chance to achieve this.
Lian Xi remembered one thing. He looked at Black Reaper beside him: “Did that mother see us before entering the store? That’s why she stopped at the door for so long and refused to come in.”
Lie Chen didn’t say a word but merely handed the Black Reaper certificate to Lian Xi.
Lian Xi: “?”
President Lie raised the corners of his lips, revealing a seemingly calm smile. “We’ve exceeded them.”
Lian Xi: “What?”
Lie Chen: “Exceeded WuXi.”
“WuXi?” After a moment of stunned silence, Lian Xi suddenly opened his eyes wide and looked at the words on the reaper record.
On it was written:
24th place, the ghost official of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, with 4,473 points.
24th place, the ghost official of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, with 4,473 points!!
Lian Xi: “!!!”
Happiness came too suddenly, this middle-aged woman was worth 150 points!
At the same time, WuXi, XinWu District, ShuoFang Town.
A boy who was not tall and looked as though he were only a junior high school student was holding a workbook with a white cover in his hand and looking around. He was wearing a blue and white school uniform and walked through the rural fields. He was still muttering as he walked: “Last night there was a very thick golden light pointed here. Why did it disappear suddenly when I was halfway there? What’s going on..”
The boy pursed his lips and scratched his head. He couldn’t think of a reason. He simply opened the workbook in his hand: “Could it be that the reaper record is broken…”
His voice suddenly stopped,
The boy widened his eyes, his delicate and tender face was full of shock. The next second: “Fuck! Wasn’t SuZhou City’s ghost official more than 2000 points below me yesterday? How could this happen overnight? This is impossible!!!”
***
