Chapter Nine, The Mortician

The first person he made up was a girl, not very old, probably only nineteen years old, who died in a car accident. At the time of the incident, she was sitting in the passenger seat of a Santana. When the car crashed, the door might not have been closed properly, and she was thrown out, falling heavily to the ground and dying on the spot. At that moment, she must have been as light as a butterfly, gliding through the air.

At that moment, Yin Huan was less than two feet away from the girl. Her eyes were wide open, never closing, and Yin Huan felt as if she was constantly looking at him, as if she had something to say. However, he also sensed that her gaze was too vacant, as if it merely passed through his body to some distant place far behind him. The girl's complexion was very pale, and her long hair hung down, possibly naturally curly, which became evident when wet. Water droplets slid down her face and onto her hair, then fell one by one to the ground. Yet, he felt again that her gaze was too vacant, as if it merely passed through his body to some distant place far behind him. The girl's complexion was very pale, and her long hair hung down, possibly naturally curly, which became evident when wet. Water droplets slid down her face and onto her hair, then fell one by one to the ground. She looked particularly desolate.

In the night, the streets are still bustling with traffic and lively crowds. Yet, Yin Huan stands there like a puppet, lost in thought, wandering aimlessly like a child who has forgotten the way home, searching for the direction to his home on the city map. He longs to step forward and loudly tell Tang Yan that the woman in his heart cannot be replaced. Although Yin Huan knows that his feelings for her are, like the feelings in Tang Yan's heart, merely a form of expectation, a kind of waiting. However, both of them foolishly worry about a love that has no outcome. Although Yin Huan knows that his feelings for her are, like the feelings in Tang Yan's heart, merely a form of expectation, a kind of waiting. However, both of them foolishly worry about a love that has no outcome.

With a firm pull, he pried the old man's hand away, offering a few words of comfort before Yin Huan retreated to the side with professional decorum. The hearts of parents are filled with compassion; perhaps at this moment, the old man's once-numb heart has long been shattered into pieces

Although he is a man, he has liked to do makeup for others since he was young. He helps his mother style her hair, assists his father with applying wax, ties bows for his sister, and paints his younger sister's cheeks red. He enjoys working on people's faces, applying foundation, shaping eyebrows, putting on blush, and applying lipstick. Yin Huan enjoys the process of makeup, as it allows him to experience the pleasure of beauty

Thus, he put on specially made silicone gloves and styled the girl's hair with meticulous care. He used a hot towel to cleanse and compress her body, applied foundation, lightly brushed blush, defined her eyebrows, and applied lip gloss, striving to restore her skin's luster as much as possible. Hard work pays off; after outlining her lips, the girl seemed to wear a faint smile. This greatly pleased her mother, who continuously grasped Yin Huan's hand, chattering away as if to thank this young man for allowing her daughter to leave the world with the most beautiful visage.

Yin Huan is a makeup artist, specifically a mortuary beautician. His clients include men and women, the elderly and children, those who are incomplete and fragmented, as well as those who are stunningly beautiful and exquisitely delicate

Nostalgia and sorrow, new worries and old grievances seem to continue, transforming everything in the world

Yin Huan was deeply moved and longed to hold Tang Yan in his arms, gently telling her, thank you for the love you have given me

The musicians, each with flushed faces, conveyed the sorrow embedded in the brass instruments to every corner of the hall. Then, the crowd encircled the crystal coffin, weeping, crying uncontrollably, pouring out their grief. However, how much of this was genuine and how much was feigned, only the individuals involved truly understood

However, he cannot give the other party too much hope, allowing her to place her expectations on a man without a future. Yin Huan is well aware that in this lifetime, she will not be the woman in his life

However, when the same process is carried out by the current self, it often leaves a mysterious and obscure impression. Because of this, those classmates who were once very close to him rushed to change their phone numbers upon learning about his job, severing all ties with him. Even various anniversary gatherings seemed to conspicuously omit this minor character. In their eyes, Yin Huan is an outlier, a terrifying synonym; only a fool would be willing to shake hands, play rock-paper-scissors, or even drink merrily with someone who spends all day touching corpses. At first, Yin Huan did not fully understand the situation, but after being repeatedly turned away, he could only sit in a corner, dejected, with a cigarette in his mouth, crossing out the once-familiar numbers in his phone book one by one. The warmth and coldness of human relationships can only be understood through experience. Take Tang Xing, whom he encountered today, for example; if Yin Huan had not called out his name in advance, he would have definitely avoided him like a swarm of flies. When he was in college, Yin Huan studied engineering, a field completely unrelated to funeral services. Deep down, he hoped to one day stand out, whether as a white-collar worker or an executive, strategizing and guiding the course of events. Yet, he never imagined that years later, he would become an embalmer. Perhaps, fate is absurdly ridiculous, whimsically toying with people, repeatedly violating your body and soul. As the victim, you can only stare wide-eyed from a distance, utterly powerless to fight back.

Whenever it comes to memories, Yin Huan recalls the ambitious aspirations he had just after graduation, filled with grand dreams and no worries. He wanted to make a name for himself in this city and achieve great success in his career. However, several years have passed, and he remains utterly unaccomplished. Career, love, family, all the beautiful things seem to be out of his reach.

Dressed in her clothes, she was adorned with a white velvet hat, looking beautiful, as if she were asleep. Before the task commenced, the girl's family only requested a light makeup for her, but as a newly initiated mortician, someone preparing to carve her first piece of art in this life, Yin Huan wished to leave the last touch of beauty for this pure angel in the mortal world, akin to the moment a shooting star streaks across the sky, beautiful enough to break one's heart, yet intoxicating in its allure.

Tired of dealing with people, in fact, working with the deceased is quite good, as there are at least not so many intrigues and power struggles.

He does not know how many others in this city feel as lost and melancholic as he does. Do they, like him, continue to fantasize about a better tomorrow amidst the bustling city, while being immersed in the desolation of reality

The effects of the vodka he had previously consumed began to surge, and Yin Huan started to feel slightly tipsy and intoxicated. He began to miss her, to miss home, to miss Tang Yan, and to miss all the people in this city who cared for him and treated him well

In fact, Yin Huan is not a very bold person. When he was a child, he would cover his ears in fear when he heard adults telling stories. However, for some reason, after graduating from university and finding himself at a dead end in the job market, he felt a small, unexpected thrill when he submitted his resume to the crematorium out of righteous indignation. Perhaps this was destined to happen in some way!

After removing her bloodied clothes, everyone began to wash her body with water. Due to the excessive amount of blood, Yin Huan stood on the side of her head, watching them work. Then they first put jeans on her, as her feet were lifted by the colleagues, causing her head to no longer rest on the table but instead to hang down along the edge, gazing up at Yin Huan

From the girl's portrait, Yin Huan saw her appearance in life. The photo was a black-and-white reproduction of a candid shot, in which she wore this hat, laughing on a snow-covered mountain, her smile radiant and sweet. Yin Huan found it hard to tear his gaze away from the photo. To this day, he still believes that the girl is the most beautiful he has ever seen, far more beautiful than those packaged celebrities; even the black-and-white contours reveal her brightness and purity

In the living room, Tang Yan held a cartoon pillow, silently watching the door to Yin Huan's room, her eyes slightly red.

In this beautiful city, during the most desolate time of his life, there was actually a woman willing to wait for him. Yin Huan leaned against the window, gazing at the familiar street and the bright lights. There was a sense of reluctance, yet also helplessness

She is a tall girl with long hair, her features are very delicate, and her skin is particularly good. Her family sent a new set of clothes for her, and the staff helped her change into them. This is quite a physically demanding task, which Yin Huan cannot manage, so a few experienced hands took care of it together. They huddled in a dimly lit room where there was a workbench for laying out the deceased. Yin Huan did not need to do anything herself; she was just a "lookout," meaning she would sternly call out anyone who tried to enter, as she was concerned that some family members of the deceased might wander in without understanding the situation, after all, these matters are considered industry secrets.

Turning away, Yin Huan shed tears and staggered into her bedroom. The hall was filled with loneliness

If she could see this scene now, it would surely be very painful for her, thought Yin Huan. A girl of only nineteen, stripped bare by several unrelated men and women, would certainly feel very cold if she could sense it. Just like at this very moment, even wearing a sweater, she couldn't help but shiver. Indeed! Winter is fast approaching

After dinner, Yin Huan accompanied Tang Yan to watch television for a while. Yin Huan knew that on such a lonely night, she needed someone to be with her. All he could do was to treat her as a friend and share her loneliness.

In the eyes of most people, one's profession appears very mysterious and oppressive, even somewhat reminiscent of a subtle Japanese horror. However, for Yin Huan, it is merely a job, a source of income, a means of survival. If there is anything special about it, it is that Yin Huan particularly hopes to transform those once vibrant faces under his care into something splendid and beautiful, allowing everyone who has passed through this world to leave with dignity and without regrets.