Chapter 3, Resurrection

Speaking of death with unclosed eyes, this is indeed true. When the body was placed in the mourning hall during the day, I attempted countless times to close Li Congying's eyes, but to no avail. Even when I invited the mortuary staff, they were unable to close them. In the end, the staff merely said that Li Congying had died too tragically, and it was likely that there were unfulfilled wishes, which prevented her from closing her eyes and moving on. However, I do not agree with this explanation. Li Congying was simply frightened; it was that thing that caused her to act so irrationally that scared her. I stubbornly maintained my view.

From noon until evening, the number of people who came to pay their respects was quite few, one might even say very few. Time passed slowly amidst the collective sorrow. By evening, after a hasty meal, the colleagues of Li's father refused to stay and left on their own. Apart from Li Congying's family, there was not even a single person left to keep vigil. In the empty mourning hall, Li Congying lay on the mourning bed, appearing so desolate. To spare Li Congying's family from the pain of seeing her body, I arranged for them to be in another room. In the mourning hall, it was just myself, Yao Hongwei, and Zhao Shugang remaining. However, both Yao Hongwei and Zhao Shugang had urged me several times to leave.

Faced with my anger, Zhao and Yao fell silent. It was not that they did not find it strange, but rather that they were too afraid to bring it up. The mere thought sent chills down their spines. However, what I said deeply pricked them. The two exchanged a glance, sighed in unison, and lowered their heads, unwilling to continue discussing the topic.

Zhao Shugang and Yao Hongwei's expressions tightened, as they least wanted to discuss such matters in the current situation. A hint of fear flashed in their eyes, and their lips twitched. Yao Hongwei's face darkened, and he said in a trembling voice: "Gangzi, can we not bring this up? I beg you."

I feel quite helpless. I approached the leaders of Li Congying's former workplace, but once a person has passed away, it is as if a light has gone out; when a person leaves, the warmth dissipates. Li Congying's former workplace merely sent someone to pay their respects, but they were completely unwilling to send anyone to assist with the funeral arrangements. In the end, it was Li's father's workplace that sent two older individuals to help manage the funeral.

I naturally became the one in charge of arranging everything, paying while directing the staff to set up the mourning hall. This was unavoidable; after all, the arrangements were made in a hurry, and there was no one else to help. Even Yao Hongwei and Zhao Shugang were only willing to accompany Li Congying's family and refused to assist Liu Gang with the setup. They were utterly terrified and dared not face the horrifying corpse of Li Congying.

Zhao Shugang, standing beside me, nodded heavily in agreement with Yao Hongwei's sentiments. However, their demeanor filled me with anger. My expression darkened, and a hint of fury flickered between my brows as I snorted, "I just don't understand what you are afraid of. We four have been brothers for many years, having played together since we were little. Now that Congying has gotten into this trouble, you all seem reluctant to bring it up. I can't shake the feeling that something is amiss. We know Congying well; even if you were to stab him, he wouldn't have the courage to do it himself. Yet now he has committed suicide in such a tragic manner. Haven't you all considered why that might be?"

Soon, the staff from the funeral home arrived, but upon seeing Li Congying's body, they were still somewhat unable to bear it. Despite dealing with such matters every day, this person had died in a particularly tragic manner. Of course, this would not hinder their work with the *图*书; they simply requested that I provide some additional funds, as the deceased's relatives seemed to understand only me, this young man.

Zhao Shugang is not prepared to discuss any sensitive topics, and Yao Hongwei beside him feels the same way. In fact, Yao Hongwei is eager to talk about something that might cheer him up: "Gangzi, look at us, we are all married now, and the children are not small anymore. Among the four brothers, you are the only one left. When do you plan to find someone as well"

In the vigil room, Zhao Shugang, Yao Hongwei, and I sat facing each other, our expressions markedly different. I wore a look of melancholy, unable to accept the death of Li Congying, while Zhao Shugang and Yao Hongwei appeared tense, their eyes constantly darting around, reflecting a heavy burden of thoughts. Li Congying's death was not only sudden but also bizarre, which left them both with an unsettling premonition.

I glanced at them, clearly uninterested in these topics, but their gaze fell on Li Congying, who was lying on the bed. After a moment of hesitation, a strange expression appeared on their faces: "Shu Gang, Hong Wei, don't you find Congying's suicide quite peculiar? Don't you also think it's rather unbelievable?"

I naturally would not disagree. Driven by money, the workers quickly dealt with Li Congying's body, stuffing the internal organs back into the abdomen, then sewing it up with needle and thread. They washed Li Congying's corpse with water until no traces of blood were visible. Finally, they wiped it clean and dressed Li Congying in the clothes I had found before carrying her away

After a long period of silence, Zhao Shugang could no longer endure the oppressive quiet that was frighteningly still, so he attempted to break the silence and dispel the fear within him: "Gangzi, when do you plan to return to Shanghai?"

The funeral hall has been arranged, and arrangements have been made for Yao Hongwei and Zhao Shugang to find a way to notify Li Congying's relatives and friends. Additionally, Li Congying's parents, younger sister, and wife have been invited over. At this point, Li Congying's father has barely regained his senses and is now able to handle some matters.

I let out a hum, feeling quite dissatisfied with the two of them, yet I said nothing further, my heart heavy with frustration. Suddenly, I stood up and walked to the bier, gazing at Li Congying lying there. A trace of sadness crossed my face as I gently lifted the black cloth, staring at Li Congying's pale face. After a long while, I sighed and said: "Congying, we have been brothers for over a decade. If you truly have a spirit in the heavens, please send me a dream to let me know what exactly happened, so that I need not worry."

By noon, friends of Li Congying, as well as colleagues of Li's father and mother, had begun to arrive to pay their respects. However, there were no relatives from the Li family in sight. After inquiring with Li's father, it became clear that the Li family had no relatives in this area and was entirely self-sufficient. As a result, there was not a single person to assist at the mourning hall.

Of course, I did not find anything. It is not easy for a non-professional to uncover something. However, this does not mean that I will give up, because deep down, I do not believe that Li Congying would commit suicide. Li Congying simply does not have that kind of willpower. Even if she were to take her own life, she would not choose such a self-destructive method. This is the conviction I hold in my heart

In that moment, I was stunned, shocked, feeling a chill run through my entire body, completely frozen in place. Then I saw Li Congying's eyes close and open again, staring at him with a cold gaze, yet the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile. Suddenly, a hint of tenderness flashed in his eyes, as if after many years, I had reunited with a loved one. His gaze slowly became hazy, locking onto mine without blinking, resembling the look of someone who has encountered their beloved, with an indescribable warmth in their eyes. Suddenly, a hint of tenderness flashed in his eyes, as if after many years, I had reunited with a loved one. His gaze slowly became hazy, locking onto mine without blinking, resembling the look of someone who has encountered their beloved, with an indescribable warmth in their eyes.

I must say that I am indeed very bold. Despite Li Congying's face being terrifyingly distorted, even Zhao and Yao, who have been brothers for over a decade, dared not look. Yet, I still felt no fear. However, the dead are ultimately dead, and the notion of souls after death is merely a legend. I do not hold any hopes that Li Congying would truly send me a dream. Thus, after a moment of regret in my heart, I intended to gently cover him with the black cloth. Little did I know that at that moment, something strange suddenly occurred: I saw Li Congying's mouth move, and it truly moved.

Watching Li Congying's family weep sorrowfully around his body fills my heart with deep sadness. Ah, the white-haired sending off the black-haired, I cannot imagine that feeling. Then I look at Li Congying's newlywed wife, Ren Meier, whose originally delicate face now bears an unvanished terror. Tears flow silently down her cheeks, yet she cannot cry out loud, her whole body trembling in a bundle. How pitiful it is, to encounter such a tragedy on the very first day of marriage, without even having the chance to enter the bridal chamber, she has directly become a widow. I fear this woman is even more miserable than Li Congying's parents, and I wonder how long it will take for her to escape the shadow of this event.

The night, having quieted down after the clamor of the day, is so tranquil, with a gentle cool breeze blowing and a faint moonlight casting a soft glow on the ground. A crescent moon hangs in the sky, yet this kind of night does not significantly improve the mood of the three individuals.

Watching Li Congying's body being carried away, I couldn't help but sigh. A person who was still alive just last night has been taken away like this, leaving one with an endless sense of regret. Returning to the house, I tried to comfort Li Congying's parents and younger sister, as well as Ren Meier, who had already been scared into a stupor. Li Congying's wife, who had never been touched, was also present. It was not easy to help them regain some semblance of composure. A group of us, accompanied by Yao Hongwei and Zhao Shugang, hurriedly made our way to the funeral home.

In the end, under my persuasion, Zhao Shugang and Yao Hongwei chose to stay, after all, they had over ten years of brotherly bond. With a person gone, how could they just leave? Yet, when night fell, both of them still felt their hearts racing, always sensing a restlessness within.

The cool night breeze wafted through the loosely shut wooden door, causing the white candles on the spirit table to flicker intermittently. The dancing flames cast shifting shadows on a photograph of Li Congying, creating the illusion that the image was changing expressions. What unsettled Zhao Yao and the others the most was that the gentle breeze would occasionally lift a corner of the black cloth covering Li Congying's corpse, revealing her unblinking eyes, as if they were quietly staring at them.

"Are you no longer brothers? Congying has died, and you are so afraid that you don't even dare to stay. How shameful is that? If Congying's spirit in heaven were to know, how heartbroken do you think he would be?" I felt a surge of anger as I sternly reprimanded Yao Hongwei and Zhao Shugang, feeling indignant about their ungracious behavior.

However, the truly terrified Yao Hongwei and Zhao Shugang felt a chill throughout their bodies even as they approached Li Congying's corpse. The prospect of staying overnight to guard Li Congying's spirit was genuinely frightening for the timid duo, causing them to be on edge. The horrific scene of Li Congying's demise kept flashing before their eyes, leaving them trembling even now.