Chapter 10, The Dignity of the Deceased

When I was young, I worked as a helper, was a mason, and even spent some time learning to repair radios. Look, this radio in my hand is one that I assembled myself from parts I bought when I was young. Old Zhao was fiddling with the old radio, its white plastic already oxidized and turned yellow.

Yin Huan was taken aback, turned around to look, but saw nothing.

The so-called 'makeup for the deceased' essentially refers to the process of inspecting the appearance of the deceased. Generally, the workflow of a mortuary cosmetologist is as follows: receiving notification from the business department → retrieving the body from the freezer → determining the makeup plan → cleansing the deceased according to the family's wishes (bathing) → applying the makeup in a fixed manner → dressing the deceased → placing them in a crystal coffin

He was about to ask for clarification when the business department called, instructing Old Zhao to 'pass through'.

After answering the phone, Old Zhao waved his hand at Yin Huan and said, "Let's go!" Before Yin Huan could respond, he had already walked out.

As soon as the drawer was opened, a gust of cold wind blew out from inside, as if the ice from the depths of winter was rushing towards one’s face, making it feel as though it might freeze. Old Zhao, with practiced ease, lifted the deceased by the shoulders, then instructed Yin Huan to lift the legs of the deceased. With a gentle effort, they placed the body onto the stretcher, and then he cheerfully said to Yin Huan: "Step aside!"

Yin Huan remained silent, inadvertently gazing at him. He felt an indescribable sensation emanating from the old man, as if he were an elder in the family, so familiar that others could hardly be bothered to pay him any attention, quietly sitting there, quietly yawning.

Yin Huan was startled, nearly dropping the paintbrush in her hand: "How did you know?"

As for what you see, you must resolve it on your own, for the path is chosen by you, but it is not you who chooses them; rather, they choose you, do you understand

At noon, in order to welcome the newcomer, the colleagues held a small party at a nearby fast food restaurant. Although it is customary to adapt to local practices, not everyone possesses the fortitude to eat heartily while holding a food tray at a crematorium, as this requires strong defenses and a robust mental immunity. After all, remaining unperturbed in the face of calamity is a notion that exists only in martial arts and fantasy literature, and can generally be disregarded in reality. Just imagine, if an unpleasant smell of burning flesh were to invade one's nostrils while indulging in a meal, it would certainly be quite unappetizing. After all, remaining unperturbed in the face of calamity is a notion that exists only in martial arts and fantasy literature, and can generally be disregarded in reality. Just imagine, if an unpleasant smell of burning flesh were to invade one's nostrils while indulging in a meal, it would certainly be quite unappetizing

"Today is not bad, this person has not been gone for long, and his body is still warm!" Yin Huan helped Old Zhao support this friend, feeling as if the cold had seeped into his very bones; he did not experience the warmth that Old Zhao had mentioned. It was not until many years later, when Yin Huan was dressing the deceased Old Zhao, that he suddenly recalled what Old Zhao had said about warmth. At that moment, as Yin Huan touched the hand that had just been taken from the freezer, he truly felt the warmth. The searing sensation, like burning coals, tore at his heart, and warm-hearted Yin Huan wept like rain. It was not until many years later, when Yin Huan was dressing the deceased Old Zhao, that he suddenly recalled what Old Zhao had said about warmth. At that moment, as Yin Huan touched the hand that had just been taken from the freezer, he truly felt the warmth. The searing sensation, like burning coals, tore at his heart, and warm-hearted Yin Huan wept like rain

Thus, Yin Huan successfully completed the first examination of his life and officially became an intern mortician at a library, with a monthly salary of 8,000, which corresponds to a middle-upper standard of living

Yin Huan shifted his feet, and before he could step aside, Old Zhao handed the cart to him: "Push your cart, where are you going! It's not like I'm talking to you."

After finishing the meal, Yin Huan put on a gray work uniform, tidied up the makeup case that contained various drawers, and entered the office of the makeup room. The entrance of the funeral home leads to the guest room, with the freezer room on the left. The freezer room, which accommodates twenty freezers, occupies fifty square meters, meaning there are twenty places for storing bodies. It is unclear why many funeral homes have a standard of twenty freezers. Adjacent to it is the makeup room, which is only fifteen square meters.

"Hehe! Please don't speak so loudly! You'll deafen the old man; do you expect him to rely on you for the rest of his life?" Old Zhao slowly folded the yellowed newspaper and said, "In our line of work, it's all about fate. Who should do what, who should meet whom, it's all predestined. Perhaps in other professions, there is a notion of luck, but here, it's all about destiny!" Zhao Deshui is the master craftsman at the workshop, in his fifties, wearing a Tang suit embroidered with copper coins. He is not tall, has sparse hair, all of which is white, making him appear older than his actual age. Perhaps in other professions, there is a notion of luck, but here, it's all about destiny!" Zhao Deshui is the master craftsman at the workshop, in his fifties, wearing a Tang suit embroidered with copper coins. He is not tall, has sparse hair, all of which is white, making him appear older than his actual age.

Powder puff, blush, lipstick, eyebrow pencil. The tools in Old Zhao's makeup box are similar to those used by ordinary people, the only difference being the addition of a brand new hemostatic forceps. He opened the deceased's mouth and slowly inserted the sanitary cotton of the hemostatic forceps. It was then that Yin Huan noticed that this friend from hetushu.com was an elderly man, his hair completely white but neatly arranged, with faint lines of age, and many wrinkles on his face, giving him a kind appearance. At that moment, Old Zhao took out the hemostatic forceps, and the originally clean sanitary cotton was now stained with a large patch of black blood: "Cerebral hemorrhage, myocardial infarction, and lung disease can all cause coughing up blood; the mouth needs to be cleaned. Alas! This old man still cares about his appearance!" Old Zhao continued to speak while working, and in the blink of an eye, this elderly friend was already clean and tidy.

"Who did you see?" Yin Huan looked around in surprise, thinking to himself how this old man only spoke the beginning of his sentence without mentioning the end! After pondering for a while, he felt that Old Zhao was probably referring to some colleague. Just as he was about to speak, he did not expect that Old Zhao over there adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose and said lightly, "In any case, it is not a person"

As the saying goes, the master leads one to the door, but the cultivation is up to the individual

Yin Huan is an impatient person; he does not want to hear such roundabout words: "How do you know I have seen a ghost!"

The items in the dressing room are few, consisting only of a makeup case, an operating table, and a few other props, giving it an empty and desolate appearance

How is that possible? Isn't that the case! In order to prove his point, Yin Huan boldly approached, gently patted the young lady on the shoulder, and said softly: "Child, may you find peace in your sorrow!"

However, Yin Huan's hand passed through her shoulder as if there were no barrier at all. It was as if what lay before him was merely a mass of air, an illusion. In that instant, Yin Huan understood everything, and his entire back was soaked.

The colleague known as Xiao Sun stretched his neck and, after a long pause, exclaimed in astonishment, "Hey! Are you seeing things? There is no one by the coffin!"

Entering the industry, I saw what he did not see? Yin Huan was somewhat confused. Later, he came to understand that, in their line of work, it truly is about fate. What Old Zhao meant was that he had decided to take him under his wing

Sometimes, when the body is taken out of the freezer, it is completely stiff. Without anyone to assist, when dressing the deceased, one has to place the hands of the deceased on the arms, just like I do, in order to put the clothes on. Old Zhao said this while demonstrating, and during this process, he was almost in "zero distance" contact with the deceased

After the ceremony concluded, the family members dispersed in a rush, and the elderly mother, who had been extremely agitated just moments ago, seemed to have been carried away by two men. Yin Huan shook his head, intending to collect his thoughts before preparing for the next memorial service, when he noticed a young woman leaning over the crystal coffin, crying in anguish and unwilling to leave for a long time. From her silhouette and hat, it appeared that this young woman bore a striking resemblance to the deceased. Out of curiosity, Yin Huan nudged his colleague beside him and asked, "Hey, Xiao Sun, who is that girl by the coffin? What is her relation to the deceased? Is she a sister or a younger sister? The more I look, the more they look like twins, quite similar indeed"

At this moment, Old Zhao said without raising his head: "You saw it!"

At this point, the old man suddenly winked playfully like a child and said, "Congratulations, you little one with the innate yin-yang eyes, you have entered the profession"

In the three hundred and sixty trades, each trade produces its own outstanding individuals, and every trade has its own rules of masters teaching apprentices. When Yin Huan walked in, Old Zhao was there smoking and reading the newspaper. Yin Huan lowered his head and sat down opposite him. He was not one to greet others readily, so even though Old Zhao was his master, Yin Huan did not address him.

Watching Old Zhao's skilled techniques, Yin Huan suddenly felt a sense of admiration for his profession. He felt as if he were an engineer of souls, an architect of life, ensuring the final dignity of the deceased and providing the living with their last comfort

Who

At this moment, Old Zhao finally lifted his head. He peered through his old, tape-wrapped reading glasses at Yin Huan and suddenly smiled: "Everyone has to go through this journey, young man. Whatever food one eats in this life is given by the heavens. The things you have seen, I have not seen. Of course, what I can see, you may not necessarily be able to see either"

Walking over to the freezer, Old Zhao pointed to the third drawer on the left and then began to pull it out. After a tug, it did not budge, so he called Yin Huan over, and the two of them pulled together, yet it still did not move, as if something was stuck. Just as Yin Huan was about to go out and call for help, Old Zhao shook his head at him, saying, "It seems we are not fated with this friend!" Saying this, he walked over to the front row, gave a gentle pull, and the drawer opened. Later, Yin Huan learned that every time the business department called the dispatch team, there were generally three friends involved, fearing that you might not have a connection with some of them.

"It's those friends of yours who wear makeup!" Old Zhao's words made Yin Huan's heart inexplicably skip a beat.

Yet it is precisely in this vast and desolate space that one is forcibly overwhelmed by a strong sense of oppression