Chapter 89.1: Gossip About the Spokesperson
System: [… Sorry.]
Shen Xiu: “It’s okay.”
So much time had passed that Shen Xiu felt he could now talk about it calmly.
The system, afraid that saying more might touch on something painful for Shen Xiu, didn’t dare speak again.
After switching from a city bus to a long-distance coach, and then to another local bus, Shen Xiu finally arrived at the small county town where his parents had once lived — and where they had passed away. It was already nine o’clock at night.
Shen Xiu couldn’t say he was familiar with the town, but it wasn’t completely foreign to him either.
It was called a county town, but it wasn’t particularly developed compared to others. In the middle stood a few high-rise buildings, flanked on either side by a minority middle school and a public high school.
Most of the surrounding buildings were self-built rural homes, typically three or four stories tall, some even five. Because of the proximity to schools, some homeowners had converted their ground floors into small shops, selling cheap snacks like drinks for a few yuan a cup or bowls of noodles for a few yuan. Others had turned theirs into internet cafes or budget inns.
Even during the summer holidays, a small county town like this wasn’t very lively at night. There were streetlights, but it couldn’t be described as brightly lit.
Shen Xiu had planned to buy something to eat from a familiar snack stall near the school entrance, but when he arrived, it was already closed. So he walked over to the back entrance of the school, where there was a streetlamp, and ordered a few things from a makeshift barbecue stand.
While waiting for the food to finish grilling, a group of “Ghost Fire” teens roared past on their motorbikes.
The barbecue vendor, glancing at Shen Xiu as he grilled, couldn’t see his face clearly, but the air around him screamed “good student.” The vendor guessed, “Back home for the university break?”
Home?
Hearing that word, Shen Xiu froze for a moment. Being spoken to by a stranger already made him nervous, let alone trying to explain anything.
With his head down, he mumbled a guilty, muffled response from behind his mask: “…Mm.”
Their ashes were here — so, this could be… half a home, perhaps?
That’s what Shen Xiu told himself.
After paying the bill, Shen Xiu took the barbecue and checked into a small inn converted from one of the local self-built rural homes.
Most of the people who came here were locals with homes of their own, so visitors were rare. Though it was called a “small inn,” not many had stayed there. The bedsheets and duvet covers were usually washed and laid out to dry on the rooftop — clean and warm from the sun.
After finishing his food, Shen Xiu locked the door from the inside, washed up, lay down, and quickly fell asleep.
…
The Next Day
Early in the morning, Shen Xiu took his belongings and left the small inn. After withdrawing some cash and buying two red envelopes, he took a bus to a funeral home located some distance from the county town.
At the time of the cremation, Shen Xiu had purchased urns from the local funeral home. The storage fee was very low — with a minimal renewal cost, the ashes could be kept there for three years.
Shen Xiu had never considered returning his parents’ ashes to their place of birth. Given his financial situation at the time, after covering the cost of cremation and the urns, he simply couldn’t afford to purchase burial plots.
Because of multiple factors, he had no choice but to leave the urns in the care of the funeral home.
Now, after joining the boy group talent show and finally earning enough money, the very first thing Shen Xiu thought to do was bring his parents’ ashes to the city where he now lived and give them a proper burial.
Yesterday, while traveling to retrieve the ashes, Shen Xiu had already contacted a cemetery and reserved an expensive double plot. Everything was ready — all that was left was for him to bring the urns back and lay them to rest.
…
Inside the Funeral Home
Shen Xiu presented the necessary documents and successfully retrieved the two urns from the funeral home.
By the time he stepped outside with them, the sun was already high overhead without him realizing it. Shen Xiu walked out with numb, mechanical steps.
In a place like this, people carrying the weight of death and sorrow were far from rare. From time to time, one could still hear the heart-wrenching cries of family members unable to accept their loss.
When Shen Xiu stepped outside, he wasn’t sure if it was because he hadn’t eaten breakfast or for some other reason, but standing under the sun, he suddenly felt a bit dizzy. He stopped in his tracks, almost instinctively, and stood still where he was.
He was holding two urns wrapped in black cloth. Anyone passing by could instantly guess what was going on, and no one came over to disturb him.
The system watched as Shen Xiu stood motionless under the sun for a full five minutes, as if he didn’t notice the heat. Although the morning sun wasn’t at its strongest, the summer sun — even in the morning — lacked the gentleness of winter.
The system couldn’t help but speak up:
[Are you okay?]
Shen Xiu, wearing a mask, swallowed hard when he heard the voice in his mind.
“…Thank you. I’m okay,” he said.
Only after speaking did Shen Xiu realize his voice carried a noticeable tremble.
[Um… maybe go sit over there in the shade?]
The system offered the suggestion. Shen Xiu’s current state — the system had rarely seen him like this since they had been linked.
Only now did it begin to understand what Shen Xiu had meant back then.
For most people, when it comes to death and parting — if it doesn’t concern them directly, it’s not hard to stay indifferent, even cold. But when it’s personal… emotions become uncontrollable.
“…Okay.” Shen Xiu answered in a daze and took stiff steps toward the shaded roadside.
There were stone benches under the trees lining the road to the funeral home. Shen Xiu sat down with the urns in his arms.
As soon as he sat, the system heard Shen Xiu suddenly speak: “I’m doing well.”
“…Mm.” Shen Xiu nodded to himself again, his eyes fixed on the urns in his hands, and whispered in a low voice that needed no reply: “I’m really doing well.”
[…]
The system stayed silent.
There was something a little unsettling about Shen Xiu like this.
No one knew how much time had passed. It wasn’t until Shen Xiu’s stomach let out a loud growl that he snapped out of it, realizing that he couldn’t go on like this.
According to his plan, he needed to hire a car, return to the city where his university was located, and settle his parents’ urns there. With that thought in mind, Shen Xiu forced his mind and body to start functioning properly again.
Carrying two urns, taking public transportation was out of the question. Shen Xiu had neither a driver’s license nor a car, so the only option was to hire a private vehicle.
He took out his phone and opened a carpool group he had joined back in high school — one he used when traveling between his village and the county. With stiff fingers, he typed out the message he had mentally rehearsed, then stared at the group chat screen, waiting for someone to take the job.
Many people are superstitious — they avoid death, the dead, and ashes at all costs.
But there are also those who are bolder. As long as the payment is high enough and a red envelope is given to ward off bad luck, someone will be willing to take the job.
After sitting on the bench for about fifteen minutes, Shen Xiu finally received a private message.
He opened it and began discussing the details with the driver. After agreeing on a price, Shen Xiu sent the driver his current location.
Once the arrangements were made, Shen Xiu silently stared at the ground. When his stomach growled again, he spoke in a flat voice: “System, can you help me watch over my parents for a bit?”
He had to eat. Without food, he wouldn’t have the strength or the mental clarity to keep going.
[No problem.]
“Thank you.” Shen Xiu whispered his thanks, then gently set down the urns and walked toward a nearby breakfast bun shop that was still open.
Through the surveillance view it had tapped into, the system kept a close watch on the urns resting on the stone bench, while also watching Shen Xiu’s retreating figure.
It didn’t know if it was just imagining things, but to the system, Shen Xiu now looked a bit like a robot — stiff and numb — simply following a pre-programmed procedure to complete what he had to do.
Two minutes later, Shen Xiu returned to his spot carrying two buns and a cup of soy milk.
After eating, he sat there for another fifteen minutes.
Then, a white van pulled up not far from where Shen Xiu was sitting.
After confirming the license plate number, Shen Xiu picked up the urns and walked over.
The driver got out and opened the door. When he saw a tall young man dressed in black, face partially obscured, walking toward him carrying two urns, he hesitantly asked, “Are you the passenger ending in 6849?”
Shen Xiu nodded. “Mm.”
Given the situation, being quiet and somber was completely normal — it would’ve been strange if he were chatty and cheerful. So, the driver didn’t think anything of Shen Xiu’s demeanor and pulled the door open.
“Get in.”
“Thank you.”
Shen Xiu thanked him, got into the vehicle, and sat down. Just as they had agreed, he held the urns in his arms the entire time, not letting them touch the seat.
As the driver got in and fastened his seatbelt, Shen Xiu handed him a red envelope.
“Thank you.”
Afraid of being misunderstood, Shen Xiu quickly added, “This is separate from the fare.”
According to local custom, red envelopes are usually given after the ride to dispel bad luck, so the driver was surprised to be handed one before they set off. Still, he accepted it.
“Thank you.”
Shen Xiu: “…You’re welcome.”
The distance from the county town to the city where Shen Xiu attended university was quite far, but since they didn’t need to switch between buses and coaches, the return trip was shorter than the outbound one.
By the time Shen Xiu arrived, it was only around 5 p.m.
To make things easier, he had the driver take him directly to the cemetery.
After getting out of the van, Shen Xiu handed the driver another red envelope, then carried the urns toward the cemetery.
Because he was purchasing burial plots, the cemetery offered temporary storage for the urns and assisted with burial services. Led by a staff member, Shen Xiu securely stored his parents’ urns, then went to inspect the plot he had previously selected on his phone.
The actual site and surrounding environment were just as he’d seen in the photos. Without hesitation, he made the payment, chose an auspicious day, and finalized the burial arrangements and schedule.
Afterward, Shen Xiu returned to the storage area to light incense for his parents one more time before finally, and reluctantly, leaving the cemetery.
**TN
Ghost Fire teens is slang referring to teenagers who ride loud, flashy, often modified motorbikes (usually low-end scooters), often seen as rebellious or showy.
