1 Journey to the Funeral - 1
Lin Yuan is a simple high school student. A normal human who lives with his normal family. However, one day it was revealed that his whole family isn’t normal.
In the month of June, Lin yuan’s father came to him holding an envelope in his hand with a sour expression on his face.
“Oh,” Yuan thought if he was sad.
“Yuan… listen to me,”
“Okay…?” he was definitely scared. Back then, in the past, yuan had seen the same of his father’s look. At that time, he was going to be the fiancé of his cousin who was demanding, sadistic, and a tyrant. What did his parents do when he disagreed? Don’t even ask…
They soberly threw him into a school where his cousin studied! That was seemingly hell for Yuan.
And for now? Let’s see what he has to say.
“Yuan, do you remember your elder uncle? My eldest brother.”
“What? Yes, of course. I mean, he was the one whose daughter was totally into me.” Just he thought so.
“…”
Yuan sighed and continued.
“What is it, dad? You are annoying me, please hurry the talk; I have an important council meeting tomorrow.”
“Okay, okay, need not rush things.” He inhaled and then exhaled deeply, slowly, patiently. “I heard from his wife that he passed away recently. I was too busy that I couldn’t hold the time to visit his funeral or so… but they said it’s the day after tomorrow again, the funeral ceremony. They are going to re-burry him.”
After listening to his father’s weird, occasional and scary words, Yuan didn’t think it would NOT be his turn to go. “So... what?” he twitched his facial expression.
“So, go. Attend the funeral. Brother and I were not on good terms which is why I doubt I’ll not be admitted to the ceremony. But you can go. He liked you very much that’s why he wanted you to marry his daughter.”
“And you are letting it go?!” he stood up irritatingly, disagree was all on his face.
“That is your uncle, you dumb!”
“Like I care! I won’t go, won’t go, won’t go, won’t GO!!” he sniffled in anger, as he ran outside the room.
His mother— She was listening to the whole conversation. The letter thrown on the floor, lonely. The son got angry and left the room. The father, well, got screwed by his own son.
“Dear, why don’t you try talking pleasantly to him?”
“How do you think was I talking now, huh?”
“…” forget it, you, dumbass.
Okay. He did try to force him into this. If his father wasn’t on good terms with his brother, then how can he suppose to be? Yuan wiped off his tears. He suddenly thought of a cunning plan— He was too kind to go, but not without a good deal.
He returned back.
“Dad, I decided… I’ll go,” he ignored to face him straight to the face.
His father, drinking tea, the teacup fell on the ground leaving his astounding expression beforehand.
“R-Really? That’s good!” he picked up the letter again and showed it to Yuan.
“This, take this along you, this is the invitation. Since you are going instead of me, submit it in the Shou Ga shrine.”
“Shou Ga shrine? Wait, that was where I was supposed to marry my cousin!”
“Yes, but don’t worry, it’s canceled now, right?”
“Oh, yeah…” a sigh of relief.
“Then, take care of yourself, son. The mountains where your uncle lived and is from, are very petrifying. I myself have never gone to.”
“Alright, but if you want me to do this all, then you got to accept my sincere demand too.” He smirked as if he was cunning. But he had never gambled before.
His father’s face was as if he was dumbfounded. But yes, he was. “What is it?”
“Hmm… be ready to give me one of those crystallized diamonds from your inheritance. You all brother and sisters got 3, right?”
“What? That’s your twin marriage rings, you fool!”
Yuan frowned. As he was going to reply rudely back to him, his mother supported him.
“Isn’t it fine? Those diamonds are not something worth than our son, ah?”
“Yes, yes,” he nodded in agreement.
“Sigh, fine. Come back and I’ll hand one of them to you.”
Yuan was at victory. He won the gamble right now. Just now.
As he thought things would eventually turn out sooo good, it was perfectly peaceful for him. Yet he didn’t know that what the upcoming danger was like.
*****
The next morning, after school, Yuan met up with his friends and classmates to say goodbye.
“Yuan! You free this weekend?”
“Huh? No… unfortunately, I have to attend a wretched funeral.” He showed a sorrowful face.
“Oh, too bad. Then see you after the summer vacation!
“Tsk, yeah okay!” his words were with a smile, after the tsk.
He had already furthered the day for visiting the mountains, as he had much work to do. So his father also agreed, with a sigh, to let him go on the coming weekend. However, he would have to stay there at least for 3 days— 1 day for the greetings and meetings, the next day for the funeral ceremony, and the other day, third, for goodbyes and all. A few people also used to distribute gifts to the guests, but Yuan had no idea of what they were going to do, as he had never attended a funeral. Back then when his grandma died, he was too young so his parents didn’t take him to it, as it could scare him.
The weekend arrived. His luxury was almost wrapped up. The following morning, he packed up his stuff for 3 days. On the third day, he had to come back. When he was done with packing and all, his mother and father came to say goodbye to him.
“Yuan, I warn you, be careful. Let the ghosts not surround you.”
“What are you saying? If you’re so worried, why let me go?”
Even though he believed his son was brave, enthusiastic, he was still afraid because of his over-confidence.
“And what ghosts? Such things don’t even exist, why fear them?...” he bent down, took out a lucky charm, from the pocket of the luggage. “Here, this will protect me. Grandma left this for me, so no way then the ghosts will reach me. Okay now?” rest assured.
“Sigh, yes, go on.” He smiled in relief.
As yuan departed, he waved goodbye to his silent mother.
First, he took the bullet train to the mountain bus stop, then he had to wait for an hour. After a while, he looked up at the time, it was 3 pm. It wasn’t too strange, but reckoning the duration of his travel till now, he departed at 12. Half an hour was used in the train, and the other was just a half too, for climbing up the mountain. And he was alone too. How come it was three? How could time pass so quickly? Perhaps then his waiting extended to two hours. Thus, he decided to forget the calculation and keep on waiting— there might be some miscalculation.
Another hour passed, he couldn’t keep up with the time. He was pissed off, wanting to return back home and burn the invitation to ashes.
—“The hell is with the time?! It keeps on running, while the bus never comes!” he stood up in rage.
Yuan saw a police officer who seemed to be on guard for the mountains. He decided to ask him,
“Sir, when will the bus to Shenrin state arrive?”
“Huh? Shenrin? I don’t think such a place exists.” He walked away.
Yuan was dumbfounded— “What the hell? Does not exist?” his face was aghast with shock. He called his father— He dialed the number, it kept on ringing until it said the number dialed does not exist or either isn’t on the line.
“Hey… don’t fool with me. What the heck is this?!”
Yuan was broken— No one was picking up the phone and he was all alone, it was also going to be evening after 2, 3 hours. What to do? Was all he thought. Soon, he saw a strange woman coming towards him. He held his luggage’s handle tight, went on guard.
“Young man, are you waiting for the bus to Shenrin village state?” She sat beside Yuan.
“Yes…”
“Oh, okay. I’m also a woman from there.”
Yuan belonged to that family as well— He knew everything, almost everything about his uncle, so how come could he not recognize this woman. However, he thought as if he had seen her before.
“You are?”
“Min Su.”
Min Su… again, he thought he knew this name. He recognized everything, yet his brain wasn’t allowing him to remember.
“Are you also to attend the funeral?”
“Yes,”
Yuan decided not to continue the conversation anymore, after a nod. He was apparently very much scared, horrified.
