Chapter 28: The Funeral Banquet

Weddings are festive, and newlyweds are busy. After seeing off the guests, it’s normal for them to finally sit down at the tail end and wolf down a few bites, half-starved.

But no one had ever heard of the bereaved themselves joining the tables at a funeral feast.

Only now did Li Zhuiyuan remember what had struck him earlier when he and Runsheng were heading over—Runsheng had called out from a distance, “Grandpa, they’ve cleared the tables already, let’s go home!”

At the time, he’d only felt something was off but hadn’t thought further. Now it hit him.

Under normal circumstances, if you see your elder still seated at the table drinking with others, you’d at least walk up and greet the table before asking them to come home. Shouting from afar—it was almost like pretending the others didn’t exist.

Runsheng might be simple-minded, but he wasn’t rude. Which meant, to him, there had only been one person drinking at that table: Li Sanjiang.

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Runsheng. The latter had already turned away from Li Sanjiang and was squatting down, getting ready to carry him home.

Yes, confirmed—Runsheng couldn’t see the other two people.

By habit, Li Zhuiyuan instinctively wanted to pretend he couldn’t see them either. But that reflex was quickly overridden.

He hadn’t spoken to them yet, but the way he’d approached the table, the way he’d stood beside Great-Grandpa facing their direction—all of it silently gave away the fact that he had seen them.

To pretend otherwise now would only make him look like a fool.

Li Sanjiang suddenly grabbed Li Zhuiyuan’s hand and beamed at the two seated across from him.

“Look at my great-great-grandson—such a fair, clean-cut face. You can tell he’s a scholar in the making. Bound for great things, this one.”

Runsheng had heard that praise dozens of times. His Li Grandpa never missed a chance to brag about Little Yuan. Now that he was drunk, the compliments came nonstop.

Brother Bao nodded meaningfully. “The kid does look sharp.”

Today’s host—Zhao Xing, the deceased—chimed in too. “Smarter than I was at that age, that’s for sure. I was no good at studying.”

Li Sanjiang laughed heartily. “Hear that, Little Yuanhou? They’re talking about you!”

Li Zhuiyuan could only sigh inwardly. Just moments ago he’d been planning how to extract himself from this bizarre situation, only for Great-Grandpa to drag him deeper into it.

Now he had no choice but to play along, ducking his head with a bashful smile.

“Come, Little Yuanhou, sit down, eat something.”

Li Sanjiang, old though he was, still had strength in those arms—he had to, to haul corpses and carry them ashore. Now, tipsy and cheerful, he easily overpowered his great-great-grandson and dragged him into a seat.

“Here, have some pork ribs—your favorite.”

He piled sweet-and-sour ribs onto Li Zhuiyuan’s plate.

Runsheng scratched his head in confusion. Hadn’t Little Yuan just said he was taking Grandpa home? Why was he now sitting down to eat? If he wanted supper, he could’ve said so earlier—Runsheng would’ve brought some sausages from home.

“Little Yuan…”

“Runsheng-ge, just wait here for a bit.”

“Alright then, Little Yuan.”

Grandpa Shan had told him that Little Yuan was clever and to listen to him more. Runsheng agreed. So he simply turned his back to the table, squatted down, and yawned as he rubbed his eyes.

Li Zhuiyuan let out a breath. As long as things could proceed peacefully, he had no desire to blow things up.

If these were just Dead Sinkers, fine. With Runsheng’s brute strength and experience, they might’ve had a shot.

But these weren’t Dead Sinkers. These two didn’t even have bodies—and Runsheng couldn’t see them.

So how would they fight? Shadow-box with ghosts?

He picked up his chopsticks and bit into a rib.

This was a real banquet—not like the paper-man feast thrown by the Cat-faced Granny. So yes, the food was edible. But in this setting, even the tastiest dishes turned to ash in his mouth.

His main worry now: did Brother Bao remember him?

“Little Yuan, was it? Have we met before?”

Li Zhuiyuan looked at him, puzzled. “Have we?”

Li Sanjiang answered, “Doubt it. The kid’s only just come back to the village. Doesn’t know many people yet.”

Brother Bao persisted. “Hmm. Just looks familiar. You went to the market yesterday, didn’t you?”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. “Yeah, I went to the corner shop for snacks and school supplies.”

“Which shop?”

“The one next to the firecracker store. I sat inside drinking soda and watching people play pool for a long time.”

That shop’s western neighbor was the firecracker store. Its eastern neighbor—Sister Mei’s video parlor.

Li Zhuiyuan deliberately avoided mentioning the parlor. First, to avoid upsetting Li Sanjiang, who knew what had gone down there yesterday and was now drunk—who knew what he might blurt out.

Second, he was gambling. Gambling that Brother Bao, when he possessed that woman yesterday, could control her body but not access her memories. Gambling that the shopkeeper who’d gone to tip off Sister Mei hadn’t had time to explain things clearly before getting... overexcited.

The odds were good. If Brother Bao did know he was the one who’d called the cops, he wouldn’t be this calm.

Li Zhuiyuan added with a grin, “An auntie tried to invite me next door, but I preferred watching pool. Besides, Runsheng-ge took the boss lady to the health clinic and told me to wait for him so we could go home together. I had to listen to my big brother.”

“Right, Runsheng-ge?”

“Ah?” Runsheng was picking his nails. “Uh, yeah. That’s right.”

Something felt off. He was older, sure—but when had he ever been the one making decisions? It was always Little Yuan calling the shots. So why did it sound like he was the one in charge?

Wait... who was Little Yuan talking to?

“Little Yuan, you—”

“Runsheng-ge, quiet down. Just wait a bit more and we’ll go home. Don’t make a fuss.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Runsheng obediently resumed his nail cleaning.

Brother Bao said, “Then that’s it. I must’ve seen you when I went in there for a pack of smokes. Guess you didn’t notice me.”

“Hmm…” Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head, feigning embarrassment. “I must’ve been too focused on the pool.”

So, Brother Bao really didn’t know he’d called the cops. And from the looks of it, didn’t remember Runsheng taking him to the clinic either.

Was it because he’d been unconscious and hadn’t died yet?

But Brother Bao had died at the clinic, then his spirit had gone to the video parlor. So he never saw Runsheng?

Li Zhuiyuan recalled Runsheng saying he’d been about to leave when the clinic staff stopped him, demanding payment. He’d had no choice but to wait outside Sister Mei’s room for her to wake up. So they’d just missed each other?

Brother Bao asked, “You said she was taken to the clinic—how is she now?”

“The doctor said she’s fine. Just needs rest.”

“Oh.”

Li Zhuiyuan noticed Brother Bao’s gaze softening.

That had been the goal. Mentioning Runsheng taking Sister Mei to the clinic—it painted them in a sympathetic light.

Of course, there was still the glaring issue: he could see them. That was a massive giveaway.

But maybe, with Li Sanjiang here, that gap could be covered. After all, Li Sanjiang had seen them first and was drinking with them.

And Li Sanjiang’s identity was unique. A Corpse Retriever, one who bridges yin and yang. The dead didn’t just need help from the living—sometimes they sought help themselves.

Records of Strange Happenings in the Martial World had documented similar cases.

At least so far, neither Brother Bao nor Zhao Xing had questioned the fact that Li Zhuiyuan could see them.

Even Runsheng, under Li Zhuiyuan’s careful handling, remained blissfully unaware.

“Pssht… tsk!”

Li Sanjiang knocked back another drink, wiped his mouth, and grabbed a bite of food.

Li Zhuiyuan could only sigh. While he was over here spinning webs and walking a tightrope, his great-grandfather was happily getting drunk.

Zhao Xing asked, “How’s the food today? Satisfactory?”

Li Zhuiyuan kept his head down, chewing ribs. “Tastes great.”

Li Sanjiang nodded. “Your Zhao family’s good people. This spread—you did it right.”

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