Preparing a body for burial sounds simple, but in practice, it involves a number of necessary steps.
From grooming the deceased to placing them in the coffin, every part of the process requires the presence and expertise of a mortician.
In the preparation room, Li Qiao and Mo Qi stood near a cart filled with tools, getting ready.
Once everything was in place, the three of them, dressed in white lab coats, stood together and bowed respectfully toward the deceased on the operation table.
What followed was a meticulous, step-by-step execution of each part of the procedure.
However, when Mo Qi moved on to the cosmetic work for the deceased, he couldn't help but exclaim at the sight before him: "This… this is just brutal."
The young man who had died in an accident was covered in numerous horrifying scars crisscrossing his body. With the blood congealed, the wounds looked especially grotesque—clearly the result of slashes.
The state of the body could only be described as tragic.
Mo Qi suddenly recalled something Li Qiao had once said: Sometimes, the living are scarier than the dead.
At that moment, Li Qiao and Master Jiu Gong, both wearing gloves, were carefully stitching up the wounds. Hearing Mo Qi's outburst, the two of them looked up at the same time and warned in unison, "Quiet!"
…
About two hours later, the grooming was complete.
Master Jiu Gong, now in his fifties, looked visibly fatigued. Gazing at the young man who now appeared peaceful in eternal slumber, he exhaled heavily and instructed Mo Qi, "Alright, tell them to take him to the hall for the final farewell."
By now, it was nearly 9 a.m., and the rain had not let up.
After washing up, Li Qiao and the others followed the staff to the funeral hall. Before they even entered, they were met with a striking scene.
Inside the solemn, monochrome hall, nearly fifty people stood closely packed together.
Everyone was dressed in matching black suits with white mourning flowers pinned to their chests. The formation was orderly, their expressions uniformly solemn.
Through the slight gaps in the crowd, a tall and commanding figure stood clearly at the very front.
Master Jiu Gong entered from the side with Mo Qi and Li Qiao. The imposing atmosphere created by the mourners added a palpable pressure to the space.
As they drew closer, Li Qiao finally saw clearly the figure standing alone before the crystal casket—it was Shang Yu.
Today, he was dressed more formally than ever before. Even the top button of his shirt was neatly fastened.
Li Qiao stood quietly in a corner, eyes fixed on the calm and stern lines of the man's face.
So that young man… really had been one of his people.
The viewing took a long time due to the large number of attendees. It wasn't until nearly 10 a.m. that the casket was sealed and transferred to the hearse.
As the procession prepared to head to the Nanyang Mountain Cemetery, it seemed even the heavens felt the depth of sorrow—the rain began to fall even harder.
In the downpour, countless black cars adorned with white streamers followed the hearse in a slow, solemn convoy toward Nanyang Mountain.
…
At the burial, Shang Yu and all those with him stood silently in the rain, watching as the casket was lowered and the earth sealed over it.
The young man who died so tragically would now sleep forever in the cemetery behind the Nanyang Mansion.
In the rain, Li Qiao stood at the very back of the crowd, wearing a mask, watching the scene with a complex mix of emotions.
The world always said that the Nanyang heir, Shang Shaoyan, was cold-blooded, ruthless, wild and merciless. Perhaps they had never witnessed this side of him—where his loyalty weighed heavier than gold.
Because he was Shang Shaoyan, he didn't have to do any of this.
Just then, the crowd at the front parted in an orderly fashion.
Through a corridor formed by black umbrellas, Shang Yu walked toward them through the rain. His face beneath the umbrella remained sharp and stern, proud and cold.
He stopped in front of Master Jiu Gong, his deep eyes calm as ink, and nodded respectfully. "Master Jiu Gong, thank you for your hard work."