That Woman!

"Uncle Xu, it can be cremated tomorrow."

As the sun set behind the western hills, the young man packed the tableful of ritual implements into his bag, leaving only the electronic incense burner on the table.

"Ah, ah, okay! How much is it in total? I'll transfer it to you."

"5,800."

With the sound of a WeChat payment received, the young man's wallet plumped up once more.

Lin Yiyi stretched, then said, "We'll be heading off now. We'll come back tomorrow."

"You're leaving already? Stay for dinner."

Seeing the lavish spread of meat and fish on the table, the young man instinctively looked toward Zhongli.

After all, he was an old uncle who had lived for over six thousand years. Whenever Lin Yiyi couldn't make up his mind, leaving it to him was undoubtedly the best choice.

After Zhongli nodded to him, the three of them sat down.

The funeral home had no cafeteria, so all three meals a day depended on takeout.

Since the funeral rites were already finished, Lin Yiyi ate without restraint.

"Little Lin, you're so young. What made you choose this line of work?"

"Why didn't you go to school or find a regular job?"

During the meal, Xu Nian was very curious about Lin Yiyi's story. Perhaps, as a senior in the field, he simply wanted to know.

The young man swallowed a mouthful of rice before replying, "There's no special reason. I'm just interested in it."

In truth, after both his parents died, he had merely been taken in and raised by an old Taoist priest through a twist of fate.

Seeing that he did not seem willing to say more, Xu Nian did not press him.

Lin Yiyi placed a piece of meat into Hu Tao's bowl, then discussed this world's funeral customs with Zhongli.

As for Hu Tao, she blinked her bright plum blossom eyes and listened with great interest as they compared the customs of two different dimensions.

Lin Yiyi slung his backpack over his shoulder and glanced once more at the mourning hall.

The deceased lay quietly inside the coffin, surrounded by wreaths and condolence banners. The faint scent of candles still lingered in the air.

He would be sent for cremation tomorrow. Another person's traces would vanish from this world.

When life reached its end, everything would eventually return to peace. His voice, appearance, smiles, and frowns would become memories, leaving behind only endless longing and regret.

But life had to go on. After all, death had never been the end.

"Take care, you three!" Xu Nian warmly saw them off for a stretch of the way.

Yet no one knew just how much grief he carried in his heart.

As night gradually fell, Lin Yiyi and the other two returned to the hotel.

"Little Friend Lin, may we return to Liyue for a look?"

The moment they returned to the hotel, Zhongli's deep voice sounded. The young man turned back. "What's wrong?"

"Director Hu and I have been away for too long. Though the director made arrangements in advance, I fear that without its director, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor may lose its bearings."

Lin Yiyi nodded. Zhongli's concern was not without reason.

So he took out his phone again and opened that familiar app.

After selecting the familiar destination button, a pale red dimensional rift appeared before them.

On the other side stood the main entrance of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Judging by the time, it was already night there.

Fortunately, that ferryman was not around. Otherwise, if he saw them, Lin Yiyi truly would not know what to say.

"Who dares cause trouble here?"

Suddenly, the young man heard a stern demand. Immediately afterward, a green blast of energy struck the ground, startling Lin Yiyi.

Then he saw an especially tall woman in green approach from the side, her gaze exceedingly sharp. Compared with elegant older sisters like Ningguang and Beidou, this woman looked more like an auntie. She gave Lin Yiyi the feeling of a homeroom teacher.

As fellow cultivators, Lin Yiyi instantly felt like he was a whole immortal rank beneath her. As expected of an adeptus—she just had to overpower me. This is infuriating!

Her clothing was extremely refined. She wore a cloud collar over her upper body, with two long tails hanging down behind it. Her lower half seemed to be a dress, though it did not quite look like one.

"Wow, it's that woman!"

Lin Yiyi cried out and immediately ran behind Zhongli. He feared that this person transformed from a giant bird might suddenly hit him with another move.

"..."

"..."

"Lady Xianyun, we meet again."

"So it is Mr. Zhongli. Why are you walking with this junior?"

Only after seeing someone she knew did Xianyun lower her guard. Lin Yiyi let out a long breath. Otherwise, he might have been slapped to death without even having a place to complain.

"This young man, like the Traveler, is from another world. I travel with him because he invited me to visit their world."

Zhongli smiled and explained, "Little Friend Lin, this is Xianyun, a friend of mine."

"I... I happened to be passing by when I saw an unusual phenomenon suddenly appear before Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, so I came to investigate in case some wicked fiend was at work. I was rather offensive just now, so do not take it to heart."

"If nothing else, I can give you some small mechanisms to play with. How would that be?"

"My mechanisms are not something just anyone can obtain. They contain many ingenious ideas, such as..."

"Stop, stop! I'm here to send people home!" The young man interrupted her. Xianyun smacked her lips, somewhat displeased.

"One after another, none of you like listening to me talk. Forget it. Even if I explained it, you wouldn't understand."

"Hmm? I didn't expect the director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to be here as well."

At last, Xianyun noticed Hu Tao standing behind Zhongli. "I presume the reason is the same as Mr. Zhongli's? This junior invited you along too?"

"You have quite some courage, junior." Xianyun folded her arms and looked at the young man, who was about as tall as Zhongli. Her proud twin peaks were far superior to a certain someone present.

Lin Yiyi gave an awkward smile. "We're all in the same line of work, so I thought I'd take them out to have some fun."

"What, you work in funerary services as well?"

"Not exactly. I'm also a cultivator, rather like Chongyun. Besides that, I know a bit about fortune-telling, feng shui, and such."

Xianyun was an adeptus who loved to chatter by nature. After she talked at the three of them for quite some time, Lin Yiyi finally sent the two back to their world of Teyvat.

"Hey, fellow practitioner, why don't you come over and have some fun?" Standing on the ground of Liyue Harbor, Hu Tao invited the young man.

"Huh, can I?" Only then did Lin Yiyi realize that he had always been the one pulling others into his world to have fun, without ever considering entering someone else's world.

"On second thought, forget it. I'm afraid I won't be able to return to my own world later."

There was no signal in Teyvat. What if Lin Yiyi could not get back?

"If you really can't return, why not live in Liyue?"

"You can help out at our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Every day is a merry one, right, Consultant?"

The young man pursed his lips. He very much wanted to escape reality and hide away in a two-dimensional world.

Yet no matter how unwilling he was, he still had to live in his own three-dimensional world.

"Let's talk about it another time, Director. After all, the Earth is round. We'll meet again eventually."

The young man still refused Hu Tao's kind offer.

Perhaps someone like me, buried among the dead, wouldn't find a good ending even if I escaped into a two-dimensional world.