I Only Want to Lie Flat But Am Forced to Cultivate Immortality Chapter 527 - 269: Darkness Over the Yin River Path (Part 2)

The old troupe leader helplessly spread his hands and said, "No way!"

"Really no way?"

The old troupe leader was about to nod but suddenly said, "If it were before, there might have been a chance."

"Before? What do you an by that?"

The old troupe leader looked around, and seeing that no one was paying attention, he approached Xu Qing and whispered:

"Boss Liu, Liu Su’e, is the pillar of our Pear Garden Theater. She’s a renowned star; Shopkeeper Xu should know."

Xu Qing nodded and said, "Boss Liu is my sister’s teacher. My sister learned opera from her, so I naturally know."

The old troupe leader chuckled aningfully, "Shopkeeper Xu never studied opera in the garden, so you don’t know the hardship of learning it. It often takes ordinary people a lifeti to sing and perform a role well."

"But if you think carefully, how could Boss Liu, as a ’flowery gown’ role, master the skills of the main role, supporting role, martial role, and Daomadan all so excellently..."

Xu Qing raised an eyebrow. "Because she has extraordinary talent?"

The old troupe leader gave a sly smile, his expression a bit eerie, "What if I said she can play any role, from female lead to male sidekick?"

"..."

Is this a vocal phenonon?

Xu Qing suddenly recalled the strange phenonon he had seen on Liu Su’e using the Qi Observation Skill.

At that ti, Liu Su’e was performing on stage. Xu Qing saw reflections of willow leaves swaying back and forth on the stage, like the ripples of a water surface casting the shadow of a large willow tree drooping its branches by the embanknt.

Moreover, beneath the ripples, there seed to be a shadow hidden, like a fish swimming under the surface of a cloudy river, vaguely visible.

After noticing the phenonon, Xu Qing observed closely and found that the shadow was Liu Su’e’s, but for so reason, he always felt a strange perception.

It’s like the audio and visual were out of sync, but when he observed the anomaly, they oddly synchronized, as if everything was an illusion.

Combining the old troupe leader’s words, Xu Qing, recollecting the scene, confird it was definitely not his illusion.

It seems Boss Liu also harbors so unknown secrets.

"If Boss Liu were to step in, maybe she could fulfill Shopkeeper Xu’s needs."

The old troupe leader straightened up, folded his hands, and sighed.

Xu Qing frowned and asked, "Isn’t Boss Liu at the theater?"

"Look at your question. Boss Liu is your sister’s teacher, probably more familiar to you than to . How could you ask about her?"

Xu Qing shook his head and said, "My sister is skilled in her role, but Boss Liu hasn’t shown up for more than half a year since then, so how could I know where she’s gone."

The old troupe leader furrowed his brows, helplessly said, "Well, there’s nothing to be done. Boss Liu just has her na attached to my theater. The last ti I saw her was half a year ago, and she looked pale, without blood color on her lips, as if she was seriously ill. I asked her what happened."

"Boss Liu didn’t say what illness she had, only said she was unwell, couldn’t perform for a while, and needed to go ho to recuperate for a few days."

"Strangely enough, in all her years at the theater, no one ever knew where her ho was..."

Xu Qing left the Pear Garden and turned to Shuin Bridge Villa.

In the yard, a seamstress broke off a branch of the Yin Locust Tree, writing and drawing on the ground.

Little Shiyue, still wearing that sowhat worn-out floral dress, squatted beside the seamstress, obediently listening to her godmother’s teaching.

Xu Qing approached, looking down, and saw the words ’godmother’ written on the fertile soil.

In front of godmother, on the used ground, were the words ’teacher’.

"..."

Xu Qing silently stood at a short distance, quietly watching the big ghost teach the little ghost to practice writing.

When the eerie wind blew, the leaves of the Yin Locust Tree rustled, but in the next mont, its leaves froze as if fearing to disturb the little girl practicing writing.

"Ah, it’s the teacher!"

The seamstress inadvertently looked up, catching sight of Xu Qing standing at the moon gate.

"Teacher, you ca at the right ti. I had so free ti this morning and made a new set of clothes for Shiyue..."

Xu Qing understood the seamstress’s aning; ghosts differ from humans. Spirits with insufficient cultivation cannot wear human clothes; only by burning the garnts can they be worn.

However, ordinary families were unwilling to burn fine fabrics, so what they burned were either the deceased’s old clothes or paper garnts bought from the funeral shop.

The embroidery lady cherished her goddaughter, so how could she dress her in clothes made of paper?

When the embroidery lady handed over the brand-new clothes, Xu Qing took a glance.

A small jacket embroidered with gold thread, an outer garnt sewn from blue silk and white velvet, with a pink jade belt around the waist, butterfly embroidery on the hem of the skirt, and a particularly charming pair of embroidered soft shoes.

Judging by the craftsmanship and fabric, it seed even better than what an official’s daughter would wear!

Xu Qing clicked his tongue; he originally raised the embroidery lady just to have a little ghost that could scare people and guard the door, but unexpectedly, he ended up raising a first maid.

Now, the clothes for both Xuan Yu and him were personally sewn by the embroidery lady, and even the shrouds at the Funeral Shop couldn’t do without those independently operating looms.

After setting up Shiyue’s spirit tablet, Xu Qing threw the beautiful little dress and embroidered shoes into the fire basin, burning them all away.

When the smoke dispersed, the little girl twirled and the brand-new dress fell upon her.

At that mont, the little girl truly resembled the butterfly embroidered on the hem of her skirt; she was extrely beautiful.

"Embroidery lady, have you seen Boss Liu recently?"

As the little girl fluttered around the yard, Xu Qing asked about business.

The embroidery lady blinked, tentatively asking, "What is sir looking for Sister Liu for?"

"Naturally, it’s for an important matter. In two days, I will set up a stage for a play and need soone for the grand finale. Boss Liu is the best choice."

The embroidery lady seed a bit troubled, "But Sister Liu forbid from telling outsiders where she is."

However, in the next mont, the embroidery lady suddenly smiled radiantly, "But sir is not an outsider, so telling you wouldn’t be betraying Sister Liu."

...

At the Funeral Shop, the wind and rain that lasted for three days finally subsided. These past two days, the Funeral Shop opened as usual, but there was not much funeral business.

After all, few people would hold funerals on rainy days.

"Xuan Yu, I need to go out to visit an old friend. Make sure to look after the shop. If the Funeral House’s Elder Zhuang cos to inquire about the funeral arrangents, rember to ask him to take away the coffin with the deceased’s body from the outer room. There are calligraphy models with the deceased’s place of origin and na on them, so there won’t be any mistakes."

"Also, if new bodies are delivered from the Funeral House, Funeral Shop or elsewhere, have them leave the bodies here until I return to handle them."

After the rain clears, all the bodies remaining in the city these past few days will inevitably be brought over at once. Xu Qing calculated the timing of visiting his old friend just to coincide.

After instructing Xuan Yu, who was possessed by Sun Erniang, Xu Qing was about to leave the shop when he suddenly encountered a new guest at the door.

Xu Qing imdiately composed himself, then stood up, smoothing his clothes, and greeted with hands cupped, "I was unaware of the guest’s arrival, which is discourteous. Please, do take a seat."

Funeral business is unlike other trades; while inn and restaurant shopkeepers often greet guests with a smile, funeral parlors cannot do the sa.

This is sowhat similar to how dical facilities operate.

However, the taboos in the funeral industry are far more nurous than in dical establishnts.

"Please have so tea, dear guest."

The visitor lifted the tea cup and sniffed but did not speak.

Xu Qing’s expression was neither joyful nor sad, his tone always calm, "I observe a frost between your brows and a heaviness in your steps. Have you encountered a troubling matter?"

Upon hearing this, the guest set down the tea cup, brushed his damp sleeve, and spoke, "It’s not exactly troubling. It’s just that a few days ago, I promised an old friend to burn a set of paper-crafted fishing gear for him. If I fail to fulfill this promise, he’ll curse to never hook a fish in my life."

"Therefore, I wish to ask you to make a set of paper-craft fishing gear to burn for him and fulfill his wish."

"That’s not difficult. Not to ntion paper-crafted fishing gear, even if you need coffins, shrouds, incense candles, and paper horses, our shop has them all in abundance, not to ntion materials like pine and cypress, silk and satin bedding; if you need ceremonial officials or musical offerings, I can also arrange for a troupe to perform..."

"That won’t be necessary!"

(A light sigh, a booklet record)

The plants and trees feel sorrow; the artifacts represent mourning. Should your esteed household have any instructions, I will dispatch craftsn to work day and night to ensure that all items are dignified and appropriate, living up to the deceased’s lifeti reputation.

(Hands joined in a slight bow)

Be strong and take care, although my wishing power is humble, I wish to ease your household’s worries.

Xuan Yu transford back into his original form, squatting on the stone block at the entrance, face turned upward, watching the raindrops falling from the eaves intently.

As a raindrop fell, the profound cat on the threshold stretched out its forepaw and caught it precisely.

Then, as if sothing dirty had stuck to its paw, it shook it off incessantly.

The cat’s mind is free of distractions,