OFTLHFRO C4

 

Chapter 4 – Going to Collect a Corpse

Carrying the wine jar into the kitchen, Luo Mingchen poured out its contents and began to count them.

Just as Huo Yuhui had said, the amount was correct.

Looking at that pile of copper coins, Luo Mingchen was puzzled.

“He’s so rich, so why does he still have to go out and work?”

“Father is a security escort,” Huo Yuhui replied, “He has to deliver goods. Originally, he said once he finished this trip, he would stay here and open a small business…”

At this point, Huo Yuhui looked dejected.

Luo Mingchen patted his head. “Then why didn’t he hire someone to take care of you?”

Huo Xiang said, “Father did hire an auntie from the village to take care of us before, but our uncle’s family wouldn’t allow it.”

“Huh?”

Luo Mingchen didn’t quite understand.

Huo Yuhui explained, “Uncle wants Father’s money. Auntie often makes a scene in the village, saying things like, ‘When there are relatives around, how could you give money to outsiders and let them watch your kids? Even if you give the money to the village head’s family, it’s not okay either.’ But when we eat at Uncle’s house, we often don’t get enough to eat. Later, when I learned to cook at home, Auntie would even come snatch away our rice and flour. After we complained to the village head, they restrained themselves a little, but before long, they went back to their old ways.”

Hearing this, Luo Mingchen understood why the children’s father had hurriedly sought a male spouse.

“Your father’s had it tough too.”

Luo Mingchen sighed with some emotion.

Huo Yuhui said honestly, “Father said, once Little Dad* comes, if he can protect us, then Father would hand the family property over to Little Dad to manage.”

[*Note: “Little Dad” (小爹爹) is how the children address Luo Mingchen, a male spouse role similar to a stepfather.]

Huo Xiang sighed. “But Little Dad came several days later than expected. By the time he arrived, we only had some cornmeal left, and after he got here, he was bedridden for two days. Even the cornmeal ran out.”

Luo Mingchen felt a headache coming on, but he didn’t tell them that he wasn’t really their Little Dad.

Still, since their family had sent him over with the token and marriage contract, there was no need to clarify things now.

“Since we’ve got money, let’s go to town to buy some meat and also ask around at the yamen*.”

[*Note: “Yamen” (衙門) refers to the local government office or magistrate’s office in ancient China.]

After all, since they’d left him this much money, Luo Mingchen figured he should at least go and collect the man’s corpse.

Even if there wasn’t a body, they could at least make a clothing mound grave.

Although Luo Mingchen didn’t personally care about such matters — he believed that once people died, everything ended — the people here took such rituals seriously.

Since that was the case, he’d follow local customs.

Roughly guessing what Luo Mingchen planned to do, Huo Yuhui nodded. “Alright.”

Huo Xiang, not understanding, asked, “Little Dad, what are we going to the yamen for?”

“To ask about something.”

Luo Mingchen put all their things into his storage space, picked up Huo Xinyue, and said, “Come on, let’s rent a cart.”

As an ability user, he could cover a thousand li* in a day, though it would be exhausting.

[*Note: 1 li ≈ 500 meters.]

But these three malnourished kids couldn’t possibly walk that far. Under the blazing sun, they might even get heatstroke.

So, the four of them set out immediately.

After they left, Luo Mingchen locked the door. Looking around, he saw clear mountains and clean water — no hordes of zombies, no extreme weather — to him, this was practically paradise.

As for the internet? After two years of apocalypse, he was never a hardcore addict anyway; now, he hardly even thought about it.

It was just a pity — he’d barely received his university admission notice when the zombie outbreak happened…

This village was called Xishui Village, with roughly two hundred households. Their house was rather remote, close to the mountains.

Walking along the road, those working in the fields cast curious glances at Luo Mingchen.

Here, becoming sworn brothers wasn’t unusual — not every family could afford to marry a wife.

But since Huo Dalang wasn’t short of money, why had he spent so much to marry a man from a neighboring village? Simply because he feared that if he married a woman who bore her own children, she might neglect the three existing ones. Many families with daughters had regretted missing the chance.

After Luo Mingchen arrived, he’d fallen gravely ill. Everyone thought he wouldn’t make it, but somehow, he survived — and just yesterday, he’d even driven off Lin Tinglei and the human trafficker…

Ignoring the strange looks, Luo Mingchen first went to the village doctor’s house.

Previously, Huo Yuhui had taken some medicine on credit there; now that they had money, it was only right to repay the debt.

Otherwise, people would gossip — having money to rent an ox cart and buy meat, but not to repay the doctor.

Given that they’d likely live in the village for some time, offending others wasn’t ideal — especially not the doctor. Even if Luo Mingchen himself stayed healthy, what about the three children?

Besides, it wasn’t as if they couldn’t afford to pay; Luo Mingchen disliked owing anyone anything.

The village doctor, sitting at the door smoking a dry tobacco pipe, looked up to see Luo Mingchen carrying one child, holding another, while the third led the way. “Where are you all headed?”

“We came to repay the debt.”

Luo Mingchen looked at the spry old man and handed him the prepared fifty wen coins.

The doctor inhaled from his pipe and asked in surprise, “Where did you get the money?”

“The children’s father left some before he departed.”

Hearing mention of the three kids’ father, the doctor sighed. “Such a pity about Huo Dalang.”

Luo Mingchen didn’t comment, simply saying, “Here’s the money. We’ve got other matters to handle.”

Leaving the coins, he took the three children and left.

Next, they went to the village head’s house to rent an ox cart. The village head and his wife were quite kind — seeing that they paid upfront, they gladly rented it out. Worried Luo Mingchen might not know the way, the village head even sent his second son to escort them to the county town, free of charge.

On the road, the village head’s son kept talking about how good and capable the children’s father had been.

Seeing Huo Yuhui’s mood sink, Luo Mingchen cut in: “The dead are gone; talking about it only adds sorrow. Don’t say such things in front of the children.”

The village head’s son froze, glancing at the verge-of-tears Huo Yuhui, and quickly apologized: “Sorry…”

After that, he fell silent.

The county seat wasn’t far from Xishui Village — only half an hour by ox cart.

The small market town they passed through took just a quarter hour.

If they had their own cart, things would be much more convenient.

He wondered how much an ox cart would cost. If the price was reasonable, buying one might be worthwhile.

Although he currently had a tidy sum, he’d need to sell vegetables later. Renting carts long-term wasn’t sustainable.

The county town was bustling. Hugging Huo Xinyue, Luo Mingchen told the other two, “Both of you hold on to me and don’t wander off.”

If not for yesterday’s kidnapping attempt, it would’ve been easier to leave the children at home.

Huo Yuhui responded solemnly, “Alright.”

Their first stop was the county yamen.

Luo Mingchen asked the constable there and learned that the children’s father’s body hadn’t been found.

For the three children, that was probably for the best — they wouldn’t have to see the horrifying sight of their loved one’s death.

What you didn’t see couldn’t hurt you as much; with time, the grief would fade.

Suddenly remembering something, Luo Mingchen took out the marriage contract and token, along with the father’s household registration papers, and asked the constable, “Sir, my husband has died, but I haven’t been added to the household registry yet. Could I still be registered?”

The constable asked, “And where is your own household registration?”

“My family… disowned me because I refused to leave and insisted on raising my husband’s three children. When I returned home, they threatened to break my legs. My husband’s cousins want to sell the children, saying I have no rightful status…”

At this, Luo Mingchen looked worried and pleaded, “Please, sir, show mercy.”

Though he didn’t fully understand, Huo Yuhui still chimed in to help, “Sir, please, we only have Little Dad.”

Seeing how pitiful they were, the constable relented. “Alright, but you’ll have to pay an extra silver fee for the supplementary registration.”

Luo Mingchen struggled to suppress the upward curve of his lips. “Thank you, sir.”

On the way back, Luo Mingchen bought a large pig trotter, several catties of ribs, some flour, dried black fungus, dried kelp, and a big jar of salt.

Afterward, he bought paper ingots, candles, and a large coffin.

The coffin would be delivered to their home — convenient enough.

In addition, he bought an ox cart for three taels of silver.

Horses were even pricier — unaffordable for now, and hard to maintain.

Since they were already in town, Luo Mingchen figured he might as well make the trip worthwhile: after stashing the pig trotter and dried goods in his space, he left the ribs, salt, and funeral offerings with the village head’s son, then took the three kids to buy a few sets of clothes, several pairs of shoes, big steamed buns, and some snacks.

When the village head’s son learned Luo Mingchen had bought an ox cart, holding the pastries and buns he’d been given, he hesitated before blurting out, “If you go back like this, the Lin family won’t leave you alone.”

Luo Mingchen gave a meaningful smile. “If they have the ability, let them try to take it.”

He wasn’t a fool — and besides, if it came to a fight, who knew who would really suffer.