Diary of Getting Rich Quick in the South

When she saw me arrive, Su Wan could no longer hold back and buried her face in my shoulder, sobbing softly.

I gently patted her back without saying a word, letting her vent the grievances she had accumulated over the past few days.

A photo of my cousin was on the coffee table in the living room, and a pile of documents sent by the police were scattered on the table.

Once she calmed down a bit, I helped her sit on the sofa and poured her a glass of warm water.

Su Wan held the water glass, said thank you, and gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Sometimes I can't sleep at night. I always feel that he just went out to run errands and will be back in a couple of days. But when I think about taking his body away tomorrow for burial, I really realize that he is really gone."

I sighed and said, "It's a good thing that my cousin can finally rest in peace. He won't have to lie in the cold morgue anymore. I've already asked a friend about the burial process. I'll arrange the burial plot and funeral supplies tomorrow when I have some free time. You don't need to worry about anything else, just come with me."

She nodded, tears welling up again: "Tell me, should we take your cousin back, or stay here?"

I thought about it and said I'd better take it home.

Upon hearing this, Su Wan tightened her grip on the cup.

I knew what she was thinking, so I comforted her, "It's been so long, your aunt shouldn't blame you. If it really comes to it, I can take my cousin's body back to our hometown myself after I pick it up tomorrow."

I only realized it after I said it.

How do I send my cousin's body back?

Even adults like us have to take a train for more than ten hours and transfer repeatedly to get there.

How do you transport a corpse?

I lit a cigarette, squatted by the coffee table, and smoked most of it before speaking.

"Last time it happened suddenly, and neither of us was prepared in advance. This time it's different."

"After I finish the procedures at the police station tomorrow, I will first call my distant uncle and ask him to stay home in advance to keep my aunt and my mother calm. Then I will explain the truth to a few gossipy elders in the village."

"My cousin fell to his death in a panic. It has nothing to do with you. I'll shut up all those rumors."

Su Wan bit her lip, her fingers gripping the water glass tightly: "What if your aunt still won't forgive me..."

"Even if you don't forgive her, it's not her place to make things difficult for you."

My tone became a bit more serious: "My cousin has secretly borrowed a lot of money from loan sharks. The police have records of it all. It's all in black and white. No one can change the truth. If she really tries to use a knife and cause trouble again, I'll stop her directly and won't let you get hurt."

Such family scandals should not be made public.

But if I don't explain it clearly, everyone in the village will really think that Su Wan and I killed my cousin.

I paused, then added, "Don't worry about the long-distance transportation costs for the hearse or the expenses for the funeral back home. I still have some savings. If it's really not enough, I'll ask Ma Wencai for help. I can't let you, a woman, bear all the expenses alone."

Su Wan couldn't hold on any longer. She put down her water glass and leaned against my shoulder, her sobs very low.

"If it weren't for your help all this time, I really wouldn't have made it this far. After your cousin's accident, everyone in our hometown blamed me, and I thought about just giving up several times."

I gently patted her back, my heart filled with mixed emotions.

"Don't think about extreme things, solve problems one by one."

I helped her up by the shoulder and handed her a tissue: "You get a good night's sleep. I'll make do on the sofa for the night. Tomorrow morning, we'll go to the police station to complete the procedures for claiming the body. After that, I'll contact the funeral company immediately and call my uncle back home to let him know."

Su Wan nodded and wiped away her tears.

I went to the living room sofa and lay down, but I couldn't fall asleep no matter how much I tossed and turned.

As dawn approached, I took out my phone and messaged Ma Wencai, asking if he knew anyone who ran a long-distance funeral transport business.

Less than two minutes later, Ma Wencai replied, saying that he had a friend in the funeral industry who could help arrange compliant long-distance hearse transport.

The sky was just beginning to lighten, and it was still gray and hazy outside the window.

I spent half the night lying on the sofa, and my whole body ached.

I had just sat up when the bedroom door opened gently. Su Wan, her eyes still swollen, handed me a glass of warm water.

"You're awake? I've boiled some water, have some to warm yourself up."

I took a sip of water and got straight to the point: "I contacted a friend last night. He knows someone in the funeral business who can arrange a long-distance hearse. All the paperwork is compliant, and we won't have to go through the hassle of taking the train. After the police station finishes the paperwork, I'll call and book the vehicle directly."

Su Wan hummed in agreement and asked in a low voice, "So, going back to your hometown to face your aunt and uncle... are you really okay?"

"Don't worry, I called my distant uncle early this morning and told him everything about my cousin falling to his death while trying to escape loan sharks. I'll also make a copy of the police report and bring it with me. My uncle is a steady person and will help me persuade my aunt. With an elder speaking up for me, those gossipy people in the village won't dare to say anything."

After a quick wash, we went out and took a taxi straight to the local police station.

The police officer at the service window recognized us, took out a stack of forms, checked the information with us one by one, and we signed and confirmed the body identification statement. It took almost an hour to complete everything.

As soon as I left the police station, I dialed the number of the funeral director that Ma Wencai had given me.

We've finalized the departure date for this afternoon, to take the body directly back to the family's hometown in the countryside. I'll pay the transportation fee upfront.

After hanging up the phone, Su Wan stood by the roadside in a daze, her eyes vacant.

I gently patted her arm: "Sister Wan, don't worry, everything is arranged. We'll go to the funeral shop later and get everything we need for the burial."

While browsing the funeral clothing store, Su Wan stared at the men's funeral quilt with tears in her eyes. She didn't say much throughout the whole process. I took out my own money and bought everything without letting her touch a single penny.

After finishing all the purchasing, I had a quick lunch of noodles, and the funeral company's vehicle arrived at the agreed location on time.

After arranging transportation, I bought two bus tickets to return to my hometown, and set off at a distance that would have been different from the hearse.

The car ride was bumpy, and Su Wan leaned against the window in silence, occasionally wiping away tears.

I didn't bother you much, just handed you a tissue every now and then.

The bus arrived in town in the evening, and my distant uncle was already waiting for us at the station in his car.

As soon as we got in the car, my uncle sighed, "Your aunt cried all day at home, muttering that it was all Su Wan's fault. A lot of idle people in the village were squatting at their doorsteps watching the show today."

My heart sank when I heard this; I had expected this to happen.

As the car drove to the village entrance, we could see a dozen or so villagers gathered in front of their houses, whispering and pointing at each other.

They fell silent the moment they saw us get off the bus, their eyes fixed on Su Wan, and unpleasant whispers drifted into our ears.

Hearing the commotion, Auntie grabbed a wooden stick from the side of the door and rushed out.

"You jinx! How dare you show your face here! You killed my son! I'll beat you to death today!"

I stepped in front of Su Wan and said, "Auntie, calm down. Don't lose your temper without knowing the facts."

"How can I stay calm! My son was a perfectly healthy man, and he died not long after marrying her!" Aunt cried her heart out.

My uncle quickly stepped forward, pulled my aunt aside, and handed her all the police station transcripts that I had printed out in advance, distributing them to the villagers who were watching the commotion.

"Sister-in-law, take a good look. Wang Long owes hundreds of thousands of yuan in high-interest loans and is being chased and harassed every day. That day, when he was trying to escape his debts, he panicked and fell off an unfinished building. It's all in black and white, according to the police records. It has nothing to do with Wan Yatou."