I work as a security guard at a cemetery, and I overhear the dead chatting about getting rich quick.

Lin Ye stared at Lu Zhixia's words for several seconds, feeling a sense of relief.

Gu Wantang was making a phone call while standing on the steps.

Her voice was soft, and her speech was steady.

"The materials should be processed according to procedure; do not touch them privately. The Qingdao Museum has asked the expert group to provide preliminary opinions, and the cultural relics inspectors will be present throughout the entire process."

After saying that, she hung up the phone and looked back at Lin Ye.

"Go back to the cemetery."

Lin Ye was stunned for a moment.

"what?"

Gu Wantang looked at him.

"You can't get into the Youth Expo or the technical team, there's no point in you staying here."

That's too blunt.

That's honestly a bit hurtful.

Lin Ye touched the tip of his nose.

"Ms. Gu, could you be a little more tactful? I just finished a night shift."

Gu Wantang put her phone back in her bag.

"Go back and wait for news."

Lin Ye thought about it and agreed.

If he actually went to the Qingdao Museum now, and the security guard at the entrance asked him who he was, he couldn't very well say:

"We're in the same line of work; I'm a security guard too."

That's pretty awkward.

Tao Shuang drove the car over.

Lin Ye quickly got into the car.

When we drove back to Qingshan Cemetery, it was still dark.

The lights at the cemetery entrance shone white, and several insects flew around the lampshade.

Uncle Zhao is already asleep.

Only a small lamp was left on in the guard booth.

The anti-floating bottle is still on the table.

The counterfeit goods he bought for 18,000 yuan sat quietly on the corner of the table, more dedicated than the security guard.

Lin Ye sat down, picked up his cup, and took a sip of water.

The water has gone cold.

He didn't mind and drank it all in one gulp.

The phone remained silent.

Lu Zhixia did not send a message.

Gu Wantang didn't send a message either.

Ningzhi did post one.

"The entrance to the Qingdao Museum is blocked off, and reporters can't get in. I'm squatting outside, and I'm freezing to death."

Lin Ye replied to her.

"Be careful, don't actually freeze into a specimen."

Ningzhi replied instantly.

"Don't worry, I'll buy a burial plot in your cemetery first when I die."

Lin Ye smiled as he read this sentence.

After laughing, I slowly stopped laughing.

He put down his phone and got up to grab a flashlight.

As soon as the door opened, a gust of wind rushed in, making the back of my neck feel cold.

The night was not yet over.

The familiar voices still echo in the cemetery.

Old Mrs. Zhao from the East District was nagging again, saying that the paper money her son burned last time was ugly, the colors were too bright, and it looked like a cheap promotional coupon.

An old man from one of the tombs nearby chimed in, "It's good enough that it can be burned; my son even buys paper from Pinduoduo."

Old Mrs. Zhao immediately scolded, "Well, you're quite good at comforting people."

Lin Ye wanted to laugh when he heard this.

The noise actually eased his anxiety a little after a whole night.

If you walk further ahead, you'll reach Old Master Gu's grave.

It's rare for Grandpa Gu to not swear today.

Lin Ye paused for a moment.

There was no sound from the tomb.

Holding a flashlight, Lin Ye walked around Old Master Gu's grave and headed towards the west area.

The west side is quieter than the east side.

There was dew on the grass blades; when the flashlight was shone on them, it created a scattering of tiny lights.

The unmarked grave is still there.

There are no photos; the surface of the monument is white.

The name is worn away and can't be read anymore.

Lin Ye stood in front of the grave, not speaking immediately.

In the past, every time he approached, the voice from the tomb would ring out intermittently.

The one in the display case is fake.

Don't take it away.

There's wind inside the wall.

There's another one underwater.

Not tonight.

The quietness of the woods felt a little strange.

He squatted down and picked up the withered branches that had been blown askew by the wind in front of the grave and moved them aside.

Then he turned around and went back to the security booth.

There are spare incense sticks for duty in the drawer.

Uncle Zhao usually doesn't let him take things without permission, saying they're for people who come to pay their respects temporarily.

Lin Ye took three bottles and poured himself a glass of water.

After thinking for a moment, he also took out a small bag of unopened cookies from the cupboard.

"I hope Master Zheng won't mind."

He muttered to himself.

"There's nothing we can do about it, that's just the standard for night shift security guards."

A few minutes later, Lin Ye returned to the nameless grave.

He put down the water glass, arranged the biscuits, and lit three incense sticks.

The firelight flickered in the night wind.

Lin Ye held the incense stick in his hand until it was stable before placing it in front of the grave.

Lin Ye stood up straight and looked down at the nameless monument.

"Master Zheng."

His voice was not loud.

"The display cases have already been removed."

There was no immediate response from the tomb.

The wind rustled through the grass.

Lin Ye was not in a hurry.

He stood there, his flashlight beam lowered, not shining directly onto the monument.

I don't know how much time passed, but my phone vibrated.

It was sent by Lu Zhixia.

"The preliminary verification is in. The one in the display case is indeed incorrect."

It's a very short sentence.

There is no exclamation mark.

There was no excitement.

This is so Lu Zhixia.

Immediately afterwards, another one came in.

"High-quality counterfeit. The official report will go through procedures, but the conclusion will basically remain the same."

Lin Ye looked at the screen and slowly exhaled.

That breath dissipated in the night wind.

He flipped his phone over, screen down, and put it back in his pocket.

"Master Zheng."

Lin Ye looked at the tombstone.

"You read that right."

There was still no sound from the tomb long after those words were spoken.

Lin Ye almost thought he wouldn't hear anything more tonight.

Until a hoarse voice came from an old tomb next door.

"Old Zheng, why aren't you reading tonight?"

Lin Ye raised his head.

He had heard that voice before.

She is an old teacher in the West District, who usually finds other people noisy the most.

Now he's taken the initiative to speak.

A long time passed in the nameless tomb before that familiar voice finally rang out.

"Display case..."

It's slow.

It's like walking back from a very far place.

The old teacher asked, "What's wrong with the display case again? You read it every day, I've almost memorized it."

The nameless tomb fell silent for a moment.

Then, the voice said softly:

"The light...it's time to shine it properly."

Lin Ye's nose suddenly felt a little sore.

He looked down and rubbed his face with the back of his hand.

This wasn't Zheng Shou'an speaking to him.

You can only talk to dead people.

This time, however, Zheng Shouan heard the news brought about by the human sacrifice.

He finally stopped saying only, "That one in the display case is fake."

The old teacher muttered, "That's good, then you won't have to memorize texts every night in the middle of the night."

No one spoke again from the nameless grave.

The sky in the distance slowly turned white.

A few minutes later, a hint of grayish-blue appeared in the east.

Lin Ye stood up.

The night has passed.

The cemetery gradually quieted down.

The sounds were like a switch had been turned off.

Grandma Zhao stopped scolding.

The old teacher in the west district also fell silent.

During the day, the only sounds at Qingshan Cemetery are the wind, birdsong, and the footsteps of the forest itself.

After daybreak, Gu Wantang arrived at Qingshan Cemetery.

She didn't come alone.

Tao Shuang was driving, with two other cars following behind.

One of the vehicles belonged to cultural relics inspectors.

The other car belonged to people from Qingbo.

There weren't many people, only five or six.

The person leading the team from Qingdao Museum was a middle-aged man with half-gray hair, surnamed Xu, who was the deputy curator of the museum.

When he got out of the car, his eyes were bloodshot.

It's obvious he didn't sleep all night.

After all that happened, if he could fall asleep, he'd be a miracle worker.

Uncle Zhao was also woken up.

He stood to the side, wearing a coat, his face clearly saying, "I knew you'd cause trouble again."

This time, however, he didn't yell.

People from the cemetery management also came, checking the old registers and electronic data.

Gu Wantang walked to his side and asked in a low voice, "Are you alright?"

Lin Ye watched as the group gathered around the unmarked grave to confirm its location.

"good."

"You don't look well."

"It's because of staying up late," Lin Ye said. "I feel like a cucumber that's been repeatedly pickled by life."

Gu Wantang glanced at him.

"Still able to joke around, looks like you're alright."

"Not necessarily," Lin Ye said. "It could be a final burst of energy before death."

Gu Wantang did not answer.

She looked at the tomb.

Deputy Curator Xu squatted in front of the grave, flipping through a photocopy of an old file.

The staff member next to him read it in a low voice.

"Zheng Shou'an, male, former warehouse manager of Qingcheng Museum. Death record: Three years ago, died in an accidental fall. After no immediate family members claimed the body, the relevant departments coordinated the burial..."

He paused at this point.

Nobody is urging me.

Lin Ye stood to the side, feeling a tightness in his chest as he listened.

No immediate family members have claimed the body.

These few words, spoken lightly, can end a person's life.

Deputy Curator Xu closed the file, took off his glasses, and rubbed his temples.

"It's him."

His voice was a little hoarse.

"Back then, the archives said he was in poor mental condition, and there were disciplinary records in his file. Later, he passed away, and then... no one mentioned it again."

He stopped there.

Gu Wantang looked at him.

"Can we make it now?"

Deputy Curator Xu remained silent for a few seconds.

"able."

The cultural relics inspectors put the materials back into the file bag.

"Formal restoration of identity still requires going through procedures. The cemetery registration can be corrected first. For the re-engraving of the tombstone, an explanation is needed from the Qingdao Museum and relevant departments."

Uncle Zhao frowned beside him.

"So when exactly will people be able to see the name?"

The staff member was taken aback.

Uncle Zhao didn't look well.

"They dragged us along while we were alive, and now they're dragging us along even after we're dead? Procedures are procedures, but the words have to be seen first."

Lin Ye glanced at Uncle Zhao.

He didn't say anything.

Uncle Zhao usually has a sharp tongue; he scolds him as if he were scolding his own good-for-nothing dog.

But at times like this, he's more straightforward than anyone else.

Deputy Curator Xu said in a low voice, "Make a temporary plaque first. I'll personally oversee the procedures for re-engraving the official inscription today."

After he finished speaking, he turned to the staff member next to him and said, "Go to the car and get the license plate."

It was a small black nameplate.

Temporary.

But the characters are clearly engraved.

Zheng Shouan.

Warehouse manager at Qingcheng Museum.

The staff placed the plaque in front of the tombstone.

There was no ceremony.

There was no applause.

Nobody said anything nice.

There was no sound in the West District during the day.

Lin Ye could not hear Zheng Shou'an.

He couldn't hear the old teacher next door either.

He could only see those three words, neatly placed in front of the tombstone.

Zheng Shouan.

This name is finally not just a fleeting thought lost in the wind.

It has words.

A position has been secured.

Someone saw it.

Deputy Curator Xu bowed to the tombstone.

The staff members from the Qingdao Museum behind them bent down in response.

The cultural relics inspectors also took off their hats.

Lin Ye did not bow.

He simply turned off the flashlight.

It's already daylight, there's no need for that anymore.

Before noon, another message came from the Qingdao Museum.

A notice has been posted announcing that the display case is temporarily closed.

The preliminary opinions of the external expert group have been submitted to the cultural relics inspection team.

The bronze animal-face-patterned zun in the white box has entered the technical protection process.

The counterfeit items in the display case were sealed and verified.

Ningzhi took a picture of the announcement and showed it to Lin Ye.

"I've already thought of the title: The light that's been on in the display case for three years has finally illuminated the real person."

Lin Ye replied to her.

"Your title is too literary, it's not like your style."

Ningzhi responded with an eye-rolling emoji.

"Shut up, I was freezing all night, what's wrong with being a little artsy?"

Lin Ye smiled and put his phone away.

The engraving craftsman arrived in the afternoon.

It is not a direct recarving of the original stele.

The formalities are not yet fully completed.

Uncle Zhao got a small stone tablet from the cemetery management and said he would first have his official name engraved on it and place it in front of the original monument.

"We'll replace the tombstone once the paperwork is done."

Uncle Zhao said, "Let's not let them continue to be nameless and anonymous today."

The engraver is working with his head down.

Stone dust fell down little by little.

Lin Ye stood a little further away.

He didn't keep staring at it.

I always felt that those few words shouldn't be the subject of so much public scrutiny.

Uncle Zhao kept a close eye on things the whole time.

They even complained that the master's first cut was too light.

"Put it on heavier, or it'll be gone in two years from the wind."

The engraver gave a wry smile.

"Master, this is not a radish."

Uncle Zhao snorted.

"Anyway, make sure it's engraved firmly."

Lin Ye stood under the tree, looking at Uncle Zhao's appearance, and suddenly felt like laughing.

I couldn't really laugh.

Gu Wantang hasn't left yet.

She stood in front of the grave and gazed at it for a long time.

As Lin Ye walked over, she whispered, "Qingbo will issue a supplementary public statement."

Lin Ye nodded.

"Um."

"Zheng Shouan's death record will also be re-verified."

"Um."

Gu Wantang turned her head to look at him.

"Don't you have any questions?"

Lin Ye thought for a moment.

"Did you ask if I could pay more?"

Gu Wantang: "..."

She closed her eyes briefly, as if she was trying to hold back her emotions.

Lin Ye quickly said, "Just kidding."

Gu Wantang looked at him, and after a few seconds, she said, "Thank you this time."

The fact that Gu Wantang said this was even stranger than saying "add more money."

Lin Ye almost missed catching it.

He touched the tip of his nose.

"Don't mention it, Miss Gu. It's just that you're giving so much."

Gu Wantang glanced at him.

I didn't scold him this time.

People gradually left the cemetery entrance.

The people from Qingdao Museum have left.

The cultural relics inspectors have left.

The cemetery management staff have also left.

Uncle Zhao couldn't stay awake any longer and went back to the duty room to catch up on sleep, grumbling and cursing.

Once the taillights of the last car disappeared at the intersection, the western district fell silent again.

In the evening, Lin Ye went to the security booth and got three sticks of incense and a small cup of water.

He returned to Zheng Shou'an's tomb.

A small stone tablet stands in front of the original monument.

The three characters "Zheng Shou'an" were made even clearer by the night.

Lin Ye lit incense and placed it in the burner.

Then he bowed to the tombstone.

"Zheng Shou'an".

Lin Ye pronounced those three words very slowly.

"Store Manager of Qingcheng Museum"

The cigarette smoke drifted upwards.

A gust of wind blew, and they scattered again.

Lin Ye didn't say anything more.

Talking too much makes it seem noisy.

He stepped aside and waited quietly.

After a long time, the faint sounds in the cemetery seemed to slowly awaken and gradually emerge.

The elderly teacher next door spoke first.

"Old Zheng."

No one answered.

The old teacher then said, "Were those people worshipping you tonight?"

There was no sound from the nameless tomb for a long time.

Lin Ye thought Zheng Shou'an wouldn't speak tonight either.

Finally, the voice rang out very softly.

"Zheng... Shou'an."

It sounds like someone is saying another person's name.

It was as if they were confirming their own name.

The old teacher said, "Your name is quite good, better than mine. My name is Li Dafu, and I was laughed at for half my life when I was a child."

From another grave nearby, someone chimed in, "You're dead, yet you still hold grudges?"

Li Dafu cursed, "Shut up."

These few words of noise were very quiet.

It didn't spoil the atmosphere.

On the contrary, the name that fell back to the grave didn't seem so cold anymore.

Lin Ye stood to the side without saying a word.

Zheng Shouan read it aloud again after a long time.

"Zheng Shou'an".

Stop for a moment.

It was as if he had finally remembered the name again.

Lin Ye looked down at the small stone tablet.

The wind blows through the grass.

The cemetery finally fell silent.

He stood there for a while, then turned and walked towards the security booth.

As soon as we reached the eastern section, Old Master Gu's voice came from the tomb.

"Zheng Shouan has regained his name."

The old lady next door asked, "How did you know?"

Old Master Gu snorted.

"It's all over the West End. If you can't hear well, then shut up."

The old lady next door immediately retorted, "You're the one who's hard of hearing!"

Grandpa Gu ignored her.

"Now that we've settled the score with Zheng Shou'an, it's time to settle the score with the Gu family as well."