Chapter 115 Better Than Death’s Grasp

Chapter 115: Better Than Facing the Grim Reaper

Qin Shuyi paused for only a second before taking the tools and continuing her work.

Regardless of how he'd shown up, handling the task at hand was her top priority.

Ling Jue's gaze followed the woman as she turned back to demonstrate key restoration points on the practice mannequin.

She was calm and focused. As she spoke, she also demonstrated with her hands, bold yet meticulous. This was yet another side of Qin Shuyi he'd never seen.

She seemed detached and unruffled, a ferryman who often lingered between life and death without a flicker of emotion. But if she were truly that indifferent, why would she choose such a profession?

Outsiders thought she was aloof and cold, but that was only because they hadn't glimpsed the richness within her heart.

He had been like that at their first meeting, just as many other prejudiced people were.

"Does everyone understand?" Qin Shuyi suddenly asked.

Shen Yaochuan, Tang Wei, and the other celebrity guests remained silent.

They understood in theory, but actually doing it themselves was another matter entirely.

"Understood," a deep male voice answered for them.

He looked into her eyes seriously, his expression earnest.

Qin Shuyi glanced at him as if he were truly just her assistant. "First, record the basic information and damage assessment."

Ling Jue picked up a pen.

Qin Shuyi began describing, "The deceased suffered a right facial depression due to a fall from a height, with an area of approximately 3.5cm × 2.8cm × 1.2cm, mainly concentrated in the cheekbone region. Additionally, the left auricle is missing about one-third, and the right index and middle fingers are partially missing, measuring 1.5cm and 1cm respectively. The face also sustained extensive abrasions from branches and gravel at the bottom of the cliff."

"Recorded," Ling Jue replied.

Qin Shuyi continued, "Double-check whether the 'Body Restoration Authorization Form' and the 'Privacy Confidentiality Agreement' have been signed, and whether the family has submitted three front, side, and 45-degree photos each, and agreed to the physical scan."

Ling Jue looked at her. "All authorizations are confirmed, no issues."

He had done some homework before coming, so playing the assistant felt completely natural.

The two of them seemed like a long-standing team.

Qin Shuyi nodded and looked at the others.

"These are all necessary tasks that must be completed before formally starting the restoration, and there's no room for error. The initial damage assessment is crucial for the accuracy of the subsequent model.

In the end, it's not just internal staff who inspect the work—the family must personally approve it as well.

Put yourselves in their shoes. You wouldn't want to argue over your loved one's final appearance due to an unprofessional mortuary restoration technician, would you? Most importantly, body restoration has a time limit. You don't get a second chance."

She spoke earnestly, and everyone was unconsciously drawn into the scenario.

It was as if the figure before them wasn't just a mannequin, but truly someone's son, someone's husband, someone's father.

Their families were outside, hoping to bid a peaceful and dignified farewell to their loved ones, not in this disfigured state.

A sense of responsibility suddenly weighed on their shoulders.

Qin Shuyi looked satisfied as she observed the guests' increasingly serious expressions.

"Good. Next, in pairs, go examine the wounds on the other models, record the data according to the method I just explained. I'll check everything together afterward."

Shen Yaochuan, who had inexplicably had his box-carrying duty snatched away by this suddenly appearing assistant, was now eager to prove himself and stepped forward first.

"Consider it done!"

"But I'm a bit confused about the damage assessment standards you mentioned and the tools you used. Teacher Qin, could you teach me?" He looked at her with pleading eyes, like an innocent golden retriever trying to be cute.

Tang Wei sneakily glanced at the man beside her, whose mask couldn't hide his striking face and overwhelming presence.

Ever since someone started speaking, that man had been emanating a chilling aura, as if he'd just risen from the underworld, his deep eyes glowing like ghostly flames.

Tang Wei shivered and quickly grabbed the female idol Tong Tong, who was about to find a brave guest to pair up with.

"Wait up, I'll team with you."

Anyone could tell that silly husky was deliberately trying to get private guidance from Qin Shuyi.

Teaming up with him? Wasn't that asking for a quicker death?

She quickly secured a teammate to avoid being left to pair with Shen Yaochuan.

Tong Tong didn't quite understand, but...

"Sister Wei, I'm, well, really timid. If you team up with me, you might have to put up with some trouble."

Tang Wei didn't mind. So what if she was timid? It was better than facing the Grim Reaper.

"No problem. Your Sister Wei here is brave."

Tong Tong's eyes lit up.

...

Ten minutes later.

Standing crowded around a bed, Shen Yaochuan looked helplessly at the assistant who had insisted on inserting himself between him and Qin Shuyi.

"You, um..."

"My surname is Ling."

"Assistant Ling, could you step back a little? You're interfering with my questions."

For some reason, he felt an inexplicable clash of auras with this assistant who didn't seem like an assistant at all.

Ling Jue smiled. "Sorry, but no."

Shen Yaochuan was speechless.

Unable to get around this clueless male assistant, he tried a different approach, leaning his body out to speak to Qin Shuyi over Ling Jue.

"Teacher Qin~"

He had fallen in love with this new form of address today.

It was sickeningly sweet.

The person in the middle remained silent, but his expression was as cold as the model on the bed.

"Remind me how to measure the depth of a wound? Did I record the data correctly? How should I hold the scalpel? Can you come check if I'm doing this right? I'm so scared. Teacher Qin, is overcoming fear the first step? Do you have any tips? You embalmers must have nerves of steel."

He chattered a mile a minute, leaving no room for anyone else to speak.

Qin Shuyi responded selectively, answering professional questions carefully but ignoring all his casual chatter.

Even so, Shen Yaochuan didn't find it boring at all, happily talking to himself.

Amid his one-man show of enthusiasm, a hand suddenly landed on the back of his neck.

Shen Yaochuan jumped, his hair standing on end, only to hear Assistant Ling's haunting, icy voice.

"Stand up straight. You're too close to the body—it's disrespectful to the deceased."

Shen Yaochuan had been hunched over, speaking sideways to Qin Shuyi.

Now, upon hearing Ling Jue's reminder, he instinctively looked down and came face-to-face with a horrifying, mutilated practice prosthetic.

Shen Yaochuan: ...

"Ah—"

The one who screamed wasn't Shen Yaochuan, who was being yanked upright by his collar and separated from Qin Shuyi by a human wall, but Tong Tong, working at the far end with Tang Wei.

Tang Wei, who had been carefully observing the eye wound on the simulated corpse with her tools, was jolted by the scream and nearly poked the prosthetic eyeball with her forceps.

She broke out in a cold sweat.

Phew, good thing this was fake—if it were real, she'd be in serious trouble.

Before she could recover, another scream rang out.

Tang Wei covered her ears in agony, a look of utter despair on her face.

No wonder she's the main vocalist of a girl group—with decibels like that, she could wake the dead.

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