My glance at the corpse was just a fleeting one. Then the cold storage compartment was pushed in and locked.
I wanted to confirm whether I was just seeing things, but I didn't have the courage to pull open the cold storage compartment again.
I turned to look at Huang Po. He also had a terrified look on his face.
"Did you see it too?" My voice trembled a bit.
"Shut up and let's get out of here fast! Anyway, the cremation is tomorrow. It's the day - shift guys' job. It has nothing to do with us."
After working as corpse carriers for so long, we knew exactly what changes corpses could go through.
Some things that seemed extremely horrifying to ordinary people were just everyday occurrences for us corpse carriers.
For example, the occasional involuntary movement of a corpse's hands and feet was due to static electricity stimulating the still - active muscles.
And the sudden burping or low groaning sounds from a corpse's mouth were caused by the fermentation of food in the stomach, with the gas rushing out of the throat.
These phenomena were very common to us corpse carriers. So we weren't afraid at all.
But this situation, a corpse retracting its hanging tongue, was definitely out of the ordinary.
It was absolutely impossible.
As the old saying goes, the tongues of those who died by hanging are long (a common belief in Chinese culture), which has a definite basis.
The root of a person's tongue is actually composed of a cartilage called the hyoid bone. For those who committed suicide by hanging, the hyoid bone would break, and the tongue would hang out after death and couldn't be retracted.
When the embalmers in the funeral parlor received a body of someone who died by hanging, they would use needles and thread to sew the tongue back into the mouth.
Without sewing, it simply couldn't be fixed. Once there was a slight movement, the mouth would open and the tongue would stick out. The family members would definitely demand compensation if they saw that.
Because of this, although Huang Po and I thought it was strange when the corpse's tongue hung out and licked my ear and when there was the corpse pressing on the body, we weren't overly panicked.
These were still within the realm of normal and controllable situations.
The tongue licking my ear could have been a coincidence, and the corpse pressing on the body could have been just a short - term effect.
But a corpse retracting its hanging tongue was a whole different story.
Could a dead person retract their tongue?
Impossible.
Unless the corpse came back to life.
Then I remembered the rustling sound in the body bag when the power went out in the elevator...
I didn't dare to think anymore. Huang Po and I quickly left the morgue.
When we got back to the office to sign off, as I was filling out the form, I couldn't help but complain, "Why did the power go out just now?"
"Power outage? No way. I've been sitting in the office with the computer on. When did the power go out?"
Huang Po and I glanced at each other and didn't say anything more.
If there was no power outage, then what was that power outage we experienced in the elevator?
I didn't dare to think anymore.
As soon as I left the office, I headed straight for the staff shower room and started to take a crazy shower.
Just thinking about my ear being licked by that cold and slimy tongue of the corpse made me shiver all over and feel a chill to the bone.
I kept scrubbing my right ear and the area around my neck with soap and shower gel. I stopped only after scrubbing for twenty or thirty times.
After taking a shower and changing into clean clothes, Huang Po and I sat in the staff lounge, smoking and scrolling through our phones.
At such a time, only the smell of cigarette smoke could dispel the chill deep in our hearts.
By the end of the night shift, the office didn't assign any work to us two.
This is also a rule in the funeral parlor. After dealing with a horribly mutilated corpse, as long as there are enough staff, no more work will be assigned.
After work, the two of us drove to a 24-hour hot pot restaurant. We ate until we were sweating all over, and then we went back to our respective places to rest.
After taking a shower when I got home, I was just about to go to bed when my girlfriend, Xinyi, hugged me tightly.
"Hubby, I miss you."
This is a secret code between Xinyi and me. Saying she misses me actually means she wants to make love.
In the past, whenever she coquettishly pleaded with me like this, I'd immediately turn into a hungry wolf and pounce on her. But today, I really wasn't in the mood.
"Really can't do it today. I'm too tired."
"Tired? You didn't come home all night the night before last. Did you flirt with some woman at the class reunion?"
I felt guilty but still stubbornly retorted, "No way. I'm not that kind of person."
"Then I have to check if your ammunition is still there." As Xinyi said this, her hand had already grabbed me.
To prove my innocence and avoid a relationship crisis, I could only reluctantly take on the challenge.
At first, I just went along reluctantly, but soon, the crazy scenes with Jiang Lixin and the image of the female corpse's tongue hanging on my right ear kept flashing through my mind.
Instead of cooling me down, the fear made me go crazy. Soon, Xinyi was limp as mud.
"How about taking a break? You're going to work soon." I felt a little sorry for Xinyi.
"No, it's so rare for me to feel this good."
After Xinyi said that, she suddenly put her arms around my neck and kissed my right earlobe.
I got a shock and broke out in a cold sweat. "What're you doing?"
"What's wrong? I read in a book that men like this kind of thing." Xinyi looked aggrieved.
"Don't do this again." I was also a bit embarrassed. The flashbacks in my mind didn't break me down, but Xinyi's kiss did it.
"Got it. I definitely won't do it again in the future." Xinyi was also quite depressed.
After cleaning up, Xinyi got up and headed for work, and I flopped down on the bed and fell asleep.
I don't know how long it had been when I was woken up by someone pushing me.
"Chen Zi, hurry up and go up. The emcee is calling you. How can you still be asleep at this time?"
I opened my eyes groggily. Before I could come to my senses, Huang Po pushed me onto the stage.
I was completely dazed. When I came to my senses beside the emcee and looked around at the audience, I finally remembered what was going on.
Today was my big wedding day. All my relatives and friends were sitting in the audience. My grandfather and my uncle's family were also sitting there, smiling at me.
Drinking really messed things up. I actually fell asleep at such an important occasion.
This traditional Chinese wedding was so genuine. The bride even wore a red veil. All I could see were her fair and delicate hands, which got me a little excited.
Probably because I drank too much and passed out, I just couldn't remember who the bride was.
I really dared not ask.
On my wedding day, if it got out that I forgot the name of my bride, the wedding would probably fall through on the spot.
But who on earth was I getting married to?
Filled with doubts, I completed the wedding ceremony under the guidance of the emcee.
During the ceremony, I kept stealing glances at the bride opposite me, trying to recall my lost memory.
I couldn't recall her name, but looking at the bride's well - proportioned figure, I was still quite satisfied: At least it's not a loss.
After the wedding ceremony ended, the emcee said with a smile,
"Everyone has been waiting for so long and must be eager to see the beautiful bride. So now, let's invite our groom to lift the bride's veil."
These wedding planning companies really know how to spice things up. I dig it.
Filled with excitement and nervousness, I reached out and lifted the bride's red veil, revealing a delicate and charming face.
It was Jiang Lixin.
So I was getting married to the school beauty. The dream I'd had since high school had finally come true today.
A surge of joy welled up in my heart. At the emcee's instigation, I hugged Jiang Lixin and kissed her.
Jiang Lixin's red lips were extremely cold, but that didn't affect my performance.
After the sweet and passionate kiss, I let go of Jiang Lixin, satisfied.
Her face was red, and she gave me a sweet smile.
As she smiled, there was a faint sound of a thread breaking.
Her chin fell off uncontrollably, and a long tongue dropped out of her mouth.