Chapter 2: The Years Flow By, The Unavoidable Reincarnation
"Li Quezi, your coffin has a problem, I want a refund!"
"Nonsense, no one has ever said the coffins I make are bad."
A figure sat up directly from the coffin, his angry gaze scanning around, seemingly looking for the guy who slandered his craftsmanship.
However, when Li Quezi saw the person at the door, he was so scared he immediately lay back down in the coffin.
"It seems my time is truly nigh, why is that penniless wretch Chen Changsheng coming to find me?"
Listening to Li Quezi's muttering, Chen Changsheng grinned, then walked straight to the front of the coffin.
Looking at Li Quezi in the coffin with his eyes tightly closed, Chen Changsheng said.
"Li Quezi, back then you guaranteed me that if there was a problem with the coffin, I could come to you for a refund."
"Now, looking like this, are you trying to welch on the deal?"
Hearing Chen Changsheng's words, Li Quezi reluctantly opened his eyes.
"I have no money, only my life, take whatever you fancy here."
Facing Li Quezi's defiant attitude, Chen Changsheng was immediately amused.
"Li Quezi, aren't you afraid of me?"
"Back then, you were the one who helped bury the soil on my grave."
Hearing this, Li Quezi glanced at Chen Changsheng and said, "I'm sixty this year, and the physician says I have at most three more years to live."
"I, Li Quezi, have had no children in my life, nor any old flames."
"Do you think I care about living three years less or three years more?"
"Moreover, when you came to buy the coffin back then, I knew you would return."
"Why?"
"I've seen people buy coffins for themselves, but someone happily buying a coffin for themselves, this is the first time I've seen that."
Saying this, Li Quezi sized up Chen Changsheng again, hesitatingly.
"Oh right, kid, are you interested in being an apprentice here? Room and board included, but no wages."
"This line of work is most suitable for someone like you who is all alone."
"Furthermore, if you learn my craft, you're highly unlikely to starve to death in this life."
"After all, this world lacks everything except dead people."
Hearing Li Quezi's words, Chen Changsheng was somewhat moved.
Although he could indeed live for a very long time, he would still die if he was injured.
And starving to death was one of the many causes of death.
Originally, he had only planned to stay here temporarily, but now that he suddenly had a long-term meal ticket, this option seemed quite good!
"Li Quezi, your conditions are too stingy, aren't they?"
"At least give some wages!"
Facing Chen Changsheng's complaint, Li Quezi directly pulled a funeral scripture from his chest and threw it over.
"With how lively and energetic you are, you'll definitely die after me. When I die, won't everything be yours?"
"You've seen how small this place is, there's nowhere else for you to sleep."
"This coffin next to you will be your bed, it just so happens you like sleeping in coffins too."
Saying this, Li Quezi immediately prepared to return to his coffin to continue sleeping.
But Chen Changsheng grabbed hold of him.
"Wait a minute, aren't you going to teach me how to make coffins?"
"What am I supposed to do with this?"
Facing Chen Changsheng's confusion, Li Quezi rolled his eyes and said, "As the saying goes, 'more skills don't weigh you down'. If you only sell coffins, who will patronize your business?"
"To tell you the truth, I know the entire funeral service process. You have a lot to learn!"
After speaking, Li Quezi shook off Chen Changsheng's hand, then lay back down in his own coffin.
Looking at the funeral scripture in his hand, Chen Changsheng was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Well said, more skills don't weigh you down."
Saying that, Chen Changsheng immediately climbed into another coffin.
To be honest, after getting used to sleeping in a coffin, sleeping in a bed is really uncomfortable.
...
Cold came and heat went, autumn harvested and winter stored, eight years slipped away like a white steed passing a gap.
Chen Changsheng completely settled down in Li Quezi's coffin shop, spending his days reading and learning the craft of making coffins.
Whenever there was a funeral feast, Chen Changsheng could significantly improve his meals.
However, as it was a time of peace, Chen Changsheng couldn't improve his meals more than a few times throughout the year.
As for those ten attribute points, Chen Changsheng dumped them all into defense.
Theoretically speaking, as long as he slightly lays low for just a tiny bit of time, he could gain an incredibly long lifespan.
Since that was the case, defense was naturally the attribute Chen Changsheng valued the most.
It's worth mentioning that Li Quezi did not die in the third year; after Chen Changsheng arrived, he lived for a full five years.
But in the end, he still didn't outlive Chen Changsheng.
After lying down in his coffin one night, Li Quezi never got up again.
...
"Changsheng Gege!"
The door of the coffin shop was pushed open by a young girl.
Chen Changsheng was also startled awake by the noise, then reluctantly got up from the coffin and said, "Nian Sheng, how many times have I told you."
"This is a coffin shop, what does it look like for a Girl like you to keep running here all day."
Hearing this, Li Niansheng stuck out her tongue and said, "I don't care that much!"
"Let them say whatever they want."
"Besides, the plague is rampant now, they don't have the time to bother with me."
"I'm going to make you food, hurry and come out of the coffin, don't sleep in the coffin all day."
After speaking, Li Niansheng walked towards the kitchen in the back, familiar with the way.
Looking at Li Niansheng's back, Chen Changsheng couldn't help but sigh softly.
The plague had been rampant for a full year, and Nianci and her husband passed away at the very beginning of the plague.
Their funeral was handled with his help.
The interval between periods of deep sleep must not be less than one-tenth of the total lifespan.
Eight years had already passed since his last awakening; logically, he could enter deep sleep again.
But Nian Sheng, this Girl, now had no relatives; how could he bear to watch her stay in the world alone?
Thinking of this, Chen Changsheng shook his head, then jumped out of the coffin.
"Forget it, sleeping early or late is the same, let's wait until this little Girl gets married."
...
Soon, two steaming hot breakfasts were placed on the table.
Chen Changsheng and Li Niansheng silently drank the white porridge.
Suddenly, Li Niansheng looked up and said, "Changsheng Gege, are you an Immortal?"
"You Girl, what kind of silly things are you saying?"
"If I were an Immortal, how could I watch your Mother and them die from the plague? Your Mother was a very good friend of mine."
Facing Chen Changsheng's answer, Li Niansheng lowered her head and looked at the bowl in her hand.
"Changsheng Gege, I am fourteen this year, I am not the little Girl I used to be."
"Some things, you can't fool me about."
Seeing this, Chen Changsheng patted Li Niansheng's head and said with a smile.
"You Girl, what kind of nonsense are you spouting today?"
"It's not that I won't buy you candied hawthorn, it's just that your teeth can't handle any more candied hawthorn."
"Another day I'll take you to buy..."
"Nianci is my Mother's nickname."
Chen Changsheng's words were interrupted by Li Niansheng before he finished, and this sentence also made Chen Changsheng put down the bowl in his hand.