The first thing I did was to find out

Chapter 528 Professional Team
At noon on the second day, the other 7 people, excluding Qu Jing, gathered in the basement.

Qu Jing only took half a day off from the hospital and left directly from there at noon. Qin Huai and his group of seven set off from Yunzhong Residential Area. The drivers were Qin Huai and Chen Gong; Qin Huai drove Luo Jun's SUV, and Chen Gong drove Chen Huihong's Maybach.

Originally, Chen Huihong planned to drive herself, as she was a local and familiar with the route to the funeral home. However, Chen Gong stated that as President Han's all-around assistant, he was a skilled driver, and since Chen Huihong's car was the same model as Han Guishan's, he was also familiar with driving it. Chen Huihong was happy to have some free time.

The drivers were all booked, and the remaining five people only needed to choose their preferred cars. However, this small matter caused a twenty-minute delay in the underground parking garage.

First of all, Luo Jun resolutely refused to ride in Chen Gong's car.

Secondly, Luo Jun didn't want to ride in the same car as Chen Huihong. Luo Jun already disliked Chen Huihong, and "Chen Huihong, are you sick?" had become his catchphrase. Previously, Luo Jun could barely tolerate it, but recently Chen Huihong had become increasingly unruly, speaking and acting without any rhyme or reason. Given a choice, Luo Jun refused to travel with Chen Huihong.

In Luo Jun's words, during the two-hour drive to the funeral home, Chen Huihong would definitely chatter on and on about all sorts of nonsense. Once the car arrived at the funeral home, there would be no need to discuss funeral arrangements; they could just proceed with the funeral procession.

Secondly, Luo Jun did not want to ride in the same car as Gong Liang.

Although E'shou hadn't offended him much, in order to wake E'shou up, Luo Jun put on his acting skills and played the role of a kind old man. For Luo Jun, this was his dark history before his death. The last time he stuffed a coconut mooncake into Gong Liang's mouth, he couldn't completely vent his anger.

Chen Huihong described Bi Fang as vengeful and petty.

Finally, Luo Jun didn't really want to ride in the same car as Shi Dadan.

There's no reason whatsoever; I just simply don't like being a Kang, I don't like auspicious beasts, and I'm annoyed by them.

At the same time, Luo Jun said it would be best if he didn't share a car with Zhao Cheng'an. He hadn't thought anything of it before, but yesterday he suddenly felt that Fuyou was also out of his mind.

Regarding Luo Jun's picky behavior, Chen Huihong aptly remarked, "Why don't you just say that Xiao Qin will be your personal driver and you can just drive there in a private car?"

“Luo Jun, let me tell you, this won’t do. My brother’s car belongs to his family and company, and I can’t borrow it right away. You only have this one car parked in the neighborhood. Do you know how much it costs to take a taxi from here to the funeral home? Stop being so picky. Didn’t you squeeze through the amusement park last time? Quickly pick a few people to ride with you, or I’ll ride with you.”

Under Chen Huihong's threatening remarks, Luo Jun ultimately chose to ride with Shi Dadan and Zhao Chengan.

Shi Dadan was quite pleased with Luo Jun's choice. Zhao Cheng'an, for some reason, treated his serious business of visiting the funeral home to check out the site as a picnic, carrying two large bags of snacks: puffed food, soda, spicy strips, nuts, bread, and braised food—he had even bought a serving of wolf tooth potatoes, a serving of grilled tofu, and three grilled sausages in advance, showing he was well-prepared.

The two began to feast as soon as they got in the car. It was still quite hot in the city at this time of year, so if they didn't turn on the air conditioning, they had to open the windows to let in the wind. Luo Jun didn't like the wind, so he could only let the aroma of wolf tooth potatoes, sizzling tofu, and grilled sausages fill the car.

After finishing the three hot dishes, the two in the back seat started gnawing on duck necks. The aroma of cumin hadn't even dissipated when the car was filled with the smell of braised food. Sitting in the passenger seat, Luo Jun, who had originally intended to close his eyes and listen to music, couldn't bear it any longer and turned around sharply. Seeing the two of them happily gnawing on duck necks, he was momentarily speechless, unsure of what to say.

Qin Huai read Luo Jun's truest thoughts from his facial expression:
I'm tired. Let it all end. When I die, can these two be buried with me?

Since the funeral home was in the suburbs and the road conditions were excellent, Qin Huai felt that the quietness along the way was a bit too monotonous after the car gradually left the city, so he took the initiative to ask, "Mr. Luo, do you have any plans for your death?"

After asking the question, Qin Huai couldn't help but cough twice, feeling that he might have been led astray by the spirits these past two days, and that his words were so hellish.

Luo Jun slowly countered, "What kind of plan could there be?"

Qin Huai couldn't help but ask again, "So, are you looking forward to it?"

Although this question is even more hellish, Qin Huai really wants to know.

After all, according to the standards for spirits to transcend tribulations, Luo Jun should have committed suicide and started over the moment he failed his tribulation half a century ago. Such spirits, who know they will fail but insist on lingering in the human world until they die naturally, are as rare as mayflies.

If things had gone according to the normal process, Luo Jun would have been reincarnated two or three times by now, and around the same time, the mayfly next door would have been reincarnated eight times.

Normally, people fear death, and no one looks forward to it, unless they are tormented by illness to the point of having no hope of living. But even in such cases, many people still cling to that faint glimmer of hope and want to live.

Survival is a biological instinct.

But it's not a spirit or monster.

For spirits, death becomes as commonplace as drinking water or eating from the moment they fail their tribulation. At worst, they simply die a swift and complete annihilation; the worst outcome is utter failure and dissipation, which is also essentially death.

Qin Huai felt that Luo Jun's way of doing things made him think that he might be looking forward to death.

After all, Luo Jun valued his own funeral more than anything Qin Huai had ever seen before.

"I don't know," Luo Jun said calmly. "Perhaps 60 years ago I looked forward to death, maybe 20 years ago, maybe even 10 years ago, but now..."

"I just want to finish watching this show I've been following before I die. These crappy TV dramas these days are updating so slowly, only a few episodes a week. Who are they trying to kill with exhaustion?"

The two people in the back row who were gnawing on duck feet quietly slowed down and began to gnaw on their duck feet in complete silence, quietly becoming the background for their duck feet-eating.

Qin Huai knew that even though Luo Jun was at the very end of his life, he was still choosing to run away.

If he tries to escape, he will never be able to successfully overcome the tribulation.

Luo Jun saw through Qin Huai's thoughts and said disdainfully, "Don't even think about it. Cooking and completing the mission are your business, and transcending the tribulation is my business. Just do your own thing and don't try to interfere in my affairs."

"You're always trying to get me to successfully overcome my tribulation, but what good will it do you if I do?"

Qin Huai said very honestly, "If you successfully overcome the tribulation, you will not be reincarnated after you die, and I can inherit all your estate without having to wait decades to return a portion to you."

Luo Jun: ...

Zhao Cheng'an opened his mouth wide in surprise and exclaimed, "It can actually be like this? If Luo Jun successfully transcends his tribulation, does that mean we won't need to sweep his grave regularly anymore, since he can't see it anyway?"

Luo Jun: ...?
"Once I successfully transcend my tribulation, the first thing I'll do is breathe fire and kill you." Luo Jun turned around and glared at Zhao Cheng'an.

Zhao Cheng'an shrank back in fear. He was probably the only one among all the spirits who was truly afraid of Bifang. Qin Huai always felt that Zhao Cheng'an's fear came from the fact that he never listened attentively during tea parties, was completely distracted, was not familiar with Luo Jun at all, and only had a purely stereotypical impression of Bifang.

Shi Dadan quickly comforted him: "Xiao Zhao, don't be afraid. Luo Jun often says this. According to the order in which he kills people, he has to kill Chen Huihong first, then Chen Gong, then me and Gong Liang, and finally you will be the last one to die."

"I'm thick-skinned and can withstand fire, I won't die anytime soon."

Kang's honesty is truly touching.

Luo Jun was almost driven mad by the two people in the back row who were gnawing on duck feet. In order to avoid his trip to the funeral home being a one-way trip, Luo Jun simply closed his eyes, ignored them, and went to sleep.

As for whether he was actually sleeping or not, nobody knows, and no one dares to disturb Luo Jun while he's sleeping anyway.

Qin Huai drove to the funeral home parking lot at exactly 2 p.m. Chen Gong arrived two minutes earlier than Qin Huai, while Qu Jing arrived fifteen minutes earlier. As soon as Qin Huai parked his car, Chen Huihong led a young man to greet him. Qin Huai took a closer look and, to his surprise, the guy was quite handsome.

With a high nose bridge, deep-set features, and fair skin, he was a classic handsome young man. He was also quite tall, probably over 1.8 meters, with a straight posture. He was wearing a business suit, and if you didn't know him, you might mistake him for a minor celebrity attending an event.

If this handsome guy didn't have that fawning smile on his face, he would look even more like a handsome guy.

The handsome young man opened the car door for Mr. Luo and welcomed him out, saying warmly, "You must be Mr. Luo. Thank you so much for choosing our Zhidian Funeral Company. I had been in contact with your family member, Ms. Chen, and it is a great honor to finally meet you in person."

"My surname is Zhou, and my name is Zhou Hu. You can just call me Xiao Zhou." Zhou Hu spoke with his back bent, appearing very humble.

Luo Jun calmly got out of the car, and Qin Huai silently opened the trunk and took out Luo Jun's wheelchair, so that Luo Jun wouldn't want to sit in the wheelchair if he got tired of walking later.

Seeing this, Zhou Hu quickly helped Qin Huai carry the items, praising him as he did so: "Mr. Luo, your grandson is so filial. I've been in this industry for five or six years and have met many clients, including many people like you who want to come and see the venue. But I've never seen so many children and grandchildren come. You are truly blessed!"

Everyone was taken aback when they heard Zhou Hu say that, and then they realized that it seemed to outsiders that this was indeed the case.

Luo Jun is over 90 years old, but that's how it is with the elderly. A 60-year-old is an elderly person, and a 90-year-old is also an elderly person. Even if there is a 30-year age difference, it is not obvious. Most people can only tell that a 90-year-old person seems older than a 60-year-old person, but they don't know exactly how much older.

In addition, although Luo Jun is 92 years old, he is in good health and looks young, so he doesn't look like he is over 90.

Shi Dadan, Gong Liang, and Chen Huihong are undoubtedly middle-aged.

Chen Gong and Qu Jing are young people in their 30s, while Qin Huai and Zhao Cheng'an are young people in their 20s. According to the logic of a family, Qin Huai's group of 8 people are quite like a lively big family.

The group name "We Are a Loving Family" is really a good choice.

No one refuted Zhou Hu's statement. They couldn't very well tell Zhou Hu, "No, we have no relation to Luo Jun. He's an elderly man living alone, and we're just his kind neighbors."

Zhou Hu pushed the wheelchair and led Luo Jun toward the mourning hall with great care.

"Mr. Luo, I wonder if you are satisfied with the five planning videos I sent to Ms. Chen earlier? What style of funeral do you prefer?"

"Was it a memorial service, or a regular kneeling ceremony in a mourning hall?"

"If it's a memorial service, I'll first take you to see our funeral home's largest mourning hall, the Fulu Hall. This hall can accommodate more than 100 people for a memorial service."

"Don't make it that big," Luo Jun said.

Zhou Hu immediately understood: "Oh, a regular mourning hall will do, right? Then I recommend our Crane Hall. Our company can customize everything from hearses and ice coffins to offering tables and kneeling cushions. The arrangement of the mourning hall can also be according to your preferences. The curtains don't necessarily have to be black and white. Many clients nowadays feel that black and white is too heavy and want some fresher colors, such as blue, green, or even yellow and red, as long as you like."

"The decorations in the funeral hall can be completely customized. You can use an LED screen to display photos or display a portrait of the deceased like in a traditional funeral hall."

"Do you have any preferences regarding the flowers at the venue? I prefer certain varieties..."

Luo Jun had already followed Zhou Hu to the Crane Hall, and waved his hand to interrupt Zhou Hu, asking, "Is there anything bigger?"

"A bigger one? Do you think this hall is too small, or do you not like the layout?"

"We can't set up a stage," Luo Jun said.

Hearing Luo Jun say this, everyone looked at him. Yesterday, when Chen Huihong was struggling with whether or not to have a song and dance performance, Luo Jun was dismissive, but today he shamefully became interested.

Ignoring the stares of the crowd, Luo Jun asked, "Is there a hall where we can set up a stage?"

Zhou Hu hesitated, "This might be a bit difficult... Theoretically, it's not possible at the funeral home..."

“A branch venue is fine too,” Luo Jun interrupted Zhou Hu again.

"A branch venue?" Zhou Hu was truly stunned.

"Find a place where you can set up a stage, keep the body at the funeral home for three days before cremation, then go to a branch venue to perform a grand opera for three days, and then hold the funeral on the seventh day after death."

“We need to hold celebrations from the 27th to the 77th, and we need to make them big. But I don’t have any children, and they are not my immediate family. I also don’t have any friends. But I want to make them big. Is that possible?” Luo Jun looked at Zhou Hu. “Money is not a problem.”

Luo Jun pointed at Qin Huai: "He is my heir. I will pay 50% of the deposit before the funeral, and he will pay the remaining 50% after the funeral."

Qin Huai, the heir to the estate, nodded hurriedly.

Zhou Hu: !
At that moment, Zhou Hu realized that Luo Jun was not an ordinary major client; he was an unprecedentedly major client.

If it weren't for his professional ethics, Zhou Hu would have directly asked Luo Jun when he expected to die and how much time they had left to prepare.

"We can do it!" Zhou Hu said firmly, straightening his back. "Don't worry, we are professionals. We also have solutions for clients like you who don't have any children or relatives!"

“We have very professional mourners here. How many do you need? We guarantee they will wear mourning clothes, kneel before the coffin, and cry loudly and movingly.”

"From what you're saying, you seem to prefer the rural style of funeral, which involves carrying a coffin and setting up a stage for opera performances, right?"

"We have a professional coffin-carrying team here!"

"Even opera troupes can collaborate!"

"I don't know where you're from..."

"I don't have a hometown; I live in the city."

"That's alright, we have partner villages that can rent space for your funeral!"

Everyone:...

Awesome!
Zhao Cheng'an, who was listening nearby, had his eyes light up and exclaimed excitedly, "So professional!"

"I'd also like to plan my own funeral. Do you handle cases like mine where I only need a design plan? I'd like to buy several plans just in case. Money... is not a problem!"

Zhou Hu said again in a loud voice, "Of course! Our company offers a wide variety of services to ensure your satisfaction!"

(End of this chapter)