Kaleidoscope of Death

Chapter 106: Idle Matters

Tan Zaozao's funeral came seven days after the award ceremony.

The weather was deep into summer. The funeral was held in a lush green pine forest, with cicadas calling on the tree branches—they just made the quiet all the more prominent. Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu were in formal dress, standing at the back of the crowd.

This funeral was a grand event. Here were Tan Zaozao's coworkers, Tan Zaozao's close friends, even some of her fans. The media was sequestered outside the graveyard, but some still tried to muddle their way in, wanting firsthand news on the funeral.

Lin Qiushi was very quiet. He watched Tan Zaozao's ashes get lowered into the burial plot, and sealed in with cement. On the gravestone was a picture of her smiling. Red lips, white teeth, brilliantly grinning.

Time froze for her at her most beautiful moment.

It all seemed so unreal. Lin Qiushi even felt like this was some sort of nasty prank, and Tan Zaozao was still going to pop around to their house with her mess of fruits, and sprawl out on the couch to shoot the shit with Cheng Qianli.

Cheng Qianli also attended the funeral. He stood with Cheng Yixie. The two were on the other side of the crowd, and their expressions seemed lonely. Every time they watched someone die inside the doors, those outside couldn't help a sense of sad dread for themselves. Because perhaps the next to lie down in that ice-cold coffin was themselves.

Once the funeral was over, Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu returned to the mansion.

For a while now, the atmosphere inside the mansion had felt repressed. Nearly every channel on television was broadcasting Tan Zaozao's funeral.

Because stars who died in accidents were numerous, but dying during an awards ceremony, in front of all her fans? That was only Tan Zaozao.

And so it all compounded. Those who'd never known Tan Zaozao became her fans, and publishers took the opportunity to announce a relaunch of all of Tan Zaozao's early films on BluRay... Funereal became celebratory.

Lin Qiushi was witness to these celebrations.

He sat on the sofa, watching Tan Zaozao's friends get interviewed, get questioned. They talked of all the times they had with Tan Zaozao, and no matter what their true thoughts were underneath, at least in this moment, they were Tan Zaozao's very best friends—though they hadn't the faintest idea how their very best friend died.

Cheng Qianli, phone in hand, changed the channel in aggravation. He said, "why does it have to be like this."

Lin Qiushi petted his head.

"They're the worst," Cheng Qianli said.

Lin Qiushi, "yeah. They're the worst."

At dusk, guests came to the mansion.

Bai Ming and Zhang Yiqing knocked on the front door. It was Ruan Nanzhu who opened it.

"Nanzhu, long time no see," Bai Ming greeted Ruan Nanzhu with a smile.

Ruan Nanzhu nodded, and stepped out of the doorway for the two to come in.

Lin Qiushi glanced over, and saw that Zhang Yiqing didn't look so good. He likely counted among Tan Zaozao's few true friends, or Tan Zaozao wouldn't have asked Ruan Nanzhu to take him through his door.

It was just that now, Tan Zaozao was gone.

"There are some things I want to talk to you about, and I thought I'd bring him along," Bai Ming said.