Corpse Retriever

Li Zhuiyuan ran downstairs, looking excited as he came over.

They unboxed the TV, plugged it in, raised the twin antennas on top, and rotated the dial until they found the CCTV channel, the Nantong local station, and the county channel.

The county station was broadcasting a new Qiong Yao drama. Local TV stations back then would air anything they could get their hands on, not caring about copyright. After all, only locals were watching, and the broadcast radius was small.

“How’s it, Little Yuanhou? Pretty clear, right?” Li Sanjiang patted the top of the TV proudly.

“Yeah, looks good.”

“I bought the latest model, you know. Alright, Lihou, carry the TV into Little Yuanhou’s room.”

“No need, Great-Grandpa. Just leave it here on the first floor, so everyone can watch.”

“No way. I bought it for you. How can it not go in your room?”

“If it’s in my room, I’ll get hooked on watching it. That’ll affect my studies.”

“Oh, alright then. We’ll keep it here.”“Okay!”

Runsheng cheerfully carried the TV inside. He made his bed every night on the table downstairs, so this meant he could watch TV all night.

Aunt Liu called out, “Dinner’s ready!”

Four small tables had been set up. Runsheng clutched a big incense stick, with a bundle of smaller ones beside him—it looked just like holding a leek with scallions.

Ever since Little Yuan pointed out this “new world” of eating, he’d never gone back. Before every bite, he’d light the incense, then munch on the unlit end.

Li Sanjiang took a sip of liquor and shouted across the table to Uncle Qin, who was eating with Liu Yumei and Liu Ting:

“Lihou, the Zhao family in Shijia Village has a funeral the day after tomorrow. I ran into them on the way back. They booked sixteen banquet sets. Tomorrow afternoon, take the tables, chairs, bowls, and plates over there.

Oh, and Tinghou, go over the stock again. See if we have enough supplies for a full set. If not, hurry and restock so Lihou can take everything to the Zhao family.”

Aunt Liu nodded. “I’ll handle the paper effigies. It’s enough time, but Ah Li…”

“What about Lihou?”

Qin Li stood from the table, walked over to Li Sanjiang, and said, “Uncle Sanjiang, my eldest uncle back home is sick, seriously. He doesn’t have children, so I have to go take care of him.”

“When will you be back, Lihou?”

“I don’t know. At the very least, I have to see him off.”

“Then you’ll be gone for a while, huh?” Li Sanjiang scratched the back of his head with the end of his chopsticks. “You going alone? What about Tinghou?”

“Uncle Sanjiang, just me. Ah Ting, my mom, and Ah Li will stay here.”

“Alright then. Go ahead.”

“Uncle Sanjiang, don’t wait for me to return. There’s a lot of work at home. You need a strong hand—better hire someone.”

“No need, no need. I won’t hire anyone.” Li Sanjiang pointed at Runsheng, who was munching incense sticks with rice all over his face in the corner. “We’ve got Runsheng!”

“Yep, I’m here! No problem!” Runsheng didn’t hesitate—instead, he nodded eagerly.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let you work for free. I’ll pay you.”

“Grandpa, now that’s too polite! I get to live here, eat meat, chew incense, and now there’s TV. Of course I should help!”

“Bullshit! You think I’m too cheap to pay you? If your grandpa finds out you’re working for free here, he’ll die of anger!

Besides, if I pay you a little, you can save it and bring some rice and oil back to him later—don’t let the old fart starve.”

“My grandpa’s doing fine. He earned a lot at the Niu family’s place last time. He can live on his own for a good while.”

“Hmph.” Li Sanjiang snorted disdainfully. “That old guy’s never been lucky at gambling but still loves to play cards. Who knows how long that money will last.”

Then he turned to Qin Li. “Ah Li, when are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow morning, heading to the station.”

“That soon? Got everything ready?”

“Ah Ting packed for me. Just taking a few clothes back.”

Li Sanjiang reached into his pocket, took out some cash, and handed it over:

“Here. Most of my money went to the TV, but this is what’s left. You’ll probably need it for your uncle’s treatment. Also, don’t forget to bring some Nantong specialties home—like Xiting crispy cakes and Baipu dried tofu.”

“Uncle Sanjiang, I really can’t take your money. Please take it back.”

Li Sanjiang’s face turned stern. “Take it, brat!”

“I really can’t. My whole family eats and drinks here, and you’re already paying me.”

“That little bit of pay is me taking advantage. Take the money. If not, I’ll be angry.”

Liu Yumei chimed in, “Just take it. Don’t forget your Uncle Sanjiang’s kindness.”

Only then did Qin Li accept the money and bow deeply to Li Sanjiang.

Li Zhuiyuan quietly ate his meal. He didn’t believe Qin Uncle’s story about caring for his elder uncle. He’d been to the east wing and seen the ancestral tablets—this looked more like a family, no, a whole clan, that had perished.

Qin Uncle leaving was surely about last night.

Li Zhuiyuan could sense it—they’d been careful not to touch some unspoken taboo while staying here. Qin Uncle was leaving to stay safe.

Sigh. Just one foolish act, and the cost was this high.

He stole a glance at Liu Yumei, only to find her looking back. They held eye contact briefly.

Her eyes were full of unspoken meaning, a faint smile on her lips.

Li Zhuiyuan understood—it was a silent warning.

He couldn’t rely on the Qin family like before. Every time he asked one of them for help, one more would leave. This duster didn’t have many feathers left to pluck.

After dinner, Runsheng couldn’t wait to turn on the TV and flip channels.

Li Sanjiang didn’t go upstairs to listen to storytelling either. He sat there, smoking.

Soon, rousing theme music blared from the TV. It was the county channel, airing “Ultraman Leo.”

Runsheng returned to his seat, lit several incense sticks, and munched away while watching intently, like eating spicy strips.

Li Zhuiyuan didn’t rush upstairs to read Wei Zhengdao’s new book. Instead, he brought over a small stool and watched with Ah Li.

Li Sanjiang asked curiously, “That guy in the red leather suit—what is he?”

“Grandpa, that’s Ultraman.”

“And the round flying thing?”

“A saucer creature, a monster. A bad guy.”

“Oh, I see.”

Runsheng had watched plenty of borrowed TV over the years—in the village, at employers’ homes, even in stores—but it was always piecemeal.

In this era, few kids had the chance to watch a full series. They were bound to miss episodes, or the TV station would switch to something else before finishing the show.

Though home VCRs existed, they were expensive, and tapes weren’t easy to get. That’s why video halls sprang up—pay to watch as a group, and at night the owner might show some racy adult films.

One episode ended, and a psoriasis ointment commercial started.

Runsheng kept watching the ad, hoping for another episode. Most likely not. But give him a bit more time with the TV, and even without a schedule, he’d know each station’s lineup by heart.

He’d even memorize the ad slogans.

After a while, he turned to Li Zhuiyuan and asked, “Little Yuan, have you seen this one?”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

“How many episodes?”

“Forty or fifty, maybe.”

“Wow, awesome.”

Back in the family compound, Li Zhuiyuan had once been invited by older boys to watch tapes at their home. They had almost the full collection—though their version was called “Ultraman Neo.”

Back then, most dubbed shows came from Hong Kong or Taiwan, so the naming varied.

Liu Yumei came over. “Ah Li needs to rest.”

She was talking to Li Zhuiyuan.

“Ah Li, go to bed with Grandma. See you in the morning.”

Ah Li obediently got up and followed Liu Yumei back.

Li Zhuiyuan left his stool and headed upstairs. He looked back and saw, past the paper effigies in the room, Runsheng and Great-Grandpa still glued to the TV.

He thought again of last night, with Qin Uncle roaring down the road on his motorcycle.

The clash of tradition and novelty, the grind of backward and advanced—it was hard to believe all of this could coexist in one era.

And yet, those living in it—including himself—rarely noticed, even with such waves crashing right beside them.

Maybe only years later, after everything settled, looking back, would one truly realize how strange and surreal those days had been.

“Little Yuan.” The voice shook him from his thoughts. It was Qin Uncle, standing at the second-floor landing like he’d been waiting.

Li Zhuiyuan ran up.

“Horse stance.”

“Okay.”

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