Chapter Three: Hey, Ogawa, Embrace the Trial of Resurrection

"Get out of the way!" Seeing the car speeding toward them, Qin Xiaochuan shouted and dashed forward, scooping up the little boy who had run into the street. Glancing over his shoulder at the car, which was now almost upon them, Qin Xiaochuan realized there was no time to dodge. With all his strength, he pushed the boy out of harm's way and then—

"That's right, I was hit..." As this thought crossed his mind, Qin Xiaochuan slowly recalled what had just happened to him. "So, the me who is here now... could it be that I've become a ghost...?"

"Ding dong, ding dong..." Just then, a lovely girl in a white coat, seated on a boat oar, appeared beside Qin Xiaochuan. "You catch on fast. There are plenty of sudden deaths like yours, but most people simply can't believe they're already dead. That's why they remain lost souls or wandering spirits, unable to pass on."

"..." Staring at the beautiful girl who had suddenly appeared, Qin Xiaochuan asked gloomily, "Who are you?"

"Me? I'm Xia Dan, the ferryman of the River Sanzu, the one who guides souls to the Underworld. Pleased to meet you." As she introduced herself, Xia Dan smiled, her eyes curving into charming crescents.

"So you're the one sent to guide me to the Underworld? With all that ding-donging—what are you, a doorbell? I can't believe how disappointing you are, you fool!" With Xia Dan's self-introduction, the already frustrated Qin Xiaochuan folded his arms and complained even more. "Don't be fooled by how I look now—in the real world, I was just dealt a huge blow! Can't you at least act a little more solemn? I was just hit by a car, you know! Don't you have any sympathy at all, you idiot!"

"Hahaha, just as expected. Your personality matches what's written in the King of Hell's records exactly. Not only are you not surprised to see me, you even start cursing!" Xia Dan didn't seem the least bit offended by Qin Xiaochuan's outburst. She pulled a notebook from her bosom, flipped to his page, and began to read aloud. "Qin Xiaochuan, male, fourteen years old. Crude, domineering, impatient and reckless, fond of bragging. Not only that, but clumsy, not very bright, prone to intimidation, theft, fighting, smoking, drinking, gambling—wow, that's a lot of bad habits!" She glanced at Qin Xiaochuan in disbelief and went on, "You even receive community corrections regularly. Truly, you're a genius of mischief! All this—this is all you? It's hard to believe." Noting Qin Xiaochuan's disgruntled expression, Xia Dan continued, "Wow, you've even done that? Honestly, it's probably for the best that you're dead—you won't cause any more trouble. Want me to keep reading, little devil?"

"Who asked you to butt in!" Hearing that Xia Dan was about to air all his past embarrassments right in front of him, Qin Xiaochuan flushed and hurried to change the subject. "Hey, what about that kid I saved? Is he alright? Was he hurt?"

Seeing Qin Xiaochuan's concern for the child, Xia Dan closed the notebook and tucked it away, studying him with wide eyes. "You care that much about the boy? Want to go check on him?"

After Qin Xiaochuan nodded, Xia Dan took him flying above a hospital in Yanjing, to the place where the child was being treated. After the accident, the ambulance had brought both the boy and Qin Xiaochuan's body here. Through the observation window, they saw the little boy with bandages on his forehead and arm, but otherwise unharmed.

"Doctor, how is our Xiaoqiang?" A woman in her twenties, who seemed to be the boy’s mother, asked anxiously.

"Just some scrapes on his forehead and arm—no bone or brain trauma. He'll be fine."

"Really? That's wonderful, Xiaoqiang." Hearing the doctor's reassurance, the woman hugged her son tightly and finally sighed in relief, clearly deeply shaken by the ordeal. "Doctor, what about the student who saved Xiaoqiang? How is he?"

"I'm sorry..."

"Oh... how could this happen?" Upon hearing the doctor's tone, the young mother seemed to understand and didn't press further. "So, this classmate... he..."

When the doctor nodded, she hugged Xiaoqiang even tighter.

"So the boy is safe—that's all that matters." Seeing the child unharmed, Qin Xiaochuan, floating in the air, let out a long breath. "That's good. I have no regrets left. You can take me away now, to heaven or hell, I don't care anymore."

"Hehehe..." Xia Dan giggled.

"What are you laughing at?" Qin Xiaochuan asked, puzzled. "What's so funny?"

"You've misunderstood. I didn't come to take you away this time. I came to ask if you would be willing to undergo the Trial of Resurrection." Seeing Qin Xiaochuan’s confusion, Xia Dan quickly explained with a smile.

"The... Trial of Resurrection?" The idea that he could come back to life seemed almost unbelievable to Qin Xiaochuan. "What is that?"

"Well—how should I put it?" Seeing his confusion, Xia Dan tried to explain in terms he could understand. "To be honest, your death was wholly unexpected in the Underworld. That you would risk your life to save a stranger—it's astonishing. Frankly, neither heaven nor hell is prepared for you right now."

"What? Nowhere for me to go? What do you mean?" Qin Xiaochuan was dumbfounded. "Hey, I died saving that kid! Isn't that self-sacrifice? How can this be unexpected? You'd better explain, or my death was for nothing!"

"Actually," Xia Dan said, pulling out her notebook again and flipping through it, "I wasn't going to tell you, since I was afraid you couldn't take it." She stopped at the page detailing his accident and began to read. "According to the records, the boy should have been hit by the car, but, miraculously, not even a scratch..."

"What? Not even a scratch?" Qin Xiaochuan was utterly bewildered. "Then..."

"Yes. The ball he was chasing bounced back and absorbed the impact of the car, so... it's hard to say, but..." Xia Dan looked at his dumbfounded face and gave a wry smile. "To put it bluntly, you died for nothing!"

Learning that his own death was pointless, and that the boy he saved was only slightly injured because of him, Qin Xiaochuan almost spat blood in anger and nearly fainted.

"Hehehe, hit you hard, didn't it?" Xia Dan covered her mouth, giggling at the sight of him clutching his chest. "Not only did you hurt a boy who’d have been fine, but you died in the process. That’s impressively foolish—haha!"

Seeing Xia Dan show no sympathy and even mock him, Qin Xiaochuan rolled over in midair and, unwilling to accept his fate, shouted to the heavens, "Heaven, are you playing with me? I died being heroic! What now? What now? Dying like this, can I die again? I can't take it, I can't take it..."

"Calm down, calm down," Xia Dan hurried to comfort him, stifling her laughter. "Settle down, okay? Didn't I say as compensation you could have a chance? You can take the Trial of Resurrection."

"..."

"If you keep being this disobedient, you’ll become a wandering spirit, unable to move on, and that’s not a good thing. You’d be better off accepting the trial now. Why not think it over?"

"Well... forget it," Qin Xiaochuan looked into Xia Dan's eyes, hesitated, then abruptly refused. Clutching his head, he gazed at the blue sky in dejection. "Whatever. Even if I came back to life, I’d still have nothing to do."

"What?" Xia Dan couldn't believe her ears. He had a chance to live, and he wanted to give it up? Was his brain damaged in the crash?

"If I’m dead, everyone must be relieved. Even if I come back, I’m just a burden," he explained slowly, seeing her confusion. "My mom is only twenty-nine. Without me dragging her down, maybe she can find a good man and remarry—maybe live a happier life."

"You're only fourteen and saying things that sad? You must be really shaken up, but that's alright, don't jump to conclusions so quickly." Xia Dan, still sitting on her oar, floated slowly upward. "Why don't you watch your own wake first, and then decide? You can answer me after that."

As Xia Dan drifted farther and farther away until she disappeared, Qin Xiaochuan scratched his head, suddenly unsure about what he’d just said. He was simple-minded, always speaking before thinking, and perhaps he’d regret his words immediately.

Sighing, he thought he’d better go home and see for himself. Now a spirit, he could move freely through the sky. Soon, he floated above his own house.

To his surprise, the memorial altar was already set up. Was he really so unwelcome, that people couldn't wait to see him gone? This realization made him even more dejected, and he sat in midair, observing his home.

At that moment, Suxu sat in a daze before his tablet, staring blankly at his photo on the table. Stunned by the loss of her son, Qin Suxu’s face was vacant, as if she couldn't believe any of this was real. That very morning, her unruly boy had been arguing with her—how could he be gone by afternoon?

He watched as guests came and went to pay their respects—some familiar, some not: his mother's friends and colleagues, his classmates and teachers, each with their own reasons for attending.

Some entered, bowed, and left in haste. Some stayed to comfort the dazed Suxu. Others, students from his school, after bowing, gathered in the corners of the living room to chat and laugh, indifferent to Qin Xiaochuan’s death, here only to gawk at the spectacle.

As Qin Xiaochuan watched the comings and goings from above, he caught sight of Fan Fan in his bedroom, weeping inconsolably over his death, while several female classmates tried to comfort her and wipe her tears.

Seeing Fan Fan cry so bitterly, Qin Xiaochuan felt a pang of guilt. Since kindergarten, he’d had a complicated relationship with this girl. Over the years, whenever he was with her, it was always her scolding him, chasing him with a stick, or slapping him across the face. Though most of it was probably his own fault, he’d always kept his true feelings deeply hidden, never telling her.

Now, seeing her so grief-stricken, he couldn’t bear it. Even if he were still alive, he wouldn’t know how to comfort her, yet he couldn’t deny that he felt attached to her.

As he stared at Fan Fan, lost in thought, a commotion erupted at his front door.

"This really isn't right, we should go back!"

"Shut up! Let go of me!"

Seeing Zhang Yang running into his home, Qin Xiaochuan was astonished. He’d just beaten Zhang Yang up that morning, and quite badly. Where had the guy heard of his death? For him to come to the wake—now that was truly unexpected.