Their lives were supposed to be at a modest middle-class level, and they had already moved out to live on their own.

But because of Uncle Mason's failed investment, they not only lost their savings, but also their property, and apparently even ended up in debt. In the end, Uncle Mason could only bring his wife and two children back home to his father... to fulfill his filial duty.

Grandpa didn’t say much about it,

However,

He quickly found a reason to dismiss the original driver and mortician.

In Grandpa’s words: The Immerles family does not keep idle people.

Uncle Mason is now responsible for driving—yes, driving the family’s hearse—along with the helpers Paul and Ron, in charge of picking up and dropping off “distinguished guests.”

Aunt Mary continues in her own professional field,

Still doing makeup for people,

And she no longer has to worry about running into temperamental celebrities looking for trouble, nor about receiving complaint letters.

Their children, Mina and Grant, are in middle school.

Aunt Winnie used to be an accountant at a small clothing factory. After divorcing her husband due to a troubled marriage, Aunt Winnie brought her daughter Grace back home.

Fortunately, the Immerles family house is big. Even though the basement is for “distinguished guests” and the first floor is the “mourning hall,” there are enough rooms on the second and third floors for everyone in the family.

Karen and his cousin Grant originally shared a room, but after Karen fell ill, Grant went to sleep with Grandpa on the third floor. Additionally, there’s an office for Grandpa on the third floor.

The second floor also has three rooms: uncle and aunt in one, Aunt Winnie in another, and the two female cousins in the third.

The atmosphere at home is actually quite good, because Grandpa is so authoritative that no one dares to stir up trouble under his nose.

When he arrived at the dining table on the second floor, Mina was helping her mother set the plates.

Aunt Mary saw Karen coming downstairs,

And deliberately put on a mocking expression:

“Our young master can finally come downstairs to have breakfast on his own. No need for your loyal maid-aunt to bring it up to you?”

That’s just how Aunt Mary is—she has a sharp tongue and likes to poke fun at people;

At home, the only person she doesn’t dare offend is Grandpa. Everyone else—her husband, her children, her sister-in-law, and Karen—are all targets for her verbal jabs.

Karen showed a warm smile,

And said sincerely:

“Thank you, Aunt, for taking care of me these past days. That’s why I’ve recovered so quickly.”

In “Karen’s” memory, although this aunt had a sharp tongue, when taking care of him she always treated him the same as her own two children—a bit of a tough exterior with a soft heart.

“Uh…”

She hadn’t expected her usually gloomy, taciturn, and withdrawn nephew to be able to say such polite words so fluently. Aunt Mary was momentarily at a loss for how to respond, so she just pursed her lips and said:

“Let’s eat.”

“Okay.”

Karen sat down at the table.

Breakfast was sandwiches, fried eggs, and milk, along with some small sausages.

He took a bite of the sandwich,

Chewing slowly,

Although he’d only been here for half a month,

Karen was already starting to miss duck blood vermicelli soup with three spoonfuls of chili.

At that moment,

A car horn sounded outside.

“Your father is back.”

Aunt Mary went to the sink to wash her hands, then untied her apron,

“You all keep eating, I’ll go see if your father brought me any ‘surprises’.”

Other husbands, when they come home, might bring a ring or a designer bag if they’re feeling extravagant, or a bouquet of flowers for a small surprise;

But Uncle Mason brings his wife a “corpse.”

For Aunt Mary, a body that died of natural causes already counts as a “surprise.” She hates those who died unnaturally the most—they’re a real hassle to deal with.

Karen put down his fork. Subconsciously, he felt he was an adult, and when something happened at home, it was only natural not to just sit at the table eating like the kids, so he followed Aunt Mary downstairs.

The first floor was spacious, with a small platform of three steps in the southeast corner, used as a “mortuary platform” for placing coffins.

At this moment,

The two helpers, Paul and Ron, were pushing in a stretcher covered with a white sheet.

Uncle Mason didn’t come down; he was a bit self-important. Although under his father’s authority he had to work, he only drove and rarely dealt with the bodies.

In “Karen’s” impression, although Uncle Mason was unreliable with investments and had squandered the family fortune, in daily life he was a humorous and fun person who treated his family well.

Aunt Mary stepped forward, lifted the white sheet for a look, and let out a long sigh of relief.

The body was of a young man, not a frightening sight. Although the body was lying flat, his face was turned ninety degrees to the right.

“Froze to death?” Aunt Mary asked again, “Welfare case?”

Although it was only the beginning of winter and not truly cold yet, cases of drunkards or vagrants freezing to death by the roadside were already happening from time to time.