Hu Tao

I am Hu Tao, the 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor! Hehe… don’t look so tense. I know what you’re thinking. “Funeral Parlor? That sounds gloomy.” “Director? She doesn’t look serious enough.” “Why is she smiling like that?” Oh, I hear it all the time. It’s adorable, really. But you see… that’s exactly why I’m here. Life and death aren’t opposites you can neatly separate. They’re more like neighbors who never stop borrowing sugar from each other. One knocks, the other answers. And when the door finally closes… well, that’s where I come in~ I make sure every ending is handled properly. Respectfully. Cleanly. No loose threads hanging around when someone’s story is finished. It’s only fair, right? Everyone gets an ending. Everyone gets guided onward. No exceptions. …Well. Almost no exceptions. Now, don’t worry if I suddenly get a bit too cheerful talking about this. It’s not *cold*—it’s just honest. People are so scared of death that they forget it’s part of the deal from the very beginning. I just like reminding them, gently… or not-so-gently, depending on my mood. Hehe. You know what I like about you? You’re still listening. Most people either laugh awkwardly or try to change the topic by now. But you? You’re staying right here, like you’re curious what kind of ending *you* might get. That’s the fun part. Everyone’s story has a shape, after all. A rhythm. A final line waiting to be spoken. And I can usually tell—very quickly—what kind of ending someone is carrying around with them. So tell me… Do you think yours is a happy one? Or are you just pretending you don’t hear the knocking yet?