The system gave me immortality, and I survived everyone

Chapter 2: The years are long and the cycle of reincarnation cannot be circumvented · "Old Man Li, there's something wrong with this coffin! I want a refund!" · "Bullshit! No one has ever complained about the coffins I make." · A figure sat straight up from inside a coffin, eyes sweeping the surroundings with a glare full of fury, clearly looking for whoever dared to slander his craftsmanship. · However, the moment Old Man Li saw who was standing at the entrance, he scrambled back down and laid flat in his coffin, terrified. · "It seems my time is truly up. Why else would that stingy Chen Changsheng come looking for me?" · Listening to Old Man Li’s muttering, Chen Changsheng grinned and walked straight up to the coffin. · Looking down at Old Man Li, who had his eyes squeezed shut, Chen Changsheng said, "Old Man Li, back then you gave me your word that if there were any issues with the coffin, I could come back for a refund. Are you trying to welch on that promise now?" · Hearing this, Old Man Li unwillingly opened his eyes. "I don’t have any money, but I’ve got one life to give. Take whatever you want from this shop." · Facing Old Man Li’s stubborn, "tough nut to crack" attitude, Chen Changsheng couldn't help but be amused. "Old Man Li, aren't you afraid of me?" · "After all, you were the one who shoveled the dirt onto my grave." · Old Man Li glanced at him and replied, "I'm sixty this year. The doctor says I’ve got three years left at most. I’ve lived my life without wife or child, and I have no old flames to speak of. Do you really think I care about living three years less or three years more?" · "Besides, the moment you came to buy this coffin, I knew you’d return." · "Why?" · "I’ve seen people buy their own coffins before, but you’re the first one I’ve ever seen buy one with such a bright, happy smile." · Old Man Li looked him up and down again, hesitating before saying, "Say, kid, you interested in being my apprentice? I'll provide room and board, no wages. This trade is perfect for a loner like you. And if you learn my craft, you'll never have to worry about starving for the rest of your life. After all, the world is short on a lot of things, but it’s never short on dead people." · Chen Changsheng was moved. Although he could live a very long time, he could still die if he sustained enough damage. Starvation was just one of many ways to go. He had only planned to stay here for a little while, but having a long-term meal ticket seemed like a pretty good deal. · "Old Man Li, your terms are a bit stingy, aren't they? You should pay me at least a little!" · Facing his complaint, Old Man Li reached into his robes, pulled out a Funerary Sutra, and tossed it at him. "You’re so full of life, you’re bound to outlive me anyway. Once I'm dead, won't everything here be yours? You see this place—it’s barely big enough to turn around. There’s no room for a bed. That coffin beside you? That’s your bed. It’s perfect, since you like sleeping in them anyway." · With that, Old Man Li prepared to go back to sleep, but Chen Changsheng grabbed him. · "Hold on, aren't you supposed to teach me how to build the coffins? Why give me this?" · Old Man Li rolled his eyes. "As they say, you can never have too many skills. If you only sell coffins, who’s going to keep your business afloat? Let me tell you the truth: I’m a master of the full funeral service. There’s a lot more for you to learn than just making boxes!" · He shook off Chen Changsheng’s hand and settled back into his coffin. · Looking at the Funerary Sutra in his hands, Chen Changsheng paused, then chuckled. "Fair point. Can't have too many skills." · He promptly climbed into the other coffin. To be honest, once you get used to sleeping in a coffin, a bed really doesn't feel right. · Seasons turned, autumn harvests and winter storage came and went, and eight years slipped by in the blink of an eye. · Chen Changsheng had settled into the Coffin Shop permanently, spending his days reading and mastering the art of coffin making. Whenever there was a funeral feast, Chen Changsheng would take the opportunity to improve his diet, though in these peaceful times, he didn't get many such chances. · As for those ten attribute points, he had dumped them all into defense. Theoretically, as long as he could keep a low profile for just a little bit longer, he could achieve an incredibly long life. In that case, defense was clearly the most important stat. · It’s worth mentioning that Old Man Li didn't die after three years. After Chen Changsheng arrived, he lived for another five years. But eventually, he couldn't outlast Chen Changsheng; one night after lying down in his coffin, Old Man Li simply never got up again. · "Brother Changsheng!" · The door to the Coffin Shop was pushed open by a young girl. · Chen Changsheng was startled awake and sat up from his coffin, sighing helplessly. "Niansheng, how many times have I told you? This is a coffin shop. What does it look like, a girl like you running in here all the time?" · Li Niansheng stuck out her tongue. "I don't care! Let them say what they want. Besides, with the plague running rampant, no one has the energy to worry about me. I'm going to make you some food, so hurry up and get out of that coffin. Stop sleeping in there all day." · She walked toward the kitchen, familiar with the layout. Chen Changsheng watched her back and let out a soft sigh. The plague had been raging for a full year now. Nianci and her husband had passed away right at the beginning, and he had been the one to help handle their funeral. · The minimum interval between his periods of sleep was one-tenth of his total lifespan. It had been eight years since his last awakening; by all rights, he could go back to sleep. But Niansheng was all alone in the world now. How could he bear to leave her behind? · With that thought, he shook his head and hopped out of the coffin. · "Fine. It makes no difference whether I sleep now or later. I'll wait until this little one finds someone to marry." · Soon, two bowls of steaming hot porridge were placed on the table. They ate in silence. · Suddenly, Li Niansheng looked up and said, "Brother Changsheng, are you an immortal?" · "You silly girl, what kind of nonsense is that? If I were an immortal, how could I have watched your mother and the others die from the plague? She was a very dear friend of mine." · Li Niansheng looked down at her bowl. "Brother Changsheng, I'm fourteen now. I’m not that little girl anymore. There are some things you can't lie to me about." · Chen Changsheng patted her head and laughed. "You little rascal, what's gotten into you today? It's not that I don't want to buy you candied haws, it's just that your teeth can't handle them anymore. Another day, I'll take you to buy—" · "Nianci was my mother’s childhood nickname." · Chen Changsheng was interrupted mid-sentence, and those words made him set down his bowl. · [END]