In Our Line of Work, The Biggest Taboo is Falling in Love with A Client

Ling Chen is a mortuary makeup artist at a district funeral service center, a job he chose for its solitude and steady income. An orphan raised by distant relatives who neglected him, he maintains a materialistic worldview and avoids social entanglements. His life changes abruptly on a night shift when his director summons him to prepare the body of He Jinzhao, a deceased top-tier film actor. Ling Chen arrives to find He Jinzhao’s body in an ice coffin, surrounded by heavy security and confidentiality agreements. As he begins his work, He Jinzhao’s spirit appears, revealing that only Ling Chen can see or hear him. Despite the supernatural encounter, Ling Chen remains focused on the financial bonus promised for the task.

After the private funeral, Ling Chen attempts to send He Jinzhao’s body back to his hometown. However, a mysterious red thread connects Ling Chen’s pinky finger to the ghost, physically pulling He Jinzhao back to Ling Chen’s side whenever they separate by more than three hundred meters. Trapped together, Ling Chen brings the ghost back to his sparse dormitory. He Jinzhao, unable to move on, reveals that he has lost the memory of the day he died and suspects foul play or a supernatural cause. He proposes a deal: if Ling Chen helps him resolve his ghostly state, either through resurrection or peaceful passing, He Jinzhao will transfer his entire fortune to Ling Chen.

Ling Chen, motivated by his desire for financial security and a home of his own, agrees to help. Their dynamic is established as one of reluctant partnership, with the narcissistic and demanding ghost haunting the introverted mortician. The agency covering up He Jinzhao’s death to protect stock prices adds a layer of corporate intrigue, as they plan to pretend he is still alive for months using archived media. Ling Chen discovers that He Jinzhao’s mysterious death is linked to local folklore, as his director assigns him to visit the new village shaman, a reclusive young man who has inherited the role from his grandmother.

Ling Chen travels to the nearby town to deliver holiday gifts to the shaman, accompanied by He Jinzhao, who hopes the shaman possesses the power to free him from his spectral existence. Upon arriving at the shaman’s apartment, they discover he is an otaku who worships the virtual idol Hatsune Miku rather than traditional deities. The visit is interrupted by two aggressive elderly neighbors who harass Ling Chen in the elevator. He Jinzhao, annoyed by their rudeness, manipulates the elevator’s lighting to trap them inside, causing them to panic while ensuring their safety by calling property management. This incident highlights the growing bond between the two and the dangerous capabilities He Jinzhao possesses as a spirit.

The story moves forward as Ling Chen navigates his double life, balancing his job at the crematorium with his supernatural entanglement. He Jinzhao’s presence forces Ling Chen out of his isolation, challenging his cynical outlook on life and death. The mystery of He Jinzhao’s death remains unsolved, with the lost day of memory serving as the central clue. Ling Chen’s materialistic beliefs are further tested as he encounters the tangible reality of ghosts and the ancient traditions of the local shaman lineage. The narrative sets the stage for a deeper investigation into the actor’s death, involving the corrupt entertainment agency and the mystical secrets of the mountain village, while Ling Chen slowly accepts his role as the ghost’s anchor to the living world.