Those Years I Kept the Books in the Underworld

As a seasoned office drone, Xu Tuzhi spent three years working while studying for the civil service exam. At last, she passed and landed a government job at the municipal finance bureau.

The day after she got the job, Xu Tuzhi dropped dead at her desk.

Now a soul in the underworld, Xu Tuzhi stared at the blue-faced, tusked ghost official escorting her. Her world had collapsed.

As it happened, the underworld was expanding and building an underground palace, and the only underworld official who knew how to balance the books had ascended to immortality.

The Judge studied the Book of Life and Death for ages, then suddenly spotted Xu Tuzhi trembling in a corner. He gave her a sinister smile. "You worked in accounting when you were alive?"

Xu Tuzhi nodded anxiously. "My lord, I know a little about bookkeeping."

The Judge waved a hand. "You're hired."

Xu Tuzhi landed a permanent government position in the underworld, becoming both finance director for Phase One of the Yama Palace construction project and the underworld's cashier.

From that day on, Xu Tuzhi diligently got back to her old line of work in the underworld.

-

Black Impermanence: Can you reimburse this foot massage expense?

Xu Tuzhi grabbed Black Impermanence's three-meter-long tongue. "Reimburse what? No receipt? Should I use your big tongue to file the claim?"

Black Impermanence hurriedly yanked his tongue back. "I got a foot massage with a client! Why won't you reimburse me?"

White Impermanence: I have a receipt. If you won't reimburse him, reimburse me.

Xu Tuzhi gave a cold laugh and squeezed out a few words through her teeth. "Tell me how I'm supposed to reimburse your sugar-baby expenses!!!"

White Impermanence scratched his head and gave an awkward grin. "Maintenance expenses... That was a typo."

The Judge: Get me 500,000 netherworld coins. My judge's brush is broken, and I need a new one.

Xu Tuzhi glanced at him. "File an application. The old judge's brush goes down as a fixed-asset disposal, and the new one goes down as a fixed-asset purchase."

The Judge was furious. "I'm the project manager for this construction project!"

Xu Tuzhi: "Okay. File an application."

-

The newly arrived Ghost Emperor heard that the underworld had a new finance director.

One slap for expenses without receipts.

Three slaps for breaking the rules on food and drink.

A hundred thousand slaps for trying to embezzle public funds.

The Ghost Emperor scoffed. Was there really a finance officer who dared disobey him?

Then he saw the netherworld coins on his pay slip dwindling by the day. He stormed over and slapped it down in front of Xu Tuzhi. "Why does my salary keep getting smaller?"

Xu Tuzhi, who was sorting out years of rotten accounts, angrily smacked the desk and jumped to her feet. "You don't know how much tax you've evaded?"

Pay it all back!!!!

Half an hour later, the Ghost Emperor left the finance office, holding his face. "How can this bookkeeper be fiercer than a ghost?"

2025.2.6

Theme: Work hard and embrace a new life.