Witwen in der Song-Dynastie waren leicht zu verheiraten

Kapitel 22

Sitting on the sofa in the living room, I remained silent. I really didn't want to tell Aying what terrible things I had just seen—it would frighten her. I silently smoked, letting Aying scold me loudly beside me.

After all, with Ah Ying by my side, I felt much more at ease. My emotions calmed down a bit.

We didn't turn on the lights; I felt particularly afraid of the blinding glare of fluorescent tubes. I smoked one cigarette after another, but didn't look at Aying; I just needed someone to keep me company.

After a long while, Ah Ying gradually got tired of talking and stopped talking. So, I turned around, wanting to comfort her.

What did I just see?!

A horse face! A horse face! That horse face was on Ah Ying's head! And its eyes were staring at me like dead fish!

"Monster! Monster!" I yelled!

I leaped up from the sofa, grabbed the horse-faced creature by the hair, and slammed it against the wall! Once, twice, three times…! I'm going to kill it! I'm going to kill it! Kill it! …

When I came to my senses from the chaos, I clutched my head.

Oh my god! What have I done?!

At my feet lay Ah Ying, her face covered in blood... Ah Ying's face was no different from usual... She was indeed Ah Ying—my Ah Ying!

---Bifengke

Reply [123]: Human Flesh Hot Pot -- 1

In the bubbling boiling water, there are many foods, and bloody things are often scalded until they turn reddish-white. However, there is one thing that will never lose its true nature in a hot pot: human flesh.

—Epigraph

(1)

Winter in the 1970s, Lunar New Year's Eve, a small town in the south.

On New Year's Eve in Longxi Town, the streets were deserted; no one wanted to go out, and the wind was howling. Every household was gathered at home around the stove—eating hot pot.

"You brat, you damned brat!" Aunt Lan shouted hoarsely, grabbing Xiao Ju's ear tightly. "Are you planning to get me to 'legitimize' you?!" She then slapped Xiao Ju hard across the face. A bright red handprint appeared on the side of Xiao Ju's cheek, like blood rising from the earth. She didn't sob or cry out loud; she kept her head down, muttering, "Wash it clean! Wash it clean! If you don't wash it clean, you'll get diarrhea!" Seeing her muttering with her head down, Aunt Lan became even angrier: "You brat, don't you dare curse me so softly!" She was clearly intimidated, but her tone shifted, and she continued yelling: "I caught you this time, you brat! Looks like you were the one who did this last time, you little thief. You dared to touch my imported shower gel, and use so much of it! I'll tell your father, and he'll beat you half to death!" So she kicked Xiaoju in the stomach. Then, sullenly, she walked out of the woodshed in the backyard—Xiaoju's home, where she ate, slept, and studied—Xiaoju was still muttering, "Food must be washed clean before eating, unclean food will give you diarrhea..." Aunt Lan turned back, opened her gold and silver "jade hands," and violently grabbed Xiaoju's hair, roaring, "You brat, don't curse me behind my back! Or I'll slaughter you, cut off your flesh, and throw it into the hot pot to be used as mutton!" Xiaoju still ignored Aunt Lan's angry "warning," continuing to mutter with her head down. Seeing that she was getting nowhere, Aunt Lan threw down this last "warning" and turned to walk away—to celebrate New Year's Eve. The calm that had just appeared on Xiaoju's face vanished. She suddenly rubbed her hands wildly and roared, "So dirty, so filthy! Diarrhea, unclean food will give you diarrhea!" She was like a hysterical madwoman, tearing her hair into a tangled mess, yelling, "Filthy! So filthy! Such filthy imported goods! A scourge!" Her eyes were wide open, as if she wanted to devour someone. A cold yet fiery aura emanated from her brows, sending chills down one's spine. On New Year's Eve, Xiaoju roared like thunder in her makeshift thatched hut—no one knew that she was like a speck of dust in this family—or perhaps not even a speck of dust, she only received attention from one person, Aunt Lan, who both cared deeply for and loathed this speck of dust, wishing she would disappear from the world—Xiaoju continued her mad yelling, suddenly raising her hand and licking it with her tongue, saying, "This is clean!" Then she opened her mouth, revealing her teeth, and shoved her hand inside, biting it fiercely. Blood flowed from the corner of her mouth, and a piece of flesh fell out. She said, "Only scourges get diarrhea!"

The Yang family's hall was warm and cozy. The family chatted and laughed. Aunt Lan placed a piece of meat on her son's plate, smiling broadly, "Good boy, eat up! This meat is delicious!" The little boy seemed quite happy, his face beaming like a little sun, shining on the full red envelope in his pocket. He opened his mouth, took a bite, and choked, "It's so fishy! It smells awful!" His face instantly darkened. Aunt Lan glanced at Yang Fa, a little frightened, but immediately patted Xiao Cheng's back, "Spit it out, spit it out." "Add some ginger and it won't be fishy." A mournful voice suddenly appeared. Aunt Lan, afraid her husband would scold her son, chimed in, "Add ginger, add ginger." She went to the kitchen to chop ginger. But she didn't come out for a long time. Xiao Cheng ran in and saw Aunt Lan holding a large cleaver, cutting her own hand. He was terrified.

The next day, Yang Fa found another body in the woodshed of his house—it was his daughter Xiao Ju's. Her hair was disheveled, one hand was in her mouth, and there was a lot of congealed blood around her mouth. Xiao Cheng hid behind him. "Dad, what happened to my sister?" Yang Fa said, "Xiao Cheng, don't look." After a moment of silence, he said again, "Xiao Cheng, let's go to Zhangzhou!" Xiao Cheng stared wide-eyed at the body in front of him and nodded.

---Bifengke

Reply [124]: Human Flesh Hot Pot -- 2

(2)

Late 1990s, winter, Lunar New Year's Eve, a small southern city.

On New Year's Eve in Zhangzhou, the streets were as deserted as ever. No one wanted to go out—partly out of fear of the cold, and partly out of fear of ghosts. The wind blew, and it seemed as if only Amu remained on the street. He pedaled furiously, hurrying home—his father had died on New Year's Eve the previous year, leaving him feeling depressed all year, until he met Duoduo—a source of comfort and unparalleled warmth whenever he thought of her. He didn't know how to describe Duoduo: was she innocent or virtuous? She liked to bite her nails, and in winter she always loved to cook a pot of hot pot for herself—like now, Amu was rushing home to eat the warm soup his beloved Duoduo had prepared for him. A cigarette butt lay unextinguished on the street; Amu drove over it, the tires causing sparks to fly.

"Duoduo, I'm back!"

"Oh, I've been waiting for you for ages! Come on, let's eat hot pot." Duoduo put down the paint bucket and brush in her hand. "I just painted the wall. I painted it red, for a festive New Year." "Not bad," Amu replied. He admired everything Duoduo did; he thought Duoduo was a girl with good taste.

Amu and Duoduo sat on either side of a small dining table, around a large hot pot. "It smells so good!" was Amu's exclamation at the time.

Duoduo brought out several plates of hot pot ingredients: pork, beef, mutton, and a plate of some slightly gamey-smelling meat of unknown origin. Amu trusted Duoduo's cooking; he knew it must be good stuff, so he didn't ask any further questions.

The meat quickly turned reddish-white in the boiling water. Duoduo piled a lot into Amu's bowl, saying, "Eat up, it's so fresh!" Amu was overjoyed. He poked around in the bowl with his chopsticks and found a piece of bright red meat. "Duoduo, this piece isn't cooked yet," he said, holding it up in front of his eyes. "That's human flesh! You can eat it without cooking it!" Amu's face turned pale. Duoduo stared at him for a long time. "Just kidding!"

"Hehe." Amu chuckled twice, reached out and gently pinched Duoduo's little nose. "Little rascal!" "How did you know I was a ghost?" Duoduo blinked and asked.

Amu guessed she was joking again and said, "Stop playing tricks on me!" Then he lowered his head to eat the piece of meat. "It's a bit fishy, Duoduo." "Really? Then add some ginger. It'll get rid of the smell." Duoduo then went into the kitchen.

Amu suddenly felt an unbearable fever, as if he were being boiled in a hot pot. He took off his sweater, but he was still hot, so he couldn't help but grab the air conditioner remote, press the switch, and cold air poured out. He lay down on the sofa, closed his eyes, and waited for Duoduo to come out so they could eat together. Suddenly, he heard a mournful voice: "Wash it clean, wash it clean! Eating unclean things will give you diarrhea. Only wicked people get diarrhea!" Amu's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly opened his eyes to see red liquid flowing down the wall, leaving streaks. He was terrified and rushed to the kitchen. "Duoduo!" He saw Duoduo holding a kitchen knife, cutting her hand repeatedly, a large pool of blood flowing continuously down from the saddle to the floor. "Duoduo, are you crazy!" Amu rushed to Duoduo's side, snatched the kitchen knife from her hand, and threw it forcefully. The knife landed on the floor, making a hole in the tile, like a deep tooth mark.

"Xiao Cheng, what are you doing? I'm chopping ginger. Otherwise, human flesh will taste too fishy and unpalatable."

"Duoduo, what's wrong?"

"Don't be afraid. You won't get diarrhea, Xiao Cheng. Be good!" Duo Duo stroked Amu's head with her bloodied and mangled hand, saying, "Eat slowly!"

"Who are you? You're not Duoduo..." Amu roared. How could Duoduo know his old nickname? He was overwhelmed with fear. "Don't hurt Duoduo! Who are you? Tell me!" Amu shouted hoarsely.

"Amu, wake up!" Duoduo shook his body and shouted loudly.

"Duoduo, am I dreaming?" Amu looked at everything in front of him. "Tell me!"

"You're dreaming," Duoduo replied. "Did you eat human flesh?"

"What?" Amu had just relaxed his guard when Duoduo's words chilled him to the bone, and his pores stood on end again. "What are you doing?" He stared at the bright red paintbrush in Duoduo's hand. "Oh my god!"

"I'm painting the wall, all red, isn't it beautiful? The color of this blood is so vibrant!"

"Blood?" Amu felt a tingling sensation all over his body, and his head felt like it was about to explode.

"It's blood, isn't it great? Don't you believe me? It's made in China! Try it if you don't believe me." Duoduo said, licking her fingers with her tongue first, then reaching out to put them into Amu's mouth.

"Who exactly are you?" Amu felt like a ghost being boiled in a hot pot.

"Xiao Cheng, have you forgotten who I am? Your memory is terrible. I'm Xiao Ju, your crazy sister, your half-sister!"

"Xiaoju? Sister? You...aren't you dead? A ghost? Could it be...you are...a ghost!!!" Amu fainted.

(3)

"Amu, what's wrong?" Duoduo's clear voice rang in Amu's ears, sounding urgent and sorrowful at this moment.

"Where am I?" Amu saw white all around him and smelled a strong medicinal odor. "At the hospital," Duoduo said. "On New Year's Eve, you were riding your bike too fast and tripped over a stone on the road. You fell to the side of the road and passed out. A driver brought you to the hospital. I waited for you for a long time that night, but you didn't come back. Later, I received a call and rushed over."

"I slept all night?" Amu asked. "It's the second day of the Lunar New Year now," Duoduo said. "You slept for two days and two nights. But thankfully, you're finally awake."

A day later, Amu was discharged from the hospital. He took Duoduo back to the place where he used to play as a child—Longxi Town. They drove towards Yashi Mountain, to that gray cemetery. Amu pushed aside a clump of weeds, and two tombstones appeared before him. They were inscribed with: Tomb of loving mother Yang Fanglan; Tomb of beloved daughter Yang Xiaoju.

Amu didn't speak, but simply had Duoduo bow three times with him before hurriedly leaving the grave-strewn hillside and the small town that would forever remain etched in his memory. At the station, Amu hugged Duoduo and said, "Don't look back! Everything that's past is buried in the ground. Don't think about it anymore." Duoduo looked at him deeply and nodded.

---Bifengke

Reply [125]: I'm exhausted, brothers and sisters! I need to rest for a bit and then take a bath! I'll be back in a little while!

Remember to wait for me!

---Bifengke

Reply [126]:

Okay... Cold... .........................................................ah!.........................................................

---Nissan Bluebird

Reply to [127]: "Bluebird" MM, don't be afraid, I, Sparrow, will protect you! Hehe...

---Bifengke

Reply [128]: Oh, the water's full. I'm going to take a soak now, it feels so good...

---Bifengke

Reply [129]:

cut!

I don't believe it!

---dikwen

Reply [130]: Fun

---IEFEIcom

Reply [131]: So long

Even newbies have dignity.

Reply [132]: Horror

---Qing Yezi