QQ perdu

Chapitre 1

Bride with Ghost Eyes 2

Synopsis:

Lan Ruoxi, born with a ghostly eye, inadvertently opens the door to a terrifying adventure into the dark side of humanity. As the outline of the truth gradually unfolds, even her closest loved ones may become victims of deception and madness. What will she do? Will her destined marriage and the guardian she longs for still arrive? When everything is pushed to the brink, this strange journey in search of souls has only just begun…

Section 1: Nishiyama Tomb (1)

Nishiyama Tomb

It was a blazing midday sun, the wild grass wilted from the heat. The rice paddies were fragrant, and the cornfields shimmered with a golden light. I took off my shoes and walked barefoot on the soft earth, freely connecting with the land. The sun-baked soil smelled of ripe earth, the fertile fields nourishing another harvest. Unknown wildflowers bloomed in large patches in the valley, their vibrant crimson hues like dazzling rouge. I stood at the mouth of the valley, gazing into the distance. The rice stalks emitted a sweet, minty fragrance; I knew I was almost home.

"Get on the bus!" the driver called out, and travelers who had gotten off to use the restroom or rest hurried back to the long-distance bus. Apple was calling to me too. Finally, reluctantly, I put on my shoes and ran onto the bus, and the journey continued. Don't rush! In a few more hours, we'll be back in Shebupo.

I need to go back to my hometown to pay respects to my ancestors before the start of the new semester.

Apple and Jeep were traveling with me; they were a couple.

As evening fell, we finally arrived at the village entrance and smelled the long-lost aroma. Wheat straw was being burned in the stove, crackling and emitting a faint fragrance, mixed with the smoky scent of wheat.

Unfortunately, things have changed, and Grandma's former residence now appears so desolate and forlorn.

Just as I was lost in thought and reminiscing about the past, the wooden door was suddenly flung open, and a woman in a pink blouse and light blue trousers walked out—it was my aunt.

"Oh! Who do we have here? Isn't this our little sparrow? What, you flew away but still know to come back and check on us? I thought you'd been eaten by a dog and had completely forgotten about us..."

Apple was unhappy and pulled me aside: "Ruoxi, who is this person? Why does he talk so irritably?"

I smiled helplessly and said, "It's okay, it's just my auntie."

"Auntie?"

"She's my uncle's wife."

When Grandma was alive, my aunt was more polite to me, but now that Grandma is gone, she is the mistress of the house and speaks in a louder voice.

"I came back to visit. School starts in just over ten days, so I'm taking advantage of this break to come back and sweep Grandma's grave." I said as I pulled Apple through the door.

"Tsk tsk tsk... That's easy for you to say! You came back by yourself, with two more dragging behind you. This isn't a temple of saints." The wrinkles on the old woman's face didn't make her look kind; instead, they made her seem petty. The old man stood to the side, awkwardly rubbing his hands.

Apple, being straightforward, stepped forward to argue with her.

"Apple!" I quickly pulled her back and winked at the jeep, signaling him to take Apple out quickly, as she has a short temper and things could get ugly.

Big Giplar dashed out with the apple in his hand.

The dim light shone on the old woman, casting a sinister shadow—strange! Behind her, I saw a tall shadow, a demonic shadow holding a scythe, with serrated edges growing from its fangs.

I was startled and backed away...

I caught a glimpse of the old woman's disgusted look and didn't dare to ask her any more questions. Instead, I whispered to my uncle, "Uncle! I'm coming home to sweep the graves and will only stay for a few days. Can we use Grandma's bed? The two of us girls can sleep on the kang (heated brick bed), and the boy can sleep on the floor. Isn't there a small room that's been empty and used to store miscellaneous items?"

My uncle hesitated, mumbled something indistinctly, which I didn't hear clearly, and then pointed at my aunt.

I understand now. My uncle isn't in charge, so I still need to ask my aunt.

But the answer I received was astonishing: "There are no spare beds for you to use; the house has long been rented out to others."

Others? I asked in surprise, "You rent out Grandma's room too?"

"Rented, all rented!" the woman said nonchalantly.

"They've all rented them out?" That's even stranger. How could so many people suddenly come to rent houses in this remote, impoverished area? Anyone traveling would look for scenic spots with convenient transportation! Who would come here...?

"There's no place for you. If you want to sleep, just make do with a makeshift bed in the yard!" the old woman said impatiently.

“That won’t do. Even though it’s summer, the dew gets heavy in the mountains late at night, and it’s easy to catch a cold. They’re both city kids; I can’t let them get sick!”

"It's no use yelling at me. I already told you the house is rented out..." The woman went back into the house in a huff.

I stood still: Who would rent a house here and stay for a long time?

"Ruoxi!" Apple looked at me with a slightly aggrieved expression from the doorway and pointed to her stomach.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I forgot, I'll go cook right away!" I turned and ran to the kitchen.

The fire in the stove had gone out, leaving it cold and impersonal.

I went to the woodshed and grabbed a bundle of wheat straw. I tiptoed into the kitchen, groped my way to the windowsill in the dark, found a match, and with a "sizzle," the fire was lit.

Section 2: Nishiyama Tomb (2)

Strange, it seems like all sorts of "guests" have come to the house, but I haven't seen any of them.

On the threshing floor.

The stars twinkled densely against the dark sky, but there was no bright moon in the sky; dark clouds obscured the light, and the night was very quiet.

I saw that Apple and Jeep were both asleep, so I rested my head on my hand, gazed at the starry sky, and pondered. During summer vacation, I experienced a bizarre disappearance. Even more unbelievable, those days of disappearance became faded and fragmented; there were many things I couldn't recall no matter how hard I tried. My memory only stopped at a secluded villa, where I lived under the eaves with a man named Mingyang for a while. But what happened after that? Every time I think about it, my head aches terribly. What happened to that blank period of memory? The great forest and Mingyang are gone!

"Woof—"

Two barks broke the silence of the night.

We were all startled awake and saw that it was Big Black, Grandma's watchdog.

“This dog looks like it’s looking for you.” The jeep jumped off the haystack and ran over.

"I didn't see you in Grandma's yard today!" I combed its mane and found that its teeth were clenched tightly. "What did you eat?" I made it spit it out, and it vomited for a long time before spitting out a piece of bone.

The light flickered, and the heavy clouds in the sky were scattered by the strong wind. I picked up the bone and examined it, and was immediately stunned—it was a human bone, and a finger!

Big Black sat silently on the ground, its large, dark eyes filled with a kind of sadness.

Could something terrible have happened in this village?

The three remained silent. None of them slept well that night.

I was going up the mountain after daybreak; Grandma's grave was there. I said to them, "Let's go back after we've finished sweeping the grave! Let's not stay in the village any longer."

"Why?" Apple asked.

"Don't ask!" I couldn't explain my unease; I was filled with fear.

"No rush," said the Jeep. "School doesn't start for another ten days."

I could only look to Apple; at least she should agree with me.

“Wherever the Jeep is, that’s where I’ll be,” she said stubbornly. “If he doesn’t leave, I won’t leave either.”

The woman's attitude didn't seem to affect their mood; the two had long been looking forward to experiencing rural life. I sighed and continued up the mountain.

The wild grass grew lush and verdant; these mountains held the remains of countless lives buried over the years, accumulating countless stories. It was precisely because of this that the soil, nourished by life, thrived so vigorously. The slope was a bit slippery; it seemed the dew that fell overnight had been collected and moistened halfway up the mountain. Near the summit, I saw Grandma's grave. Two neat rows of locust and poplar trees stood on either side of the mound, like guardians of the grave, their branches and leaves so thick that one could easily encircle a person by the waist.

I placed the fruit I had prepared for the offerings in front of the tombstone, and then used a small shovel to add soil to reinforce and raise the grave mound. Apple and Jeep squatted to the side, pulling weeds, their brows covered in sweat. Jeep tugged at Apple's sleeve and said to me, "You've finally come back, you must have a lot to say to your grandma, right? Let's go somewhere else first..."

I took out vermilion lacquer and carefully traced the seal characters on the grave mound, over and over again, until the vermilion lacquer turned as red as blood. The bluish-gray stone tablet looked at me innocently. I sat at its feet, leaning my head against it.

Grandma! I miss you so much!

I lowered my head, picked up a clump of grass, looked at the kind face on the stone tablet, and suddenly felt empty inside.

Grandma! You told me not to come back after leaving the village. But I came back anyway, because... I missed you so much! I have so much to say to you! Can you hear me?

I looked up at the sky, and through the gaps in the leaves, dappled sunlight streamed down...

It's been over two years since we last met, where should I begin? I've met two people who are of great significance to me.

That imposing and extraordinary man was named Great Forest. He always seemed to have a knack for planning and would appear just in time to help me when I was in danger. It was amazing, like a dream… I think I really liked him, but we were always so timid and submissive, how pathetic.

The other person was different, that guy named Mingyang. He was like a blazing fireball, endlessly radiating his passion and unrestrained spirit. When I was with him, I could say silly things, and even when I was terrified and flustered when we encountered ghosts, I didn't feel embarrassed. He was like a willful child, throwing the constraints of etiquette to the back of his mind, arrogant and unruly, and... he was also born with ghost eyes.

Grandma, why are my memories of the past month or so during summer vacation fragmented? It's as if I've been hypnotized.

Hypnosis?!

Big Black ran up the mountain again, head down, red tongue lolling out, eyes fixed on the row of trees to its right. "Big Black, do you come to see Grandma often?" It ran to my feet and lay down, making a whimpering sound. I wanted to get it something to eat, but my own stomach was growling; I hadn't eaten breakfast.

Section 3: Xishan Tomb (3)

As soon as they came down the slope, they saw the two men hiding under a paulownia tree, whispering to each other. The jeep had its head resting on Apple's lap, its eyes closed contentedly. Apple was using a horn-shaped ear pick to clean its ears; from a distance, it looked a bit like a monkey picking lice.

"Get up! Let's go down the mountain. Aren't you hungry?" I darted over like a gust of wind, with Big Black following closely behind, galloping down the mountain. The two of them quickly got ready and followed.

Halfway up the mountain, Big Black wrapped its arms around my feet, clearly blocking my path, and howled incessantly. What's wrong? I asked, puzzled. It stared intently at me and shook its head to the north.

"You want me... to go over there?" I pointed to the north.

It bowed, took a few steps to the north, stopped to look at me, then turned and continued walking north. What was it going to do? I hesitated for a moment, then followed.

"Where to?" Apple called to me.

“I don’t know,” I said. “Big Black seems to be trying to lead me somewhere.”

"North?" the jeep asked. "Do you have any relatives buried on the north hill?"

"It shouldn't be..." I thought for a moment. "The Book of Burial says: 'Burial should be done on land where vital energy is concentrated.' This means that burial should be done on land where vital energy is concentrated. Yin house feng shui emphasizes the dragon, sand, water, and direction, that is, using the direction to receive water and move sand, combined with the principles of the twenty-four mountains, the twenty-eight constellations, and the Na Jia water method for comprehensive analysis. The north side of this mountain has sand flying and water flowing, which is extremely unsuitable for building a tomb. My family was a wealthy family in the late Qing Dynasty, and we paid great attention to the feng shui of our ancestors' burial sites. Our family's burial sites are all surrounded by sand and water, which is suitable for burial. How could a relative be buried on the north side?" I frowned, feeling the yin energy in the north getting heavier and heavier.

"Wow, you're amazing! You even know about feng shui?" Apple's mouth opened into an exaggerated "O" shape.

"How would I know!" I laughed. "There's a lot to learn about that. I've only heard my grandma talk about the basics."

"Woof—!"

Big Black suddenly barked wildly. What? Is someone nearby? Looking around, he couldn't see a single person.

"What's your name?" I stepped forward and pressed down on Big Black, making it lie down and quiet down.

"Ruoxi!" Apple crossed her arms and leaned against the jeep. "Why do I feel so cold?"

"cold?"

"Yeah! It's cold! Look, I have goosebumps." She pulled up her sleeve to show me.

I didn't say anything, but I felt uneasy: the dampness was getting heavier, and my eyelids and heels felt heavy, not even like walking in the mortal world. There were probably hundreds of tombs on this mountain, so the yin energy was naturally heavier than at the foot of the mountain. The trees were dense, and the sunlight seemed to be blocked, so it was no wonder that I felt cold. "Let's go back first!" I pulled Big Black down the mountain, putting my questions aside for the time being.

Apple shivered from the cold on the way, so the jeep took off its coat and draped it over her, then touched her forehead and said, "It seems like you're burning up."

"Did you catch a cold sleeping in the courtyard last night?" I asked worriedly. "I'd better go and talk to the old lady about sleeping in the room!"

The jeep asked, "What if she doesn't agree? All the rooms are rented out, where will there be any empty space?"

“She’s greedy for small gains. We’re paying for the accommodation, just treating it as a hotel stay.” That’s what I said, but who exactly lived in the West Room and Grandma’s room? This question lingered in my mind.