Wandernde Lieder am Ende der Welt

Kapitel 17

Zhang Qun pulled Wu Bingbing towards the bus inside the station, leaving the woman in black standing there stunned. The woman seemed about to explain something when Zhang Qun suddenly shouted, "You're a coward! A liar! —"

Wu Bingbing felt embarrassed looking at the woman and scolded Zhang Qun, "Why did you talk about her like that?"

Zhang Qun said, "I hate those hypocrites and charlatans who claim to be saving others. Bah! —"

Even after getting into the car, Zhang Qun was still cursing at the woman. Wu Bingbing laughed and slapped her to stop.

This long-distance bus, old and worn, rattled and creaked all over the place. It was packed with people, even lying in the aisle, their bags and luggage making the space between them completely blocked. The farmers were having a competition, smoking, coughing, spitting, and shouting loudly. The air inside was stuffy and smelly. Bingbing was carsick, with a headache, nausea, and a churning stomach. She kept vomiting, and since there were no trash bags, she wasted a piece of clothing. Zhang Qun was taking care of her, but he himself started feeling unwell. He first tried the traditional methods of acupressure and rubbing her navel, but to no avail, and finally, he too began vomiting. Zhang Qun opened the window to let in some fresh air. But after a short while, a thin man stood up and closed the window. Zhang Qun opened it again, and the man closed it again, cursing, "Damn it, it's so cold outside, why keep opening the window?"

Unexpectedly, Zhang Qun jumped up, rushed forward, and slapped the man across the face, shouting, "Are you even a man? How can a man bully a woman like this? We both get carsick; opening the window for some fresh air will freeze you to death, won't it?"

Seeing her tough demeanor, the man smacked his lips a few times, turned his head away, and remained silent.

Wu Bingbing pinched Zhang Qun admiringly. They huddled together, comforting and encouraging each other, gritting their teeth and enduring the entire night until the bus reached its final stop the next morning.

The two women, supporting each other, staggered off the car and sat down on the side of the road, panting heavily. Once they had rested, they realized they had vomited everything. They sat down at a small roadside shop, ordered two baskets of steamed buns, two bowls of noodles, and a pot of soup, and then wolfed them down, finishing everything to the surprise of the restaurant owner.

At this moment, Zhang Qun regained his composure. "Bingbing, where do you think that Li Qin lives?"

"I'll stay in this county town."

"There are no mountains or rivers here."

"Jiang Lan's home should not be far from here."

"Boss lady, are there any mountains around here?"

The proprietress said, "No, there are just a lot of mountains here."

The two looked in the direction she was pointing, and to the northwest were rolling mountains.

"Madam, how far is it from here to the Yellow River?"

"It's not far, about twenty miles to the southwest, that's the big river."

Zhang Qun said, "Shall we head southwest and search between the mountains and the Yellow River?"

Then, carrying their luggage, they headed southwest. After walking for about ten kilometers, they asked a passerby for directions. The passerby said that the Yellow River was not far away, and it would only take half a day to reach it.

They continued their leisurely journey, their path leading to endless expanses of yellow earth. Even the sky was an unreasonably pale yellow, with only rows of poplar trees along the roadside retaining a few green leaves amidst the remaining yellow foliage. To the other side, they saw mountains of varying heights, layer upon layer, winding their way to the horizon.

They finally reached the Yellow River. It was late autumn, with little rain, so the river's water level was low, but the current was swift, still displaying a majestic and powerful force. The water was murky and yellowish, rising and falling with its current, as if a giant dragon lurked beneath, its large whirlpools like its wary eyes peeking out from beneath. The two stood on the cracked ground by the riverbank, watching the wooden boats and rafts passing by, wondering what to do next.

Bingbing went up to the old man on the boat and asked him how many small rivers were on this side of the Yellow River. The old man didn't understand her question and kept changing the subject, thinking she was going to cross the river, and asked her where she was going.

Bingbing explained to Zhang Qun that if Jiang Lan and Teacher Li Qin were from the same hometown, then the mountain and the tributary flowing into the Yellow River in the dream wouldn't be too far away. By finding a tributary within a hundred miles that flows into the Yellow River and going upstream, they could find the mountain and the house in front of it, thus locating the place where Jiang Lan lived in the dream. Zhang Qun thought about it and agreed. The two then questioned the old man again.

The old man who was rowing the boat said, "Is it a small river that flows into this river? There is a river more than 30 kilometers downstream, and it's much farther downstream. Even I, who run boats, rarely go there... Counting upstream, there are two rivers. One is more than 10 kilometers ahead, and the other is 40 kilometers ahead."

Bingbing asked, "Is there a stream that flows out of the mountains?"

The old man said, "The two rivers upstream both flow out of the mountains."

Bingbing and Zhang Qun exchanged a glance and decided to head upstream to find the two tributaries. They would then search for each tributary from downstream to upstream, tracing it all the way into the mountains.

Walking along the riverbank for more than 10 kilometers, they saw a small river flowing into the Yellow River from the north. They continued upstream along this river as planned. On both sides of the river were uneven wastelands, with stubble from harvested crops and villages nestled among willows. They walked through the villages, but the loess slopes grew increasingly higher, and the houses along the river were built one after another on the mountainside. The distant mountains seemed to press together, seemingly insurmountable. They walked until nightfall, spending the night at a mountain villager's home, and continued deeper into the ravine the next day. The river grew narrower and narrower until it was finally squeezed into a crevice by the mountains on either side. Zhang Qun asked as they walked, "Is this it? Do you remember this place?" Bingbing kept shaking her head, unable to find any familiar place. Judging from all aspects, it didn't seem like they were in these mountains. They decided not to go any further. Returning by the same route took another day. They had wasted three whole days in this ravine.

On the morning of the fourth day, they continued westward along the Yellow River, walking on the not-too-high embankment on the north bank, braving the suffocating sandstorm, until they finally encountered another tributary in the afternoon. Following this tributary upstream, they saw flat, open terrain stretching as far as the eye could see, like a small alluvial plain; the soil was fertile, the grass green, and the forests lush. The mountains to the northwest rose and fell like waves, enticing them to continue. Although both their legs were swollen and their feet blistered, they were excited—because Bingbing finally said she had a feeling, a power deep within her driving her forward.

They walked for dozens of miles, and by evening they reached a high mountain. The river meandered around the foot of the mountain, and they followed the river to the other side. Unexpectedly, a completely different scene unfolded behind the mountain. They found themselves halfway up, standing at a surprisingly high elevation, overlooking sloping land dotted with fields and villages, interspersed with patches of oleander. While the trees below had withered and turned yellow, the oleanders on this mountain remained lush and verdant, stretching from the slopes all the way to the summit. From afar, the dense foliage, so thick it covered the ground, resembled clouds rising from the valley and surging towards the mountaintop.

Bingbing was certain that what she was seeing now was the mountain from her dream, the mountain that was always shrouded in mist—only that the original mountain was far away, while this one was closer. They would naturally continue downhill, searching for the best vantage point among the countless villages at the foot of the mountain, until they found the house from her dream, and from there, the view of the mountain would perfectly match the scene in her dream.

They walked down the hillside, weaving through the oleander bushes, turning back every now and then to look for the right angle, the right direction, the right location. Bingbing walked ahead, Zhang Qun following closely behind, constantly asking Bingbing if they should take out the photo and ask around, or if they should inquire in the village. Bingbing seemed not to hear, running forward without a care. Suddenly, she thought of going left, then right; her legs moved unconsciously, as if guided by some inexplicable force. She ran past a village, straight to the foot of the mountain, and when she looked back, her heart skipped a beat.

Bingbing said, "We found it. This is the place, just like the one I saw in my dream."

Bingbing said, "My heart suddenly started pounding, and I don't know why, but I kept wanting to cry."

Bingbing said, "This mountain and the scenery in front of it are so familiar, it's like I've been here before."

She spoke excitedly, her mind racing through past dreams, a series of images flashing through her mind. Like everyone who returns to their hometown and recalls their former life, this place stirred memories for Wu Bingbing. She felt a pang of homesickness, a mix of familiarity and strangeness, warmth and bittersweetness. She closed her eyes, lost in thought, as if transported back to her childhood, standing under the big tree outside her grandmother's house, feeling a closeness to home, a sense of security that her family was nearby, knowing that a simple turn would reveal the warm house, her smiling grandparents, and the delicious aromas of food. When she opened her eyes and regained her composure, she realized clearly that she had never been to this place before; the strange, familiar excitement stemmed from a deep connection within her heart.

Zhang Qun asked, "Were the villages and houses you dreamed of the same as those over there?"

Bingbing looked over there and saw a large village at the foot of the mountain. The houses were scattered on the hillside, some with earthen walls and some with stone walls, and most of them had thatched roofs, though a few had blue tile roofs. Almost every house had a courtyard enclosed by stones or wooden stakes. Wild oleanders grew in the open spaces in front of and behind the houses.

Bingbing said, "The village and houses are similar to those in my dream. Only the houses in my dream were a bit more dilapidated..."

Zhang Qun said, "That's right! You dreamed of Jiang Lan's childhood house."

Suddenly, a knocking sound came from the village, like someone tapping a basin with a wooden stick, making a clanging sound. Then, someone else started banging on something else, like old pieces of metal, the sound monotonous and clattering. A woman ran to the edge of the village, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Maotou, come back!—"

Amidst the increasingly lively sounds of banging in the village, the two saw livestock and people emerging sparsely from the surrounding hillsides and woods, hurrying back to the village in the afterglow of the setting sun.

A boy emerged from the bushes, nearly bumping into Zhang Qun. The boy yelled, "Ghost! Ghost!" and ran downhill. Zhang Qun stamped his foot at him as he disappeared into the distance, saying, "You brat! What ghost? You're the ghost!" Then an old woman passed by. When they stopped her to ask her questions, the old woman became very panicked, waving her hands and scrambling away.

Neither of them understood why the people here were so strange, calling others ghosts while they themselves were the ones acting suspiciously. Just then, they saw an old man coming down the mountain, leading a skinny donkey with a string of bells around its neck. The old man was busy urging the donkey on with a branch, and when he looked up, he was surprised to see them. The two went up to greet him.

The old man said, "You two are the prospectors, aren't you? Hurry up and get down before sunset; you can still make it to town... If you really can't make it back, go find the village chief. Don't dawdle here; it'll be troublesome after dark—"

"What trouble might happen after dark?" Zhang Qun asked, puzzled.

"Don't you two know? That female ghost comes out after dark. Three people have died on this mountain, and seven people have died in the village. Everyone in the village is fearless, and you two don't care? You two should hurry down the mountain; I have to go. The sun is setting, so hurry up and leave!"

Zhang Qun said, "No wonder the villagers were making a lot of noise; they were trying to call their people and livestock back."

Bingbing said, "We also need to go into the village. Hopefully, the village chief he mentioned will take care of us."

Zhang Qun said, "We're prospecting for minerals, the local people should welcome us, right?"

Bingbing said, "Yes, of course. Uncle, will the village chief arrange accommodation for us?"

The old man said, "Two groups of prospectors came half a year ago. Once, when it rained heavily, they came to the village to take shelter from the rain, and the village chief arranged for them to stay in the empty building that used to be the school."

“We’ll be paid to stay there,” Bingbing said.

“The village chief is a chimney; just buy him a few packs of cigarettes and that will be fine.”

Before they knew it, the donkey had gone far away. The old man cursed and hurried after his donkey.

The two women dared not delay, and hurriedly carried their luggage, following the old man down the mountain.

Chapter Sixteen

Her daughter, Xiaoyue, was brought into the village with her. A natural beauty, she matured early in her teens, attracting the attention of young men two generations her senior. Since this mother and daughter arrived, the village has been plagued by trouble…

The village was eerily quiet. Just moments before, many lights had been visible in the distance, but now they were all shut and closed. Only a lone large lantern stood tall in the southern village square, casting a cold, desolate light on the rooftops. The two women walked into the village, casting long shadows behind them. They knocked on several doors, asking where the village chief lived, but no one answered. They couldn't understand; it just got dark early in the mountains, it wasn't actually that late, so what were the villagers so afraid of?

As Zhang Qun walked, she said, "This place is strange. I haven't heard any dogs barking, there isn't even a dog. This is impossible in a mountain village." She grew up in a mountain village, so she naturally felt that something was wrong here.

Bingbing thought about it and realized it made sense. She said nervously, "We forgot to ask the old man driving the donkey his name and where he lived. Maybe he can help us?"

Then they knocked on doors, one after another from south to north, repeatedly calling out, "Fellow villagers, we're from the exploration team. Could you find us a place to stay? Or, could you tell us where the village chief lives?"

One family opened their window, and as the women were about to approach, they quickly slammed it shut in fright. Another family stuck a hunting rifle out from under their gate, yelling that they would shoot if they knocked again. A man stood behind his fence, shouting at the top of his lungs, "The village chief isn't here. Go forward, it's the second house at the back of the village!"

They headed towards the back of the village. The houses were irregularly shaped, and they were completely bewildered as to where the second house was at the back. They had no choice but to knock on doors again. By then it was getting late, and no one answered. Their voices were hoarse, and they were utterly exhausted, so they decided to give up.

They discussed returning to the south of the village to find a sheltered, warm spot near the threshing ground to spend the night. As they were carrying their belongings back, a strange figure appeared from the southern hillside, swaying and running towards them. Startled, the two women quickly hid. The figure was completely black, hopping forward. Only when it passed under the lamplight did they realize it was a pale-faced young man, walking with his arms crossed and a hunched posture, one step larger than the other, making a clattering sound. The young man ran towards them, and they quickly hid behind a house, crouching beside a haystack, too afraid to utter a sound. Unexpectedly, the man saw them, walked over, and stood in front of them, staring at them without saying a word. The two women huddled together, wondering what the man would do next. Then, he snorted, turned, and ran away again, shrugging his shoulders.

“He’s an idiot,” Bingbing said. “Quickly call him, he can help us.”

Zhang Qun immediately jumped up and chased after him, shouting, "Hey, don't go! Wait a minute, I'm talking to you!"

The fool actually stopped. They quickly ran to him, and Bingbing handed him a bag of cookies, which he tried to tear open but couldn't. Zhang Qun grabbed it, tore it open with her teeth, and handed it to him. He clenched his fingers together, trembling for a while before finally pulling out a cookie and stuffing it into his mouth, grinning and saying, "Delicious, delicious."

Bingbing asked, "Little brother, can you take us to the village chief's house? Where is the village chief's house?"

The simpleton tilted his head and muttered, "The village chief is behind the village... The village chief's dog died, and Old Man Nao's dog died too..."

"Who is Grandpa Nao?"

"I'm scared, Xiaoyue is here again."

"Who is Xiaoyue? A female ghost? Where is she?"

"Look over there on the mountain—it flew into the woods."

The two followed the fool's finger and looked, but there was nothing on the mountain at the edge of the village, yet they were still somewhat apprehensive.

"Don't be afraid, little brother, tell us who Xiaoyue is, okay?"

The fool stared wide-eyed and pointed behind Bingbing, startling her so much that she quickly turned around, and Zhang Qun also dodged to the side.

"Shh! There are wolves over there, wolves eat people, run!" he said, and ran off in a shuffling motion.

The two men exchanged a glance and breathed a sigh of relief. Zhang Qunfei quickly ran a few steps, stopped the simpleton, and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "If you don't tell us, I'm not letting you go today!"

Bingbing said, "Take us to the village chief's house. You're a very fierce older sister!"

Zhang Qun, arms crossed, said, "We're going to kidnap you! We'll tie you up and take you to the city! Understand?"

Bingbing laughed and playfully slapped Zhang Qun, saying, "Shall we go, little brother, to the village chief's house?"

The fool didn't say a word. He walked ahead with his head tilted to the side, and the two women followed behind.

Reaching the door of a house they had just passed, the idiot picked up a clod of dirt and hurled it at the paper-covered window. No reaction. He smashed it again, and the light inside came on. A man cursed, "It's that damn idiot again! Why don't you go smash someone else's house? Is it because I slept with your mother?"

The fool squealed like a chick gasping for breath, shrugged his shoulders, and ran off in a wobbly, unsteady manner.

At this moment, Bingbing and Zhang Qun stepped forward and spoke with the village chief. They continued, saying they were from the exploration team and had to work tomorrow, so they couldn't go home today. They wanted to find a place to rest and trusted the organization, believing that the village chief, representing the organization, would help them. The village chief asked, "Are you human or ghosts?" They said they were human! The village chief asked, "How can you prove you're human?" They said, "Then come out and let me see!" The village chief said, "How about this, put your hands in through the window, and I'll feel if they're warm or cold." Reluctantly, they did as they were told, putting their hands through the window hole that the fool had smashed earlier.

Actually, the village chief had seen them both through the hole in the window. His wife cursed, "An old dog can't change its nature! You're taking advantage of that young woman again!"

The village chief smiled and said, "I won't touch it. It doesn't look like a ghost." Then he came out of the house and said, "Let's go to the school in the south. We'll make do for the night and talk about it tomorrow."

The village chief introduced himself as surnamed Shi. He led them to the school, opened the door, threw the blankets he had brought onto the table, lit a cigarette, and paced around the room, saying that no one in the village goes out at night, but he was risking his life because of them. They didn't answer, standing there waiting for the village chief to leave. The village chief, bored, said, "Alright, I'm leaving."

Bingbing closed the doors and windows and checked the door locks and latches for security.

Zhang Qun said, "This wretched place is so bad that you can't even guard against people, let alone ghosts."

Bingbing said, "How about we take turns sleeping for a while?"

Zhang Qun said, "I'm exhausted, I'm going to sleep now. If a ghost comes, let her eat me first. If someone rapes me, so be it, I don't even have the strength to struggle."

Bingbing smiled and said, "I'm watching over you, so you can sleep soundly!" As she spoke, she took off the peach pit necklace she was wearing and bent down to hang it on Zhang Qun, but Zhang Qun pushed her hand away.

"Thank you." Zhang Qun parted her clothes to reveal a matching peach pit necklace underneath, and said, "I have one too; the monk gave it to me later. Goodnight!"

The next day, they left the school building, wanting to find a place to store their laptops. They remembered the old man who drove the donkey from the day before, but walking along the main road in the village, they didn't encounter anyone to ask for directions. They had no choice but to go to the village head's house again. The village head's wife was there, saying the village head had gone out to dig for wild vegetables. When asked why there were so few people in the village, the village head's wife said that all the young people had gone to earn money outside the mountains, leaving only the elderly and children in the village. Besides, so many people had died in the past two months; those who were timid and had worries had all run away.

Just then, Village Chief Shi returned, a cigarette dangling from his lips and a handful of wild vegetables in his hand. His wife quickly took their luggage to the room.

The village chief said, "I knew you would come, so I prepared something new for you. Women don't know these things, unlike us men who have been outside the mountains, seen the world, and know what city people like to eat."

Bingbing said, "The exploration team hasn't arrived yet. I'm afraid we'll have to wait for them in the village for a few days. We're sorry to trouble you, village chief!" As she spoke, she took out three hundred-yuan bills and stuffed them into the village chief's hand.