Fantasmas de la tumba antigua

Capítulo 8

It sounded like the rustling of leaves being stepped on was coming from under that row of windows.

Following his gaze, Xiao Hui'er also saw that there was someone under the window!

It was a woman's back view. At that moment, she was walking westward along the wall from the east window of the anatomy classroom, her back to Yan Hao and Xiao Hui'er. She walked slowly, her head down, seemingly deep in thought. Because she was wearing a dark gray woolen long dress, she wasn't particularly noticeable. But in this late autumn, such a figure appearing in this setting added a touch of melancholy. The figure receded into the distance, and even Xiao Hui'er stared, speechless.

Just as the shadow was about to reach the window at the western end, she seemed to sense someone. She slightly turned her head, glanced at where Yan Hao and the others were, then quickened her pace and disappeared around the corner of the building.

Although it was just a slight turn of his head, Yan Hao recognized the face at a glance. It was clearly Teacher Xia from the Physiology Department!

At that moment, it felt like an earthquake had struck his heart!

A multitude of questions arose at once. "How did she get here? Was she here for a walk? Why would she choose a place like this for a walk? Especially since she had to cross those iron fences and bushes."

Yan Hao felt a wave of dizziness again.

Teacher Xia's face, her face with her eyes tightly closed in the blood, met and separated in Yan Hao's mind, met and separated again... Strange sighs came from afar and then came from afar... There was also Shen Zihan's voice in the dormitory talking about the female ghost... Teacher Xia's voice talking to him in the office... And the withered hand with long nails behind the white sheet in the dream... These images and sounds gradually became grotesque and dark!

In that instant, Yan Hao sensed that he had nowhere to escape! Perhaps all of this was fate's arrangement! It was an intricate web, a trap fraught with danger, or even an unpredictable signal from the underworld!

He was somewhat desperate! Xiao Hui'er saw that his face was pale and his eyes were empty. His forehead was covered with a layer of cold sweat.

The two remained silent for a long time. Finally, Xiao Hui asked, "You...you know her?"

Yan Hao shook his head. Then he slowly said, "It seems to be a teacher."

Xiao Hui'er said, "This person is so strange! Incredibly strange! Let's go, I don't want to look anymore!"

On the way to "Listening to the Rain Pavilion," Yan Hao's mood plummeted. As they walked, Xiao Hui'er muttered, "It's just seeing someone, why is he so scared?!"

Yan Hao didn't bother talking to her; he knew he couldn't explain it all to her.

He had a vague feeling that it was far from over! Perhaps it was just the beginning.

The so-called "Listening to the Rain Pavilion" is actually just a small restaurant converted from a residential house, but it has been given a pretentious and elegant name. It seems quite ridiculous.

Most of the customers here are students, almost all of whom come specifically for their signature dish, "Du Po Chicken." The preparation of "Du Po Chicken" involves cutting chicken into pieces, stewing it in a pot with star anise, fennel, cinnamon, and other spices, along with small chili peppers, scallions, garlic, and diced carrots. It's served slowly over a low flame, like a hot pot, releasing a rich and lingering aroma. After finishing the chicken, you can add various side dishes to the broth. It's even more delicious with draft beer. Because the restaurant is small, the prices are very reasonable: a large pot costs forty yuan, and a small pot costs thirty yuan.

Yan Hao and his friends ordered a large pot and two large kegs of draft beer today. When he and Xiao Hui arrived, the four of them were chatting and cracking melon seeds at the table.

Shen Zihan winked at Xiao Hui'er and said, "Sister-in-law, did you go check out that haunted place?" Xiao Hui'er glanced at Yan Hao, thought for a moment, and said, "I went, but there's nothing special about it. It's just a dilapidated building."

This answer clearly didn't satisfy Shen Zihan. Just as he was about to comment, Xiao Hui'er interrupted him, saying, "Brother Shen, you're from the Northeast, you know there are four types of men in Sichuan you can't mess with, right?" Shen Zihan said, "Heh, tell me, let's see if this Northeastern man can handle them!" Xiao Hui'er said, "These four types of men you can't mess with are: the one who insults someone and then goes on to curse their ancestors for eight generations; the one who loses at mahjong and then bets two hundred yuan in one go; the one who talks nonsense from the Spring and Autumn Period to the modern era; and the one who spends three days and two nights in a teahouse without ever leaving."

A burst of laughter erupted from the table.

Xiao Hui'er changed the subject just to lighten the mood. She could also tell that her boyfriend Yan Hao had something on his mind.

Only Yan Hao didn't laugh. After all, he's from Sichuan, so it's only natural he wouldn't laugh! Aside from Xiao Hui'er, no one noticed anything unusual about his mood. No one knew what he was thinking with his ashen face.

Every afternoon, Jiang Boyu would return to his dormitory from the playground covered in mud and sweat, only to be ridiculed by his roommates.

"Damn, you're really putting in a lot of effort as the female captain, are you trying to have it all?" That's what Shen Wei said. "Strategist" Duan Youzhi routinely asked Jiang Boyu every day if he and Miss He would rekindle their old flame. He even recited in a sickeningly sweet voice, "Under the autumn sunset, amidst the passion of football, a budding romance quietly blossoms—between the female football players and their coach." Shen Wei's eyes widened, and he said, "You kid, do you even know how to choose your words? They're both eighteen, and the girl's not even twenty, how does that become a twilight romance?" Duan Youzhi clicked his tongue and said, "If you're going to say you're destined to be a bachelor, Shen! Those two—every day at dusk, sweetly running around the football field, what else would you call that but a twilight romance?" Shen Wei laughed and cursed, "Damn it, if I'd known it would be this enjoyable, I wouldn't have given this opportunity to Old Jiang."

Jiang Boyu always just laughed off their questioning and gossip, never participating. When Shen Wei pressed him, he would retort, "If you don't trust me, then you can do it yourself."

Shen Wei never expected He Jihong to be on that women's football team. Making Jiang Boyu the coach was like throwing dry wood into a raging fire. He initially regretted it, but the words were already out, and he couldn't take them back. Later, he hid by the field and observed carefully. Seeing that Jiang Boyu and He Jihong weren't particularly close, he felt a little relieved. However, he still couldn't help but give Jiang Boyu a warning every night during their late-night talks.

Jiang Boyu was a very dedicated coach. After a week of training, the girls had finally gotten the hang of it. It wasn't like before when they started doing group scrimmages, where, except for the goalkeeper, the other girls would just swarm after the ball, making onlookers laugh until their stomachs hurt – was this playing football or chasing it? Now, at least they had positions for forwards, midfielders, and defenders. He Jihong was moved to forward by Jiang Boyu, and Wang Danyang to defense. These two tall girls were now the mainstays of their women's football team. Then, Jiang Boyu also got rid of a few players who weren't putting in enough effort during training and were just throwing the ball around like it was nothing, and the whole team started to look more professional. Wang Danyang often said to Jiang Boyu, "With you here, this championship is a piece of cake for us!"

However, the other girls on the team still thought this junior teammate was quite fierce. Off the field, you could joke around with him as much as you wanted, but if you weren't serious during training, he'd give you a hard time. Sometimes he'd unleash a torrent of abuse, and even Wang Danyang was no exception. These pampered football babes at home couldn't stand this treatment; some burst into tears on the spot, some threatened to quit, and some cursed Jiang Boyu behind his back, calling him a cold-blooded little devil.

Once, a girl playing midfield kept missing her passes, and Jiang Boyu said, "Are you playing football or shopping? Don't you have a brain? Go home and practice kicking your bed legs!" This immediately made her cry. Afterwards, Wang Danyang said, "Comrade Jiang Boyu, could you at least try to comfort her? Otherwise, it's so hard for me to do any ideological work." Jiang Boyu remained silent, then finally said, "Either don't bother me, or replace her!"

The only person Jiang Boyu never scolded was He Jihong. It wasn't that Jiang Boyu was biased towards her, but rather that He Jihong was physically excellent and had an exceptionally solid training attitude. For example, if you asked her to do ten push-ups, she would always do fifteen. She was also active on the field, had a decent overall understanding of the game, and was willing to fight and compete. So even if she made a mistake, Jiang Boyu only needed to give her a slight pointer, and she would immediately understand—a clear drum doesn't need heavy blows! She would never make the same mistake twice.

However, when Jiang Boyu gave a collective summary and tactical guidance to the team members, he never specifically praised He Jihong.

Wang Danyang had the most contact with Jiang Boyu and spoke the most with him.

As the team captain, Wang Danyang had to communicate frequently with the coach. Although she was also criticized, off the court, she always tried to get close to Jiang Boyu. Her way of addressing Jiang Boyu gradually changed from "Coach Jiang" to "Jiang Boyu... Boyu".

"Boyu, let me treat you to dinner. You've worked hard." Wang Danyang said to him with a smile after training on Friday.

"Eat? Didn't we already pay?" Jiang Boyu was referring to the meal card his women's soccer team had given him to keep their promise—it already had 100 yuan pre-loaded on it. When Wang Danyang handed him the card, she said, "We can't arrange for a girl to eat with you every day. Let's just pack it all up, you can eat whatever you like each day!"

So now that Wang Danyang is treating everyone to dinner again, Jiang Boyu is puzzled.

"Can't I treat you to a meal? You've been working so hard teaching us, how can you eat in the cafeteria every day? I'm giving you some extra nutrition. I'm afraid you'll never find a girlfriend if you overwork yourself!" Wang Danyang said with a half-joking tone.

Jiang Boyu could only hum and haw in agreement: "Okay then, thanks... How many people are there?"

Wang Danyang said, "Just the two of us. When we get outside the school, I'll take you to a place that makes really good boiled fish."

That evening, the two met at the school gate at the agreed time. Wang Danyang was wearing a light yellow open-front wool sweater, beige casual pants, and a touch of light perfume; it was clear she had taken care of her appearance. They took a bus for over twenty minutes to a rather upscale restaurant near the Second Ring Road.

Wang Danyang ordered a large portion of boiled fish, along with snow peas, Sichuan pickled vegetables, Japanese tofu, and a side of lettuce with oyster sauce. Jiang Boyu said, "So much, how can we finish it all?" Wang Danyang smiled and said, "Four dishes and a soup, after all. You're not a young lady." Wang Danyang then casually asked, "Boyu, where are you from?" Jiang Boyu said, "I'm from Hunan. From western Hunan." Wang Danyang said, "Then we're practically from the same hometown. I'm from Hubei. From Wuhan."

When the food arrived, Wang Danyang insisted on ordering two more bottles of beer.

"Tomorrow's the weekend. No classes, nothing to do." Wang Danyang's movements as she poured the wine looked quite practiced. "You know what this is called tilting the glass? You have to tilt the glass to control the foam."

Jiang Boyu asked in surprise, "Where did you learn all this? It's rare for girls to be able to drink." Wang Danyang replied, "At home. When I'm on vacation, I help my parents entertain guests."

This was the first time in Jiang Boyu's life that he had eaten alone with a girl. He seemed quite reserved, but this reserve only made him seem more endearing. Wang Danyang, on the other hand, was very excited and lively, constantly piling food in front of him. She also frequently raised her glass, and her toasts were mostly expressions of gratitude for Jiang Boyu's hard work and wishes for good results in the competition.

Indeed, as Wang Danyang said, the boiled fish here was excellent. The ambiance was also very stylish. And there was the faint strains of piano music playing softly in their ears.

In no time, both of their bottles of beer were empty.

Wang Danyang loudly ordered the waiter to bring two more bottles of Blue Sword Pure Draft Beer. Jiang Boyu said, "That's enough... that's all."

Wang Danyang chuckled and said, "Your drinking capacity—we've all inquired about it. Seven or eight bottles shouldn't be a problem, right?!"

Jiang Boyu was startled and asked, "Who said that?" Wang Danyang blinked and said, "I won't tell you, it's someone close to you anyway."

Jiang Boyu suddenly realized that this girl was really extraordinary.

Wang Danyang raised another full glass of beer and said, "Boyu, I really admire you." Two red patches had already appeared on her face. Her eyes were fixed on Jiang Boyu. She seemed to want to say something, but then stopped herself.

Jiang Boyu lowered his head, looking embarrassed and flustered. He vaguely sensed that Wang Danyang's intentions were not what they seemed, and that she only wanted to end the dinner as soon as possible. He could only pretend not to have heard what Wang Danyang had said and stood up, saying, "Excuse me, I'm going to the restroom."

The meal lasted almost two hours. Finally, Jiang Boyu used the excuse of going back to his dormitory to wait for a call from home—finally ending this long meal! Wang Danyang seemed a little drunk, and on the way to the bus stop, she intentionally or unintentionally bumped into Jiang Boyu's shoulder. Jiang Boyu reflexively quickened his pace, and Wang Danyang, panting, told him to slow down, but he pretended not to hear.

Jiang Boyu parted ways with Wang Danyang at the school gate. He said, "Let's go our separate ways, it won't look good if our classmates see us." This time, Wang Danyang didn't insist. As she turned to leave, she slipped a bulging envelope into Jiang Boyu's hand, smiled, and said, "This is for you."

Jiang Boyu didn't go straight back to his dorm. He knew he'd be subjected to a barrage of questions if he went back now. Even with ten mouths to speak, he wouldn't be able to explain himself then. So he simply made a detour to the auditorium to watch a movie.

The student council was holding an Oscar film week event in the auditorium—no tickets required. When Jiang Boyu went in, they were showing "Gone with the Wind," and the auditorium was packed with people.

Jiang Boyu found a corner seat in the back row. In the dim light, he tore open the large envelope—inside was a pair of Adidas knee pads, clearly not counterfeit. Attached to the envelope was a folded pink letter with eight neatly written characters: "It's fate that we met; I wish you success."

Jiang Boyu gave a wry smile. The colorful images and noise on the screen gave him a dreamlike feeling. Thinking about what had happened tonight, it was just like a carefully crafted plot in a TV drama.

It was his first time dating a girl, and Wang Danyang's enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming for the 18-year-old boy.

On Saturdays, the women's soccer team's training is suspended so the players can take care of their personal belongings. Shen Wei and the other men's soccer players also skipped the game, asking to catch up on sleep. Jiang Boyu spent the whole day sullenly in his dormitory. He sat alone on his bed, fiddling with his wooden guitar, humming a few lines here and there.

Jiang Boyu's two great passions—football and music—are respectively referred to by Duan Youzhi as Old Jiang's "football wife" and "music lover." Jiang Boyu taught himself guitar in his second year of high school and continued composing even in university. During his time as a women's football coach, he played and hummed every day, and even Shen Wei, who is tone-deaf, could hum the first few lines—"I like you, your long hair; I want you to talk to me; I feel happiness in my palm, slowly melting away..." Shen Wei once asked, "What's the name of this song? It's quite nice." Jiang Boyu thought for a moment and said, "Let's call it 'Want.'" Shen Wei said, "You mean you want that girl He? Why make it sound so convoluted and sour." Jiang Boyu glared at him angrily.

He had long since hidden the knee pads that Wang Danyang had given him, keeping them a secret from everyone.

Shen Wei didn't get out of bed until 11:30 a.m. When he saw Jiang Boyu sitting alone on the edge of the bed, holding a guitar and lost in thought, he said, "Why are you feeling sentimental again? Who has upset you, you melancholy prince?"

Unexpectedly, Jiang Boyu blurted out, "Then I quit being the captain. You can go instead." Shen Wei was taken aback and said, "Weren't you perfectly fine yesterday? There's only a week left until the competition and you're quitting? That would be disastrous for everyone. Your training, your tactics, your style—I don't understand any of that!" Seeing that Jiang Boyu remained silent, he chuckled and said, "Were you being harassed by someone?"

When Jiang Boyu had something on his mind, he couldn't keep his composure. He blushed and said, "No, no, it's just that I'm too tired, and I'm afraid it will affect our official competition. You should go. I'll explain the situation to you, and we'll hand over the shift on Sunday." After saying that, Jiang Boyu threw the meal card that Wang Danyang had given him onto Shen Wei's bed and said, "Here you go, I've never used this card."

Shen Wei was completely dumbfounded.

Jiang Boyu's stubbornness is well-known. If he says he's not going to do something, it's definitely GAME OVER—all over. That's why Duan Youzhi always calls him a "stubborn ox."

Shen Wei figured that this stubborn guy must have run into something. He'd seen him come home very late last night—saying he'd gone to see a movie, but what kind of movie is that, watching it alone? He was clearly preoccupied.

But what exactly was it—Shen Wei, who was naturally simple-minded, just couldn't figure it out.

He thought he should ask Wang Danyang. Jiang Boyu leaving with the plate was a minor matter; ruining his great friendship with his senior female classmates was a much bigger deal—he was counting on these soccer babes to be his cheerleaders!

Shen Wei quietly entrusted this important task to Duan Youzhi, knowing that Duan Youzhi's god-sister was not only in the same class as Wang Danyang and her classmates, but also a member of the football team. He asked Duan Youzhi to find out if anything had happened during Jiang Boyu's training yesterday.

Before lunchtime, Duan Youzhi replied, "People say Jiang Boyu trains really hard, and their captain even treated him to dinner on Friday night. Haha, that guy's got some good luck with women."

Shen Wei was beginning to understand what was going on.

After much deliberation, he decided it would be better to simply decline this troublesome task and avoid attracting unwanted attention, which would only disrupt the morale of his troops.

At 2 PM on Sunday afternoon, Wang Danyang and her group had all gathered on the playground, but Jiang Boyu was still nowhere to be seen. Usually, Jiang Boyu was the one who arrived earlier than them.

After waiting and hoping, all that came was Shen Wei, with his square head and boxy features, walking into the iron fence of the playground.

As soon as Wang Danyang saw Shen Wei, she exclaimed, "Where's Boyu? Did he forget to sleep?"

Shen Wei said with a look of misfortune, "I'm sorry, senior sisters, our Lao Jiang ate something unclean the night before last, um—he got acute gastroenteritis, and he was vomiting and having diarrhea all day yesterday. Ah—I think he won't be able to come this week. You'll have to practice on your own. Huh?" After saying that, he deliberately glanced at Wang Danyang.

Shen Wei's excuse was truly hitting the nail on the head, leaving Wang Danyang speechless—she and Jiang Boyu had dinner together the night before!

Wang Danyang's face flushed slightly, and she turned her head away embarrassedly. Frowning, she muttered, "No way? What should I do?"

Seeing that it was working, Shen Wei shouted even louder. "Hey, it's only a few days left anyway! You guys practice on your own, you'll still win the championship. I've watched all the other women's teams, and your technique is the best. How about I give you a look today?"

Wang Danyang lowered her head, pursed her lips, and thought for a long time. Suddenly, she waved her hand, pulled a long face, and said loudly, "No more training today. Whatever happens, happens." This left Shen Wei and the group of girls looking at each other in bewilderment.

Wang Danyang walked away hurriedly, her face flushed.

While Shen Wei was telling a colossal lie on the playground, Jiang Boyu was playing his guitar and singing his song "Want".

After Shen Wei entered, Jiang Boyu asked, "How did it go? Did they see through your lie?"

Shen Wei plopped down on the bed and said, "I didn't see through it, but it's a pity you ignited the explosives. If there's a chain reaction, I'll have to offer you up. Those ladies have a temper."

Jiang Boyu frowned, then played a series of arpeggios and said, "Then I might as well cripple my own legs! And never play football again!"

Shen Wei said angrily, "You don't know how lucky you are. You have food, drink, and beautiful women. Why are you still complaining?"

Jiang Boyu rolled his eyes at him, snorted, and went back to playing his "Want" piece.

The music was melodious. The afternoon sun shone on Jiang Boyu's slightly melancholy face, concealing the underlying turmoil and confusion beneath the calm surface.

A few soft knocks on the door startled Shen Wei, who was about to fall into a deep sleep, and Jiang Boyu, who was softly singing.

Shen Wei thought it was someone from another dormitory coming to visit, and mumbled in his sleep, "Come in!"

The door was pushed open halfway. Standing in the doorway, half-hidden, was none other than He Jihong.

Jiang Boyu's piano playing stopped abruptly. Shen Wei exclaimed and jumped out of bed. The two of them said in unison, "It's you?"

He Jihong smiled slightly and said, "It's me. The captain ran away, so I had no choice but to come. What can I do? I'm the vice-captain."

Jiang Boyu thought to himself that he had never heard Wang Danyang mention He Jihong's position.