Seltsame Geschichten

Kapitel 20

Standing with the skinny man were two locals. One was the owner of a fabric shop, who was going down the mountain to buy some goods; the other was a college student studying at a teachers' college in the south. Although it wasn't the start of the semester yet, he had made plans with his teachers and classmates to use the holiday to conduct research in an old revolutionary base area in Shandong.

The three men had been waiting by the minibus for quite some time, but the driver still hadn't arrived. The fabric shop owner and the college student were both very anxious; one was worried about missing business, and the other was afraid of missing the departure time agreed upon with his teachers and classmates. Of the three, the most anxious was the skinny man. He couldn't wait to leave Sleepy Valley; this place terrified him. He left in a hurry, not only failing to say goodbye to Qin Ge, Sha Bo, and the others who had come with him, but also forgetting to check out and abandoning his several hundred yuan deposit.

What happened that made him so eager to leave Sleepy Hollow?

He had followed Tang Wan from his city, traveling thousands of miles to this remote town. In that Yi ethnic town, despite being twice severely injured by Tan Dong, he still insisted on boarding the bus to Sleeping Valley. But now, he was leaving in such a hurry, like a wounded wild animal fleeing in panic. All of this happened in a short period of time, after he had spied on Tan Dong and Tang Wan through their window the night before.

Could it be that he saw something through that window that terrified him?

The skinny man was eccentric and taciturn; if he didn't say something, no one would know it.

He himself soon realized that even leaving Sleepy Hollow had become a pipe dream on this day. Because not long after, someone came to tell them that the minibus couldn't run that day because the driver had died on the suspension bridge.

The fabric shop owner and the college student immediately showed expressions of disappointment, but curiosity quickly replaced their disappointment. They grabbed the person who came to report the news and asked about the cause of the mute driver's death. Then, without hesitation, they followed the person down towards the suspension bridge.

The skinny man remained standing by the minibus, motionless for a long time. At this moment, his mind became a blur, and he felt that something was about to happen to him, something that would surely cause him great harm, yet he was completely powerless to change what was about to happen.

Later, as he slowly left the minibus and returned to the Night Sleep Inn, he thought to himself that perhaps he should take the initiative to do something.

The mute driver lay across the suspension bridge, his neck and feet draped over the cables on either side, as if someone had used his body to replace the broken planks of the bridge.

He died from being stabbed repeatedly, with the fatal stab wound piercing his heart through his chest. The remaining stab wounds were on his back, indicating that after the mute man collapsed and died, the killer cruelly stabbed him repeatedly in the back.

If the murderer only intended to kill, there's no reason for him to stab the mute man so many times after his death. The only explanation is that the murderer harbored deep hatred for the mute man and, even after killing him, couldn't vent his resentment, hence the subsequent stabbings. But the mute man was well-liked in town, and given his disability, he had never been heard to argue with anyone in all these years. How could anyone possibly hate him so intensely?

So now there can only be one final explanation, which is—Yaksha.

Only a person who has lost their mind and humanity would be so cruel as to kill someone and then not even spare their corpse. This is a typical act of violent catharsis.

The mysterious and ferocious Yaksha is about to unleash a bloodbath in Sleeping Valley once again.

After such an incident, Qin Ge and Sha Bo certainly wouldn't miss it. They watched from the riverbank for a while, and when the two men in police uniforms carried the mute man's body over, they even went up to check on him.

The body was quickly carried away, and the crowd of onlookers dispersed.

Sha Bo frowned and said to Qin Ge, "The woman in white who led us to the cemetery last night clearly has nothing to do with this."

Qin Ge nodded: "It seems that there is more than one strange thing in Sleeping Valley."

The two returned to the Night Sleep Inn together.

They both went to bed late last night and were quite tired. Moreover, they had now determined that the key to the problem was to find Xue Mei, the landlady of the Night Sleep Inn. Therefore, they decided to stay at the inn for the next two days, partly to wait for Xue Mei to appear and partly to keep an eye on Jiangnan.

Walking down the street, Sha Bo happened to see Yang Xing and Xiao Fei having breakfast at a small restaurant by the roadside, so he went in with Qin Ge. As they entered, Yang Xing rushed out and almost bumped into Sha Bo. Sha Bo quickly dodged, but Yang Xing didn't say a word. He ran outside, squatted down in a corner, and vomited loudly.

Xiao Fei ran over at this moment, wanting to say something to Sha Bo and Qin Ge, but in the end she was still worried about Yang Xing, so she went out and squatted down next to Yang Xing, gently stroking his back, as if that would make Yang Xing feel more comfortable.

Yang Xing vomited violently, and after finally finishing, he stood up, wiped his mouth with a tissue, and his face showed an extremely miserable expression. Sha Bo and Qin Ge then walked over. Sha Bo had already guessed that Yang Xing's old illness had flared up again, but he still asked, "Can't you eat again?"

Yang Xing nodded weakly, but Xiao Fei blurted out, "We must find a few more bottles of wine."

That morning, Yang Xing and Xiao Fei had also gone to the bridge to see the dead body, but they returned early and got hungry on the way, so they stopped at this small restaurant for breakfast. Because Yang Xing had a good appetite the past few days, he ate a lot, just like the previous two days. Unexpectedly, his stomach churned violently as soon as he ate, just like it had been a while ago. He cried out in alarm, tried to hold it in for a while, but finally couldn't take it anymore and rushed out to vomit everything he had eaten.

Undoubtedly, his inability to eat had relapsed. Thinking back to those days when he couldn't eat, Yang Xing was almost going crazy. The feeling of not being able to eat was worse than death.

However, Xiao Fei's spontaneous mention of "wine" gave Yang Xing a sudden inspiration.

Only by finding wine can his illness be cured. It seems there's no cure yet, but at least he can eat normally. Wine—Yang Xing's mind is now filled with those purplish-red liquids, and for a moment, the delicate aroma of wine even lingers on his tongue.

"Go find wine, go find wine," Yang Xing muttered twice, then turned and walked away. After a few meters, he turned back, a bewildered expression on his face. He asked, "Where can I find wine?"

Sha Boqin Ge, who had been feeling rather heavy-hearted, couldn't help but burst out laughing at Yang Xing's expression. Yang Xing glared at him and said, "Don't you have any sympathy? Are you happy to see me like this?"

Shabo and Qin Ge quickly became serious. Qin Ge said, "Okay, go find some wine."

"I know I need to find wine, the key is where to find it now." Yang Xing's eyes were still wide open, clearly anxious, and even his tone of voice had become irritable.

Xiao Fei then said to Qin Ge, "You're quick-witted, give us a couple of tips."

Qin Ge gave Sha Bo a wry smile: "If only I were a god, I could conjure up two boxes for you right away."

Yang Xing said, "I don't care. Anyway, you were the one who led us to this godforsaken place. If anything happens to me, you'll be held responsible."

Qin Ge wore an expression that was both funny and exasperated.

Shabo tried to smooth things over, saying, "Let's go back and discuss this."

Chapter 21: Midnight Run

"What do you want?" Shabo asked warily.

The thin man standing by the door remained silent, a hint of doubt in his eyes behind his black-rimmed glasses.

Seeing his hesitation, Shabo became even more wary. This skinny man had barely spoken a word to him since arriving in Sleeping Valley, and his unpredictable movements made him seem unusually mysterious. Furthermore, he had joined the tour group halfway through and had a complicated relationship with Tan Dong, so Shabo avoided him like the plague. But that evening, just as Qin Ge left, the skinny man appeared at his door, which made him suspicious and secretly on guard.

The skinny man was also very hesitant at this moment. He had some things he wanted to say to Shabo, but Shabo's distrustful look made him feel a little hurt.

"What do you want?" Sha Bo's tone was already getting impatient. He was going to the only internet cafe in town that night, and to avoid arousing Jiang Nan's suspicion, he wasn't going with Qin Ge.

The skinny man remained expressionless. He stared at Shabo, then suddenly sighed, said nothing, and turned to leave. Shabo muttered angrily, walked to the door, and just then saw the skinny man enter his room.

The skinny man was a loner; he lived alone in a single room next to Shabo's.

Shabo didn't think much of it, quickly tidied up, and went out to the internet cafe.

The skinny man paced back and forth in his room, his usual composure gone. His travel bag lay on the bed, along with the rope and binoculars. There was also a small toolbox on the bed. Suddenly, he went to the bedside and opened it. Inside were many small compartments, neatly arranged with syringes and small medicine bottles. His hand gently stroked them, his face still showing hesitation.

He suddenly exerted force and flipped the small toolbox over to the ground.

He had brought these things with him from the city, hoping to use them on Tang Wan, but now it was clear he had lost all confidence in what he was about to do. The syringes and medicine bottles rolled all over the floor, and the thin man's expression became extremely pained.

Later, the skinny man didn't bother to clean up the mess. He slowly took off his clothes and went into the bathroom.

He stopped in front of the mirror, staring at the emaciated figure reflected there, his face filled with disgust and hatred. Suddenly, he threw a powerful punch, shattering the mirror. Some shards landed on the sink in front of it, while others splashed onto him. Blood seeped from the knuckles of his right fist.

The skinny man felt no pain; his eyes remained fixed on the shattered mirror. The cracks reflected numerous figures, all similarly mutilated and incomplete, each as thin as a stick. The skinny man's bloodied hand gently traced his chest, armpits, and ribs, his entire body trembling uncontrollably in that instant.

He finally couldn't hold back and vomited again.

The thin man, his face streaked with tears and snot, finally collapsed to the ground, his naked body still convulsing. He picked up a shard of glass from the ground and slowly ran it across his chest, drawing out streaks of blood. The blood trembled along with his convulsing body, like a snake writhing on his skin.

After the snakes had finished writhing, the thin man regained his composure. He silently washed away the filth from his body, wiped his wounds with alcohol swabs, and then put on his black clothes.

Someone so thin shouldn't be wearing black, but he likes black. Black symbolizes the eternal night, and he can hide himself in the night, like a spirit of the night.

The man in black slung the travel bag over his shoulder again and walked out of the Night Sleep Inn.

He had clearly made his decision, so his steps were firm and decisive. His figure quickly disappeared down the street, as if he had completely melted into the black night.

Tonight, the sky was a deep, still blue, like a tranquil pool, and the glittering stars seemed to float on the water. The air in Sleeping Valley had a refreshing, slightly intoxicating quality that made Tang Wan's mood exceptionally cheerful.

Tan Dong was digging a hole in the yard, his upper body bare, revealing his strong, muscular physique. Tang Wan sat on the porch, smiling as she watched him. Earlier that day, Tan Dong had unexpectedly discovered a gardenia over a foot tall in the town's only flower shop. Overjoyed, he bought it without hesitation. Then, in the evening, he told the landlady and began digging a hole in the yard.

Tang Wan looked at Tan Dong's serious expression and chuckled softly from behind: "The gardenia is still so small, why did you dig such a big hole?"

"You don't know, gardenias are very resilient. Look how small it is now, but in a few years, it will grow into a gardenia tree, taller than you."

Tan Dong dug the hole, filled it with the prepared soil, and then moved the small gardenia into it. The gardenia looked exceptionally delicate, and compared to the large patch of fresh soil around it, it seemed rather lonely. Tan Dong washed his hands and stood beside Tang Wan.

"I told you, when I was little, we had a huge gardenia tree in our house. It was taller than me, and its branches and leaves were so thick that two people couldn't wrap their arms around it. On spring mornings, when I woke up, I would find countless pure white flowers blooming among the lush green leaves of the gardenia tree, and their fragrance would fill the entire yard. Back then, before going to school, I would always pick a lot of gardenias and stuff them in my schoolbag to take to school. Because of those flowers, I became the most popular boy among the girls in the class. They would surround me, and everyone would smile at me, afraid that I wouldn't give them flowers. The classroom would be filled with the fragrance of gardenias for the whole morning, and even the most serious teacher would smile when they walked into the classroom."

Tang Wan took his hand and said with a smile, "Now you have another gardenia. In a few years, it will be lush and verdant again."

Tan Dong was in an unusually good mood. He gently stroked Tang Wan's long hair and said, "This is our gardenia tree."

“Every spring morning from now on, I want you to pick some gardenias for me and place them by my bedside, so that I will see them when I open my eyes.”

"And me, I will be by your side when you open your eyes."

It was a beautiful night, so beautiful that Tang Wan thought of the word "happiness." Being able to live peacefully with the man she loved in such a secluded town, far from the hustle and bustle, filled Tang Wan with true contentment. Of course, a shadow lingered within this contentment, but those shadows would eventually pass, just like that skinny man; he wouldn't stay in Sleeping Valley forever. After that, they would truly become residents of Sleeping Valley, no one would recognize them anymore, and they would live out their lives in peace and happiness.

Tang Wan's happiness was Tan Dong's happiness; he was clearly affected by Tang Wan's emotions, and a long-lost smile appeared on his face. However, all of this suddenly changed in an instant.

After taking a shower in the house, Tang Wan got dressed and went out to find Tan Dong. Tan Dong stood there, stunned, in front of the slender gardenia. For some reason, Tan Dong's back view suddenly cast a shadow over Tang Wan's heart.

Tan Dong had been standing there for an unknown amount of time. His back seemed much more hunched, whereas just moments before, when he was digging the hole shirtless, he had exuded a powerful strength. Tang Wan slowly walked over and stood beside him, and he seemed oblivious to her presence. Tang Wan saw the desolation on his face; he appeared to have aged considerably in a short time.

"Tan Dong," Tang Wan called his name timidly.

He turned his head and looked at Tang Wan, whose face was still full of desolation.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Tang Wan's voice was already trembling slightly.

"I'm wondering, will this gardenia really grow into a gardenia tree?" Tan Dong said slowly, his voice sounding unfamiliar yet as if it came from a distant and unpredictable space.

Tang Wan's whole body turned ice-cold in an instant. She gripped Tan Dong's hand tightly, but couldn't feel the strength that used to satisfy her: "What happened? Tell me, please tell me."

"There are no more gardenia trees!" Tan Dong suddenly exclaimed.

He had never spoken to Tang Wan in such a tone before, and Tang Wan was so frightened that she couldn't speak. Tan Dong suddenly became anxious and agitated. He muttered to himself, "There's no gardenia tree anymore. How can this little gardenia grow into a gardenia tree? It takes many, many years to grow into a gardenia tree. Who knows what might happen during that long period of time?"

"What did you say?" Tang Wan hugged Tan Dong's waist from behind. "What does it matter if it's been many, many years? We have plenty of time. We'll definitely wait until it grows into a gardenia tree."

"There are no more gardenia trees!" Tan Dong shouted again, almost hysterically. With a slight effort, he broke free from Tang Wan's embrace. He suddenly stepped forward and, without hesitation, stomped on the newly planted gardenia. With a single step, he snapped the slender branch, and his foot crushed it, sinking the few remaining leaves into the loose soil.

Tang Wan was stunned. She stood there blankly, tears streaming down her face. Her whole body trembled with fear.

Tan Dong turned around and stared at Tang Wan. It seemed that Tang Wan's fear had awakened him, and his agitated expression was tinged with guilt. He waved his hands at Tang Wan, as if he wanted to explain something, but he didn't know where to begin. Some words swirled in his throat, but finally fell back down.

Tang Wan trembled and wept, her appearance extremely pitiful and helpless.

Tan Dong finally lost control of himself. He suddenly turned around, said nothing, and ran away. After her initial shock, Tang Wan chased after him to the door, but Tan Dong's figure had already disappeared into the alley outside.

"Tan Dong!" Tang Wan called out weakly, her body going limp and needing to lean against the wall to stand.

About an hour later, Tan Dong returned, soaking wet. He had rushed out without thinking, having no idea where he was going. He felt a surge of power within him, almost driving him mad. He knew what it was, but was powerless to resist it. If there were a way to completely free himself, he would choose to do so without hesitation. He ran through the intricate alleyways, climbed a few steps, and suddenly a suspension bridge came into view. He didn't stop, heading straight for the bridge.

Standing in the middle of the bridge, Tan Dong was breathing heavily.

Tang Wan's face was reflected in the shimmering river, and Tan Dong's heart ached terribly. He would rather die than lose Tang Wan, but why must people sometimes do things against their own will? Tang Wan's reflection in the water gradually faded away, and Tan Dong let out a heart-wrenching roar. Unable to contain his grief and anger any longer, he jumped off the bridge.

The river flowing down from the high mountain was exceptionally cold. Tan Dong struggled to swim upstream, his arms outstretched, against the current. He didn't know how long he swam, but eventually, exhausted, he lay on his back in the water, letting the river carry him along.

When he opened his eyes, he saw the suspension bridge flash across the night sky again. Tang Wan's image reappeared in the night sky. He immediately wondered what Tang Wan was doing now. She was alone at home, and she must be scared without him by her side.

Tan Dong returned, carrying with him his concern and affection for Tang Wan.

Tang Wan lay on the bed, expressionless and lifeless. Her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, motionless for a long time, like a dead person. Tan Dong felt sorry for her, squatted down by the bed, hugged Tang Wan, and repeatedly apologized to her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's all my fault, I'll never leave you again."

Tang Wan wept silently. She said, "Do you know, I've been waiting for you to come back. No matter what you've done, I'll forgive you as long as you come back."

Tears welled up in Tan Dong's eyes as he hugged Tang Wan even tighter, as if trying to meld her whole being into his body.

As the night grew calmer, the couple, under the solitary lamp, embraced and wept.

Late at night, Sha Bo and Qin Ge returned to the Night Sleep Inn from the internet cafe. The journey was uneventful, and the mysterious woman in white did not reappear. To avoid arousing Jiang Nan's suspicion, Qin Ge returned to the inn ten minutes before Sha Bo, who was, as usual, reading under the lamp. Qin Ge hesitated for a moment when greeting him, but finally went over and sat down next to him.