abandoned village apartment

Chapter 5

As I held Jiaming in my arms, looking at his tiny face, tears welled up in my eyes. Look, he'll be nursing soon. I gently kissed him, hoping he would grow up healthy and happy like other children—a wish shared by all mothers. The day after Jiaming was born, I discovered the jade ring had fallen off my finger. It seemed Qingyuan was right; it had fulfilled its purpose. Qingyuan took the ring, saying he'd give it to his parents-in-law, who would then return it to their old home in the remote village. I hadn't written in my diary for seven days. Now, taking advantage of the fact that no one else was in the room, I quietly took out my diary and, lying in bed, recorded my feelings about becoming a mother.

April 5th, 1948 (37th year of the Republic of China) - Light Rain. "A drizzling rain falls on the Qingming Festival, the mourners on the road are heartbroken." Now, the light rain outside the window reminds me of this poem. Today is Qingming Festival. We were supposed to go back to our hometown to sweep the tombs, but because Jiaming is only a few months old, we didn't hold any ancestral rites. Taking advantage of my in-laws being home, Qingyuan invited a photographer to take a family photo. The location was on the ground floor, in the large room with the piano. After the lighting was set up, Qingyuan, my in-laws, and I posed, with Jiaming in my arms. The photographer wanted us to smile, but we couldn't satisfy him, and in the end, he could only take a serious-looking family photo. Facing the camera lens, I felt only fear and dread, and the child in my arms cried, as if his soul was being taken away. I know this is my hallucination. But recently, my hallucinations have become increasingly intense; I often see terrifying scenes in my dreams—

Section 48: That's right, we are not human.

I dreamt that my child had turned into a blood-sucking bat, hanging upside down from the rafters; I dreamt that my husband had blood-dripping fangs and was sucking my blood from my throat; I dreamt that my father-in-law had turned into a Qing Dynasty zombie, hopping towards me with outstretched arms; I dreamt that my mother-in-law, her entire body exposed as white bones, crawled out of her coffin. Yes, for months these nightmares have been relentlessly haunting me, leaving me with no joy whatsoever from the joy of becoming a new mother, only deep fear and despair.

April 6th, 1948 (Cloudy) This morning, my parents-in-law went back to their hometown. Qingyuan also went to work and hasn't returned home yet. After Jiaming fell asleep, I went downstairs alone and turned on my piano. It had been a long time since I'd played the piano, and as I touched the keys, tears welled up in my eyes again. I played Liszt's "Until Forever," a piece that holds special meaning for me now. I can only say that the piano is my only confidante. Yes, only in front of the piano, in the melodies of Liszt, do I feel happy, only then do I feel like I am myself, like a woman named Ruoyun, and not just a daughter-in-law of the Ouyang family.

Just as I was completely immersed in the piano music, I realized Qingyuan was already standing behind me. He looked terrible, as if he'd been drinking. He told me to stop playing the piano, never to play again, because he hated the way I played. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I said I wouldn't give up the piano unless I died. But to my surprise, he slapped me. I touched my cheek where Qingyuan had hit me, and tears streamed down my face. In the year or so we'd been married, although he was cold towards me, he had never hit me before. This humiliation made me think of death. Qingyuan seemed to sober up too. He quickly hugged me and whispered an apology, but I could only respond with silence. However, Qingyuan also began to sob slightly. He seemed lost in his own world, muttering to himself, "Don't cry anymore. Actually, I'm even more heartbroken than you are. You don't know, I'm the son of a wife-renter." I finally spoke, "What is a wife-renter?" Qingyuan then began to explain. It turned out that "wife-renting" was a custom in eastern Zhejiang, where wealthy families without sons would pay to "rent" wives from poorer families to bear children. Years ago, Qingyuan's father, childless in middle age, paid to rent a wife-renter, who later gave birth to Qingyuan. The wife-renter often missed her original husband and child. Once, she escaped from the Ouyang family but was caught and brought back. She was then punished by being thrown into a well to drown. In fact, the Ouyang family killed the wife-renter because they feared she would reveal their family secrets after escaping the deserted village. Therefore, they drowned her to silence her.

In truth, Qingyuan harbored deep hatred for his father because his father had killed his biological mother. However, all of this was for the sake of the family secret; no one could violate the ancestral rules, and no matter how painful, it had to be endured. I was also quite surprised to learn that Qingyuan wasn't my mother-in-law's biological son. Back in my study upstairs, I hastily wrote down today's diary entry. If the Ouyang family could kill Qingyuan's mother to keep their secret, wouldn't they kill me too? April 10th, 1948 (Cloudy) Today, my spirits were at their lowest point because my piano was unplayable. I opened the piano to check and found that all the parts inside were smashed. Looking at these mangled piano parts, I felt a heart-wrenching pain. This piano was a gift from my mother, a dowry from my family; it was even more important than my life.

That night, I cornered Qingyuan in my room on the second floor. He admitted that he had destroyed the piano, intending to make me completely give up on my family. But I still couldn't believe it. My once deeply loved husband had smashed the most important thing in my life; he had shattered my heart. Since moving into the deserted apartment, I had endured so much, but I couldn't tolerate Qingyuan damaging my piano. So, I unleashed all my pain, tears streaming down my face, my heart breaking. But Qingyuan remained unusually calm. He coldly said, "Ruoyun, now that you've married into the Ouyang family, you should live a different life, forget about the outside world." "Why can't you do what others can? Aren't you human?" Qingyuan slowly nodded: "That's right, we're not human." His words shocked me. Judging from his serious expression, he was definitely not joking.

Section 49: Hell That Devours Souls

I asked, trembling, "Not human? Then what are you?" "Listen to me," the voice said, "our Ouyang family is different from ordinary humans. As I've mentioned, our ancestors were the royal rulers of the ancient Jade Kingdom in Jiangnan five thousand years ago. They weren't originally from this continent, but came from another extremely distant and mysterious place. In short, our family is another species. The blood of our ancestors from the ancient Jade Kingdom flows in our veins. Our purpose in life is to protect our family's secret." I was stunned again. Was my husband not human? Then was my son not human either? No, I think Qingyuan has gone mad. I can't live with this madman anymore.

Finally, I mustered up the courage to say, "Qingyuan, let's get a divorce." "What did you say?" Qingyuan seemed to have misheard. "I said I want a divorce," I said, tears welling in my eyes. "Qingyuan, I once loved you deeply, but I can't continue living with you. I don't want to be a sacrifice for your family. This house is a cage, a hell that devours souls. And I'm leaving with my son. No matter whose blood flows in his veins, he should have the same life and happiness as other children. I love my son Jiaming, and I can't let him live in the shadow of this family. He has the right to happiness." Qingyuan shook his head and said fiercely, "Are you crazy? Since ancient times, once you marry into the Ouyang family in this desolate village, you can never leave. If any daughter-in-law tries to elope, she will be punished most severely." "What is the most severe punishment?" He slowly uttered a single word: "Death." But I was no longer afraid and coldly replied, "For freedom, I would rather die." Ruoyun's diary ends here; the rest are all blank pages.

It was already two in the morning. Xiaoqian and I had finally finished reading this diary from over fifty years ago. Suddenly, the candle flame flickered a few times, and we realized that the candle was almost burned out, so I quickly replaced it with a new one. Xiaoqian closed Ruoyun's diary, took a deep breath, and said, "My God, is this the secret of the deserted village?" Having stared at it for hours, my eyes and shoulders ached. I stretched and said, "This diary is truly incredible, but unfortunately many pages have been torn out; what we've seen is only a small part." Xiaoqian gently stroked the cover and said, "Ruoyun's fate was so tragic, but she was a new woman living in the 20th century. Deep down, she yearned for love and freedom; she refused to be a caged bird. So, she took her son and left the Ouyang family to pursue a completely new life. Alas, I wonder if she succeeded." But at that moment, I had no mind to think about Ruoyun's fate; I was more concerned about myself—I slowly raised my left hand, looking at the jade ring on my ring finger. The crimson stain seemed even more glaring, for I now knew whose blood it was. I looked at the jade ring and said, "The ancient jade kingdom mentioned in the diary, dating back five thousand years, is clearly the Liangzhu civilization we know today. Whether it's the time period, the geographical scope, or its most prominent feature—jade artifacts—it all perfectly matches the Liangzhu culture as discovered in archaeological excavations today. The diary says the ancient jade kingdom built cities with magnificent palaces and altars, which are also consistent with what was discovered at the Mojiaoshan site." "So, this diary has unlocked the mystery of the ancient Liangzhu kingdom for you?" "I can't say it's unlocked yet, but it has provided me with a key to open the door to the Liangzhu civilization. Yes, the secret of the Ouyang family in the desolate village..." Actually, it's the secret of the ancient Liangzhu civilization. They are descendants of the ancient Liangzhu royal family, who have lived in seclusion in a deserted village since the fall of their ancient kingdom. Because the deserted village is where their ancestors landed on the East Asian continent, it holds great significance for them. "But the diary says that the Ouyang family's ancestors were gods. Do you believe that?" "I don't know. Many cultures have similar myths, saying their ancestors came from the heavenly realm. But the diary does mention that the Ouyang family's ancestors came from an extremely distant and mysterious place; they crossed a vast ocean to reach the deserted village. So, where exactly is this extremely distant and mysterious place?"

Suddenly, Xiaoqian seemed to remember something: "An extremely distant and mysterious place? Could it be aliens?" "Aliens? No, this isn't Ni Kuang's Wesley series, where aliens are only used to fill in the gaps when the novel can't make sense." "What do you mean by 'god'? The ancestors of the Ouyang family might have come from the sea, or they might have come from the sky. Ancient people didn't know what aliens were. In the eyes of backward and superstitious ancient people, people who descended from the sky were naturally gods." I could only nod and say, "Theoretically, that possibility does exist. Like the Stonehenge ruins in England, the line patterns in the Andes Desert of Peru, Easter Island in the South Pacific, and so on, these mysterious phenomena and relics don't seem to be created by humans on Earth." "Right, didn't Ruoyun's husband say in the diary that the Ouyang family weren't real humans, that they were another species?" "No, you can't believe everything in the diary, but—" I turned my gaze to the jade ring again, "but I believe the story about the jade ring."

Xiaoqian stared at the jade ring, and said softly, "It once wore the finger of the last queen of the ancient Jade Kingdom. When the queen died for love, her blood flowed onto the jade ring, and it can never be wiped away." I trembled as I touched the crimson stain on the jade ring—the blood of the Liangzhu queen, over four thousand years old, yet still so vivid and striking. It embodied the queen's sorrow and pain, possessing a certain mysterious power, at least allowing my eyes to travel through time and see scenes from decades ago. More than fifty years ago, Ruoyun wore this jade ring when she was pregnant. After she gave birth, the ring naturally fell off. So what about me? Now, I'm almost in despair. "This jade ring is a sacred object of the Ouyang family in the desolate village, undoubtedly inviolable, like the mummies of ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Have you heard of the 'Pharaoh's Curse'? In the early 20th century, archaeologists excavated the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun of ancient Egypt. When they entered the tomb passage, they saw inscriptions warning them that everyone who entered the tomb would be cursed to death. But the archaeologists still unearthed the pharaoh's mummy. No one could have imagined that in the following years, everyone who participated in the excavation, or who studied Tutankhamun's mummy..." "Everyone died mysteriously." Xiaoqian's eyes widened. "You mean, those four college students entered the deserted village and stole the jade ring from the ground. Their actions violated an ancient taboo, so they suffered the same fate as the 'Pharaoh's Curse'?" "Yes, didn't two of them die from nightmares? To give you an analogy—nightmares are like a computer virus. Once you enter the underground palace and steal the sacred object, you get infected with this virus. A few days later, the virus activates and becomes a nightmare that kills." "Is it really like your novel?"

I shook my head helplessly. Her face must have looked terrifying in the candlelight. "If the contents of the diary are true, then Mr. Ouyang and his daughter, Xiaozhi, must also be descendants of the ancient Liangzhu royal family. But now they are both dead. The Ouyang family will have no more descendants. This ancient family, which has lasted for five thousand years, has come to an end. I wonder if this is a blessing or a curse for us?" However, my words seemed to touch a nerve with Xiaoqian. Her expression suddenly became extremely abnormal, and something seemed to flash in her eyes, making me vaguely afraid in the dim candlelight. But she avoided my gaze, and finally simply closed her eyes. I felt her body growing weaker and weaker, gradually half-lying on the folding bed. It was already three in the morning. I've never had the habit of staying up late, and now I finally couldn't hold on any longer. I wanted to leave and go upstairs, but Xiaoqian held my hand tightly. Afraid that standing up would wake her, I gently blew out the candle. I turned on a flashlight, closed my eyes, and wanted to sit next to Xiaoqian for a short nap... but I didn't expect to fall asleep as soon as I sat down, and only woke up slowly when the morning sun shone on my eyelids. When I opened my sleepy eyes, I saw that Xiaoqian was still fast asleep. It turned out that I had slept like that all night. A wave of panic washed over me. If she saw me, I wouldn't be able to explain myself. I stood up quietly, but just as I reached the door, I heard Xiaoqian's voice: "Where are you going?" I turned around awkwardly: "I just came in." "No, you were just lying next to me." She stared into my eyes, leaving me no room to explain. She stood up, grabbed my hand, and asked, "I'm so grateful you didn't leave me last night." "I'm sorry, I was just too tired last night." "Me too." Xiaoqian pulled me down to sit again and asked, "Tell me, are you very scared?" I lowered my eyes, looking at the jade ring on my hand, and said, "Yes, those four college students were killed because of this jade ring, and it's on my wrist now. I don't know if the misfortune of this deserted village will befall me." "No, your fear stems from your loneliness, and I feel the same way. We can only overcome fear together. So, you can't leave me."

Yes, only the lonely feel fear. I suddenly felt a glimmer of hope, grabbed her hand, and said, "Xiaoqian, I will never leave you." Her tears flowed again. Half an hour later, Xiaoqian and I went out for breakfast, and then she went to work at the ice cream shop, while I had to find someone—Ye Xiao. Now, only he could help me. I went straight to the police station and found my cousin, Officer Ye Xiao. He was surprised by my sudden visit and pulled me to a secluded corner. I bluntly stated my purpose: "Ye Xiao, I want to check the files of the old Shanghai police station to see if there are any case files from 1948 concerning Anxi Road." Ye Xiao thought for a while and said, "Okay, I can help you. I hope you can get out of here soon." We had lunch together, and then he took me to the archives, which housed the criminal files of old Shanghai. Ye Xiao led me into the archives reading room, and it took more than two hours just to search the catalog. After much difficulty, we finally found all the files related to Anxi Road. We then retrieved the 1948 archives. There weren't many cases on Anxi Road that year, but we finally found the file for No. 13 Anxi Road. -- Sure enough, a major case had occurred that year. Out of professional habit as a policeman, Ye Xiao immediately perked up. These files were densely packed with text, written in the official document format of that era, making them difficult for me to understand at a glance. However, reviewing files was always Ye Xiao's forte. He skillfully flipped through the files, looking at page after page of crime scene records, police reports, and case reports. I simply stopped looking at the files and stared at Ye Xiao's face, noticing his expression gradually becoming serious. Several tens of minutes later, Ye Xiao suddenly closed the file and said coldly, "Perhaps it was my mistake. I should have come to check the case files much earlier."

Chapter 50: She, Now a Ghost

I asked anxiously, "What exactly happened?" "On April 11, 1948, someone reported to the police that a murder had occurred at No. 13 Anxi Road. An Ruoyun, the daughter-in-law of the Ouyang family, had been killed." "Ruoyun is dead?" I was so shocked that I almost jumped off my chair. Ye Xiao said calmly, "Don't get agitated. The police arrived at the scene that very night. They found An Ruoyun's body in a second-floor room at No. 13 Anxi Road. She had been stabbed in the chest, the stab wound piercing her heart, causing her immediate death. Standing beside her was her husband, Ouyang Qingyuan, covered in blood, holding an infant in his arms. The murder weapon was a sharp dagger, found on the floor. At the time, the deceased's parents-in-law had returned to their hometown. The servants heard a commotion upstairs and ran up to find their mistress lying in a pool of blood." "Ouyang Qingyuan must have killed Ruoyun." "That very night, the police took Ouyang Qingyuan to the station for questioning. Based on his testimony and the results of the on-site investigation, we can basically determine the circumstances of the incident—"

At 9 PM on April 11th, An Ruoyun prepared to divorce Ouyang Qingyuan. She wanted to leave the Ouyang family home with her infant son. However, Ouyang Qingyuan stopped her and tried to lock her in a room on the second floor. But An Ruoyun was determined. She took out a dagger and demanded that Ouyang Qingyuan let her and her son leave. Ouyang Qingyuan refused to comply. He rushed at An Ruoyun and tried to snatch the dagger. During the struggle, An Ruoyun was stabbed in the heart and died instantly. "After listening to Ye Xiao's account, I sat there dumbfounded. On that night of the power outage, Xiaoqian and I witnessed this scene together. That blood is something I will never forget." Ye Xiao continued, "Not long after, Ouyang Qingyuan was sentenced to ten years in prison for manslaughter, but he died of a sudden illness a few months after being imprisoned." "Died of a sudden illness? That's a kind of retribution." "The case file ends here. Because the Kuomintang was about to collapse, many files were lost." I lowered my head and thought for a moment before saying, "Ruoyun is truly pitiful. She wanted to fight for her freedom, but she died at the hands of her own husband. But even more pitiful is her son, who lost his mother at a young age. I think that child must have been taken away by his grandparents later. With such a terrible thing happening in the deserted village apartment, it's impossible for the Ouyang family to stay there any longer."

They must have left Shanghai and taken their child back to their deserted hometown. Thinking of this, a sudden chill ran through me—according to this calculation, isn't Ruoyun and Ouyang Qingyuan's son, Jiaming, the same Mr. Ouyang I met in the deserted village? Yes, Jiaming was born in December 1947, which is exactly Mr. Ouyang's age now. And after Ouyang Qingyuan's death, Jiaming became the sole heir of the family, so there couldn't be another Mr. Ouyang. When I left the archives, it was already dark, and Ye Xiao took me out for dinner again. He also told me that Chunyu was still locked up in the mental hospital, and the doctor said her schizophrenia was very severe, and she might have to stay there for life. As for the missing college student, Su Tianping, there was still no news of him, and his fate was unknown; he seemed to have vanished into the air of the deserted village. Ye Xiao advised me not to go to the deserted village apartment anymore. Actually, I couldn't bear it anymore either, but I had promised Xiaoqian—I could never leave her. At eight o'clock in the evening, I hurriedly returned to Anxi Road. Downstairs at the deserted village apartment, I saw a dim light shining from a room on the second floor.

Xiaoqian must have returned. I hurried upstairs and, sure enough, found her in her room. Hearing my footsteps, Xiaoqian turned around, startled. A dim candle burned beside her, its light illuminating her pale face. Her gaze was so strange that I froze. "What's wrong?" I asked. But she didn't answer. Instead, she raised something in her hand—instantly, a strange light flashed before my eyes, and my heart pounded. Yes, I finally saw it clearly: she was holding a flute. The dim, flickering candlelight illuminated the Chinese bamboo flute, about forty centimeters long. The tube was painted brownish-yellow, with purplish-red silk threads between the holes, and a thin membrane, as thin as a cicada's wing, covering the membrane hole. I knew where it came from. Xiaoqian bit her lip and said, "Just now, while I was tidying up the things in the closet, I found the box you hid in the innermost part. Out of curiosity, I opened it and found this flute inside." Then, she gently stroked the flute's tube, touching it to her cheek as if it were a long-lost friend. I asked, trembling, "You recognize this flute?"

But Xiaoqian didn't answer; she handed the flute to me. The flute was so cold; a chill immediately seeped into my skin, as if I were reliving that cold winter night in the deserted village. I stared at the flickering candlelight, and in the dancing flame, I seemed to see the kerosene lamp of the scholar's residence, and Mr. Ouyang's thin, pale face. And then, in just a few seconds, I remembered it all. Yes, this was a forgotten memory, the last memento the deserted village left me. Alright, now it's time to tell it. I took a deep breath and said, "Xiaoqian, this flute comes from the deserted village. Mr. Ouyang gave it to me personally." "Why? Why did he give you this flute?" "It was several months ago, when I decided to leave the deserted village and bid farewell to Mr. Ouyang at the Jinshi Mansion. At that time, he suddenly became very sad. He said he missed his daughter, Xiaozhi, terribly and hoped she would return to his side. He was willing to sacrifice everything for her. Suddenly, Mr. Ouyang took a flute from his drawer and handed it to me. He asked me to take this flute back to Shanghai to find his daughter, Xiaozhi. He said that whenever Xiaozhi saw this flute, she would remember her father and return to her hometown in the deserted village."

After saying these words, I let out a long sigh, as if expelling the last weight from my heart. However, Xiaoqian's eyes, illuminated by the candlelight, seemed even more strange: "Did you find Xiaozhi?" "I think I told you, I found the university Xiaozhi attended. They told me that Xiaozhi died in a subway accident more than a year ago. I was very sad, so I kept this flute, keeping it at the bottom of my trunk. I don't know how I brought it here." At this moment, a cold glint flashed in Xiaoqian's eyes, sending a chill down my spine. She coldly asked, "Can you play the flute?" "A little bit." "Then please play a tune for me." I hesitated for a moment; it had been a long time since I had played the flute. I slowly raised the flute to my lips, thankfully the membrane was still intact. After a pause, I took a deep breath, held it in my chest for a few seconds, and then poured it into the flute hole. Instantly, the melody of "In That Faraway Place" drifted from the flute. The melodious, slow notes floated through the small room, quickly filling the entire abandoned village apartment. The flute music in the darkness also stirred Xiaoqian; her wide eyes no longer held a sinister look, but were filled with sorrow, as if the flute music was telling her a heartbreaking story. I imagine the flute music must have also floated into the night sky, drifting over the surrounding empty ruins, carrying far, far away; I wonder if the abandoned village hundreds of kilometers away could hear it.

When the piece ended, I was utterly exhausted, my entire being immersed in the flute music, and it took me a long time to come back to my senses. Xiaoqian had also closed her eyes, as if the flute music had touched the most hidden chord in her heart. I put down the flute, gently grasped her shoulders, and said, "What's wrong? Open your eyes." Xiaoqian's lips trembled, as if her soul had flown out of her body with the flute music. Finally, she slowly opened her eyes, her gaze fixed on me with a deep, unwavering intensity, which made my heart race again. "I know Xiaozhi," she uttered in a low, guttural voice. Instantly, as if struck by a blow, I shook my head and said, "Impossible, you couldn't possibly know Xiaozhi. Wasn't she dead long ago?" "No, Xiaozhi isn't dead." Xiaoqian's eyes turned eerily strange again, and her tone was frighteningly calm. "She's always been alive, living in the subway." "Xiaozhi lived in the subway? No, she died in the subway." The candlelight flickered again, and Xiaoqian's face grew even paler. Coupled with that strange look in her eyes, she seemed like a completely different person. She looked directly into my eyes and said softly, "Don't you understand? Xiaozhi doesn't die. She's always been in the subway car. She's wearing a long white dress, with long, flowing black hair, and a faint fragrance emanating from it. She's holding onto the handrail, standing by the window. As the subway speeds through the dark tunnel, the soft light in the car shines on her face, reflecting her fair complexion in the window."

At that moment, no one except Xiaozhi herself would notice the presence of that face. She quietly looked at her own face, appearing and disappearing in the train window, her eyes and lips so captivating, like a heroine straight out of a ghost story. "I listened to Xiaoqian's words, trembling, as if the scenes she described were flashing before my eyes. Suddenly, I felt that all of this was so familiar, as if I had also experienced that strange thing. Yes, when I stood in the subway car, Xiaozhi was standing behind me, quietly looking at the face reflected in the window, sometimes my face, sometimes hers, like a dream..." "Stop talking—" I interrupted her abruptly. "No, let me continue." Xiaoqian seemed to have lost her mind, completely hypnotized, as if remembering was her only desire. Xiaozhi stood, lingered, and waited in the subway car—waiting for whom? Yes, sometimes she would spot him. The young man would stand before her, his eyes lowered as he looked at his reflection in the train window. He looked slightly tired, perhaps troubled by the unfinished novel from the previous night. Sometimes his gaze would meet Xiaozhi's, yet he couldn't see her, even when they were face-to-face in the crowded carriage, their eyes only centimeters apart. Sadly, he still couldn't see Xiaozhi, but she had already fallen in love with him through his eyes. "Who is that person?"

I had a vague idea, but I dared not believe it. But Xiaoqian could no longer hear me. She continued, talking to herself, "In the dark, sunless subway, Xiaozhi always followed that man. Wherever he went, she followed. Sometimes she would follow him out of the carriage and wander on the empty platform. He liked to go to a bookstore in the subway, and she would follow him inside. The bookstore displayed books written by this man, and he would often come to see how his books were selling. She would wander among the bookshelves, and when no one was around, she would quietly flip through his books. When the subway stopped operating at night and the bookstore closed, she would stay alone in front of the bookshelves, reading the man's novels all night long. Countless such nights passed, and Xiaozhi was often moved by his words, sometimes secretly shedding tears, leaving a bright red tear on the title page of the book." In this desolate summer night, in the flickering candlelight of the small room, Xiaoqian narrated a sorrowful story, as if possessed by a ghost. Tears silently streamed down Xiaoqian's cheeks, glistening in the candlelight. With a tear at the corner of her mouth, she said, "Until one day, in that subway bookstore, she saw his novel published in *Mengya* magazine. It was a novel about a deserted village, where the male protagonist fell deeply in love with Xiaozhi, who had become a ghost. Although it was just a fictional story, Xiaozhi felt a deep sadness. She saw him almost every day, yet he could only find her phantom in the novel. No, Xiaozhi was determined to let him see her, to make the feelings he had created in the novel become real love." At this moment, I was deeply moved by Xiaoqian and couldn't help but ask, "Did he see Xiaozhi?" Xiaoqian suddenly opened her eyes wide and stared at me, saying, "Of course, of course he saw Xiaozhi, and they fell in love."

Silence fell upon me, a long silence in the candlelight. No, I couldn't believe what she had just said. Was it Xiaoqian's imagination, or the true voice of a ghost? I slowly reached out and wiped away her tears. Her tears were so warm; they would surely taste bitter if tasted. Xiaoqian finally closed her eyes, collapsing onto the bed as if utterly exhausted, murmuring, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." I too collapsed beside the bed, Xiaoqian's words echoing in my ears. Then, I blew out the candle and went upstairs to sleep. That night, I finally dreamed of Xiaozhi.

Section 51: The Ghosts Will Come Seeking Revenge

I woke up late this morning and found that Xiaoqian had already left the deserted apartment; she must have gone to work at the ice cream shop. After breakfast, I sat alone for a while, pondering what Xiaoqian meant by what she said to me last night. She said she knew Xiaozhi—could it be that they knew each other before Xiaozhi died? Or does Xiaoqian possess some special ability to see things from the past? No, that would be like this jade ring, wouldn't it? I remember when I first met Xiaoqian, she always appeared on the subway, which is why she described her experiences on the subway in such detail. I considered countless possibilities, but then dismissed them one by one. Finally, I decided to investigate Xiaozhi's situation. A few months ago, when I had just returned to Shanghai from the deserted village, I went to the university Xiaozhi attended to look for her. I was told that Xiaozhi had died in a subway accident more than a year ago. Apparently, she fell onto the tracks as the train was pulling into the station and died instantly. But because of the time constraints, I only managed to contact the school's academic affairs office then; now I need to find Xiaozhi's classmates. In the afternoon, I rushed to the university that Xiaozhi had attended.

After making several inquiries, I finally found the girls' dormitory building where Xiaozhi had lived. However, the old woman guarding the gate wouldn't let me in. Luckily, I knew a professor at the university, and with his help, I was able to find Xiaozhi's room. There were three girls in the room: one with long hair, one with short hair, and one with dyed blonde hair. I introduced myself to them, and they immediately started exclaiming. It turned out they had also read "The Abandoned Village," published in April of this year. The long-haired girl cried out first, "Did you really see Xiaozhi's ghost?" I shook my head helplessly and said, "That's just fiction; don't take it seriously." Next, they asked many more questions about the novel "The Abandoned Village," which I could only explain as fiction. Finally, I couldn't wait any longer and interrupted their questions: "Okay, I came today to ask about Xiaozhi." The short-haired girl asked, "You really don't know Xiaozhi?" "I already said, I only know Xiaozhi's name, I don't even know what she looks like." "Okay, Xiaozhi was our classmate and our roommate, and we are all very saddened by her death."

The girl with dyed blonde hair spoke, looking down as she reminisced, "I remember three years ago, when we first arrived at university, we noticed a very beautiful girl among us. Although she came from a remote rural area, she didn't have a hint of rusticity. She said her name was Ouyang Xiaozhi, what an enviable name!" "Could you tell me more about her? What kind of person was she?" the long-haired girl continued, "Perhaps it's because Xiaozhi has a naturally unique气质 (qi zhi, a kind of refined elegance or aura), she gives off an unattainable feeling. Many boys secretly admire her, which honestly makes us all jealous, but it seems like not a single boy..." To be able to get a proper look from her. When facing boys, she's always icy and aloof, even giving us the best opportunities—that's not something an ordinary girl would do. "So, how does she usually interact with you guys?" "Xiaozhi is a very good girl; her understanding often makes me feel ashamed. It's just that she's always thinking about something, so she seems very introverted. Actually, in the dorm, she tries to talk like us, and sometimes I don't think there's anything strange about her, except that her eyes do have an ethereal quality." "Ethereal? Isn't that like something out of a ghost story?" I suddenly thought of Xiaoqian. The short-haired girl spoke up: "Yes, her eyes are always different from others. No matter how close she tries to get to us, she can't shake off that special aura about her. And she loves reading classical books, like *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio*, *Notes from the Thatched Cottage of Close Observation*, *Collection of Yuefu Poems*, *In Search of the Supernatural*, and *Dream of the Red Chamber*. She'll occasionally utter a line from *Dream of the Red Chamber*. We all say she's a born Chinese literature major."

Before she could finish speaking, the girl with dyed hair interjected, "But what's even stranger is that Xiaozhi often says she dreams of strange things. Once, there was construction behind our dormitory building, and she said she had a dream in which a couple committed suicide together. Sure enough, a few days later, they dug up the remains of a man and a woman, who had supposedly been buried for over seventy years. Also, she often says she dreams of a girl hiding in the girls' restroom crying, which makes us afraid to go to the restroom at night. Later we found out that a girl had committed suicide in the restroom a few years ago." "So she can see ghosts in her dreams? Are you scared?" "Of course I was scared! Imagine having a witch who can see ghosts lying next to you, how could you not be afraid? So, we all avoided her after that. Every time we went to the bathroom, she was alone because no one else dared to follow her. Sometimes we were even afraid to go back to the dorm to sleep, and we were superstitious about things she had used. Once, she flipped through one of my books, and I was too scared to look at that book again, so I secretly burned it. Xiaozhi was very sad when she found out about this, and she cried secretly several times. Sigh, now that I think about it, I really feel sorry for her, but it's no use feeling guilty now." I also sighed, feeling sad for Xiaozhi. "That's right, your rejection of her, treating her like a witch or some kind of monster, must have made her very sad." The long-haired girl interjected, "Just a few days before her accident, she said she dreamed about the subway every night, dreaming that she was traveling through the subway cars, speeding down with the subway. But unexpectedly, a few days later, she really had an accident on the subway—" At this point, she suddenly choked up. The short-haired girl put her arm around her shoulder and said, "Yes, we never thought she would die. Thinking about the mistreatment she suffered while she was alive, we were all stunned and felt deeply remorseful."

In the first few months after her death, we slept with the lights on every night, afraid her ghost would come back for revenge. Of course, there are no ghosts, and Xiaozhi couldn't possibly be that kind of person. She was so kind and gentle, she would never hurt anyone—except herself. Seeing their grief, I could only comfort them, saying, "Don't blame yourselves anymore. Xiaozhi wouldn't want to see her roommates so sad. Perhaps it was all destined; Xiaozhi was simply out of place in this world, and the seeds of tragedy had already been sown. By the way, do you have any photos of Xiaozhi?" "I have a few." The girl with dyed hair turned around and rummaged through her bag, pulling out a stack of photos. She finally managed to find a few. I took Xiaozhi's photo and looked at it, and it felt like I'd been punched hard. -- She was clearly Xiaoqian. I immediately rubbed my eyes. No, I absolutely wasn't mistaken. The photo was incredibly clear. Xiaozhi (Xiaoqian) was wearing a white dress, with a slender, tall figure and long, flowing black hair. Her captivating face, the lines of her jaw, the contours of her face, and those deep, melancholic eyes—all were exactly like Xiaoqian's. They were the same person!

What on earth is going on? Does Xiaozhi have a twin sister? No, even twins don't look this alike. I gently stroked the photo of Xiaozhi (Xiaoqian), my hands trembling, even the jade ring on my finger seemed to tighten slightly. The three girls noticed something was wrong and asked me, "What's wrong?" I could only smile awkwardly and say, "Nothing. Can I take this photo back with me?" The girl with the dyed hair shrugged, "Okay, no problem." "Thank you." I immediately stuffed the photo into my bag, thanked them, and hurriedly ran out, leaving the university. When I returned to the deserted apartment, the sky was already full of stars. I ran up to the second floor, pushed open the door heavily, and found Xiaoqian already waiting for me. The room was still dimly lit by candlelight. She turned around and looked at me coldly, without saying a word. I stood there facing her for a moment, then took out the photo of Xiaozhi from my bag. I handed her the photo and asked, "Who is this person?" She looked down at the photo, her face expressionless, and replied, "This is me." "Let me tell you—her name was Xiaozhi, and she died in a subway accident over a year ago." Then, I took a step forward, looked her in the eye, and asked, "And who are you?" Her gaze finally softened, and she whispered, "My name is Ouyang Xiaozhi." Ouyang Xiaozhi? Despite having prepared myself somewhat, I was still stunned. I couldn't believe this possibility could actually be true, nor could I believe that the girl before me had already passed away. "No, don't say that. This is just your imagination. Your name is Nie Xiaoqian. You escaped from Mr. Pu Songling's Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio."

However, she shook her head painfully, a look of remorse on her face: "I'm sorry, I lied to you from the very beginning, or rather, I lied to myself. My name is Ouyang Xiaozhi, but I've been trying so hard to forget my name, forget my past, forget my desolate hometown. I want a completely new life, so I need a completely new name, and that name is Nie Xiaoqian. I want to become Nie Xiaoqian, because she was once the most tragic woman in the world, but after she met Ning Caichen, she became the happiest woman, and you are my Ning Caichen." "Become Nie Xiaoqian, if I remember correctly, Nie Xiaoqian was originally a dead woman who was given a chance to be reborn because of love." She finally smiled and nodded: "Yes, that's my dream." "No, that's just a novel, it can't become reality." "Yes, I only understood last night that Xiaozhi is Xiaozhi, and Xiaozhi can never become Xiaoqian." At this point, she choked up again. Suddenly, my lips trembled as I asked, "You—are you really Xiaozhi?" "Yes, I am Ouyang Xiaozhi. My father's name is Ouyang Jiaming. I was born in a place called Huangcun. Our family has an old mansion with many strange traditions and rules."

My mother passed away when I was very young. My father raised me alone, and I know he loved me very much and always considered me his pride. However, deep down, I didn't like my hometown. The desolate village was so isolated from the world, and the customs were so conservative. There was no future in living there. The reason I studied hard from a young age was so that one day I could leave the desolate village. Finally, I was admitted to a university in Shanghai. I was determined that after coming to Shanghai, I would never go back to the desolate village. I wanted to escape the shadow of the desolate village forever, fly freely in the city, and find my own world. "Yes, you can absolutely do it." She took a deep breath: "I once thought my future was bright, that I could become good friends with my classmates, and that I could fully integrate into this society. But I soon realized I was wrong. I was different from them at heart. I was so different. No matter how hard I tried to change myself, I was always out of place. So, I became more and more sad, often dreaming of strange things, and these things often became reality." My classmates all say I can see ghosts, that I'm a seductive witch. They're all afraid to talk to me, always avoiding me, and often leave me alone in the dorm overnight. No matter how friendly I try to be, no matter how good my grades are, I can't change their impression of me. "I understand, you must be in a lot of pain." "Of course I'm in pain, but what can I do? I don't hate my classmates, I never hate anyone, I only hate myself. Why was I born in this desolate village? Why was I born into the Ouyang family!"

So I directed my resentment at my father. He often wrote to me, but I never replied. No matter how much he pleaded, I never returned to the deserted village during winter and summer vacations. I was so hard-hearted, determined to forget it. My father mentioned the secret of the village several times in his letters, asking me to come home once during my vacation so he could tell me all the secrets. "I immediately asked anxiously, 'Didn't he tell you in his letters?'" "No, my father insisted on telling me in person, but I had already made up my mind not to go back to the village, so I never knew what the family secret was." She shook her head painfully, closing her eyes. "Later, I gradually realized that only in the subway car could I feel free. When the subway train raced through the dark tunnel, I felt my heart fly away with it. Only then was I truly unrestrained, free from the pointing eyes, free from the shadow of my desolate hometown. Only I was left dancing in the world." "And then the accident happened in the subway?" "I don't know what that was. It didn't hurt at all. I just felt myself floating high up, and then I was in a completely dark world." She narrated so calmly in the flickering candlelight, as if describing something from daily life. "It was just a fleeting feeling." Later, I don't know how much time passed, but I suddenly woke up and found myself lying on a dark platform. I slowly stood up, feeling the same as before, wandering around the platform, but no one could see me.

The train sped into the station, and I followed the flow of people inside. Standing in the crowded carriage, no one saw me. From then on, I traveled the subway, the speeding trains carrying me through the city's underground world every day. "You've been traveling underground for over a year?" "Yes, then I met you and fell in love with your novels. I had almost forgotten who I was, but after reading your novel 'The Deserted Village,' I gradually remembered some things. So, I found you through various means, and I wanted you to see me." "But how did you do it? Why couldn't I see you when I went there?" "Because, as long as you think of me, you will see me." "I understand now. That's why you emailed me first, and then called to bother me." "I also understand why I felt followed on the subway, why seeing her immediately reminded me of 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio,' because she had already made me think of 'Nie Xiaoqian' in my heart." "Yes, you succeeded, even when you were still called Nie Xiaoqian." "Now, all I can say is thank you." "Thank you for being with me these past few days. Thank you for letting me experience something special." I suddenly asked, somewhat foolishly, "What is it?" "Don't you understand?" Actually, I already understand. It's—love. "Xiaozhi—" I finally uttered that name; those two words had been brewing in my throat for so long. "Thank you, thank you." Xiaozhi nodded, tears blurring her vision. "I'm sorry, now I remember everything. I'm no longer your Nie Xiaoqian, but Ouyang Xiaozhi, the last heir of the ancient Ouyang family." "No, whether you are Nie Xiaoqian or Ouyang Xiaozhi, I still love you. Didn't I promise you? I will never leave you, I will never let you feel lonely."

Tears welled up in Xiaozhi's eyes: "That was your promise to Nie Xiaoqian, but Nie Xiaoqian is no longer here. Xiaozhi doesn't need your promise. Xiaozhi understands now that you and I are from two different worlds. You have your space and future, and I have mine. We're like two parallel lines, never to intersect." "Xiaozhi, aren't you talking to me now?" I grabbed her trembling hand. "Look, aren't you real? You're not from another world. We can be together!" "That was just your..." It felt like none of this was real; it was all a dream to you. Nie Xiaoqian was a dream, Ouyang Xiaozhi was a dream, the entire desolate village was a dream. "I was stunned. A dream?" "Yes, just think of it as a dream about fear and love." She slowly approached me, her lips close to my ear, saying, "I'm sorry, so very sorry. I understand now, Ouyang Xiaozhi no longer belongs to this world; she belongs only to the desolate village, and her father, who deeply loved Xiaozhi, is waiting for her in the old mansion of the Jinshi." "No, don't go—" My eyes welled up with tears. But her tone was so resolute: "Xiaozhi is going back to her hometown, Xiaozhi is going to reunite with her parents, Xiaozhi will always remember you."

Section 52: Whoever violates it will be cursed.

I felt a sudden dizziness, then she hugged me tightly and said, "Goodbye." A few seconds later, she suddenly let go of me and quickly turned to walk out the door. No—I quickly followed her, but I couldn't see anything in the dark corridor. I could only shout for her. But my Xiaozhi was gone. I rushed back to my room, grabbed a flashlight, and searched for Xiaozhi. I first ran to the ground floor to check, then rushed out the back door of the abandoned apartment building. On the empty construction site ruins outside, there wasn't a single person in sight, only a crescent moon hanging in the sky. I shouted loudly on the ruins until my voice was hoarse. I circled around again, finally running to Anxi Road, but still saw no one. After struggling for more than ten minutes, I finally sat down dumbly by the roadside, raising my head in despair. For some reason, I suddenly thought of Li Shangyin's poem "The Brocade Zither"—"This love can only be recalled in memory, for at the time it was already a regret." Xiaozhi, will I ever see you again?

After Xiaozhi left, I sat by the ruins until midnight before finally returning to the second floor of the abandoned village apartment to sleep. In the morning, I woke up slowly, still habitually calling out "Xiaoqian," until my voice echoed throughout the entire building, before remembering everything that had happened the night before. Was she really gone? I immediately opened the cabinet, but there was nothing of hers left, not even a trace. Then I realized the flute I had brought from the abandoned village was missing. I searched the entire room but couldn't find it; she had clearly taken it. Yes, that flute. The moment I played it, she instantly remembered everything. Perhaps this was why Mr. Ouyang, who missed his daughter day and night, asked me to give the flute to Xiaozhi.

Because this flute contains the ancient emotions of the desolate village, only it can awaken Xiaozhi from her dream—to let her soul return home. This is the mission Mr. Ouyang entrusted to me. But tragically, in fulfilling my mission, I also lost Xiaozhi forever. I found Xiaozhi in the vast sea of people, or rather, Xiaozhi found me in the vast sea of people. And I helped her find her memories from her delusions, thus separating us forever. How contradictory, how regrettable. But from the beginning, it was destined that Xiaozhi did not belong to this world; we are from two different worlds, and it is absolutely impossible for us to be together. So we can only separate, there is no other ending. This is the eternal sorrow between man and spirit. For the entire morning, I was deeply immersed in pain, without any way to escape. Suddenly, I raised my left hand and realized that the jade ring was still on my wrist. I immediately reached out to pull it off, but after pulling for a long time, I still couldn't get it off, and I sat down in agony. Suddenly, I thought that perhaps I had a second mission, which was to return this jade ring to the desolate village. It's a sacred artifact passed down through generations of the Ouyang family; anyone who defiles it will be cursed. Therefore, the only thing I can do now is return it to its rightful owner. Whether or not the jade ring can be removed from my finger, I should try; at least my heart is honest. Besides, the jade artifacts I brought from the deserted village are still in the box on the third floor; they should return to the underground of that village. Perhaps—I might still see Xiaozhi?

As I was lost in thought, I suddenly heard footsteps downstairs, and I rushed out. In the lobby on the ground floor, I saw two construction workers wearing hard hats. They were from the demolition team, and they told me the building would be demolished tomorrow and I needed to move out today. After the workers left, my heart sank even further. I looked up at the ceiling and seemed to hear a deep sigh. Yes, this building, constructed in the 1930s, would be razed to the ground tomorrow. The souls of those who once lived here would not find peace. I shook my head helplessly and ran upstairs to pack my things. Then I went to the third floor, climbed up to the attic, and carried down the box containing the jade, as well as the photos and books Ruoyun had left behind. They shouldn't be destroyed. I worked until 3 p.m., finally packing everything up. I called a taxi and took everything back to my old home. As I left the abandoned apartment, a light drizzle began to fall. I gazed at the dark green building, which resembled an old man on his deathbed, struggling alone in the bitter wind and rain. The ivy leaves trembled on the walls; did they too know their fate tomorrow? Farewell, deserted village apartment.

Yesterday, I returned home, the jade ring still firmly on my finger. My mind hadn't quite shaken off the abandoned apartment in the village; I even still retained the habit of leaving the lights on at night. When I woke up this morning, I could no longer smell the ivy. Suddenly, I missed the scent of those vines; perhaps they had already turned to ashes. In the afternoon, I went to the subway station, slowly weaving through the bustling crowd, scanning countless unfamiliar faces, hoping for a miracle. Yes, her footprints had been left in every corner of the platform and carriages, and her shadow had been left on every bookshelf in the underground bookstore. However, after wandering for more than two hours, I found nothing, but instead attracted the attention of the subway security guards.

I had no choice but to leave the subway. After walking a few steps on Shaanxi South Road, I saw the ice cream shop. Yes, I had stood right there, gazing at her through the traffic across the street. I immediately ran across the street and rushed to the ice cream shop, only to find a tall, unfamiliar girl behind the counter. Luckily, there weren't many people at the counter, so I quickly asked her, "Excuse me, do you have a girl named Nie Xiaoqian here?" She hesitated for a moment and said, "I've never heard of her." "Perhaps you don't know her name." Then, I described Xiaoqian's appearance and features to her in detail. The tall girl still shook her head: "We don't have anyone like that here." At this moment, a girl with dyed red hair came out of the shop, and I asked her the same question again. The red-haired girl shrugged and replied, "Our shop has only been open for a month, and there are only two of us working here. There's no third person." How could that be? Had I mistaken the shop for someone else? I took a few steps back to look at the shop name and then at the surrounding shops. Yes, it must be this shop. I remember buying ice cream at this counter before, and Xiaozhi (Xiaoqian) was standing behind it. I voiced my doubts again, but the two girls behind the counter shook their heads, saying that no one else had ever worked there, and they had never seen Xiaozhi (Xiaoqian) before. Finally, they said I was affecting the shop's business and that they would call the police if I didn't leave. Left with no other choice, I left the ice cream shop. Walking alone on the bustling street, my mind was in turmoil. Those two girls didn't seem like they were lying.

Section 53: The Blood of a Woman Yearning for Love

But Xiaozhi (Xiaoqian) was working behind the counter, and I witnessed this scene with my own eyes—could it be that what I saw wasn't real, but just a phantom image like in a movie? No, I must find out. At least one other person saw Xiaozhi (Xiaoqian), and that's my cousin, Officer Ye Xiao. That evening, I rushed to Ye Xiao's house. I always visited him so suddenly, and he was too embarrassed to scold me, so he could only ask with concern, "You moved out of that awful place?" "Yes, because that house is being demolished today, it's probably already in ruins." Ye Xiao finally smiled: "It's better to demolish it sooner, how are you feeling?" "No, I feel worse." "What happened again?" I thought it was time to say it: "Xiaoqian left me." "Xiaoqian?" Ye Xiao frowned, seemingly trying to remember, "You seemed to have mentioned that someone calling herself Nie Xiaoqian often harassed you, but I've never seen her." "Have you forgotten? You saw her, last time at the subway station, I asked..." "Help me catch the person who's been following me." Ye Xiao paused for a moment. "Of course I haven't forgotten. You said someone was following you on the subway, so I helped you catch that person. I did go to the subway station that day and waited on the platform for over an hour, but I didn't find anything suspicious. I had some business to attend to, so I said goodbye and left. I didn't find any follower!" "What?" My mouth agape, and I stammered, "Impossible, absolutely impossible. Didn't you quickly notice a young woman staring at me? When she followed me into the subway hall, you rushed up to grab her, and she ran forward desperately, which is how I caught her."

"Are you crazy? I don't remember anything like this happening." Ye Xiao was also surprised. He patted my shoulder and said, "Have you been too stressed these past few days, causing you to have memory hallucinations?" "Memory hallucinations?" I suddenly covered my mouth, afraid to think any further. "You think you've seen some special person or experienced some special event, but in reality, these people and events don't exist; they're just your own imagination." I raised my left hand. Could it be because of the jade ring? Impossible, because I wasn't wearing it at the time. Could it really be that my memory is flawed, or is Xiaozhi just a phantom? At this moment, I seemed to hear Xiaozhi's words echoing in my ears—"As long as you think of me, you will see me." Yes, before I saw Xiaozhi in person, we had communicated through email and phone, which made the person "Nie Xiaoqian" deeply imprinted in my mind.

So, when she appears as "Nie Xiaoqian," I will see her because I'm thinking of her. At the same time, only I can see her; to everyone else, she's just a non-existent mist. Now, I understand everything: "Xiaozhi, as long as I think of you, I will see you." Ye Xiao didn't understand me: "What are you talking about?" I felt completely drained, shook my head, and said, "Nothing, thank you, Ye Xiao." After saying goodbye to Ye Xiao, I quickly returned home and packed my things. At this moment, touching the cold jade ring, I made up my mind—I would set off for the deserted village first thing tomorrow morning, and no matter the danger, I would complete my mission.

I embarked on my second journey to the abandoned village. Early in the morning, carrying a suitcase full of important luggage, I boarded a long-distance bus bound for K City. Looking out the window at the summer fields of Jiangnan, it seemed everything had returned to its starting point, only the season had changed. I remembered the first time I went to the abandoned village; I was apprehensive, but even more so, excited and curious. Now, after everything I'd been through, I was unusually calm, because this trip was to do what I had to do. In the afternoon, I arrived at the K City bus station. Then, without stopping, I boarded a minibus to Xiling Town, arriving at my destination a little over two hours later. It was already dusk. I had a quick dinner in Xiling Town and then walked to the abandoned village that very night. I remembered the route clearly from last time, and having made ample preparations, the walk wasn't too strenuous.

On this desolate mountain wilderness in the summer night, the air was thick with the salty sea breeze. I walked for hours, finally crossing the last mountain peak. A vast sea stretched out before me in the darkness, and nestled at the foot of the hill was a dark village. The chastity archway at the village entrance remained conspicuous in the moonlight. The deserted village, I've returned. Suddenly, I thought of twenty-odd days ago, when four college students arrived here. What were their feelings? At least they didn't expect misfortune to await them. I calmed myself, touched the jade ring on my finger, and whispered, "You're home." Passing through the massive chastity archway, I entered the deserted village in the dark. Although it was summer, the atmosphere in the village lanes was still desolate, devoid of any human presence. I found the main gate of the Jinshi Mansion from memory. Under the cold moonlight, the once imposing gate stood silently, exuding an aura of impending death. Yes, from now on, no one will live in this ancient house anymore; it will become a dead house. Holding my breath, I gently pushed the gate. Sure enough, it was ajar; the villagers probably didn't dare to go in even under normal circumstances. I tiptoed into the first courtyard of the Jinshi Mansion and turned on my flashlight. The beam of the flashlight led me into the hall, illuminating the plaque with the three characters "Ren'ai Hall," below which was still the ancient scroll portrait. It was still the same as when I last saw it—oppressive and suffocating.

I entered the second courtyard. Moonlight streamed into the quiet courtyard, as if I had stepped back into another era. I quietly walked up to a wooden building next door and opened one of the rooms. The beam of light swept through the thick layer of dust, suddenly revealing a computer and a television set, both covered in dust, clearly unused for a long time. The room's furnishings were similar to those in the city; it seemed to be Xiaozhi's former bedroom. A faint sadness welled up in my heart, and I softly called out, "Xiaozhi." I waited quietly for a few minutes, but there was no response. Although I knew it was futile, I still hoped for a miracle. No, there would be no miracle. I quietly walked down the building and went up to the building behind it. Several months ago, in the winter, I had lived in a room in this building. Pushing open that familiar door, the room looked somewhat messy. I knew those four college students had also lived here. In the dim light of the flashlight, the four vermilion lacquered screen came into view. Looking at the still lifelike images, I couldn't help but sigh softly. After leaving the small building, I went to the backyard of the Jinshi Mansion.

In this desolate ancient garden, the most striking feature was the plum tree under the moonlight, its branches stretching towards the night sky. I slowly walked to the ancient well, only glancing into its opening. In the darkness, I couldn't see anything, only felt a chill run down my spine—this must be the burial place of the "wife-selling." Perhaps this was a sinful mansion. Returning to the second courtyard, I raised my left hand high, the jade ring on my finger reflecting strangely in the moonlight. I thought the time had come. I tidied my travel bag, taking out some necessary tools and the large suitcase. Then, carrying these items, I opened a door on the ground floor. The beam of my flashlight illuminated a large bed; this must be Mr. Ouyang's room. I went around to the innermost part of the room and, sure enough, found a hidden door in the wall. It seemed Huo Qiang and the others hadn't had time to block it with bricks before leaving. Carefully stepping into the hidden room, I shone my flashlight on the floor again, immediately revealing a series of steps leading down to the ground. This is it. I took a deep breath and walked down the tunnel step by step.

Perhaps because the hidden door had been opened, the underground passage was quite damp—not a good thing from the perspective of preserving cultural relics. After descending about ten meters, the large stone door finally appeared, but the lock had been broken. I found the lock on the ground; it was the kind of lock we often saw when we were children. I thought Mr. Ouyang had used this lock before. Entering the stone door, I found myself in a long tunnel. Having prepared myself mentally, I walked very quickly, reaching the underground hall—the mysterious abandoned village palace—in just a few minutes. Suddenly, I felt a burning sensation in my left hand; it must be the effect of the jade ring. I forced myself to endure it and first shone my flashlight around the palace, which seemed to stretch endlessly. On the ground near the wall, I found more than a dozen scattered jade artifacts. Yes, they should all be jade artifacts from the Liangzhu period. I immediately opened the large box and carefully took out the five jade artifacts.

Now, these jade cong, jade bi, and jade yue are finally reunited, like returning to the ancient Liangzhu Kingdom five thousand years ago. Perhaps they should remain underground forever. The beam of my flashlight shone on the small door on the wall again—this must be the door to the secret chamber of the underground palace. I touched it; it was indeed made of jade. I gently pushed open the jade door and bent down to enter the secret chamber. The chamber was about ten square meters in size, and the height only allowed me to lower my head. I scanned the area with my flashlight and found a box on the floor. I immediately crouched down and carefully shone the flashlight on it. This box was also carved from jade; it must be the jade box. The lid of the jade box originally had a seal, but unfortunately, Huo Qiang broke it. I think that whenever the Ouyang family opened the jade box and put the contents back, they would leave a new seal on the lid, indicating that it was sealed by someone on a certain date. And the jade ring on my wrist should have been kept in this jade box. After a moment of silence, I carefully opened the jade box, only to find it still empty. Staring at the empty box, I felt lost, my mind blank. I didn't know what I could do, or should I just accept my powerlessness? Suddenly, I felt my left ring finger growing increasingly hot. Under the beam of the flashlight, the jade ring underwent a subtle change; the crimson stain became exceptionally vivid—the blood of a woman yearning for love more than four thousand years ago.

Chapter 54: The Home of the Mysterious Jade Ring

I could barely control myself; my left hand instinctively reached into the jade box. After a few seconds of burning heat, I was astonished to find the jade ring beginning to slip off. Good heavens, it could move! Almost instantly, the jade ring slid off my finger and gently landed inside the jade box. My right hand, still clutching the flashlight, stared blankly at this scene. This jade ring, over four thousand years old, had been on my finger for ten days, and I had tried everything to remove it, yet now it had fallen off so easily. And on my left ring finger, all the strange sensations vanished; my smooth finger returned to normal. Looking at the jade ring lying quietly inside the jade box, reflecting a dim light under the flashlight, I suddenly understood—this was the jade ring's home.

Yes, the jade ring had caused me hallucinations, pain, and despair, but everything it did to me was for this moment of returning home. Yes, the jade ring has returned home. I suddenly felt a sense of relief, as if all the fear of the past ten days had vanished with the slip of the jade ring. Then, I carefully closed the lid of the jade box and placed it back in the corner of the secret chamber. Goodbye, jade ring. I bowed my head and left the secret chamber, then closed the jade door again. Finally, I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew I had completed my mission; everything that had been plundered had now been returned to its rightful owner. Let it all be as if none of this had ever happened. Before leaving the underground palace, I shone my flashlight inside again; only a cold, black mist drifted by. I tried to walk a few steps deeper into the underground palace and found that the underground space was enormous, like an underground quarry. Suddenly, a cold, bluish light appeared in the flashlight beam. I hurried forward a few steps and finally reached the deepest part of the underground palace—a massive stone wall with an uneven surface, bearing many traces of human carving. The strange bluish light was reflecting from here. I carefully raised the flashlight, aimed it at the bluish parts of the stone wall, and then carefully touched them with my fingers. A chilling sensation seeped into my body.

In an instant, I was so astonished I couldn't utter a sound. What had I discovered? -- Jade. Yes, I had discovered an underground jade mine. The enormous stone wall was a jade deposit, which I roughly estimated to be at least fifty meters long, with signs of extensive mining. Perhaps the entire vast underground palace was once part of a jade mine, its immense size formed by years of mining. I couldn't be mistaken; having spent these past few days surrounded by jade artifacts, I'd become a semi-expert. This underground jade mine was truly breathtaking. Suddenly, I remembered the question Sun Zichu had raised: where did the jade materials used by the Liangzhu civilization five thousand years ago come from? This was a question that had long puzzled historians. Now, I think I've found the answer—right before my eyes. I understood everything at once—more than five thousand years ago, the founders of the Liangzhu ancient kingdom settled in what is now a desolate village. Soon after, they discovered this enormous jade deposit right beneath my feet. Therefore, they mined jade extensively here, and then, utilizing the mystical power of jade, established the ancient Jade Kingdom in the Taihu Lake basin, which is what we know today as the Liangzhu Civilization. The mysterious Liangzhu jade artifacts we see today all originated from materials mined here. The ancestors of the Ouyang family utilized this precious jade resource to create a highly developed jade-era civilization. More than four thousand years ago, the Liangzhu Civilization was destroyed for various reasons. The surviving royal family of the ancient Jade Kingdom fled to this desolate village because it contained their most important treasure—the jade mine.

Yes, this is why the Ouyang family has lived in seclusion in this deserted village for thousands of years. The secret they want to keep is actually this underground jade mine. It is regarded as a treasure left by their ancestors, a sacred place that no one can violate. This is the last secret of the deserted village. I never imagined that I would crack such a major historical mystery in such a special way. How many historians have studied it their whole lives without finding a solution, and I have discovered it. But the price paid for this secret is too high. Facing the jade mine treasure mined by the ancients five thousand years ago, I bowed deeply in reverence, because this ancient jade mine is the first step that mankind took in conquering nature and moving towards civilization. I thought of the various legends of the Liangzhu civilization, and the mysterious origins of the Ouyang family ancestors. Perhaps they really weren't human? Perhaps it's all related to the jade underground? Like the jade ring that allows me to see the past. Could this jade mine contain some kind of mysterious natural element? Thinking of this, I picked up a few jade fragments from the ground. I can take them back to Shanghai for scientific testing. Perhaps there will be a world-shaking discovery?

However, after hesitating for several seconds, I put the fragments back. No, I had no right to take them. Let the secret remain buried deep underground, never to be disturbed again. I left hastily without taking anything. Guided by the beam of my flashlight, I exited the vast underground palace and returned to the underground passage. As I passed the stone door, I closed it again, trying to prevent outside air from entering. Climbing the steep stone steps, I finally returned to the surface. Stepping out of the hidden chamber, I picked up the bricks from the ground and resealed the hidden door. Then, I moved the large bed in front of the hidden door, completely concealing it, hoping no one would discover its existence again. Back in the courtyard, I greedily inhaled the outside air. The moonlight shone on me again; let this tomb remain sealed forever. It was already midnight; it seemed I wouldn't be able to leave tonight. I went up to the small building at the back and entered the room where I used to live. This was my last night in the deserted village. I quickly wiped the wooden bed, wrapped myself in a blanket, and lay down on it. In this dark, old room, I couldn't fall asleep for a long time, hoping that sometime in the middle of the night, Xiaozhi would suddenly appear before me. Xiaozhi, will you come?

Section 55: Let it all end.

Xiaozhi didn't appear. I stayed up all night, quietly waiting for a miracle. I used to be so afraid of phantoms and nightmares, but now I longed for them to come, just to see Xiaozhi one more time. However, the entire Jinshi Mansion was as silent as a tomb. At dawn, I knew she wouldn't come again. I packed my things, making sure I didn't take anything. Then, I quietly bid farewell to the Jinshi Mansion. As I walked out of the ancient house gate, I silently said "goodbye." This ancient family, which had lasted for thousands of years, was now completely finished. Let all the love, hate, and sin be sealed in this house! Don't intrude into other people's lives anymore. I walked out of the deserted village with my bag on my back. Almost no one noticed me. As I passed through the chastity archway and looked at the surging sea, a strange feeling suddenly arose in my heart. The seaside was shrouded in thick fog in the early morning, spreading out like a Chinese painting. I had never seen such a scene when I came here in winter. So, I couldn't help but walk towards the sea, climb a rocky hillside, and find a continuous cemetery below. Countless graves stood at my feet, silently listening to the waves. As I looked around, I suddenly noticed, on a cliff a few hundred meters away, the figure of a woman in white seemed to be standing.

High above the cliff lay the sea, and she stood alone, facing it. The sea breeze billowed her white dress and long black hair, like a black-and-white ink painting. Though distant, a blurry shadow in the sea mist, her slender figure and flowing black hair immediately reminded me of someone—"Xiaozhi?" Like finding a spring in the desert after a long trek, I could no longer contain my excitement and ran towards the cliff. But the cliff was too high, the path steep and uneven, forcing me to trudge along on all fours. After several minutes, I finally reached the top, only to find nothing before me. I nervously looked around; the cliff was so small, and I couldn't see a soul besides myself. Desperate, I rushed to the edge of the cliff; one more step and it would be a bottomless abyss. The cliff was at least fifty meters above the sea, and below me, white waves crashed, roaring deafeningly. A damp mist enveloped me, as if I were walking in the clouds.

"Xiaozhi—" I shouted loudly, facing the sea. I knew she could hear me, and I knew she was always by my side. Xiaozhi once told me something that I've always remembered: "As long as you think of me, you will see me." I believe it's true. Now, I'm thinking of you, but why can't I see you? Perhaps you can't bear to let me see you. On this high cliff, I waited for a long time until the sunlight dispersed the mist and the blazing sun shone on my face. But strangely, the wind on the sea gradually calmed down, and the once turbulent sea became as still as a mirror. The temperature under the blazing sun immediately rose, and I felt sweat pouring down my body, as if I had gone from the seaside to the desert. Suddenly, I saw a woman's face faintly reflected at the horizon—like watching an open-air movie. I immediately held my breath; it was definitely not a hallucination, but a real sight. It was as if the sea and sky had become a screen, and the sun a movie projector, casting sunlight onto this enormous screen, gradually making my face clear—Xiaozhi. Yes, she was smiling at the horizon, her face shrouded in a hazy light and shadow, like Nie Xiaoqian under candlelight. Her eyes, eyebrows, and nose seemed to be covered by a flowing veil, or reflected in the ripples of blue water. Looking at Xiaozhi, so far away yet so close, I felt as if I could reach out and touch her—but then, Xiaozhi's face gradually faded, disappearing into the sky like flowing water.

I rubbed my eyes again, but the sea and sky returned to normal—the same blue sky and black sea, with only the horizon where they met at the edge of my vision. Only then did I realize that the strange sight I had just witnessed was nothing more than a mirage. A mirage is an atmospheric optical phenomenon that transmits images from different times and spaces to the viewer, usually occurring in deserts or near the sea. But how could Xiaozhi appear in a mirage? I couldn't explain it; perhaps it was just divine mercy. I remember watching a movie where the protagonist, walking through a desert, saw a beautiful figure appear in a mirage and secretly fell in love with this complete stranger. Xiaozhi and I were the exact opposite. Finally, I took a deep breath of the air from the cliff and left this strange place. The descent was incredibly difficult; I finally found the way back to the deserted village. Then, I hurried towards Xiling Town, silently repeating to myself, "Farewell, desolate village." Around noon, I arrived in Xiling Town, utterly exhausted. After a quick lunch, I took a minibus to the long-distance bus station in K City, finally catching the last bus back to Shanghai. By the time the bus returned to Shanghai, the sky was filled with stars. I walked out of the bus station with my luggage, recalling the first day of this story, the moment those four college students visited my home, and a strange melancholy welled up inside me. I gazed at the mysterious starry sky and sighed softly, "Let it all end."

Chapter 56: The curse has been lifted.

Today is the thirtieth day of this story, and also the last day. I don't know if I should include today in this book, but in these thirty days, I have experienced things that many people cannot experience in a lifetime. Yes, thirty days and nights of fear, traversing five thousand years of ancient legends, and those unforgettable loves and hates, will all be faithfully recorded by me and written into this novel, dedicated to my dearest friend—you who are reading this book. At three o'clock in the afternoon, the doorbell suddenly rang, just like the doorbell on the first day of the story, and I was puzzled again. Hesitantly, I opened the door, only to see a young face outside. For a moment, I was stunned. This was someone I never expected—Su Tianping. Yes, it was that face, only much thinner and paler, with long, disheveled hair, as if he had just woken up. His deep, well-like eyes stared at me, and he slowly said, "Excuse me, may I come in?" A few seconds later, I reacted and quickly let Su Tianping in, and poured him a cup of hot water.

He looked up, holding the water, and gave a strange smile. "You thought I was dead a long time ago?" His question left me speechless, because I genuinely believed he was long dead—either from a nightmare like Huo Qiang and Han Xiaofeng, or mentally ill like Chunyu. Before I could answer, Su Tianping continued, "Actually, even I think I'm dead a long time ago." Finally, I regained my composure. "Where have you been these past few days? The school is looking for you everywhere." "Do you remember that day? I asked you to talk to me for a whole afternoon in the coffee shop across from the school gate." "Of course I remember, and then you disappeared without a trace." "That very night, I went to an internet cafe and stayed up all night because I was too scared to sleep. I was afraid I would end up like Huo Qiang and Han Xiaofeng, scared to death by the nightmare of the deserted village. I forced myself to stay in the internet cafe, playing online games day and night, chatting with netizens from all over the world, just to escape sleep." "How long did you hold on?" Su Tianping's expression turned painful: "I can't remember, maybe more than thirty hours. I stayed in that internet cafe the whole time. Now I understand that staying up all night is more painful than death. I desperately held on in front of the computer screen until my head throbbed, my vision went black, my fingers couldn't move, and then I suddenly lost consciousness." "Even if you weren't scared to death by the nightmare, you would have died suddenly from prolonged internet use." "I lost all consciousness, and I can't remember anything after that."

When I woke up from my coma, I found myself lying in a hospital bed. It was six o'clock yesterday morning. "Yesterday morning?" I immediately did the math in my head. "You've been in a coma for almost half a month?" "Yes, I asked the doctor as soon as I woke up. They said that half a month ago, I collapsed in an internet cafe due to overwork and was immediately rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. At that time, my condition was very dangerous. The doctors worked all night to save me and pulled me back from the brink of death. But I was still in a coma, and no matter what treatment I received, I couldn't wake up. The doctor said I might become a vegetable." "Didn't the hospital notify your school?" Su Tianping shook his head again: "I didn't have any identification on me at the time, no one knew who I was, and the doctors were almost ready to give up." "But you woke up on your own?" "Yes, the doctors didn't know why either. They thought my awakening might be a miracle." Su Tianping gave a self-deprecating laugh, "The doctors..." The hospital immediately conducted a comprehensive physical examination on me and found that I had basically recovered and had no lasting effects. I was just a little weak because I had been in a coma for half a month. "People in a deep coma don't dream, maybe that's why you escaped death." "I don't know, but I've already walked a tightrope between life and death. Now, no nightmare can frighten me anymore; I'm fearless." Su Tianping's eyes brightened, and his tone became full of confidence. "This morning, I notified my family and school, and they quickly came to pay my medical bills. I also asked the school about Chunyu's situation and learned that she had already been sent to a mental hospital. The doctor told me to stay in the hospital for observation for a few more days, but I still secretly ran away."

Because the person I miss most is Chunyu. "You went to the mental hospital to see her?" "This morning, I found Chunyu at the mental hospital. She recognized me immediately and hugged me, crying. She was perfectly lucid, her thinking and consciousness were normal, and she showed no signs of mental illness. Yesterday, the doctor gave her a psychiatric evaluation, and the results proved she was completely normal. Chunyu also said she had a strange dream early yesterday morning, dreaming that the gate to the underground palace in the deserted village was closed." "The gate to the underground palace was closed?" I immediately thought of everything I did in the mysterious underground palace in the deserted village the night before last—yes, I did the right thing. Yes, after having that dream, Chunyu woke up. She said she felt very clear-headed, and her whole being returned to its state before going to the deserted village. Yes, when I woke up yesterday morning, I felt the same way—like I had been given a second life. "A second life? Yes, surviving the test of life and death in the deserted village is a second life." Suddenly, Su Tianping approached me, staring into my eyes and asking, "Tell me, is it all over?" "But I remained silent for a long time, my mind replaying the scenes I had witnessed over the past few days. Yes, just like the ending of Swan Lake, all the spells were broken, and everything returned to its former tranquility."

"Yes, it's all over." I nodded and answered slowly. Tears suddenly welled up in Su Tianping's eyes, and he choked out, "I came to see you today hoping to hear these words, and I hope Huo Qiang and Han Xiaofeng can hear them too." After saying that, he lowered his head to wipe his tears and said, "I'm sorry, we shouldn't have bothered you thirty days ago. Let everything return to peace." Su Tianping finally took his leave. Watching him leave in a hurry, I didn't know what to say. After experiencing these thrilling days and nights, would he and Chunyu end up together? So, I softly recited, "May we all live long and share the beauty of the moon, even though we are thousands of miles apart." "At dusk, I went to Anxi Road again. Bathed in the golden sunset, I came to the construction site beside Anxi Road. The place where the abandoned village apartment once stood has now become a pile of rubble, with only a few broken walls stubbornly growing in the ruins. Many green leaves are also buried in the ruins, the corpses of ivy, which will soon rot in the rainy season."

Is this considered paying homage to a historical site? At least, I stayed in this old house for ten days. May the wronged souls of No. 13 Anxi Road rest in peace with this road; you will never be discovered again. Night had quietly fallen. I left Anxi Road and took the subway home. On the cold subway platform, many busy people waited, and I stood alone among them. When the subway train roared into the station and opened its doors, people rushed in without any regard for manners. I was squeezed in the middle, and it was difficult to find a seat facing the window, breathing with some difficulty. The subway train sped into the dark tunnel. In the swaying and crowded carriage, I smelled countless strange odors that made me drowsy. Suddenly, I looked up at the window, and the light from inside the carriage shone on the glass, faintly reflecting my face.

Against the backdrop of the tunnel's darkness, my face, reflected in the train window, appeared and disappeared, like looking into a mirror in the night. After experiencing life and death, I found myself so haggard, only able to let the train carry me wildly downhill. Suddenly, another face seemed to appear in the window—between the white lights inside the carriage and the darkness of the tunnel outside, that face emerged faintly. Her long black hair still cascaded down her shoulders, and her eyes shone with a faint sadness—the eyes of "Nie Xiaoqian." The train continued to speed through the tunnel, and everyone in the carriage seemed to be asleep, except for me, who could see her face reflected in the window. However, I couldn't turn around; I could only look at the opposite window, knowing she was standing behind me, like two people looking into the same mirror. In the crowded underground carriage, we looked into each other's eyes; this was a secret that belonged only to the two of us. As long as you think of me in your heart, you will see me. In an instant, I felt the entire city fall silent—only deep underground, two affectionate gazes pierced through the sorrowful air, meeting on a rushing mirror.