Sleepy Valley

Chapter 16

“There’s another question,” Yang Xing said quickly. “Since Sleeping Manor has brought so many benefits to the town, why is it that none of you are willing to mention it?”

“That’s because,” Jiang Nan hesitated, noticing everyone’s eyes were on him, knowing he had no choice but to speak. He paused, a look of fear appearing on his face, “because a year ago, that mysterious Yaksha reappeared…”

Tang Wan said to Tan Dong, "I want to take a shower."

Tan Dong went to the elderly couple's room next door, borrowed a large wooden bucket, and placed it in their bedroom. Then he went to the stove in the kitchen to boil water. He filled a bucket with boiling water, carried it to the bedroom, added cold water, and adjusted the temperature to a comfortable level. Tan Dong looked at Tang Wan, who was sitting on the bed, and said softly, "The water is ready. You can take a bath now."

Tang Wan had been sitting on the bed for quite some time. Tan Dong entered the room several times and found that she hadn't changed her posture at all. Her gaze was fixed blankly on a certain spot in the corner of the wall, and she didn't seem to hear Tan Dong calling her.

Then, Tang Wan took a bath inside the house, while Tan Dong stood alone in the courtyard.

The sound of rushing water filled the air, and Tan Dong's mind was in turmoil. Just moments ago, that skinny man had stood right in front of him, and he had to desperately suppress his urges to remain calm. At that moment, a fire burned within him, a fire that was once uncontrollable. He stared at the skinny man's body, ready to pounce and tear him to pieces.

His last shred of reason stopped him.

Now, Tan Dong doesn't know whether it's right or wrong to retain that bit of rationality.

He had drunk too much tonight, and felt hot all over. Standing in the courtyard, he also felt a bit thirsty. He thought about how today was his wedding day with Tang Wan, but he couldn't feel happy at all. He just felt extremely tired and wanted to sleep.

The urge to sleep had been tormenting him ever since he embarked on this journey. He knew he couldn't sleep, but he didn't know how much longer he could endure it. He looked up at the night sky, the sparse stars mirroring his desolate mood.

As the effects of the alcohol intensified, Tan Dong realized that he hadn't drunk any alcohol in a long time.

The starry sky blurred, and he stumbled, rushing to the veranda in front of the door to grab onto a wooden pillar. He slowly slid down and sat against the wall. He tried to think of something to dispel the drowsiness, but his mind was completely out of his control, gradually becoming a blank.

His thoughts didn't stop there. He told himself that he absolutely couldn't fall asleep now. Today was his wedding day with Tang Wan. Hadn't he always longed for Tang Wan to become his bride? Tang Wan was still taking a shower in the room. How could he fall asleep?

I must not fall asleep, I absolutely must not fall asleep.

He didn't know how much time had passed when Tang Wan screamed from inside the house. Tan Dong immediately opened his eyes; he remained highly alert even in his sleep. He quickly got up and ran back into the house. The door to the inner room wasn't locked. He pushed it open and saw Tang Wan lying on the floor, with water stains all over the ground.

Tang Wan lay naked on the floor, her back heaving slightly, her snow-white skin stained with black marks. Tan Dong quickly helped her up, only to realize that the heaving was from crying. Looking closer, he saw many red marks on her fair skin, clearly the result of vigorous scrubbing during her bath. Tan Dong felt a pang of sympathy. He carried Tang Wan to the bed and found a white towel to wipe her body. Tang Wan continued to sob softly, her whole body trembling slightly.

"Tang Wan, Tang Wan, please don't be like this. I'm here, no one can hurt you." Tan Dong couldn't remember how many times he had said these words. But every time he said them, his heart ached terribly. Now, he seemed to see Tang Wan alone, under the pale light, desperately wiping her body, as if it were stained with many unbearable filth. And her fair skin was the purest sanctuary in the world.

Tang Wan was still crying, but she raised her eyes and stared at Tan Dong.

"Tang Wan, listen to me. Don't be afraid with me by your side. I will protect you," Tan Dong said.

"Will you always be by my side? Never leave me?" Tang Wan asked.

"I will, I will never leave you."

These words had been repeated countless times between them. Sometimes, even Tan Dong found it strange—what was Tang Wan so afraid of? When they first met, Tang Wan was an easily frightened girl, like a child alone in the dark, and Tan Dong was all the strength she could rely on. From her dependence, Tan Dong also fully felt the power of a man.

However, whenever he tried to enter the depths of Tang Wan's heart, he always found an invisible wall blocking his way. Tang Wan had already given him everything, but he knew that in her heart, there was always a corner that he could not touch.

What unbearable wounds are hidden in that corner that Tang Wan can't bear to look back on?

—Is it closely related to Tang Wan's easily startled personality?

Tang Wan calmed down in his arms, her naked body pressed tightly against his: "Tan Dong, I've finally become your wife. You'll never be able to leave me for the rest of your life."

"How could I abandon you? You are my wife, and I will protect you with my life."

"Then I want you to hold me like this, and never let go for the rest of my life."

"This is exactly what I hoped for. Finding a wife like you would make my life complete."

Night had fallen, and it seemed everything that needed to be said had been said. Tang Wan closed her eyes contentedly. Tan Dong stared at the girl in his arms, thinking that this was his wife, and a sense of drowsiness quietly crept in.

Tan Dong was suddenly filled with fear. He hugged Tang Wan tightly, so tightly that Tang Wan let out a soft moan in her sleep.

Old Mu was the best carpenter in Sleeping Valley. The night before last, someone from the west bank of the river sent word that the timber was ready and that he should go the next day to replace the old door. Old Mu was a meticulous man, so he got up early that day before dawn, ate a quick bite, packed his tools, and headed west of the village.

Old Mu is in his fifties, very healthy, and has been a carpenter all his life. Who in this town hasn't used a piece of wood he made? His greatest hobby is drinking two ounces of strong, potent liquor, and the family we're going to today happens to own a distillery.

Thinking about the delicious lunch he could have, Lao Mu walked with unusual ease.

To get to the west of the village, you have to cross an iron chain bridge.

The sky was just beginning to lighten, a kind of light where you could see everything yet couldn't see anything clearly. The dew was still heavy, and the wooden planks on the suspension bridge were a bit slippery. As Old Mu walked, he thought about when he would have to ask the townspeople to replace some of the bridge planks with new ones. These planks had been in use for several years, and some of them were no longer sturdy.

Old Mu's gaze fell carefully on the wooden planks under his feet. This earnest old man was already pondering which planks should be replaced and which planks could be used for another two years.

Suddenly, a watermelon-sized rock appeared in their line of sight, a dark, imposing stone placed in the middle of the bridge. Old Mu muttered something under his breath, grumbling about which scoundrel had done this. If people crossing the bridge at night couldn't see it, they could easily trip over the stone and fall into the river.

Old Mu subconsciously stepped over the stone, then put down the toolbox he was carrying, turned around, and was about to throw the stone into the river.

His gaze fell on the "stone" again, and he suddenly let out a scream, the hairs on his body standing on end. Facing the "stone," his legs trembled uncontrollably. He wanted to turn and run away, but he just couldn't move his feet. Moreover, a hot liquid flowed down his trouser leg.

What was in front of him was not a "stone" at all, but clearly a human head.

A woman's head.

The woman had long hair and a pale, almost transparent complexion. Her transparent face was severely distorted, her features displaced. Her eyes were wide open, as if still holding lingering fear.

The terrified old man could see more clearly now. What he saw in front of him wasn't a head at all, but a corpse. The corpse had been stuffed straight under the bridge plank, with only the head sticking out. The body below the head was now hanging under the bridge, and when the wind blew, the corpse swayed slightly, causing the head on the bridge plank to sway as well.

Old Mu also saw clearly that someone had pried off a plank from the bridge, and the woman had been stuffed down through the pried-off plank, with her head stuck between the two planks.

Old Mu was stunned with fear. He couldn't stand or run. He trembled in front of the female corpse, his whole body gradually going limp. He didn't know how much time had passed before he regained some strength. He ignored his tool bag, stood up, and ran towards the bridge.

As Lao Mu ran, he screamed hoarsely. That morning, many people in Hexi saw Lao Mu running wildly and heard his screams. Lao Mu's screams terrified everyone.

Old Mu kept repeating those four words, seemingly oblivious to the existence of the female corpse in his extreme fear.

The four words Old Mu shouted were—"The Yaksha is here!"

The Yaksha has arrived! The immortal Yaksha has begun to roam the Sleeping Valley at night once again.

Chapter 18: Nighttime Visit to the Graveyard

Before Qin Ge mentioned Sleeping Manor in Jiangnan, he had already seen it from afar.

The members of the self-guided tour group came to Sleepy Valley for various reasons, but Qin Ge alone acted like a professional tourist, spending his days exploring with his camera. He conducted a detailed investigation of the town's history and current state. The town's history can be traced back to the Qianlong era, a time of prosperity, but not all was peaceful and prosperous. A high-ranking official surnamed Chen, having offended a powerful court official, was exiled to the remote southwest. During his exile, Chen passed through the area where Sleepy Valley is located and was suddenly filled with emotion. Disillusioned with officialdom and the world, he conceived the idea of becoming a hermit in Tao Yuanming's Peach Blossom Spring. So he built a house and cultivated land in the Sleepy Valley area, living as a hermit until his death.

Sleepy Valley was originally called Five Rice Village, presumably named after the Chen family official who took the name from Tao Yuanming's "Five Pecks of Rice County Magistrate".

The town's buildings are constructed primarily using locally sourced materials, employing large blocks of stone and timber, resulting in exceptionally sturdy houses that can withstand the test of time for centuries. Most residences are two-story structures, with a stone foundation and a timber upper floor, featuring wide, protruding eaves densely covered with gray tiles. Some houses even have their second-floor wooden huts extending beyond the ground floor wall, supported by several wooden pillars, forming unique stilted houses. These eaves and protruding stilted houses stand facing each other across the streets and alleys, seemingly within reach.

The mountains on either side of the town are relatively gentle slopes, where, in addition to large areas planted with grapes, rice and vegetables are also grown. The rice and vegetable fields are not large, but enough to feed the town's residents for a year. The most distinctive feature of the mountains is the vineyards, densely packed across the hillsides, arranged in a pleasing, varied pattern, a lush and verdant sight as far as the eye can see. If you happen to be there at sunset, the entire vineyard is bathed in a golden light, like colorful clouds swirling around it, or like a sea of clouds surging low.

The mountains west of the river are relatively low. After crossing a hillside, you can see a circular building covering about ten hectares in a depression at the bottom of the slope. From a high vantage point, it looks like an alien flying saucer. The circular building has walls over ten meters high and is entirely constructed of large blocks of stone, with a circular roof on top. Standing on high ground, you can see an inner ring inside the building, with an open space in the middle where a few people are walking around.

That was the Sleeping Manor that Jiangnan later referred to.

Before Qin Ge heard Jiang Nan mention Sleeping Manor, he seemed quite wary of it. Therefore, for several days in a row, he observed it from a distance and never approached within a hundred meters of it. From the top of the mountain, the manor appeared unusually deserted. In the vast open space, only a few people hurried about.

The manor had only one main gate, which remained tightly shut for several days, seemingly untouched by anyone. Qin Ge concluded that the people in the manor were entirely self-sufficient, a completely independent kingdom.

Later, Jiangnan told everyone about the history and current situation of Sleeping Manor, which Qin Ge silently remembered. However, he deliberately concealed the fact that he had secretly observed Sleeping Manor from a high place.

—Is there some unknown secret hidden in Qin Ge's heart?

When Tang Wan woke up, she opened her eyes and, as usual, looked for Tan Dong first. Tan Dong was lying fully clothed beside the bed, still fast asleep. Tang Wan didn't wake him, but quietly watched him. Tan Dong looked completely different when he was asleep compared to when he was awake; he had a childlike innocence. This morning, Tan Dong slept peacefully. His usually furrowed brows were relaxed, his face was rosy, and his mouth was slightly open, with some drool slipping from the corner of his mouth.

Tang Wan smiled slightly, but a pang of sadness welled up inside her.

In her memory, it had been a long time since she had woken up to find Tan Dong fast asleep. Every time she opened her eyes, Tan Dong would be sitting by the bed, eyes wide open, looking exhausted and haggard from a sleepless night. He was protecting her; he wouldn't allow anyone to hurt her. This moved her, yet also broke her heart. She knew she could never live without this man. This was why she could abandon all the glamour of the city and follow Tan Dong to a remote town to start a new life.

Tan Dong rolled over, now lying face down on the bed. Tang Wan looked at him with pity, unable to resist gently stroking his cheek. The newly grown stubble on his face felt rough against her palm.

It was a rare morning like this, a chance to quietly watch Tan Dong sleeping soundly. Tang Wan felt a warm glow in her heart, enveloped in a gentle mist of love. She thought about how exhausted Tan Dong was; since leaving that city, he hadn't slept a wink at night. Now, he needed a good rest.

The sun had already risen outside, but its rays fell into the courtyard, not reaching the house. However, through the window lattices, one could vaguely see the shadows of sunlight in the courtyard. Although the house had been repainted, it still retained a somewhat aged and decaying air, an air that now captivated Tang Wan. She took a deep, greedy breath, the scent calming her constantly pounding heart.

Suddenly there were sounds outside, starting with some noisy footsteps, followed by people talking.

It seems like a lot of people have come to the courtyard.

Tang Wan immediately tensed up. She listened intently, but couldn't make out what the people were saying. Forgetting about letting Tan Dong rest any longer, she hurriedly nudged him from beside the bed. Tan Dong, still alert in his sleep, suddenly sat up, his eyes open, and listened intently to the sounds outside.

He couldn't hear what the people outside were saying.

So he patted Tang Wan's hand, got up from the bed, listened to the door for a moment, then turned around and gestured for Tang Wan to get dressed, while he opened the door and went out.

Tang Wan hurriedly dressed and got out of bed as quickly as possible, then sat anxiously on the edge of the bed waiting.

Not long after, Tan Dong returned. His expression was strange as he entered, as if his tension had eased, yet he still seemed full of doubt. Tang Wan stared at him expectantly, as if afraid to hear some ominous news from him.

“Someone died in town, on the suspension bridge,” Tan Dong said.

"Then what are all these people doing here?"

Tan Dong hesitated for a moment and said, "The person who died was He Qing, who lived next door to us."

Tang Wan immediately pictured a woman with a melancholy expression and long hair that fell to her shoulders. The woman's face was so pale it was almost transparent, and she exuded an ominous aura.

“He Qing is not the landlord couple’s daughter. She was kicked out of her home by her husband many years ago. The landlord couple took her in because she was helpless. Over the years, she had a good relationship with the landlord couple, and they treated her like their own daughter. Now that something has happened to her, people from the town have come to inform the landlord couple.”

Tang Wan said "Oh," with a look of sympathy on her face.

"He Qing's body is still on the iron chain bridge, waiting for the town police station to come and check it. We are about to take the landlord and his wife there."

Tang Wan said "Oh" again, somewhat lost in thought.

Tan Dong paused for a moment before saying, "Could this be related to that skinny guy in black?"

Tang Wan was startled, and her gaze became somewhat sorrowful.

"Who exactly is that skinny guy? He's been following us all the way here, like a lingering ghost. What does he want?" Tan Dong muttered to himself.

Tang Wan's face turned deathly pale. The moment the skinny man appeared at yesterday's wedding, Tang Wan sensed the dangerous atmosphere in the air. She was now certain that her reunion with the skinny man was no coincidence; he must have some ulterior motive. However, she racked her brains but couldn't recall ever seeing him before, except for once in the elevator, let alone having any prior connection with him.

What connection could the thin man in black have with He Qing's death?

Could it be that he wanted to use this to intimidate Tan Dong and Tang Wan?

Tang Wan suddenly stood up and said, "Let's go too."

"Where to?" Tan Dong asked.

"Let's go to the iron chain bridge," Tang Wan paused, then added, "to see He Qing."

He Qing's body was still hanging on the bridge. Her white dress, bathed in sunlight, gave her an even more eerie and terrifying appearance. A large crowd had gathered on both sides of the bridge, staring at the hanging corpse from afar. Most of them remained silent, their faces solemn, as if their souls had been stolen by the body.

He Qing's head was above the bridge surface, and her body was below the bridge plank. She was standing on the east side of the river, so her face was not visible, but her long hair was scattered haphazardly on the bridge plank.

Tang Wan stood on the riverbank, staring at the corpses drifting in the wind between the two banks. Her face turned deathly pale, her eyes glazed over, and she seemed to be muttering something, yet no sound came out. Tan Dong held her shoulders tightly, his expression equally somber, but his gaze darted around. He spotted Sha Bo, Qin Ge, Yang Xing, and Xiao Fei in the crowd. The skinny man also stood a short distance away, silently watching the bridge.

The skinny man was still dressed in black, and he was standing under the eaves of a house, so his entire face was hidden in the shadows.

At this moment, Tan Dong felt an urge again: to grab the skinny man and tear him apart so that he and Tang Wan could live peacefully.

The landlord couple, their faces streaked with tears, tried to cross the bridge but were stopped. The old man and woman looked extremely grief-stricken, but unlike other elderly people their age in other areas, they didn't wail or cry. Was this because He Qing wasn't their real daughter, or were they suppressing their sorrow?

Living in the real world, we must follow certain rules no matter when or where. These rules are not always limited to laws, morals, and various regulations; they are more directly reflected in a certain kind of power.