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Capítulo 17

Part Three, Day Thirteen, Section 30, Day Eighteen (2)

However, Sun Zichu's expression turned unusually calm: "Have you ever heard of the Liangzhu civilization?"

"Liangzhu Civilization? I've read some reports about the ancient and mysterious Liangzhu Civilization in Jiangnan, is that right?"

"That's right. The so-called Liangzhu Civilization or Liangzhu Culture is named after Liangzhu Town in Yuhang, Zhejiang Province, where it was first discovered in 1936. It is the most important prehistoric civilization in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China and one of the main sources of early East Asian civilization. According to archaeological carbon-14 dating, it dates back to about 5,300 to 4,000 years ago. Most of the Liangzhu Culture sites discovered in modern times are scattered in the Jiangnan area. The Fuquanshan site in Qingpu, near Shanghai, also belongs to the Liangzhu Culture."

"Then what does this have to do with these jade artifacts?"

"The most distinctive feature of the Liangzhu civilization is its jade artifacts. Although the Liangzhu civilization dates back five thousand years, it created a highly developed jade civilization, which occupies an important position in the early history of human civilization."

I suddenly asked, bewildered, "Jade civilization?"

"Yes, a key feature of Chinese civilization is its jade culture, which has a history of seven thousand years and far surpasses that of other civilizations with jade culture, such as the ancient Americans and the Maori of Oceania. Jade held an extremely high status for the ancient Chinese, who even believed that it possessed mysterious supernatural powers. Whether it was the sages of the pre-Qin period or the emperors of the Han and Tang dynasties, they all had a special fondness for jade."

"And what about these?" I asked, pointing to the five jade artifacts.

Sun Zichu picked up the disc-shaped jade artifact and said, “This thing is called a jade bi. Do you see it? Isn’t it round and thin like a pancake? There’s a small hole in the middle. In academia, a jade bi is defined as one whose rim width is roughly twice the diameter of the hole. Jade bi from the Liangzhu culture are generally quite large, and most of them are unearthed from tombs. Some people even believe that Liangzhu jade bi were a kind of primitive currency. Do you think its shape looks like an enlarged copper coin?”

I nodded. The inner hole of this jade disc is square, which corresponds to the Chinese idiom "a square hole represents the roundness of heaven and the squareness of earth."

Sun Zichu then pointed to the axe-like object and said, "This thing is called a jade axe."

"I understand now, the axe and the halberd are the same type of weapon."

“However, the jade axe of the Liangzhu culture is a non-practical ritual object, generally representing the owner’s military strength and power.” Then, Sun Zichu picked up the large jade pen holder and said, “This is the most famous one, called a jade cong.”

"Jade cong? I think I've seen it at the Shanghai Museum."

"Yes, the jade cong is the largest and most exquisitely crafted among Liangzhu jade artifacts. The shape of the cong is mostly square on the outside and round on the inside, with the body being larger at the top and smaller at the bottom, and some are even divided into layers and sections. All the unearthed Liangzhu jade cong have complex carvings and patterns, and their themes are mostly animal faces and deity figures."

I immediately stared at the jade cong in my hand. Sure enough, it had many exquisite patterns, like some kind of monster with its mouth wide open. I touched the jade cong and asked, "What is it used for?"

"The jade cong originated from the religious shamanism of the Liangzhu civilization and is a symbol of divine authority. The tomb owners of all the tombs where jade cong have been unearthed were important figures who held divine power, possibly both kings and great shamans. It can be said that the jade cong determined the rise and fall of the ancient Liangzhu kingdom, just like the Temple of the Sun in ancient Egypt."

Is it really that mysterious?

When talking about the history of Sun Zichu's major field, he became more and more enthusiastic: "These are all facts recognized by the academic community, and are by no means my personal opinion. As for the other two small items, they are jade ornaments that the Liangzhu people wore on their person at that time."

Looking at the jade turtle and jade dagger, I could only nod and say, "Can you be sure that these five Liangzhu jade artifacts are all genuine?"

"Right now, I can only say that the shapes of these five jade artifacts belong to the same type as the Liangzhu jade artifacts that have been unearthed. Whether in terms of materials or carving, they all have the distinct characteristics of Liangzhu jade artifacts." But he paused for a moment and said in a deep voice, "However, Liangzhu jade artifacts are all unearthed ancient jade, and their identification is very complicated. The main things to look at are the patina, the color of the infiltration, the shape and the characteristics of the production, and only then is it necessary to determine the date. I mainly study history, and I am not an expert in jade identification."

"After all that talk, you yourself aren't sure?"

Sun Zichu frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "If you trust me as a friend, you can leave these jade artifacts with me. I will invite the best ancient jade appraisal experts to appraise their authenticity and age for you."

His suggestion made me hesitate. After all, these things were hard-won; Su Tianping had traded his life for them. I gripped the jade dagger, lowered my head, and pondered for a long time before finally nodding and saying, "Alright, you can keep them for now, but you absolutely mustn't lose them."

"Don't worry, I do this myself, how could I possibly break it?"

As I spoke, Sun Zichu began carefully tidying up the jade artifacts. I patted him on the shoulder and said, "If the news comes out, return these things to me immediately."

"Of course, these jade artifacts are all your treasures."

I suddenly gave a wry smile and said, "Fine, I'm leaving. You go do your thing."

Leaving Sun Zichu's office, I ran all the way out of the campus, perhaps never wanting to come here again.

Why entrust the jade artifacts to Sun Zichu? Because if these mysterious jade artifacts from the deserted village are indeed ancient Liangzhu jade from 5,000 years ago, then the deserted village must have some connection with the Liangzhu civilization. Perhaps the ancient and mysterious Liangzhu civilization is also a key to unlocking the secrets of the deserted village? Although this is just my speculation, I'm willing to give it a try.

When I returned to the deserted apartment, night had already fallen over Shanghai. I entered the old house through the back door in the dark and went back to my room on the second floor.

By then, I was starving, so I quickly made fried rice in the microwave and finished my dinner.

After dinner, I stood by the window again, the scent of ivy filling the air, but my mind was still on those jade artifacts—they all came from the underground of this deserted village, perhaps already five thousand years old: jade bi discs, jade yue axes, jade cong tubes...

Suddenly, I realized I'd forgotten something—a jade ring!

It was the jade ring that Chunyu had stolen from the underground chamber in the deserted village. I hurriedly opened the simple cabinet and finally found the jade ring.

I carefully picked up the jade ring. In the dim light of the old house, the greenish-blue jade had a translucent luster, like a bright green eyeball.

But on one side of the jade ring, a deep, crimson stain stood out starkly against the translucent green jade. I held the jade ring to my nostrils and sniffed it hard; a faint fishy smell wafted into my nasal cavity, suddenly making me feel nauseous.

My heart started racing again. I slowly raised the jade ring above my head, pointing it towards the light. The soft light shone through the translucent jade, revealing strange patterns inside the ring that seemed to slither like snakes in the light. Only the red stains were impenetrable to the light, concealing their secrets.

Finally, I put down the jade ring, thinking to myself: Is it also a jade ring from the Liangzhu civilization? If it is, then whose finger was this jade ring worn in the prehistoric era five thousand years ago?

Perhaps subconsciously, I extended my left ring finger. Looking at my finger against the jade ring, a strange impulse suddenly welled up inside me. Suddenly, my mind went blank, and my right hand, as if losing control, involuntarily grasped the jade ring—

No, I had lost control and watched helplessly as the jade ring slowly slipped onto the ring finger of my left hand.

Part Three, Day Thirteen, Section 31, Day Eighteen (3)

However, I didn't expect the jade ring to be so tight. When it slipped onto my first knuckle, a chilling sensation spread throughout my body, and my knuckle and nail burned. But the jade ring quickly moved down to the second knuckle, and I felt a strange pressure on my finger bone. Finally, when the jade ring reached the third knuckle, the very bottom of my ring finger, the pressure and pain suddenly disappeared—

I've already put on the jade ring.

In that instant, I seemed to hear a faint voice softly calling my name. I immediately turned around in a panic and shouted, "Who are you?"

However, I was the only one in the room, and my empty echo reverberated through the vast, deserted apartment.

Looking at the jade ring on my finger, my expression suddenly changed. Could it be that the voice just now came from the jade ring?

No, impossible, this is just my imagination. Although I shook my head repeatedly, a chill ran down my left ring finger, and even the hairs on my hand stood on end. I quickly raised my left hand to my eyes, and the jade ring was tightly wrapped around my ring finger, like a green finger bone. The crimson stain on the ring was now particularly conspicuous, facing directly upwards on the back of my hand, like a ruby set in the ring.

I stretched my finger out to look at it again, and the more I looked, the more uncomfortable I felt, as if I were wearing a strange mark. I don't know if it was psychological or if the ancient jade ring was too cold, but I felt myself breaking out in a cold sweat.

No, I can't wear this jade ring. It has a strange, evil aura about it, making me feel uncomfortable all over.

I quickly stretched out my right hand to try and remove the jade ring from my finger. However, the jade ring was firmly on my finger, and no matter how hard I pulled, it wouldn't budge.

Even worse, when I tried to pull the jade ring out, I felt a hidden force pressing down on my left ring finger. The jade ring tightened around it, gradually embedding itself into my flesh. I immediately felt a numbness in my finger. This ancient jade ring seemed to have become a living thing, extending its suction cups to cling tightly to my skin, as if it wanted to devour my ring finger.

It took me more than half an hour, and I used all my strength, but I still couldn't pull the jade ring off. The crimson stain on it stood proudly facing me, tightly wrapped around my finger, as if it had taken root in my flesh.

Finally, panting, I released my sweaty hand and looked at the jade ring on my left ring finger, which I couldn't take off no matter what I did. I felt a chill run down my spine.

My left hand was trembling uncontrollably, but the pain gradually subsided. However, when I reached out to remove the jade ring again, it suddenly tightened, becoming firmly stuck on my knuckle, as if it could extend and retract automatically.

Suddenly, I remembered a method my mother had taught me: when a ring or bracelet is stuck on, you can apply some oil to it and then you can take it off.

So, I found a few bottles of oil I had brought and poured them onto my fingers. Soon, the oil soaked through my fingers and the jade ring. I touched my fingers and found them slippery. I figured the jade ring was well lubricated, so I covered my right hand with a rag, gripped the jade ring firmly, and then pulled it out forcefully.

However, the jade ring seemed to be irritated by the oil, embedding itself even more tightly in my finger. The harder I tried to pull it out, the more excruciating the pain became, as if my own bones were being pulled out. Finally, after struggling for more than ten minutes and pouring out half a bottle of oil, the jade ring remained firmly on my finger, its crimson stain seeming to mock me.

What should I do now? I was almost in despair, pacing back and forth in the room, swinging my left hand. I felt deep regret; why had I been so bewitched, putting on the jade ring without thinking? It wasn't just a momentary impulse, but some strange force driving me. But who would have thought that once I put on this mysterious jade ring, I could never take it off again, as if it had taken root and "grown" on my finger?

Exhausted, I collapsed weakly onto the bed. The pain was gone, but my finger felt like it had a lump of flesh. Now, I dare not pull it off again, hoping that the jade ring will fall off my finger on its own when I wake up tomorrow morning.

After sitting on the bed for a while, I was already feeling drowsy. Looking at the oil on my hands and all the sweat on my body, I thought I should go wash up. So, I could only leave the room wearing the jade ring and go to the bathroom.

I stared blankly at myself in the mirror, the jade ring on my finger standing out. I felt as if I were from another ancient time and space when I wore the jade ring.

I dipped my hands into the sink and turned on the tap. The water flowed over my fingers and the surface of the jade ring. The jade refracted light in the water, making me feel more comfortable. Finally, all the grease was washed away. After the baptism of oil and water, the jade ring appeared more vibrant, its greenish-blue body more translucent, while the crimson stain seemed even deeper, like an ugly birthmark.

Then, I boiled water in the electric kettle in the bathroom and took a quick shower with the showerhead. After the water was hot, I washed my hair with it in the sink. The jade ring didn't seem to be bothered by the hot water, and the discomfort on my finger almost disappeared. Finally, I washed away all the sweat from the day. I stood in front of the mirror drying my hair, the hot steam filling the bathroom and fogging the mirror.

I looked at the blurry mirror, which only reflected my indistinct image. Suddenly, I realized that the image in the mirror was completely still, while I was constantly moving around, wiping my body.

Is the person in the mirror me?

Instantly, the hairs on the back of my head stood on end. I took a few steps back and swayed from side to side, but the figure in the mirror remained motionless.

My neck involuntarily recoiled as I stared tremblingly at the mirror. The layer of mist covering the mirror's surface made it impossible for me to see my face clearly.

Suddenly, I turned on the tap and splashed a lot of cold water onto the mirror. The water cascaded down like a waterfall, washing away the fog on the mirror and gradually revealing a few gaps...

—The mirror reflects the image of a woman.

I was immediately speechless with fright. Yes, it was the figure of a young woman; the mirror clearly showed long, black hair, slender shoulders, and a slim waist…

However, I couldn't see her face clearly; a patch of mist on the mirror hadn't been washed away, and it was obscuring her eyes.

When fear reaches its peak, it forgets fear altogether—I quickly held my breath and splashed a lot of water onto the mirror. The more water dispersed the fog, and I could finally see the mirror clearly.

However, the woman suddenly disappeared, and my face was still reflected in the mirror.

I looked around in a panic, making sure no one else was in the bathroom. Then I touched my face, and my reflection in the mirror perfectly mirrored my actions.

What just happened? I stared at the mirror in this deserted apartment, completely baffled. Was it another hallucination? I shook my head and could only say to myself with a self-deprecating laugh, "No wonder mirrors in the dark are always an essential element in all horror movies."

Suddenly, I thought of those people who lived in the abandoned village apartments decades ago, including the men and women of the Ouyang family. They must have also left their reflections and faces in front of this mirror, leaving behind moments of happiness and sorrow.

At that moment, I raised my left hand, and the jade ring on my finger reflected a faint light.

I hurriedly left the bathroom and returned to my room. Wearing this jade ring from the deserted village on my finger, I felt like I was wearing shackles; I felt afraid to do anything.

Then, I turned off the light, lay down on the bed shrouded in darkness, and gently stroked the jade ring on my left ring finger. It seemed to breathe with me as I gradually sank into a fearful sleep...