Chapter 6 Section VI

No one spoke along the way.When the boat arrived in the middle of the river, the sun showed its face through the thick clouds, and jumped like copper coins in the cabin through the bamboo canopy of the sailboat.Zhang Jiyuan turned his back to her.The sunlight cast water patterns on his blue cloth gown, flickering with the bumps of the ship. It was past noon when they arrived in Cheung Chau.Chenji Rice Store is located beside a deep pool formed by Yiwang Mountain Spring.The pool water is clear and full of mist.An old waterwheel creaked and turned, and the surroundings were quiet.There is a dense bamboo forest beside the pool, which extends to the halfway up the mountain.The owner, Chen Xiuji, and the guy waited in front of the store early.Mother asked Baochen to take out a piece of silver prepared in advance and hand it to Boss Chen as a thank you gift.Boss Chen and Bao Chenqian spent a long time talking back and forth, but they refused to accept it.After a few people exchanged pleasantries for a long time, Chen Xiuji led them through the bamboo forest and came to the small courtyard behind the bamboo forest to rest.

This is a secluded and exquisite courtyard.There is a water well in the courtyard, and a wooden corridor with a few big red pumpkins on the corridor.They are having tea in front of the hall.The boss said that this small courtyard has been closed for more than a year, and the roof is full of spiders. He just asked someone to clean it this morning. "You can make do with it for one or two nights." Cuilian asked, this small courtyard is clean and unique, why is there no one living there?The boss stared at her blankly for a while, as if he didn't know where to start, he let out a long sigh, and raised his sleeve to wipe away his tears.Seeing this, the mother quickly gave Cuilian a quick look, then changed the subject and asked about the business of the rice store.The boss seemed overwhelmed with grief, answered a few words in random, excused something, and left first.

Xiumi and Cuilian live in the west room, and there is a window leading to the courtyard.There is a chest of drawers under the window, on which various things are placed, but it is covered by a red silk cloth.She was about to uncover the silk cloth to have a look, when suddenly she saw Zhang Jiyuan walking into the yard alone with his head poking his head. He seems to feel fresh about everything here.Walking to the wooden frame corridor, he gently touched the pumpkin hanging above his head with his fingers.Then, seeing a bamboo swinging bed for children under the wooden shelf, he kicked it.There were two large tanks of water by the kitchen, Zhang Jiyuan lifted the lid and looked inside.Finally, he came to the well and lay down on the well, looking at it for a long time.This idiot, looking around in the yard by himself, doesn't know what he's looking at.

Cuilian collapsed on the bed, chatting with Xiumi nonchalantly.Xiumi seemed to be still angry about what happened in the morning, so she ignored her and said a few words reluctantly, but the words were thorny, and even she herself thought it was a bit too much.Cuilian backed down step by step, pretending not to understand what she said, leaning on the bed and smiling at her.When my mother came into the house to look for the comb, she didn't even look at her, but stood by the window, motionless.The mother seemed to be a different person. She touched her head again, pinched her hand again, and finally put her arms around her shoulders lightly and said: "Go, go to my room and talk to me. Don't you Say, there are still some people living in such a small courtyard."

Dinner is arranged in the rice shop.A table of Eight Immortals is next to the bellows in Yanghu Valley.On the other side of the bellows is a large stone mortar for pounding rice. The surrounding walls are covered with large and small mesh sieves and bamboo plaques. There is a rice box and a bucket in the corner.The air is full of fine chaff, which makes people cough.The food was quite rich, and Boss Chen brought a pheasant specially.While talking to the boss, the mother put vegetables into Xiumi's bowl, and at the same time slanted her around from the corner of her eyes.It was the first time that her mother treated her so well.Her nose is sour.Looking up at her mother, her eyes were also sparkling.

After eating, Zhang Jiyuan left alone.Mother and Baochen accompanied Boss Chen talking endlessly, and Xiumi asked Cuilian if she could go.Cuilian was holding a chicken head in her hand and was sucking it vigorously. She said that she would help others clean up the dishes later. Xiumi had to come out alone.She was worried that she would run into Zhang Jiyuan on the way back to the house, so she stood under a pine tree outside the door, staring at the lights in the valley without thinking, thinking about the day's affairs in a mess.The light was like gold dust scattered by the stars, floating in the dark woods, which made her heart float.Her heart was even more confused.

She estimated that Zhang Jiyuan had almost returned to the small courtyard, so she walked along a small path under the gable of the rice store.Walking to the edge of the dark bamboo forest, she saw Zhang Jiyuan sitting on a rock and smoking.He was there waiting for her.Just like her vague premonition.God, he's really here!Her heart was pounding again.She held her breath and walked past him.The idiot was still smoking there, the red fireworks flickering on and off.No matter how slow she walked.The idiot said nothing.Did he not see me? Just as Xiumi was walking through the bamboo forest, Zhang Jiyuan suddenly sighed for no reason, stood up, and said:

"Boss Chen, someone died in the family just now." Just like that, Xiumi stopped.She turned around, looked at her cousin, and asked, "Who told you?" "No one told me." Zhang Jiyuan walked towards her. "Then how do you know?" "Of course I know." Zhang Jiyuan said, "And not only one person died." "You just made it up yourself. Why do you say that someone is dead?" "Let me tell you, and you can see if it makes sense." When they were talking like this, they were already walking side by side in the bamboo grove. There was already dew in the bamboo grove, and the wet bamboo branches touched her head from time to time, and she pushed her away with her hands.Because she talked about something that had nothing to do with her, her violently beating heart calmed down at this moment.Zhang Jiyuan said: "Do you still remember that Cuilian asked Chen Xiuji why no one lives in such a nice courtyard, and the boss raised his hand to wipe his tears?"

"Remember..." Xiumi whispered.She is no longer shy.Even if her cousin's arm touched her, she was not shy. "I saw in the yard just now that there was a shaker that a child slept on under the pumpkin stand, which means that there used to be children in this yard." "Where did that kid go?" "Dead." Zhang Jiyuan said. "How could it be?" Xiumi was startled, stopped, and looked at her cousin motionless. "Listen to me slowly." A smile flashed across Zhang Jiyuan's pale face.The two of them walked on again. "There is a well in the yard. I went to check it carefully. It is a dead well, which has already been filled with stones." Zhang Jiyuan said.

"But why did they fill up the well?" "People have died in this well." "You mean the boy fell into the well and drowned." "The wall of the well is very high, and there is a well cover. There are big stones on the well cover, so it is impossible for a child to fall in." Zhang Jiyuan reached out to cover Xiumi's bamboo branches, but touched her hair bun. "Then tell me, how did the child die?" "He died of illness," Zhang Jiyuan said. "In the wing room where Baochen and I lived, there was a sickness talisman on the wall, indicating that the child was seriously ill. Boss Chen even held a séance for him, and invited a witch to exorcise ghosts." .But the kid died anyway."

"Then who died in the well?" "The mother of the child. She was thrown into a well." "Later, Boss Chen filled up the well," Xiumi said. "That's right." "Later, Boss Chen couldn't live in this house anymore." "That's right." Zhang Jiyuan said. He stopped suddenly, turned around, and looked at her.They were about to walk out of this dark bamboo forest.The moon has lost its crimson halo, as if washed by water.She heard the sound of running water somewhere. "Are you afraid?" Zhang Jiyuan asked her softly.There seemed to be something stuck in his throat. "Scared." Her voice was so low that she couldn't hear her. Zhang Jiyuan put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Don't be afraid." At this moment, she smelled the smell of cigarettes under his armpits again.She heard her shoulder blades click.No matter how focused she was on holding her breath, her breathing became heavier.The noise of the bamboo grove, the clear moonlight, and the gurgling spring water flowing in the cracks of the rocks have all become understandable language.She had already made up her mind secretly: no matter what the cousin said, she would agree; no matter what the cousin did, her eyes and heart would be silent.She thought about the dream many days ago.She asked him in the dream, where is the door?The cousin put his hand in her skirt and murmured, here is the door... "Sister..." Zhang Jiyuan looked at her face, as if he was making a major decision.Xiumi saw that his brows were tightly furrowed, and his expression was horrified. Under the moonlight, that face looked painful and melancholy. "En." Xiumi replied, looking up at him. "Don't be afraid." Finally, Zhang Jiyuan smiled, patted her on the shoulder, and moved the hand away. They walked out of the bamboo forest and came to the gate of the small courtyard. Cousin hesitated for a while, and asked her if she wanted to sit by the door for a while, and Xiumi said, "Okay." The two sat side by side on the threshold.Zhang Jiyuan was filling the pipe with shredded tobacco again.Xiumi propped her elbows on her knees, resting her cheeks.The mountain wind blows on her face, both sad and carefree.My cousin asked her what books she usually read, whether she had been to Meicheng, and asked her why she was always frowning and worried.What he asked, what she answered.But Zhang Jiyuan avoided answering all the questions Xiumi asked him.Xiumi asked him where he was from, why he came to Puji, why he went to find the man with six fingers, and what he was doing at Xueju's house in Xiazhuang that day.Zhang Jiyuan either answered irrelevant questions, or just laughed without saying anything. However, when Xiumi talked about seeing a fisherman by the pond that day, Zhang Jiyuan's face suddenly changed. He inquired about every detail carefully, and said suspiciously: Strange, since he was fishing there, how could there be no hook line on the fishing rod? "Do you remember what he looks like?" Zhang Jiyuan asked eagerly, standing up from the threshold all of a sudden, which surprised Xiumi. "Wearing a black sermon robe and an old felt hat, he is a hunchback." Xiumi recalled, "I saw him squatting in the reeds and poking his head..." "Oops!" Zhang Jiyuan hesitated, "Could it be him?" "You know him?" Xiumi asked.Now, she was really a little scared. "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?!" Zhang Jiyuan said with a dark face.At this time, he has completely become another person. Xiumi didn't say anything.She knew that for Zhang Jiyuan, this matter was obviously of great importance. "No," Zhang Jiyuan said to himself, "No, I have to go back immediately." "But there are no boats at the ferry at this moment." Xiumi said. "Oops, I'm afraid something will happen..." Zhang Jiyuan stared at her blankly, seemingly at a loss for a moment. At this moment, they all heard voices in the bamboo forest, and the lights of the lanterns flickered on and off.Mother and Baochen are back.Zhang Jiyuan had a gloomy face and went into the room alone without saying anything. The idiot!How could he suddenly turn on someone?Xiumi returned to the room feeling lost, lit the lamp, and stood by the window.She hated it in her heart, but her face was still so hot.She felt a little regretful that she shouldn't have brought up the fishing hunchback.Cuilian brought a basin of water for her to wash her face, but Xiumi ignored her.Cuilian said: "Are you going to sleep or not? After walking all day today, I'm as tired as a dead dog. If you don't sleep, I'm going to sleep first." After she finished speaking, she took off her clothes and fell asleep on the bed. Xiumi's hand accidentally touched something covered by a red cloth on the chest of drawers.This Boss Chen is also really strange, what's the use of covering the red silk cloth with a good looking thing?She lightly touched the thing under the red cloth, it was soft, like a sachet for a woman's dressing.She lifted the silk cloth and looked, her whole body trembled with fright, and she couldn't help screaming. It was a pair of tiger shoes worn by children. Cuilian sat up from the bed in a jerk, opened her mouth wide in fright, and stared at her blankly.After a long time, Xiumi said to Cuilian: "Tell me, will this house be haunted at night?" "Haunted? Alright, what the hell is going on!" Cuilian looked at her in astonishment, and her gaze became a little erratic. "In this house, a child died not long ago." Xiumi said.She felt that the room was filled with the shadow of the sick child.Xiumi jumped onto the bed without even washing her face. "You can't scare me." Cuilian laughed, "I'm notoriously courageous, it's not that easy for you to use any tricks to scare me." "Aren't you afraid of anything?" "I'm not afraid of anything," Cuilian said. On one occasion, she said, she slept in a cemetery during her escape.When she was about to wake up in the morning, she felt that something was messing with her hair. When she reached out to touch it, she felt a round thing. "What do you think it is?" "have no idea." "A big black and green boa constrictor. I opened my eyes, and that ghost was licking my face with its tongue." Cuilian said proudly, "If you encounter this, don't be scared to death several times." go back." "There's nothing to be afraid of snakes. If I meet them, I won't be afraid." Xiumi said. "Then you are afraid of ghosts?" Xiumi thought for a while, turned her face to look at her in the bed, then turned her face to look at the top of the tent, and murmured: "I'm not afraid of ghosts alone, but I'm most afraid of ghosts that don't look like ghosts." Ghosts, things that don't look like humans." "That's Zhang Jiyuan?" The two laughed loudly and hugged each other.The two quarreled for a while, and Xiumi felt that she was not afraid at all, and her heart was much more relaxed.After laughing enough, Xiumi suddenly became interested, and said to Cuilian, "I'm here to tell you something, to see if you are afraid or not." "Whatever you say, it won't scare me." "You go to the toilet..." "I haven't peed right now, why use the toilet?" Cuilian froze for a moment, her gaze was a little hesitant. Xiumi said: "I'm not telling you to go to the toilet, but I want to pee later, so get up and go to the toilet. There is no third person in this room except the two of us, right?" "Isn't it obvious? Besides us, how can there be anyone else?" Cuilian said as she stuck her head out of the tent to take a look. Xiumi continued: "You get up to use the toilet in the middle of the night, you know, there is no third person in this room except the two of us..." "Speak quickly." Cuilian gave her a push, "My heart is already pounding. Let me ask first, is there a light in this room?" "It's even more frightening if the lamp is on. If you don't have the lamp on, you won't be afraid." Xiumi smiled. "You woke up in the middle of the night and wanted to pee. You got up from the bed and put on slippers. You saw lights in the room. Light on, like now. You lift the toilet curtain and there's someone sitting on the toilet. Grinning at you." "who?" "you guess." "How do I know?" "master." Cuilian stabbed and slipped into the quilt.She whined under the covers for a long time before she stuck her head out and said, "How could you make up such a thing to scare people at such a young age? You scared me out of my guts." "It's not that I'm scaring you. He's really there. If you don't believe me, go down and have a look." Xiumi said solemnly. "Please, my grandma, don't say any more, I've scared you out of my soul." Cuilian gasped for breath for a while, and then gradually came to her senses, "Tonight, we two No one is going to use the toilet anymore." The next day, they came to Chenji rice store early, just waiting for the monk who bought the rice to appear.Bao Chen said that before dawn in the morning, Zhang Jiyuan got up and left in a panic, not knowing what was important to him.Mother didn't ask any more questions, but just looked at Xiumi's body.It took a long time before he said: "I heard you yelling in the room last night, and I don't know what's going on." Cuilian and Xiumi just pursed their lips and smiled.Chen Xiuji was afraid that they would be lonely and hard to bear, so he fried a pot of pine nuts and asked the waiter to bring them over. They waited from morning to sunset, where was the shadow of half a monk?Seeing that the sky was about to darken, my mother had to get up and leave.Boss Chen still tried to persuade: "The monks live in the mountains, and the journey is far away. It is not easy to come here. It is not easy for you to go this way. You might as well stay for a longer time. Among other things, I am here. You can’t finish it. Maybe if you go ahead, he will come back.” The mother said: "This visit has disturbed the Tanfu deeply. Boss Chen Gao Yi is very kind and grateful. I have a little silver tael here. I will pay for a cup of tea. I hope to receive it. If you are free in the future, please invite the boss and respect Madam, come to Puji for a walk." When Xiumi heard her mother utter the word "Honorable Madam", her heart tensed up. Could it be that Mrs. Chen is not dead?Bao Chen took out the thank you gift again, and made another push with Chen Xiuji, and then Boss Chen accepted it.Seeing that his mother was determined to leave, he didn't want to keep her anymore, and he and a few other men drove them all the way to the main road leading to the ferry, and then waved goodbye.