Chapter 7 seventh night july half

July and a half is the traditional ghost festival in China. On this day, children are always reminded by adults not to stroll outside once it gets dark, and if someone calls your name, don’t say yes. "Oh, what's the matter with the name, isn't the name used for shouting?" I browsed this passage on the Internet and said to myself. "You idiot, you must have never heard of A Guang's story. If you knew, someone calling your name in the middle of July night would not readily agree." "Oh? What kind of story was that then?" I knew he was about to start again, and sure enough, my friend threw away the book in his hand, took out two cans of beer, and told the story of Ah Guang.

"Ah Guang was my childhood playmate in the countryside. I remember telling you that thanks to the eight-tailed cat, our family is well-known in the local area. Ah Guang was actually more appropriate as my playmate when I was young. , because his mother works in our house. My childhood memory of him was that he was smart, and he was a bit cunning. His huge head was decorated with a few rotten grasses, and a pair of cross-eyed eyes often wandered around. He was half a head shorter than me, and his movements were unusually flexible. , Climbing trees, digging out bird nests, going down rivers and fishing are all for him.Although I am half a year older than him, I am always obvious that I am his younger brother. I often follow behind him, and he always teaches me some novel things.Although I only stayed in the country until I was old enough to study and then returned to the city, Aguang is undoubtedly an important memory that I can't forget in my childhood.

I graduated from middle school that year.I miss my childhood playmates and the carefree life when I was a child. One day in August, I finally returned to my hometown.I met Aguang. Ah Guang is already taller than me, and his body is much bigger than mine. His whole body is covered with tight and strong muscles.He is already the main laborer in the family.Despite years of hard work, he still looks very clever and cunning. "You're back." Ah Guang saw me and grinned, revealing a row of white teeth.Hands are busy with farm work. "Well, let's go and play, we haven't seen each other for a long time." I warmly invited him.Ah Guang looked at his father, an old man who was already walking on crutches, Ah Guang was the youngest.So his father was also approaching sixty.

His father smiled and waved his hand, indicating that he could go.Ah Guang threw away the things at hand excitedly.Rub it on your body twice.come towards me. I played crazy that day, almost repeating all the games I played when I was a child.Even the air smells of happiness.But we didn't realize that it was already dark.It gets dark suddenly in August.It seemed that there was still a little afterglow of the setting sun just now, and the surroundings were dark in the blink of an eye. "Let's go, it's getting dark, today is July and a half." Ah Guang shook the dirt on his body, and pulled me back.I was a little reluctant, after all, I felt that the time to be here was too short.

"Okay, come back tomorrow." I also stood up.Ah Guang seemed to be in a hurry, walking quickly, we pulled away a few meters in one go. Walking on the mountain road back to the village is a bit scary.I didn't feel it during the day, but when it got dark, the road was very difficult to walk. I was surprised that Ah Guang walked so fast. Suddenly he stopped and said to me: "What's wrong?" "What's the matter?" I caught up with him strangely and asked him. "Didn't you call me just now? Ah Guang, Ah Guang." He also asked strangely. "No, you heard it wrong, maybe it's the wind." I explained.

Ah Guang's complexion changed drastically, and his eyes shone brightly in the dark night, much like the will-o'-the-wisps described by the old man.He kept looking around, turning his neck very quickly. "You, what's wrong with you?" I was a little scared, after all, I was only a teenager at the time. Ah Guang didn't answer me, he took my hand and ran home quickly. His hand was so strong that I was almost dragged back by him. Ah Guang sent me home and left. Before leaving, I saw his face was pale and pale, and he was not angry at all. My hometown in the country is very big, I sleep on the second floor, next door is my cousin, he is the son of my great-uncle who once saw the eight-tailed cat.He is tall and tall, but has a good temper and looks like an elder.So every day I pester him to tell me ghost stories, and today is no exception.Unexpectedly, he refused today.

He stroked my head with his thick and broad palm, and said with a smile: "Not today, today is Ghost Festival, we won't tell those stories, otherwise you will have a hard time sleeping at night." After finishing speaking, he turned around and was about to go back. I stopped my uncle suddenly and asked, "Uncle Tang, what if someone calls your name but you can't see it?" Tang Shu was stunned for a moment, then rushed over to hold my hand, and shouted anxiously: "Did you hear someone call your name? Did you agree?" I was frightened, so I quickly said no, and he felt at ease. Before going out, he repeatedly told me not to go out in the past few nights. If you hear someone calling you, don’t rush to agree. You must take a good look to make sure who is calling you. .

I slept with the quilt covered, and Aguang's terrified eyes and my cousin's anxious look kept appearing in front of my eyes.I faintly felt that there seemed to be something hidden in this village.Maybe it's the curious nature of children. The first thing I did after I woke up the next day was to find Aguang.I was afraid that something would happen to him, but I couldn't say exactly what would happen. Anyway, I was worried for no reason at the time. Ah Guang rubbed his eyes and came out, yawning and saying why he came to quarrel so early in the morning. I am glad that my friend is fine, and naturally we are having fun together again this day.But we saw that the sun had just passed the edge and went home immediately.

This seemingly safe day lasted until the last day of the seventh lunar month, which was A Guang's birthday.He was just sixteen years old that year.Due to the busy farming season, I haven't visited him for a few days. The village was very quiet that morning, everyone was busy with their business, and there was fog in the morning, but when I arrived at Aguang's house, the fog had cleared.I celebrated his birthday with a red egg that I begged my grandma to cook last night. The door was not locked, so I opened it with a push. People were not used to locking the door at that time, especially when there were people at home. I knew that Aguang was probably still sleeping. Since I came, he always played with me, and he had to work when he went back. , Of course I am very tired, so I am also a little bit sorry.Think about having a good birthday with him today.

"Ah Guang? Ah Guang?" I walked in.Ah Guang's house is very dark. Although the sun outside is already very strong, his house feels very dark when he enters. Ah Guang's room is in the attic.This attic was built hard, and it didn't exist in the first place.The attic is very low, you can only go in with your head down. seventh night july half July and a half is the traditional ghost festival in China. On this day, children are always reminded by adults not to stroll outside once it gets dark, and if someone calls your name, don’t say yes. "Oh, what's the matter with the name, isn't the name used for shouting?" I browsed this passage on the Internet and said to myself.

"You idiot, you must have never heard of A Guang's story. If you knew, someone calling your name in the middle of July night would not readily agree." "Oh? What kind of story was that then?" I knew he was about to start again, and sure enough, my friend threw away the book in his hand, took out two cans of beer, and told the story of Ah Guang. "Ah Guang was my childhood playmate in the countryside. I remember telling you that thanks to the eight-tailed cat, our family is well-known in the local area. Ah Guang was actually more appropriate as my playmate when I was young. , because his mother works in our house. My childhood memory of him was that he was smart, and he was a bit cunning. His huge head was decorated with a few rotten grasses, and a pair of cross-eyed eyes often wandered around. He was half a head shorter than me, and his movements were unusually flexible. , Climbing trees, digging out bird nests, going down rivers and fishing are all for him.Although I am half a year older than him, I am always obvious that I am his younger brother. I often follow behind him, and he always teaches me some novel things.Although I only stayed in the country until I was old enough to study and then returned to the city, Aguang is undoubtedly an important memory that I can't forget in my childhood. I graduated from middle school that year.I miss my childhood playmates and the carefree life when I was a child. One day in August, I finally returned to my hometown.I met Aguang. Ah Guang is already taller than me, and his body is much bigger than mine. His whole body is covered with tight and strong muscles.He is already the main laborer in the family.Despite years of hard work, he still looks very clever and cunning. "You're back." Ah Guang saw me and grinned, revealing a row of white teeth.Hands are busy with farm work. "Well, let's go and play, we haven't seen each other for a long time." I warmly invited him.Ah Guang looked at his father, an old man who was already walking on crutches, Ah Guang was the youngest.So his father was also approaching sixty. His father smiled and waved his hand, indicating that he could go.Ah Guang threw away the things at hand excitedly.Rub it on your body twice.come towards me. I played crazy that day, almost repeating all the games I played when I was a child.Even the air smells of happiness.But we didn't realize that it was already dark.It gets dark suddenly in August.It seemed that there was still a little afterglow of the setting sun just now, and the surroundings were dark in the blink of an eye. "Let's go, it's getting dark, today is July and a half." Ah Guang shook the dirt on his body, and pulled me back.I was a little reluctant, after all, I felt that the time to be here was too short. "Okay, come back tomorrow." I also stood up.Ah Guang seemed to be in a hurry, walking quickly, we pulled away a few meters in one go. Walking on the mountain road back to the village is a bit scary.I didn't feel it during the day, but when it got dark, the road was very difficult to walk. I was surprised that Ah Guang walked so fast. Suddenly he stopped and said to me: "What's wrong?" "What's the matter?" I caught up with him strangely and asked him. "Didn't you call me just now? Ah Guang, Ah Guang." He also asked strangely. "No, you heard it wrong, maybe it's the wind." I explained. Ah Guang's complexion changed drastically, and his eyes shone brightly in the dark night, much like the will-o'-the-wisps described by the old man.He kept looking around, turning his neck very quickly. "You, what's wrong with you?" I was a little scared, after all, I was only a teenager at the time. Ah Guang didn't answer me, he took my hand and ran home quickly. His hand was so strong that I was almost dragged back by him. Ah Guang sent me home and left. Before leaving, I saw his face was pale and pale, and he was not angry at all. My hometown in the country is very big, I sleep on the second floor, next door is my cousin, he is the son of my great-uncle who once saw the eight-tailed cat.He is tall and tall, but has a good temper and looks like an elder.So every day I pester him to tell me ghost stories, and today is no exception.Unexpectedly, he refused today. He stroked my head with his thick and broad palm, and said with a smile: "Not today, today is Ghost Festival, we won't tell those stories, otherwise you will have a hard time sleeping at night." After finishing speaking, he turned around and was about to go back. I stopped my uncle suddenly and asked, "Uncle Tang, what if someone calls your name but you can't see it?" Tang Shu was stunned for a moment, then rushed over to hold my hand, and shouted anxiously: "Did you hear someone call your name? Did you agree?" I was frightened, so I quickly said no, and he felt at ease. Before going out, he repeatedly told me not to go out in the past few nights. If you hear someone calling you, don’t rush to agree. You must take a good look to make sure who is calling you. . I slept with the quilt covered, and Aguang's terrified eyes and my cousin's anxious look kept appearing in front of my eyes.I faintly felt that there seemed to be something hidden in this village.Maybe it's the curious nature of children. The first thing I did after I woke up the next day was to find Aguang.I was afraid that something would happen to him, but I couldn't say exactly what would happen. Anyway, I was worried for no reason at the time. Ah Guang rubbed his eyes and came out, yawning and saying why he came to quarrel so early in the morning. I am glad that my friend is fine, and naturally we are having fun together again this day.But we saw that the sun had just passed the edge and went home immediately. This seemingly safe day lasted until the last day of the seventh lunar month, which was A Guang's birthday.He was just sixteen years old that year.Due to the busy farming season, I haven't visited him for a few days. The village was very quiet that morning, everyone was busy with their business, and there was fog in the morning, but when I arrived at Aguang's house, the fog had cleared.I celebrated his birthday with a red egg that I begged my grandma to cook last night. The door was not locked, so I opened it with a push. People were not used to locking the door at that time, especially when there were people at home. I knew that Aguang was probably still sleeping. Since I came, he always played with me, and he had to work when he went back. , Of course I am very tired, so I am also a little bit sorry.Think about having a good birthday with him today. "Ah Guang? Ah Guang?" I walked in.Ah Guang's house is very dark. Although the sun outside is already very strong, his house feels very dark when he enters. Ah Guang's room is in the attic.This attic was built hard, and it didn't exist in the first place.The attic is very low, you can only go in with your head down. I called Ah Guang's name over and over again, but the small room seemed dead silent.I climbed up the stairs carefully.It was dark in the attic, and I called again, but no one spoke.I thought Ah Guang had gone out, and just about to turn around and go downstairs, I suddenly saw something wriggling in the dark corner of the attic. "Is it Ah Guang? Why don't you talk?" I happily crawled over. As I said before, the attic is very short, so I can only crawl over. There is a window in the attic.When I climbed over and got closer little by little, the sunlight also shot into the attic little by little.Finally I saw it, I saw Hikari. I opened my mouth in surprise, I almost didn't know him at all after not seeing him for a few days.The formerly strong Aguang seemed to be dead.In front of my eyes, he was very thin, with black eye sockets deeply sunken into huge eye sockets, high cheekbones, and he was thin and frighteningly thin. He didn't wear a shirt, and I saw his ribs protruding like piano keys. Only the occasional rolling of the whites of the eye sockets makes me know that he is still alive. "What's going on? How did this happen?" I asked him crying while shaking his huge head.He didn't say a word, just stared blankly behind me. "It's calling my name, it's calling my name again. It's going to take me away." Ah Guang murmured these words from his throat like a dream. "It? Who is it? Ah Guang, don't scare me, I'll find someone to save you right away." I put Ah Guang down and was about to go down to find someone when he suddenly grabbed my clothes corner with great strength. , almost turned me over. "Don't go! It's coming, I saw it, it's right behind you!" Ah Guang shouted hoarsely.Pointing to the dark attic behind me, I was very excited. I turned my head in fear, only to find that there was nothing behind me.I quickly hugged Ah Guang's head, looked into his eyes, and hoped that he would recover. "No, Ah Guang, don't be afraid, there is nothing." I comforted him, but before I finished speaking, I saw something in Ah Guang's dull eyeballs, no, because it should be pupils! I thought my eyes were dazzled, and I was getting closer. Sure enough, there was something in his eyes. I turned my head slowly, but I didn't see anything.But I felt that something was approaching Aguang from behind me, like a wriggling object slowly climbing up Aguang's body from my feet. Ah Guang twitched in pain, and I couldn't hold it down.I saw that his eyes were wide open, almost popping out of their sockets. Inside the black pupils was a human-shaped white shadow, which gradually grew larger from far to near, and finally filled Ah Guang's entire pupils. Ah Guang twitched a few times in my arms for the last time, and died.Die with a smile.I knew he was finally free.Although I hugged him, I felt that there was nothing in my arms.I couldn't contain my fear and sadness, and burst into tears.In this way, I held his dead body and cried for hours, until the adults came up, and then I passed out. When I woke up I was in my bed with a bad head and a sore throat.I looked at my uncle who was standing by my bed, struggled to get up and asked him what happened to Ah Guang.Tang Shu looked dim and said he was dead. I passed out again.Then I fell into a drowsy sleep for a long time, during which I seemed to see Taoist priests doing things beside my bed, as if some relatives were asking beside me, and I seemed to see Ah Guang waving to me again.After three days like this, I fully woke up. When my cousin saw that I was awake, he hurriedly informed my family. Everyone was very happy, and my grandmother prayed to God and Buddha.I asked my uncle what was going on.He avoided answering.In the end, I really had no choice but to tell me. People in the village are very concerned about it. In the middle of the night in July, you must not go up the mountain, let alone allow others to call your name casually.The back mountain used to be an ancient battlefield. It is said that there are mass graves inside, and countless dead soldiers whose names are unknown are buried.At this time, the village will invite people to perform rituals to appease them. After listening to it, I felt guilty. I knew that I had indirectly killed Ah Guang. He must have known about this taboo. If he hadn’t played crazy with me, how could he have forgotten it?Or if he was not with me and mistakenly thought that I was calling him, how could he agree?I'm sorry for Aguang, I'm sorry for my only partner and friend here. After recovering from illness, I went to Aguang's home. His parents didn't have much grief. They objected to my apology in a hurry. They waved their hands and said it was not my fault. Still crying. I left that village and rarely went back.I still don't understand why it was Aguang who was called by my name that day, not me. Maybe Aguang subconsciously agreed for me? In short, on the night of July and a half, don’t just agree to someone’s call, especially when they call your name.” "Is this the end of Ah Guang's story?" I finished my beer and suddenly felt a chill. "No, it's just the beginning." It's rare to see him look serious. "Time can dilute everything, maybe it is true. Later, I was busy taking college entrance examinations, and then my parents passed away. You all know this. But when my father passed away, I went back to my hometown once according to the rules, and buried his ashes in the ancestral grave. Thinking of the horrible memory of childhood, it was repeated like a video rewind." He drank the last sip of beer and continued. "My father's death didn't give me much sadness, because if your relatives leave you suddenly, such as a car accident or other things, you may feel very sad. But my father has been in poor health, almost suffering from cancer. I only I can watch him go through the long and painful road. So I feel relieved for him when he passed away. Of course, I am not a cold-blooded animal. After all, my dearest person in the world is gone. At that time, I just felt depressed , very depressing. When I came to the village, I thought of Ah Guang’s death again, and I became even more irritable. The night after I buried my father’s ashes was July 15th. At that time, I kept drinking the self-brewed wine in the village that I did not know where.I drank and walked aimlessly, completely unaware that I had reached the most taboo back mountain in the village. I vomited while leaning against the wall, and felt a severe headache, and then suddenly a very cool wind woke me up a bit.I'm starting to feel a little bit.In July and a half, everyone went to bed very early.Looking at the village from the back mountain, there are only a few faint lights, like candles. I'm starting to know where I've been.But I didn't feel scared yet, I suddenly thought of Ah Guang, shouting Ah Guang's name loudly with wine in the wilderness.Shouting and walking back. Just when I was about to leave Houshan and return to the village, I heard the phrase "Little Four!" Little Four is my baby name, and very few people know it, but Ah Guang is one of them. I thought I heard it wrong and didn't care, so I continued to shake and go home.Then I heard another sentence, this time it was very clear, as if it was right next to my ear, and I even felt breathing right behind my ear. Fully awake now, I threw the bottle and yelled, "Who? Who's calling me?" I yelled, but didn't hear any echo. In the empty mountain village, except for a few dogs barking and the sound of the wind, all I could hear was my own heavy breathing. I ran as soon as I could, ran all the way home, and fell asleep on the bed without washing my face.In fact, he didn't sleep all night, and his ears were full of Xiaosi Xiaosi's calls. Until the next morning, the sound disappeared, and I went downstairs with dark circles under my eyes.When my family asked me, I only said that I was a sad father.Uncle Tang looked at me and told me to come over. He solemnly took out a small bag like an amulet from his jacket and hung it on my head, and smiled kindly at me.And told you not to lose it.Still when I was a child. After that, that kind of voice didn't appear again for several days, and I didn't take it to heart as I went to visit an acquaintance's house as a routine.They all praised me for growing up and they all missed my father's departure. In the end, only Ah Guang's family was left. I didn't want to go, I was afraid of the painful memories of my youth.But an inexplicable force actually drove him to his house again. Ah Guang's house has been abandoned.After Ah Guang died.Accidents happened one after another in his family, either seriously ill or accidents.Especially that attic.It is said that I always heard someone calling Ah Guang's name at night.But no one has ever heard it. Afterwards, Ah Guang's family left, and no one dared to take the house, so it was naturally abandoned.But it wasn't locked.I pushed the door open easily.Inside, the decoration was the same as the day Ah Guang died.I have a headache.Time seemed to rewind quickly to that day. The same decoration, the same pace, the same search.I walked step by step to the attic.The attic was still there, and the house was even darker.I don't want to go up, but I am very eager to see him, I don't know if he is waiting for me up there.I climbed the stairs, which creaked with each step, and the wooden stairs that had not been used for many years seemed to be overwhelmed. I finally entered the attic, it was very stuffy, and there was a musty smell in it.But it was very bright inside, unlike at that time, the sunlight filled the small room very warmly. I slowly climbed to the place where Ah Guang was sitting, just like his posture, looking ahead. "Ah Guang, are you there?" I asked from the bottom of my heart. "Little Four." Just as I was about to fall asleep, a clear call woke me up. "Little Four." Another call.I was terrified, of course I knew the taboo.Only then did I wake up, wondering how I got here.I climbed to the exit and tried to go down but found that there was no ladder at all! The attic is as high as the ground, at most three meters, but at this moment it looks like an abyss. "Little Four!" The shout became louder.I yelled, "Don't come here!" But there was nothing in the attic. I waved my hands helplessly, but in the air there was only my churning dust, tumbling quickly in the beam of sunlight. "Little four." I finally saw it, it was Ah Guang, he was looking at me from the position where he was sitting at that time, but he was not as scary as when he was dying, he was the same as before, it seemed that he had never changed.I seem to go back to the boyhood when we played together.He was still smart and healthy, and I was giggling behind him. I cried, the tears couldn't stop falling, I don't know if it was fear or excitement, but I couldn't speak, I could only cry. Ah Guang smiled and crawled slowly towards me, calling my name as he came.Every inch he climbed, the screeching sound of his nails falling on the floor. Getting closer and closer, so close that he can touch my face as soon as he reaches out. "Little Si, I've been waiting for you." Ah Guang crawled in front of me and stopped.I looked at him with wide eyes, just as he had eyes open back then.His appearance grew larger and larger in my pupils, my eyes almost filled with his body. I'm going to despair, maybe it's a good thing, there's nothing in this world worth remembering about me. Suddenly, I could move and talk.But Ah Guang's image disappeared, and there was still only me in the attic. It seemed that what happened just now had never happened at all. It took me a long time to get my breath back.When I climbed to the entrance, the stairs were all right there. I am afraid that I am the only one who violated this taboo and survived. I am moved like the rest of my life after a catastrophe.But I was wrong. When I got home, my family was very sad. Only after I inquired about it did I know that Uncle Tang went there while he was studying in the living room.Without any warning, just now.I looked at Tang Shu's body expressionlessly, his eyes were wide open. I knelt before him all day and night.In the end I passed out.Later they told me that the only thing my uncle said before he died was to wait for Xiao Si to come back and tell him to cherish himself more. Because of me, I killed my two closest people, I don't blame Ah Guang, he has no choice.I only blame myself, if only I could think a little more and be a little less impulsive.Maybe things don't end that way. "The first time I saw him so sad, the friend took out the amulet around his neck. "My uncle gave it to me, and I will keep it with me." He looked at me and said, "Do you understand now? Remember not to promise others casually on the night of July and a half." I nodded mechanically, and by the way, I have promised countless times since I was a child.