The 24th (3) Ghost Marriage

  A sudden series of knocks woke me up, I opened my eyes, the room was very dark, and could only hear that the sound came from the window. This sound was extremely urgent, like a rainstorm hail hitting the window, and also like a woodpecker carving on it meticulously.

  I picked up my phone and shook it, but couldn't see clearly. My eyes fell on the time on my phone, which had just passed midnight.

  Am I still in a dream?

  I put my thumb in my mouth and bit it hard, it hurt so much that I was suddenly wide awake.

  I heard the knocking sound continuing, and suddenly I jumped out of bed, turned off the lamp by the bedside with my hand, and almost in an instant rushed to the window.

  No matter what it is, even if it's a terrifying monster or ghost, I must take a good look at it.

  I must die with a clear conscience.

  At this time, I was already numb with fear, but the thing on the window still made me shudder.

  It's that red skirt again, sleeves raised high, pounding on my bed.

  But with the lighting of my lamp, the red skirt flashed onto the web once again and then disappeared.

  What is this thing?

  The last time it fluttered in front of my window, I saw a woman with a red umbrella on the ground, and further into the temple, I saw what seemed to be Da Peng and Si Yao's tryst. Then...I touched something I shouldn't have.

  And now it appears in front of my bed again, what does it want to do?

  My gaze once again gathered in the bright circle left by the small road lamp in front of the inn, where there was nothing, but then I saw a red sedan chair appear in the light, four black men carrying this sedan chair, the sedan chair was crimson, covered with gold and silver decorations, revealing a joyful atmosphere.

  Placing it during the daytime is auspicious, placing it at this time...

  Then I heard a burst of firecracker sounds, this sound came too suddenly in the quiet night, I saw that all the rooms in the hotel lit up, and then the sedan chair went into the dark depths.

  Only that voice is still continuing.

  Is this what they call a wedding?

  Is this the wedding that made the villagers change color?

  Who would get married at midnight?

  I don't have that much time to think about it, I'm 100% sure that Ah Ai is already sitting in the sedan chair, ready to become someone else's bride.

  How did all this happen?

  I hastily put on my clothes and rushed out of the door, only to see that many people were already standing outside, making a loud noise and discussing something.

  Xiyao saw me coming out and shouted at me, "Did you see it?"

  I rushed down, and Siyao followed me running over, shouting as she walked, did you hear that?

  I can still hear the sound of the trumpet, I said, I heard it, I heard it, can't you hear it?

  Xiyao said, I only heard the sound, but someone said they saw a flower sedan chair, it's someone getting married... in the middle of the night... is that so?

  I said I had no time, I must go and take a look, maybe the one getting married is my friend.

  Si Yao let out a cry of surprise. Feng Yue, who had rushed over to her side, asked: "Is it that Big Love sister getting married? I bumped into her and she told me."

  Siya said, "What's this about a big sister? I didn't see anyone. Hasn't this inn been empty except for us?"

  Fengyue said, you see if I don't know, anyway I saw it.

  I said, you all don't move, this is definitely not a good thing, I'll go take a look, and none of you go anywhere.

  Ma Tiancheng walked over with the dwarf, Ma Tiancheng said, Brother, I advise you not to go either. Getting married in a desolate and remote place is originally a big taboo. Moreover, it's now Zi Shi... No one will get married at this time. What I'm saying is, no one.

  The dwarf said, either we all go together or none of us goes. There are so many dirty things in the world.

  His voice was sharp and carried a hint of cunning tremolo, I had never had a good impression of this dwarf, but at this moment I quite agreed with what he said.

  If there really is an evil spirit, nowhere is safe.

  What can this old and shabby inn withstand?

  Not even a rain can stop it.

  But I didn't have time to say any more, I had already rushed out, and then I heard Feng Yue shouting behind me, saying "I'm going too, I said I would attend this wedding."

  I didn't expect this little girl to be so brave, which really doesn't match her beauty. But before I could finish my surprise, I saw Siyao rushing out and saying, "I'm going too, I still want to find Dapeng, you can't get into trouble."

  I let out a cry and then saw the boys from the Fengyue Imperial Guard rushing out, all of them holding something in their hands, shouting: "Fengyue, we'll go with you!"

  Suddenly I changed from being the leader to a little follower, this time the action was obviously centered around Feng Yue, and the privileges of beauties are really extensive.

  I am different from these shouting students, I have a great love in my heart, listening to the sound of the suona getting farther and farther away, I feel anxious, I shouted, I'm going first, don't care if you go or not, take care of your own safety.

  After finishing speaking, he ran all the way, and it was also possible to hear that the people behind were closely following, but the distance gradually opened up.

  Running down from the mountain, the sound was always ahead, thinking that the sedan chair might not be faster than me, and I could catch up soon. I ran to the bottom of the pagoda tree, and suddenly heard a voice above my head, it was a man's voice, he said, you're back.

  I let out an "ah" and felt all the hairs on my head stand up. I lifted my head to take a look, but it was too dark to see anything.

  My footsteps slowed down suddenly, and I didn't dare to respond. The man upstairs continued to say, "You're back? I'm also here to attend the Da Ai wedding, but I heard you're back, so I came to take a look at you."

  I said, who are you? Do you know me? How did you know I was back?

  The man said, "I heard Xiaopang say that you're back."

  I was stunned for half a day, but my footsteps didn't stop, I kept walking forward. Suddenly, I remembered that dream, where Xiaobudian's head was cut off and flew around the old locust tree...

  I trembled with fear and asked, "Are you Xiaobudian?"

  The man's voice was gone, and after a while, he said, "You still remember me, but we can't meet again. Hurry up and go save Dai Ai, she's in the ancient temple. Go quickly."

  I'm at a loss to describe how I feel now, when I ran out, I felt a cold sweat all over my body, I had a chill, turned my head and looked at the old locust tree, nothing could be seen on it, it was pitch black.

  In the distance, there was a flashlight beam, and behind it, a large troop was about to catch up. I wasn't sure if they could find the ancient temple, but I didn't have time to wait either.

  If it was all just speculation before and I thought that ghosts and curses were just nonsense, now I have some evidence.

  That poor little fellow of mine, his three-meter-tall head has been hovering beside the pagoda tree all along. I don't know why he didn't leave, but I can imagine that he and Little Fatty are trapped together somewhere, waiting for me to come back.

  Waiting for me to save them.

  Now, let's start with saving Da Ai.

  I ran with all my might, already exceeding my limits. When I stepped into the ancient temple entrance, I remembered that flesh Buddha and shivered again.

  As soon as I entered the ancient temple, I saw a bright light in the middle of the main hall, which was a flickering flame. I ran over and saw a woman wearing a red dress kneeling on the ground, surrounded by white candles, with flames dancing around her, while the surroundings were increasingly dark, and I couldn't see the statue clearly.

  I walked to the door and didn't dare go in rashly, I shouted loudly, "Dà ài" (which means "Big Love").

  The woman in a red skirt didn't move, I shouted again, Ah Li, is that you?

  The sound echoed in the ancient temple, and even I was startled.

  The woman still didn't move, I walked in, subconsciously glanced at the position of that statue, and had already made mental preparations, even if there was a living woman standing on it, I wouldn't be afraid.

  But what's on top still scared me a bit, because there was nothing, this table is empty.

  That day I was 100% sure there was a statue, although it was dark and couldn't see clearly, but I still leaned on it and hid behind to eavesdrop... Now there's nothing.

  Is it that woman who has come down?

  Kneeling right in front of me?

  My hand, which had been stretched out, suddenly withdrew, and I was unsure what this woman, covered in a red veil and wrapped up so tightly that not a single thread of clothing could be seen, actually was. To say nothing of whether she was a great lover, I wasn't even sure if she was human.

  I turned back and looked around, but there was no sign of that flower sedan chair, nor the four sedan bearers.

  Have I been chasing in vain?

  So what's in front of me? Can't be that the flesh Bodhisattva I touched that day has come down and is absorbing the essence of the sun and moon here.

  I retreated a few steps and exited the hall, shouting again: "Da Ai, is that you?"

  The woman remained motionless on her knees, I retreated a few more steps and shouted again, but there was still no response.

  I walked out and felt like I had come to the wrong place.

  Are there really ghosts in this world?

  Is Xiaobudian's words just my illusion?

  Maybe I had an illusion under the pagoda tree? And what impressed me most about this ancient village was this ancient temple, thinking that it was also reasonable for Da Ai to be here.

  I bit my thumb hard again and the pain made me sober, I saw the lights in the distance and shouted a few times, "I'm here! I'm here!"

  Before long, everyone came running over. This large group of nearly ten people made me feel braver again. I pointed inside and said, "It's probably in there."

  Ma Tiancheng said, "Have you gone in?"

  I'm really too embarrassed to say that I went in and was quite scared, then ran out again. I said, I saw flames, didn't dare go in rashly.

  Fengyue said, "Come on, what's there to be afraid of with so many people? Let's go take a look together."

  She finished speaking and took a step forward, when a boy beside her grabbed her arm. Feng Yue turned around and looked at the people around her, saying "What's wrong? Are you scared? Didn't we come to experience the thrill of the ghost village? This is a great opportunity! If you're not even brave enough to enter now, next time go find some tourist spot with mountains and rivers, crowded with people. I thought only men were daring enough to come, but it turns out they just came to join in on the fun."

  The sound of the wind and moon had just fallen, a boy said, what's to be afraid of? I don't believe it. So many people are still afraid? Come on, let's go in and see what it is.

  At that moment, several people burst into laughter. I took a look and found that the woman was indeed a man's stimulant. When these hormones were ignited, even ghosts and gods would retreat.

  I yielded and watched as several people walked in, I also hurriedly followed them in, I was afraid that the red-clothed woman really was a great lover, and this group of students would again recklessly hurt her.

  I followed him in and saw that everyone had instinctively stood outside the door, forming a semicircle, staring straight at the red-clothed woman in the firelight, with no one daring to take another step forward.

  Fengyue, Siyao and the other girls finally came in and saw this scene, but they didn't say a word. They all hid behind the man. I heard Siyao whispering from behind, "Shenniang, what's going on?"

  The fortune teller said, "How would I know?"

  Si Yao said, "Aren't you a goddess?"

  The fortune teller said, Laozi is playing with constellations.

  Siya said, "Don't several generations of your family have been horse breeders?"

  The fortune teller said, "That's them, I'm playing with the stars, high and mighty, always on the move."

  Then I heard Fengyue whispering, "Just go and take a look, it's just a hood, lift it up."

  The wind and moon were probably intentionally said to the few boys in front of her, but this time they all pretended not to hear. Ma Tiancheng held a flashlight in his hand, scolding a few words, but didn't dare to move forward. On the contrary, the dwarf took a few steps forward, entered the hall, and stood in front of the fire circle surrounded by candles around the woman in red.

  I'm afraid this woman really is a big shot, and she followed him in. The dwarf looked around up and down, front and back, left and right, and I heard him say a few words. He turned his head and saw me following him, and said, "You get out."

  I said I won't go out, I'm afraid you'll be in danger, and this person can't even be considered a friend of mine.

  The dwarf's voice was sharp, he said, don't go out or you'll regret it.

  I twitched my mouth, then saw the dwarf clap his hands together, put his palms together, and kicked his feet wildly. He suddenly pointed at the woman in red with his finger and shouted loudly, as if giving an urgent order.

  Then I saw the woman in red suddenly soften her straight body, bend her waist and sway unsteadily.

  I looked around and saw candles everywhere, afraid of burning her, I rushed over to hug her, warm and soft in my arms, and I also breathed a sigh of relief.

  She is absolutely a woman, a lively and vivid woman.

  Whether it's true love or not, let's get married first and talk about it later.

  I carried the woman in red out, and Ma Tiancheng pulled down the veil that was still on her face. A head of black long hair fell down like a waterfall, and I saw the woman's face clearly.

  The first feeling was a great love. In my memory, the appearance of this great love had become very vague, but I still determined at first glance that this woman was undoubtedly Da Ai.

  Fengyue shouted from behind, it was her, Da Ai sister, telling me to attend her wedding.

  I turned back to look at the dwarf, and I really didn't expect a cripple like him to have such means. The dwarf was still looking at me with a gloomy face, not saying a word, his eyes still full of malice.

  I picked up my luggage and didn't care about anything else, running back and forth in front of the hotel.

  This group of people arrived at the hotel and made a fuss for a long time. I wanted to put Da Ai in my room, but others disagreed, thinking that Da Ai might not know me, and I might not be a good person. A man and woman living together alone might lead to trouble, but no one dared to live with Da Ai, who might not be human.

  In the end, I could only arrange for Da Ai to be placed in a separate room next to mine. I stayed with Da Ai for half the night, but she remained unconscious and showed no signs of waking up.

  I couldn't hold on any longer, after all, I've been ill and frightened for the past few days, unable to rest one after another, making it hard for me to focus my mind.

  I went back to my room and took a nap, when I woke up, it was already daylight.