Twenty-sixth day flesh statue

  Outside your window in the dead of night, a red skirt is floating. You don't know if there's anyone inside, and you don't dare to see what it really is, just sticking to your window like that.

  Even the bravest person will have an urge to urinate.

  I stood there, not daring to move, the rain outside continued to fall, but there was no lightning. Logically speaking, this red skirt should have been just a dark shadow, so why did I clearly know it was red?

  I've seen this skirt somewhere before.

  I am neither a materialist nor a spiritualist, I am a kind of chaotic believer, almost believing in everything and almost not believing in anything.

  I don't quite believe that I've seen this skirt before, yet I also don't quite believe that I haven't seen it before. This skirt seems to be deeply buried in the depths of my memory, only to be rediscovered with the crisis of my life.

  Like a vengeful spirit following me.

  I stood for half a day, and then I saw the black shadow disappear suddenly, just like that, without any reason or warning, as if it had flown up onto the roof.

  I caught a chill and ran to the window to take a look up, but there was nothing.

  As I looked down further, I found a person standing downstairs, holding a red umbrella in the rain.

  It's already the second half of the night, and there is still a light rain outside. Just now, a red skirt was floating on my window, and below it came another red umbrella...

  My thoughts can be imagined.

  I saw the red umbrella seemingly moving, as if it was going to turn around, I hastily leaned against the window, panting heavily for a while, and when I looked out again, I saw that the red umbrella had already walked away.

  Or drift away?

  I was really surprised, but I was mentally prepared. This thing originated from a very strange curse, and the process wouldn't be that poetic and picturesque.

  Since we've met, let's die with our eyes open.

  I psyched myself up for half a day and saw the red umbrella standing still in the distance, as if waiting for something.

  Are you waiting for me?

  It seems I don't have many choices left, I gritted my teeth, a man should die with his head held high, and can't just end like this in a muddle.

  Die with a clear conscience.

  Forget it.

  This time I came over without any mental preparation, and I didn't prepare for anything like ghosts or gods. Holding the wolf tooth given by the shop owner, I grabbed my phone and walked out of the door. The hotel door was not locked, and I gently pushed it open. The fine rain hit my face suddenly.

  I watched as the red umbrella gradually disappeared in front of me and quickly followed after it.

  Where are the streetlights in this place? There was only one electric light hanging from the tree trunk next to the inn, and as I walked deeper with my red umbrella, I left behind that dim yellow circle of light, and everywhere was pitch black.

  Just like that, the red umbrella had already run to who-knows-where, I quickened my pace forward, and gradually my eyes also adapted to the darkness, but could only vaguely feel that someone was walking very far away, and didn't know at all whether the one being followed was or wasn't the same umbrella from just now.

  The black shadow didn't move quickly, as if it was waiting for me, or perhaps waiting for someone else.

  I didn't dare walk fast either, keeping a large distance, following my intuition, and I didn't even dare to turn on the light of my phone, afraid of bumping into something that shouldn't be bumped into.

  People are indeed so strange, you see me coming out, I've already had psychological preparation, but the fear is still there, every step I take makes my heart tremble with fear.

  I walked a long way in the dark, all downhill roads. I felt that the thing in front of me was going to enter the village, so I followed it into the village. Because I had ridden my bike around the village before, I still had a general sense of direction.

  After passing by the old locust tree, this thing disappeared.

  I stood under the old locust tree for a while, with my back against the trunk, tightly attached to it. I looked around for half a day and suddenly saw a bright light flashing in front of me.

  I hurried over to the building with a bright light, and stood there for a moment. I knew this place was once a village primary school, and even older it was an ancient temple. The village was built around the temple, named after the temple, and thus had the ancient Temple Village at that time.

  Later, the Four Olds were smashed, a group of Red Guards beat the gods and ghosts until they fled in disarray, and this temple ceased to exist. It was later converted into an elementary school.

  It has become a school and of course there is nothing left inside, but when I slipped in, I was stunned at the door, this is clearly still the structure of a temple.

  High threshold, walking in there are several old sculptures, I quietly took out my phone and shook it, with a ferocious face, with my experience, I couldn't tell which god or Buddha it was.

  I'm a writer, so I have a superficial understanding of many things. These several ferocious sculptures are extremely old and broken, as if they would jump down from above and beat me up at any moment, making my liver tremble with fear.

  The light flashed again in front of me, and I walked over quietly. The structure of this temple is also a bit special. After entering the temple gate, it is a quadrangle courtyard with houses on all sides. I tried to think if the primary school I rebuilt as a child was like this, but I couldn't remember anymore.

  Anyway, the temple was like a big quadrangle courtyard. I saw a flash of light in the room on the left and quickly walked a few steps to enter the innermost door, hiding at the entrance and poking my head out.

  Then I saw two people walking out of the room on the left, a man and a woman, chatting and laughing, but their voices were somewhat muffled in the rain.

  The man said, "Are you really in such a hurry?"

  The woman said, "Aren't you anxious? You're thinking of such dirty things... What kind of good person are you?"

  The man said, "We came here during the day, and that place inside is cleaner, how about it?"

  The woman smiled and I saw two figures walking towards me in this direction.

  It turned out to be a midnight appointment for outdoor sex, listening to this tone, it should be the wave of students who met during the day. I saw that the two people were already very close, and I hurriedly drilled into the back, hiding behind the statue, like a thief.

  I'm not the kind of person who would sneak around to listen to others having sex, but I also can't just walk out in a big way in this situation, right? So I had no choice but to close my eyes and meditate amidst the moaning sounds.

  No wonder, the two people were really in a hurry, this voice... was as urgent as a stormy wave. I had seen these students before, but at night it was not clear, and yet this voice was heard.

  Of course, a woman's voice in the midst of lust is always slightly altered and doesn't even form complete sentences, mostly just some inexplicable interjections like "uh" and "ah".

  So I listened carefully for half a day, purely for academic research, wanting to figure out who this woman was.

  What a pity it failed, this voice can't be heard at all. The two of us are anxious again, my heart is getting impatient, I just hope the dry firewood burns out quickly so I can go back and take a bath.

  It's just that running into this at midnight has relieved a lot of my tension, and once people relax, they feel a bit tired, even more so than two passionate people.

  The statue behind me leaned against it and then sat up straight, the feeling was wrong, it wasn't some cold hard wood or stone.

  My hand started shaking, I didn't dare to believe it was true. The most terrifying childhood memory resurfaced. I trembled as I touched it with my hand, icy cold to the bone, yet seemingly human skin.

  I gritted my teeth, retreated a bit, and carefully raised my head to take a look at the sculpture. It was a woman wearing a bright red dress, standing upright there.

  I almost cried, I didn't think this legend was true, I always thought it was a ghost story my grandfather told me. The ancient temple in Gugu Village enshrines a flesh-and-blood Bodhisattva, which has been standing here for hundreds of years, vivid and lifelike, like a living person. Until the catastrophe of heaven and earth, it was dragged out and fell on the pagoda tree, and only began to rot under the scorching sun, emitting a foul odor, and then was burned by people.

  However, the foul smell still lingered in the village for three months, and a plague broke out in the village. Those who had humiliated her died, and many innocent people were also implicated.

  I've heard this story from my grandfather many times and I also mentioned it in my book. I always thought it was just a ghost story.

  But today, in this desolate mountain and wild ridge, in this ancient temple, I saw a statue that was absolutely not carved out of wood or stone standing in front of me.

  I gritted my teeth, crawled down from the table, felt a cool breeze blowing over, and when I looked down, there was a hole in the wall. Without thinking much, I drilled out of it. At this point, I didn't care about being dignified or not.

  Fear has now taken over my entire body, I don't even dare turn my head back, I get up and want to run, but was tripped heavily.

  I bowed my head and touched it, it was an umbrella. I took a photo with my mobile phone, and it was the red umbrella that had been following me.

  What brought me here after all?

  Is it for me to watch a wild show or to see the flesh Bodhisattva?

  I feel like I'm going to collapse, this is the most terrifying story of my childhood and the reason for my midnight trembles. I have no idea where this flesh Buddha came from, there are many things that I can't explain now.

  But there is one thing I can explain, and that is that I am very scared, I have never been so scared before.

  I even remembered why I always saw red skirts because this was originally the clothes worn by the flesh carving in the story.

  The temple is called the Temple of the Chaste Maiden. It's said that a rich man's daughter was falsely accused of adultery on her wedding day, now thinking about it, maybe she just didn't see red (didn't bleed), she pointed to heaven and swore, if she was innocent, then let her body not rot, then wearing the bright red wedding dress from that day, she jumped into the well. The groom's family was afraid, after fishing her out, they quickly held a funeral and buried her like this.

  However, the girl's family had a dream that their daughter came back and repeated her vows. The girl's family was also a big household, so the next day they asked for an explanation and dug up the daughter again.

  They carried their daughter's coffin into their own home, and a month later, in the presence of local dignitaries, they reopened it. Everyone was shocked to find that the young lady was as lively as ever, just like she had been before her death.

  Then the man's family made amends and apologized, and rebuilt the Chastity Maiden Temple to atone for their sins against the young lady.

  Then the Chastity Maiden Shrine was very efficacious in matchmaking, with a strong incense fire, and gradually the people living around the shrine formed a village, which became Gu Miao Village.

  These were all told by grandfather when I was a child. To be honest, before today, I just thought they were legends. Where can you find people who don't rot for hundreds of years?

  After growing up, I understand more and don't believe it. If there is any divine power, I think it's possible that the rich family found someone to do anti-corrosion treatment for themselves to save face during this month.

  But now, all my worldview has become useless. I didn't even dare to touch that umbrella, stumbled back to the hotel, quietly returned to the room, and carefully locked the door.

  This is what it means to catch one's breath.

  At this time, no one is not afraid. It's like when you're in a bridal chamber with candles and winding paths leading to secluded places, the bride suddenly wipes her face and turns into a ghostly figure that's neither human nor ghost. Are you afraid or not?

  I just heard a strange noise from the bed... I was enjoying my academic research, when suddenly I remembered this terrifying legend. The flesh Bodhisattva that had existed for thousands of years but was burned to death is right next to me. To say I'm not scared would be a lie, if I don't wet my pants it's already good enough.

  What's more, before I even went out, I had scared myself half to death.

  This time back, the remaining life felt like losing a lot on the road, turned on the lights, locked the doors and windows, unplugged the TV power cord, sat on the small bed still feeling uneasy.

  I was really scared, crawling back in the rain, and I won't mention how embarrassing it was, but my body felt very cold and started shivering all over.

  Then I felt dizzy and confused all over.

  It was as if in an instant, the lights began to flicker, and the entire room trembled along with it. I felt the heavens and earth violently shaking, I tried hard to open my eyes, but my eyelids were heavy, and I could only barely pry them open a small crack.

  I have no idea where I am at this moment, in what place, and whether I'm asleep or awake.

  I only felt that I was shaking non-stop, no, this world was shaking non-stop, I swayed, and in the narrow slit of my eyes, I saw red again...

  A red skirt is dancing before my eyes.

  So beautiful, as if it's going to take me away.

  I feel that my consciousness has started to dance with the red skirt, and the world is spinning around it. I try hard to see clearly, but all I can see is a sea of red.

  I was swaying back and forth, but I didn't know if I was lying down or sitting up.

  I used all my might to open my eyes wide and see her entire appearance.

  Suddenly, I saw that blood-red eye staring at me, only one, hidden in the wet hair.

  She seems to be asking me, what did you see?

  I felt her hand reaching out to me, I shook my own head, and I heard my own voice.

  Yes, I heard my own voice, just like a stranger speaking beside me.

  I say, you are... human or ghost.

  That eye did not respond, crimson eyes, crimson skirt, crimson world.

  The wet hair was also bright red and flowing down.

  I heard myself seeming to shout, I was shouting, who are you, why are you haunting me.

  She glared at me with her evil eyes for half a day and said, "I'm here to take your life."

  I heard myself laughing and saying, "Come on, what's the worst that could happen? I can live for another 30 days anyway, so what am I afraid of?"

  The blood-red eyes are closing in on me, getting closer and closer. I feel the stinging pain all over my body, I feel my soul being pulled out, I feel the fear of death.

  Then... everything went black.

  I fell into darkness, and I saw the Temple of the Maiden. I saw a girl in a red skirt standing there, motionless for thousands of years, watching this world.

  I saw her in tears, I saw the multitude of lives coming and going at her feet.

  Those people come seeking marriage and love, which are what she yearns for but lacks.

  If I were her, seeing all this for hundreds of years, I would go mad too, I wouldn't become a Buddha, I would become a demon.

  I will also take life.

  I... also want to curse this world.

  I saw her smiling at me, I saw her waving at me, the fiery red skirt brought a seductive fragrance, and I walked over involuntarily.

  Then I saw the gates of hell open wide to me, countless black souls swirling inside, a dark energy transformed into a giant hand grasping my head, viciously tearing at it, and I drifted like a duckweed on the waves.

  I see the gates of hell within arm's reach.

  Then I heard a voice calling out my name, Ding Fan, Ding Fan.

  The sound was as beautiful as celestial music, the dark energy was dispersed by the sound, and I felt that my soul had returned to my body.

  My eyes are no longer heavy, I struggled to open them and saw Siyao sitting beside me, calling out my name.

  I was stunned for half a day and looked around for another half day. This is my room, no earthquake, no red skirt, no blood-red eyes.

  Only Siyao, after exchanging glances with me, her face suddenly turned red.

  I hesitated for half a day and said, what's wrong with me?

  Siya said, you have a high fever.

  I said, how did you get in?

  Siya pointed at the door, I found that the door was already broken, the latch had been split in two. Siya said, Ma Tiancheng kicked the door open.

  I let out a cry, Siyao said, you scared us to death, you were shouting all sorts of frightening words in the room, like "kill me", "female ghost"... we all heard it and were afraid something would happen to you so we kicked open the door. Ma Tiancheng said it'll be fixed in a bit, but that little... I don't know what his name is, the one at the front desk, he said the money will be deducted from your deposit.

  Si Yao seems to be not very satisfied with that dwarf either, stopped for a while and said, then found out you had a high fever, gave you some medicine, afraid you have problems, Ma Tiancheng said wait for their boss to come back, drive to take you out to see a doctor.

  I struggled to sit up, feeling that my brain had shrunk a size in my head and was now careening around inside, making me dizzy with each spin, so I lay back down again.

  Siya said, we took turns watching you, I just thought you seemed to have reduced your fever, so I called out to you, didn't expect that you really recovered.

  I said, thank you, I'm done, you can go back now, lest your boyfriend... says something about you.

  Siya said, Da Peng doesn't know where he went. Nobody knows when he left.

  I exclaimed, "Don't you guys live together?"

  Xiyao's face turned red again, she said, we are still students, how can we live together? I live with Shenniang, Dapeng lives with Xiaobin, Xiaobin got drunk yesterday and didn't get up until after 10 am, then he couldn't say where Dapeng went.

  My head is splitting, where do I have the energy to care about their family matters? I said, thank you, I'm fine now, please tell them that when I can get up, I'll treat everyone to a meal, thank you all.

  Xiyao said, it's okay, you just need to rest a bit, I've poured hot water for you, it's right here. Do you want me to bring the towel over?

  I hastily said, no need, no need, I'm out of energy now, lying down for a while will be fine.

  Xiyao nodded and said, "Alright, you rest then. I'll tell them."

  Thank you for your hard work.

  Xiyao smiled, her smile as pure and clean as a small family's jade, looking like the May spring breeze and September white clouds, making people feel refreshed and delighted. In an instant, I felt that my illness had improved by more than half.

  Siya said, right, there is a letter for you.

  I let out a cry of surprise. "It was just found on your floor," said Siyao. "No one knows who put it there, but it was just sitting on the table."

  He handed it to me, I nodded, and when I took it over, my mood was very nervous. Who writes letters these days? Even if someone writes a letter, what does it mean to directly insert it from the door gap?

  After Siyao left, I looked at the envelope in the light outside and found that there was indeed a piece of paper inside with nothing else. I tore open the letter and found an address: No. 36, Yongping Street, Building 6, Unit 6, Room 601.

  Continuously seeing 666 doesn't seem like a good thing, and then there's a signature in the bottom right corner with an "ai".

  If I weren't so weak all over, I'd probably jump up, this is great news, I finally found her.

  But what was the reason she only left a letter? Was it because I locked the door? Or had this letter been on the ground all along, and I just didn't notice yesterday because I scared myself silly.

  Speaking of which, did I really have a high fever and hallucinate yesterday, or were those things real and scared me into having a high fever?

  Both are possible, but the order is different, and the things that are implied are vastly different.

  I lay in bed thinking for half a day, suddenly realizing that I had crawled back home, if those things weren't an illusion, I must be very dirty now.

  Felt around and found his phone in his hand, took a look at it, the screen was very clean, not a speck of mud on it.

  I let out a sigh of relief, it turned out that I had just given myself a high fever and scared myself, it seems that the thirty-day curse made my mind a bit too tense, yesterday's rain plus a night without sleep, my body was weak and cold, which led to this serious illness.

  He was also having hallucinations due to his high fever.

  Just as I was feeling happy, the door opened and Ma Tiancheng came in with a hammer, waving it at me and saying, "I've come to fix your lock."

  I nodded, Ma Tiancheng said, the boss hasn't come back, but he's arranged a car for you, let's go to the hospital and take a look later, high fever isn't something to be taken lightly.

  I said, never mind, I'm fine.

  Ma Tiancheng smiled and said, "This isn't what I meant, it's the boss's idea. Our store just opened, don't cause any trouble here. Let me tell you, our procedures aren't complete yet, and the boss is worried too, understand?"

  I nodded, on the one hand, you don't want to trouble others, they've already found a car and said it so directly, not going would be impolite. On the other hand, I thought that this address is in town, myself being weak all over couldn't possibly ride a bike to town, having a car is better, go to the hospital for an injection to bring down the fever, tomorrow will go find Big Love.

  She told me that the wedding is in five days, which is a bit ambiguous, it could be the fifth day or the sixth day. Anyway, it's not tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. It would be best to see her tomorrow and have time to talk about this matter thoroughly.

  Ma Tiancheng was very happy to see me agree, quickly finished nailing the rivets, pulled me out and got on the old truck parked outside, arrived at the town hospital in over an hour.

  Ma Tiancheng sent me to the hospital and left, I went in by myself, registered, and found that the beds at the town hospital were quite spacious. I was thinking about how late it would be after getting the injection and said it was already dark outside. To be honest, I'm really afraid of the darkness now, so I asked for a bed and decided to stay in the hospital for a day.

  It really is wise and powerful, this one needle was given three times, the second half of the night still had to be given once, I finished giving the third needle and fell asleep in a daze, when I woke up again the sky was already bright.

  I once again heard the countdown of life.

  I still have twenty-five days to save myself.