Seventeenth day (1) All things come to an end

  I lay in bed and then I looked at myself.

  I clearly saw myself lying in bed, like a bystander.

  I stand by the bed and lie on it.

  I gazed at myself coldly.

  I think I may have died, my soul escaped from my body, it turned back to look, saw the cold corpse, eyes full of nostalgia, like a wandering ghost on a watchtower taking a fleeting glance.

  I saw a red shadow floating over from outside the window, she stood beside me and together we looked at the me on the bed.

  Maybe they were talking, or maybe they were sighing, but I didn't know anything. All I knew was that I stood there, staring at myself on the bed.

  Suddenly a short ringtone came to my ear, I sat up abruptly, stunned for half a day, and found that I was still myself, while the me by the bed and that black shadow had both disappeared.

  What's ringing?

  What time is it now?

  Where am I?

  A string of questions appeared in my mind, and after about ten seconds or so, I came to, it was my phone ringing.

  This place is a dead zone, I didn't care about my phone, but what's weird is that my phone which usually dies after a day was still able to ring so loudly after not being used for so many days?

  No! Is this not my ringtone?

  What? I thought there was no signal here!

  I saw my phone on the table, I really don't know when it appeared there. I looked outside and it was pitch black, it was already dawn.

  I don't dare answer this phone call, because at this moment, the phone call is absolutely not good news. Someone who calls me in a place with no signal will absolutely not be... human.

  The phone was ringing over there, and then suddenly it stopped. I let out a breath of relief, just as I was about to relax, a voice came from inside the phone.

  My phone was ringing far away from me, and I let it ring, but someone answered it for me.

  The phone transmitted Xiao Ai's voice, her voice was urgent, as if something was chasing after her.

  She told me: Hurry up and leave, don't worry about me. Don't come to the old temple.

  I rushed over and picked up the phone, the voice disappeared, I frantically unlocked the phone, only to find that there was no signal at all, and no one called me.

  But I saw the time, 12:01, which reminded me that it was also around this time on that night when I went to the ancient temple and found Xiao Ai there.

  I stood there and then suddenly rushed out, knocking heavily on Xiaoyi's door. The door opened by itself.

  Xiao Ai said her door lock has been fixed, is she deceiving me?

  I stood still at the door, turned on the light with a stretch of my hand, and found that Xiao Ai had vanished.

  Where is Xia Ai?

  I shivered at the door, cold sweat trickling down my back, icy to the bone, as if an icy finger had slid across my flesh.

  I didn't take good care of Little Ai.

  It can even be said that I have never provided her with any protection at all.

  I stood at the door and then walked in. After making sure Xiao Ai wouldn't be hiding somewhere in the room to play a joke on me, I knew where she was.

  She is in an ancient temple.

  She is attending her own wedding.

  She is attending her own funeral.

  I'll go save her, even if it's at the cost of my own funeral.

  I turned around and walked out, suddenly a long skirt appeared at the door. It was dark and I couldn't see clearly, so I thought it was Xia Ai. I went up to her and hugged her, then said, "Where have you been? You scared me to death."

  The woman opened her mouth and said, "Ding Ge, what's wrong with you?"

  I was taken aback and loosened my grip, only to find it was Fengyue.

  It's not Little Ai, Little Ai is still in the ancient temple.

  I didn't have time to speak, I went back to the room and picked up the dagger and flashlight, then turned around and headed downstairs. Fengyue suddenly grabbed my arm and whispered, "What's wrong? What happened?"

  I said, did you see her?

  Fengyue shook her head and said, "No, is he going to the bathroom?"

  I said I don't know but I have to go find her.

  Fengyue said, I'll find it with you.

  I said, forget it, I might go to the old temple, don't scare you.

  Fengyue shook her head and said, I'm not afraid. You've helped me so much, I should also help you out. Besides, Dà ài sister has been very good to me too.

  I looked at Fengyue with a sincere face, nodded, and the two of us went downstairs. There was no one below anymore. I opened the door latch and followed Fengyue out of the inn.

  As it happens, it didn't rain outside after all.

  Although it didn't rain, the night road was not easy to walk on. The two of us stumbled and staggered for a full half hour before we could vaguely see the outline of the ancient temple in the distance.

  The closer I get to the ancient temple, the more anxious I become. Several times I wanted to persuade Fengyue to leave, but she refused every time.

  Until I came to the temple gate, I stood there and said to Fengyue, "You'd better wait for me here. It's probably scary inside."

  Feng Yue said in a low voice, don't worry, nothing can scare me again.

  I had Xia Ai on my mind, and I really didn't have the mood to make small talk with Feng Yue here, so I just nodded at her and said, "Follow me from behind, if anything goes wrong, you run away by yourself, don't worry about me."

  The wind and moon nodded, and the two of us walked into the ancient temple.

  The layout of this ancient temple is what we saw before, after entering, there is a strange sculpture at the front gate, then there is a square courtyard, on both sides of the courtyard are side halls, directly opposite the front gate is the main hall, it was here that we found Xiaoyi and Dapeng's corpses, as well as the flesh sculpture I touched before.

  The front door was old and broken, people had to squeeze in sideways. After I entered, the first thing I saw was Xia Ai.

  It's not that my eyesight is particularly good, it's just that she's too dazzling.

  Xiao Ai was not in the main hall, but in the courtyard. She wore a crimson skirt and had a red hood on her head, sitting amidst a cluster of candles. The candles surrounded her, with tiny flames dancing around her, and her red skirt and the red flames jumped together in the darkness, following a strange rhythm.

  Fengyue followed behind me, she grabbed my arm and I said to her, you stay here, don't go in.

  Feng Yue nodded, I quickly stepped forward, kicked the candle away with one foot, and then grabbed Xiao Ai's arm.

  Xiao Ai's body was soft and fluffy, but I didn't pull her close. I felt her body was very soft and hot, as if the flames around us were also burning inside her body, or something was about to burst out of her body.

  I lifted Xiao Ai's veil and looked at her with closed eyes, her face full of devotion, as if listening to something.

  I pulled Xia'ai's arm again, this time a bit too hard. She furrowed her brow and then opened her eyes.

  I said, what are you doing here, come with me quickly.

  Fengyue also ran over and said to me, "I'll help you, let's carry her out together."

  Xiao Ai took a glance at Feng Yue and then looked at me, before asking, "Who are you?"

  I was taken aback, loosened my grip, and then subconsciously took a step back. I said, "Don't you recognize me?"

  Xiao Ai looked around and seemed bewildered.

  The night was very dark, but there was a fire in the temple. Above the firelight, I saw a red skirt flash by inside the main hall for an instant. I was stunned and thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but then that skirt flew to the other side again. Then I saw the red skirt stop at the entrance of the main hall, just a skirt, yet it seemed to be suspended in mid-air like a living thing.

  Xiao Ai stood up, she didn't pay attention to me, but instead walked towards the main hall.

  I hastily went forward and grabbed Xia'ai's arm, but she shook off my hand. She quickly walked to the gate of the main hall and grasped that skirt.

  Then she took the skirt and rubbed it on her face for a while, let go of her hand, that skirt was like a big red bird flying away in the night. She turned around and asked me, stranger, am I beautiful?

  I stood there, afraid to take another step forward. Feng Yue was close behind me, she poked my waist with her hand, I said to Xiao Ai, it's beautiful, very beautiful.

  Xiao Ai said, I'm so beautiful, why did he still abandon me.

  I said it was his fault, can you let go of my friend?

  Xiao Ai said, I haven't been back in this world for twenty years, has it changed a lot?

  I swallowed a mouthful of saliva and said, "Does this ancient village hold a wedding every ten years just to wait for your return?"

  Xiao Ai said, "I am the guardian deity of this village. If I don't return, everyone in the village will be unlucky. Anyone who sets foot on this cursed land will be unlucky." I think you are also a villager, perhaps you should thank this girl, she sacrificed herself, and now you are free.

  I'm saying, can you let go of my friend?

  Xiao Ai said, don't you understand yet? Your friend's sacrifice over the past decade has eliminated the curse. If she hadn't sacrificed herself, you would have died.

  I'd rather die myself than wish her dead.

  Xiao Ai suddenly laughed, then wiped the corner of her eyes. She said, you men's mouths are really sweet, just like his back then. But all you know how to do is use sweet words to deceive women. And you have to understand, she's also a villager, if the curse still exists, even if she doesn't sacrifice herself, she'll still die.

  I took two steps forward and said, even if it means I'll die, I don't want her to die for me. Are you interested in a man's body? Otherwise, possess my body and spare my friend.

  Xiao Ai tilted her head, then looked at Feng Yue and said, "This girl is very beautiful. If it were her body, we could make a deal. Think about it, whether to sacrifice your friend's body or hers."

  I turned back to look at Fengyue, in the midst of the flames, she was wearing a long dress, with a hint of helplessness and panic on her face. The flickering light formed golden patterns on her body, like auspicious clouds. At this moment, Fengyue seemed like a fairy descending into the mortal world, truly beautiful enough to stun one's heart and soul.

  I turned around and told Xia Ai that she wasn't from our village, and I didn't have the right to sacrifice others to save myself.

  Xiao Ai hummed and said, "You just can't bear to part with it."

  I opened my arms and said to Xia Ai, isn't it enough that I'm putting my life in your hands? Please let them go.

  Xiao Ai suddenly raised her hands high and shouted at me, "Today you will all leave your lives here."

  Suddenly, the old temple was filled with wailing and howling. Two red dresses flew out of the ancient temple and stopped behind Xia Ai, as if there were two invisible ghosts inside.

  Is this the new bride of the ancient village who has not had a successful sacrifice in the past twenty years? Have their souls become prisoners, forever trapped in the cursed red dress?

  Xiao Ai pointed at Feng Yue with her finger, a strange smile appeared on her face. Her finger was shaking, and the red skirt in mid-air was also shaking, all of them were pointing at Feng Yue.

  I hastily retreated, blocking the wind and moon in front of me. Xiao Ai quickly walked to our front, her fingers curled up high, as if she was about to scratch our heads with her hand.

  A shrill cry from Fengyue, I turned around and hugged her tightly, shielding her with my entire body, then closed my eyes.

  I was waiting for my destined death, but I didn't expect to take down Fengyue's life along with mine.