Ghost Bean Bean

  Dà zhù kàn zhe wǒ wēi xiào, lòu chū jié bái de yá chǐ.

  Translation:

  The big pillar looked at me with a smile, revealing his white teeth.

  "A Li, you're coming back without even telling me in advance, I could have gone to the county town to pick you up."

  I stared at the disappearing figure behind the big pillar, somewhat like Qin Auntie, but moving so fast that it wasn't a normal person. Who was it?

  I came back to myself and smiled at Da Zhu, "Arrived last night, too late, didn't tell everyone."

  I'm surprised that Uncle went out with Qin today. Logically, everyone in the village should know that Ahui and I are back, so why doesn't Dazhu know?

  I asked Dazhu, "Were you not at home last night?"

  Dazhu smiled at me, he has always been straightforward since childhood, but this time he was so awkward. I looked at his expression and felt... wasn't it the same as when I saw Uncle's face back then?

  I smiled at Da Zhu and said, "You little rascal has fallen in love?"

  The big pillar is still smiling at me, and I am more certain of this idea.

  This time, I already feel that there is no generation gap between us. Our relationship is just like twelve years ago when I gave Da Zhu a punch on the chest and said "Whose girl are you?"

  Dazhu nodded again and turned his head to look at the small hill behind him, "In front of you, it's Miaocun."

  Back in Shanghai, I had heard that Guizhou has many ethnic minorities and even more beautiful women. Qin Auntie looks very good, she is a person from Miao Village who got married here. Da Zhuang is only a few days younger than me, and he's almost 20 years old now. Such a handsome young man must have a good eye for beauty too.

  I smiled at him and said, "You're lucky."

  Dazhu's face was filled with a loving smile as he said to me, "Yesterday, I went to Miao Village and met my mother-in-law."

  Dazhu found a girlfriend, and I'm genuinely happy for him from the bottom of my heart. But after hearing that he met his mother-in-law, I felt a hint of loss in my heart. What's wrong with me? Is it because I'm afraid of losing this only friend of mine?

  After all, the little friends in this village, only Dazhu doesn't despise me.

  Dazhu said that everything was fine last night, but after breakfast today, he and his girlfriend went back to Qin Village together. In no time, the little couple had a disagreement over two words, and his girlfriend quickly left. By the time Dazhu reacted, his girlfriend had already disappeared on the other side of the mountain slope.

  He rushed over in a hurry just now, and it was because he was looking for his girlfriend that he bumped into me.

  I said, "Girls are more sensitive, so it's better to coax them."

  Dà zhù huí yìng le wǒ yī shēng, tā shì yǒu xiē jí jiǎo de huí cūn zǐ zhǎo tā duì xiàng dào gè qiàn, xiǎo bái bù zhī dào qù nǎ lǐ huàng yōu le yī quān hòu zài wǒ jiǎo biān mó suō, wǒ bào qǐ xiǎo bái.

  Translation:

  Dazhu responded to me in a hurry, he was anxious to return to the village to apologize to his girlfriend. Xiaobai didn't know where to go and wandered around for a while before rubbing against my leg, I picked up Xiaobai.

  Dà zhù yǎn jing yī liàng, shùn dài mō le xiǎo bái de tóu, wǒ gǎn jué dào xiǎo bái yǒu xiē bú xí guàn.

  Translation:

  Da Zhu's eyes lit up and he patted Xiao Bai's head, I felt that Xiao Bai was a bit uncomfortable.

  "Is this what you're raising?"

  I nodded in agreement, looking at Da Zhu's anxious expression. Although I was his childhood friend, after all, a girlfriend is the one who will spend her life with him.

  I said to Da Zhu, "You'd better go back to the village quickly, girls all like to listen to pleasant things."

  Dazhu said when he left me, "A Li, then I'll go first, see you in the village."

  The figure of Da Zhu disappeared around the bend, I looked around and saw no one, nor was there any so-called black shadow.

  Outside the village, there are over 50 graves of varying heights. After the elderly die, they will be buried here. The villagers have a saying that after death, people should also recognize their relatives who died before them, so that when they go to the underworld, they will have someone to accompany them.

  As I looked around, the earth graves were almost all the same, some had erected tombstones. I remembered what Qin Da Shu said that Dou Dou once said she saw Qin Nai Nai, so Qin Nai Nai's ghost must not have left yet.

  Along the winding path, I walked into the tomb mountain.

  Xiao Bai was restless in my arms, I stroked his smooth head, it was noon, although the sun was strong, but I still felt a chill, my heart racing wildly.

  It's undeniable, I'm scared.

  I walked past one mound after another, the names on the tombstones didn't include Qin Nainai. The dry twigs under my feet snapped with a crisp sound, scaring me into retreating several steps. At this moment, I wished Xiao Bai would transform into human form and walk with me on this desolate burial ground, alleviating my fear.

  That figure crouched beside the mound ten meters away, twisting and turning. I swallowed a mouthful of saliva, my feet unconsciously moving forward. Just as I was about to reach that figure, it suddenly disappeared, and a faint "heh heh" laughter echoed in my ears.

  I looked around, Xiao Bai was struggling in my arms to leave, I held Xiao Bai tightly and comforted myself, "Don't be afraid, it's okay."

  That figure crouched down again beside a mound of earth in the distance, and I couldn't see who it was.

  Curiosity once again took a step forward, Xiao Bai was so excited that it almost bit my hand, I touched the red rope on my neck, Uncle said, this is to ensure safety.

  That voice was calling me, "A Li, you're here."

  Such a strange voice, I don't know who it is. A gust of wind passed by, and I shivered with cold. I looked around everywhere, but there was nothing.

  That figure didn't move again, I got closer and closer to him, I could clearly see his back, it was Doudou, what is he doing here?

  My fear wasn't as severe as before, I quickened my pace and called out from behind him, "Doudou, what are you doing here?"

  "Doudou doesn't speak, using a tree branch to write on the muddy ground. I reach out to pull him, 'Doudou, what are you doing here alone? Come back with me quickly.'"

  My hand waved in vain, I saw DouDou turn around, his face was smooth and featureless, with no facial features facing me.

  Ah...

  I finally let out a loud scream and turned around to run away, only to bump into a sturdy chest. I looked up and finally felt at ease.

  As I looked at him, I called out, "Uncle." His body went limp and he fell backwards.