short but very sad stories

At a class reunion, someone suggested playing a game of turtle soup:

“There was a girl who was smashed to death.

But this girl cannot be reincarnated. The murderer is among those present today.”

After hearing this, we were all stunned.

Because, many years ago, there was a girl that we both liked very much.

That’s how he died.

01

She was the strangest girl I had ever met. When I met her, she was committing suicide.

In 2004, during the summer vacation of my freshman year, I went to my old house with a wrench to collect a debt from my dad.

He owes me several months in child support.

My parents had divorced by then. Whenever I asked him for money, he would either cry poor or pretend that the signal was bad.

The tuition fee is still due, and if I wasn’t desperate, I wouldn’t bring my guys to threaten him.

I saw her as I was going up the stairs.

Sitting in the corridor.

She was the daughter that woman brought with her when she remarried my father.

My non-blood sister.

In a room upstairs, the adults were laughing and talking loudly.

My dad and her mom were hosting a dinner party inside to celebrate my dad’s promotion.

She raised her head, her face pale from blood loss.

He had dark circles under his eyes and his long hair hung listlessly on his shoulders.

There was a deep cut on her wrist, and blood was gushing out of it.

In fact, I have heard rumors about her. Her mother treated her badly and beat her since she was a child. She even attempted suicide at home before.

I didn’t expect to witness such a bloody scene.

I was dumbfounded and was about to call for help, but she stopped me.

“If you dare to meddle in other people’s business, I’ll give you a knife too.” She weakly raised the knife in her hand and warned me.

I was stunned and subconsciously raised the wrench.

Surprisingly, they are confronting each other like this.

“Don’t let the adults know…” Seeing that I showed my thing, her tone softened.

“You’ll get beaten…”

Even in this situation, she is still afraid of being beaten. I will never understand the thinking of little girls.

I went downstairs stiffly, but finally plucked up the courage, turned around and ran back, and helped her up.

She didn’t stab me. She just resisted weakly, and with one hand, she pulled my hair.

The adults upstairs were still toasting each other, not even a bit of energy was wasted on other places.

I was going crazy that day. I hadn’t even received the money yet, but how come I lost my life first?!

As luck would have it, the taxis and tricycles that day saw our condition and refused to take us no matter what.

Later, I didn’t care about anything anymore. I took off my shirt, bandaged her wrist roughly, carried her on my back with my bare chest, and ran down the street.

When I finally carried her to the hospital, my lungs felt like they were drained and it was burning painful to breathe.

Fortunately, we arrived in time.

She woke up while I was treating her wound, and I was squatting beside her, almost exhausted.

“Why are you pretending to be a good person?”

She was very weak, but she had already guessed what I was going to do.

“I also own a share of the house. Can it be sold if you die there?” I also got angry.

“nausea.”

“I saved you, can you please be polite?” I muttered.

“Have you ever seen a dead person being polite?” she asked me.

I was stunned.

She fell silent, and lowered her eyelids;

Someone is coming.

It’s the parents who get the call from the hospital;

I saw that her hair was grabbed and her head seemed to be hanging in the air.

“You don’t even go to school, and you just want to die all day. Die, are you really going to die?!”

Amid the scolding, her mother subconsciously wanted to slap him, but she seemed to finally remember that this was in public and stopped.

I saw that she closed her eyes tightly and her body was shaking weakly.

My dad played the role of peacemaker, persuading the sharp-tongued mother.

It wasn’t until I called out “Dad” that he finally looked over.

“…Why are you here?” He was concerned about the person beside him.

His eyes moved down and saw the wrench I dropped at my feet, as if he understood something.

“If you do this, you won’t have any money left.” My dad’s face suddenly turned cold. “Is this how your mom taught you?”

“Your son is amazing.” Her mother looked over and said sarcastically, “Is he going to hit you or me?”

My father’s face was gloomy, and he said to me fiercely: “Get lost!”

A feeling of frustration filled my whole body.

It seems that nothing I do is of any use.

Suddenly I realized that she was looking at me.

A bit sarcastic.

It is a mockery, but also a self-mockery.

I stood up silently and picked up the wrench on the ground.

Both parents became nervous and took a step back.

I never dreamed that I could not hold it together for more than a few seconds; I was already feeling uncomfortable due to bloating from running all the way.

I couldn’t hold back this movement at all.

A loud fart popped out uncontrollably.

Everyone was looking at me. I was so embarrassed that I could only bite the bullet and say:

“Are you done farting?”

“Don’t hit your daughter either,” I said. “I did it to her hand.”

“If you don’t give it to me, then I’ll just take it as compensation.”

Her mother immediately came up to me angrily and started scratching me. My father tried to stop her in panic, and I didn’t dare to fight back. I felt so embarrassed.

She was receiving an IV and stared at me blankly.

“idiot.”

I vaguely saw her mouth shape words to me.

But then she smiled.

That was the first time I saw her smile.

02

We should be brother and sister, right?

A brother and sister who both have bad luck.

At least, that’s what I thought until we touched that taboo.

That summer, the money was not received.

In order to pay for tuition, I had no choice but to return to my high school and start doing odd jobs.

One afternoon, when I was working, someone suddenly walked into the classroom and asked me to go out.

“Your relative is looking for you.”

I followed the man all the way and gradually felt that something was wrong.

The classmate who called me out was not a worker here. How did he know that my relative had come to the school?

When we got to the place, we saw a few people gathered there.

It seems that none of them are good people.

My classmate was walking in front of me, and no matter how I asked him questions, he didn’t say anything.

My intuition told me that there was something fishy going on.

I turned around, but after running a few steps, he caught up with me, hit me on the head, and I lost my balance and fell to the ground.

That day, I was kicked and stomped on the ground by several people without any explanation. My lip was broken and bleeding a lot.

A hand lifted my head and I realized I recognized him.

Brother Jian is a well-known local gangster with great power. His family has some connections. When he was still in school, he dared to beat the school security guard with a steel pipe.

I only found out later that he was pursuing my sister.

Yesterday, many people saw me shirtless, carrying her to the hospital. He didn’t know our relationship and thought I was a competitor.

“You’re working part-time?”

Brother Jian narrowed his eyes and looked down at me condescendingly.

Then he winked at my classmate.

The classmate was silent, then came up and held my hand.

What are they going to do?

I struggled hard, but this traitor held me down tightly and just muttered, “I’m afraid of being beaten… Don’t blame me…”

The next second, a brick hit my hand heavily.

Heart-wrenching pain.

“If you continue to bother her, you will cut off one of my hands.”

There were the sounds of footsteps coming towards here, Brother Jian left this warning and left with his men.

I covered my painful hand, curled up on the ground, and my forehead was covered in cold sweat.

03

“Call the police?”

The person who spoke was my desk mate in high school.

He was installing glass in another classroom at the time, and he rested his chin on his hand, admiring his artistic creations.

As a result, they saw me being beaten downstairs, the scene was quite like performance art.

“I can’t… call the police…”

The person who opposed it was our fat squad leader.

He and my desk mate ran over to rescue the person, breathing heavily.

We were in the same class in high school, and we wanted to make some money when we came back, so we started hanging out together again.

“Not only is your body weak, but your courage is also weak?” his desk mate scolded him angrily.

“Can you please use your brains?” the monitor explained. “The school’s former security guard had his legs broken. How long was he in prison? Less than half a year!”

My deskmate was stunned for a moment.

“His family has connections,” said the squad leader.

“I’ll lock him up for a few days and then release him. What will happen to Lu Yu?”

“People come here every day to mess things up. Can we still make money?”

“Damn it.” The classmate pointed at the monitor and cursed, “You’re just afraid of getting yourself into trouble!”

“Lu Yu.” The monitor ignored him and just looked at me. “He is a scoundrel. What if you fight him and win in the end? How are you going to pay the tuition?”

“What will you eat and wear when school starts?”

“You are a smart man.”

I didn’t say anything, I covered my hands, and they supported me.

Until the foreman asked me what was going on, I finally lowered my head:

“…I fell down by myself.”

The squad leader patted me on the back, and only I gradually realized why I was beaten.

So unlucky.

04

In fact, I never thought about having any interaction with her.

Just a few days later, early one morning.

I hadn’t started working yet. I was buying breakfast at the school gate when someone suddenly hit me on the back.

Look back.

It’s her.

She stared at my hand and I stared at her wrist.

Both of them had bandages on their hands.

05

Her name is Xiaoyou.

It’s small in size, but actually quite cute.

But when I saw her, I turned around and left as if I had seen the god of bad luck.

“Thank you.” She said at this time.

She came here to say this.

We sat in a corner of the school, eating our breakfast. She paid for it.

“You actually hate me, right?” I didn’t expect her to suddenly bring this up.

“I stole your father and occupied your house.”

“What about you? Why don’t you want to live anymore?” I didn’t respond.

No one can answer anyone else’s question.

I could only lower my head and eat in silence.

“Hello.”

After a while, she called me again.

“What happened to your hand?”

“…I fell down by myself.”

She turned her head and looked into my eyes.

I avoided her gaze.

“You don’t dare look me in the eye.” She smiled.

My face turned a little red.

“What’s there to look at?”

She shook her head. “Is it because of the injury on your hand? Is it related to me?”

“Something that has to do with me and can hurt you…”

“There should be only one.”

“That guy called Jian is looking for you, right?”

I didn’t say anything, I was just surprised that she looked small but had such a smart brain.

The sun was rising and the cicadas were chirping louder and louder.

“What kind of relationship do he and you have?” After a long while, I asked her.

“The stinking shit that’s been haunting me.”

That day I found out that one day when she was walking home from school, a motorcycle suddenly stopped on the side of the road.

She didn’t know the man driving the car at all, but he grinned with his black teeth from chewing betel nut and asked her if she wanted to go for a ride.

That was Brother Jian, and this was the whole process of Brother Jian falling in love at first sight.

She ignored him completely.

Unexpectedly, Brother Jian refused to let her go.

He would come to her every now and then and force her to be friends with him:

“Xiao You, you can only be my woman in this life.”

“You are mine wherever you go.”

This is how Brother Jian confessed his love to Xiaoyou.

No matter how the other party refuses.

Summer cicadas chirping.

Xiaoyou sat next to me, looking at her toes.

“I won’t come to see you anymore…” she said, “You are a college student, I won’t bother you.”

“Originally, I thought you were meddling in my business.” She muttered.

I don’t know why.

Suddenly I felt very powerless.

It seems like anyone can manipulate us at will.

My dad, her mom, and Brother Jian.

But why?

I covered my lunch box, wiped my mouth with the bandage on my hand:

“Let’s have breakfast together every day from now on.”

She was stunned for a moment.

“If he asks, just tell him I’m your…boyfriend.”

“After a while, I probably won’t bother you anymore.”

“You don’t want to live anymore?” she said.

“I’m afraid you don’t want to live anymore! I still have a share of the house!”

She laughed again and hit me with her hand; my hand hit my chin.

Both of them held their hands in pain for a long time.

06

“idiot.”

That day under the shade of the tree, we covered our hands and she called me again.

“Do you want to take revenge on them?” she said.

“who?”

“My mom, your dad, Brother Jian, everyone.”

Then I realized that she came closer and was very close to me.

So close that my breathing quickened.

“Kiss me.”

With a twinkle in her eyes, she said to me:

“Revenge on them all.”

The cicadas are chirping noisily.

The sunlight shone through the branches and leaves onto her face.

Once again, I was dumbfounded.

07

I subconsciously stepped back and almost fell off the chair.

She laughed, “Just kidding.”

I was still in a state of complete daze, and couldn’t even fart for a long time.

I don’t know if it’s my illusion.

She always has a scent on her body, like the scent of milk.

But I didn’t have the nerve to ask her.

From then on, we met every morning.

Sometimes, she would talk about her life:

She said my father was very good to her.

But that’s because he wanted her mother’s money. It’s fake, it will always be fake.

She said her mother treated her like a trash can.

From childhood to adulthood, whenever I feel emotional, I can pour it out to her.

Yelling at her, pinching her, and leaving bruises all over her body.

Thinking of this, it didn’t hurt at all when I cut my wrists.

On the contrary, I feel it is a relief.

At this time, we were listening and eating breakfast.

Yes, we do.

Deskmate.

Squad leader.

Also, the traitor——

He tricked me into meeting Brother Jian, betrayed me, and even pressed my hand on the ground.

So we caught him and brought him back. Even though we couldn’t defeat Brother Jian, we were more than capable of dealing with a traitor.

I didn’t beat him, I just forced him to work with me to prevent him from telling tales.

We ate and listened to Xiaoyou’s life.

“The metaphor of the trash can is very literary.”

My deskmate was totally clueless, holding up his chopsticks and commenting: “When I write a novel someday, I will definitely use you as the prototype.”

“Please write me in a more beautiful way.” Xiaoyou said.

“Xiaoyou, you are stupid!” the monitor reminded him hastily, “You have to make him pay for the copyright!”

“How much is appropriate?”

“Sister You, why don’t you just not take the money and let them release me?”

The idiot was scowling. The work clothes he had just put on didn’t fit him at all: “It’s so embarrassing to work!”

“Shut up!”

We all shouted together, and the traitor fell silent again.

That summer, Xiao You almost always hung out with a few of us stinky boys:

She didn’t receive any wages, but she followed us, scraping putty and moving ladders;

Sometimes I would go to the playground and pick up the traitors who wanted to run away;

We often told her jokes and made her laugh.

Over time, she seemed to have become the eldest daughter of all of us.

The squad leader was her military advisor, teaching her how to slack off on her work;

My deskmate is her biggest fan and writes stories about her all day long;

Erwuzai was her maid, serving tea and water and crying.

But there is always a thorn hanging on my heart.

She is the daughter of that evil woman.

08

The flood season was approaching and it was raining.

One morning, I walked to school in the rain.

On the way to school, I saw Xiaoyou.

She was wearing work clothes and was surrounded by Brother Jian’s men.

Brother Jian kept getting closer to her face.

There was no expression in her eyes.

She saw me and shook her head at me.

I knew she was telling me not to get myself into trouble.

yes.

At first, I hated her.

I put my head down and, ultimately, just walked away.

09

Xiaoyou closed her eyes.

But at that moment, she heard a loud roar.

“Liu Jian!”

I stood not far away and took a deep breath.

What should I say at a time like this?

“You don’t even go to school, and all you do is seek death!” I deliberately acted funny and ugly, and yelled at Brother Jian.

“Die, are you really going to die?!”

Xiao You couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

She looked at me and started to scold Brother Jian as well:

“Liu Jian!”

“Is this how your mother taught you?!”

Brother Jian looked at me and her in disbelief.

He won’t understand.

That was a tacit understanding between her and me that no one knew about.

“Hey… isn’t that your uncle?” someone asked Brother Jian.

“No one can stop him! He must die today!”

I didn’t even stop and was chased by Brother Jian and his men.

10

By the time Xiaoyou found me, I had been beaten so badly that there was no trace of my body left.

Brother Jian and his people left.

Xiaoyou stood in front of me, looking at me with an incomprehensible look.

She squatted down, took out the knife from her sleeve and showed it to me.

Only then did I realize that if I had not taken action just now, she would have successfully inserted the knife into Brother Jian’s body.

“You are sick,” she said, “mind your own business.”

yes.

I am just sick.

Who cares whether you can avenge your parents with death?

Who cares whether you can die together with Brother Jian.

I obviously hated you at first.

But if I can’t see you, there will be a piece in my heart that will be empty from then on.

She looked down at me.

The wet hair hung down.

I looked at her and reached out to lift it up for her.

But, I still let go.

“I’m your brother.” I turned my head stiffly and said.

She also woke up from her brief unconsciousness.

“Well, you are my brother,” she said.

“…”

We were all silent.

She suddenly lowered her head.

I was stunned for a moment.

In the end, they kissed.

Then I realized that her lips were very cold.

On that messy ground, we kissed silently.

long time.

It was raining that day.

Xiaoyou and I were walking back to school, walking very slowly.

The town is surrounded by a river, and when it rains, you can always hear the croaking of frogs.

My face is very red.

I can’t tell, was it because of being beaten or something else.

She was walking in front of me and suddenly turned around.

She put her hands behind her back and looked at me with a smile.

“Hello.”

“What are you doing?”

“Let me tell you a secret,” she said.

“ah?”

“I bought a piggy bank, a piggy bank.”

“Piggy bank?”

“I’m saving money to go to college,” she said.

“Does this mean that I have to pay for breakfast from now on?”

“Oh, what else?”

“My mother is very strict and never gives me money…” She looked away, “I will have to save up for your school tuition for a long time.”

Subconsciously, I glanced at her wrist.

At that time, it was drizzling and there were no pedestrians on the road.

I saw her throw the knife into the river.

The knife that had cut her wrist many times was swallowed by the water.

“I won’t do that again.”

She held her wrist.

“I have to survive so that I can see you at your school.” She smiled and said to me.

after.

There will be no more knife wounds on her wrists.

11

It’s incredible.

That summer, Xiaoyou’s bodyguard group had one more person:

Brother Jian.

He heard that Xiaoyou and I always go to school holding hands recently.

He was shocked. He was so shameless that he forced the traitor to take sick leave and replace him.

“Xiao You.” His words were filled with grief, “You and Lu Yu are brother and sister. I have to persuade you. What if you are related by blood? What if? It’s not too late to stop now.”

“What’s it got to do with you?”

“I understand! You and Lu Yu must have been acting this out for me, just to make me give up, right?” He suddenly understood.

“Why don’t you just go away?”

“Okay, okay, you can just pretend I don’t exist.” He grovelled, “Hey, look, this bucket of putty is as white as you.”

“You look like a barrel to me!”

“Newcomer, go and move the ladder!” the master yelled.

In that summer.

There is a classroom in our alma mater.

There was a desk with paint on the bottom, and we each left a fingerprint on it.

Below that, there is a line of words left by Xiaoyou:

“Xiaoyou and a bunch of idiots.”

12

But.

Xiaoyou is dead.

The flood season that year.

It has been raining for several days in a row and the water may flood the river bank at any time.

In order to catch up with the progress, the master divided us into different classrooms. After we finished the morning work, we went home and waited for the rain to stop.

Xiaoyou never came.

I felt a little uneasy, so I opened my umbrella and wanted to go to her house.

When I passed by the class monitor’s classroom, he called me.

“Where are you going?”

“She hasn’t come yet, I’ll go to her house to see…” I said.

“Lu Yu.” The squad leader looked at me, “She may just be sick, or it may be too late.”

“We are focusing on progress today. Since you are absent from work, we will have to take some of your work,” he said.

“We are all friends, don’t make things difficult for everyone.”

I had no choice but to ask him to keep an eye out for Xiao You and see if he had arrived at the breakfast stand.

I went back to work.

However, Xiaoyou never showed up.

Everyone was hungry and my deskmate was nowhere to be seen.

The master cursed the young man for having no manners at all.

From far away, the sound of sirens was heard.

I felt extremely uneasy.

13

That day, someone found a broken white umbrella outside a residential building.

Later, someone saw her in a nearby alley.

Her clothes were in disarray and there was a wound on her head, which was the cause of her death.

In small places, the limited police force was fully mobilized for the first time.

A teenager was taken away from his home by the police, handcuffed and put into a police car.

he.

He is my deskmate.

14

“…I saw her coming to school on the way, so we walked together.”

“…I found her clothes were soaked.”

On TV, a video of my desk mate’s confession was playing.

There were some bruises on his face, probably from the surprise interrogation.

“She’s so pretty, so I thought about having sex with her.”

“Trick her there, and when she’s not paying attention, hit her on the back of the head, and she falls down.”

“I saw that her head was bleeding. It didn’t look good, so I didn’t want to do it anymore.”

“But I saw her fingers were still moving, and I thought if this woman told others, it would be troublesome.”

“There’s nothing we can do. Just keep smashing it.”

“After a few times she stopped moving, so I left, thinking that since no one saw it, it must be alright.”

“Uncle, I know I was wrong and I won’t do it again.”

…

“This station would also like to remind everyone that to prevent juvenile delinquency, we need to care about the inner growth of teenagers. This is the responsibility of parents and schools…”

…

The sound of the TV is sometimes far away and sometimes near;

I stood in the corridor, staring blankly at a step.

There was a girl who sat there with a knife in her hand, weakly telling me to mind my own business.

There was once a girl sitting there, and when I helped her up, she pulled my hair.

My dad opened the door and handed me the piggy bank.

Inside, it’s empty.

“Why?” I looked at my dad blankly.

That was the first time I knocked him to the ground, almost yelling crazily, “Are you going to take her money too?!”

“She used it to buy something for you.” My dad just looked at me coldly and said.

It was only then that I realized that was the reason why she was late.

On that rainy morning.

She used all the money she saved to buy me a pager.

After the summer vacation.

She can talk to me on the phone.

Listen to my voice.

In 2004, floods hit the border.

A boy named Lu Yu was wading through the water on the street, staggering, drinking, with a cold wrench in his arms.

But I don’t know who to hit.

When that flood season finally receded, it was twelve years before the next one came.

Year 2016.

The man named Lu Yu was drinking and walking on the street in silence, going to a reunion at his alma mater.

That day was the day his desk mate was released from prison.

He was going to kill his desk mate.

15

2016, a few days before the party.

When I was working in a supermarket, I received a WeChat message.

Sent from the monitor.

He went to a big city and we haven’t seen each other for more than ten years. Now he is an executive of a company. I didn’t expect he would contact me again.

There were only a few words in that WeChat message:

“Friends of Xiaoyou, let’s get together.”

“Go back to our classroom, Wednesday night at 10 o’clock.”

“If you come, I’ll let you meet Xiaoyou.”

I was stunned for a long time.

I called him, but he didn’t answer.

Half a day passed before he sent another message.

“The one who killed Xiaoyou will also come.”

16

As the flood is approaching, the students have all had a holiday.

However, the lights in one classroom of the school were still on.

I don’t know how the class monitor managed to get things done in school. I guess since he is doing so well, he must have found a way.

When we got there, several old men were sitting at their desks.

“Is it my brother Yu? Fuck, he’s still so handsome!”

The squad leader called me and walked up to me with a smile.

I still remember that he was Xiaoyou’s military advisor, and he taught me countless ideas about procrastination.

I haven’t seen him for more than ten years. He has become fatter and more materialistic.

Now I am wearing a supermarket uniform and have not shaved, which has nothing to do with his description.

“This, Jiadong, is the bank president now!”

“It’s just a branch. Brother Yu, if you need funds, remember to contact me.”

A thin boy greeted me politely.

I didn’t expect him to come.

Erwuzai, Xiaoyou’s maid, is now the president of a bank.

We were afraid that he would tell tales, so we forced him to work with us.

I subconsciously wanted to shake hands with him, but he pushed his hand down and then patted the back of my hand gently.

It seems to remind me to recognize the current gap.

Just when I was feeling awkward, the squad leader pulled me again.

He pointed me to someone.

“You two must shake hands today! I’ve been thinking about you since I got here.”

Look in the direction of the squad leader’s hand.

A man with a bald head and evasive eyes.

He has been standing there, not saying a word, since I arrived.

I gripped the wrench in my arms.

But the next second, his figure rushing towards me magnified in my eyes.

I got punched and saw stars for a moment. Just as I was about to take out the wrench, the squad leader held me down.

“You two are really something. You fight every time you meet.”

“You’re almost 30, can you guys be more mature?”

I tried to break free in anger, but was stunned when I heard what the squad leader said.

I looked at the silent man in front of me.

“… Jian-ge?”

“Just call me Ajian.” He still had that cold expression, “I’m giving you this punch on behalf of Xiaoyou.”

“Why wasn’t you the one who died?” he said.

I lowered my head.

Xiaoyou…

In the classroom, there were several desks put together, with a lot of food and wine on them.

The monitor asked everyone to sit down.

“Where is my deskmate?” I asked.

The squad leader seemed not to hear, “No one drove, so let’s drink tonight? … Jiadong, stop pretending, you work in a bank, so you can’t drink? Brother Jian, you run such a big barbecue restaurant, it’s not right not to drink…”

“Where are the others?!”

I roared.

Everyone was looking at me.

“He won’t come.”

Just then, a voice said this.

girl.

I just noticed that she was sitting next to the monitor. Maybe she was the monitor’s girlfriend.

She has long hair and dark circles under her eyes.

“Throw away the wrench,” she said.

“I asked you to come here so that you can meet Xiaoyou.”

14

We sat there.

The lights in the classroom flickered.

“My name is Guan Shanyue.” After a long while, she said, “I’m your class monitor’s fiancée.”

“My mother said that when I was a kid, I often talked to the air.”

“She was terrified and took me to various hospitals, but all the tests were fine.”

“Later, a local fortune teller said I was talking to the dead.”

“I did the exorcism, and after that, my mom found me normal.”

“But it’s not.”

“It’s the dead people I can see who taught me to pretend not to see them.”

“This way, I can live a normal life.”

We listened in amazement.

“Not long ago, Xiaoyou’s ghost found me.”

“She said she wanted to get together with her old friends again.”

“Especially you, Lu Yu.” Guan Shanyue said.

17

Everyone was speechless for a long time because of this nonsense, and just looked at me.

I was silent for a long time, then I started laughing.

“Is it fun?” I said.

“We are all adults. How can I joke about this kind of thing? Do I have nothing to do?” Guan Shanyue looked at me.

“Okay, let her see me, let her talk!”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Guan Shanyue again.

But nothing happened.

“Just have fun, have a good time, have fun,” I said.

“Brother Yu…” The traitor wanted to pull me.

At this time, another figure stood up and knocked the traitor to stagger.

Brother Jian.

He is leaving too.

“Xiaoyou’s friends.” Brother Jian emphasized his tone and laughed at them.

When we were about to leave the classroom, the monitor shouted:

“Get out! Get out now!”

“Calling you two brothers, you really take yourself too seriously, don’t you?” He stood up and pointed at us.

“Lu Yu, you’re awesome. You ranked second in the school when you were in the exam, but who the hell are you now? You’re just a supermarket cashier. I can fire you with just one complaint call.”

“Can you please use your brain? I went through so much trouble to come back just to tease you? Who do you think you are?”

“Ajian, you still have the nerve to laugh at others like this?!”

“You’re the only one who can pretend to be deep?”

“I run a small barbecue stall, but I got slapped three times by the people from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau last week. I’m like a grandson and I don’t dare to fart.”

“You were pretending, why aren’t you pretending now?”

“You thought it was 2004. You beat up anyone you saw. You bullied a poor security guard.”

“I’m telling you, you used to be a bully!”

Brother Jian clenched his fists, but in the end said nothing.

I was standing there too.

His words were harsh, but in a way…

No one would go to so much trouble just to make a joke.

But how is this possible…

“He’s the squad leader.” Er Wuzi poured wine for the squad leader in a flattering manner, “You have to let everyone know why you organized this game, otherwise I’ll feel uneasy…”

The squad leader picked up the wine glass, but finally put it down heavily.

Guan Shanyue took the wine glass and drank it all.

“We are all classmates, there is no need to hide it.”

“We are both investing and owe some money.”

“Xiaoyou promised us that after this party, we can get rich.”

“We. All of us.”

“How old was she when she was killed? Did she know how to make money?” the traitor muttered.

The squad leader glared at him and he immediately shut up.

“I have understood one truth since I was very young,” said Guan Shanyue.

“People are scarier than ghosts.”

“Because ghosts don’t lie.”

I looked at Guan Shanyue, and she just looked at me calmly.

I had seen the same look on Xiaoyou’s face when she committed suicide.

The squad leader on the other side also smiled bitterly and muttered to himself.

“You bastard, you accused me of embezzling public funds for investment… You said it was a sure win, insider trading… You lost all your money and ran away. How can I pay for it? Pay with my life?”

“I choose this night. Which of you can leave? Which of you dare to leave?”

18

From far away, a long alarm was heard.

There was a little light on the ground in the campus.

Can.

That was the water that flooded into the campus, reflecting the street lights.

“Fuck!”

Erwuzai also noticed something was wrong outside the window, and stood up to leave, but was stopped by Brother Jian who came back.

“You went out without checking the weather forecast?” said Brother Jian.

“You don’t know where the flood is on your way home.”

“Wait until the rain stops.”

Brother Jian sat back in his seat.

19

We sat there again.

The person I was facing was Guan Shanyue.

“That’s right.” The squad leader tapped his chopsticks.

“Xiao You went through so much trouble just to see us?” The idiot still couldn’t believe it.

Guan Shanyue shook his neck and turned it at a strange frequency.

“Ghosts are not Lei Feng, so don’t think too highly of them,” said Guan Shanyue.

“She wants to see you. She must have her own purpose.”

“Next…” Guan Shanyue looked at us, “I will summon the spirit and let Xiaoyou come out to see you.”

“You do whatever she tells you to do.”

Guan Shanyue paused as he spoke, “I can only tell you some precautions now.”

“Tonight, the flood situation has exceeded the limit, and the ghost has come ashore.”

“If I talk to you directly, the ghost will easily find Xiaoyou.”

“So, I can only relay her words through me as a medium.”

Guan Shanyue said this and pointed at himself.

“The ghost has very sharp ears.”

“The information she gives you from now on will be more obscure.”

“And I can only answer yes or no for her.”

Guan Shanyue paused when he said this.

“Have you ever played turtle soup?”

“Probably, similar to turtle soup…” she said, lowering her eyes.

“To put it bluntly, what we have to do next is to ask the ghosts and gods.”

“So please remember this.”

“When asking ghosts and gods, there are three things you should not ask.”

“Don’t ask about life span, don’t ask about marriage,” she told us.

Her explanation was over.

“Aren’t these two questions? What’s the other question?” The traitor was really reckless and interrupted her.

“I have no idea.”

“ah?”

“When asking ghosts and gods, there are three things you should not ask.”

“But no one knows what the third question is. I only know that everyone who asked that question is dead,” said Guan Shanyue.

“Accidents, homicides, and even being shot for committing crimes.”

“The most reasonable way to die is at the hands of a demon. This is the consequence of asking the third question.”

“So, be careful with your mouth and don’t kill anyone.”

Guan Shanyue said this and glanced at the traitor.

Brother Jian opened a bottle of beer with his teeth and drank it in silence.

“There’s no point in talking so much. When are we going to meet her?” he said.

I saw Guan Shanyue smile.

There was suddenly a look in those eyes.

She said, “Now.”

20

We chew our fingers.

I was the last one, biting my finger and dripping blood into a candlestick.

This is a necessary step in the ritual, requiring the blood of multiple acquaintances to show her the way to the appointment.

Only then did I understand why the squad leader refused to let us leave.

The candles were lit.

Guan Shanyue closed his eyes and made a gesture.

Several old men sucked their fingers and looked at her.

It had been a long time, and it was so quiet that I could hear the sound of water flowing downstairs.

Guan Shanyue spoke.

“She’s here.”

We looked around and there was nothing.

“Where?”

“Behind me.”

Guan Shanyue kept his eyes closed the whole time.

There was no expression on her face, as if she was connected to a world in another dimension:

“Now, you can ask questions.”

twenty one

“Let me ask you something…yes, is it Xiaoyou?” The idiot spoke first.

There was a long silence.

“yes.”

This time, the voice Guan Shanyue made was without any tone, as if it had lost all its vitality.

“You, are you still alive?”

“no.”

“Why does this look like an act?”

The traitor reached out to touch Guan Shanyue, but the squad leader grabbed his hand and he felt pain instantly.

“If you don’t want to talk now, you can get lost.” The squad leader looked at him fiercely, “Swim back and no one will care whether you live or die!”

The traitor covered his hands and dared not speak.

I sat there and watched them.

I don’t know what on earth they are going to do.

However, using Xiaoyou’s name to perform this kind of performance.

I have reached my limit of enduring until now.

twenty two

In fact, expose them.

It’s very simple.

There are so many secrets that only she and I know.

“Xiaoyou.”

My gaze passed Guan Shanyue and looked at the nothingness under the light behind her.

“On the afternoon of July 2, 2004, you were sitting in the corridor.”

“yes.”

“You were eating, weren’t you?”

“no.”

I was stunned for a moment.

“You are listening to music.”

“no.”

“You are committing suicide.”

“yes.”

“There are three cuts on your wrist.”

“no.”

“Five Paths.”

“yes.”

My fingers jumped involuntarily.

No… that’s not right, Xiaoyou told us about her life. Anyone could know these details.

“On the morning of July 7, 2004, you came to see me at school.”

“yes.”

“You said thank you to me.”

“yes.”

“You asked me to take revenge on them and make me get bad grades.”

“no.”

“Let me kiss you.”

“yes.”

My heart started pounding.

“On the afternoon of July 27, 2004, it was raining. I helped you to distract Brother Jian and was beaten up.”

“yes.”

“Then you came to me.”

“yes.”

“You told me thank you.”

“no.”

“You said I was sick and that I was meddling in other people’s business.”

“yes.”

“Then you dropped the knife.”

“You need to save money and go to the same university as me.”

“You have to survive to see me there.”

“…”

“yes.”

My heart seemed to be hit hard.

I can still explain the scars and the school.

But no one in the world knows those details of the rain except Xiaoyou and me!

“Xiaoyou, you like me.”

“yes.”

“You hate me.”

“yes.”

“Because that morning…”

I lowered my eyes, unable to continue.

Because of that rainy morning.

I didn’t go looking for you.

“…”

Guan Shanyue paused unexpectedly.

“Yes,” she said.

Xiaoyou.

You’re back, right?

My mind went blank and my lips trembled, wanting to say something. I stood up, but ended up accidentally knocking over a wine bottle.

It made a clanging sound and shattered into pieces.

twenty three

The squad leader clapped his hands and resumed his sophisticated, philistine attitude.

“Brother Yu, I knew it was right to invite you here.”

He came up and put his arm around my shoulders.

“I’m telling you, I’m actually afraid of attracting some kind of ghost. It’s easier to invite a ghost than to send it away…”

I just stared in the direction of Guan Shanyue, wanting to walk over.

The squad leader held me down again and said to me in a low voice, with a fake smile:

“I know you miss Xiaoyou.”

“But she’s my wife, please give me some face and don’t hug her.”

I came to my senses and sat back in a daze.

Brother Jian was looking at me from the side, his face full of shock, his head stiff.

“Impossible! This isn’t Xiaoyou!”

He totally couldn’t accept it.

“Let Lu Yu kiss her? How could Xiao You ask someone for something like that?!” If the monitor hadn’t stood in the way, he would have come up and choked me: “Fake! Absolutely fake!!”

I have no time to care about him.

The squad leader was already looking at him with sympathy.

“Brother Jian, why don’t you ask something too?”

“Of course I have to ask…”

But as Brother Jian spoke, he became a little timid.

“You-chan…”

Brother Jian looked away.

“Did you ever like me back then? Even a little bit?” This was the first question he asked.

“no.”

That reply was somewhat decisive.

Brother Jian seemed to have also been hit head-on.

“Is it because I didn’t study back then…if I was a college student back then…” Brother Jian’s words seemed full of hope.

“No!” It was still a firm reply.

“…If I hadn’t caused trouble for Lu Yu then…”

“no!”

“Okay, okay, if we don’t talk about love, then can we at least have a chance to start as friends…”

“No!” This time, the voice from the other end was loud and clear.

Everyone looked at Brother Jian very awkwardly.

I saw him open a bottle of beer dully and drink it in a few seconds.

“…It’s Xiaoyou.” He said sadly, “It’s her.”

“Brother Jian, you really opened my eyes.” The traitor commented in a dim voice.

twenty four

The squad leader clapped his hands and poured wine into everyone’s glass.

“Tonight, there are both living and dead people!” The squad leader raised his glass, “This is what we call a party, this is what we call friends!”

“Come on, let’s give a toast to our old friend, Sister Yu!”

The monitor drank it all in one gulp and we all raised our glasses.

“Sister You.” The monitor said, “I still remember the time when we worked together during the summer vacation.”

“Although I didn’t have money at that time, everyone was around me and I was so happy.”

“Now I’m no longer happy, and I’m even poorer than before. This life of mine is…”

The monitor stopped reminiscing and said, “I won’t say much, Sister You. Just tell us what you want to say tonight. It’s just hope and the promise you made to us later—”

“Please tell us a few words, sister!”

The monitor led the applause.

On this strange night, the lights were silent and sporadic applause was heard in a classroom.

25

Guan Shanyue in front of him frowned.

As if listening.

After a long time, she finally spoke.

But he relayed a piece of information that shocked all of us.

“In 2004, there was a girl,” she said.

“She was hit on the head and died.”

“But, after so many years, this girl cannot be reincarnated.”

“Because the person who killed her is still at large.”

“Because, to this day, the person who killed her has not been punished.”

26

Everyone was stunned.

“What do you mean… why did another girl appear here…”

As soon as Erwuzai opened his mouth, he was interrupted by Brother Jian.

“Shut up!”

Broken bottles and beer were scattered on the ground.

My eyes widened, and my head was buzzing with her words.

“The girl you are talking about, is it you?” Brother Jian said.

“yes.”

“The murderer is Lu Yu’s desk mate?” Brother Jian looked at the void.

“…”

“no.”

A street lamp downstairs was flickering sparks.

“The person who killed you has not been caught to this day…” I took over Brother Jian’s question.

“yes.”

“The one who killed you…”

I looked up.

Now, I seem to finally understand why Xiaoyou arranged the party tonight.

“The person who killed you is among these people tonight.”

“…”

“yes.”

The street lamp downstairs was emitting sparks, which were getting more and more intense.

“What’s going on?!”

The squad leader was also shocked. It seemed that he had no idea that this existed.

“Don’t they say ghosts can’t lie?!” The traitor also panicked.

“She didn’t lie, but she never mentioned it! How would I know if she didn’t tell me?”

“‘You really fucking killed me!’

“That’s enough!”

Brother Jian slammed the table hard.

“Purpose…” Brother Jian looked at the invisible Xiaoyou and said, “What is the purpose of your arrangement tonight?”

“…”

Guan Shanyue did not answer.

I also looked at “her”.

“You want us to find the murderer,” I said.

“yes.”

“You can only be reincarnated if the murderer dies.”

“yes.”

“So, you want us to kill the murderer this evening.”

“yes.”

The light bulb of the street lamp finally exploded, and strange sparks flickered on the water.

Someone is laughing.

It’s Brother Jian.

He clenched his fists and tears welled up in his eyes.

But when I looked at him, I couldn’t tell whether it was his performance or not.

27

Everyone looked at each other.

Squad leader, traitor, Brother Jian.

And me.

The first one to get impatient was the traitor: “Are you kidding me? Brother, this is a society ruled by law, and you want us to kill people?!”

“She was still young when she left. What’s so strange about her wanting revenge?” Brother Jian said.

“We are not young anymore! You don’t want your job anymore? You don’t want your future anymore?”

“We are Xiaoyou’s friends.” Brother Jian glared at him.

The traitor did not back down: “She is dead. Dead people have no friends.”

“What the hell did you say?!”

Brother Jian took a quick step forward and grabbed the traitor by the collar.

He raised his fist high, but ultimately did not bring it down.

The traitor just sneered and said, “Go ahead and hit me, you’re just a barbecue vendor, if you can afford to pay, then do it.”

Erwuzai pushed Jian Ge away, straightened his collar, and combed his hair with his hands.

Then, he pointed at Brother Jian and said, “Ah Jian, you are a dog licker, you know that, you even lick the dead!”

“But that doesn’t mean others have to lick you!”

“We don’t have to kill people ourselves.” I said this out of the blue while sitting in the corner.

They all looked over.

I looked at them.

“When asking ghosts and gods, there are three things you should not ask.”

“Don’t ask about life span or marriage.” I repeated Guan Shanyue’s warning.

“No one knows what the third question is. But everyone who asked the third question is dead.”

“Accidents, murders, or even being shot for committing crimes,” I said.

“What Xiaoyou wants us to do is very simple.”

“We just need to find the murderer and force him to ask the third question.”

“This way, the murderer will die at Xiaoyou’s hands.”

“No one, including the law and the police, can catch us.”

Guan Shanyue still had his eyes closed, connected to that world.

“yes.”

In silence, she said.

“No one knows what the third question is, how can we force…” Brother Jian was puzzled.

“Ghosts don’t lie.” The squad leader sat on the chair, looking a little dejected. “If she dares to say that, then someone will definitely ask the third question tonight.”

“Damn it, damn it!” At this time, the monitor kicked the table hard.

“Why are you so nervous?” Brother Jian immediately became suspicious.

The squad leader was stunned.

“Or, what are you afraid of?” Brother Jian pressed.

“Wait a minute…” Seeing that we were all staring at him, the squad leader panicked, “I’m not afraid! I’m worried that if someone dies here, we will be involved!”

“I’m already in so much debt, if there’s another pile of shit, how am I going to clean it up? Can I ever finish it?!”

“Besides! If I were the murderer, I would be so tired of living that I would set up this trap?! Can you please use your brain?!”

I just kept watching.

“You idiot, don’t look at me. Do you know not to talk now?! Aren’t you the best at talking when you’re the one leaking information?!”

The squad leader got anxious and called out the other party’s nickname, “Traitor”, exposing his past.

That seemed to bring back memories for the traitor, and he managed to hold back his anger and smile.

“I don’t have much to say. Funerals also cost money. If anyone needs money, come to me while you’re still alive… But you, squad leader, won’t pass the background check. If there’s a funeral, you’ll have to raise the money yourself.”

The traitor looked at him with contempt.

“grass!”

The squad leader smashed the bottle in anger and was about to beat him up, but when he found that neither Brother Jian nor I had any intention of stopping him, he stopped there awkwardly.

In the end, he just pointed at the traitor and sat back.

I tapped the table with my fingers.

“Xiao You, I never like to make things difficult for others,” I said.

They looked over.

“What she wants us to do must be simple.”

I raised my head and looked into their eyes one by one, examining them.

“Let’s ask everyone one by one whether they are the murderer.”

“If it’s the murderer, she will answer yes. If it’s not the murderer, she will deny it.”

“After one round, we will know who to kill.”

yes.

I haven’t been this excited in all these years.

Finally, I can kill the murderer with my own hands.

There was evasion, suspicion, and determination in their eyes.

But just then.

“Feel sorry.”

Guan Shanyue’s voice was heard.

28

I turned my head blankly.

“The messenger has landed, and the dead souls need to take a detour.” She shook her head, and her voice returned to its original state.

It’s as if the connection has been disconnected.

“The police are very close to the school. She must hide. From now on, you can’t tell her name and she can’t answer your questions.”

I stared at her blankly.

Leaning back in the chair dejectedly.

Obviously, just a little bit.

“When will she be back?” I said.

“She will come back.” Guan Shanyue just said this.

29

Brother Jian was smoking in the corridor, looking at the water downstairs.

I walked over and took out the wine bottle from my pocket. I realized that my pockets were soaked by the rain and even my cell phone couldn’t be turned on.

Brother Jian handed me one.

“I haven’t learned it yet.” I shook my head.

“Good student.” He smiled.

I can’t tell whether he is the murderer or not.

But, if there really is a murderer, can he ask those humble questions?

We were leaning against the railing, he was smoking and I was drinking.

Heavy rain poured down and the water level was rising.

I don’t know whether the so-called Yinchai is really like the legend says, holding a tall paper umbrella and walking on the water.

“I was ignorant before,” said Brother Jian. “I’m sorry.”

“…” I was speechless, looking at the bruises on my face from his beating, “It’s all over.”

I paused, “How did you…”

I don’t know how to start.

Brother Jian knows what I want to ask.

“My parents stepped down, and I spent a lot of money but couldn’t keep my job. In the end, I had no money left, and all the people I hung out with left. Some went to school, and some went to work.”

“It’s Erwu… Jiadong. He used to hang out with me because his parents worked in the same unit.”

“Later, his parents got promoted, and now they are doing much better than me who runs a barbecue stall.”

“I’m actually lucky.”

“Times have changed. In 2004, everything was in chaos. I was able to be released even though I did such bad things.”

“If I were still that kind of person, I’d probably be shot someday.”

“I’m afraid no one wants me to come and summon the spirits.”

He didn’t say anything polite and asked me to visit his shop when I had time.

It seems that he will always feel out of place in such an environment.

Just like me.

“What about you?” He flicked away his cigarette butt. “You had such a bright future.”

“That’s right. I don’t want to study anymore, and I haven’t gone back to university.” I looked at the light that went out in an instant.

“I don’t want to go anywhere.”

In ’04, I waded down the street in a torrential rain.

I can only tell myself:

At least, just stay in the town where she lived.

“This may sound a little strange…” he said.

“I’m actually very happy to see that you can’t let go,” said Brother Jian.

I was stunned.

“It’s been twelve years.” Brother Jian lowered his eyes. “Talking about the past today is like listening to someone else’s story.”

“How long can I remember her?”

“You are different. From the questions you asked today, I know you will remember her for the rest of your life.”

“I’m quite jealous of you.”

“Brother Jian…” I said, “Be more mature.”

“We are in this mess, so let’s not criticize each other.”

“…By the way, how many things did you two do back then that I don’t know?” By now, Brother Jian also started to gossip.

Just then, a voice called me.

“Let’s go? Let’s go drain the water?”

The familiar words of Erwuzai made us all laugh.

“Brother Jian?” I said.

“I already told you to call me Jian – I’ll put it here.”

“Fuck, I’ll be here too.” The squad leader who came out also became interested.

When Erwuzi and I were walking away, we heard strange cries from Brother Jian and the squad leader behind us.

At a certain moment, it seemed as if I was back in the campus of those days.

30

…

In the dark bathroom, the traitor offered me a cigarette, but I refused.

“…” I remembered something, “Aren’t you afraid?”

“What?” The idiot was concentrating on adding water.

“Aren’t you afraid that I’m the murderer?” As far as I can remember, among all of us, Erwuzai was the most timid one back then.

“You can’t be.”

I thought about it and it was true. Erwuzai knew about the relationship between Xiaoyou and me.

“In the past, I always saw those bad students smoking in the toilet…” The cigarette butt of the traitor flickered.

“Actually, I’m pretty bad, even worse than them. It’s just that no one knows it,” he said.

“I know.”

I said casually.

“What do you know?” The traitor sneered.

I frowned. Even though I hadn’t seen him for many years, he still made me feel weird.

“What a beautiful girl.” The traitor sighed, “She was hit on the head five times and died.”

“You think she must have been in a lot of pain at that time?”

“He was still clutching the bag when he died.”

“I was so afraid that someone would snatch it away that I scratched my hands so hard that they were bruised.”

I was stunned.

I turned my head blankly.

In the darkness, his cigarette butt flickered.

“No one on TV ever said it was five…”

“Because my parents work in the Public Security Bureau,” he said.

“You said, bag…” I continued to question him.

“Oh, that bag, inside it is the pager she bought.” he recalled.

“I left you a message, what was it…”

That PHS.

Until the case was finally solved, the police did not return the baby to the parents.

I went to inquire about it, and the answer I got was that there was no such evidence.

“Text message, how did you know…” I stretched out my hand in a daze.

The cigarette butt burned the back of my hand vertically.

“Lu Yu.” He rolled the cigarette butt, “My parents were sent by the Public Security Bureau. They found a scapegoat for me.”

“You know, I think I’m addicted to killing people during the flood season.”

“Because once the water rushed up, the scene and the evidence were all washed away.”

“Just force your deskmate to memorize my confession.”

My nerves, uncontrollably, began to beat.

In an instant, I grabbed him by the collar.

But he still smiled:

“Make more noise and call them over. You’ll never have the chance to find out what I did.”

My eyes were red with anger, but I could only watch him.

“I’ll tell you why,” he said.

“Because I’m jealous of you,” he said, “You have good grades and are popular.”

“That day when Brother Jian went to beat you up, I thought I could finally kill you.”

“In the end, you ended up with such a beautiful girl.”

“Is she blind, huh? Why is she still with you after you got beaten?”

“In fact, she is interested in me. Every time I talk to her, she smiles at me. Isn’t this also interested in me?”

“You’re hinting at me, but you’re still with me. Damn, bitch.”

“You all think she’s smart, but she’s actually really stupid.”

“That day she went to your alma mater to look for you. On the way, I told her that something happened to you. I said that you were taken away by Brother Jian and that you were going to be beaten to death by Brother Jian. When she heard that, she immediately ran after me. Do you think she was stupid?”

“I am dying of laughter.”

“When we got there, I hit him on the back of the head and dragged him into the alley.”

“She’s dying, and it’s not pretty anymore, so I’ll just have to smash her to death.”

“Don’t think about it. I deliberately created a feud with the squad leader Jian and his brother.”

“They are both arrogant and won’t come over because they think it’s unlucky.”

“Without evidence, who would believe you?”

“Lu Yu, I just want to tell you alone.”

He smiled and tapped my face with a finger.

“I will use this method to destroy all of you.”

“Destroying you is the greatest achievement of my life.”

“Bang!” There was a loud noise.

That was the sound of my fist bursting into his face.

31

I grabbed the traitor’s head and dragged him on the ground like a mad beast.

He walked out of the corridor and placed half of his body on the railing.

My eyes turned red, and I reached out for a wrench and was about to hit him on the head.

“Lu Yu, what are you doing?!” Brother Jian and the squad leader came rushing over after hearing the news.

“He just admitted that he is the murderer! It’s him!! It’s him!!!!” I yelled.

But the next second, I was knocked down by Brother Jian.

Brother Jian was also shocked, “What did you just say?!”

The traitor nearly fell down the stairs, and the squad leader used all his strength to pull him back.

“Wait a minute!” the traitor yelled, “He’s lying! We were just chatting peacefully, and he suddenly went crazy and wanted to kill me!”

“Fuck you…”

I struggled to stand up, but Brother Jian held me down tightly, and I let out one angry roar after another.

I want to kill him.

I’m going to kill him!!!

“I know! Lu Yu is the murderer! He knows that once the messenger leaves and she comes back, he will be exposed! So he wants to kill us one by one now!”

The traitor shouted:

“How could a murderer who has been hiding for so many years admit his crime? Think about it! Nothing Lu Yu says holds water!”

“He must be anxious because he is about to be exposed!” he said loudly.

I struggled, but Brother Jian pushed me back to the ground.

His head hit the ground and made a buzzing sound.

It hurts a lot.

How painful it must have been for Xiaoyou to be hit those five times.

32

The wrench had been kicked down the stairs by Brother Jian and sank into the dark bottom of the water.

When I calmed down, I realized I had fallen into a trap.

“The traitor deliberately angered me just to make me look like a lunatic so that he could put the blame on me.”

“He was sure that no one would believe him and that the murderer would admit to the murder.”

“In this case, my words of accusing him are no longer tenable.”

“He can frame me for talking nonsense and for being the murderer!”

“This way, he’ll have a chance to skip the stage of identifying the murderer and force me to ask the three questions directly!”

In the classroom, Brother Jian tied my hands and feet with my clothes tied backwards.

I stared at the traitor and said, “You are right, aren’t you? Your plan.”

The squad leader was muttering to Brother Jian, “He doesn’t look crazy.”

The traitor sat next to Brother Jian.

I know that Brother Jian doesn’t trust anyone now, but I’m actually keeping an eye on him.

It was just that I moved the guy and they had to tie me up.

“How about calling the police?” The traitor was determined to play the role of an innocent person.

Yes, this is also his purpose.

The water was muddied, the police were called, and the summoning of the spirits was naturally over.

“You are a drug addict, right? Does the police station have a boat? Or do the police swim over to you to investigate the case?” the squad leader refuted him.

“Use your brain.” I looked at the monitor, “You were the one who asked me to stay behind on the day of the accident. I didn’t even go to school! And, how could I?!”

The squad leader understood.

“Yes, I told him not to leave.”

In an instant, he stared at the traitor with a look of suspicion on his face.

“Wait! You were with him that day?” asked the traitor.

“That’s not the case.”

“So you have no way of judging how long he stayed in school. He might have run out and killed someone soon after!”

“But, Lu Yu has such a good relationship with her…”

“People’s minds are hard to predict. I’ve seen many prisoners, some of whom have special fetishes and get pleasure from torturing others.” The traitor said confidently:

“He might be that kind of person. You all saw what he did to me just now!”

I struggled to stand up, and the traitor quickly backed away.

“At least one thing is clear.”

At this time, Guan Shanyue, who had not spoken for a long time, spoke.

“It’s either you or him.”

“The rain hasn’t stopped yet. We have plenty of time before she comes back.”

The heavy rain is still pouring down.

33

“Fuck.” The squad leader cursed, but rubbed his hands excitedly.

“What are you excited about?” Brother Jian asked him.

“Shit, this looks like we’re going to get rich!”

I stared at the traitor.

He was still playing that innocent look.

“Traitor.” I said.

“I know you think you’ve got away with it. This is the highlight of your life. What you’re most worried about is that no one knows.”

“Especially, I don’t know.”

“You are so proud, even though we all think you are the murderer.”

“All the previous evidence is gone. No one can do anything to you.”

“You calculated correctly that even if we called the police, they wouldn’t be able to catch you. Right?”

I paused.

I reacted too.

“You came here tonight just to have fun. You idiot.”

“Because for you, this is a game you can never lose.”

“Before we conclude that you are the murderer, you can watch us make a fool of ourselves and prove your achievements once again.”

“And run up to me and make your victory declaration.”

“That’s the only reason you came here tonight.”

“And in the end, even if you are discovered.”

“We can only watch you get away with it.”

“because.”

“A supermarket cashier, a barbecue stall owner, and a company executive who is deeply in debt.”

“They are already a bunch of losers. They can’t do anything.”

What a perfect plan.

It turns out that he had already won over all of us when he started this plan.

“You only want to play games like this where you can’t lose, right?” I laughed.

“You really have always been a coward.”

“What are you talking about?” The traitor opened his innocent eyes.

However, when he heard me laughing at him, his emotions were obviously moved.

“The more you make up, the more suspicious you become, Lu Yu.” He restrained himself.

“But you idiot, you’re not guaranteed to win.” I looked at him.

“Because you didn’t take one thing into account.”

“Calling the spirits is real.”

“She has been watching you, the murderer.”

“And I sit here.”

“I already know what the third question is.”

“I don’t care what others think of me or how the law judges me.”

“She and I are going to kill you tonight.”

34

The traitor’s breath was choked.

Yeah, how could I forget.

He could plot to harm me.

Of course I can design for him too.

“There are no ghosts in this world.” said the traitor.

“Hey, I’m listening.” Guan Shanyue said dissatisfiedly.

“Yeah, how can someone like you believe that there are ghosts in the world?”

“Otherwise, you wouldn’t have told me the truth in the bathroom.”

I said.

“I want to thank you for your honesty. It allowed me to see through you.”

“You feel like you’re special. You feel like the world revolves around you.”

“But the reality at that time tortured you.”

“You have no grades and no friends.”

“You are Jian’s younger brother, but he doesn’t even consider you as his younger brother. He treats you like an animal.”

“You cried a lot at night.”

“You hide under the covers, resenting us for stealing your life.”

“You hate the monitor, because he knows a little bit about everything and has robbed you of your wisdom.”

“You hate my deskmate, who writes and draws, and steals your artistic talent.”

“You don’t understand why she likes me even though I’m being bullied.”

“You will interpret any look or movement from her as a hint to you.”

“You hate me because I must have used some despicable means to snatch her away from you.”

“But I tell you.”

“We didn’t steal your stuff.”

“Without us, you’d still be mud.”

“Without us, you would just be someone else’s lackey, following behind and breathing second-hand smoke.”

“Without us, she still doesn’t see you at all!”

“Because you are garbage!”

“You are proud now, you are standing up now.”

“But it’s no use. Everyone who remembers you remembers you back then, when you were called a traitor. It’s all about you back then, when you were nothing!”

Erwuzai stood up suddenly, and the squad leader and Brother Jian were trying to stop him.

“Traitor!” I yelled, “I will do nothing but tell everyone you are a traitor!”

“You can ask your parents to arrest me.”

“After I get out, I’ll continue to spread the word!”

“Unless you kill us, you will always be a traitor in the eyes of others!”

“This name will be with you forever!”

“You’re bullshitting! You made everything up!”

“‘Then why did you burn the back of my hand with a cigarette butt in the bathroom?’ I laughed.

The traitor was stunned for a moment.

Brother Jian reacted, ran to me, took a look, and saw that the burn scar was still there.

“It’s a new injury.” said Brother Jian.

Everyone looked at the traitor, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

His body began to tremble slightly.

He also understood that I was plotting against him.

I’m forcing him to confess.

Otherwise, he would have no choice but to admit that those past events that were too ugly for him to admit were all true.

35

“What’s going on?” Brother Jian said.

“He’s crazy, he burned himself.”

“He drinks, but he doesn’t smoke.”

“He stole it from me and burned it himself!”

Brother Jian took a close look at my hand, then looked at the traitor with suspicion.

“When a person burns himself, the wound should be slanted, with a small arc. This is vertical… It is only possible to be vertical when burning someone else.”

It’s ironic that this scalding technique is what the traitor is imitating from Brother Jian back then.

“He, the guy named Lu, had planned to frame me from the beginning. Of course he would do it on purpose…” The traitor was obviously losing his confidence.

“I have already figured out how to put the blame on you. I have already figured it out.” I said with a sneer.

“yes!”

“Did anyone see the traitor smoking in the classroom today?”

The traitor was stunned for a moment.

“We haven’t been in touch for many years, and we haven’t even added each other on WeChat.”

“I don’t even know if you smoke or not,” I said.

“So, I had it in mind long ago, to steal your cigarette butt and put the blame on you?”

“You’ve been exposed, bastard.”

The traitor took a few steps back, his steps clearly a little unsteady.

“I think I need an explanation.” Brother Jian looked at him and said.

That’s the choice I gave him.

Or, admit his shameful behavior in the past and lose the face he had finally regained.

Or, end this game that makes him look ridiculous by confessing.

“I……”

The traitor sat down on the chair dejectedly.

“I’m jealous of him.”

“I’m jealous that he used to be better than me.”

“But you are better than him now.”

I know that Brother Jian’s doubts are like a knife stabbing into the traitor’s chest.

“Because I can’t forget it. I always hated him for being better than me! Are you satisfied?”

“So, he said…” Brother Jian looked at us in disbelief.

“I just can’t accept it! Why do I hang out with you? Why does she like him? Why can all of you become friends in the end?” The traitor’s eyes turned red. “I just want to take advantage of the fact that I am better than you and suppress you!”

“But I didn’t kill anyone!”

“I just burned him with a cigarette butt to humiliate him, so he got mad! He wanted to kill me!”

“This is the nature of the surname Lu.”

“You traitor.” I said, shaking my body, leaning against the wall, looking at him coldly.

“From the beginning till now, your story has been changing.”

“One moment I suddenly go crazy, the next moment I am irritated by you;”

“One moment I get burned myself, the next moment it’s your revenge…”

“You never justified yourself once from beginning to end.”

Downstairs, there was another burst of sparks.

In the teaching building, there was the noise of a motor stalling.

Darkness falls.

The whole town was out of power.

“None of this matters anymore.”

In the classroom, there was only one candlestick flickering.

“Because you just admitted something yourself.” I looked at the traitor and said.

“It’s called motivation.”

“Among all of us, you were the only one who had the motive to kill.”

I lied to you, bastard.

I gave it to you.

It is actually a multiple choice question.

36

The traitor was shaking and almost fell to the ground.

The monitor still looked incredulous, “Wait, should we sort this out?”

“No.”

At this time, Guan Shanyue spoke.

“She’s back.”

Guan Shanyue closed his eyes, and his tone, once again, lost all vitality.

Connected to that world.

37

“It’s simple.”

Brother Jian grabbed Erwuzai’s shoulders, actually pressing him down.

“Just ask once and you’ll know everything.”

“Whoever it is, just ask the third question.”

“Am I the murderer?” I looked behind Guan Shanyue.

“no.”

“Is the murderer the traitor, Jiadong?”

…

A shrill scream.

But it came from the mouth of a traitor.

I turned around in surprise and saw that the traitor had broken free from Brother Jian and was holding a broken wine bottle in his hand.

Brother Jian lowered his head and saw a cut on his abdomen, with blood gushing out.

It turns out that the traitor pretended to fall down just now to pick this up!

“yes.”

In the darkness, Guan Shanyue answered without any expression.

Like a sin decree from the unknown.

But the traitor had already rushed towards Guan Shanyue.

I struggled, but was tied up and couldn’t move.

Brother Jian’s steps have become weak.

Only the monitor.

He rushed forward and hit him head-on.

But in the end, there was still one step missing.

The monitor slammed his head against the table, feeling dizzy.

When he stood up again, the traitor had already pointed the broken wine bottle at Guan Shanyue’s neck.

“Give me some face, that’s my wife!… Or you can take Lu Yu away, look at the way he’s tied up?”

The squad leader staggered but did not dare to move forward.

“I don’t believe there are ghosts in this world.”

The traitor looked at us fiercely.

“No.” Guan Shanyue’s face returned to normal, but he still answered.

“There are no ghosts in this world!”

“If you didn’t believe it, you wouldn’t have put it around my neck.”

The traitor was trembling, and suddenly, he shouted, “Yinchai! Xiaoyou is here!! The Xiaoyou you want to catch is in this school!! Come and catch her!!”

brute!!

A huge thunder exploded in the sky.

Outside the window, there was a roaring storm.

The traitor looked at us and laughed miserably, “So what if you knew, what can you do to me?”

“The evidence has long been washed away. Everyone in the agency has the same surname as me. What can you use to overturn it?”

The strong wind broke open the windows and poured rain into the classroom.

“Aren’t you afraid of ghosts and gods?” Guan Shanyue said.

The darkness and the flames of the candlesticks mixed together, and Guan Shanyue’s expression was like a judge in hell.

“I’ve already called out Xiaoyou’s name.” The traitor laughed miserably, “I used to hit him to death with a brick, and now I let the ghost kill her just the same!”

“I came here tonight just to tell you!”

“I will destroy you and step on your heads forever!”

But no one paid attention to what he was saying.

38

The sweeping rain extinguished the only candlestick.

Guan Shanyue’s chest.

A faint red light, like the heart of a devil from hell, beats regularly.

Everyone understood——

Guan Shanyue installed a recording device on the chest of his clothes.

Therefore, when she asked the final question, she acted like a judge!

The traitor lowered his head, stunned.

“You’re playing with me again, you’re playing with me again…”

He immediately pulled Guan Shanyue’s body with all his might.

Guan Shanyue protected him tightly.

“I’ll fuck you…” The squad leader’s eyes were bloodshot.

Seeing the squad leader and Brother Jian approaching, Erwuzi was obviously panicking, and the broken bottle pierced Guan Shanyue’s skin, bleeding.

Guan Shanyue was finally forced to stand up and was taken away by the thugs.

“Where is that Xiaolingtong?” I said as I watched him leave.

That rainy morning.

Where is the pager she wanted to give me?

He ignored it.

“What’s that text message she sent me?” I almost begged.

“No need to ask.”

The traitor smiled.

“After tonight, I’ll put you all in jail.”

The traitor took Guan Shanyue hostage and left the classroom.

The squad leader shouted “Wife!” and stumbled out after her.

39

Brother Jian untied the clothes that were tied around me.

Then, the whole person collapsed against the wall.

He covered his lower abdomen with clothes, but blood still came out.

“If I had known, I wouldn’t have tied it so tightly…” Brother Jian looked pale and weak due to blood loss.

I staggered to my feet.

I know I have one more thing to do at tonight’s party.

I took out the wine flask from my pocket, unscrewed it, and poured the wine on Brother Jian’s wound.

Brother Jian’s eyebrows instantly twisted together.

“…Come back alive.” Brother Jian looked at me weakly and said.

Back to our boyhood.

That’s not something he would say to me.

I picked up an unopened can of beer and staggered out.

“Lu Yu, you must come back alive!”

Behind me, Brother Jian was shouting at the top of his lungs.

40

“Summer 2004.”

“Rainy morning.”

“A girl named Xiaoyou was holding an umbrella and holding a newly bought PHS in her arms.”

“Inside, there are text messages she edited.”

“On the way to meet me at school.”

“2004, rainy morning.”

“My deskmate arrived at the school gate, but she was nowhere to be seen.”

“I only heard from the boss lady of the breakfast stall that she was running anxiously on the road with someone.”

Heavy rain poured down.

It seemed as if there were countless monsters hiding in the rain, or as if tall and thin ghosts were running fast on the water.

Ours was the only unlocked classroom.

When I went down to the second floor, I saw the figure of the traitor.

The squad leader sat down weakly in the water, blood gushing from his neck.

Guan Shanyue was also bleeding, and the broken wine bottle finally cut open her clothes.

Pull off the recorder that was sewn to the fabric.

The traitor grabbed it and tried hard to smash it against the wall.

“2004.”

“The traitor tricked her into going to the residential area.”

“She looked for me frantically.”

“What greeted her was a rock hitting the back of her head.”

The flooded corridor in 2016.

I picked up a bottle of wine and threw it hard at the traitor’s head.

Blooming in his head.

“In 2004, the rain hit her cold body.”

“She can no longer speak.”

“But I was holding the bag containing my cell phone tightly in my hand.”

“I scratched my hand.”

In 2016, Erwuzai fell a bit.

He hurriedly picked up the recorder in his hand.

I rushed forward with my eyes red.

With one hand, he pushed his head into the water.

A hand grabbed his hand that was holding the recorder.

“In 2004, pedestrians were running away from the rain.”

“My deskmate was looking for me all the way, worried that I would be angry.”

“He was eventually spotted by his parents and taken home, still mumbling, ‘I’m a gangster, I have to be loyal.'”

Year 2016.

My eyes were red and I held him tightly.

He was bubbling in the water, struggling hard, breaking the wine bottle, and stabbing me weakly in the hands and body.

“2004.”

“My deskmate was arrested and imprisoned. He was beaten so hard that he couldn’t stand it. He could only memorize what was on the paper given to him.”

“There are handwritings all over it from the person who was held in the water.”

Year 2016.

My abdomen was scratched by the broken wine bottle and I finally lost my strength.

The traitor broke free from me.

But he was horrified to see that I was covered in blood, but with scarlet eyes open, walking towards him.

“In 2004, I saw an empty piggy bank in the hallway.”

“That was supposed to be the money she had saved up for the entire summer vacation.”

“She had already promised me that she would live well.”

I waded through the water, the blood leaving a scarlet trail behind me.

“Give me back her pager.” I looked at him intently and said.

Give it back to me.

41

“If you dare come over here, I’ll break it right now.” He held the recorder high.

I don’t care anymore.

“Fall it,” I said. “Fall it.”

“Do you dare to kill me? Do you dare to kill me?!” He looked at me timidly, trembling as he wanted to deny something.

“You traitor, you know what…” I stared at him with bloodthirsty eyes, “What you just asked is the third question.”

For a moment, he was terrified to the extreme.

I saw him frantically pull something out of his pocket.

A white, paint-chipped, PHS.

“Go get it! Go get it!” He threw it out into the corridor with all his might and was swept into the raging torrent.

My attention was completely attracted. When I came to my senses, he was already holding the recorder and smashing it against the wall.

But a shadow bumped into him.

Guanshan Moon.

The recorder flew out of his hand and fell into the turbulent water outside the corridor.

The traitor struggled to snatch it, but Guan Shanyue held it tightly.

“Lu Yu!” Guan Shanyue yelled with the last of his strength, “Bring the recording–“

She no longer had much strength left and was almost begging.

“Record it,” she said.

Without hesitation, I climbed over the railing and dived into the water.

42

In the violent turbulent water.

I saw them.

White, faded paint, PHS;

A recorder flashing a little red light.

They were swept away by the raging current and drifted in completely different directions.

My brain is buzzing.

He used up all his strength and swam towards the white little cellist.

Let me catch it.

I don’t want anything.

Let me catch her.

“In 2004, it was raining.”

“I kissed that girl named Xiao You on the messy ground just now.”

“One in front and one behind, walking on a road with no pedestrians.”

“It’s very slow.”

“She suddenly turned around and smiled at me.”

“Hello.”

2016. A girl’s voice.

I stopped in the water in a daze.

Xiaoyou stood on the water, with his hands behind his back, looking at me with a smile.

“When you go to college, remember to call me.”

“But I don’t have the money to buy a second one.”

“When I save up a little more, you can call me.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I lost my cell phone.”

“I couldn’t send this message to you either.”

I want to go over and hug her.

It was such a short distance, but I couldn’t get any closer to her.

As her figure was gradually hidden by the rain.

The only thing that floated into my hands with the water was the recorder.

When I lost consciousness, it was the squad leader and Guan Shanyue who pulled me back from behind.

In a daze.

I saw an unclaimed white umbrella floating on the water.

I really want to catch her.

But in the end, the rain was blown away by the wind and disappeared in the rain.

43

The rain gradually stopped.

Brother Jian’s bleeding stopped and a bandage was wrapped around the squad leader’s neck.

Brother Jian is looking after the traitor.

The monitor lay under the table, looked one by one, and finally found something.

He turned the table over to reveal its bottom.

Xiaoyou’s handwriting on it had faded.

There were only a few faint fingerprints of paint still on it.

He stroked it gently with his fingers.

“I’m sorry.”

When I woke up, the squad leader said to me with his back to me.

“That morning, I didn’t let you go to see Xiaoyou,” he said.

“What are you talking about?”

I looked at the dripping rain outside and said.

In the end, the only one you can blame is yourself.

44

Guan Shanyue told me that I was lucky, because if I soaked it in water for a while longer, the recorder would be completely broken.

She said that she was particularly worried that what I would bring back would be that pager.

That way, the traitor will never be convicted of what he did to Xiaoyou.

And I will definitely kill him and become a murderer.

I lay on the bed made of desks, covered with the relatively dry curtains.

Guan Shanyue sat on the desk chair, looking down at me.

“There’s no hot water. Would you like some mineral water?” she said.

I said, “Spiritual summoning, is it real?”

“One more time, turtle soup.”

She looked at me as if searching my soul.

“In 2004, there was a young boy.”

“He doesn’t fit in. He always thinks he’s an artist.”

“But he is very loyal. When his brothers are beaten, he is always the first to rush out.”

Her voice was quiet as the breeze ruffled the few remaining curtains.

“That boy skipped a whole morning’s work to help his deskmate find a girl. Who would have thought that the girl was already dead.”

“He was forced by them to admit that he killed her.”

“He thought his brothers would clear his name, but they didn’t.”

“Later, he thought his brother would come to visit him in prison.”

“But, not even once.”

“Many years later, he grew up.”

“The experience of a murderer, being ostracized everywhere.”

“A shattered dream.”

“He committed suicide.”

“The family hired someone, a fortune-teller, to perform a ritual for him.”

“That’s his sister, seeing a fortune teller for the first time.”

“This loyal brother has always been very kind to his sister.”

“When there is food, I always give it to her first. When her parents beat her, I always take the beating for her. And there are many more…”

“So good, she doesn’t know how to repay it.”

“My sister knows he is innocent, but what can she do? She doesn’t even know who the murderer is.”

“Until the day she saw the fortune-teller, she had an idea.”

“The first step of that idea is to find one of the people from that year and gain his trust.”

“Even.”

“Even though I knew he was in debt, I became his lover.”

Her story stopped here.

I looked at her.

“That sister, is that you?” I said.

“yes.”

“So, without the three no questions, summoning the spirit is fake.”

“yes.”

“You just want to use the guise of summoning spirits to force the murderer to show up.”

“yes.”

“Because the person who is most afraid of Xiaoyou speaking will definitely come.”

“yes.”

“Because the person who is most afraid of Xiaoyou speaking must be the murderer.”

“yes.”

“You installed a recording on your body.”

“yes.”

“You want to use the fear of necromancy tonight to force the murderer to tell the truth.”

“…”

“no.”

I was stunned for a moment, then I reacted.

“Because you can’t predict what will happen tonight.”

“yes.”

“But there is one thing you can force to happen.”

“yes.”

“Let the murderer be afraid of Xiaoyou’s ghost, let the murderer be afraid of you revealing his identity.”

“Let the murderer fear the third question you fabricated.”

“yes.”

“If the murderer wanted to survive, he would probably choose to kill you before the third question.”

“yes.”

“This way, there will be a chance to re-convict the murderer.”

“…”

“yes.”

She ended the game and looked out the window.

Finally, we got the recording.

“Lu Yu,” she said to me, “How long have you and my brother been waiting for this day?”

45

Twelve years.

It was still raining that day in 2016.

But the water that flooded the river bank was already receding.

The police are on their way.

“It’s not 2004 anymore.” Guan Shanyue looked out the window, “Don’t worry.”

“Isn’t it a bit too cruel to break up with him like this…” she muttered.

But I found that my eyes never left.

“Why do you know so much about me and her?” I looked at her and said weakly.

“Most of it, I asked around,” she said. “I don’t know a few details, but somehow I felt that was the right answer.”

“Nothing’s weird,” she said. “I’ve been learning all of your stories for this evening. It’s normal to have some intuition.”

In fact, after holding on until now, I feel a little dazed.

“Actually, your summoning of spirits is real, right?”

She heard me ask the question again.

“No.” She answered subconsciously.

“Actually, summoning spirits is real, right?”

She was silent.

“Summoning spirits, it’s real, right…”

For a long time.

“yes.”

She said.

“Xiaoyou, are you back?”

“yes.”

“…”

“Will you hate me?”

“I didn’t skip work to see you that rainy morning,” I said.

I looked at the nothingness behind her.

I know she didn’t attract anyone.

I knew that even when I was on the water, it was really her that I saw.

She has already left with the little pager who will never come back.

I know.

I know.

but.

I’m sorry.

Really, I’m sorry.

Guan Shanyue looked at me.

Many years later, I passed the police exam and met many people who, like me, could not forget their “Xiao You”.

But what kept me going was the response Guan Shanyue gave me that day:

What she was looking at was also the nothingness of her brother.

She said, “I forgive you.”

46

Year 2016.

She forgave me.

—end