Chapter 1: The Strange

A day has passed just like that, and I have been in a daze, my mind occupied with the events of last night, which were so strange, like a dream! Niu Er and I were originally in the same classroom, but now his seat is empty, which inevitably makes me feel sad

As I listened carefully, something felt off; Niu Er's sobs were intermittent, and amidst his crying, he said: "Rest assured, father, I will do as you instructed!"

Upon arriving at school, taking a seat, attending classes, and studying independently

When I woke up, I found myself still in Niu Er's house. Through the window, I saw Niu Er burning paper money in the yard. The bed had returned to its original appearance, but I knew that beneath the bed lay the corpse of Niu Er's father

"Do not ask, leave here immediately!" Niu Er suddenly pushed me hard, then took a shovel and went back into the house.

The two rooms were visible at a glance, and I did not see his father at home. So who was Niu Er talking to just now

After a moment, Niu Er opened the door, and I saw tears in his eyes. I did not ask much and walked straight in. The room was very dark, with only a 30-watt light bulb hanging from the ceiling. I took what I needed and left. As I walked down the road, I felt something was off. Niu Er's house only had two small rooms. After I entered, I did not see Niu Er's father. I had always had a good relationship with him, so it was only natural that Niu Er's father should greet me! At that time, he would usually be at home and couldn't possibly be sleeping so early. Before I went in, I had heard someone talking inside, but after entering, I only saw Niu Er.

I sat up from the chair and suddenly felt a cool sensation on my neck. Looking down, I noticed a round jade pendant had somehow appeared around my neck. I rushed out of the room and ran to Niu Er, just as I was about to ask him what was going on, he suddenly said solemnly: "You must leave quickly and forget everything that happened tonight!"

Not having clarified the matter, I naturally would not leave, so I followed along. I did not dare to enter the house, only watching from outside. Through the window, I saw Niu Er digging a pit inside the house. After finishing, he dragged out the coffin from under the bed and then placed it upright into the dug pit, actually burying the coffin inside the house!

The death of Niu Er and the book has become a mystery. Since Niu Er had no other relatives, this case was left unresolved. After I returned to the village, I noticed a strange phenomenon: every night, the village would become exceptionally quiet, enveloped in a deathly silence

I have a classmate named Niu Zhen, whose nickname is Niu Er. We are the same age and both come from the same village, having had a close relationship since childhood

I cannot understand why, even though there are clearly two shadows on the window, I only see Niu Er. Where has his father gone?

When Niu Er saw me, he was taken aback, and the bowl of rice in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter. He stared at me in surprise, and after a long pause, he stammered, "The first... the first day... what are you here for?"

The great fire consumed everything. By the time the villagers extinguished the flames, only a charred corpse was found amidst the ashes. The death of Niu Er's father, along with Niu Er's self-immolation, became an eternal mystery, with no one even knowing where his father's body was located

Niu Er and I are classmates. In a few days, summer vacation will begin. In these days, the tasks assigned by the school are relatively numerous. Just in time for Sunday, we came back to get our things. Tomorrow morning, we have to rush to school, so tonight I must prepare everything I need to take. After returning home, I tidied up and found that I was missing something. I lost my student ID. Without this document, I won't be able to enter the school

The longevity robe is particularly striking under the dim light, and the patterns on the robe are quite peculiar, featuring two fish. His father has a complexion as pale as paper, with nails three inches long, clearly resembling a corpse

I listened for quite a while, and suddenly the crying stopped; it became very quiet inside. After a long time, Niu Er's cries came again, this time sounding even more mournful

That night, I happened to go to his house to pick up the textbooks needed for school the next day. After I arrived at his house, I originally intended to knock on the door and go in, but I heard the sound of Niu Er choking back tears

Walking along the road, I thought it over and decided to go back to get my student ID; otherwise, it would be quite troublesome when I go to school tomorrow. I mustered my courage and returned to the original spot, and when I arrived at Niu Er's house, I did not knock on the door but simply pushed it open.

This glance left me stunned for quite a while, and after I came to my senses, I scrambled back in a hurry

My name is Bai Chuyi. The year I was born, an old Taoist priest predicted that I would not live past the age of seventeen, advising that I should pray to the gods and Buddha for protection and blessings on the first day of each month, hence my name. I grew up with my grandmother, as my parents were busy with their business back in our hometown, and I rarely had the opportunity to see them. This year, I turned seventeen, and indeed, I have encountered the greatest calamity of my life.

I knocked on the door: "Niu Er, what are you doing inside? Hurry up and open the door for me!"

I crouched behind the door, listening intently, thinking to myself, "That coward Niu Er has probably been dealt with by his father again"

After doing all this, Niu Er rushed out of the room, grabbed my hand, and said to me: "On the first day of the lunar new year, I might not survive! You must take good care of this jade and not lose it; it can save your life!"

I have been spending these days in a daze. After the college entrance examination, the heavy burden in my heart has finally been lifted. I am uncertain whether to continue my studies in a big city or to seek a livelihood at home. After the holiday, all I want is to have a good rest

"Wait a moment, Niu Er, tell me, what is the matter with this jade pendant?" I pressed my hand against my chest, feeling a wave of cold emanating from the jade pendant.

I was left utterly confused by Niu Er's words. Just as I was about to question him, he had already returned to his room. I intended to follow him inside, but he locked the door behind him. I called out for a long time, yet he refused to open the door for me. I had no choice but to leave the courtyard and head back.

The scene that came into view left me momentarily stunned, and I was unable to regain my composure for quite some time. I saw Niu Er sitting by the bedside, holding a bowl in his hands, feeding his father. If it were just feeding, it would have been one thing, but I noticed that the spot where the bed should have been was sunken in, revealing a coffin inside, and at that moment, Niu Er's father was sitting in the coffin.

The next morning, as usual, I hurried to catch the bus to school. Passing by the entrance of Niu Er's house, I paused for a moment before boarding the bus heading to Yangcheng

Just after leaving Niu Er's house, I had not walked far when I saw flames shooting into the sky and thick smoke rising from his home. By the time I hurried over, the fire had already become uncontrollable

"Niu Er, what are you doing..." My voice trembled as I spoke, and I dared not look at his father. However, Niu Er's father turned to look at me, and my legs went weak, causing me to faint.

In my impression, such a strange phenomenon has not occurred in the past

After searching inside the house and finding nothing, I thought it was probably left at Niu Er's place, so I stealthily entered Niu Er's yard again in the dark. This time, I did not rush to call him; I noticed that the light was on in his room and there were two shadows on the window paper. I quietly approached the window, poked a hole in the window paper with my finger, and looked inside.