Chapter 001: The White Figure

My younger sister was so frightened that she started crying, tightly clutching my arm: "Brother, Er Ya Ge was eaten by a water ghost!"

To reach the top of the embankment, there are only a few narrow paths available, all of which have been created by human footsteps; originally, there were no paths there.

At the age of six, I was not tall, walking along that narrow path, completely engulfed by the low shrubs on both sides. From a distance, it was absolutely impossible to see that there was a person walking there

My parents work hard during the day and sleep soundly at night, so they won't notice when I leave.

Only then did the lights slowly begin to move, starting to drift towards the shore

It is unknown when, but around that flickering light, a cluster of twinkling lights gathered.

This is not what terrifies me; what truly frightens me is that the child actually turned to look at me, slowly got up, and staggered towards me step by step

I easily ran out of the house like this

If it is not the second duck, then who is it

When we heard Er Ya Zi speak at that time, we felt a chill run through our bodies, as if we could sense a pair of hands reaching out from the water below to grab our ankles and pull us down

Immediately, the entire space darkened, and the originally cool and pleasant mountain breeze suddenly became fierce

However, apart from the lights, nothing else can be seen.

My sister was so scared that she was about to cry, climbed ashore to put on her clothes, and shouted that she wanted to go home

I did not think much and simply walked up along a small path

Da Hei shouted, wielding a branch and striking the water at the shore indiscriminately: "Come out! Hurry up and come out!"

Dahuang thought I was taking him out to play in the middle of the night, happily running around in the woods with his tongue out, startling the birds in the trees into a frenzy, making me regret bringing him out, turning what was supposed to be a very discreet affair into a grand spectacle

After making up my mind, I did not tell my parents, because once I do, they will definitely try to stop me

Hehe, there are no ghosts in this world at all

We all agreed, and so we happily skipped together towards the mountain lake

At that time, I did not know that these plants were used for embankment protection

At that time, I was also very angry, feeling that Er Ya Zi's prank was a bit excessive. However, since nothing serious happened, everything turned out well, so I no longer felt angry. Moreover, my sister was frightened and kept crying, which made me lose the heart to pursue the matter with Er Ya Zi, and I led my sister back home.

I stayed in the living room watching television until around 11:30 PM. Seeing that it was about time, I then went out

I lay there trembling all over with fear, gripping the peach tree branch tightly in my hands, burying my head between my arms, closing my eyes tightly, and not daring to move a muscle

Of course, while I say I am not afraid, my lack of fear is limited to the woods surrounding my home. I am familiar with every blade of grass and every tree in that forest; I could walk home with my eyes closed, so I am not afraid. However, if I were to venture far away, I would still feel fear. Nevertheless, I do have some means to cope with it.

Some may find it a bit implausible that I wrote this: https://www.hetushu.com, considering that a six or seven-year-old child would not dare to run out at midnight

After getting home and putting my sister to sleep, I also felt a bit drowsy, but I was somewhat hungry, so I went to the living room to find something to eat. I rolled up a piece of pancake and, while eating, looked around the living room, hoping to find something to play with. Suddenly, I looked up and saw the calendar hanging on the wall.

Because there is only a sparse grove by the shore, with not even a patch of tall grass, it is completely open and unobstructed. The second duck cannot possibly run away right under our noses; if it tries to run, we will definitely see it. Moreover, even if it did run away, it could not do so without clothes. The clothes it took off before bathing are still under the tree, so how could it possibly disappear?

Haha, you must be scared! Look at how impressive my unique breath-holding technique is! The duck that just emerged from the water, while getting dressed, looked at the three of us who were already in a state of panic with a triumphant expression.

Although I was young at that time, I had been following my mother and grandfather for many years, and through constant exposure, I had already learned about matters such as warding off evil.

At that time, I lived in the mountain village of my rural hometown

Da Hei knows that Er Ya Zi is full of tricks and believes that Er Ya Zi is deliberately trying to scare us

Today marks the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar, which is the middle of the month. If the sky is clear tonight, the moon will surely be splendid.

At that time, we were all very young and had little awareness of safety; we simply knew that bathing in the mountain lake was refreshing, and thus we did not think about anything else

He said if you don't believe it, then forget it. Anyway, I heard it from my grandmother, and she described it so vividly that it seemed real. Why would I lie to you

At that time, there was no distinction between men and women in our thoughts, so my sister would also go swimming in the water without any clothes on.

Shanhu, I now know that it is actually an artificial reservoir, not very large, only a few dozen meters wide from north to south, with a long dam on the north side that blocks the flowing lake water. The east-west dimension of Shanhu is relatively long, measuring several hundred meters.

Because of the calm surface of the lake, a clear ripple of water, where could the figures of the two ducks be found

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the flickering light that had originally been drifting on the surface of the lake had somehow floated onto the embankment, almost resting on the patch of grass where I had just been lying.

At that time, there was not much to do in the countryside. During the hot summer days, a group of children would play together, catching cicadas, secretly stealing melons, peaches, and jujubes, or going to the reservoir in the mountains to bathe

I was so angry at that moment that I really wanted to kick the big yellow one out.

That day, the four of us gathered together to play games. It was extremely hot, and everyone was sweating profusely. Er Ya Zi suggested going to the mountain lake for a swim

However, at that time, the mountains and lakes were all located one or two kilometers away from the village. On hot summer days, very few people ventured outside. Where could one find someone to come to the rescue?

From the very beginning, I have always felt that this matter was a destined fate

I can hardly believe my eyes; I opened them wide and looked closely, and indeed, I discovered it was a faint light

Haha. "The second duck ran off holding its pants: 'Who told you to be so timid, haha.'" It completely disregarded what had just happened

However, I did not feel that way at the time, but I did not say anything further and simply took my sister home. It was noon, and I needed to coax her to sleep.

The beautiful moon shines brightly in the sky, almost as bright as during the day. The forest path is clearly visible, appearing white and distinct. I am not afraid at all, but to bolster my courage, I still called for the big yellow dog from home.

At that time, the two ducks were larger than us and could tell stories. They told us that there were water ghosts in this mountain lake, and that every year the water ghosts had to change shifts. Therefore, one soul had to be lured to drown in order to continue to guard the post.

Da Hei shouted for a long time, but there was not a single echo

I was momentarily stunned, not knowing what had happened. It was only when I looked back at the distant flicker of lights that I suddenly came to my senses

However, I must say that is because you do not understand the situation

Da Hei said what is wrong, besides becoming a bit neurotic, what else is wrong? If he is not neurotic, then who could he be?

After having dinner in the evening and watching television, the whole family goes to sleep. There is not much entertainment in the countryside, and after a tiring day of work, everyone goes to bed quite early.

The large yellow dog beside me seems to have discovered something terrifying approaching, restlessly whimpering and continuously scratching at the ground with its paws

Standing alone on the dirt road atop the embankment, I was unable to fully view the surface of the lake due to the deep ditch in between. Therefore, I climbed over that deep ditch and made my way to the lakeside, standing above the cement-paved dam.

There is also a girl, four and a half years old, who is my younger sister. She does not understand much yet and can only follow us around like a little tail while we play.

Carrying it to the lakeside, I wonder if that small boat will still appear. According to the second duck, that small boat disappears at the sound of a call.

Finished, did it see me

I do not know where I found such great courage at that time, but my heart climbed up to the embankment

I shook my head and said no, I meant the overall feeling; it seemed that Er Ya Zi was laughing like a ghost at that time, which was very strange

Fortunately, halfway there, Da Huang dashed into the woods to chase something. I quietly made my way alone along the mountain path towards the mountain lake.

I frowned, looked at the branch in the big black man's hand, and asked him: "Did you hit him?"

On the embankment is a dirt road that is a full 5 meters wide

Even now, if you go to the countryside, you can still see infants in swaddling clothes with a peach blossom or a peach branch inserted into their bundles. This is done to ward off evil, as children have a weak constitution and are easily susceptible to malevolent spirits.

At that moment, I was so scared that my palms were sweating, lying motionless in the grass, my eyes fixed intently on the lights on the surface of the lake

I looked up at the sky with some curiosity, thinking it might rain, and I thought to myself that I should hurry home

Upon arriving at the mountain lake, everyone found a shallow area and took off their clothes to go swimming

But if you don't take her, she will cry, so she definitely counts as one

After running just a few steps, I felt the sound of hurried footsteps behind me

At that moment, I became calm instead and suddenly thought of something. I quickly sat up and looked; who else could be licking me but the big yellow dog?

Da Hei chased the two ducks for a while, but then stopped and returned to walk back with me

I did not pay attention to him and went ashore to get dressed

As we three stood by the shore in a state of panic, seeing no hope, suddenly a splash erupted on the water's surface, and a pale figure shot up from the water.

I, too, have come to terms with my arrival, immersing myself in the night scenery. Without a small boat, there is no need for one; gazing at the lake's shimmering light and the moonlit scene, I can at least say my visit was not in vain. I took a breath and sat down by the lake, enjoying the mountain breeze in a very pleasant manner

I remember it was a very hot summer, with bright sunlight scorching everywhere. Walking barefoot on the ground, I could clearly feel the intense heat radiating from the surface.

At that moment, I thought to myself, it's over, that thing is coming after me

I was taken aback and immediately crouched down in the grass on the embankment, tightly gripping the peach tree branch in my hand, and raised my head to sneak a glance at the lake surface

At the beginning, everyone practiced swimming, splashing water at each other and having a great time. After playing for a while, they got tired and found a shaded area, half-submerged in the water, leaning against the sandy shore, lying down in a row to chat

Similarly, as I walked along that sloping path, I was completely unable to see the surroundings

"Don't play with him anymore; there's something wrong with that person." Da Hei said to me while swinging a branch, occasionally drawing circles on the ground with it.

A faint sound drifted over from the surface of the lake

But at that moment, a strange thing happened

Beyond the dirt road, there is a deep ditch, and after crossing a slope, one arrives at the lakeside of the mountain

Da Hei picked it up to take a look, curled his lips and said: "Peach tree branch, damn it, I haven't seen a single peach on that tree."

I felt that something was not quite right at that time

I crawled and rolled through the deep ditch, arriving at the dirt road on top of the embankment. I did not dare to walk along the sloped path on the other side of the dam, but instead, I ran wildly along the dirt road of the embankment.

The moonlight shines brightly in the sky, casting a luminous reflection on the water, which spreads and extends to my feet with the ripples.

The second duck said that I have no evidence. My grandmother recounted that one night around twelve o'clock, she returned home from the fields. The moon was bright, and she saw a small boat drifting on the mountain lake, with its lights on and someone rowing it. Out of curiosity, she shouted towards the lake, and as soon as she did, the boat disappeared. The next day, someone drowned in the mountain lake.

Then the only remaining explanation is that the two ducks have drowned

One unique habit I had as a child was to take walks in the woods on moonlit nights, observing the mottled shadows of the trees on the ground, feeling the cool mountain breeze, and experiencing an extraordinary sense of tranquility and contentment - a picturesque scene.

Gradually, these lights finally formed a perfect human shape. From a distance, it appeared to be a glowing child lying in the grass, the posture resembling mine just moments ago

It will be much better once we reach the levee

At that time, there were four friends playing together. One was me, a six-year-old boy; another was Da Hei, a seven-year-old child from the neighbor's house, who was quite sturdy in build but very honest. He never used his fists to bully others, which is why everyone liked to play with him

My sister wiped her tears and said that Duck Brother has water plants on his face

However, my parents are asleep and I cannot sleep; I still have things to do

At that moment, a sudden fierce wind began to blow, and the already dim sky became even darker with thick clouds

At that time, my parents were generally not at home during the day; they were either working in the fields or going out to the market.

However, upon seeing the big yellow one, I felt much more at ease, and suddenly I felt that I would not be afraid of anything.

After watching for a while and feeling bored, I stood up to prepare to go home. However, at that moment, a large dark cloud drifted in from somewhere, obscuring the moonlight.

At that moment, we all panicked, knowing that something must have gone wrong

The lake surface is vast and tranquil, with no small boats in sight that I wish to see

Could it really be the small boat that Grandma Er Ya Zi saw?

Da Hei and his younger sister also reacted at the same time upon hearing what I said

Da Hei said he saw it, that it was stuck in the water, and I saw it too. Da Tong, is this what you are referring to?

A strong sense of curiosity surged within me, and I was eager to find out the truth.

Although I was very young at that time, there were superstitions in the countryside, and my mother had told me early on that peach tree branches could ward off evil spirits

I asked: "What kind of branch do you have in your hand?"

At that moment, a plan began to take shape in my mind. I also intended to go to the mountain lake area at midnight

At that moment, upon thinking of this outcome, everyone panicked, crying and shouting, calling for adults to come and help rescue the people

At that moment, I was completely taken aback.

Upon seeing that I had come ashore, Dahei also came ashore to prepare to return home

It was discovered that there were faint lights flickering on the surface of the lake.

At that moment, I recalled the story told by Er Yazi about how his grandmother saw a small boat on the mountain lake

After waiting for a short while, I felt that something happened. As I walked to the top of my head, I heard heavy breathing, and then a wet, tongue-like object reached out and began to lick my ear

I said, what evidence do you have

The big man angrily stepped forward and struck him with a branch, saying: "Are you trying to scare someone to death?"

I told you not to speak nonsense, this mountain lake is perfectly fine, where would a water ghost come from? You are just making up stories to scare people

Moreover, at that time, my family lived in the woods, so I was even less afraid of the forest.

I say, no matter what you are, I will just ignore you like this. I want to see what you can do to me. If you have the ability, go ahead and swallow me whole; then I will consider you impressive

In this way, the entire surface of the mountain lake became completely visible, akin to an open book.

Thinking of this, I dared not look back any longer, and with all my strength, I ran forward. After only a few steps, my foot suddenly slipped, and I fell to the ground like a dog.

The first event that occurred, and also the earliest memory I have, took place when I was six years old

Looking back now, I am fortunate that I was aware of these matters at the time and kept a watchful eye. Otherwise, I truly cannot imagine what the consequences would have been

The big black one waved the branch and said: "What a joke, running faster than a monkey, not even a touch."

At that moment, I no longer dared to linger, and I got up and ran away.

I remember that at that time the moon was high in the sky, casting shadows of trees all around. I held onto a peach tree branch with one hand and clutched my clothing with the other, running with one foot deep and the other shallow, and it took me about half an hour to reach the dam beneath the lake.

The three of us quickly got dressed and prepared to go home. Just as we were about to leave, I remembered that Er Ya Zi had not come up yet, so I decided to mention it to him, suggesting that he could wash up here by himself while we went back.

Da Hei did not take it seriously, sneering a few times. He casually broke off a long branch and walked towards the water, shouting as he went, "Er Ya Zi, don't scare me, where are you hiding? Come out quickly!"

In our rural areas, especially in places like ours, children grow up without supervision, which makes them particularly bold from a young age. They are especially unafraid of nature.

As I was nearing the mountain lake, I plucked a branch from a peach tree by the roadside and held it in my hand to ward off evil spirits

There is also a boy named Er Ya Zi. At first glance, one might think the name belongs to a girl called Er Ya Zi, but in fact, he is a boy. It is unclear why his parents chose such a nickname for him.

This fall is of no concern, and the footsteps behind suddenly came to a halt

Taking a breath, I stood up, ready to take Da Huang home, but suddenly a glimmer caught my eye, a point of light coming from the side

So I am at home taking care of my younger sister by myself

The second duck is eight years old, making it the oldest among our group, and it can be considered our leader. Generally, whatever we decide to play is determined by it

My heart was completely in turmoil, my body was drenched in cold sweat, and every hair on my body stood on end

Da Hei said that is quite normal; that guy has always been like a ghost, which is not surprising at all

I was quite startled and immediately shouted, "Oh no, the second duck is missing!"

Have you noticed anything unusual about the two ducks after they came out of the water

The two ducks looked and burst into laughter, saying that the child was truly timid, getting scared so easily

The dam is built against the mountain, effectively blocking the valley between the two mountains. On the water side, it is less than ten meters from the water surface, while on the opposite side, it rises a full fifty to sixty meters from the bottom to the top. The dam is covered with thick grass and shrubs, appearing quite dark.

At that time, although I was not attending school, I was able to recognize characters alongside my mother and could understand the calendar.

Because if it were not for fate, it would be impossible to explain why so many strange things have happened to me alone