Deserted Village Apartments

Chapter 4 Day One

I still remember that it was a rainy afternoon, the misty rain outside the window blurred the vision, as if everything was seen through the filter, only the plants sucked the rain wantonly, and the dark green branches and leaves were quietly spreading.At this moment, my room is also filled with humid air, and the sound of rain is constantly beating on the window glass. I face the computer screen alone, thinking about the beginning of the next novel.

Suddenly, the hasty doorbell rang, which was as disturbing as the shower outside the window.I always hated being disturbed at such a time, so I could only hold my annoyance and opened the door—only to see four strange faces.

The young man in the lead is well-built and dark-skinned, and seems to be often engaged in outdoor sports.There were still some raindrops on his hair, and he asked my name carefully.

After knowing that I was the author of "Desolate Village", they all breathed a sigh of relief.A small girl with fair skin murmured, "Wow, I didn't expect that."

"Didn't think of anything?"

"I didn't expect the author of the legend to be so young."

I scratched my head, wondering if that counted as a compliment.

The girl said excitedly: "Well, it looks very good here, the barren village is written here."

The leading boy glared at her, then smiled and said to me: "I'm sorry, we are all your loyal readers and fans, especially after reading the novel "Desolate Village", we have many questions to ask you in person. "

That’s how it is, but I was still a little hesitant at the time. You don’t know that I usually never receive readers face to face.But I let them in anyway.The four of them carefully placed the umbrellas at the door, and they were still a little wet, but I didn't mind much, and poured drinks to entertain these uninvited visitors.

All four of them were carrying schoolbags, two men and two women, young people like me, probably still in their first or second year of university.My guess was confirmed by them, another tall girl said: "Let me introduce myself first, my name is Han Xiaofeng."

Then, she introduced everyone in turn. The big guy at the head was Huo Qiang, the little girl was Chun Yu, and the last guy was Su Tianping.They were both sophomores who participated in the famous "Mockingbird College Adventure Club".

Huo Qiang went straight to the point and said: "We have read all your books and novels. After reading the 4th issue of "Sprout" this year, we were all shocked by your "Desolate Village" and read it over and over ten times. We couldn't help it anymore, so we made a special visit this time, and would like to ask you to answer some questions for us."

I shook my head helplessly. After the novel was published, I was most worried about this: "I'm sorry, how did you know my address?"

"Well--" Huo Qiang scratched his head in embarrassment, and then said a name.

It turned out to be that guy!I actually revealed my address to these college students, and I must scold him next time I meet him.

The girl named Chun Yu spoke up: "I'm sorry, we stalked him so hard, and he was forced to tell us this."

Forget it, that guy must have betrayed his friend because he saw his beautiful female student and couldn't stand the temptation.

"Okay, what's your problem?"

The silent boy named Su Tianping finally spoke: "First of all, I like your novel very much. I think "Desolate Village" is really strange. I find that every word of yours is a trap, a mystery to be solved. Please Tell me, there must be other secrets hidden under the surface of the story of the deserted village, isn't it? Is it because of the space, I think you still have many stories that you haven't revealed to us."

Han Xiaofeng suddenly interjected, "Are you planning to write a novel about the deserted village?"

"Well--" I really didn't know how to answer their questions, so I could only say a few perfunctory words casually.

But these college students were persistent and asked me questions like cannonballs. The rain outside the window was getting heavier and heavier, and the dim sky shrouded the room. It was easy to give people the illusion that these four people came from another Time and space came.

Finally, Huo Qiang couldn't bear it anymore and said: "Okay, now please answer a question, do barren villages exist?"

"I've said it several times, this is just a novel, please don't take it too seriously."

The little girl named Chun Yu suddenly became a little excited: "No, you are lying, the barren village must exist, it must exist!"

Looking at this girl's pitiful appearance, no matter how hard-hearted she is, she can't hold on, maybe my friend "betrayed" me because of this, after all, we are all too soft-hearted.

I gritted my teeth and finally nodded: "Well, I admit that deserted villages do exist."

The moment he finished speaking, a dazzling lightning flashed outside the window, followed by a deafening thunder, as if even the windows were trembling.Is it an ominous sign?My heart sank immediately - no, I can't say that, barren villages shouldn't exist.

It's a pity that I can't take back what I said, and I really regret it now.

After hearing my words at that time, several college students were extremely excited, only Su Tianping remained calm, and he asked: "Then please tell me, where is the barren village?"

"I have already said in the novel that the deserted village is between the sea and the cemetery."

"We all know this. Now, what we want to know is the exact address of the deserted village. You said in the novel that the deserted village is in Xileng Town, K City, Zhejiang Province. So where is K City?"

"What exactly do you want to do?"

Huo Qiang said loudly: "We want to go to the deserted village."

Unbelievably, when the words "Going to the deserted village" hadn't finished, there was another earth-shattering thunder outside the window, which made the girl named Chunyu hug Han Xiaofeng next to her tightly and trembled.

I was also stunned, looking at the misty white mist outside the window.Strange, there shouldn't be such a heavy thunderstorm this season.

When I turned around suddenly, the four college students were all staring at me, waiting for my answer.This made me even more uneasy, and a strange premonition hit my heart like rain, and repeated exhortations in my mind like a mantra.

They must not be allowed to open Satan's door.

I replied emphatically, "No, I can't tell you."

The four college students who had been looking forward to it for a long time immediately felt like a leaking ball, especially the girl named Chun Yu was about to cry.

"Why?" Han Xiaofeng was obviously impatient, so she immediately rushed.

"No reason, you can't go to the deserted village anyway."

Huo Qiang shook his head: "No, we are all ready. All the equipment for field trips and expeditions are in place, but the detailed address is missing. Whether you support it or not, our plan to explore the deserted village will never change .”

"Cancel the plan, such a plan is meaningless. I suggest you pay more attention to UFOs or the Bermuda Triangle, and don't let fantasy overwhelm reason."

"Bermuda is too far away, but the barren village is close to us." It was Su Tianping who spoke, and he was also a little excited, "Do you know? Chunyu and I joined after reading your novel and being fascinated by your writing. You are from the Adventure Club. Do you know how hard it was for us to find you? Today, you braved such a heavy thunderstorm to visit, you must not let our loyal readers down."

My readers, how could I disappoint you?However, on the matter of the deserted village, I have absolutely no room to back down, so I can only bite the bullet and say: "Go back, I won't tell where the deserted village is."

Huo Qiang said coldly: "It's really a pity. But it doesn't matter if you don't tell me, because as long as the deserted village really exists, then we will definitely find out."

After finishing speaking, he has already left in a hurry, and several other college students followed behind Huo Qiang.The girl named Chun Yu was the last one to leave. She looked back at me at the door and said quietly, "I'm really disappointed."

I could only say helplessly: "Beware of thunder outside."

Watching the four uninvited guests disappear into the corridor, I suddenly felt guilty, should I do this?They are all my loyal readers, I should try my best to help them, but the deserted village——

No, don't mention the deserted village anymore.

I thought it was over like this.

However, on the night when the four college students left, something even stranger broke into my life——

In the middle of the night that day, there was no longer lightning and thunder outside, and the rain fell on the window, like a woman's fingers were beating.I opened my e-mail to receive e-mails as usual, and naturally I received a lot of e-mails about the deserted village, mostly admiration and abuse.But the subject line of one of the emails caught my interest—"You're leaking that well."

The moment I saw this title, my eyelids suddenly jumped, and there seemed to be that deep circular hole in front of me—well?

My mouse seemed to be hit by this title, and it slipped away in the blink of an eye.I quickly waved my right hand a few times, and finally found this timid mouse. Was it frightened by the title?
Clicking on the title of "You missed that well", I opened this email, and a line of text jumped into my sight——

Hello there:

You are the author of "Desolate Village", if you think this letter is spam, please delete it now.

I read issue 4 of "Sprouting" this afternoon and certainly did not miss your novella "Desolate Village".Forgive me, I am now judging your novel as an insider rather than a reader.But I want to tell you that you left out one important thing in the novel. I don’t know if you concealed it on purpose or your memory is too bad. It is assumed that you have really been to the old mansion in a barren village, and it is not a hearsay.

Remember the well in the backyard of the old mansion Jinshidi?
You don't have to reply.

excuse me.

a reader

After reading this strange email, I was stunned for several minutes. The words on the computer screen seemed to have skipped my eyes and entered my brain directly.The hand touching the mouse hesitated a few times, but I still didn't press the delete button, but slowly closed my eyes.

well?
The moment he closed his eyes, the dark hole appeared again——

Carefully leaning your body to the mouth of the well, the narrow ancient well is bottomless, as if immersed in the darkness of time.Suddenly, a few ripples appeared at the bottom of the well, and the slightly rippling water ripples reflected the light from the entrance of the cave.In an instant, I found the reflection of my face in the water lines at the bottom of the well.

Trembling, I looked at myself at the bottom of the well, as if I was facing the "black hole" hypothesized by Einstein. The cosmic black hole hundreds of millions of light years away is absorbing all matter with infinite force, and time is around it Distorted.

Yes, facing this ancient well, I seem to feel a breath rising slowly from the bottom of the well, passing through the narrow and wet well wall, like the birth canal of a baby, surging out from the narrow mouth of the well, Sprayed straight onto my face, my breath filled my chest with my breath.I can't touch it, but I can breathe it greedily, and I know it's here.Now, it's coming out of the well...

who is it?
I suddenly opened my eyes, and the deep ancient well disappeared in an instant, and my computer's screen saver was still in front of me.I let out a long breath. The scene that just emerged was so unforgettable. I don't know whether to use fear or sadness to describe my mood at that time, but I know that I shouldn't open that well. I don't know what will happen next. What will happen, all I can do is conceal the existence of this well.

This strange email is right, the ancient well does exist in the deserted village, just in the backyard of the ancient residence Jinshidi, but I did not write it into the novel "Desolate Village".Because I have a special fear of this well, I can't imagine what kind of consequences it will have when it enters the novel and is displayed in front of countless readers.

No, I can't imagine.Now, facing this strange email, I don't know how the other party knew about the well, maybe it's just hearsay?

Although the other party said that I don't need to reply, I think it's better to reply, at least I want to know who the other party is?Is it because I was so bored that I imagined an ancient well to scare me, or does it really have some relationship with the barren village?

After thinking about it, I still replied an EMAIL to the other party——

Hello there:

I don't know what to call you or who you really are.But now I have to admit that there is indeed an ancient well in the backyard of Jinshidi. How did you know about that well?

Be sure to reply.

After sending this email, I finally turned off the computer and let out a sigh of relief. The raindrops continued to hit the window glass, like the tide receding on the coast of a deserted village.

Little did I realize that night that my life would change dramatically because of those two emails.

(End of this chapter)