Sitting in Shen Mingde's study, Xiao Jing felt a little uncomfortable. Although it was she who proposed it on the way that Shen Mingde sent her home, if she stopped by the way, she would come to Shen Mingde's house to sit for a while and discuss the plan to find the lake in the future. However, in the middle of the night, visiting a strange man's home alone still made her uneasy.

"Shen Mingde shouldn't be a light person", Xiao Jing secretly calmed her nervousness, and then observed the study. It is a space of about 20 square meters, located on the north side of the second floor of Shen Mingde's villa, just opposite the staircase leading to the second floor. There is no over-ornamentation, and the white lights on the roof reflect the white walls around it with a slight bluish. It seems that there is another serious and cold feeling in the study. When you enter the door, on your right hand side is a black leather haircut. The small desk on the opposite side leans only against the window on the north side of the study, which is the only window in the room. Four huge bookshelves, almost reaching to the ceiling, are grouped in groups of two, resting regularly against the walls on the east and west sides of the study. In this space, Xiao Jing's eyes seem to be able to find only three colors, black, white, and the dark jujube red that is the same as the furniture floor. Even the neatly arranged book covers on the shelves make it almost impossible to see those bright, cheerful colors. The books on these shelves are completely different from those of "Management", "Tourism", "Cihai" and so on in his company office. Those titles are rare and difficult to understand. The shelves were spotlessly clean, but dark scratches could be seen on the wooden boards where the books were shelved. The scratches are lined up like black and white keys on a piano. They vary in width and seem to be related to the thinness of the book. Scratches on the front of those crusty books will be particularly noticeable.

Xiao Jing looked around, but she didn't see Shen Mingde go upstairs. Because she was a coffee maker in the evening, she casually said, "Then let's have a cup of tea." Later, she realized that there was no tea table in the usual sense of the word. "Does it take so long to make a cup of black tea?" Xiao Jing muttered alone and walked out of the study. The corridor outside the study leads to the east side. With the help of the disastrous bright lights overhead, she could see the white walls and the dark maroon wooden floor. There are four rooms on each side of this corridor on the north and south sides. Perhaps the owner of the house prefers a sense of space that is spacious and airy, so three of the rooms have wide open doors. On the south side is apparently a second bedroom, while opposite it is a bathroom. The second bedroom, like the study and corridor, can not see any decoration, not even a single calligraphy and painting, and can not see the breath of life at all. If it weren't for the sound of boiling water coming from downstairs, Xiao Jing would definitely not continue to take half a step forward.

At the end of this hallway, there was a room with a closed door, which seemed so abrupt. For some reason, Xiao Jing's curiosity suddenly grew. She crept to the door, seemingly unconsciously reaching for the spherical doorknob. But just as she was about to touch the doorknob, the story of Charpero's Bluebeard flashed through her mind. Xiao Jing quickly retracted her hand and turned away. And in the darkness of the other room, a pair of yellow balls of light reflected a strange light under the illumination of the corridor light. Xiao Jing instantly covered her mouth with her hands that she was about to scream. The sudden sight made her defensive, the locked door behind her blocking her back-step, the cold door supporting her almost limp spine. Through the disastrous light system in the corridor, Xiao Jing saw two sharp triangles above the pair of light balls. Isn't that the ear of a kitten or a puppy? With the "snap" of the electric kettle downstairs, Xiao Jing's curiosity seemed to be reactivated. Standing at the door of this bedroom and looking around, it made her bored. Maybe for Shen Mingde, life may be just a piece of clothing and some strange books. Speaking of books, Xiao Jing suddenly found that there was also a book on the bed that had been made. She leaned her head to listen to the sound coming from downstairs as she quickly walked to the window and picked up the book. On the cover of the book, the large letters are written "The Troubled Man and the God of Inaction", and the font below is a few smaller points: Take you to understand the origin of superstition and belief from a different angle. The corners of Xiao Jing's mouth went up, and she seemed to understand what Zhou Tengfei once said, "There are some things that only he can do."

When the teapot tray with fruit and English black tea was placed on the coffee table in front of the sofa in the study, Xiao Jing's heart was still beating wildly. She felt as if she hadn't had such an experience in years. When she peeked around Shen Mingde's house, she seemed to find the feeling she had when she stole money from her mother and bought snacks for herself when she was a child. This sense of tension made Xiao Jing lose that elegance at this time, but unconsciously added a few naughty temperaments. Her cheeks flushed due to the rapid heartbeat. Because she was afraid to look directly at Shen Mingde, she lowered her head in shame and bit her lower lip. This action is her habit when she thinks, but it is always misunderstood as patience, or coquettishness, or even a kind of charm for men. She rolled her eyelids from time to time to observe Shen Mingde's every move sitting opposite. For some reason, Shen Mingde behaved like a little boy on a first date. His hands were a little overwhelmed and clenched open. Sometimes brushing his hair back at the back of his head, sometimes coughing lightly, and finally he simply wrapped his arms around his chest. Xiao Jing immediately sensed the inappropriateness of her behavior, she took a deep breath, straightened her sitting posture, and asked in a calm tone as much as possible, "Tomorrow we are going to find that lake?" ”

Shen Mingde's voice became very gentle, with this hesitation: "Xiao Jing, I can probably understand your feelings. It's been three days, though. I think you should take a break. Leave this matter to the police. ”

His answer did not surprise Xiao Jing. After experiencing the disappearance of a person and seeing a lake that no one can find, giving up may be the best way. But Xiao Jing still asked very resolutely: "Haven't we already found new clues?" Shouldn't you give it a try? ”

After that, the gentleness in the voice that Xiao Jing heard just now had disappeared, and it was the flat tone that Shen Mingde usually spoke in, "That method is the method of the sixth uncle, and it is also Zhou Tengfei's method, I'm afraid it's not my method." If this can only be seen by believing, then how can it be proved that it is an objective existence in the world? Isn't this like the Confucian Luwang School's doctrine of 'the heart is reason' and 'my heart is the universe'? Wouldn't it be a mirage that people see? ”

"How to prove it? I do not know. But I remember that there was a father and son Zhang Baoshan in my aunt's story. Didn't they accidentally fall into the lake? Xiao Jing's voice was very gentle, and it seemed to have a kind of magic power, which was difficult for people to refuse.

Shen Mingde was suddenly inspired by Tao Yuanming's famous "The Peach Blossom Spring", and then he thought of James Hilton's Shangri-La in "Lost Horizon", and even some chapters of "Alice in Wonderland". So, he told Xiao Jing his thoughts with a little self-deprecation. But he solemnly explained that he didn't want to look for the "fairyland" in those novels, but because the experience of Zhang Baoshan's father and son reminded him of the protagonists in the story. They all "strayed" into these "illusions" unintentionally.

At this time, Shen Mingde seemed to have rekindled hope. Xiao Jing was also infected by his emotions, and said excitedly: "If you can fall into the lake unintentionally, isn't it evidence of the objective existence of the lake?" But why can't we see it? ”

"Have you ever heard of the 'pineal gland'?" Seeing Xiao Jing shaking her head unexpectedly, Shen Mingde said with a bit of a showmanship: "The pineal gland, also known as the supracerebral gland. It is a tissue the size of a pea grain located at the top of the third ventricle of the human brain. This mysterious little thing appeared early when we humans were embryos, but it stopped multiplying when we were born. However, it also increases in volume and adds components such as glia. It is said that at the age of seven to ten years, the pineal gland reaches its peak, after which it gradually degenerates and calcifies. In some lower vertebrates, scientists have also found retina-like photoreceptor cells. Therefore, the pineal gland is also known as the 'third eye'. Certain neurological studies have found that the mechanism of light conduction in retinal cells is the same as that of pineal cells. Although modern medicine has not yet confirmed it, the pineal gland and the third eye were highly worshipped in the hearts of the ancients......"

Xiao Jing put down the teacup in her hand. Although on the surface, she looked directly into Shen Mingde's eyes with a serious expression. And her mind has drifted out of the clouds. At the moment, her main concern is "No wonder this man is still alone." I really don't know what kind of posture his future wife should use to face him in addition to doing housework. ”

When Xiao Jing came back to his senses, Shen Mingde's "teaching" seemed to be only halfway through, and he continued: "...... Scientists have also discovered a neurological chemical in DMT that is structurally similar to other types of LSD. However, there are some theories that DMT can affect the human brain's ability to receive information, rather than causing brain hallucinations. DMT allows us to receive information about dark matter in the universe, allowing us to see the vision of the immaterial world. ”

Xiao Jing finally figured out what Shen Mingde wanted to express, but felt a little incredible. Shen Mingde supported his right arm with his left hand, and tapped his lips lightly with the index finger of his right hand. His expression showed that he was not convinced of his thoughts, but he still spoke his claim: "There has been no record of that lake for so many years. That mountain forest is not the Great Xing'an Mountains, nor is it Shennongjia, nor is it the Amazon. Our city has almost sprawled to the edge of that forest. If it hasn't been found, I can only think that the lake exists in another world. ”

Xiao Jing thought of the recent "crossing" movie and novel. It seems that she can divide these sci-fi or fantasy "time-traveling" works into two categories: one is space travel; The other type is time travel. Xiao Jing roughly sorted out his thoughts, and then asked Shen Mingde what he thought might be the kind of "crossing", what the other world was like.

So, Shen Mingde replied: "We didn't ask the sixth uncle in detail about his dress, but it can be seen from the story of sending Zhou Tengfei's aunt that the villagers of Yushugou were not interested in the old man's appearance, but only disliked his thoughts. From the information obtained from the caregivers in the rehabilitation home, it seems that although the sixth uncle deliberately avoided watching TV and listening to the radio. But don't these actions just show that Uncle Six knows that there are these electronic products? So I don't think the world where the lake is located has anything to do with time. As for the space...... It may be a different space, but there may be an extra lake, and the rest of the scenery should not change. What has always cared me the most is the worldview that Uncle Six compares the world to the pages of a book. It reminds me of the 'multidimensional universe' statement. It probably means that people in the two-dimensional world cannot see things in the three-dimensional world, and people in the three-dimensional world cannot see things in the four-dimensional world. In short, people living in low-dimensional worlds cannot get a glimpse of high-dimensional worlds. Finally, there is a 'god', or a higher-dimensional being that can be called a 'god', who is able to see things in all dimensions like reading a book. Our world is hierarchical, and we who live in the perceived 'real world' cannot see anything more than the people in the world above us. To give an inappropriate example: we think that 'ghosts' in the usual sense are things that we can't see, but those 'ghosts' can see us. Therefore, in the world of 'ghosts', the world can be seen more realistically and comprehensively. Uncle Sixth is the person who lives in that world, so what he said cannot be understood, and we regard it as 'crazy talk'. That lake exists in the world where Uncle Six is located. ”

Although Xiao Jing heard some truth, she felt that these words came from the mouth of a man in his thirties and nearly forty, which was really incredible. No wonder some people say, "No matter how old a man is, he is a boy." So she still thinks that this "world crossing" hypothesis is even more unreliable than the subconscious control and the use of the "gnather cage" array to make people get lost. However, she did not interrupt Shen Mingde's train of thought. Perhaps this ability to "see through but not tell" and actively play a listener is also a trait that makes Xiao Jing more charming. She bit her lower lip, and a moment later, she threw out the most meaningful topic of the night's small talk: "How can I get into that world?" ”

Shen Mingde stared into Xiao Jing's eyes. Those eyes are like a misty lake, like the Mariana Trench, mysterious and desirable. These eyes are not very large, and the tips of the eyes are slightly raised with a faint pink color. The eyes are a little blurry, but they can make people feel that the gaze can pierce into the flesh and dig up the secrets of others, while at the same time hiding themselves from the airtight. With Shen Mingde coughing lightly, he said a little reluctantly: "Okay." If, as I said, the lake is in another world. Perhaps, then, the world can change according to our will. What I mean by this is that you can see the existence of a lake by 'believing'. However, I don't think I can do it. And there may be another way, which is to see the lake unconsciously. I think Zhang Baoshan and his son saw the lake unconsciously. ”

"Do you have to fall down the hill?" Xiao Jing asked.

"Probably not," Shen replied. His eyes wandered, not knowing whether he was avoiding Xiao Jing's direct gaze or continuing to think. After a while, he continued: "If you can only see the lake by 'believing' or by an unconscious state that cannot hold the idea of looking for the lake. It's hard to find this lake. ”

"What do you mean by that?" Xiao Jing expressed doubts.

Shen Mingde replied: "You see, 'believing' is a state of mind. Only people who have lived by the lake like Uncle Six can be convinced of the existence of the lake. But like you and me, you've only heard that a lake exists, so it's hard to find that kind of 'conviction'. There is also a kind of person who wanders in the mountains and forests like Zhang Baoshan. He didn't know there was a lake, so he didn't think about it. But at last he saw the lake. But it is difficult to have a strong faith in something that you have only met once. What's more, Zhang Baoshan still stumbled and fell into the lake. So, if he still wants to see that lake again, in his mind, the idea of finding the lake arises. Therefore, in Zhang Baoshan's life, he may only see that lake once. And we are in this state of mind of looking for a lake. I can't reach the 'conviction' of the sixth uncle. And because I have heard of the existence of the lake, I can't achieve the 'unconscious' state of not having the idea of finding the lake. So, this lake exists in a person who has heard of it and cannot find it; People who haven't heard of it don't want to look for it. Even if you accidentally see the lake the first time, you will become the one who wants to find the lake the second time. ”

"So how do you think Zhou Tengfei saw that lake?" Xiao Jing asked.

Shen Mingde thought for a while and said, "Maybe it's the same as the sixth uncle." When he was a child, he heard the story of the lake from his sixth uncle, and then found it. As you said, children's beliefs are simpler. It could also be that the pineal gland peaks in humans at the age of seven to ten, making it easier for young Zhou Tengfei to see things that are difficult for adults to see. After that, he imprinted this lake in his mind, and he always believed that it existed. ”

Xiao Jing chewed Shen Mingde's words seriously. She suddenly let go of her right lower lip, which she had been biting, and said in an even voice, "In my opinion, the way to see the lake is not as complicated as I imagined. Whether it's a state of 'believing' or a state of 'unconsciousness', as long as you don't think about how to find the lake in your heart, you can go in one direction in that mountain forest. Didn't Uncle Sixth say that he himself could return to his home by the lake, and others might not be able to find his home? We never seem to have the concept of 'finding a home' when we go back to our homes? It's usually humming a song in my mouth, thinking about what to eat for dinner, and before I know it, I walk to the door. So what is the difference between this state and the 'unconscious' state of mind? As long as we go to that mountain forest, we just want to find Zhou Tengfei quickly. Then follow the direction indicated by the compass. Or just like the sixth uncle sang in the minor key, follow the sound of flowing water in the mountains, maybe you can enter the space with a lake. But I'm worried about whether we'll be able to come back once we're in that space. ”

Shen Mingde felt that Xiao Jing's idea was too naïve, but it was really a way to get it wrong. He felt a little more relaxed, so he added a little warmth to his tone, and said, "Of course I can come back, didn't Zhou Tengfei come back after seeing the lake?" The sixth uncle has also come to our world. Didn't Zhang Baoshan's father and son also come back? ”

"Then who killed Zhang Baoshan's father and son? Could it be that the people in the world with the lake wanted to prevent their father and son from revealing the secrets of the lake? Xiao Jing's tone of voice trembled with a little horror.

When Shen Mingde saw this scene, he said comfortingly: "I don't think so." Let's not mention that the lake is hidden enough. If you are afraid of being leaked and killed, the first person who should be killed is the sixth uncle. ”

Xiao Jing nodded slightly, and silence once again filled all the space in the study. They made an appointment, and no one continued to talk about Zhou Tengfei's disappearance and the heavy topic of murder.