"Xiaowan, this woman is a miracle. She was here before I was transferred, and she stayed in every position in the museum: cleaner, conductor, treasury manager, archivist, publicity officer, salesman, tour guide, security guard...... As long as the organization is expanded, the new positions will inevitably be transferred to her first, which is older than my qualifications as a curator. However, I have been here for more than 20 years, and my girl has married and added grandchildren, but her appearance has not aged at all, but has become more and more youthful and beautiful, and her figure, appearance, and skin are similar to those of my girl, as if she is growing in reverse. ”

Then he began to review the history of the Panlong City Ruins Museum: "The Panlong City Ruins were discovered in 1954, confirmed to be the Yin Shang Palace Ruins in 1963, established an archaeological workstation in 1974, and built the Preparatory Office of the Ruins Park in 19999, which are several key nodes in the development of Panlong City." Cleverly, Xiao Wan has appeared at each node.

In the summer of 1954, the Yangtze River flooded, and the Yangtze River embankment was in danger. In order to strengthen the embankment, the government organized personnel to go to Panlong City at night to collect soil. An old man named Chen Zhiming said that it rained heavily that night, and everyone worked hard to dig the soil, load it in baskets, and transport it to the car. Probably digging two carts of soil, his hoe rang on the ground, touched a hard stone slab, moved the big stone slab, and found a coffin lying underneath. Since he wanted to get soil and didn't care about anything else, he swung a shovel next to the coffin to get soil. Suddenly, the lid of the coffin opened, and a woman in white came out and thanked her for saving her from the ground. Shi Li's movements are like those of ancient women, with her body slightly bent and her hands folded on the right side of her lower abdomen. The woman had a peerless appearance, black hair like lacquer, beautiful eyebrows and apricot eyes, cherry lips and jade face, wrapped in a white dress with wide sleeves and narrow waist, and gold thread embroidered on the oblique collar, which stunned him. By the time he came to his senses, the woman had disappeared into the night.

In 1963, an archaeologist visited Panlong City, and the digger told him about this strange thing. The expert found the woman, and when he returned, the expert published a paper that shocked the world, establishing that Panlong City was the largest palace site in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River from the Yin Shang period. ”

"This conclusion comes from the mysterious woman, that is, Xiao Wan." I said, "Where did this expert find her?" ”

Quite a few people asked, but the expert was silent about anyone. Because he had promised the woman never to tell anyone what she had told him. ”

"That's a shame."

Director Deng glanced at me, took a sip of wine, and returned to the depths of his memory again.

In 1974, the Hubei Provincial Museum established a long-term archaeological workstation in Panlong City. The archaeologist secretly recommended the girl to work at the workstation. In 1999, the workstation was changed to the preparatory office of Panlong City Ruins Park, and the girl was the first to fill out the registration form and has been working until now. At that time, I interviewed her, and I saw that she was beautiful and had an outstanding temperament, but she didn't know simplified Chinese or traditional Chinese characters, but she could write a bunch of oracle bone inscriptions from the Yin Shang period, and I thought she was a very unique talent, so I hired her. But she didn't know modern kanji and couldn't communicate with people, so she had to work as a conductor.

At that time, I saw that her home address column said that Panlong City Courtyard Bay, which was near the museum, but no relatives came to visit her. Our museum is closed every Monday for renovations, but the staff adopts a two-day off system, even the cleaners and security personnel will take turns off. She goes home every holiday, but no one knows the full address of her home. Once, when the cadres of the museum organized a home visit, when they went to her house, she said that the house had been inhabited by someone else, and it was inconvenient. Everyone thinks she doesn't like people to come to her house, so forget it. Home visits cannot be forced.

Later, when the old man surnamed Chen became seriously ill, the girl came to visit him in plain clothes, and the old man sat up from the bed in shock and said, 'You are so young!' ’

Guess what the girl said? ”

"What did she say?" I was so shocked that I couldn't close my mouth.

Curator Deng touched me with a cup and poured it into his mouth.

The girl smiled and said that there is no way for a dead man to grow old.

"Huh?! In other words, the girl was a ghost. "My hairs stood on end.

Unfortunately, the digger was deflated when he heard this. Few of the men who had been digging the same night had died, and the rest had denied ever seeing the strange girl.

"Did you hear this from the digger himself, or did you hear it from somewhere else?" I asked curiously.

"When I was transferred here, the diggers were already dead."

"Is this girl Xiaowan?"

"I think it's her." Director Deng sent a chopstick dish to his mouth.

"Then have you ever asked Xiaowan herself in person?"

"Yes, a lot of people have asked."

"What did she say herself?"

She said that they were all rumors. However, I have been working here for more than 20 years, and my daughters are all married, and she still has fine skin and tender meat, and she eats the elixir. He smacked his lips.

……

I toasted Director Deng and chatted endlessly about Xiaowan, she was so similar to the characters in my ancient paintings, from the first time I saw her, she became a mystery in my heart, and now I feel even more foggy after listening to Director Deng's words.

I asked, "Where is Yard Bay?" ”

"It's on the other side." Director Deng pointed across the road with chopsticks.

Because the restaurant is built on a hill and the terrain is high, most of the topography there falls into view: a wooded mountain and a misty lake under the ridge. A fence winds between the ridge and the water, and the wall can be seen in the near distance covered with dragon-scale tiles. Scattered among the walls are dozens of white-walled and black-roofed houses, each with a few red lanterns sparsely hung on the outer beams. The green trees and flowers between the houses, the stone paths are sloping, and the streams are murmuring, and the scenery is very distinct.

"That's a villa." I say.

She said her lover was away from home for a long time. It is estimated that his lover is a big boss. Director Deng said.

Since ancient times, merchants have parted lightly. A successful man is full of industries and rarely has a few days at home. If there is a junior outside and a home outside the house, I am afraid it will be even more difficult to go home.

"Of course, these are her private affairs, our unit is busy every day, and no one visits us, who wants to have this nerve? I can't take care of my own family's affairs. ”

Time flew by, and it was seven o'clock in the blink of an eye.

Director Deng said, "I can't drive today. I live in the central city and it's easy to get stuck in traffic, so I'm going back first. He picked up the phone and called Minister Zheng.

Minister Zheng soon drove the JEEP guide outside the restaurant.

Director Deng sat in the passenger seat of JEEP, fastened his seat belt, and said to me outside the window, "Then I'll go back first." ”

"You go first." I say.

He stretched out his hand from the window of the car and pointed to the empty space in front of Huang Nigang and said, "There is a numb car over there, if you don't want to walk back, you can sit in the museum for six yuan." Otherwise, you can wait here for Minister Zheng, who estimates that he will be back in an hour and a half. ”

I bent down to look at Minister Zheng behind the steering wheel, "Then I'm waiting for you here?" ”

"Alright, you walk around the neighborhood." Minister Zheng said.

The guide disappeared on the Panlong Bridge.

I stood on the mound of the restaurant, looking at the courtyard mountain opposite: strange weather here, the sun had set for a long time, and the sky was still red and bright, like someone setting fireworks in the sky.

With a strong sense of curiosity, I jumped across the road, passed by a security guard box with almost bright windows but no one there, and walked into the hinterland of the courtyard mountain villa area. The road follows the mountain, circling and winding, on both sides are dense green trees, under the trees are a pair of different forms of Rui beasts, there are unicorns, lions, tigers, monkeys, cows, rabbits, horses...... Zodiac signs, it seems that the owner of each house cares a lot about his genus. Behind each pair of stone beasts, without exception, stands a courtyard with a single family, with white walls and black tiles, carved beams and painted buildings, as if suddenly traveling to the Ming and Qing dynasties. After walking for more than 100 steps, I met a middle-aged couple in casual clothes washing their car in front of the door.

"Do you know Xiaowan's home?"

"I don't know." The two of them washed their own cars.

After walking for a while, I came across four or five children playing with spinning tops under the trees.

"Little friend, do you know where Xiaowan lives?"

"Who is Xiao Wan?" A boy asked, looking up.

Another girl innocently said, "I know." ”

I was overjoyed. "Where is she?"

The girl looked back and pointed behind her: "She's here." ”

I couldn't help but laugh at the little girl standing behind her, who was less than a meter tall.

After taking a few steps forward, he asked the two young men who were running, and they also shook their heads and said they didn't know.

I went back the way I came, passing the path next to the Huangnigang restaurant. I saw two tricycles parked in front of the restaurant, which is what Minister Deng said numb. The straight-line distance from the museum to here is only four or five hundred meters, and although the mountain road is winding and winding, it will not go beyond two miles, and it can be done in thirty minutes with my feet.

I didn't get numb, and walked alone along the silent mountain road.

Walking through two mountain bends, two lakes appear on both sides of the road, the shore is lined with reeds and grass, the lake reflects the half of the moon, and three or two dark clouds. Looking back, the restaurant's red lantern was already hidden behind the dense woods.

Ding-dong, my phone rang and there was a text message.

The sound of the trees getting dark and the shadows of the trees startled me.

Somewhat apprehensive, I pulled my phone out of my pocket, swiped my finger on the screensaver, and the chat window popped up.

"Are you there?" It turned out to be sent by "WE3126".

I remembered the white shadow who rescued me last night, and replied, "Thank you for saving me last night." ”

She sent a smiley: "You believe me, right? ”

"Believe what?"

"I said you're in danger." She reminded me.

"I believe it."

"Do you really believe it? That's great. ”

"Did you know that the man in black died last night?" I think of Tan Wenhu with his head tilted to the side.

"Yes. He was so strong that he almost snatched your bag. ”

"His neck was bitten off." A miserable white bitten neck appeared in my head.

"I can't fight him, so I have to bite him."

"Oh my God, are you a werewolf?" My fingers trembled on my phone's screen.

"What werewolf? Any woman who fights is torn and bitten. "I was surprised that she was amused by my words.

"Can you tell me, who the hell are you?"

"I'm Wan'er."

I think she's really a joker, and I can almost feel how easy and mischievous she is typing. "Where are you?" I want to thank her in person.

"Right behind you."

I turned around and saw a white figure holding a red lantern coming from the mountain road, the lotus step was lightly lifted, the clothes fluttering, and the fluorescent light flickered beside her.

She was getting closer.

The dark red light shone on the road and her pale face, as if it had come out of that ancient painting.

The blood in my body was flowing faster and faster, my fingers were shaking all the time, and my heart seemed to jump out of my chest.

The surrounding air seems to have frozen.