Page Thirty-Eight The Fulfilled Wish
In the cold, dense forest, there was a clearing covered with fallen leaves. In the center of the clearing was an old well overgrown with moss. Coupled with the trembling of the videotape, the entire scene was filled with a sinister atmosphere.
The camera froze for a few seconds before suddenly a pale hand reached out from the mouth of the well. A ghostly woman, her face completely covered by long hair, slowly emerged from the well, dragging her black hair and crawling towards the camera.
My limbs were a bit cold, not because the air conditioner was set too low, but because a bone-chilling fear was eating away at my nerve endings.
Indeed, at such a time, should I have turned the television to face the wall?
The image on the videotape trembled, blurring slightly as if fast-forwarded, and the ghost screeched forward.
Another tremor, and the ghost suddenly appeared in front of the camera. Through a close-up shot, one could see her pale face behind the hair and her terrifying, eerie laughter.
This sudden approach nearly made me scream.
The next second, the ghost disappeared, leaving only the old well on the screen. After about ten seconds of silence, red blood-like text appeared in the center of the screen.
[[I came to find you]]
The end of the film seemed to suggest that the ghost had left the tape, followed by the appearance of the end credits.
When I thought everything was over, black hair fell like a curtain, blocking my view. A pair of cold hands gripped my throat—”Found you.”
“Aah!” I let out an unpleasant scream.
Panicked, my mind went blank, and without daring to turn back, I stood up abruptly to escape the screening room.
“Ugh!” My head hit something hard, and the “ghost” let out a painful grunt.
Why does this voice sound so familiar?
Turning around, I found the “ghost” clutching her nose and squatting on the ground. She pushed her long hair to the side, letting it hang down like in a movie. I regained some of my composure and understood the situation.
Tán Lǐn Huā, this girl, actually dressed up as a ghost to scare me!
“Lín Huā! Do you want to scare me to death!” I yelled at her angrily.
To be honest, a screening room with no third party around is practically the perfect place for murder and robbery. It’s only thanks to my good character that I didn’t strangle her on the spot.
Her eyes, red from tears, clutched her nose, looking pitiful, as if I had done something wrong.
“Even though it was my fault to scare you, your headbutt was too heavy!”
“Tsk tsk, this is what you get for your own misdeeds.”
Although it’s an old movie, the horror atmosphere of “The Cursed Videotape” is very well done, making me tense every moment. That’s why when Lín Huā finally scared me half to death.
On the other hand, as a goddess of beautiful girls (apprentice), how could I be afraid of a fictional ghost in a movie? That would be a disgrace to my master.
Tán Lǐn Huā wiped away the tears streaming from her nose due to its irritation and ran to the player to eject the cursed videotape, then inserted the comedy tape I had chosen. Hopefully, the 1990s Hong Kong comedy would provide some relief from the horror experience.
Familiar rewinding sounds.
“Why did Lín Huā choose such a place for our date?”
Seemingly not expecting me to ask this question at this moment, the girl turned around, her face showing surprise.
“This was Liúliú’s suggestion.” This time, she sat down beside me instead of behind me, her knees together, sitting sideways with her calves. She looked like a refined and dignified young lady.
Considering her identity, calling her a young lady seems appropriate.
“Kǎi-Chan mentioned it before, right? I’m just playing the ideal woman in my mind to gain others’ approval, but that’s not who I really am.”
“Correct.”
“After becoming a girl, this false pretense isn’t necessary anymore. Even if I do nothing, the fact that I am a girl won’t change. And Liúliú hinted to me—”
She paused, trying to imitate Yán Liúzhuǎn’s indifferent tone: “Since that’s the case, eliminate all the elements of the ideal woman. What remains, even if it’s ugly, is still your true self.”
“Calling it ugly… Is that a bit harsh?” This Yán Liúzhuǎn is being too straightforward.
“Not at all, it’s really ugly. Only after becoming a girl did I realize how terrible my true self is.”
“That’s not true. Truly terrible people don’t even realize it themselves.”
As if to enumerate her sins, Tán Lǐn Huā pointed with her index finger, but there was an unnatural blush on her face.
“Even knowing Kǎi doesn’t like it, I still want to see you without your glasses, just for my own pleasure; selfishly hoping Kǎi will accommodate me, and not liking it when you defy me; even though I liked Liúliú first, I still like you…”
The atmosphere became awkward. My heart raced, and the comedy on the TV couldn’t distract me. What she said touched on my name, making it feel…
“You’re talking like you’re confessing.”
Blushing more, she waved her hands in denial, “You’re saying it’s a confession? It’s not a confession yet. Even if I really become a girl, I’ll confess to Liúliú first!”
“Hold on! So I’m just a backup?”
It seems I can’t win against Yán Liúzhuǎn, who grew up with me. We agreed we wouldn’t lose to the ‘fallen angel’!
“For Kǎi, even a terrible me is better than the ideal fake, right?”
“No, for me, the little angel Lín Huā is much better! Such a kind and understanding girl… Even though she’s not a girl, she’s almost like a saint, isn’t she?”
Troubled by my answer, she lightly bit her lip, as if unable to accept it.
“But you’re not living for me, nor are you Cinderella in a story. Even if you force yourself to wear ill-fitting glass slippers, you’ll never become your true self. Eventually, you’ll leave a serious illness.”
“Kǎi, but I’m not that great.”
Water vapor in her eyes started to form again, as if ready to turn into tears and slide down her cheeks.
“Idiot, it’s better to endure pain and change yourself than to suffer from your nature. If you cry, save it for later.”
“Really, Kǎi-Chan only knows how to say nice things. Whether it’s looks or words, you’re just a vase.”
Tán Lǐn Huā swallowed her tears back into her eyes and smiled, saying something hurtful.
How unlovable, these are all heartfelt words… But it’s fine like this too.
“Thank you.”
Surprised, I looked at her rosy cheeks, while the black-haired girl only turned her head to look at the TV.
“Don’t you look at me when you say thank you?”
“I can be shy too.”
“Don’t be shy then!”
…
Leaving the video hall, it was already evening. Clouds obscured the sunset, and the late afternoon sky was a fiery golden-red, spreading across the sky. The air had cooled to a bearable temperature. Tán Lǐn Huā and I walked along the path back to the Píngchéng New Street subway station.
I hadn’t paid any attention to the comedy movie, but the horror from the ghost film had faded. It’s unbelievable, just talking with Lín Huā.
“Am I doing well today?”
“It’s not over yet, I won’t tell you now.”
“Then Kǎi-Chan stay at my place until twelve!”
“No no no, I dare not go to your place again.” What if I get trapped in the bathroom again?
“Don’t worry, whether you seek the god’s favor or not, I won’t attack you anymore.”
She understood my panic and scratched the sweat on her cheek uncomfortably.
After taking a deep breath and calming herself, her gaze became serious.
“Listen carefully, Kǎi-Chan. If I really become a girl, I’ll confess to Liúliú… But!”
“But?”
“But if you confess to me before that… I’ll agree!”
I’m not some wooden protagonist from a light novel. On the contrary, I’m quite confident in reading people’s expressions.
The words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat…
…Do you know?
The chirping of cicadas is actually male cicadas seeking mates.
