Forbidden Land – CH 058

Zhang Chao’s mind was foggy; he had neither the will nor the energy to investigate further. All he could do was drag his tired body in the direction of his dorm.

The main road outside was a long way from his dorm, and he didn’t have the strength, so he took the path along the lake from the west Teaching Building.

On a normal night, although that path wasn’t crowded, couples would often pass by. But it was already past 11 PM; couples who could chat this late would have already gone to a hotel. Few would be bored enough to wander around aimlessly in the middle of the night.

Zhang Chao had walked this path countless times. He and Bai Qiu used to stroll here often. He and Chen Rong had also walked this path many times. It was a small path, but it was quite popular; he believed no student hadn’t walked it.

But now, in the dead of night, alone on this lakeside path, a strange feeling quietly crept over him.

The wind seemed a little chilly.

Was it because of the cold weather?

In a daze, he seemed to hear a woman singing.

This time, it wasn’t the terrifying Yue Opera sound from before; it was a beautiful song, a popular tune from a few years ago.

“What a beautiful voice!” Zhang Chao couldn’t help but exclaim.

Yue Opera was once a very popular form of opera in the Jiangnan region. Even today, the “Little Hundred Flowers Yue Opera Troupe” in Hangzhou was nationally renowned, and they still had a theater on Wen’er Road.

However, Yue Opera had always been unfamiliar to Zhang Chao. Although when he was a child, like other children, there was a Tianfei Temple in his hometown, and opera troupes would come to perform every few days. Whenever there was a performance, groups of three or five would gather at the Tianfei Temple, sipping orange juice, just to join in the fun.

When he was young, his family was in business, and for good luck, they spent what seemed like a large sum at the time—300 yuan—to hire a troupe to perform all night, apparently for the temple’s bodhisattvas. But he never understood what the singers on stage were singing.

In his memory, Yue Opera singing was always mournful; he vaguely remembered a woman in blue robes singing low, sorrowful melodies. Beyond that, there was nothing else worth remembering.

During the day, it was fine to listen to it as entertainment. But singing Yue Opera at night always gave him the creeps. Especially that broken line, “My lord is like the moon in the sky,” it sent chills down his spine.

Now, the singing seemed not far away; a beautiful female voice was singing pop songs, changing from one to another, quite pleasant to listen to. Finally back in the reality of the campus, he couldn’t help but feel a little refreshed.

He looked up at the waterfront lecture hall on the east side of Qizhen Lake, where various lectures and performances were often held, but now it was late, and the lights were off.

Who was singing, and where was she singing?

The woman seemed to be singing right next to him, but after looking around, he couldn’t find anyone. Zhang Chao thought, “I’d better hurry back to the dorm.” His head was getting heavier and heavier; if he didn’t get back soon, he felt like he was going to fall asleep on the way.

Just then, a voice called to him, “Hey, come here.”

Zhang Chao turned around and saw a girl in a skirt sitting on the grass by the lake to his right. She was very pretty, with long, smooth hair, and her legs peeked out from under her skirt, slender and fair, and she wore small black leather shoes.

Zhang Chao pointed to himself. “Did you call me?”

“Yes,” the girl nodded sweetly. “Hey, come here.”

Zhang Chao asked, “What?” But then he felt it wasn’t appropriate to say something so cold to such a pretty girl, so he gently added, “What do you want from me, classmate?”

The girl giggled, her laughter radiant, and said, “I’ll sing for you, okay?”

Zhang Chao’s heart sank. First, a woman was singing opera, and now she was going to sing? Damn, they were putting on a concert in the middle of the night!

“I need to get back to my dorm,” Zhang Chao thought. “Beautiful girls are beautiful, but I’m exhausted. Even the prettiest girl won’t arouse my interest.”

He paused for a moment, then said, “Don’t sing for me. I’m tired and want to go back to my dorm.”

The beautiful girl smiled sweetly. “I’ve been practicing for a long time. I’m going to a singing competition tomorrow. Listen to me. How was my singing?”

Zhang Chao asked, “Were you singing just now?”

The beautiful girl laughed. “Yes, you heard it. Was it good?”

Zhang Chao said, “It was pretty good. You’re sure to get first place tomorrow. That’s all for now; I’m going back to my dorm.”

The beautiful girl was a little annoyed. “Why are you in such a hurry?” she said.

Zhang Chao said, “Sing for someone else. I’m really tired; I’m going to sleep.”

The beautiful girl said, “Then listen to one song, please?” She looked pitiful.

Zhang Chao sighed, “Then sing.”

The beautiful woman said, “Come here; I want to sing in front of you.”

Zhang Chao reluctantly said, “Okay.” He took a few steps, then stopped about ten meters away.

The beautiful woman pleaded, “Come here, come listen to me sing, and I’ll kiss you?”

Zhang Chao felt a surge of joy, but the next second, he suddenly became alert. Damn, he’d never had such good fortune in his life! Was this woman strange? He’d encountered too many strange things lately, so he was naturally on high alert. He didn’t move.

At this moment, the beautiful woman stood up, walked over with an unhappy expression, took Zhang Chao’s hand, and said, “Come with me.”

Although Zhang Chao’s mind was hazy, his senses were still sharp. Having witnessed so many strange things, he dared not let his guard down. He didn’t want to go with her, but he was too weak to move, so she pulled him forward.

He took about ten steps forward, feeling something was off, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

After another three or four steps, the beautiful woman turned back and smiled, a smile that seemed even stranger.

A panic began to rise within him, and he abruptly stopped, saying, “I’m not going any further; just sing here.”

The beautiful woman smiled seductively and said, “Senior, come a little closer.” She pulled him along, and he involuntarily took a few more steps.

Just then, a male voice shouted from behind, “Hey! Hey! What are you doing? Come on up!”

Zhang Chao turned around and saw a man and a woman about ten meters away, looking at him anxiously.

Suddenly, he felt a chill on his lower body. Looking down, he realized he was standing in the lake, the water up to his navel. And what he was holding in his hand wasn’t a woman’s hand but a handful of slippery water plants.

“Ah!” Zhang Chao cried out in fright, lost his footing, and fell into the water. Instinctively, he called out to the two, “Help me, help me!” He soon passed out.