Chapter 106: The Old Corpse in the Mountain Village

Disrupting the troops’ morale, Li Jianjun was naturally scolded into retreat by Gao Jie and Zhu Dandan. They genuinely hoped Zhang Tan could get into the advanced class; after all, as high school students barely exposed to the wider world, they were sincere and pure-hearted.

Amidst these subtle touches of emotion, Zhang Tan found his determination strengthened. He resolved to perform well in the placement exam, aiming to rank at least within the top ninety among the liberal arts students. With over fifty students per class at Shuangdun High School, only those in the top ninety could reliably secure a spot in the advanced class.

Making it into the advanced class would inevitably mean a change of classmates from his previous life.

But after careful thought, Zhang Tan realized that throughout the three years of high school, aside from a naive romance and unfulfilled promises with Li Jing, a fleeting involvement with Yang Yuejiao which he later regretted, and some foolishly earnest sworn brotherhoods with Du Yalei, Liu Bin, and Lü Pin, there was little else that truly bound him.

Reborn into this life, everything had drastically shifted.

Those in Class 7 of the second year—like the scheming deskmate Liang Wei—had become strangers; the impulsive crush Yang Yuejiao was now just an ordinary classmate; the sworn brothers Du Yalei, Liu Bin, and Lü Pin had little contact with him. When familiar faces no longer felt familiar, why bother repeating the past connections in Class 7 again?

The only real regret was Li Jing.

Because this time in the first year, he sat in the back row, no longer in front-to-back proximity with Li Jing, and the days of passing notes and secret exchanges were gone.

The once ambiguous feelings had dissolved with Zhang Tan’s maturity, never to be found again. The promise made beneath the afternoon shade—once missed—was gone for good.

Only during those lazy afternoon moments would Zhang Tan wonder, “What stories might have unfolded if I had taken Li Jing’s hand back then?”

Perhaps they would have been together, built a family, lived until thirty, and then been reborn again.

“In that case, the first thing I’d do this lifetime is dive into a girl-raising game, right?”

Or perhaps they would have been together for a while, then separated for one reason or another.

“If it was an unpleasant breakup, I suppose I’d keep my distance from her this time.”

“If it was forced by circumstances, then I’d overcome the challenges to create a beautiful future.”

Speculating further was futile; he had been too inexperienced then to understand the importance of courting. His impression of Li Jing remained frozen in high school youthfulness—a naivety that no longer stirred his heart. After all, he had mercilessly rejected even Liu Luyao, a girl practically falling into his arms.

“Time changes everything; I am no longer who I was.”

“Next semester, I’ll strive to get into the advanced liberal arts class,” Zhang Tan said, glancing at Cao Yuchuan, whose personality was somewhat peculiar but temperament gentle. This classmate, whom he hadn’t paid much attention to in his past life, surprisingly suited his temperament well.

Though the gap in psychological maturity made it hard for Zhang Tan to find common ground with peers, Cao Yuchuan’s eccentricity livened the atmosphere.

Moreover, Cao Yuchuan could joke about himself and wasn’t upset by teasing or ridicule. If there were an award for Best Desk Mate of the Year, Zhang Tan would gladly cast his vote for him.

The only question was whether they would be placed in the same liberal arts class.

Five days later.

The final exams were over.

Zhang Tan felt that with so many distractions recently—singing, watching the World Cup—his studies had suffered, and his performance was clearly below par. Many questions left him blank. From what others said, the test wasn’t particularly difficult. Fortunately, the first-year final exam results didn’t affect class placement; the placement test would be held after summer vacation, separated for liberal arts and sciences.

After the exam, students hurriedly packed their bags and left for home.

Zhang Tan didn’t leave immediately because tomorrow was Gao Jie’s birthday. At Cao Yuchuan’s suggestion, a few of them stayed in Shuangdun for half a day to celebrate. Those who remained—Zhang Tan, Cao Yuchuan, Gao Jie, Zhu Dandan—were joined by Li Dong, who lived nearby and had no intention of going home early.

They decided to use Gao Jie’s birthday as an excuse to linger.

That afternoon, with most classmates gone and the dormitory quiet, they agreed to visit Lover’s Lake for a stroll. Zhang Tan, feeling youthful and carefree, joined them enthusiastically. From sunset to when the city lights flickered on, their outing was full of joy.

Later, “the wealthy” Zhang Tan treated them to a meal at a countryside restaurant, followed by a visit to his rented apartment.

The room had air conditioning and fans, and a laptop for watching movies.

They watched films while chatting about life.

Their conversation stretched late into the night.

Originally, Zhu Dandan and Gao Jie planned to return to the dorm before eleven, but Cao Yuchuan suggested an all-night poker game. With the sweltering summer heat making the dorm unbearable—no air conditioning or fans—the two girls preferred to stay in the cool apartment. They agreed.

Zhang Tan let them play and stay overnight.

He went to a nearby shop and bought a large stash of snacks and sodas. He had considered buying beer but hesitated, worrying that if the girls couldn’t handle it, trouble might arise.

...

“Hey, Detective,” Li Dong suddenly called Zhang Tan out while the girls were absorbed in the movie.

“What’s up?”

“Want to watch a horror movie later?”

“If you like it, sure.”

Li Dong grinned mischievously. “Listen, horror movies need atmosphere. Your laptop battery lasts long enough to finish a film, right?”

Zhang Tan nodded. “About two hours.”

“Good. We’ll say we’re watching a horror movie... What horror movie do you have? The scariest one!”

“‘The Old Corpse in the Mountain Village,’ probably. It’s pretty scary.” Zhang Tan thought for a moment. Many familiar films had vanished from this world, but occasionally some slipped through, like this one. Though the actors looked different—a change brought by Zhang Tan’s reincarnation and alterations.

Li Dong let out a sly chuckle. “Then we’ll watch ‘The Old Corpse in the Mountain Village.’ While it’s playing, I’ll cut the power at your place. Imagine—no lights outside, pitch-black—Gao Jie and Zhu Dandan will be terrified, hehehe.”

“Sounds childish.” Zhang Tan rolled his eyes. “But it’s harmless fun, so fine, let’s do it.”

As he spoke, memories surfaced of a similar night during senior year before graduation—boys and girls hiding on the sports field, sipping soda, talking about life. Someone had played “Zhang Zhen’s Ghost Stories” on the radio—a chilling tale about a “cat’s eye” ghost.

The eerie music and terrifying story sent shivers down their spines, even in a group.

Though the cliché of girls jumping into boys’ arms out of fear never happened, Zhang Tan faintly recalled that he had been less composed than most girls. The story gripped him, filling him with unease and leaving no room for romantic distractions.

In truth, he wasn’t a brave person.

After downloading “The Old Corpse in the Mountain Village,” Zhang Tan had watched its opening several times, always turning it off with the excuse “I’ve seen this before.” Now, with company and courage in numbers, they could finally watch it together and maybe scare the girls a bit.

Without hesitation, Zhang Tan went inside and switched the movie to “The Old Corpse in the Mountain Village,” confidently declaring, “This movie is fantastic—an absolute classic!”

Li Dong hid nearby, ready to cut the power at any moment.

...

Five minutes later, a piercing scream shattered the night.

A minute after that came Zhang Tan’s disdainful remark: “Cao Yuchuan, you’re such a coward!”

Followed by the girls’ giggles.