The Burning Hair

　　"It's okay," Lin said softly. 

　　He was afraid that if he spoke too loudly, he would startle the black strands of hair. "It's okay, don't be afraid, I'll help you."

　　Ruan turned to look at Lin. 

　　Her eyes no longer held the gentle tenderness they had before. 

　　Now, they were like a bottomless lake, dark and murky, causing a strange sense of fear. 

　　She said, "Why bother."

　　Lin said, "Wait for me, hang on." 

　　He remembered something and ran towards the house.

　　Chi, sitting in the living room, saw Lin running frantically and asked in confusion what was wrong. 

　　But Lin ignored him and headed straight for the kitchen.

　　He grabbed a few pieces of firewood, quickly lit them with a flint and steel, and rushed back outside.

　　A few short minutes felt like centuries. 

　　Lin's hand trembled as he lit the torch. 

　　He was afraid, afraid that when he returned to the well, there would only be an empty well.

　　Fortunately, when he returned with the torch, Ruan was still there.

　　"I'm back," Lin said breathlessly. "I'll be over there in a moment. I'll throw the torch into the well. Grab my hand... Don't let go."

　　Ruan said, "Aren't you afraid?"

　　Lin was stunned. "Afraid of what?"

　　Ruan said, "Of course of dying."

　　Lin laughed. "Who isn't afraid of dying? But there are always things that are more terrifying than death." 

　　Although he still had questions about this world, he could feel that Ruan had saved him several times. 

　　If not for Ruan, he might have been one of the bloody corpses on the first night.

　　"Okay, I'm coming over," Lin said, afraid that if he delayed any longer, Ruan would lose her strength.

　　 He moved slowly, walking towards Ruan.

　　When he was close enough, he grabbed Ruan's hand and threw the torch into the writhing hair.

　　"Ah!" A piercing shriek, a woman's voice, came from the well. 

　　The hair was ignited by the fire, moving violently. 

　　For a moment, Lin thought he saw a pale face in the well. 

　　Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, Lin recognized the face. 

　　He had seen it in the house.

　　 It was the ghost who had pretended to be Ruan that night.

　　"Run!!" The hair around Ruan's feet broke. 

　　Lin pulled her and they ran frantically.

　　Ruan didn't resist. 

　　She allowed Lin to pull her, and they burst into the house, panting heavily.

　　"What happened?" Everyone in the house was surprised.

　　"There's something in the well…" Lin said breathlessly, "Stay away from the well. Ruan was almost pulled down." After he finished speaking, he turned to Ruan and asked if she was hurt.

　　"No," Ruan said, "I'm fine."

　　Lin looked down at her feet and saw a bloody mark around her ankle, with blood slowly dripping down. 

　　He said, "Is that what you call fine? Sit down, I'll bandage you."

　　Ruan seemed to realize then that she was injured. 

　　She tilted her head, but in the end, she listened to Lin and sat down on the chair.

　　Lin found some medicine in the house. 

　　He knelt half-way down in front of Ruan, letting her put her foot on his knee, and began to slowly treat her wound. 

　　His movements were gentle and careful, as if he was afraid of hurting Ruan.

　　"Are you always so gentle with girls?" Ruan suddenly asked.

　　"What does that have to do with girls?" Lin answered casually, "Even if you were a guy, would I be rough with you?"

　　Ruan, "Hmm..."

　　Lin blurted out, "You wouldn't be a guy, would you? You're so tall, and your chest is so flat." 

　　But Ruan was truly beautiful. 

　　Lin didn't believe there were men in the world who looked like her.

　　"Yeah," Ruan sighed, "My chest isn't even as big as yours."

　　Lin, "..."

　　Ruan added, "My butt isn't as perky, either."

　　Lin, "... You talk too much."

　　Ruan giggled.

　　Lin finished bandaging Ruan's wound before telling Chi and the others what happened. 

　　The others' reactions were alright, but Chi and Xiao's faces were not good. 

　　They clearly remembered the old man's instructions about the final step of making the coffin – filling the well.

　　What did the coffin have to do with the well? 

　　Was it a unique custom of this village, or was it a trap set by the carpenter?

　　As if Ruan knew what Chi was thinking, she smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry about it. Do what you have to do. Fate is predetermined."

　　Chi sighed softly. "We're planning to visit the temple tonight. Are you coming?"

　　"Me?" Ruan said, "My foot is injured. I can't walk. Lin, carry me."

　　Lin nodded.

　　Xiao said from the side, "A little injury like that, and you can't walk?"

　　Ruan didn't get angry.

　　 She just smiled sweetly and said, "You have to be more understanding. I'm used to being pampered at home. Of course, I'm going to be a little spoiled when I'm out."

　　Xiao said, "You just continue to take advantage of Lin's good nature. We're all strangers in this world. Why should you be pampered?"

　　"Oh, I thought you and Chi knew each other," Ruan said casually.

　　Who knew, but as soon as she said that, Xiao and Chi's expressions changed. 

　　They both looked alert.

　　Lin immediately sensed the change in the atmosphere.

　　"What do you mean by that?" Xiao asked.

　　"Nothing," Ruan said, "I just thought you two were close. ... Are you two really acquainted?"

　　"How could that be?" Xiao looked uncomfortable.

　　Ruan smiled and didn't continue the conversation.

　　Of course, Xiao didn't stop Ruan from being carried by Lin to the temple. 

　　She turned around with a gloomy expression and walked away.