"Holy hell, this is insane!" Man Niao Niao shouted out, "How in the hell could there be hailstones this big?"

The people in the car reacted, their mouths hanging open, all staring at the hailstones the size of eggs. The black mist scattered even faster under the onslaught of dense hail. Before long, the sky began to brighten. Strangely, the hailstones seemed to chase the black mist; wherever the mist retreated, the hail followed, so the area immediately surrounding our car, now free of the black cloud, was no longer being struck.

Finally, not a wisp of black mist remained, and the hail stopped. The bone-chilling cold was utterly vanquished by the brilliant sunlight. The people in the car hesitantly got out to examine the hailstones scattered on the ground. Man Niao Niao released me, I let go of Qin Ping'er, and we stepped out hand-in-hand. Several women and children, still sniffling, peered out the car windows, their faces etched with terror, scrutinizing the scene outside.

"How is this hail melting so fast?" Man Niao Niao picked up a hailstone and exclaimed. I also noticed that the hailstones on the ground were now only the size of marbles. I quickly grabbed one and was astonished to find it wasn't icy cold, but rather felt warm and moist. Everyone else noticed this detail too, staring wide-eyed at the hailstones in their hands with utter bewilderment.

The hail melted incredibly fast. After about ten seconds, the stone in my hand vanished without a trace. Even stranger, there wasn't a single drop of water left on my hand.

"This is absolutely goddamn bizarre. I've lived this long and I’ve never seen anything like it!" the driver marveled. Man Niao Niao chimed in beside him, "Y-yeah, this is truly insane! I’ve never encountered anything like this either!" I noticed Man Niao Niao's voice sounded strange and turned to look, only to see his face had gone deathly pale.

In less than a minute, all the hailstones on the ground had disappeared, leaving not even a trace of moisture. Everyone looked at each other, suspecting they were trapped in a dream.

"Tie Tou, why did you stop the car here?" From the direction of Xiama Kou Village, a minibus approached. The driver leaned out and called to our driver, "Big Mao, did you see that monster? Was there hail falling up ahead?" The driver, called "Tie Tou," rushed over, asking urgently.

"Monster? Oh! I saw it! That monster was just talking to me. Hail? Go to hell, man, it’s a clear day, how could it hail? Why don't you ask if it was raining banknotes up ahead?" Driver Big Mao laughed, cursed, spun the steering wheel, and sped off in a cloud of dust.

Everyone else had heard Big Mao’s words and a shudder went through them; they exchanged nervous glances. Did that mean only the people in our car had seen the monster, and that the hail had only fallen in our immediate vicinity?

"Tie Tou, Big Mao said you ran into a ghost?" A taxi pulled up from behind, and its driver also poked his head out to talk to Tie Tou.

"Yeah, didn't you guys see that monster? Was there no hail over there either?" Tie Tou leaned against the taxi window. "Let me give you five words of advice—go to hell, look up at the sky and tell me what you see," the taxi driver said, pointing upward. Tie Tou looked up quickly and shielded his eyes, blinded by the glare of the sun. The taxi driver laughed heartily and drove away.

A few pedestrians appeared on the road, looking at our noisy, agitated group with suspicion and incomprehension in their eyes. Some of us gesticulated wildly, trying to describe the monster to them, but the pedestrians merely curled their lips, their gazes revealing disdain.

"Get in, get in—what the hell was that!" Driver Tie Tou stared blankly for a long moment before beckoning everyone back into the car.

As we sat in the car, Tianjiao Mountain loomed larger and clearer before us. Everyone except Tie Tou hunched down, looking at the approaching mountain with lingering fear. No one spoke; the atmosphere was heavy. Only after the car descended the slope and Tianjiao Mountain was hidden behind a cluster of smaller hills did they finally breathe a sigh of relief, their complexions slowly easing, followed by a flurry of heated, inconclusive debate. Finally, Driver Tie Tou sighed in conclusion, "We were haunted! Every person in this car was haunted..."

Man Niao Niao nudged me and whispered, his voice trembling, "Ying Ying, was that thing the same one we saw when we were kids?" Hearing him mention it again brought back the memory that Man Niao Niao and I had indeed seen that monster in our childhood.

That was when Man Niao Niao and I were in the third grade, not long after the nickname "Man Niao Niao" became popular. It must have been autumn. On a dreary, rain-soaked day, Man Niao Niao and I were walking to school together. Because our route involved traversing a long mountain ravine and crossing a ridge, which was deserted in the autumn wind and rain, the area felt desolate. Man Niao Niao walked ahead holding an umbrella. Suddenly, he stopped, pointed toward the ridge, and asked me, "Ying Ying, look, what kind of strange thing is that?" I followed his gaze and my eyes snapped wide with terror—about two li away, on that very ridge, a colossal figure resembling a giant monster made of black clouds had materialized. Only half its body was visible, the lower half obscured by the ridge line, while its massive limbs and head thrashed wildly. The monster remained visible for perhaps only half a minute before slowly fading away. Man Niao Niao and I initially assumed it was a house fire on the other side of the ridge, and that the smoke had coincidentally formed the shape of a monster. But when we nervously climbed the ridge, we found the house perfectly intact with no sign of any fire. I even asked the man of the house if he had seen anything unusual, and he firmly replied that he had seen nothing. Confused and uneasy, Man Niao Niao and I continued to school. As time passed, we gradually forgot about it.

Who would have thought it would reappear today? If only Man Niao Niao and I had seen it last time, perhaps it could have been a trick of the eye. But today, an entire carload of people had witnessed it, and precisely when Qin Ping'er was heading to Xiama Kou Village, precisely near Tianjiao Mountain... "Is this somehow related to Qin Ping'er?" I wondered secretly.

With that thought, I urgently wanted to find Master Ji!

After we three got off the bus in Xiama Kou Village, Man Niao Niao's expression became slightly more normal, and he mumbled that it would be inconvenient for Qin Ping'er to stay at his house and suggested she stay with me. Thinking it over, his mother had passed away late last year, and his only sister had married and moved away years ago; only his father remained at home, making it genuinely inconvenient. So, I agreed. Man Niao Niao said, "Be right back," and hurried toward his home with his suitcase.

As I helped Qin Ping'er with her luggage, walking toward my house, I suddenly heard Qin Ping'er let out a sharp scream. I quickly turned to see a large, powerful black hound charging down from the front of my house, barking ferociously. Because my house is situated above the main road, the hound's descent was rapid and forceful.

I waved my hand, halting the dog's momentum as it lunged toward Qin Ping'er, and shouted angrily, "Hua'er, don't you recognize me? Don't mess around, she’s my friend!" This hound was kept by my father specifically for guarding the house against thieves. It was covered in thick, oily black fur, but its four paws sported clumps of snow-white hair, making it as sturdy and imposing as a small calf. My father had given it the incongruous name "Hua'er" based on its coat and stature.

Hua'er had another remarkable and peculiar feature: a large tumor growing on its left hind leg. The growth was about the size of a steamed bun, tightly encased by its thick black fur, and no one knew what it contained. Whenever Hua'er ran, the large lump swayed back and forth, side to side. I had once asked my father how the lump formed, if it affected his health, and whether it should be removed, but my father couldn't offer any explanation. He would occasionally reach out to pinch the growth on Hua'er's leg, yet Hua'er never seemed to feel any pain. Over time, we simply left it alone, growing accustomed to the lump.

Upon hearing my command, Hua'er leaped up in excitement, placing its front paws on my shoulders and leaning in with its bright red tongue, trying to lick my face. I grabbed Hua'er's ears and laughed, scolding it, "Hua'er, what are you trying to do? Keep that weird tongue of yours back, don't cover my face with drool!" Hua'er completely ignored me, so I had to set down the luggage and hug it briefly. Only then did Hua'er show a satisfied expression, stepping down from me to sniff around Qin Ping'er, emitting soft whines.

Qin Ping'er, terrified, clung to my arm, staring intently at Hua'er, afraid of being bitten. I told her, "Don't be scared, this fellow is very intelligent. If I tell him not to bite, he absolutely won't... Go ahead and stroke its head a few times, and I guarantee he’ll be very friendly to you!" Hearing this, Qin Ping'er relaxed slightly. Seeing that Hua'er was only sniffing her and showing no sign of aggression, she released my arm and, with a trembling hand, gently stroked the dog's head a few times. Hua'er obediently lifted its head, licked Qin Ping'er’s hand, and then rubbed against her calf. Delighted, Qin Ping'er squatted down and gave Hua'er a friendly hug.

"Huh? Ying Ying, why is Hua'er’s tail so short?" Qin Ping'er asked, pointing at the stubby tail. "Oh! Everyone here raises dogs; hunting dogs are important members of every household here, fiercely loyal to their owners. 'A child doesn't despise an ugly mother, a dog doesn't despise a poor home'—that's what it means. When we eat, the dog usually squats near the table to eat the food prepared by the family. But since hunting dogs grow long tails, which sweep across the table and aren't hygienic, we usually dock their tails when they are just puppies. We call them 'Stumpy Dogs.' My father docked Hua'er’s tail when he was small." "Didn't it hurt when you cut it?" Qin Ping'er asked me. I found it amusing, "Of course it hurt. But after cutting it, we apply herbal medicine to the wound, and it’s fine in a few days!"

"Oh, so that's how it is!" Qin Ping'er reached out to touch Hua'er’s short, thick tail and said with relief. Hua'er wagged its head playfully and used its stubby tail to sweep across Qin Ping'er's hand a few times, causing her to burst into laughter, her tense expression slowly melting away.

"Hua'er, lead the way!" I commanded with a wave of my hand, like a general ordering his troops.

Hua'er tossed its head and bounded quickly ahead of us. My parents heard Hua'er’s barking and came out from the house to greet us. When they saw Qin Ping'er, their eyes widened significantly, and they looked at me with questioning gazes. I quickly introduced Qin Ping'er to them. Then, remembering how incredible Qin Ping'er's situation was, I hesitated for a long moment, eventually just saying that Qin Ping'er was my university classmate who was touring Xidu. My father asked no further questions, eagerly took my luggage, and ushered us inside.

After settling Qin Ping'er in, I anxiously asked my father, "Is Master Ji home these days?"

My father looked surprised. "You come back and immediately ask about Master Ji. Did you run into some kind of trouble again?" I opened and closed my mouth a few times, ignoring him, and pulled out my phone to call Master Ji’s house. Master Ji’s wife answered. She said Master Ji had gone to look after someone's grave plot. I simply asked her to have him come to my house as soon as he returned.

Hanging up, I asked my father, "Old Man, did you see that monster on Tianjiao Mountain today? Did it hail here?" Qin Ping'er also looked at my father with a searching gaze as soon as the monster was mentioned.

"Monster? Hail? You little rascal, how could you even bring that up? Are you joking with your old man? With this blazing sun out, where would a monster or hail come from? Not a single drop of rain has fallen here!" my father said with a mocking smile.

"Has the sun always been this bright here?"

"Of course!"

Qin Ping'er and I were struck dumb by my father’s reply. Noticing our strange expressions, my father asked suspiciously, "What's wrong? Is something odd happening?"

Qin Ping'er and I exchanged a look, saying nothing. After a pause, I forced myself to remain calm and told my father, "It's nothing... You go on with your work!" My father gave us a strange look, his face full of suspicion, and walked away!

Qin Ping'er tugged at me. "Ying Ying, why don't we go check out Tianjiao Mountain and Anle Cave right now?"

I pulled out my phone; it was already past five in the afternoon, and I still felt uneasy. Something bizarre happened the moment Qin Ping'er approached Tianjiao Mountain. If it were just the two of us going to Tianjiao Mountain and Anle Cave, and if another mysterious event like the "Cave-Falling Woman" occurred, wouldn't we be utterly helpless? I decided it was better to wait until Master Ji arrived. "Don't rush! We'll wait for an expert to get here!"

"Expert??"

Seeing Qin Ping'er's confused look, I realized I had never told her about Master Ji. So, I recounted all the relevant details about Master Ji and our relationship to Qin Ping'er, concluding, "With him here, he will surely get to the bottom of your matter." Hearing my certainty, Qin Ping'er’s face lit up with joy and anticipation.

Hua'er, sleeping beside me, suddenly lifted its head and pricked up its ears. I saw that Man Niao Niao and his crew had arrived. Hua'er stood up and charged toward Man Niao Niao, barking wildly. Startled, Man Niao Niao scrambled on the ground a few times, trying to find a stone to scare Hua'er—the saying "No trick to beating a dog, just grab a clawful of dirt" describes this situation. Hua'er was relentless, circling Man Niao Niao, barking loudly, and ignoring my continuous shouts.

"Hua'er, what are you biting! Go bite your mother's stray husband!" At the critical moment, my father came out. Seeing Man Niao Niao, he seemed to be scolding Hua'er but was actually cracking a private joke with Man Niao Niao. Qin Ping'er didn't understand my father's meaning, but I burst out laughing. Man Niao Niao put on a distressed face and said to my father, "Brother, haven't seen you in so many years, and this is how you treat a brother? —Hurry up and get your son away from me!" He finished by cursing my father. My father chuckled, walked over, and clamped Hua'er’s head under his armpit. Even with its head trapped, Hua'er continued to growl menacingly, its eyes fixed on Man Niao Niao with fierce intent, refusing to let go.

This was strange. Why was Hua'er so hostile only toward Man Niao Niao?

Once my father managed to restrain Hua'er, Man Niao Niao took the opportunity to enter the house. Hua'er followed behind, its throat emitting a frightening whimper, its eyes still locked on Man Niao Niao, making Man Niao Niao’s skin crawl. He kept saying to my father, "Your son is really something else; why does he insist on biting me?" My father also found it peculiar. Although dogs hold grudges, Hua'er had never seen Man Niao Niao since birth, so there should have been no deep-seated feud. Why was Hua'er’s attitude toward Man Niao Niao the complete opposite of its attitude toward Qin Ping'er? If Man Niao Niao was a stranger, wasn't Qin Ping'er an even bigger stranger? Why was Hua'er so friendly to her?

When my father voiced this suspicion, Man Niao Niao pretended to ponder for a moment, then suddenly slapped his thigh and declared, "I figured it out. Your son, just like your other son [referring to me], isn't any good; you're both guys who value women over friends..." Seeing his smirking finger pointed at me, I was so angry I wanted to kick him.

Man Niao Niao entered the room. Although Hua'er's eyes were full of hostility, it was pinned under my father’s armpit and couldn't break free for the moment. Seeing this, Man Niao Niao relaxed, greeted my mother, and began chatting with my father in the main hall about the tobacco harvest.

I took out my phone and called Master Ji’s house again, learning that he still hadn't returned.

The weather in June is fickle, like a child’s face; one moment the sky is clear for miles, the next it's covered in dark clouds. Soon, rain began to fall, and since it was late afternoon again, the light quickly dimmed.

By this time, my mother had prepared a lavish meal, setting a full table, and called us over to eat.

"Haha, Sister-in-law’s cooking is always the best; my mouth is watering just looking at this spread!" Man Niao Niao sniffed exaggeratedly upon seeing the dishes, adopting the look of a starving ghoul.

"Why don't you call your old man over? Make a call and invite him, so you can all have a lively time together!" my mother said to Man Niao Niao. Man Niao Niao didn't stand on ceremony, grabbing our phone to call his father.

A few minutes later, Man Niao Niao’s father, Clerk Man Wen Shu, arrived. He, too, was visibly surprised to see Qin Ping'er.

Qin Ping'er quietly asked me, "How should I address Niao Niao's father?" I paused, realizing the relationship dynamics in the room, thought for a moment, and whispered back, "Just call him 'Nin Jia'—it’s short for 'Your Elderly Self'—it’s our local respectful address for elders." Hearing this, Qin Ping'er stood up and respectfully said, "Greetings, Nin Jia!"