A Chinese Ghost Story: Nie Xiaoqian · chapter 3 of 5
Xiaoqian's Secret
小倩的话
Under an old poplar tree, Xiaoqian tells Ning who forces her to trick travelers and what she needs from him, and Yan Chixia reveals what he has been waiting for.
Read what you hear
- Ning Caichen 别哭，小倩。慢慢说。我在听。
Bié kū, Xiǎoqiàn. Mànman shuō. Wǒ zài tīng.
Don't cry, Xiaoqian. Take your time. I'm listening.
- Nie Xiaoqian 我十八岁的时候，死了。他们把我放在这棵大树下面。
Wǒ shí bā suì de shíhou, sǐ le. Tāmen bǎ wǒ fàng zài zhè kē dà shù xiàmian.
I died when I was eighteen. They laid me down beneath this big tree.
- Ning Caichen 十八岁……那么年轻。
Shí bā suì… nàme niánqīng.
Eighteen... so young.
Chapter 3 is part of SayMei Stories ($2.99 a month) and SayMei Premium. Chapter 1 of A Chinese Ghost Story: Nie Xiaoqian is free, and so are The Second Cup of Tea, Mulan, The Butterfly Lovers, Journey to the West: The Monkey King, Cinderella, The Night of the Nian, Chang'e and the Moon, The Great Race: The Twelve Animals, Aesop's Fables, Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, The Ugly Duckling, Pangu and Nüwa: How the World Began, Beauty and the Beast, The Magic Lotus Lantern, Alice in Wonderland, Zhong Kui the Demon Queller and The Odyssey from start to finish.
- Nie Xiaoqian 后来，夜叉来了。他很高，很大，也很可怕。
Hòulái, yèchā lái le. Tā hěn gāo, hěn dà, yě hěn kěpà.
Later, the yaksha came. He is tall and huge, and terrible.
- Nie Xiaoqian 这个寺是他的家。他让我听他的话，不然，我就不能走。
Zhè ge sì shì tā de jiā. Tā ràng wǒ tīng tā dehuà, bù rán, wǒ jiù bù néng zǒu.
This temple is his home. He makes me do what he says, or I can't leave.
- Ning Caichen 他要你做什么？
Tā yào nǐ zuò shénme?
What does he make you do?
- Nie Xiaoqian 晚上，我去找路过的人。我笑着给他们金子。
Wǎnshang, wǒ qù zhǎo lùguò de rén. Wǒ xiào zhe gěi tāmen jīnzi.
At night I look for travelers passing by. I smile and give them gold.
- Nie Xiaoqian 谁拿了金子，夜叉就带走谁。他们再也没有回家。
Shuí ná le jīnzi, yèchā jiù dài zǒu shuí. Tāmen zàiyě méiyǒu huíjiā.
Whoever takes the gold, the yaksha carries away. They never went home again.
- Ning Caichen 所以昨天晚上，你也是来找我的。
Suǒyǐ zuótiān wǎnshang, nǐ yě shì lái zhǎo wǒ de.
So last night, you came looking for me too.
- Nie Xiaoqian 对。我很怕。可是你没有拿金子，还叫我小姐。没有人对我这么好过。
Duì. Wǒ hěn pà. Kěshì nǐ méiyǒu ná jīnzi, hái jiào wǒ xiǎojie. Méiyǒu rén duì wǒ zhème hǎo guò.
Yes. I was so afraid. But you didn't take the gold, and you even called me Miss. No one has ever been so kind to me.
- Ning Caichen 小倩，我能帮你什么？告诉我。
Xiǎoqiàn, wǒ néng bāng nǐ shénme? Gàosu wǒ.
Xiaoqian, how can I help you? Tell me.
- Nie Xiaoqian 我的骨头，还在这棵树下面。树上，有一个鸟的家。
Wǒ de gǔtou, hái zài zhè kē shù xiàmian. Shù shàng, yǒu yí gè niǎo de jiā.
My bones are still under this tree. Up in the tree there's a bird's nest.
- Nie Xiaoqian 请你带着我的骨头，回你的家，埋在一个安静的地方。
Qǐng nǐ dài zhe wǒ de gǔtou, huí nǐ de jiā, mái zài yí gè ānjìng de dìfang.
Please take my bones home with you and bury them in a quiet place.
- Nie Xiaoqian 那样，我就可以走了。我就自由了。
Nàyàng, wǒ jiù kěyǐ zǒu le. Wǒ jiù zìyóu le.
Then I can go. Then I'll be free.
- Ning Caichen 我的家很远。不过没关系，我答应你。
Wǒ de jiā hěn yuǎn. Bú guò méiguānxi, wǒ dāying nǐ.
My home is far away. But that doesn't matter. I promise you.
- Nie Xiaoqian 谢谢你！可是你要小心。夜叉知道你没有拿金子，他很生气。
Xièxie nǐ! Kěshì nǐ yào xiǎoxīn. Yèchā zhīdao nǐ méiyǒu ná jīnzi, tā hěn shēngqì.
Thank you! But be careful. The yaksha knows you didn't take the gold, and he is very angry.
- Ning Caichen 他会来找我吗？
Tā huì lái zhǎo wǒ ma?
Will he come looking for me?
- Nie Xiaoqian 会。你去找燕先生，晚上睡在他旁边。夜叉最怕他的剑。
Huì. Nǐ qù zhǎo Yàn xiānsheng, wǎnshang shuì zài tā pángbiān. Yèchā zuì pà tā de jiàn.
He will. Go to Master Yan and sleep beside him at night. The yaksha fears his sword most.
- Ning Caichen 燕先生的剑？我没有看见他有剑啊。
Yàn xiānsheng de jiàn? Wǒ méiyǒu kànjiàn tā yǒu jiàn a.
Master Yan's sword? I've never seen him with a sword.
- Nie Xiaoqian 他的剑很小，放在一个小袋子里。就在他的床边。
Tā de jiàn hěn xiǎo, fàng zài yí gè xiǎo dàizi lǐ. Jiù zài tā de chuáng biān.
His sword is small. He keeps it in a little bag, right beside his bed.
- Ning Caichen 燕先生！你回来了！我有很重要的事！
Yàn xiānsheng! Nǐ huílai le! Wǒ yǒu hěn zhòngyào de shì!
Master Yan! You're back! I have something very important!
- Yan Chixia 小声一点儿。这个寺里的事，我都知道。
Xiǎoshēng yìdiǎnr. Zhè ge sì lǐ de shì, wǒ dōu zhīdao.
Keep your voice down. I know everything that happens in this temple.
- Ning Caichen 你都知道？那你为什么不说话？
Nǐ dōu zhīdao? Nà nǐ wèishénme bù shuōhuà?
You know everything? Then why didn't you say anything?
- Yan Chixia 我在等。等一个不拿金子，也不怕鬼的人。
Wǒ zài děng. Děng yí gè bù ná jīnzi, yě bú pà guǐ de rén.
I was waiting. Waiting for a man who won't take the gold and isn't afraid of ghosts.
- Ning Caichen 我……我怕的。我只是没有说。
Wǒ… wǒ pà de. Wǒ zhǐshì méiyǒu shuō.
I... I am afraid. I just didn't say so.
- Yan Chixia 好！怕，也去做，这才是不怕。
Hǎo! Pà, yě qù zuò, zhè cái shì bú pà.
Good! To be afraid and do it anyway, that is real courage.
- Yan Chixia 今晚你睡在我的房间。夜叉一定会来。
Jīnwǎn nǐ shuì zài wǒ de fángjiān. Yèchā yídìng huì lái.
Tonight you'll sleep in my room. The yaksha will surely come.
- Ning Caichen 我们打得过他吗？
Wǒmen dǎ dé guò tā ma?
Can we beat him?
- Yan Chixia 你看窗边那个小袋子了吗？
Nǐ kàn chuāng biān nàge xiǎo dàizi le ma?
Do you see that little bag by the window?
- Ning Caichen 看见了……那是什么？
Kànjiàn le… nà shì shénme?
I see it... what is it?
- Yan Chixia 别说话，也别动。天黑了，他要来了。
Bié shuōhuà, yě bié dòng. Tiānhēi le, tā yào lái le.
Don't speak, and don't move. It's dark now. He's coming.
Hear the chapter
What changed in the story?
- How old was Xiaoqian when she died?
“我十八岁的时候，死了”
- What does the yaksha make Xiaoqian do?
“我笑着给他们金子……谁拿了金子，夜叉就带走谁”
- What does Xiaoqian ask Ning to do?
“请你带着我的骨头，回你的家，埋在一个安静的地方”
- Why should Ning sleep beside Yan Chixia?
“夜叉最怕他的剑”
- What was Yan Chixia waiting for?
“等一个不拿金子，也不怕鬼的人”