(1)

Xi’an has been shrouded in drizzle for several days. Pascal kept staying home, nothing to do. Actually Pascal is a detective, not an indoors man. He had just solved a case several days ago, so the police let him have a rest. In spite of his job, he is really a person full of fantasy. As a matter of fact, his real name is Zhang Xinyu. As he likes France very much and always dreams a romantic experience, he calls himself Pascal, a French name.

Today, finally he cannot bear the ennui and comes down stairs and gets the street. This is an area full of ancient senses. The villas are built imitating the old ones, and the road is built with special stones. People here are free, and can enjoy the pleased ancient life, convenient modern life and sometimes certain kind of swordsman’s lifestyle, because besides intellectuals and businessmen, there are some tramps here and even a group of beggars called “Gaibang”. These proletariats often bring fun to people. Although being in rags and without fixed house, they sing songs happily and create folk songs when they beg along the street. Pascal admires their attitudes towards life and to some extent, appreciates their lifestyle, so he always communicates with them and holds a good relationship with them. Oh, look! There comes the “Gaibang”. As usual, they marched in line, each with a stick and a bowl in their hands. In the front of them is their leader, handsome indeed. Pascal said “hello” to them while passing by. Suddenly a beggar slips because of his carelessness and the wet road. Pascal hurriedly helps him to stand up. Touching his arms, Pascal thinks, “What a smooth skin for a beggar, although it seems dirty. This guy must care his skin much.” When he passes a toilet paper to the beggar to clean his wet hands, he notices that the upper joint of the beggar’s right hand’s third finger was protuberant. He grins, “The beggar may hold his stick like holding a pen.” Then he looked the beggar up and down. He is mid figure, his dirty face actually is somewhat elegant, but his back is humped. The beggar gives his many thanks to him. At the time he leaves, Pascal suddenly thinks of something. “You are new here, right?” “Yes.” “Be careful next time. The road is not even.” He said while patting the beggar’s humpback, soft. “OK, thank you. Bye.” “Interesting.” Pascal thinks and goes on.

When he reaches the central park, he notices a group of people talking heatedly.

“She looks like a corpse, but she can walk!”

“Her hair is unbelievably long!”

“Strange! Horrible! ...”

Then there comes another man, and says excitedly, “It is goodness that you just saw her. Once she came behind me and dragged me. When I turned back, I saw her face and was nearly frightened to death.”

“When did it happen?” Pascal asked this man. Obviously he decided to investigate this case.

“In the afternoon.”

“What did she do to you?”

“Nothing. She didn’t hurt me. She looked surprised when she saw me and then became crazy and left.”

“Oh. Would you like to have a coffee with me, sir?”

“Ok.”

When drinking, Pascal persuades the man to do him a favor—companying him out at night.

(2)

They have been out for several days. Everything seems as usual. Tonight, they still chat with each other happily along the road, but Pascal can sense that something unusual may happen. In expectation, the woman comes at mid-night, following them. Finally, she raises her speed and becomes nearer. At the time she patting the man, Pascal catches her arm and put handcuffs around her wrist immediately. She struggles for a while and then calms down. Pascal leads her to his house and begins to ask her questions. No matter what he says, the woman doesn’t give him any response. However, it seems not because the woman is protesting, but because she doesn’t understand his words—her eyes tell him so. Then Pascal begins to look at her carefully. She is really horrible. The whole face seems like a corpse’s, or more precisely seems like being made of earth. What is more strange is her clothes, long gown with a ribbon around the waist. The clothes seem… A bold thought comes into his mind. He surfs the Internet immediately and finds out that the clothes is what noble women wore in Qin Dynasty. “She is …” He dares not to think further, but he finally decides to make a phone call to one of his friends who studies the old Chinese language. His friend comes and to Pascal’s request, he speaks the old Chinese language to the woman and surprisingly, the woman begins to speak. She tells them her story.

(3)

She was actually a concubine of Qin Emperor. At that time, a foreigner contributed several pellets called “Changshengbulaoyao” to the emperor. According to the status, she was lucky to receive one but the smallest and ugliest one. However, to her surprise, she was the only one who could keep young and live forever. Because of the old rules, she was buried with the others, and she had thought that she would live under the ground forever, with no water, no food, the most important—no people to communicate with, only with earth and dead things. She was desperate, but still lived bravely waiting for the marvel. One day, the door to the outside was finally opened. There came in several people, speaking strange language, just as Pascal and his friend do. She was excited and waved to them. They saw her gestures and approached to her. In the dim light, she noticed the front person who was gentle and charming. She liked him at the first sight and believed that he was the one she had been waiting for thousand years. She stood up and greeted them but only to see their frightened face. She thought the gentleman must be able to understand her, so she dragged his clothes. However, the man struggled and ran away quickly. She followed and has been looking for him with her faith.

(4)

After knowing her story, Pascal realizes that it is because there is thick earth on her face that she looks scaring. So he and his friend help her do cleaning on her face and let her have a bath. When she comes out from the washroom, a beauty appears. Her skin is still smooth and paddy. Her eyes begin to gain energy and show her pure. Pascal gets a strange feeling. He has a strong impulse to protect her and help her to find the man.

After asking some details about the man, he suddenly gets back the memory of that beggar—the new, interesting one. Then he uses his own way to find out the man in the following few days.

(5)

Facing the fact, the beggar has to admit and tell the truth. He is actually a writer. One day he watched the soap opera “Shenghua”. He wondered if the fairy really existed. Therefore, he gathered a few friends to search the Qin’s tomb. At one corner, they found a secret button by chance. Curiously, he pressed it and a door opened. They came in and then met the woman. Because of her appearance, everyone was shocked and he thought the woman wanted to harm him. So in order to escape, he dressed up as a beggar and also put a pillow on his back to form a humpback.

Now everything is clear. Pascal calls the woman out to meet the man. That man is surprised to see her beauty. He shows his regret, asks for forgiveness and expresses his love. Everyone at present is very happy and waits for the woman’s positive answer. “ Sorry. I had thought you were the one I loved and could rely on, but I find I was wrong.” the woman says firmly, and then turns to Pascal, “Pascal, during these days I realize it is you who deserve my thousand years’ waiting. Your bravery, responsibility and intelligence attract me deeply. I love you.” Surprised and excited, Pascal hugs her and kisses her deeply.

(6)

Since then, Pascal’s life has been full of happiness. Now he never uses his French name, because his ever romantic experience happens in China.