For those familiar with Ping Nado’s diaries, news is nothing new. Having read so many diaries, starting with news seems to have become a pattern, a habit of the author, and one that readers are also accustomed to. Each piece of news covers different fields, but what remains consistent is that news always plays a crucial role in the diary, either as the catalyst for an event or as the event’s central focus. This time, it falls into the latter category; the news, like “The Return of the Iron Bull,” involves archaeology, but the story does not involve time travel.
Ping Nado’s diaries are known for his unique constitution that attracts supernatural events (as judged by Liang Yingwu). This time, after moving into the neighborhood where Xiang Shuizhen lives—Zhidan Garden—many strange things began to occur. First, there was a cat with flexible bones, which could survive being run over by a truck or falling from a building; then, there were cockroaches whose front and back halves could move independently; and fish that burrowed through sand. The mental health history of the beautiful neighbor upstairs, Su Ying, and the unusual reaction of Researcher Ruan Xiwen from the X Institution towards her views, make the existence of Haitian people even more mysterious… All these bizarre events, beyond human common sense, happened in Zhidan Garden and were all witnessed by Ping Nado. For ordinary people, having their conventional thought patterns shattered is quite uncomfortable, more so than being forcefully fed a complete new theory. The shock to both the protagonist and the readers is palpable.
Su Ying evidently plays the female lead in this diary and is also a beauty. It seems Ping Nado has a knack for attracting beautiful women, although most are just his good friends. However, this beauty seems a bit neurotic, which was apparent from his first encounter with her: falling asleep in the bath and forgetting to turn off the water, leading to an overflow; always dragging a recently acquainted man into conversations about Haitians and other unacceptable topics… Ping Nado initially fell into a trap of beautiful women, and as readers, we too are inevitably led by the author’s narrative. Later, upon learning of Su Ying’s history of mental illness, one might think everything could be easily explained, but the truth turns out to be quite the opposite. The author uses suspense and foreshadowing to mislead the reader repeatedly, making them fall into traps, yet also managing to justify everything, showcasing the author’s skill.
Shuizhen, the most powerful among the sea people, can maintain human form despite great pain, which reflects her strong will. Compared to Su Ying, Shuizhen’s character might seem somewhat flat, but in the development of the story, this design has its emphasis, perhaps illustrating the adage, “A setback may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.” Shuizhen’s frequent illnesses, the house full of adult films, and the enormous energy Haitians need to maintain human form, along with their inability to understand love, all contribute to a richer and more coherent plot.
As a researcher at the X Institution, Ruan Xiwen gives off a vibe similar to Liang Yingwu, though without the stern demeanor, adding a mysterious aura due to his family background. His work, naturally conducted under secrecy, is betrayed by his appearance, making the plot progression more natural, reminding us that X Institution researchers are also just ordinary people. However, his capabilities and firm will are not to be underestimated, leading to an exciting confrontation with Lu Yun, palpable tension felt by the readers.
Lu Yun, aside from Ping Nado and Liang Yingwu, seems to be the most frequent character to appear. Each encounter with her leaves Ping Nado somewhat apprehensive, possibly due to the profound shock from “The Heart of Evil.” This woman is not to be trifled with! Yet, this woman, depicted almost demonically by the author, always provides significant help to Ping Nado, this time no exception. However, compared to the scene of her confrontation with Ruan Xiwen, the depiction of her hypnotizing Su Ying seems slightly exaggerated, perhaps out of concern for underutilizing Lu Yun’s character.
Ping Nado’s diaries are not horror novels, though they do not lack terrifying elements, but this terror stems from the unknown. Rather than calling it horror, it’s more fitting to describe it as eerie, with the diary’s theme always questioning established knowledge. The illusion in “The Heart of Evil,” the mother in “Bad Seed,” the wormhole in “The Return of the Iron Bull,” the suggestion in “The Ghost Flag,” the worldview in “God’s Code,” the Nian beast in “New Year,” the Taishou in “The Immortal Dead,” the Three Rabbits Diagram in “Regression,” and the sea people in “Transformer”—none of these can be explained by modern science. Yet, they all seem so real, perhaps this is the allure of Ping Nado’s diaries.
Review of Ping Nado’s New Work “Transformer” (2)
Humor is an indispensable minor element in Ping Nado’s diaries; even in the oppressive environment of “The Immortal Dead,” there’s a comedic baby—Elite Person—highlighting the importance of this element. After finishing “Transformer,” I realized that Ping Nado has a slight touch of narcissism.
In “The Code of God,” the author describes Shu Sheng and Su Ying as a perfect couple. Initially, there’s nothing unusual about this; handsome men and beautiful women are characters everyone loves to write about. However, in “The Shapeshifter,” Shu Sheng transforms based on the character Nado, implying that the author believes Nado, who shares some resemblance with Shu Sheng, is quite handsome. This detail is also explicitly shown in “The Immortal Dead,” where Fan Zhe’s exceptional handsomeness is mentioned more than once, and his profile bears a striking resemblance to Nado’s. Thus, one might infer that Nado is also a handsome guy. From this perspective, it seems the author indeed has a slight narcissistic tendency! So, when we talk about handsome men, don’t just think of “Cold Face” Liang Yingwu; there’s also the very curious young Nado. The core theme of the story is love. The love here differs from that in the “Zodiac Series,” where the stories are told from an observer’s perspective with a light touch, inadvertently touching the readers’ hearts. It’s also different from “The Immortal Dead,” where the love is Nado’s own experience, giving a sense of heat and heartbeat. The love in “The Shapeshifter” is unique; it’s an affection never seen in memoirs, an alien love that could not possibly exist in the Zodiac Series. It’s a story that turns the impossible into the possible. Love makes people strong and persistent; Shu Sheng endures immense pain, even risking his life, to keep the promises he made; Su Ying, despite being labeled as mentally ill and isolated, firmly believes in the existence of the Merfolk. One can’t help but marvel at the greatness of love. In today’s fast-paced life, everything seems to have become very practical. What was once the purest and most noble love has now been tainted with worldly concerns, becoming utilitarian – houses, money, cars… in modern people’s hearts, many things can rank above love. The true love that breaks through all barriers in “The Shapeshifter,” does it still exist in real life? The saying “envy the mandarin ducks, not the immortals,” perhaps captures the essence of love.
News: Major Breakthrough in Shanghai’s Archaeological History – The Zhidan Yuan Site Ends the Legend of a Fishing Village
