Chapter 2: That Person

The dormitory doors of Jing Shu Lou were all fingerprint-locked.
Pushing the door open, she found the room pitch black.

All the other female dormitory buildings had four-person rooms, but Jing Shu Lou and the male residence, Junzi Lou, were unique in having two-person rooms.

However, there was no one in Xu Yin’s room.
The bedding on her roommate’s bed was neatly folded, the space empty and bare.

Servants had already arranged everything in the room for Xu Yin.
Since the lights were already out, Xu Yin used her phone’s flashlight, washed up, and then went to bed early.

Her roommate was still nowhere to be seen even as she climbed into bed.

Outside the window, shadows of trees swaying in the wind were cast upon the white wall, indistinct and wavering.

Just as Xu Yin was about to fall asleep, she heard a faint rustling sound by the door.

The room door was gently pushed open, and light footsteps entered.

It was as if the person wasn’t wearing shoes, as if they were tiptoeing, coming to the side of Xu Yin’s bed and stopping…

The person didn’t move; they remained completely still.

Even with her eyes closed, Xu Yin could feel someone was close, someone was watching her…

She thought of what that girl had said about it being “haunted.”

Xu Yin wanted to see for herself what was so fishy about this dorm room, and what kind of “ghost” was haunting it.

The next second, she opened her eyes.

A female “Sadako” in a white robe with disheveled hair was right there, face to face with her, their eyes meeting…

The female ghost’s cheeks were deathly pale, and her large, dark eyes looked as if they had been circled over and over with extremely heavy eyeshadow, appearing bizarre and unsettling.

She stood by Xu Yin’s bed, close to her face, and let out a strange, cackling sound.

Xu Yin didn’t panic.
Instead, she calmly watched her for a while and noticed that she seemed to have… no intention of stopping.

So she took out her phone, opened the video recorder, and pointed the camera at the female Sadako’s face.

She pressed record…

The female Sadako couldn’t continue her performance.
She stopped, looking at Xu Yin, at a loss.

“Don’t stop, continue.” Xu Yin commented, “Your special effects makeup is actually quite good.”

The female Sadako stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

Outside the door, there was a rustling sound.

It seemed someone was eavesdropping.

Xu Yin got out of bed, placed a finger to her lips, and let out a soft “shhh.”

The female Sadako cooperatively covered her mouth, staring at her without a word.

Xu Yin walked to the door, turned her phone’s volume to the maximum, and found the most-viewed horror video on a video-sharing site.

She aimed the camera at the peephole the dorm supervisor usually used for room checks.

She clicked play.
A ghost’s head suddenly appeared at the peephole, and a sharp, ghostly scream pierced the eardrums.

“Ah!!!!”

The girls’ screams echoed through the building.

Xu Yin opened the dorm door and saw the backs of several girls fleeing in panic, among them the girl from the Student Union who had warned her that the dorm was “haunted.”

Soon, the dorm supervisor was attracted by the commotion and came up to ask about the situation.

Xu Yin calmly told the Auntie: “I’m sorry, Auntie, I had a nightmare. I was a bit loud.”

The Auntie gave her a suspicious look, then glanced at the “female Sadako” inside the room, who was standing with her head down, not saying a word.

She knew exactly what had happened.

But having been a dorm supervisor in Jing Shu Lou for so many years, she knew full well what kind of demons and monsters resided in this building.

They were all people she couldn’t afford to offend.

Usually, she turned a blind eye and let things pass.
If it was reported to the school, the one who would ultimately suffer… would probably be herself.

The dorm supervisor simply reminded her: “Don’t make noise at night, and don’t disturb the other students’ rest.”

“Okay, I won’t. Sorry to trouble you, ma’am.”

The dorm supervisor couldn’t help but take another look at her.
Her features were gentle and obedient, yet her eyes were clear and clever…

It was rare for a student to remain so calm and composed, seeking to quell the matter after being bullied.

This girl was truly not simple.

After the dorm supervisor left, Xu Yin returned to her room and looked at the “Sadako” girl standing before her, meek and at a loss.

“I-I’m sorry, they forced me to do this.”

Perhaps sensing Xu Yin’s formidable aura, “Sadako” instantly groveled.
“I didn’t mean to scare you, but if I didn’t do it, they… they would…”

“Go wash your face. You look really scary like this,” Xu Yin said.
“We can talk about whatever it is later.”

The girl, like a wooden puppet, walked stiffly into the bathroom and turned on the faucet, splashing water on her face.

Xu Yin grabbed some makeup remover oil and leaned against the bathroom doorway, watching the girl frantically scrub her face.
“Your special effects makeup is hard to wash off. If you don’t have makeup remover, you can use mine.”

The girl paused, turning to look at her in surprise.

Water dripped down from the strands of her hair…

Xu Yin skillfully soaked a disposable face towel with the makeup remover oil and helped the girl wipe away the thick foundation and black eyeshadow on her face.

Soon, the girl’s fresh face was revealed.

She stared with wide eyes, looking at Xu Yin up close as she helped her remove her makeup.

“Qi Youwei, if they make you do this kind of thing again, remember to tell me.”

“You… how do you know my name?”

“During registration and dorm assignment, your dorm room happened to have an empty bed. I saw your name.”

“Oh… so that’s how…”

In the faint glow of the streetlight outside the window, Qi Youwei stared at Xu Yin’s face, feeling a sense of daze.
“Have I… seen you somewhere before?”

Xu Yin smiled.
“Impossible. I grew up in Shanbang.”

“Shanbang, that’s very far, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it’s very far from here, over by the Golden Triangle.”

“You speak Chinese really well.”

“I had a very professional Chinese teacher.”

“Oh, you sound like a native, and you even have an Ao Gang Wan accent.”

“Is that so.”

Qi Youwei shrugged, not suspecting anything.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries.
Xu Yin returned to her bed, and soon after, Qi Youwei, having washed up, also climbed into the adjacent bed.

“Who were those girls just now?” Xu Yin asked curiously.

“The leader is called Chi Huanyi. Those few, they… they’re all part of Su Wan’an’s sisterhood.”

At the mention of “Su Wan’an,” Qi Youwei shivered.
“It’s probably because the people who brought your luggage earlier made such a grand entrance. Even Su Wan’an didn’t have that much pomp when she arrived at school, so she’s a bit… displeased with you.”

“Have they bullied you before?” Xu Yin asked.

In the darkness, Qi Youwei was silent for a long time, then nodded and let out a soft “Mmm.”

“For no reason?”

After a very long time, Qi Youwei finally gritted her teeth and said three words: “There is… a reason.”

“What is it?”

“Su Wan’an… hates me.”

Qi Youwei trembled, biting the back of her hand, unwilling to say another word.
Xu Yin didn’t press further.

The next morning, she went downstairs for her morning run as usual, a fitness habit she had maintained for many years.

She woke up at six every day, whether it was a weekend or a weekday.

Her self-discipline was terrifying.

Not long after she left, several girls called Qi Youwei out, among them the leader from last night… Chi Huanyi.

As soon as she saw them, Qi Youwei subconsciously shrank back and repeatedly apologized: “She’s not afraid of ghosts, I… I couldn’t scare her at all.”

“It’s because you’re too stupid.” Liu Hui forcefully smacked her on the head.
“You stupid pig! You can’t even handle something so simple!”

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry.” Qi Youwei didn’t dare to look at them, dodging backward repeatedly.

“Alright, what’s the use of picking on her.” Chi Huanyi walked over and pulled Liu Hui away.
“That girl, you can tell she’s not to be trifled with.”

“We made such fools of ourselves last night, we can’t just let it go!” Liu Hui tried to step forward again, viciously pulling at Qi Youwei’s hair.
“If we can’t get her, can’t we still get this stupid pig?”

Qi Youwei quickly covered her face, dodging away.

“You need to know, the only reason you can stay at Pu Jing, stay in Jing Shu Lou, is all thanks to Su Wan’an. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll do things for her properly.”

Hearing this, Qi Youwei’s eyes filled with humiliation…

Chi Huanyi pulled Liu Hui away, took out a small plastic bag from her purse, and inside the bag was a small white pill.
“I’ll give you one last chance. Put this in her cup.”

Qi Youwei was startled.
“What… what is this?!”

“Don’t worry, it won’t kill her. It’s just a laxative.” Chi Huanyi’s eyes held a hint of mockery.
“There’s a big event today. Shouldn’t we let her properly… ‘meet’ all our schoolmates?”

At seven o’clock, Xu Yin returned from her morning run.
Qi Youwei turned to look at her.

Her hair was tied in a neat ponytail, her fair cheeks flushed with a healthy pink.
It was too dark to see clearly last night, but she never expected her to be… so beautiful!

Seeing her staring blankly, Xu Yin smiled slightly.
“Don’t you recognize me?”

“You’re… really good-looking!”

Although Pu Jing High School had an endless stream of pretty girls, she… still gave people a certain feeling of being refreshingly stunning.

Moreover, Qi Youwei felt that she and Su Wan’an… actually had some resemblance in their features.

Su Wan’an was already considered the school belle of Pu Jing High, but compared to her, Su Wan’an seemed to be lacking something.

While her thoughts were running wild, Xu Yin had already gone to the bathroom to take a shower.

Qi Youwei’s gaze fell on the water cup placed on the desk…

Twenty minutes later, Xu Yin came out of the bathroom and said to her, “The officer from the Student Union just called me.”

“What… what did they say?” Qi Youwei was visibly nervous.

“They said there’s an important handover ceremony this afternoon.” Xu Yin said casually as she dried her hair.
“They asked me to be an attendant and carry the tray on stage.”

“What? They… asked you?”

“Mmm.”

“Because Liu Hui is on the etiquette team. For important occasions like this, she’s usually the one who goes.” Qi Youwei asked worriedly, “Did you agree?”

“I did.” Xu Yin looked in the mirror, applied some face cream, and curiously asked Qi Youwei, “They didn’t explain clearly on the phone, what is a handover ceremony?”

“It’s the Student Union president handover.” Qi Youwei walked over and explained to her, “The previous senior year president has graduated, so a second-year officer will take over. For every handover ceremony, there’s a badge handover ceremony. All the students in the school will attend, and school leaders will be there too. It’s very grand.”

“So, I’m going to pin the badge on the new president?”

“What are you thinking, how is that possible!” Qi Youwei waved her hands repeatedly.
“For the inauguration of this new president, the person pinning his badge has already been decided. It’s Su Wan’an. You’re just going on stage to carry the badge tray and hand it to her.”

Xu Yin understood.

So, she had been arranged to be a handmaiden for the great Miss Su Wan’an.

“I hear I offended her last night?” Xu Yin said nonchalantly.

Qi Youwei, however, shivered, not quite daring to tell the truth—

“A-Actually, it’s not that bad. She’s a lady from a noble family, a well-bred young woman. Usually… she won’t actively look for trouble.”

Qi Youwei kindly reminded her, “As long as… you stay far away from that person, you’ll be fine.”

“That person?”

“The new president of the Student Union—Duan Sili.”

This was the first time Xu Yin had heard this name.
It rolled smoothly off her tongue.

“So, he’s Su Wan’an’s boyfriend?”

“Not yet, but their two families have already reached an agreement for a marriage alliance.”

Perhaps out of guilt, Qi Youwei kindly told her, “Duan Sili is the best-looking boy in our school. His grandmother is Russian, so he’s one-quarter White Russian. He’s very handsome, and the Duan family in Ao Gang Wan… is immensely powerful.”

She swallowed.
“All the girls in the school like him, but he doesn’t seem to care for anyone, including Su Wan’an, whom he treats with indifference. He’s very hard to get. Most of the time, he and his group of boys just hang out by themselves. But if you get too close to him, Su Wan’an will definitely come after you. Duan Sili won’t interfere in girls’ affairs, and no one will be able to help you. So, you must, must, must… stay away from him.”

“If I have to be an attendant at the handover ceremony, won’t I see him?”

“My advice is… turn down this event! Don’t go! Really, don’t go!”

Qi Youwei’s gaze once again fell on the pink and purple gradient thermos cup by Xu Yin’s hand.
“If you really provoke Su Wan’an, you can forget about graduating peacefully!”

“Is she that powerful?”

“You don’t know yet. In all of Ao Gang Wan, the Su family is second only to the Duan family.”

“That I know.” Xu Yin’s fingertip traced the raised pattern on the surface of the gradient thermos.
She said slowly, “I also know that ten years ago, the Su family was the wealthiest in Ao Gang Wan. Later, they gradually declined, falling to the point where they now have to lick the Duan family’s boots…”

At the mention of this, a trace of indescribable sadness appeared on Qi Youwei’s face.
“Yes, Su Wan’an’s father was not originally qualified to take over. The head of the Su family was someone else. If it weren’t for that accident, she would never have been able to climb so high. You have to know, ten years ago, in front of that girl, Su Wan’an… was absolutely nothing…”

As soon as these words were out, it was as if she had touched upon some unspeakable forbidden zone.

Qi Youwei quickly stopped herself, looking suspiciously at Xu Yin.
“Aren’t you from Shanbang? How would you know about the Su family’s affairs from ten years ago?”

Xu Yin smiled calmly.
“My dad is a businessman too. I heard it from him.”

“Anyway, just stay away from Su Wan’an… oh no, stay far away from Duan Sili, and you’ll be fine!”

“Don’t worry, I won’t talk to him.”

Xu Yin nonchalantly picked up the cup, opened the lid, and tilted her head back to drink.

Qi Youwei’s heart pounded violently.
Her breathing was about to stop.