The sun was setting outside the window as school was drawing to a close.
The students had left their classrooms, grabbing their backpacks and books or other belongings from their lockers to bring home, getting ready for the upcoming break.
The classmates dispersed cheerfully as if they were on holiday, grabbing their stuff and immediately going off to have fun since they were numb after two days of exams.
After the exams ended, Yan Xi was called by Peng Haiyang to process some paperwork for the transfer students. After she finished her own paperwork, most of the students had already left and the floor was empty. She opened her locker.
"Ka-cha."
A dark red liquid instantly flowed out, staining Yan Xi's hands. Even the ceramic tiles on the floor were speckled.
The red liquid started pouring out from the locker. A dark red doll was placed in the middle of the locker.
Yan Xi used two fingers to fish out the blood-colored doll. Even though she was very careful, some of the liquid still splashed onto her face and body.
It was a doll covered in an unknown bloody liquid with fox-like eyes and a white resin body. The doll's features were exquisitely beautiful.
"This doll looks a little like you."
"No, I think it looks more like you."
"..."
The doll was wearing a lace maid outfit on its upper body. Inside the pocket of the maid outfit was an out-of-place piece of parchment.
Yan Xi took out the parchment and unfolded it.
I've been watching you, baby...
The words on the parchment ended abruptly there, as if something sinister had been observing from the shadows, rotting and festering.
"Wow, this gentleman's love letter is so outstanding. Is he a living surveillance camera?" Pandora wondered.
"..."
The handwriting was clear, looking as if it was written when the author was in a sound state of mind.
Yan Xi pinched the doll in her slender, bony fingers and chuckled softly, getting ready to toss it away.
"Yan Xi...Yan..." A male voice suddenly came from behind.
Yan Xi turned around and saw a short, fat guy standing behind her with a sticky gaze that wandered over every inch of her skin.
Huh?
She didn't recognize him.
Her jet black hair cascaded at the sides of her exquisitely beautiful face. The beauty's eyes held a trace of surprise at the other's sudden appearance and a hint of disorientation.
"You can...you can...become my girlfriend?" The fat guy was stunned by her beauty.
"This gentleman doesn't seem quite normal, darling." Pandora remarked.
"I want to focus on studying well." Yan Xi politely declined. Her left hand tossed the abnormal doll into the trash can while her eyes were fixed warily on the person in front of her, who had an abnormal look on his face.
"No, you can't reject me!" The fat guy suddenly charged at her like a madman.
A dagger that had been hidden suddenly revealed itself as the fat guy brandished it.
"You can't reject me!" The fat guy roared. The shout echoed throughout the hallway.
The girl was stunned by the other's actions and hurried to evade.
The fat guy rushed forward another step, swinging his dagger at Yan Xi's face, neck, and chest.
Take a deep breath, dear.
Yan Xi's body shuddered involuntarily and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Her entire being was trembling.
Seeing this, the madness in the other's eyes grew.
Really...
Really...
He's gone mad...
A flash of disgust went through Yan Xi's eyes, but deep down her heart was beating differently.
Underneath this exterior, her heart was racing and her breathing growing uneven. The calm she had suppressed these past days was giving way to a strange excitement rising up within her.
What kind of expression should she show to seem normal?
A smile?
Sadness?
Or what?
"Do you need to adjust your body metrics, baby?~" Pandora asked, afraid Yan Xi wouldn't be able to take it and would die on the spot, which would be troublesome since it would have to find someone new.
"Don't call me that. I'm fine for now." Goosebumps rose on Yan Xi.
The girl watched the swinging knife in terror and screamed as she fled.
"Is anyone there! Help me!" The girl cried as she ran, trembling like a lamb.
The girl ran till she was out of breath with messy, chaotic steps.
Her beautiful face no longer held its composure. Her hair was disheveled, tears and the unknown red liquid stained her face and body, making her look miserable.
The fat guy closely pursued her from behind, brandishing the silver dagger.
There was a turn up ahead.
Run faster! Run!
Yan Xi's breathing grew urgent. She wanted to speed up to shake off the madman behind her.
Suddenly everything went dark before Yan Xi's eyes as she collided into something, getting fully embraced.
"Let me go! Let me go!"
The girl panicked and pushed with all her might against the person in front of her. In her terrified state, everything that got near was seen as a threat.
"It's me, Tu Qingluan!" Tu Qingluan firmly held her. He had appeared in this hallway somehow without her noticing.
"Save me! Save me..." Hearing his name, the girl realized who it was. She saw him as her savior and clung on, but before she could finish speaking, the fat guy had caught up to them.
"Ah!" The girl closed her eyes and screamed. Suddenly she was pulled to the left and felt a gust of wind on her back.
The expected attack didn't land.
The moment the girl started opening her eyes, she heard the fat guy's wails of pain.
She quickly turned her head to see the fat guy curled up on the ground clutching his stomach. His dagger had also been knocked away.
Tu Qingluan had rushed up and fiercely kicked the fat guy in the stomach. The strength was so great that the other couldn't even crawl up.
"Holy shit!"
"Qingluan, what happened?"
"So badass, bro!"
Yan Xi realized that aside from Tu Qingluan, there were others who had been around the corner.
Tu Qingluan's buddies were also dumbfounded, suddenly a girl rushed out, then a fat guy with a knife appeared, and then their brother's crowning moment.
"What a parade of spectators, popping up like seedlings being transplanted." Pandora continued.
"Are you okay?" Tu Qingluan looked at the still trembling girl with concern.
"I'm...fine." Yan Xi's tear trails hadn't faded away yet. Her whole being still hadn't recovered from the shock, and her face still held lingering terror.
Tu Qingluan's buddies now noticed the girl in front of them.
The girl's eyes were rimmed red, her exquisite face speckled with droplets of red liquid. Her uniform was disheveled and she couldn't stop shaking, like a lost child.
So helpless yet heartbreakingly pitiful.
Tu Qingluan suddenly hugged Yan Xi, blocking her from the others' sight.
"What are you doing!" Yan Xi struggled in response.
"Don't push me away, I'm hurt so bad...when you bumped into me just now I got injured. My chest still hurts where you hit it. Xi Xi." Tu Qingluan suddenly softened his tone and exaggerated his pain.
Hearing this, guilt arose in the girl and she didn't dare to move anymore.
Seeing this scene, the fat guy who was still rolling violently on the ground was provoked and started swearing vulgarly.
"Do me a favor, bros! I'll treat you and my wife to a meal later!" Tu Qingluan hugged Yan Xi while winking at his buddies behind to deal with the fat guy.
Coming to their senses, those guys guessed what had happened from the conversation. They understood Tu Qingluan's implied meaning.
The boys quickly dragged the fat guy away, but one or two still couldn't help sneaking glances back. All they could see was the beauty tightly embraced in the guy's arms with just a small glimpse of fair, tender neck flesh visible amidst her lush dark hair, but it was enough to set their imaginations aflame.
"Have you hugged enough? Let me go!"
