Chapter 45: Gu Nanqiu: Wait, Something’s Wrong?

Yue Yiyue woke up in the car.

A suit jacket still draped over her, carrying a comforting lavender scent.

A faint orange glow flickered dimly outside the car window, standing out prominently. Yue Yiyue struggled to focus her gaze. Looking out, she realized Sister Ye Qiu was smoking outside the car.

C City had just entered autumn and was not particularly cold. The woman wore a thin shirt, her expression calm, a slim cigarette dangling from her pale lips.

Her long jet-black hair draped casually over her shoulders. She leaned against a tree by the car, looking up at the sky, lost in thought about something.

Hearing the noise from the car, her dark eyes flicked over with an indescribable intensity.

She curved her index finger and tapped the glass lightly, then gestured downward with her slender hand, signaling Yue Yiyue to lower the window.

“There’s a thermos at your feet with some soup I packed for you. Drink it while it’s hot to fill your stomach. I’ll send you back later.”

“I got a bit bored waiting for you to wake up, so I had one. You don’t mind, right?” Sister Ye Qiu stepped back, extinguished the cigarette on a nearby trash can, and tossed it in.

She then took out a spray from her pocket, spritzed herself a few times, and leaned against the car to let the smell dissipate.

The air carried a faint strawberry scent, probably from the cigarette Sister Ye Qiu smoked. It was not unpleasant.

“Smoke less. It’s not good for your body.”

She couldn’t help reminding her.

“I don’t smoke much. Only when I’m particularly frustrated do I have one.” Sister Ye Qiu looked at Yue Yiyue and smiled lightly. “We meet again. Yesterday, Little Sister Yu Man said she’d treat you to a meal next time she’s free. She thinks you’re interesting and wants to hear your stories with… Gu Nanqiu.”

Yue Yiyue wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but Sister Ye Qiu seemed to emphasize it deliberately.

She was not narcissistic enough to think Sister Ye Qiu was interested in her.

She had just troubled her twice and felt a bit embarrassed.

“Got it. Thanks. So, why were you frustrated? Can you tell me?”

Sister Ye Qiu ruffled her hair and leaned against the car, looking up at the somewhat bleak moon.

“It’s nothing major. I’m just a bit tired. Luckily, I can rest tonight.” Sister Ye Qiu remained her calm and composed self.

But Yue Yiyue still caught the dark circles under Sister Ye Qiu’s eyes. They stood out on her jade-like face, leaving her haggard yet with a touch of yin-soft allure.

Perhaps she was tired from writing drafts.

Yue Yiyue thought.

She lifted the lid of the container. Inside was lotus root and pork rib soup with a decent flavor.

“Have you eaten?” Yue Yiyue held up the bowl.

“I have.”

After that, only the sound of Yue Yiyue drinking the soup remained.

Sister Ye Qiu occasionally glanced at Yue Yiyue sipping the soup in small mouthfuls, like a little dog—adorably so.

Half an hour later, Sister Ye Qiu dropped Yue Yiyue off at the entrance to the gated community.

““Sister Ye Qiu, wait a sec,” Yue Yiyue said hurriedly as she got out, then jogged to the supermarket.

Moments later, she returned hugging a pile of colorful snacks and vibrant candies.

Sister Ye Qiu looked at Yue Yiyue in some surprise, unsure what she was doing.

“This oolong tea perks you up. Drink it when you’re tired from writing. And these potato chips—you can munch on them while writing. They’re crunchy and make you happy.”

“These are mint candies, and these biscuits. If you want to smoke, try holding one of these in your mouth instead.”

Yue Yiyue panted as she explained to Sister Ye Qiu how to best enjoy each little snack, carefully instructing her. “There’s no fruit shop here. I’ll buy some for you next time. Sister Ye Qiu, I’ll treat you to dinner when I’m free in a few days. Thanks for the trouble today.”

“Mm, no problem.”

Sister Ye Qiu looked at those things she did not particularly like, but at that moment, she suddenly found them not so annoying.

————

Back home, she greeted Gu Nanqiu, and the two of them had a simple dinner together.

Yue Yiyue had expected Gu Nanqiu to ask why she was so late or where she’d been.

Nothing.

Tonight’s Gu Nanqiu was so quiet that it struck Yue Yiyue as a bit strange.

They ate dinner in silence, cleared the table in silence, and then Gu Nanqiu handed the dishes to Yue Yiyue before sitting back on the sofa, typing away at the computer.

Something was too off about Gu Nanqiu tonight. After glancing at her a moment longer, Yue Yiyue took the plates to the kitchen.

Yue Yiyue felt it was strange, but also thought this was more normal.

Perhaps Gu Nanqiu had grown up. Or something.

Running water gushed from the faucet, splashing the nearby plates that were already clean. In a daze, Yue Yiyue heard someone humming a song.

The voice was soft, muffled through the wall, not entirely clear, but definitely coming from just beyond it.

Suddenly, the water stopped. Yue Yiyue frowned at the faucet as the water stopped flowing.

Realizing something was wrong, her mind screamed for her to leave, but her body was pinned in place. She could only listen.

The voice was thin and sharp, standing out starkly in the empty kitchen.

“Little Doll, chasing the moon.”

“Catch it not, dig the heart.”

“Sis drinks blood, bro eats meat.”

“Little Doll, chasing the moon.”

Little Doll… chasing the moon… heart… blood.

Yue Yiyue’s pupils contracted, her eyelashes trembling slightly. Little Doll probably had no specific meaning—just a placeholder.

“Are you listening?”

“You’re listening.”

“They’ve got their eyes on you. You’ll come join us soon.”

“Wanna run? Can’t…”

“They’ll keep watching you forever and ever and ever and ever… watching, watching, watching…”

The voice from beyond the wall cut off abruptly.

“Yiyue, did you hear that voice just now?” Gu Nanqiu stood at the kitchen doorway, supporting herself on the doorframe. Her face was pale, her jet-black eyelashes trembling slightly with a hint of panic in her eyes.

“I kept hearing this voice at home today, but it seems like there’s something in the house, so they couldn’t come in.”

“Am I having problems?”

Her eyes conveyed innocence and confusion, as if she were truly fragile.

Yue Yiyue grumbled inwardly that if she were truly fragile, those things would have burst in and chased them down ages ago.

But it was fine if Gu Nanqiu wanted to hide some harmless little secrets.

For Gu Nanqiu, she could always find reasonable explanations for her actions.

Yue Yiyue dried her hands and put the plates away neatly. Finally, before the person at the door ran out of patience, she flashed an honest smile. “You’re not having problems. Something out there was just saying some interesting things.”

Yue Yiyue focused on Gu Nanqiu, placed her hand over Gu Nanqiu’s, and intertwined their fingers, feeling Gu Nanqiu’s body temperature slightly lower than her own. “Look how scared I made my Nanqiu.”

She led her out of the kitchen and sat on the sofa. Under the soft light, Yue Yiyue cooed to her as she used to soothe a Little Sister. “How about I hold you while we sleep tonight?”

When Yue Yiyue said “my,” her human heart fluttered inexplicably—like a bee tumbling into a honey barrel, drenched and dizzying.

She restrained her upturned lips and said somewhat coyly, “That’s not good.”

“I binge-watched TV all afternoon today to catch up. I think things between us like this aren’t quite appropriate.”

“Yiyue, I must have troubled you before, so I’ll be more careful.” Gu Nanqiu said this with utmost sincerity.

Yue Yiyue thought seriously, analyzing word by word. “Got it. You mean you want to sleep in the master bedroom. Understood…”

?

That night, Gu Nanqiu watched in disbelief as Yue Yiyue changed the bedsheets in the master bedroom in five minutes, moved over the plush toy she usually hugged while sleeping, and placed her favorite aromatherapy by the bedside.

She even thoughtfully spent twenty minutes cleaning every corner of the room.

Gu Nanqiu: ?

Yue Yiyue looked at the clean and tidy room and clapped her hands. “All done! Now you can get a good night’s sleep tonight!”

Gu Nanqiu: ??

Damn Sister Ye Qiu!!! What kind of rotten idea did she come up with!!!!!

————

The holiday ended in a flash, and Yue Yiyue threw herself back into her studies.

Except lately, she always felt like something was watching her while she slept.

Gu Ye looked at the spirited post-holiday Yue Yiyue and slid her milk tea over. “Looks like you had a nice break.”

“It was okay. I had a little treatment in the middle, and after that, I’ve felt like something’s different about me.” Yue Yiyue took out her book. She had to accompany Gu Nanqiu to class that afternoon, and tomorrow morning too.

Mm, cafeteria lunch then.

Gu Ye could tell from Yue Yiyue’s expression that she was thinking about Gu Nanqiu again. Somewhat unhappily, she leaned in. “By the way, Yiyue, have you heard about that Box Head going on a killing spree lately?”

“He’s been striking near the school. I’ve got reliable word from the grapevine—he’s a student here.”

She remembered eating those not-so-tasty snacks to gain power quickly back then. But now she held her own turf next to Yue Yiyue.

All in all, it was better than that woman still rushing about everywhere, or that fool trapped in that place, still tearing into each other out of jealousy.

She counted on her fingers. There were two more in slumber. Once they woke, the next step could begin.

And for now…

She would play the role of a proper NPC…

————

The information Gu Ye provided that morning left Yue Yiyue uneasy.

That Box Head was hiding in the School.

Was this in the original work?

Yue Yiyue had forgotten.

She had grown used to forgetting plot points from the Original Work.

After all, remembering everything would be unfair to the people of this world.

The Cafeteria was a bit far from Gu Nanqiu’s classroom.

Yue Yiyue confirmed Gu Nanqiu was almost at the classroom and headed toward the teaching building with a carton of milk.

Gu Nanqiu’s classroom was on the fourth floor, Classroom 401.

It was still early, and there were few people in the Teaching Building. Yue Yiyue walked briskly toward her destination.

“Nanqiu, I have something to tell you—”

Rounding a corner, Yue Yiyue heard Xie Ying’s voice.

Her voice trembled slightly, as if she had mustered her courage to come find Gu Nanqiu and speak.

Yue Yiyue instinctively stopped and waited for Xie Ying to continue.

“These next few days, don’t walk alone. That lunatic He Wu…”

“He’s off. If you see him lately, stay away. He’s off.”

Xie Ying tried to describe what she had seen, but in the end, no matter how she opened her mouth, no sound came out.

She grew anxious, her face turning deathly pale as she gestured frantically.

Finally, she vomited a mouthful of blood and used her last shred of sanity to say, “Run—away—”