After receiving “instruction” from Teacher Chen, Li Nan had come to terms with things. Perhaps what he and Zhao Mingyue needed wasn’t some grand, earth-shattering process, but merely a result.
In other words, whether Zhao Mingyue’s heart belonged to him or not wasn’t important.
He only needed to possess Zhao Mingyue herself. That was perfectly sufficient.
He only liked her body, wasn’t that right?
Rather than striving in vain, it was better to be forceful, to be direct, to seize her body and occupy her soul.
Anyway, he wasn’t the person he used to be. What money couldn’t accomplish, a different path now could.
On the sidewalk, Zhao Mingyue and Lu Liangting didn’t notice Li Nan behind them. After a long silence, Lu Liangting suddenly spoke. “Mingyue, I know some things shouldn’t be asked. Everyone has their own secrets.”
“You want to ask why I was on the fifth floor that night, don’t you?” Zhao Mingyue didn’t mind. A breeze blew by, and she casually tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear before continuing softly, “Actually, even if I don’t say it, you already know in your heart. It’s exactly what you think.”
“Is that so…” Lu Liangting remained silent for a long time, watching the passing traffic.
There weren’t many cars on the roadside, and to their right was a clear river. With green grass and weeping willows lining the bank, the scenery was quite pleasant. In such an environment, a young man and woman walking side by side should have reeked of budding romance. Unfortunately, there was over a meter’s distance between them, and their behavior wasn’t intimate at all.
Their conversation wasn’t even the cheerful, laughing kind, and the atmosphere was slightly strained.
Lu Liangting kept his eyes lowered, his mind heavy with worries.
Just as Zhao Mingyue said, some questions didn’t need to be asked. Understanding in one’s heart was enough. They were both on the same path. The reason he went to the fifth floor of Sunshine Apartment was the same reason Zhao Mingyue went there.
Their quests might even be identical. The only difference was that Zhao Mingyue already lived there.
As for other things, like warning her to be careful or to watch out for those ghostly monsters, those were also unnecessary to say.
Since Zhao Mingyue had voluntarily participated in the quest, she must already know these things.
“These quests are very dangerous. Life-threatening.” Lu Liangting’s eyes were downcast as he sighed softly. “The reason I didn’t contact you after I left was because of this. When I went to Sunshine Apartment, I went with my little sister. You met her at the shop that time.”
“Oh, that person. I know her. What about it?”
“She died. Died right in that building.”
“She died… I… I’m sorry.” Zhao Mingyue was startled. She had met Xia Han, a rather peculiar girl.
“It’s fine. Xia Han’s incident there was largely my fault. I didn’t take good care of her. I’m telling you this only to say: be extremely careful. This isn’t a game.”
At the fork in the road, Lu Liangting stopped. “This is where I get off. You go on to the convenience store first. See you this afternoon.”
“Mm, take care.”
“Take care.”
With a wave, Zhao Mingyue turned and left. After walking about fifty steps, she deliberately looked back and found that Lu Liangting was indeed heading in the direction of Sunshine Apartment. He really meant what he said; he planned to investigate Sunshine Apartment again to search for Bai Yu’s whereabouts.
“He really went. He really cares about you that much, Little Sister Yu. It’s the first time I’ve seen someone so fixated on a ghost.”
Taking out the rabbit doll and gently stroking its head, Zhao Mingyue sighed with emotion.
It would be a lie to say she wasn’t moved. Everyone knew that any living person would try to stay as far away from ghostly monsters as possible, except for those who were mentally unstable.
Someone like Lu Liangting, who knew the Ghost Building was dangerous yet still insisted on going there just to find a female ghost—Zhao Mingyue had truly never seen anything like it.
If he were looking for a male ghost, that would be one thing, but he was specifically looking for a female ghost, a very beautiful, very pretty little-sister-type female ghost. It was hard not to suspect his motives.
“Hey, that person looks a bit like Li Nan. The back view is similar.”
Lu Liangting had already gone far, and Zhao Mingyue seemed to spot Li Nan on the opposite side of the road. However, this person had his back to her, looking in Lu Liangting’s direction, so she couldn’t be sure.
“Never mind, I should hurry.”
She still remembered how Li Nan had stared at her for four entire class periods that morning. Those eyes were still deeply imprinted in her memory.
Just imagine: you think your deskmate is sleeping, but the moment you glance back at him, you discover he’s not sleeping at all. Instead, he’s staring fixedly at you from the gap between his arms with bloodshot eyes, without so much as blinking.
And then, whenever you try to talk to him, he only repeats one sentence: “Don’t leave after school at noon. I have something to tell you.”
Who wouldn’t be scared by that?
Arriving at the convenience store, Zhao Mingyue pushed open the glass door as usual.
The wind chime hanging in the store obligingly swayed, swinging a full five times before coming to a steady stop.
After greeting the Store Manager, Zhao Mingyue sat down. She opened the lunch box Lu Liangting had given her. It was extraordinarily lavish, filled with food Zhao Mingyue usually wouldn’t even dare to dream about.
But just looking at the two slices of ham on top, arranged in a heart shape, naturally made her think of that maid sister who came to deliver the lunch box.
“Mm… I don’t know why, but I suddenly feel a bit guilty. The relationship between Lu Liangting and that sister really doesn’t seem ordinary. Is it really okay for me to hog someone else’s lovingly made lunch every day like this?”
As she spoke, she placed the rabbit doll on the table, adjusting its head position so it could see the food inside the lunch box perfectly.
“I never knew before that Lu Liangting had such a beautiful maid sister behind him. Forgive me for eating his lunches for eighteen days straight. If that maid sister found out her lovingly made lunch was being eaten by me, she’d definitely be heartbroken, right?”
Zhao Mingyue muttered quietly. If Bai Yu hadn’t watched her pop half the heart-shaped ham slice into her mouth right after saying that, she might have actually believed her nonsense.
“I swear this will be the last meal. No matter how delicious it is, I won’t take any more!”
“Mmph mmph… what is this? It’s so good!”
“Ahem, tomorrow I’ll go tell Lu Liangting. I’m not that kind of person, right? I’ve been eating his food for free, and on top of that, making someone else sad—how bad would that be?”
A moment later, setting the thoroughly cleaned lunch box aside, Zhao Mingyue rubbed her little belly and scooped the rabbit doll into her arms with her other hand.
“Sister Yu, can you cook? Even if you can’t, could you just cook some rice for me and bring it over? I don’t want to eat instant noodles anymore.”
Holding Miss Rabbit with both hands, Zhao Mingyue lay on the table.
“I can.”
“Huh?” Hearing Bai Yu’s answer, Zhao Mingyue immediately sat up straight.
She had only been joking. Knowing Bai Yu’s temper, how could she possibly agree? It would be considered good if Bai Yu didn’t scold her.
“Really? What’s the price?”
“The price is that you will die. Just like Lu Liangting will, soon.”
“Then forget it. Wait… Lu Liangting is going to die??”
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