Chapter 5

Song Yuhuan looked around. The tightly packed portraits seemed to stare at her from every direction, and the bright light overhead had taken on a dim, ominous cast.

She worked up the nerve to feel along the walls, searching for a hidden space.

There were so many questions she needed answered.

Was she the only person in this house?

It looked like the family had plenty of money. Where had it come from?

What were all the people in the pictures to one another?

She found no hidden space. There was solid wall behind every picture. But that made no sense. She’d studied the house from outside, and there had to be some space on the third floor. Unless whoever built it was crazy enough to fill the entire level in.

Taking down the pictures and putting them back was like lifting weights. Both her arms were sore and weak.

The pictures were incredibly heavy. Song Yuhuan took one apart, but there was nothing unusual about it: just a photograph and a frame. Most of the weight came from the frame. She ran her fingers over it. The material felt strange.

Frowning slightly, she hung it back up.

Song Yuhuan massaged her aching arms, then returned to the picture marked “3023.” She looked at the number again. The picture before it was “3020,” and the one before that was “3017.”

Every three years?

What year is it now?

Song Yuhuan went downstairs. The maid was still standing in the same spot, smiling at her.

She walked past her and went back to her room. “I’m going to take a bath.”

“I’ll get everything ready.”

Song Yuhuan went out onto the balcony. It was completely dark now. Looking out into the night, she couldn’t see a thing. The villa felt like an island cut off from the world.

No clues at all.

[Song Yuhuan: I think you should give me a hint.]

[Hint: I already gave you one.]

Song Yuhuan: ???

Her eyes flew wide open. She gripped the railing without thinking.

At last, a response!

[Song Yuhuan: When? Why did you bring me here? I’ve never done anything bad in my life!]

Song Yuhuan waited a few seconds, but there was no reply.

She felt her fists clench.

She hated people who spoke in riddles!

[Hint: I’ve been giving you hints for years.]

Song Yuhuan closed her eyes. Her fists clenched even harder.

She wanted to swear.

She was usually a very polite person, but right now she really wanted to swear.

[Song Yuhuan: You’re not going to say it was those dreams, are you?]

[Yes.]

Song Yuhuan laughed in disbelief.

When she was little, the things she saw in her dreams had only scared her. She hadn’t started recording them until she was old enough to write, and even then, she hadn’t known many characters, so her notes were incomplete.

And even if she had written them down, she hadn’t brought the notebooks with her. How was she supposed to remember every dream in detail? She didn’t have that good a memory!

[Song Yuhuan: I want to go home.]

[Once you successfully leave this world, you’ll go back.]

[Song Yuhuan: For good?]

[Not guaranteed.]

[Song Yuhuan: *]

The entity fell silent again.

Song Yuhuan leaned against the railing, frustrated.

Dreams, dreams, dreams.

She tried to recall any that might be connected.

Nothing came to mind!

Song Yuhuan bumped her head against the railing twice.

That morning, she’d been grateful to have slept without dreaming. Now she wished she could dream.

“Miss?”

The maid’s puzzled voice came from behind her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m irritated.” Song Yuhuan sighed and straightened up, entirely unembarrassed at being caught.

“Miss, the bath is ready. Would you like a massage?”

“No.” Song Yuhuan walked past her and went into the bathroom, shutting the door.

A hint was worse than no hint at all.

She’d filled several notebooks with her dreams over the years. Last year, she’d even typed them all into her computer. If only she’d reviewed them regularly.

Song Yuhuan leaned against the tub and stared at the ceiling.

A fall. Blood. A long hallway. Portraits all in the same pose. A third floor with no way in…

She couldn’t think of anything!

She felt like her resentment could take on a vengeful ghost.

When Song Yuhuan came out of the bathroom, her face was dark. She opened the door and jumped at the sight of the maid standing perfectly still right outside.

“What are you doing there?”

“Waiting in case you need me.”

Song Yuhuan glanced at her. The maid seemed a little strange, too. As she walked out, she asked casually, “How long have you been by my side?”

“Three years.”

“Three years?” Song Yuhuan stopped. She was starting to get suspicious of that number.

“Yes.”

“When did you come here?” Song Yuhuan asked.

The questions were risky, but she had no choice. She couldn’t make progress without taking a few risks.

“I don’t remember. It was a long time ago,” the maid replied quickly.

Song Yuhuan: …

So she was the one who’d arrived three years ago.

Were the people who lived here some kind of disposable resource?

Song Yuhuan’s heart gave a thump.

If a new owner arrived every three years, and she’d come here three years ago, then she might be in danger soon.

And… “a long time ago”?

The maid looked barely twenty.

How many years was “a long time”? Was she even human?

Remembering the bloodless body that had fallen, Song Yuhuan realized that this world might truly be abnormal.

She sat down on the sofa and turned her head to look at the maid standing beside her.

The maid wore the same gentle smile as always. Even the curve of her lips seemed unchanged. The yellow light from the lamp on the side table fell across her face.

Their eyes met.

The maid crouched beside the sofa. “Miss, you can tell me anything. I’ll find a way to help. My greatest wish is for you to be happy here.”

The maid spoke as though she were the real owner of the house.

Until now, Song Yuhuan had thought she was just an ordinary maid.

But now… How could a close attendant who’d stayed by the side of one “young lady” for so many years possibly be ordinary?

Song Yuhuan watched her quietly.

If she wanted to leave, the maid might be the key.

But… why would the maid help her?

The maid leaned closer and tucked a loose strand of Song Yuhuan’s hair behind her ear.

Song Yuhuan resisted the urge to pull away and let her do it.

She clearly saw the smile in the maid’s eyes grow a little warmer.

“When would you like to go to bed tonight?” The maid withdrew her hand and stood.

“In a little while. I’m bored. Isn’t there anything to do around here?”

The maid thought for a few seconds. “We could play chess.”

Song Yuhuan only knew Gomoku and Aeroplane Chess.

“What kind of chess do you think we should play?” she asked.

The maid studied her for a few seconds. “Gomoku?”

“Good suggestion.” Song Yuhuan nodded. “Go get it, then.”