Chapter 1: Do Not Go

While sitting in the car, I noticed Lin's sullen expression, and I knew she must be upset about being late. Therefore, I planned to drive a bit faster on the way, trying to make it in time for the gathering.

How can this be possible

After getting dressed neatly, I stood at the door reminding Lin to close the doors and windows properly. She impatiently replied that everything was already closed. Just as I was about to open the door, I noticed the gap in the peephole changing from black to white

I pointed to a glimmer on the windshield and said, "I have a dashcam here, you should leave quickly."

Hurry up and tidy up, it's almost time to gather. Lin, with a hair tie in her mouth, is currently combing her hair

Lin's expression seemed a bit unpleasant as she furrowed her brows and said, "I have already mentioned that we won't make it in time"

When I got out of the car, I instinctively turned back to glance at the wheels. There were clear tire tracks on the ground, and I could even smell the burnt rubber. What puzzled me was that around the tire tracks of my vehicle, there were several other tracks, all jumbled and chaotic, suggesting that similar incidents frequently occurred here

I curiously pressed my ear against the door, just about to listen if the cold noodles were still making a racket, when I was suddenly yanked by Lin, causing my whole body to nearly tilt over

I stood up and only then realized that I was in the living room, with only the blanket that I had just lifted on the sofa. I should have been sleeping in the bedroom, so how did I end up on the sofa

Oh?

Suddenly, I remembered the dream I just had. In the dream, I seemed to be in a room, and there was an office desk directly facing the door. I also saw someone, but because Lin called me just then, I woke up and couldn't remember what they looked like.

I turned back strangely to look at the window behind me, pulled back the curtains, and some lies were illuminated by the light coming in, yet there was nothing there

At this moment, I finally came to my senses. Indeed, it was yesterday when I was waiting for her to get her hair permed. She excitedly used her phone to search for nearby places to visit and even engaged in discussions about it, with the hairdresser who was dyeing her hair also joining in the conversation

I couldn't help but wonder if these drivers had lost their minds, and just then, I saw Lin already pulling that person down from the car as I directed her

Isn't it the case that we agreed to go out together? Why are there other people here?

Lin once again emphasized in a cold tone: "It can't be caught up with"

"What are you looking at me for? Didn't you promise to take a vacation and go out with me?" Lin spoke with a tone of expectation, yet there was not a trace of anticipation on her face

It must be said that wherever Lin is, the atmosphere is always pleasant, but her current appearance seems to be different from yesterday

I do not understand why Lin is so punctual. Although punctuality is a good habit, when it comes to outings, the meeting time inherently carries a certain tension. Arriving a little early or a little late does not make much of a difference. After all, when engaging in entertainment activities, one has to queue anyway, which merely wastes time.

Procrastination of time

I saw a small square ahead, so I looked for a parking space nearby. It used to be quite difficult to find parking in this area, but today I am truly fortunate to have found a spot all to myself, as if it were reserved just for me

A gentle voice reached my ears

After closing the door, I immediately could no longer hear the sound of the cold noodles. However, I had never realized that this old door had such good sound insulation. After all, this is the old house where I have been living since middle school, and it has been nearly fifteen years now. My parents sent me here to look after the house because no one else lives here.

Cannot go? You know where I am going, yet you tell me I cannot go. I find this somewhat amusing, like a scam.

"Lin, what time is it?" I was surprised to hear this woman instinctively say the name, and it caught me off guard when she spoke it.

I tried to touch the head of the cool skin, and only then did it slowly retract its movements. It sniffed me a couple of times, seemingly finding nothing unusual, and then turned its head and jumped down from me.

I turned my head in surprise to glance at the rearview mirror and found the person who had just staged the accident running after me, shouting something loudly. However, Lin leaned over and closed the car windows, then turned on the music

I looked at Lin in astonishment as she lifted the person and moved them aside, but this person still attempted to crawl over. Lin quickly urged me to get in the car and drive away, and then she swiftly entered the passenger seat herself

Finding a parking space in the most difficult spot is the luckiest thing for me as a driver, but after meeting the person I had arranged to play with, my heart sank a little

This concept is completely absent from my mind, as if it has been suddenly thrust upon me, forcing me to recall events from yesterday and even many days prior

"Pull him down and throw him by the roadside, we are leaving," Lin glanced at her watch and urged impatiently

Was there someone outside just now

Seeing Lin's actions, I hurried over to stop her, as such words would be difficult to explain clearly

Ah?

Creaking sound

I felt as if I had been awakened from a deep slumber, suddenly gaining consciousness, and then this voice came in, gently nudging my arm.

Leave

At that moment, a yellow and white cat jumped up onto me from below, its four paws resting on my stomach. It stretched its neck and continuously puffed its whiskers towards the top of my head, its fur standing on end, arching its back, as if to defend its territory against an intruder.

As I approached an intersection, I noticed that the green light was about to turn red with only three seconds remaining. I quickly pressed the accelerator, intending to take advantage of the yellow light's buffer time to cross the stop line. However, unexpectedly, a figure suddenly dashed out from the passenger side, prompting me to slam on the brakes

Long, Ningjing, Xiaotian, Shiyun, and Li Zhi all wore expressions of dissatisfaction on their faces, and they were all staring at me, as if my tardiness was the cause of their displeasure

That guy is definitely a habitual scammer, I don't know how many cars have suffered here, just as I was pondering this in my mind, I heard Lin's voice driving him away

I hurriedly opened the door, but there was not a single person outside, not even the sound of footsteps. However, at the very moment I opened the door, the cool skin suddenly darted out from the room, standing at the doorway, continuously emitting a growling sound from its throat, as if warning of something.

I could hear the sound of the wheels gripping the ground as the vehicle came to a stop, and I saw a person lying on the chassis cover, so I quickly got out of the car to check.

It seems that I just had a dream

"Nothing will happen, right?" I felt a bit uneasy, after all, from an outsider's perspective, it was not much different from a hit-and-run.

I saw the fleeting look of concern on Lin's face, and her furrowed brows instantly relaxed. However, I heard her let out a soft sigh, and then she seemed to put on a smile again, raising the corners of her mouth as she said: "It's already early morning; you can't sleep for such a long time even on a day off"

I stopped Lin and quickly apologized to this person, whose dry yellow hair was pressed against the chassis cover, with his face tightly against the car, refusing to lift his head or make a sound.

Lin was momentarily taken aback, her gaze fixed on me, as if she could discern the meaning of my words. After a while, she let out a soft laugh and confidently said, "What could possibly be the issue? We have a recording device; that guy suddenly rushed out, clearly intending to extort us."

This scared me badly; I had just woken up and had not provoked it. I quickly called out 'Liangpi', but it didn't even glance at me.

I sat up and rubbed my head, staring at Lin in front of me. Her chestnut long hair had just been dyed yesterday, and the sleepwear she was wrapped in accentuated her beautiful figure as she blinked her eyes at me

It seems that this person does not intend to leave anytime soon, so I directed the vehicles behind me to move to the adjacent lane to depart. However, there was no response from any of the vehicles, and even though this lane was empty, there were still later vehicles waiting at the end of the queue.

Then you also ... ... I glanced at my wrist that she had just pulled, which was already slightly red. That force I felt earlier seemed familiar, but I couldn't recall where I had experienced it before

Having finally seized the opportunity, I quickly got into the car and pressed the accelerator, speeding straight past the parking line. However, a heart-wrenching scream came from behind.

What are you doing? I looked at Lin, whose expression suddenly turned serious, in astonishment, not knowing where she had gotten such strength from just now

No matter how many kind words I say, this person just won't leave

I looked around, and the pedestrians continued to cross the road as usual. Behind my car, a long line of vehicles was already backed up, and there were no traffic police in sight. If this situation is not resolved soon, no one will be able to move.

It was only when I turned around that I noticed Lin had also gotten off the car, and she was pushing aside the disheveled person who was slumped over the chassis cover. This person stubbornly refused to leave, prompting Lin to angrily kick him twice.

Forget it, let's not worry about it, the time for the gathering is almost here. Lin pulled me out the door and then slammed it shut.

This cat is truly frightening. If it weren't for Lin bringing it back from the cold noodle shop, it would probably have starved to death in no time. Now, it is acting all high and mighty in front of me, eating to its heart's content, and it even dares to step on me.

Cannot go

Wait a moment, here... I suddenly feel that something is not quite right here

Why am I sleeping on the sofa? I can't seem to remember...

I opened my eyes and vaguely saw a figure beside me. After rubbing my eyes, I could clearly see that it was a woman standing next to me, slightly bending her knees and leaning forward, staring at me

Upon careful consideration, this scammer is quite peculiar; instead of pretending to be pitiful and asking for money, they actually said the words "cannot go." It feels as if they are ... ...

I knocked on my head and turned to glance at the sofa I slept on last night. I don't know if it was due to the lack of a pillow or a poor sleeping position, but I seem to have forgotten most of the previous events. I have never heard of someone becoming foolish from sleeping on a sofa.

However, no matter how Lin and I tried to soothe it, there was no change; it just stood at the door of the house, not taking a single step, nor leaving, making strange gurgling sounds right there.

Jian Lin spoke very convincingly, which reassured me a great deal, but I still felt that something was amiss.

The tone is very familiar, but this woman feels somewhat unfamiliar to me

"Hurry up and wash your face, how does it feel to sleep on the sofa at this late hour?" Lin propped her waist with one hand, looking quite displeased, yet her expression was rather indifferent.