Chapter 7 "Mind Your Own Business"

This is not normal

If it were just a group of thugs, he could muster the courage to at least call the police, but, but, there are clearly other things hidden in this house

Xu Xiangyang opened his eyes wide, looking at the meadow in front of the dilapidated house, where several backpacks lay quietly.

Let us still go...

He tried to pull again with all his strength, but the door remained completely immovable, as if it had already fused with the entire building

Are you home

Even if the homeroom teacher is not being dismissive, by the time the school can implement effective measures, it is likely to be too late

He kicked the door with one foot, and then forcefully slammed into it with his shoulder

He approached to take a closer look and discovered that one of them was Lin Xingjie. Opposite her stood several young men, none of whom were wearing school uniforms, making it unclear whether they were students. Each one appeared either menacing or grinning mischievously, giving off an unmistakable sense of ill intent. The girl maintained a guarded posture, holding something that glimmered in the sunlight. Although the situation seemed to be unfavorable, she showed no sign of retreat.

... ...

He ran his fingers through his hair, scratched his cheek, and clenched his teeth

Is it really the case? Upon calming down and reflecting, could it be that I have misunderstood? Lin Xingjie is originally the girlfriend of that leading boy; do they really need to engage in such actions? It is even possible that Lin Xingjie is the accomplice.

He took a few steps back, standing in front of the wall, gazing at the three-story building before him, his hands and feet beginning to tremble uncontrollably

The panicked cries abruptly ceased, as if the radio had been paused, unnaturally disappearing midway, as if devoured by some entity

In Xu Xiangyang's mind, his thoughts seemed frozen, making it impossible for him to move his legs.

To be honest, although Xu Xiangyang is still a student, he knows that this does not sound like a very good solution

Then, Xu Xiangyang noticed a few figures swaying near the school gate

He recalled the awkwardness that had occurred between him and the young lady a few days ago, feeling quite hesitant within. ... However, he believed that this time he had indeed helped her, and expressing a bit of concern should be harmless, right? ... Thus, he couldn't help but ask a question:

However, after a considerable amount of time, he realized that he was squatting in place without moving

He stood alone on the stage, listening to the class teacher below using him as a role model to encourage others. In what should have been a joyful occasion, he began to lose focus.

He raised his head and saw that the second-floor window was still empty, which gave him a slight sense of relief. After taking a deep breath, the young man, who was desperately trying to calm himself, pressed his hand against the door and pushed inward with all his strength

He does not dare

The cries of more than one person, filled with anger or fear.

Several individuals gathered at the school gate turned their heads in unison

... ...

He gazed at the building, the second floor window was empty and dark, and he had not seen the old man without eyes again. The events of this morning resurfaced in his mind, vivid and clear, causing him to involuntarily shiver.

Most importantly, one is likely to be entangled with strange things! Some of the monsters from the horror stories he has heard can be dealt with, while others cannot, but the safest method is certainly to stay as far away from them as possible

This street usually has very few people, and by the time he really finds someone to come over, it is likely that...

There was no wind, and everything around was eerily quiet, yet Xu Xiangyang felt an uncontrollable chill spreading upwards from his feet.

Under the podium, Lin Xingjie’s seat is empty

When the security personnel and several teachers arrived, that group of individuals had already left, leaving only Lin Xingjie standing alone under the eaves, called back by the homeroom teacher

Xu Xiangyang did not hesitate and immediately ran towards the nearest teaching building to seek help from the teacher in the office

Xu Xiangyang withdrew his hand, only to realize that his palm was covered in sticky sweat

He heard the shouting coming from inside the house

He just lifted his foot and then put it down again, turning to look at the tightly locked wooden door

Lin Xingjie effortlessly carried her backpack on her back and strode towards the door with a certain elegance. Upon hearing this, she stopped in her tracks and turned her face to stare at him. The girl's eyes were obscured by her long, straight black hair, making it difficult to discern the emotions hidden within her pupils, and all that could be heard was her saying:

The ringtone has stopped

Are you alright

That dark, lifeless, and aged face seems to sway before me, the chilling impression lingering persistently

It is clearly visible from the outside that the lock on this door is broken, with a large hole on the inside, making it impossible to close properly

However, Xu Xiangyang cannot lie to himself

I do not wish to meddle in others' affairs; I only want to do what is right and what will not make my future self regret it

Recalling the matter of that girl made him feel even more compelled to face himself with honesty

In the future, do not meddle in others' affairs anymore

He swallowed hard, gathered his courage, and moved closer to the wall, squatting there to observe for a while

He only heard later that Lin Xingjie was called in to receive a disciplinary action during that class. She didn't even participate in the exam; instead, she got into a fight with someone outside of school, so this outcome is only to be expected

Xu Xiangyang took one last glance at the second floor. He was unsure if it was merely his illusion, but it seemed as though a certain vague and shadowy figure flashed by and disappeared. However, he no longer had the inclination to ponder it further

In the eyes of the youth, this old house, standing quietly, resembles a monster crouching by the roadside, ready to open its gaping maw at any moment, luring people to come closer, to be crushed and swallowed into its pitch-black, bottomless abyss

Open ... ... for me ! ''

Just now, he spoke with the class teacher about the incident he encountered by the roadside this morning—of course, excluding the ghost encounter. The teacher said they would report this to the grade leader and school authorities, reminding him to be more cautious during this period

When someone coldly mocks you, feeling that your good intentions are treated as if they were worthless, and feeling that you are putting your warm face against a cold backside, should you then abandon your own approach? This would only make it seem as if you care too much about others

Indeed, isn't it better to just not care?

Xu Xiangyang's inner courage seemed to vanish in an instant, and his body uncontrollably turned backward

Could it be that those few individuals' purpose is her

Just now, curiosity had overwhelmed fear, but when he actually arrived here, alarm bells rang in his heart, and he was so frightened that he could hardly breathe

Despite thinking "Don't go!" in his mind, his legs simply would not listen to him, and Xu Xiangyang once again arrived at the abandoned old house by the street.

... ...

Xu Xiangyang walked out of the office. Not far ahead was a flower bed, in the center of which stood a robust and tall Magnolia grandiflora, its layers of lush green leaves glistening, and the fragrance of the flowers was delightful and refreshing

The men surrounding Lin Xingjie slightly dispersed, not leaving immediately, clearly still harboring ulterior motives

After leaving the office, he felt that he still could not put his mind at ease. Xu Xiangyang wanted to do everything within his power to avoid future regrets

Certainly, considering that this place is indeed very strange, he might as well remind them to leave as soon as possible... ? ... But after all, why should he care about the lives of this group of people?

But just at that moment

One of the backpacks looks somewhat familiar, as it is something one might see during regular classes and library sessions

He knows that this is not realistic

On that day, the girl's voice once again clearly surfaced in his mind

Xu Xiangyang's mind was swirling with countless chaotic thoughts, and when he came to his senses, he was astonished to find that, he had unknowingly arrived at the door.

Mind your own business

... ... Huh, can't push it?

That afternoon, after the exam ended, Lin Xingjie walked into the classroom after coming out of the office. Everyone else looked at her with expressions of surprise, while the young girl seemed oblivious to their stares, walking to her seat, picking up her backpack, and preparing to leave

Xu Xiangyang noticed the bandage stuck to her arm after she rolled up her sleeves, as well as the bruise on one side of her cheek that had not faded, and couldn't help but frown

Indeed, no one else knows about this house.

Then, he threw his backpack aside and took a few steps back

Let's find someone else

Under the shade of the trees on the playground, there are one or two students holding books. He walked all the way to the front gate of the school, where there is no one by the spacious pool, only the occasional sound of vehicles passing by the entrance. Even the security guard is absent, probably off somewhere taking a break.

He instinctively realized that this was the doing of the house—it was as if it possessed a consciousness of its own, causing sounds to vanish within itself, wishing not to be noticed by anyone

Xu Xiangyang smacked his lips. A familiar sense of irritation and gloom surged within him, prompting him to stand up and prepare to step over the threshold

Striding forward with great strides, the wind howls past my ears, my heart beats "thump thump," blood surges wildly, and it seems as if distant drumbeats are echoing in my ears

Xu Xiangyang fell silent

However, he went around the school but could not find Lin Xingjie anywhere.

According to Xu Xiangyang's perspective, it would be best to expel those few troublemakers, as this would be the most effective way to address the interests of the students at our school

... ... ! ''

This scene made it immediately clear what had happened, and Xu Xiangyang, without a second thought, shouted loudly:

Xu Xiangyang pondered as he embarked on his journey home

This is different from standing by and watching someone die: both "haunted houses" and "ghosts" are not in accordance with common sense. If one were to actually enter, they might even be regarded as someone looking for trouble

Has someone entered?

Is Lin Xingjie here? What is she doing here

In fact, after that afternoon study session, other events occurred, a truly irreparable incident that plunged the relationship between the two into a freezing point

Should I report it to the police? He feels that what he heard is still too vague, but he can discuss it with his sister after returning home to see what she thinks

Hello, what are you all doing

After uttering this sentence, Lin Xingjie turned and left. Xu Xiangyang, who was left standing in place, felt his face flush with embarrassment, as if the gazes of his classmates around him were piercing like needles.

Xu Xiangyang opened his eyes wide in disbelief

The incident occurred during the examination period. During the lunch break, the students were all studying in the classroom, while Xu Xiangyang stepped out for a stroll to relax his mind

A week later, the results of the monthly exam were released. Xu Xiangyang's efforts had finally paid off. As a transfer student, he not only quickly caught up with the learning progress but also achieved second place in the grade in this exam, and naturally, he was called up to the stage by the homeroom teacher for commendation

No one will blame themselves for this, so why bother to create trouble for oneself

He mumbled to himself, stiffly taking a few steps forward, and suddenly stopped again

Just like at the school gate back then, he would speak up without hesitation to stop it; even if it were to happen again, he would still make the same choice

At that moment, a flash of inspiration struck Xu Xiangyang's mind, connecting the conversation he had heard in the morning with the rumors he had heard previously.