Chapter 1
I am going to die
This is a Weibo post made by Zhou Chuan twenty minutes ago
Chuli picked up her phone and took a glance, only to realize that Comrade L, who had disappeared for most of the day, had responded to her earlier message filled with nervous ramblings from the morning interview around eight o'clock this evening
Initial Greeting : `` ... ... ''
Staring at the door for a long time, confirming that it would not be pushed open by a man with brown eyes, Chu Li raised his hand to wipe his forehead, drenched in cold sweat
The Disappeared Mr. L: Hello?
Take a shower
The initial greeting conceals a wild galloping of alpacas in my heart: is this a mixed, heavy-flavored dream interwoven with sleep paralysis, the supernatural, spring dreams, and human-animal interactions?
Initial Greeting : `` ... ... ''
Going to sleep, waiting for the interview results notification from the January Society tomorrow
The name "The Disappearing Mr. L" evokes a sense of impending demise
Order takeout
The first reaction to the initial greeting was: This person is so tall, could they be 1.9 meters?
The Disappeared Mr. L: Where is he?
When Chu Li collapsed onto the hotel bed, his brain was on the verge of complete shutdown. He placed his phone next to the pillow to charge and fell into a drowsy sleep...
This time, I have truly awakened
The following series of compliments includes phrases such as "You are so gentle, dear" "Oh my, is there really someone who disrespects you? QAQ What kind of bad person could that be?" "When encountering issues, one should reflect on oneself in advance; you are truly a refined gentleman, and you have already done very well"
What is the result of the interview, Mr. L who has disappeared
However, after he finished speaking, his smile faded away
It has once again transformed into a fox that is inherently aloof and proud
In the darkness, the fox's face seemed to be drawing closer, the sensation so vivid that Chuli almost believed it was real, causing her fur to nearly bristle with alarm—she struggled to widen her eyes, and just then, ... she suddenly noticed a change in the fox's face, its eyes transforming into human eyes with slightly upturned corners, its long mouth morphing into a prominent nose, and its thin lips curling into a mocking arc ...
I wish I could pull that person who always brings up the wrong topic out of the phone screen and give them a good beating
Upon seeing the character "鬼", the initial ceremony began to ache.
Ordering takeout
... ...
As he stepped out the door, he unexpectedly locked eyes with Chuli, and he was momentarily taken aback
What is this ruffian doing cursing at the publishing house for no reason
The Monkey's Water Army: You know that I study Chinese Language and Literature, so of course I went for an interview at a publishing house, the publishing house of my dreams since my youth... I just finished the interview and went to sleep at the hotel, I didn't have time to check QQ.
However, that moment of astonishment quickly faded. He glanced at the suitcase being pulled by Chuli behind her and at her somewhat disheveled hair and clothes from running to the interview earlier. It was unclear how he had positioned Chuli's identity in his mind—after a moment, a hint of mockery surfaced in his brown eyes. He curled his lips in a sarcastic smile, cast a sidelong glance at Chuli, and then withdrew his gaze, brushing past her with a face that was strikingly beautiful yet exuded an air of arrogance.
The Disappearing Mr. L: Have you ever considered that the hotel might actually be haunted, and even the ghosts are trying to prevent you from going to that soon-to-be-defunct Sima Publishing House?
The monkey summoned water army: I had a nightmare and was awakened by fear... coincidentally, I was staying in the last room, dreaming that the hotel was haunted, with a monster having a fox face touching my face
The initial greeting inevitably evokes a sense of emotion, as this is precisely the style that a proper literati should possess, isn't it? ... Even when angry, one expresses it with such elegance ...
Is it the author who will argue with the editor about the first print run
The fox lets out a low, light chuckle as if its prank has succeeded
Ah!
The Disappeared Mr. L: Which publisher?
She actually had that kind of dream about a fox she had only met once? ... The straightforward voice of Teacher Zhao Zhongxiang from "Animal World" naturally echoed in her mind BGM: Spring has arrived, everything is reviving, and the animals have finally entered the season of estrus they long for throughout the year
Initial Greeting : `` ... ... ''
While feeling angry, one cannot help but wonder if encountering such situations is due to one's own lack of effort, leading to such treatment
The heartbeat, unable to calm down for a long time, thumped as if it could leap out of her chest at any moment. With lingering fear, she glanced at the hotel room door not far away, tightly shut and locked... The pillow beneath her, slightly wrinkled from sleep... was exactly the same as in her dreams
Chuli suddenly sat up from the bed
After the fox left, Chuli also turned around and followed the fox out of the Yuanyue Society office building. However, the fox had long legs and walked quickly. When Chuli stood under the eaves of the building on the first floor, trying to use a mobile app to call a car to the hotel they had previously booked, the rain outside was hazy, and not a single hair of that fox could be seen.
Cold sweat "whoosh" flowed down, soaking the T-shirt on his body, and he felt completely stiff at the edge of the bed. At that moment, he only heard his heart thump once in his chest.
Chuli sent a message to Yuanyue Publishing, boasting about his interview experience, and after sending it, he was eagerly waiting for Mr. L to praise him for having the courage to interview at such a large publishing house. However, unexpectedly, Mr. L, who had previously responded quickly, suddenly fell silent for a long time for some unknown reason. Just as Chuli was about to ask if he had fallen asleep, his phone vibrated with a message notification, and Mr. L's reply was somewhat perplexing.
In the previous second, he was as furious as a lion whose territory had been invaded; in the next second, when he reined in his anger
... ...
In the office of "Starlight" magazine, it was unclear who was engaged in conversation, but at this moment, Chi Li was rendered immobile by a roar from someone. Stunned, she stood rooted to the spot, clutching her suitcase as if her feet had taken root. The next moment, she heard footsteps approaching from the office, her breath caught in her throat, and before she could even turn to flee the scene, the person had arrived at the doorway like a gust of wind.
Although she cannot be considered tall, this person is significantly taller than her—he is around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, with a straight nose and thin lips, and his eyebrows are like swords, giving him a very handsome appearance. However, his brown eyes, cold as ice due to the anger from a moment ago, seem to repel others from a thousand miles away. He is dressed in a black hoodie, jeans, and Martin boots, holding a black down jacket that he did not have time to put on.
She had no idea how long she had been asleep when she suddenly heard a "swishing" sound coming from beside her pillow, as if something was scratching at it. Chu Li, still groggy, opened her eyes and found a person squatting beside her pillow—a man dressed in a black hoodie and jeans. However, where his head should have been, there was a fox's head instead. Those fox-like eyes were now staring unblinkingly through the cat's eye at Chu Li on the bed.
It is very itchy
Initial Greeting : `` ... ... ''
Looking at Zhuochuan's Weibo, by the time she arrived at the hotel, Chuli had completely forgotten about that mean fox. This morning, she got up at 6:00 AM to catch a train to this city for an interview, and she didn't even have time to eat breakfast. Now, she feels tired, hungry, and a bit cold, and she has a nagging feeling that she might be coming down with a cold. At this moment, all she wants is something warm to fill her stomach and then to sleep; she has no energy left to think about anything else.
Took the room key card, entered the elevator, followed the room numbers to the end of the corridor, and swiped the card to open the door to the last room.
The Disappeared Mr. L: Yuan Yue Society
His voice was ambiguous, and the scorching breath brushed against one side of Chuli's cheek, making her feel as if that warmth could burn her cheek as well... He spoke while teasingly tracing Chuli's chin with his cool fingertips
The Disappeared Mr. L: Did you go for an interview? Where did you interview?
The Disappeared Mr. L: No, a fool like you can't be sold even if abducted; there is only abduction, not selling, which is quite pitiful
The vanished Mr. L, a few years ago due to certain circumstances that will be explained next time, became acquainted with a friend through an initial meeting. Over the years, the two have maintained a pure and friendly online relationship without phone calls, flirtation, or long-distance gifts.
The Vanished Mr. L: ... ... Is this a nightmare? This must be a spring dream
In the darkness, Chuli could not clearly see his exact appearance; she could only sense that he lowered his body, drawing closer to her with excessive intimacy—until his lips were almost touching hers, he finally showed mercy and stopped, leaning down to smile at her, gently saying: "Let me give you a piece of advice, no matter where you want to go, it is better not to go, as it will never be a good place."
The missing Mr. L: I have arrived, but I had something to attend to in the afternoon and went out
... ...
Perhaps I really need to continue and strive harder in order to earn the respect of others that I desire
Initial Greeting : `` ... ... ''
In approximately three hours, around 11:20 PM.
Very familiar
With trembling hands, she picked up the bottle of mineral water from the bedside and took a sip. The cool water slid down her throat, cooling her insides, and only then did she slightly regain her composure. Chuli glanced at the time on her phone, which had just struck midnight. The screen displayed several unread messages on Q...
The Disappeared Mr. L: I didn't reply for just a moment, and you got angry and blocked me, didn't you?
The two individuals unexpectedly ran into each other
This person
In that moment, Chuli suddenly saw clearly: it was indeed a very handsome face, with brown eyes, yet the expression between the brows and eyes was indifferent and as plain as water
I did not expect Mr. L to still be here, and he immediately responded.
... probably did not expect that there was still someone standing in the corridor
I owe you money
The Disappeared Mr. L: Was He Abducted?
... ...
The Vanished Mr. L: If it's not sleep, then is a ghost talking to me now
The breath of the fox was right beside her ear, huffing and puffing, and Chu Li could even feel the hot breath from its nostrils brushing against her earlobe... The sensation was so vivid that Chu Li wanted to scream, yet no sound escaped her lips. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as the fox raised its long, pale fingers, which belonged to a human male, and gently brushed her earlobe.
The monkey's summoned water army: Get lost. You ask which publisher does what, but even if I told you, you wouldn't know. It's that Yuan Yue Publishing House—did you ever read "The Little Prince" when you were a child? It was published by Yuan Yue.
Lost in thought, Chu Li took a taxi to the hotel. Unable to resist, she checked the Weibo of the renowned author Chao Chuan, whose key points had been highlighted on the blackboard by the editorial department, to calm her nerves.
Zhou Chuan: Encountered something very unpleasant