Due to the suspicions surrounding Nie Shi from all aspects, Fang Chen also dared not to sleep.
The two individuals stared at each other, locked in a stalemate as they waited. Soon, the cries of cats and dogs gradually subsided. Fang Chen leaned against the sofa, his head gradually drooping. Just as he was about to fall asleep, the mournful cat cries started again. This time, it was different from before; the cries were continuous, with each one louder than the last.
Within those cries, Fang Chen sensed a hint of despair. Suddenly, memories of a younger version of himself and a kitten that took its last breath in his arms flashed in his mind, making him restless.
“Fang Chen?” Nie Shi tentatively called out to him.
Fang Chen snapped back to reality in an instant; tears filled his eyes yet again, streaming down with every blink.
What exactly had he forgotten…?
Nie Shi had already extended his hand halfway through the air but suddenly halted. Dropping his hand, he asked, “Are you okay?”
Fang Chen shook his head, leaning heavily on the sofa and closing his eyes.
…
“Fang Chen! You hit other kids again!”
The air carried an overwhelming scent of lilies.
“He started it first.” Little Fang Chen retorted, refusing to back down.
The elderly woman, with strands of grey hair evident on her head, seemed at a loss with him. She sighed deeply and uttered, “Go stand in the corridor as punishment.”
Someone was watching him from behind.
The scene shifted, and snowflakes began falling from the sky.
The icy cold air, the biting wind, and the tender voices of children.
“Nobody will want you!” That voice said. “You never listen and only know how to fight. Nobody will want you!”
The surrounding echoed with the children’s voices of agreement.
Little Fang Chen stood in the snow with a snowball clutched tightly in his hand, eyeing the boy who was leading the taunting.
The child continued, “You want to fight again? I’ll tell the director!”
Fang Chen felt cold—a bone-penetrating cold.
Someone held his hand from behind; its touch was cold. He turned around to discern the person’s identity, but their face remained a blur.
“Let’s go.” It was a very cold, indifferent voice, and he couldn’t draw any warmth from it. He tried to break away from the hands but was firmly held.
…Who are you?
Fang Chen leaned against the sofa and slept through the latter part of the night. When he woke up, the day had already brightened. The savoury aroma of fried rice permeating the air reached his nose. Massaging his sore neck, he got up to find Nie Shi had already set the table.
Fang Chen sat down at the dining table in a daze and took a few bites of the fried rice mixed with diced carrots and cucumbers.
Perhaps still not yet fully awakened, he felt a fleeting sensation of falling, and a part of his heart also seemed to be dragged out along with it. The sudden disorientation made him pause with his hand still holding on to the chopsticks mid-air. Thankfully, the feeling dissipated quickly, and he found himself sitting steadily back at his seat. Yet, the hollowness in his heart remained unfilled.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Nie Shi silently waited on the side after finishing his meal. He seemed a little too obedient, Fang Chen thought, feeling a bit embarrassed for causing inconvenience. Yesterday, he bombarded Nie Shi with questions, and Nie Shi patiently answered them one by one. Today, he even woke up early to cook.
After finishing his last bite, Fang Chen stood up and said, “I’ll wash the dishes.”
Nie Shi did have suspicions surrounding him from all aspects, but when one thought about it more, hadn’t this neighbourhood also had its fair share of abnormalities? Everyone in this building seemed suspicious. Nie Shi was probably harbouring doubts about him as well.
Nie Shi looked at him for a few seconds, then shifted his gaze away. “Sure.” He turned and watched Fang Chen as he washed the dishes.
“Do you have any plans?” Fang Chen asked, very naturally opening the refrigerator and taking out a packet of yogurt drink. Only when his mouth was already touching the drink packet did he suddenly remember this was Nie Shi’s home and apologize, “Sorry…”
Nie Shi: “It’s okay, help yourself.”
Still feeling awkward, Fang Chen held the yogurt and asked, “Do you plan to move out?”
Nie Shi counter-questioned, “What about you?”
Fang Chen couldn’t remember anyone, nor did he have any place he could go.
He shook his head with hesitation.
Nie Shi: “I’m not leaving either.”
Fang Chen looked puzzled and was about to ask why, but upon seeing Nie Shi’s expression, he found himself at a loss for words.
It wasn’t really a strange gaze; Nie Shi’s gaze at him was very serene and steady, as if… he often looked at him like that. The air reached a peak of tension, and Fang Chen shifted the topic. “You also like to drink this brand of yogurt drink? What a coincidence.”
Nie Shi glanced at the yogurt drink packet in Fang Chen’s hand, offering no response.
The mood became even more awkward.
Sweat formed on Fang Chen’s forehead. “I quite like drinking it.”
“Zw.”
Fang Chen was unsure which question he was addressing.
Not long after, the door of Nie Shi’s house was knocked. Two knocks and a brief pause after; it even had quite a rhythm.
Without asking who was it, Nie Shi moved to open the door, but was halted by Fang Chen. Nie Shi seemed to know what he was thinking. “They won’t appear during the day.”
Standing outside the door were Wang Huiwen and Zhang Rui. Both visibly relieved upon seeing Fang Chen. A heated exchange occurred between the both of them, with the woman urging the man to speak, and the latter responded in kind. Ultimately, it was Wang Huiwen who spoke first, “Fang Chen, you scared me! I knocked on your door, but you didn’t respond. I thought something happened to you… luckily, you’re fine.” She patted her chest, looking genuinely frightened.
Zhang Rui quickly chimed in, “It’s a relief that you’re fine. I was in such a panic yesterday that I forgot about you two! Only after shutting the door did I remember you guys were still outside, but I didn’t dare to open it again… it was too scary. I’m really sorry, really sorry.” He glanced at Nie Shi, looking timid yet insisting on flattering, “Brother, you’re pretty amazing too. You got rid of that thing so efficiently in the blink of an eye last night!”
“…Do you guys know exactly what that thing was last night?” After a round of apologies, Wang Huiwen couldn’t help but get straight to the main point. Her voice still trembled slightly, obviously not having forgotten the horrific scene from last night.
They hadn’t slept all night and didn’t dare to come out even after the day had brightened. Eventually, they mustered up the courage to come upstairs and knock on their door. The scene of Nie Shi piercing that thing’s heart while maintaining a neutral expression last night was truly terrifying. But nevertheless, the questions that needed to be asked still had to be asked in order to dispel the suspense lingering around their hearts.
No one spoke.
Fang Chen didn’t really blame the couple for what happened last night. It was just that all the information he knew came from Nie Shi, so he felt that these things should be explained by Nie Shi instead.
Nie Shi, however, showed no intention of speaking. He just stared coldly at the couple.
Both of them looked awkward. Left with no choice, Fang Chen could only take over the baton, relaying what Nie Shi had told him. While he was explaining, he cast countless glances at Nie Shi. Fortunately, Nie Shi always wore the same expression, revealing nothing of his emotions—be it joy or anger.
After listening, the couple exchanged glances that revealed a mutual bewilderment. They had never heard of such a strange occurrence, yet they found themselves compelled to believe it.
“Then let’s pack up and move out now. I’ll make the arrangements, and we’ll move out shortly,” Zhang Rui said, not wanting to stay a moment longer in this eerie place.
“Wait,” Fang Chen suddenly interjected. “Do you guys remember the couple on the first floor?”
“Yeah, what about them?” They had already descended several steps as they spoke.
“They’re dead,” Fang Chen said. “I’ve asked many people, and none of them remember them.”
Wang Huiwen wanted to dismiss it as a joke, but she couldn’t find it funny at all.
Fang Chen continued, “Do we really know each other?” After asking, he tilted his head.
An odd feeling rose in Wang Huiwen’s heart, goosebumps forming on her arms. Before she could delve deeper into contemplating the question, Zhang Rui spoke, “Little brother, this isn’t the right time to be spooking people. You should also hurry up, pack your things, and leave this place!”
Fang Chen’s eyes flickered as if just coming back to his senses. Looking a little at a loss, he replied, “…Mm, okay,” lowering his head after that.
“Fang Chen,” Nie Shi called from behind. Fang Chen turned around and responded naturally, “I’m fine.”
“Do the others know about this matter?” Fang Chen asked the couple after sorting out his emotions, “Should we tell them?”
“We should, we should!” Zhang Rui immediately responded enthusiastically, but then added, “But ordinary people wouldn’t believe it, right?”
“At least give them a heads-up,” Fang Chen stood at the top of the stairs while the couple stood on the lower steps. He looked down at them.
“Okay, we’ll go right after we finish packing our luggage.”
Is your luggage more important, or is this matter more significant?
Fang Chen nodded his head. “Then we’ll go upstairs first. We’ll have to trouble you guys to inform the downstairs neighbours about this matter.”
Wang Huiwen and Zhang Rui went downstairs and found the opposite door open. Gao Cheng stood at the doorway, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. “What’s going on?”
*
Fang Chen and Nie Shi went to the fifth floor together, knocking on the door but received no response, possibly because the occupant had already gone to work.
“Speaking of the fifth floor, I only know Xie Ying. Do you know who lives across from her?”
Nie Shi shook his head.
“Then do we still go upstairs?” Fang Chen asked, though a faint voice in his mind hinted that going upstairs might be futile—most likely no one would be up there.
Nie Shi looked at him, implying that the decision rested with Fang Chen.
Fang Chen hesitated for a moment, but still decided to go forth with his initial decision and climbed the stairs.
Sixth floor, seventh floor, eighth floor…
All deserted.
Fang Chen’s legs felt a bit wobbly, and he looked at Nie Shi with beseeching eyes. “Shall we take the elevator down?”
“Sure.”
Within the elevator, Fang Chen couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you afraid at all?”
Nie Shi shook his head. “Those things can be killed.”
“But this place is strange.” Fang Chen glanced at Nie Shi and thought: You included. He guessed that even the couple had some reservations about Nie Shi.
They returned to the fourth floor, and Fang Chen faced his tightly closed apartment door in silence.
“Do you want to pry it open?” Nie Shi asked.
“If we pry it open, it won’t be able to close properly anymore, right? Let’s find the locksmi…” Fang Chen’s words were cut off as the elevator doors suddenly opened on this floor.
“Fang Chen…” A soft female voice came from inside.
Fang Chen turned around, and Fan Yingying exited the elevator.
As soon as she saw Fang Chen, tears started flowing down her face.
Fang Chen froze in place, instinctively looking to Nie Shi for help.
Nie Shi showed no reaction, silently returned Fang Chen’s gaze.
They locked eyes for a while, and Nie Shi, as if just receiving a distress signal, turned his head and spoke in a voice not too loud nor too soft, “Cried enough yet?”
Fan Yingying cried even harder.
Fang Chen: “……”
“I suddenly couldn’t reach my parents. They didn’t answer when I called…” Fan Yingying reached up and wiped away a few tears after seeing Fang Chen still standing there motionless. “Last night, I heard crying in the corridor. I couldn’t sleep all night, and today, I can’t reach anyone on the phone!” She looked up. “Fang Chen, what about you? Were you unable to contact your family too?”
Before Fang Chen could respond, a woman’s scream echoed from downstairs.
Fang Chen and Nie Shi exchanged a glance, then rushed downstairs ahead. Nie Shi effortlessly leaped over the railing, landing skilfully on the third floor with adapted movements. Fan Yingying, seeing their swift ascent, felt a little overwhelmed and quickly ran after them.
As they reached the middle of the second floor’s staircase, Fang Chen suddenly heard the sound of a bell. A pair of copper-yellow eyes flashed in his mind, and his legs weakened, threatening to give way. Just in the nick of time, Nie Shi reached out and caught him before he could collapse.
“Fang Chen! Are you okay?” Fan Yingying called from behind them.
Leaning against the wall, Fang Chen’s consciousness felt surreal and hazy. Fan Yingying’s high-pitched voice pierced through, causing a throbbing headache. Fang Chen, unable to bear the intensity, slid down and sat directly on the stairs.
As Fan Yingying caught up, Fang Chen’s gaze fell onto the swaying hem of her skirt. Suddenly, her words echoed in his ears, and his head pounded as if about to explode. “Fang Chen, what about you? Were you unable to contact your family too?”
—“Nobody wants you, nobody wants you!”
—“Fang Chen, you hit other kids again!”
—“Oh you, why can’t you live up to your potentials? I can already see you doing manual labour after graduating from junior high school!”
A fragment of the once-blurred memories now emerged with newfound clarity.
He had nowhere to go.
He had no parents.
He grew up in an orphanage.
Oh, memory is back
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Ooh a memory