Chapter 39 : Feeling at Ease

Luck was on her side—none of her roommates were in the dorm.

In a university dormitory, there are all kinds of personalities.

Some people prefer to stay inside for long periods, but Hua Qian’an’s roommates happened to be the opposite type.

Whenever they had free time, they chose to go out and have fun.

The dorm was often empty.

This actually worked to Hua Qian’an’s advantage.

Because she was the type who liked staying in her room; she didn’t have much desire to go out and play.

So when her roommates all went out, leaving her alone in the dorm, she felt exceptionally at ease.

After removing the SIM card from her old phone and placing it into her newly bought device, she tucked the old phone under her pillow.

Lin Yanqiu was unlikely to tamper with her SIM card; any kind of tracking device was probably hidden inside a more complex mechanical part.

Therefore, Hua Qian’an had no psychological burden about dismantling and reassembling the SIM card.

Before leaving, she glanced once more at the spot where the old phone lay.

“……”

Although Lin Yanqiu’s intentions were to protect her…

Sorry, but if Lin Yanqiu knew about this, it would definitely trouble her.

A faint ache crept into her calf; Hua Qian’an shook her head.

Unlike the first time, when she had rushed to that haunted house completely unprepared, this time she had made thorough preparations.

“Crackling—”

The electric current snapped through the air.

The dorm lights were off, but it was daytime, so the room was just a little dim.

Still, the sudden flash of electricity stood out starkly against the faint darkness.

After confirming that the stun baton was working properly, Hua Qian’an exhaled deeply.

Now… even if she encountered someone, she’d have some ability to fight back.

Going unprepared to such a desolate place like before… was really something she never would have done on her own.

What had come over her back then?

It was as if something had pulled her to accept the commission and go to that house.

She had momentarily lost her reason.

Backpack slung over her shoulder, Hua Qian’an was once again at the campus gate.

There was no way she could bring the stun baton on the subway, but taking a bus was perfectly fine.

After planning the bus route with a navigation app, Hua Qian’an sat quietly beneath the bus stop sign and waited.

“……”

It was almost noon now; while taking the bus was cheap, it was a bit slow.

By the time she reached near the haunted house and walked there, it would already be two or three in the afternoon.

She chose today not only because she had more free time, but also because she had no classes on Wednesday mornings.

That meant her schedule tomorrow morning wouldn’t be too tight.

She didn’t want to take leave just because she missed class.

But why did Hua Qian’an feel an inexplicable restlessness?

As if she had forgotten something.

As if something she didn’t want to face was about to happen.

She lightly shook her hand; the prayer beads wrapped around her wrist slipped down into her palm.

The warm, smooth sensation came from her palm.

It reminded Hua Qian’an of the soft, warm hand of Liu Ran when they sat face to face.

Instantly, much of the restlessness in her heart was dispelled.

She was lucky that the bus she waited for was the very first one to stop before her.

So Hua Qian’an stood up and boarded.

Thanks to the development of transportation, a big city like Hangyang was basically connected by railway, and subways could reach various districts directly.

Therefore, at this time on a weekday, the bus was mostly empty.

Only a few elderly men and women leaned against the seats with their eyes closed, resting.

Hua Qian’an picked a window seat at random and sat down.

She looked down and took out her brand-new phone from her pocket.

She admired it with delight.

She had already downloaded some necessary apps back in the dorm.

But since she was going to film videos, the camera just had to work properly.

Watching the slowly receding scenery outside, Hua Qian’an’s thoughts drifted.

She felt that she was strange.

Even though she had learned from Liu Ran that the nightmares she suffered were because something from the haunted house was clinging to her…

Her previous idea—that the nightmares were just a psychological suggestion born of fear of the unknown haunted house—no longer held up.

There was no reason for her to go to that house at this time today.

She could even use that as an excuse to give up the job.

After all, when she accepted the commission, she had no concrete understanding of those vague, intangible things…

Only now did she realize they could really affect her life.

But Hua Qian’an didn’t want to do that.

She might make some requests to get more favorable conditions for herself, but she couldn’t just let go of this job now.

In fact, knowing there really was something in that haunted house put her somewhat at ease.

She opened the banking app she had logged into back in the dorm.

Her fingers danced across the screen, and her dark eyes reflected the flickering images on it.

Hua Qian’an glanced down at the numbers.

So the number was so long because there really was something in the haunted house…

That made her feel a lot more secure holding it.

Besides…

“They are your Yin Peach Blossoms…”

“You probably had entanglements with them in reality too.”

Liu Ran’s words echoed again in her ears.

If those in the haunted house were indeed people she had ties with in real life…

The nightmare scenes replayed again and again in Hua Qian’an’s mind.

When immersed, emotions may have taken control, but after some time had passed, looking back…

With the emotions stripped away, she could gather information more objectively.

In the end, Hua Qian’an came to a conclusion.

They not only knew her, but also seemed to hold some degree of fondness for her.

However…

Since they had transformed into ghosts, their bodies must have perished in the living world…

In plain terms, they were dead.

A tinge of sadness flashed across Hua Qian’an’s eyes.

Even though she still couldn’t recall the identities of those two, the thought of people she once knew turning to bones at some unknown time was hard for her to accept.

Even though, in several nightmares, they tried to strangle her.

Hua Qian’an recalled the moment in the dorm when she was pinned down on the bed.

That semi-transparent body, the fresh features like a girl next door.

Such a familiar feeling…

Suddenly, her chest ached, like she had lost something important.

Closing her eyes, Hua Qian’an pursed her lips and finally exhaled deeply.

When she opened her eyes again, a slight mistiness lingered in her half-lowered gaze.

Every time that figure appeared, the air seemed to carry a damp, salty smell.

The first time she smelled it was in the haunted house.

No doubt, that was where it latched onto her.

Perhaps that was the reason Hua Qian’an still intended to return to the haunted house now.

She needed to find out who it really was.

And what exactly had happened in that house.

“Little girl, where are you off to?”

A hoarse, elderly voice suddenly came from the front-left side, breaking Hua Qian’an’s thoughts.

She looked over in confusion and saw an old woman.

Her face was covered with wrinkles, and her eyes resembled worn glass marbles—now clouded as she stared at Hua Qian’an.

“This route is a bit out of the way, you know—”