Chapter 25: Something Feels Off

On the ninetieth day of living together.

When Lin Xia got up that morning, she saw Yin Qi sitting in the living room.

She was in her usual chair by the window.

Not looking at her phone.

Not reading a book.

Just sitting there quietly, her gaze fixed outside as though she were watching something in particular.

Lin Xia walked over and sat beside her.

Neither of them spoke.

The two sat in silence.

But today’s silence felt different from their usual silence.

Neither reached for a phone.

Neither looked for something to do.

They simply sat there together.

After a while—

Lin Xia wasn’t sure how long.

Maybe ten minutes.

Maybe longer.

She spoke first.

“Do you have anything going on today?”

“I never have anything going on.”

Yin Qi replied.

“What about you?”

“I might have a meeting this afternoon.”

Lin Xia said.

“I’m free this morning.”

“Mm.”

Another stretch of silence followed.

After some time, Lin Xia decided to organize all the files accumulated since Yin Qi had moved in.

Halfway through sorting them, a photograph slipped out of a folder.

It was Yin Qi’s archive photo.

The one she had taken for the official records.

After uploading it to the system, she had printed a backup copy and stored it with the files.

Lin Xia picked up the photograph and unconsciously stared at it for a moment longer than necessary.

In the picture, Yin Qi stood in front of a plain white wall.

She wore a casual, ordinary smile.

No special pose.

No deliberate expression.

Yet somehow she still looked…

Appealing.

Lin Xia slid the photograph back into the folder, closed it, and continued organizing the rest of the documents.

***

The afternoon meeting lasted an hour.

Lin Xia sat in a conference room downstairs while Chen Feng summarized developments from the past few weeks and outlined upcoming assignments.

The meeting also mentioned that meme activity throughout Shanghai had been occurring more frequently than expected.

The increase wasn’t dramatic.

Still, headquarters had sent a routine notice advising everyone to stay alert.

“It’s not a big deal.”

Chen Feng said when the topic came up.

“It’s still within normal fluctuation ranges.”

“Just continue following standard procedures.”

After the meeting ended, Lin Xia stood and headed for the exit.

Shen Yun caught up with her from behind.

“That meme from the other day?”

Shen Yun said.

“It hasn’t touched anyone’s belongings since then.”

“It’s been behaving itself.”

“Really…”

Lin Xia nodded.

“That’s good.”

“Later I handled another similar case.”

Shen Yun continued.

“It was in an underground parking garage.”

“It memorized every illegally parked car’s license plate number and wrote them on the notice board using some ridiculously bright paint that couldn’t be washed off.”

She laughed.

“The funniest part was that the person who reported it was a car owner who’d been written up six times.”

“That meme actually sounds pretty useful…”

“It does, right?”

Shen Yun grinned.

“The property management there was thrilled.”

“They even asked whether we could help them sign a cooperation agreement with it.”

Lin Xia chuckled softly.

Then she fell silent for a moment, as though something had just occurred to her.

“…By the way.”

She turned toward Shen Yun.

“Have you felt like something’s been off lately?”

Shen Yun looked puzzled.

“Off?”

“What do you mean?”

“Mm…”

Lin Xia shook her head slightly.

“I can’t really explain it.”

“I just keep feeling like…”

“Something isn’t quite right.”

Shen Yun rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

“You mean meme activity has been too frequent?”

Lin Xia shook her head again.

“No.”

“It’s just a feeling…”

“Never mind.”

“Maybe I’m overthinking things.”

***

That afternoon, Lin Xia returned home.

Yin Qi was still sitting in the same chair by the window.

She looked as though she had never moved.

Lin Xia walked over and sat down on the sofa.

“Recent meme activity has been a little high.”

She said.

“But it’s not a big issue.”

“It should just be normal fluctuations.”

Yin Qi didn’t respond.

Lin Xia turned to look at her.

Her gaze remained fixed outside.

Her expression was calm.

Yet for some reason, Lin Xia couldn’t shake the feeling that something about her seemed strange.

“What have you been doing sitting there all day?”

Lin Xia asked.

“Watching that stupid bird.”

Yin Qi answered.

Lin Xia followed her line of sight.

A spotted dove was perched on the air conditioner unit outside.

It did indeed look exceptionally stupid.

Its neck puffed in and out while it sat there cooing endlessly.

***

The previous night, Yin Qi had heard something strange.

She had heard it within the information field.

A distant voice.

Someone speaking softly from very far away.

She couldn’t make out the words.

Yin Qi could sense the other memes in this building.

She could sense Lin Xia’s emotions.

She could even sense the countless thoughts drifting through the city.

Every emotion carried its own color.

Its own temperature.

But that voice…

Had neither color nor temperature.

***

That evening, Yin Qi sat at the dining table.

“Su Xin.”

Lin Xia asked.

“Mm?”

“Do you have something on your mind today?”

“…No.”

Yin Qi replied.

“I’ve just been thinking.”

“What could possibly keep you thinking all day?”

“Mm…”

Yin Qi hesitated.

“I feel like something’s wrong lately.”

Lin Xia froze.

This seemed to be the first time Su Xin had been so straightforward with her.

She wasn’t prepared for it.

“Wrong how?”

“I can’t explain it.”

Yin Qi said.

“I just feel like…”

“Something bad is about to surface.”

“…What does that mean?”

Lin Xia asked.

“Did you sense something?”

“Hard to say.”

Yin Qi shook her head.

“But whatever it is, it probably isn’t good.”

“Then…”

Lin Xia hesitated.

“When did you start noticing it?”

“Last night.”

“Is that so…”

Lin Xia wanted to ask more.

But Yin Qi didn’t seem inclined to continue.

This wasn’t the same expression she usually wore when deliberately hiding something.

It felt more like…

She genuinely didn’t know.

“Then…”

Lin Xia said carefully.

“If you notice anything unusual, tell me, okay?”

“So I can report it.”

“Okay.”

***

…That thing was still there.

On the other side of the city.

Waiting for something.

Yin Qi lowered her gaze toward the rings on her fingers.

‘The one that fell off while I was sleeping before…’

‘I think I accidentally damaged it.’

‘Something important inside probably melted.’

The sense of restraint they imposed on her felt slightly weaker than before.

But Lin Xia hadn’t noticed.

Neither had the organization.

And apparently they couldn’t detect it either.

‘Should I tell them?’

Yin Qi stared at the rings quietly.

‘…Forget it.’

‘Maintaining the current situation isn’t affecting anyone yet.’