When Hua Qi’an unlocked the dormitory door with her key, a strong, almost choking scent of incense rushed toward her.
It wasn’t the tranquil sandalwood one might find in a temple, but a muddled odor fermented in a cramped space, mixed from various cheap spices.
The sweetness was dizzying and stifling, aggressively invading all her senses.
She instinctively held her breath, waving her hand before her nose as if to drive away the thick air.
Brow furrowed, she stepped into what had become an utterly unfamiliar dorm room.
Feels like I need to breathe more fresh air these days.
The main light was off in the dorm, only the little lamp by the door and the dim yellow desk lamp on Li Xiaozhen’s desk casting light, stretching her shadow into something grotesque and long.
Li Xiaozhen sat at the center of that pool of light, as if pinned to her chair.
Her back was hunched, hair disheveled, and her lips moved in a whisper barely louder than the buzzing of mosquitoes, completely unintelligible.
Her desk had already become a small, heretical altar.
Hua Qi’an glanced over as she walked by.
Buddha statues of all sizes were haphazardly placed—beside the compassionate, gentle-faced Guanyin Bodhisattva was squeezed an enraged, wide-eyed Vajra, and beneath the Vajra’s feet sat several rotund Maitreya Buddhas.
The statues varied in material; some were cheap plastic, others looked like rough wood carvings, and a few were made of fine white porcelain…
It looked like she’d collected them from all sorts of places, likely at quite an expense.
They were all piled together without rhyme or reason.
Several crimson incense sticks and candles burned among the statues, their curling smoke rising and merging with the heavy smell in the air, as if a sinister veil had settled over the whole dorm.
Hua Qi’an wrinkled her nose and glanced at the balcony door—it was wide open, but perhaps because the smoke was too thick, even with ventilation, it hadn’t helped much.
Li Xiaozhen was carefully fussing with a newly lit incense stick.
Her eyes, usually hidden behind thick glasses, were now bare, pupils dilated and unfocused, staring fixedly at the small patch before her, as if it were her entire world.
She radiated an almost possessed aura, utterly oblivious to Hua Qi’an’s return.
Ever since they’d played that game of spirit writing that night, Li Xiaozhen had become like this, as if possessed.
She no longer gossiped about campus rumors or internet oddities, but had thrown all her energy into these deities and Buddhas.
Yesterday, she’d only been wearing Buddhist prayer beads and amulets; today, she’d escalated to this…
She was actually burning incense right in the dorm.
A glimmer flickered in Hua Qi’an’s eyes; she felt she ought to stop this, but even if she tried, Li Xiaozhen probably wouldn’t listen—she’d only resent Hua Qi’an for ruining her good thing…
In another corner, He Yi’s bed was sealed tightly with a curtain, not a crack of air let through.
Hearing the door open, the edge of the curtain was carefully lifted, revealing He Yi’s delicate face.
Her eyes were so complicated Hua Qi’an couldn’t read them for a moment—there was fear, avoidance, and a trace of… resentment?
In a flash, the curtain dropped shut again.
Ever since the spirit-writing game had answered “no” to her question, He Yi had become jumpy too.
She no longer grumbled cheerfully about her suitors, but instead grew silent, often hiding alone in her bed, who knew thinking what.
The way she looked at Hua Qi’an was always tinged with something inexplicable.
A bizarre and oppressive mood filled the whole dorm.
In her heart, Hua Qi’an let out a barely audible sigh.
She was tired.
After spending the entire afternoon at the police station, tense and on edge, she’d run into that scoundrel Wang Chang, then been kindly escorted back to school by Chen Zhiyan—only to bump into Zhao Yingying at the gate…
And now, upon returning, she found both her roommates acting out of sorts.
All she wanted now was to get to her own little bunk, draw the curtain, and block out this bothersome world.
She had no intention of going out again.
Placing her backpack on her chair, Hua Qi’an took a change of clothes from the locker and went straight to the bathroom.
The hot shower eased her tense body a little, and it felt as if the fatigue and bad luck clinging to her skin were being washed away by the water.
After washing up, she put on white pajamas with a cartoon puppy’s face and finally felt alive for a few minutes.
Towel-drying her damp hair, she walked back to her desk.
Just as she was about to climb onto her bed, something in the corner of her eye caught her attention—something that shouldn’t have been there.
On Zhao Yingying’s desk, a brand-new stainless steel electric cooker gleamed glaringly under the lamp.
Hua Qi’an’s brows knitted at once.
She remembered the worried look on class monitor Lin Xiaoye’s face after class this morning, and her hushed warning.
“This year, the dorms are under collective responsibility.”
“If they find an unauthorized appliance, the whole dorm loses its eligibility for awards and honors.”
Scholarship…
That word jabbed at Hua Qi’an’s nerves like a needle.
Everyone could see how much effort she’d put in for that money.
She couldn’t stand the thought of it all going up in smoke because of a forbidden appliance.
Just then, the dorm door banged open—Zhao Yingying was back.
She clearly wasn’t in a good mood, face full of obvious anger and frustration.
It must have been what she’d seen at the gate that had her fuming all the way back.
She slammed her bubble tea onto the desk, making a dull thud, her icy gaze immediately zeroing in on Hua Qi’an.
“Yo, you’re back?”
Her tone dripped with sarcasm.
He Yi, startled by Zhao Yingying’s entrance, poked her head out from her bed curtain and looked at her.
“Yingying, that class monitor said there’s word the dorm inspection for unauthorized appliances is tomorrow afternoon. Whole room gets punished—”
As she spoke, she glanced pointedly at the electric cooker on Zhao Yingying’s desk.
Zhao Yingying clicked her tongue impatiently, ignored He Yi, and continued to glare at Hua Qi’an like a blade.
Hua Qi’an knew she couldn’t stay silent anymore.
She turned, meeting Zhao Yingying’s eyes calmly, her voice cold and emotionless.
“Zhao Yingying, remember to put away what’s on your desk.”
Zhao Yingying paused, seemingly surprised Hua Qi’an would speak to her so directly.
The sarcasm in her eyes intensified, her lips curling into a nasty smile.
“Got it, need you to remind me? Always sticking your nose in.”
Though she agreed verbally, her eyes were filled with venom, fixed on Hua Qi’an.
That look wasn’t just plain jealousy and dislike anymore—it was laced with something darker, plotting to act.
Hua Qi’an’s heart sank.
Under Zhao Yingying’s venomous glare, Hua Qi’an climbed into her bunk, drawing the curtain shut.
Darkness wrapped around her, shutting out everything outside.
At last, a sense of peace washed over her.
She could still hear Zhao Yingying griping at Li Xiaozhen about the stifling incense, as well as the faint sounds from He Yi’s side.
Her old phone rested quietly beneath her pillow.
Even though she’d had to visit the police station today, at least nothing else unexpected had happened.
Lin Yanqiu probably thought she’d spent the whole afternoon in the dorm.
She set down her old phone and took out another.
The bright screen stood out starkly in the dim enclosure.
She opened a social app dotted with several red notifications.
“？”
A question mark had arrived not long after she’d sent her video.
“Are you alright?”
Hua Qi’an briefly explained what had happened and that there was nothing serious.
The other party was probably busy, so hadn’t replied.
Switching back to the user list, Hua Qi’an found that she’d received messages from more than one person today.
Lin Yanqiu, who’d barely spoken to her since adding her as a friend, had also messaged her?
Hua Qi’an, who’d been feeling relaxed, instantly tensed up.
“Wait for me at the school gate at eight thirty.”
It had been sent an hour ago.
She hadn’t checked her phone earlier, so hadn’t noticed.
She glanced at the time…
Eight twenty-three.
Hua Qi’an immediately sat up straight, didn’t even bother to change out of her pajamas, and jumped out of bed, ready to head out.