The only fresh food store at the corner of the street really had a bit of everything.
In addition to selling vegetables, flowers, and fruits, it also sold stir-fried noodles and fried rice. Li Zhi ordered two servings of noodles and took a stroll around the store while waiting. She noticed that Chu Guangyan probably bought the bouquet of lilies here as well—she saw the same kind of lilies placed in a bucket.
She picked a few lilies, pulled a plastic bag from the wall, and selected a few apples, handing everything to the shopkeeper to tally up.
The shopkeeper pulled out a pre-cut piece of newspaper from under the stall and wrapped the flower stems, enthusiastically saying to Li Zhi, “These are easy to care for. Change the water frequently, and they’ll last for many days.”
Li Zhi smiled as she took the flowers.
On her way back, before she even entered the apartment building, Li Jianxi had already opened the electronic door and came out to take the plastic bag from her hand.
Li Zhi pulled one lily from the bouquet and slipped it through the window of the guard’s room. The small space was instantly filled with the fragrance of lilies.
Li Jianxi was stunned for a moment, turning to look at her.
Li Zhi smiled and said, “This flower is for you.”
Li Jianxi stared at her smiling eyes for a long time, as if he didn’t even dare to breathe heavily. After a while, he softly replied, “Thank you, I like it very much.”
Dusk spread across half the sky, and this exchange sent the audience into a frenzy:
[She gave him flowers! I bet Little Li never imagined he’d receive flowers as an NPC!]
[Li Jianxi, what are you thinking right now? Have you already imagined growing old together with her?]
[Sorry to ruin the mood, but I don’t think Li Zhi actually likes Li Jianxi. It feels like she’s just treating him as an interesting puzzle to study.]
[I agree. Giving flowers is probably just her way of thanking him for the bottle of hemostatic medicine he gave her earlier. Li Zhi seems too clear-headed; I don’t believe she’d fall for an NPC.]
[Everyone, let’s just enjoy the moment. Don’t get too invested. This couple is doomed to a bad ending.]
[Li Zhi has those deep, soulful eyes that even a dog can’t resist. She always looks at Li Jianxi like that, making it easy for people to get lost in her gaze!]
[Nonsense! Nonsense! The couple I’m shipping is the sweetest! It’s mutual love!]
…
As dinner time approached, the players, who had been searching for clues, gathered again to share information. When Li Zhi had been buying stir-fried noodles, Fu Huan had already told everyone about Qiao Junyuan’s actions, so now everyone was wary of him.
Qiao Junyuan sat alone on the side, seemingly isolated. On screen, he looked quite pitiful.
However, neither the audience nor the players were fooled by this appearance. Anyone daring enough to harm a companion in the game wouldn’t be some harmless sheep.
Nightfall came quickly in the game. Just moments ago, the sky was filled with sunset hues, but by the time they finished dinner, it was already dark. The players hurriedly packed up and returned to their rooms. Yuan Cheng’s group welcomed Li Feng’s addition, while the solitary Qiao Junyuan returned alone to the third floor.
Li Zhi, carrying her flowers and apples, walked up to the first floor. The lanterns in the hallway were already lit. The soft red light filled the corridor, casting an eerie, sinister atmosphere over the entire first floor.
When Li Zhi reached room 205, the lanterns outside the neighboring rooms swayed slightly, their red glow casting moving shadows on the door of room 205. She pulled out her key, unlocked the door, and calmly walked in, switching on the light.
Meng Yuhan looked at the bag of apples Li Zhi placed on the table, somewhat pleased. “Sister Zhi, are these for dessert after dinner?”
Li Zhi smiled and pulled one out, handing it to her. “You can have one, but the rest are for the neighbors.”
Hearing this, Meng Yuhan put the apple back. “Then I won’t eat it. When are we going to visit the neighbors?”
Li Zhi placed the flowers on the bed and picked up the apples. “We’ll go now.”
It wasn’t completely dark yet, and by her estimation, Chu Guangyan’s soup should be ready as well. The two of them headed out again, this time toward the third floor. By the time they arrived, the hallway lights were on, and the eerie red glow was gone, making the third floor appear much more normal.
Room 304, where Qu Rong was staying, had its door open, but inside, it was pitch black, with no light coming through.
Li Zhi led Meng Yuhan forward. Under the dim hallway lights, they could see someone standing on a chair in the dark room, replacing a light bulb.
“All set. Try turning it on.”
It was Chu Guangyan’s voice.
The next moment, Qu Rong, who was standing by the wall, flicked the light switch. The bulb lit up instantly, brightening the simple single room. Li Zhi stood at the doorway, taking advantage of the moment to quickly scan the room.
The simple and clean style matched the impression Qu Rong gave her, and the room bore many traces of someone living alone, fitting the lifestyle of a single woman. Near the window stood a desk with an attached bookshelf, packed with books. The desk itself was cluttered with more books and pencil cases, and a laptop was positioned on the front.
On the small round table in the middle of the room sat a bowl of corn and pork rib soup along with a meal, seemingly brought down by Chu Guangyan.
The two figures standing in the doorway were hard to miss, and within a second or two, Li Zhi had already smiled and greeted them, “Qu Rong, hello! My sister and I brought you some fruit.”
“You’re too kind.” Qu Rong walked over, gently patting Meng Yuhan’s head as she took the bag of apples. “I was just about to eat. Have you had dinner yet?”
Li Zhi smiled and replied, “I’ve already eaten. I just thought, since I’ve just moved in, it’s only right to come up and pay a visit.”
She glanced into the room. “Mr. Chu is here too?”
Chu Guangyan, having finished replacing the bulb, stepped down from the chair and dusted off his hands. He nodded politely toward Li Zhi. “Yes.”
There was no sign of guilt or panic on his face from being caught.
He stepped outside and said to Qu Rong, “Use this bulb for now. If it goes out again, it’s probably an electrical issue, and the circuit will need to be checked next time.”
Qu Rong nodded. “Okay.”
The two of them seemed very familiar with each other, indicating this wasn’t their first interaction.
What stood out was that Qu Rong, a single woman living alone, had no issue letting a married man into her home to help change a light bulb. Their relationship didn’t seem as simple as just neighbors.
Li Zhi smiled mischievously and asked, “Mr. Chu, are you leaving already?”
Chu Guangyan smiled at her. “Yes, Meiqian is waiting for me at home to have dinner.”
Li Zhi’s smile deepened. “Since we’re neighbors now, I should pay a visit to Mrs. Chu sometime.”
Chu Guangyan’s expression didn’t change, but there was a hint of apology in his tone. “My wife is quite introverted and doesn’t like meeting strangers. There’s no need for a visit, but I appreciate your kindness. I’ll pass along your regards to her.”
Li Zhi sighed, feigning disappointment. “That’s such a pity.”
With an apologetic smile, Chu Guangyan nodded, then turned and left. Li Zhi shifted her gaze to Qu Rong, who stood at the door with the bag of apples, clearly not intending to invite them inside. Qu Rong simply smiled and said, “I’m about to have dinner. You should head back and rest early, too.”
She gave the bag a little shake and added brightly, “Thanks for the apples.”
Li Zhi took one last glance at the desk, then smiled and replied, “No need to thank me. We’ll head downstairs now.”
Qu Rong waved them off. “Bye-bye.”
As Li Zhi and Meng Yuhan descended the stairs, they heard the door closing behind them.
In a low voice, Meng Yuhan said, “Sister Zhi, those two are so strange. They don’t seem to care about appearances at all.”
Even a child knew to be mindful of propriety.
Chu Guangyan’s attentiveness toward Qu Rong was indeed unusual, and the two of them didn’t appear to be related. If they were, Qu Rong would’ve clarified things herself, especially since rumors about them were already circulating. After all, as Grandma Qiu had mentioned earlier in the day, it was Chu Guangyan who was being overly attentive, and it had nothing to do with Qu Rong, showing that they really were just neighbors.
But judging by Qu Rong’s attitude, she didn’t seem to mind Chu Guangyan’s attentiveness—she seemed to even enjoy it.
As Li Zhi pondered the various connections in her mind, they reached the first floor, when suddenly, the sound of a ball bouncing echoed through the corridor.
Thump—
Thump—
In the pitch-black building, Meng Yuhan stomped her foot, triggering a dim sound-activated light at the hallway entrance. The faint light, along with the red glow from the lanterns, slowly illuminated the scene. Nervously, Meng Yuhan clutched at Li Zhi’s clothes, following her closely as they cautiously took a few steps forward.
The entire first-floor hallway came into view.
In the middle of the corridor, bathed in the eerie red light, stood a small child wearing overalls and white sneakers, bouncing a ball.
Behind him, a door was ajar, revealing a room adorned with lanterns and spring couplets. The lantern’s red light cast an unsettling glow on the boy’s pale face, giving him a deathly aura.
As the ball bounced, the boy caught it in his arms and looked up, staring toward the end of the corridor.
Li Zhi stood there, her expression calm as she gazed back at him.
But the boy’s gaze shifted to Meng Yuhan, and after a moment, he grinned and said, “Sister, will you play ball with me?”
Meng Yuhan was on the verge of tears, terrified.
Li Zhi suddenly smiled. “Sure, toss the ball over.”
The boy tilted his head, seemingly deciding that this playmate wasn’t so bad after all. He threw the ball toward her.
Li Zhi bent down and caught it. With a swift turn, she threw the ball into the washroom behind her.
“Alright, your turn.” She clapped her hands and smiled warmly at the boy. “Go get the ball.”