Chapter 20.3

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After work, Qiao Ziman followed the address to the place. The security measures at the complex were top-notch. It took quite some time just to verify her identity at the gate, and they even called the landlord to confirm. Qiao Ziman was pleased with this level of thoroughness.

As for the environment, it was beyond expectation—one of the city’s most upscale neighborhoods. The grounds were filled with all kinds of trees and flowers she couldn’t name, and the air was fragrant with a hint of freshness. There was even a lotus-filled artificial lake.

Unlike her current shabby neighborhood, which reeked of trash and cooking fumes. No comparison at all.

She took the elevator to the top floor and entered the gate code. When she opened the door, the sight of the luxurious interior almost made her jaw drop. It was exactly as her mom had described, if not better. She hadn’t even mentioned the fully-equipped, deluxe home theater. Who knew her mom could actually be reliable for once? It was hard to believe.

After confirming the rent, Qiao Ziman made the decision on the spot and verbally secured the place.

She then returned to her rental apartment to pack up her belongings. Her current lease was on a yearly basis, with a few months left. The rent was reasonable, and Cheng Peng had even given her a discount. She wasn’t planning to break the lease, so she decided to consider it a favor returned.

Qiao Ziman only moved her summer clothes, daily necessities, essential work documents, and her cat to the new place, leaving the rest behind in the old apartment. Surprisingly, this truly made it a “move-in ready” situation.

That evening, she relaxed in the large bath, enjoying a soak, when her phone began vibrating incessantly. As expected, it was Ji Yun. Qiao Ziman removed her face mask, grabbed her phone, and squinted at the screen.

Sure enough.

Ji Yun: [Congratulations to our beautiful Qiao Ziman on her new home!]

Qiao Ziman ignored it.

[Your personal messenger is at your service.]

Qiao Ziman sat up in the water, her eyes fixed on the screen.

[Report: At last night’s dinner, someone tried to drink with President Chi, but she made an excuse to decline.]

[Report: This morning, President Chi did not have coffee.]

[Report: Since yesterday, there have been 3 men and 4 women wanting to add President Chi’s contact info. She added only two staff members and rejected the rest. Not bad, right? (eyebrow raise.jpg)]

Qiao Ziman: “.”

She wiped her hands and carefully typed out each word: [Did she ask you to tell me this, or is this your own idea?]

Ji Yun, the “messenger”: [Of course, it’s from me. (proud.jpg)]

Qiao Ziman: [Please stick to your actual job.]

Ji Yun: “??” Alright then.

[Report: President Chi is having trouble applying the ointment herself. If it’s still an issue when she returns, she said you could help her with it. (This was from her.)]

Qiao Ziman: “.”

[Report: President Chi also has a question for you. She asked…]

But Ji Yun’s message abruptly cut off halfway. Qiao Ziman waited and waited, but the second half never came. Finally, she got out of the tub, dried off, and returned to her room.

The new place had a large balcony for every bedroom. Flowers and plants were scattered around, with a cozy swing chair and even a small fridge. Outside, the vibrant night view of the city’s busiest area sparkled brilliantly.

Qiao Ziman grabbed a bottle of juice from the fridge, curled up on the swing chair, and closed her eyes in contentment as the mild evening breeze gently brushed against her. She thought to herself, after all these years of struggling and hustling on her own, could she now consider herself to be living a middle-class lifestyle? She really owed it to her generous landlord for this new chapter in her life.

Qiao Ziman mused that once the landlord returned, she should thank her properly and build a good, long-lasting friendship.

“Buzz, buzz.”

Her phone on the table vibrated twice. Qiao Ziman snapped out of her thoughts. It was Ji Yun again, but this time there was a single, unaccompanied sentence in the chat. Her heart skipped a beat—she had a feeling this message was from Chi Yin herself.

[What gift do you want?]

She set the juice down, her fingers softly tapping the screen as she typed, deleted, and retyped a response. Finally, she sent:

[Just come back safely.]

The screen showed that the other person was typing for a long time. Qiao Ziman stared until her eyes started to ache. Just as she was about to lock the screen, a 10-second voice message came through.

She tapped it gently. It was the familiar, soft voice of Chi Yin.

“Okay.”

In the background, Ji Yun’s irritated voice could be heard, “Seriously, what’s with you two? Don’t you both have WeChat? Why are you always taking my phone??”

Qiao Ziman covered her face, muffling her laughter as it escaped through her fingers.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the weekend arrived. It was a day off, and coincidentally, Chi Yin, Ji Yun, and their group were returning to the country. Qiao Ziman invited a few close colleagues to her new home for a small gathering.

Chi Yin’s group was set to land at 3 p.m. Qiao Ziman had planned to pick them up from the airport, but midway through, she learned that their plans had changed. They were heading to the office first for a summary meeting, with no clear end time. So, she dropped the idea.

Qiao Ziman made a trip to the supermarket, buying some beer and hotpot ingredients, and then headed back home. The weather forecast had predicted rain, and by the time she left, the sky was already overcast. As she hurried home, raindrops began to fall, and she made it inside just before the downpour.

Qiao Ziman got busy in the kitchen. Within half an hour, the guests started arriving, each bringing housewarming gifts. They gathered around the hotpot and began eating together.

Tang Xiaoxiao, ever the life of the party, made sure there was never a dull moment. Before long, they were drinking and playing games. Of course, Qiao Ziman didn’t touch a drop of alcohol. She was firm about her decision to quit drinking, and no one could convince her otherwise—she was determined not to break her promise.

The meal lasted for two hours, and Tang Xiaoxiao and the others still seemed to be having a great time. So, they moved to the home theater to watch a movie.

Recently, a new horror film directed by the legendary Director Chen, a pioneer in domestic horror, had been released. On its premiere day, theaters were packed, and Qiao Ziman, hesitating for too long, missed her chance to buy tickets. Today, for some reason, Tang Xiaoxiao, mustering up her courage, insisted on watching that very film. Most of the group agreed, leaving Qiao Ziman with little choice. She didn’t want to spoil the fun, so she brought them a plate of freshly cut fruit and said quietly, “Do you all even know your limits? Don’t cry later.”

With that, she stood up and started to leave the room.

“Hold up, Qiao Qiao, where are you going?” Tang Xiaoxiao sized her up from behind, then called out teasingly, “Oh? Qiao Qiao, don’t tell me you’re scared?”

Qiao Ziman froze. Her grip on the door frame tightened so much that her knuckles turned white. She stiffly turned her head and, forcing out a reply, said, “At least I don’t have to take a taxi home later, so fine, let’s watch.”

With a “lose-lose” mindset, Qiao Ziman thoughtfully turned off the lights and pulled the curtains, plunging the room into darkness. Thunder rumbled faintly in the distance as they huddled together to watch the movie.

Two hours later, with her face slightly pale, Qiao Ziman finally saw everyone off. She glanced at her phone, and the message she had sent to Ji Yun two hours ago still hadn’t received a reply. She figured they were probably still busy.

Qiao Ziman began tidying up the mess in the living room. She had heard the landlord would be returning soon, likely in the next day or two, so she wanted to make a good impression. She spent two hours doing a thorough cleaning of the house. Wiping down this, polishing that—by the end, even the floors were gleaming. Honestly, after all that work, her sense of accomplishment had completely overshadowed any lingering fear from earlier.

After taking the trash out to the door, Qiao Ziman, satisfied but with an aching back, went to the bathroom for a relaxing bath. The bathroom filled with steam as she reclined in the soft bubbles, her eyes closed, letting herself unwind.

Suddenly, a flash of white lightning shot out from the thick, inky clouds, illuminating half the sky in an instant. A loud clap of thunder followed, and the rain outside intensified, hammering against the window screens and glass with a sharp “pitter-patter.”

Qiao Ziman bolted upright in the bathtub, her eyes wide in terror as she stared out the window, the images from the horror movie they had just watched flooding her mind. It had been a night just like this—stormy, with lightning and thunder.

The wind had made the window screen creak eerily. Another flash of lightning lit up the room, and for a split second, she swore she saw a ghostly, pale face reflected in the window.

In a panic, Qiao Ziman snapped her head to the side, forcing her gaze elsewhere. What should she do? It seemed like she had vaguely seen something outside the window. Qiao Ziman’s heart pounded wildly. Trembling, she reached for the towel. But in the next moment, the power went out.

Darkness swallowed everything.

Fear crept in, invisible but suffocating.

Qiao Ziman froze, her breathing almost coming to a halt. Just then, the sound of someone entering a passcode echoed from the front door in the living room.

Beep, beep, beep.

Each sound felt like it was hammering directly on Qiao Ziman’s heart. Her scalp tingled, and her mind went blank, completely incapable of thinking. “Who…who’s there?” she stammered.

The only response was the cold, mechanical voice of the door lock. “Incorrect password, please try again.”

“Incorrect password…”

Wrapped in her towel, Qiao Ziman, barefoot, cautiously inched toward the door. At that moment, the electronic lock let out a single “beep,” and the front door creaked open with a soft “click.”

A beam of light from a phone flashlight shone into the room.