Chapter 36 : Chapter 36
Chapter 36. I Cannot Bear It
After Teacher Chen’s “guidance,” Li Nan had already come to terms with things.
Perhaps what he and Zhao Mingyue needed was not some passionate process, but simply a result.
In other words, whether Zhao Mingyue’s heart belonged to him was not important.
As long as he possessed her body, that would be more than enough.
After all, what he liked was her body, was it not?
Instead of wasting effort on futile attempts, it would be better to be forceful.
Direct.
To seize her body.
To occupy her soul.
In any case, he was no longer the same person he used to be.
If money could not accomplish something, then he would simply take another path.
On the sidewalk, Zhao Mingyue and Lu Liangting had not noticed Li Nan behind them.
After a long silence, Lu Liangting suddenly spoke.
“Mingyue, I know some things are not appropriate to ask. Everyone has their own secrets.”
“You mean why I appeared on the fifth floor that night.”
Zhao Mingyue did not seem to mind.
A gentle breeze passed by, and she casually brushed aside the loose strands of hair by her ear.
“Actually, even if I did not say it, you already know. It is exactly what you think.”
“Is that so…”
Lu Liangting fell silent for a long time, watching the passing vehicles.
There were not many cars on the road.
To the right flowed a clear river.
Green grass and drooping willows lined the banks.
The scenery was quite pleasant.
In such an environment, a young man and woman walking side by side should have been filled with the sweet scent of romance.
Unfortunately, the two of them maintained more than a meter of distance between them.
Their behavior was not intimate at all.
Even their conversation lacked laughter.
The atmosphere felt slightly stiff.
Lu Liangting lowered his gaze, his mind heavy with thoughts.
Just as Zhao Mingyue had said, some questions did not need to be asked.
It was enough to understand them in one’s heart.
They were the same kind of people.
The reason Lu Liangting went to the fifth floor of Sunshine Apartments was the same reason Zhao Mingyue went there.
Their tasks might even be identical.
The only difference was that Zhao Mingyue originally lived there.
As for other matters—like warning each other to be careful of danger or ghosts—there was no need to say such things.
Since Zhao Mingyue had voluntarily joined the mission, she must already know all of that.
“These missions are very dangerous. They can cost you your life.”
Lu Liangting lowered his eyes and sighed softly.
“The reason I did not contact you after I left was because of that. When I went to Sunshine Apartments, I went together with my younger sister. You met her once when she came to the store.”
“Oh, that person. I remember. What happened?”
“She died.”
“She died in that building.”
“She died… I… I am sorry.”
Zhao Mingyue was startled.
She had met Xia Han before.
A somewhat strange girl.
“It is fine. Xia Han’s accident there was largely my responsibility. I failed to take good care of her.”
“I am telling you this only to remind you to be careful. This is not a game.”
At a fork in the road, Lu Liangting stopped.
“I will stop here. You go to the convenience store. See you this afternoon.”
“Okay. Take care.”
“You too.”
They waved to each other.
Zhao Mingyue turned and walked away.
After about fifty steps, she turned back to glance behind her.
Lu Liangting was indeed walking toward Sunshine Apartments.
Just as he had said.
He intended to investigate the building again.
To search for Bai Yu.
“He really went.”
“You must matter a lot to him, Yu. This is the first time I have seen someone care this much about a ghost.”
Zhao Mingyue took out the rabbit plush toy and gently stroked its head as she sighed.
She truly found it astonishing.
After all, anyone who was still alive would instinctively stay as far away from ghosts as possible.
Unless they were mentally unstable.
Yet Lu Liangting clearly knew how dangerous the haunted building was, and he still insisted on going there just to find a female ghost.
Zhao Mingyue had never seen anything like it.
If he had been searching for a male ghost, it would have been one thing.
But the one he was searching for was a female ghost.
A very beautiful, younger-sister-type female ghost.
It was hard not to suspect his motives.
“Huh? That person looks a bit like Li Nan.”
“His back looks similar.”
Lu Liangting had already walked far away.
From across the road, Zhao Mingyue seemed to see Li Nan.
However, the person was facing away from her and staring in Lu Liangting’s direction, so she could not be completely sure.
“Forget it. I should hurry.”
She still remembered how Li Nan had stared at her the entire morning.
Four full classes.
Those eyes had left a deep impression on her.
Imagine this.
You thought your deskmate was sleeping.
But when you turned your head to glance at him, you realized he was not sleeping at all.
Instead, he was glaring at you through the gap in his arms with bloodshot eyes.
Staring without blinking.
And whenever you tried to speak to him, he would repeat the same sentence.
“Do not leave after school at noon. I have something to tell you.”
Who would not be frightened?
When she arrived at the convenience store, Zhao Mingyue pushed open the glass door as usual.
The wind chime hanging inside the shop swayed obligingly.
It rang five times before finally settling down.
After greeting the store manager, Zhao Mingyue sat down.
She opened the lunch box Lu Liangting had given her.
The meal inside was extremely rich.
Many of the foods were things Zhao Mingyue normally would not even dare to think about eating.
However, when she saw the two slices of ham arranged into a heart shape on top, she immediately thought of the maid who had delivered the lunch.
“Hmm… I suddenly feel a little guilty.”
“Lu Liangting seems to have a rather special relationship with that maid.”
“I have been eating this loving lunch every day. Is it really okay for me to keep taking it?”
As she spoke, she placed the rabbit plush toy on the table.
She adjusted its head so it could face the lunch box.
“I had no idea that Lu Liangting had such a beautiful maid behind him.”
“Please forgive me for eating his lunch for eighteen days straight.”
“If the maid finds out that the lunch she prepared with love was eaten by me, she will definitely be heartbroken.”
Zhao Mingyue muttered softly.
If Bai Yu had not seen her immediately eat half of the heart-shaped ham slices after saying that, she might actually have believed Zhao Mingyue’s nonsense.
“I swear this will be the last meal!”
“No matter how delicious it is, I will not eat it again!”
“Mmm… mmm… what is this? It is so delicious!”
“Ahem. Tomorrow I will go tell Lu Liangting.”
“We cannot keep taking his food for free, right? If the maid ends up feeling sad because of it, that would not be good.”
A moment later, Zhao Mingyue placed the completely empty lunch box aside.
She rubbed her stomach with one hand and picked up the rabbit plush toy with the other, hugging it to her chest.
“Yu, can you cook?”
“Even if you cannot cook, could you at least cook some rice and bring it to me?”
“I really do not want to eat instant noodles anymore.”
Holding the rabbit plush tightly, Zhao Mingyue rested her head on the table.
“Sure.”
“Huh?”
Hearing Bai Yu’s reply, Zhao Mingyue suddenly sat upright.
She had only been joking.
With Bai Yu’s personality, how could she possibly agree?
If anything, Zhao Mingyue had expected to be scolded.
“Really? What is the price?”
“The price is that you will die.”
“Just like Lu Liangting will die soon.”
“Then forget it… Wait.”
“Lu Liangting is going to die??”