Incendie mystérieux

Chapitre 33

Lin Na's hesitant words kept swirling in Yan Wuyue's mind. Perhaps, with her mature and perceptive nature, she had already sensed the strangeness between her senior brother and Yan Qi? After all, Yan Qi had only confided in Yan Wuyue about her senior brother's infidelity during that midnight phone call, and logically, neither of them should know; only she kept this secret… only herself… Yan Wuyue tossed and turned in her half-awake state, sometimes sighing for Yan Qi's unfortunate fate, sometimes grinding her teeth in hatred. She empathized with Yan Qi's pain—simply because the one who pushed Yan Qi to her senior brother was none other than herself.

She recalled her initial excitement, elation, curiosity, nervousness, and a vague unease upon entering university. Standing alongside such a vast number of outstanding elites, she immediately felt insignificant and mediocre, and both she and Yan Qi were simultaneously overwhelmed by a strange sense of frustration and inferiority. Intelligence and a thirst for knowledge shone brightly on everyone's face. In high school, they were undoubtedly among the best in their respective schools, yet at K University, they were merely a drop in the ocean, just ordinary university students. To instill in the freshmen the spirit of "there's always someone better," K University's first major test was evident in the entrance examination.

Volume 3 Hell Records: My Eyes Are Only on You (Part 9)

After registration, new students took entrance exams in English, mathematics, and physics. The difficulty level exceeded high school level, reaching the level of national high school subject competitions or first-year university studies—as one student who had self-studied the entire university-level general physics curriculum back in high school put it. These exams naturally didn't test rote memorization, but rather students' latent learning abilities. Yan Wuyue's performance was average; she was never the type to study intensely, and she always managed to pass exams by relying on a bit of cleverness. But Yan Qi was a different story. It's said that when faced with those bizarre, unprecedented questions, she trembled as she worked on them, eventually bursting into tears. For the diligent and hardworking Yan Qi, those questions beyond her imagination must have been terrifying.

After the results were announced, she cried all night. The next day, she called Yan Wuyue out and poured out her heart to her. The pressure was immense… She repeatedly emphasized to Yan Wuyue that everyone in the dormitory was better than her, and she couldn't bear to stay there any longer… What should she do? Wuyue, help her… She poured out her heart in despair, but Yan Wuyue, as the listener, paid no attention. At that time, she was preoccupied with the upcoming gathering in front of the Guo Moruo statue, a meeting of astrology enthusiasts—though she didn't yet possess the ability to foresee the future and know that she would meet an important person there…

That was a lingering guilt in her heart—faced with Yan Qi's incessant complaints, Yan Wuyue interrupted her somewhat rudely and bluntly told her to be strong—"You can't keep relying on me." She always remembered her tone, resolute and determined, "We are already college students, leaving our parents, and from now on we have to live independently here by ourselves."

"Alone?" Yan Qi looked at her pitifully.

"Alone." Yan Wuyue emphasized.

She always felt that Yan Qi looked so sad back then, like a puppy she had heartlessly abandoned. She hardened her heart and told herself that it was just an opportunity to toughen Yan Qi up—because of her strength, Yan Wuyue had long been accustomed to living independently, and also accustomed to being depended on by others. For those girls, she had always silently supported them from behind, always listening, understanding, and comforting those delicate and fragile young hearts. Yan Qi and she did have a good relationship, but her constant crying and whining about trivial things like studies, grades, and rankings seemed a bit neurotic to Yan Wuyue. The blunt Yan Wuyue couldn't understand the thoughts of those sensitive girls, and could only offer vague words of comfort. However, deep down, she might already be tired of this role as a therapist—perhaps she just wanted to get rid of their dependence.

That's why she said such heartless words to Yan Qi, adding insult to injury when Yan Qi was at her most vulnerable. Later, Yan Qi started dating her senior brother, and her life revolved entirely around her boyfriend, rarely contacting Yan Wuyue anymore. Wasn't Yan Wuyue, who was happy for her, secretly relieved to have gotten rid of a burden?

"I'm sorry..." Only when she was alone in the dead of night did guilt quietly well up in her heart, tormenting her invisibly. In her hazy state, she seemed to recall a vague question: that girl hadn't returned tonight either. If she wasn't with her senior brother, where had she gone in this foreign land? Then sleep suddenly attacked her, and she drifted off into a deep sleep.

The next morning was filled with classes. Everyone in the class was like they were in a battle, rushing out of one classroom and scrambling to claim another spot—all to be closer to the teacher and see the blackboard more clearly. These were the times Yan Wuyue would shine. Her lithe figure weaved through the crowd, a stack of notebooks in her hand flying like knives, landing neatly in a long line on each seat, instantly claiming ownership. She understood the ultimate principle of grabbing seats: speed, ruthlessness, and precision. No one could match her agility, swiftness, and accuracy, so she monopolized all the girls' seats. Once the morning's battle was over, she relaxed, leisurely blending into the surging crowd of students leaving school, swept along by the tide towards the cafeteria. She and Lu Bing got their food, eating rather unladylike as they walked back to their dorm. "Hmm, try this home-style tofu, the cafeteria made it pretty good today." "The mushrooms are nice, want some?" "Yes! You feed me a bite, I can't free my hands, hehe..." Similar conversations were scattered along the path from the cafeteria to the dormitory. Perhaps it was precisely because of this overly carefree behavior that the two young ladies still didn't have boyfriends. By the time the two of them strolled back to the dormitory, the food was almost all gone. However, given Yan Wuyue's unusually large belly, she had already bought a lot of fried meat skewers, meat buns, pancakes, and other snacks in addition to the main meal. At this point, the dormitory erupted in a second wave of attacks.

Today was no exception. Yan Wuyue pulled a grilled sausage, two spiced eggs, and oh right, she was also carrying a roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), two skewers of tempura, and three skewers of fried pork tenderloin. She took a deep breath of the mixed aroma of the food, and a look of drooling appeared on her face. Hohoho, she was so happy that her mouth was almost dripping with saliva. Lu Bing poked her head in from outside the dormitory, "Wuyue, do you have any detergent? I'll go wash my lunchbox."

"It's in the usual spot!" Yan Wuyue replied absentmindedly, pouting. "With such delicious food in front of us, let's not say such unpleasant things, okay?"

Lu Bing walked in. "I can't stand you anymore, you're so greedy," she said, making a face. "Did you eat all that food you just ate?" Suddenly she exclaimed, "Huh?"

"What is it now, my Miss Lu?" Yan Wuyue asked rudely.

Lu Bing grabbed her shoulder. "The girl's things!" Her face turned pale instantly. "They're all gone! They were right here last night before I went to sleep...!"

"Cough!" Yan Wuyue sighed heavily. "You're scared already? No need to ask, she must have come back this morning to get something!"

“But… but…” Lu Bing looked around anxiously, as if to make sure it was safe. “The four of us in the dorm have been in class together all morning… and that girl can’t borrow the key from the lady downstairs…”

Her words struck Yan Wuyue's heart like a blunt object:

"How exactly did she sneak into our dorm room... just like a puff of smoke..."

Volume 3 Hell Records: My Eyes Are Only on You (Part 10)

The girl, along with her belongings, vanished without a trace, like a puff of smoke. No, perhaps she shouldn't have been near Xiao Lan in the first place, shouldn't have come to this school with him. No one welcomed her except Xiao Lan. Her departure was perfectly timed, a satisfying end, at least that's what Yan Wuyue thought. When she met Yan Qi again, she was arm-in-arm with her senior, a bright, excited smile on her face. Yan Qi's cheeks were deeply sunken, not a ounce of flesh left on her jaw. Her burning, anxious eyes were fixed on her beloved man, her arms tightly around him, as if afraid to let him go at any moment. Seeing Yan Wuyue, her senior coughed awkwardly, telling her he had to return to Shanghai for his internship.

“Let’s go now,” he said. “She insists on coming with us.”

Did you hear that right? For her boyfriend, Yan Qi was willing to give up her studies and follow him to Shanghai?

"Brother Lan, how can that be?" Yan Qi's tone was so sweet it was almost unbearable. "How can I let you struggle all by yourself?"

Her voice, and her affectionate manner… gave Yan Wuyue goosebumps; something felt off. The Yan Qi of the past was a dignified lady, burying all her emotions deep inside, not this delicate, fragile woman. But perhaps her senior brother—no, most men in the world—successfully fall for this, don't they? Strong-willed women often lose in the battle of love, while those outwardly gentle, endearing girls often have the last laugh. Love, that vexing love! Yan Wuyue sighed inexplicably. Even to please her boyfriend, Yan Qi didn't need to deliberately change her personality. If it were me…

A boy's憨憨 (simple and honest) smiling face involuntarily flashed into her mind. Lonely Cow liked An Lin… Her heart felt like it had been pierced by a needle, a sharp, piercing pain. Along with this real pain, a vague fantasy arose in her mind: If my personality became like An Lin's, would he like me…?

No, no! She shook her head repeatedly, rejecting such an ignorant idea. Why should I change for him? If you ask me, Lonely Cow should change his personality to like me. Yes, she clenched her fists and shouted, "He should like me!"

"Oh?" A deep, gentle voice slowly rang out, "Is this your wish?"

"An astrologer?" Yan Wuyue was so startled that she took several steps back. "What are you doing at our school 'again'?"

This is concerning… Alarm bells rang in her mind. Astrologers have been appearing far too frequently lately! “Let me be clear, don’t bring up stupid things like ‘it feels like three autumns’ again.” Learning from her previous failure, she quickly built a strong defensive fortress for herself. Seriously, why is it that a perfectly healthy, unblemished, and sexually normal human girl like herself isn’t liked by human men, but instead gets sexually harassed by an old ghoul? Ahhh, God is so unfair!

"I think I heard someone say something about an 'old man'..." the astrologer frowned, asking with impeccable manners, "May I ask which gentleman is so unfortunate?"

“...People in their fifties and sixties are all called grandfathers. What are people who have lived for hundreds of years, no, maybe even longer, called if not old men? Old geezers?” she retorted forcefully.

The astrologer touched his cheek, sounding somewhat inexplicably dejected: "Am I really the youngest? People always call me a young, handsome, and dashing uncle."

"Who would be so tasteless?"

“At least, that’s what the mirror says.” He smiled slightly, and his charm radiated silently from the corners of his lips.

I can't stand this arrogant, narcissistic, and cocky ghoul! A monster who maintains his youth by devouring humans, and he dares to talk so big! But then again, judging from his appearance alone, very few men surpass him in handsome looks and elegant demeanor...

"If it's your wish, I can grant it for you." His words flowed gently into her heart like a tranquil stream. "Any wish is possible, but of course, I have the right to ask for compensation..."

"Your body..."

Snap!

The astrologer stood there dumbfounded, staring in astonishment at Yan Wuyue's angry departure. A red handprint appeared on his face, the size of the hand perfectly matching the right hand of the departing girl.

“I’m telling you, Maya,” he sighed heavily, his voice filled with an indescribable helplessness, “are my words so easily misunderstood?”

"It's mainly because your actions and tone are a bit too... you know..." Maya, who had been listening in his arms, pouted. However, such flirtatious actions, when done by a handsome guy, can be euphemistically called "ambiguous," and are actually quite pleasing to the eye. But if an ugly guy did them, it would only be called "creepy" and "indecent"...

Nearly a month has passed in the blink of an eye. I wonder how Yan Qi is doing in Shanghai. From the gossip gathered from all sides, I've heard that her relationship with her senior has deepened since their last meeting. For her birthday, he even bought her a stunning Chow Tai Fook ruby necklace as a gift. When the vibrant, flame-like ruby shone in her palm, it reflected on her face, a mixture of excitement and emotion. According to her roommate, Yan Qi was so moved that she shed two tears, not because of the expensive necklace, but because she was touched by her senior's sincere heart—a conclusion likely tinged with girlish romance and beautiful imagination, sounding utterly unreal. Her senior is graduating soon and will officially start working at his internship company in the fall. This means that for the two years before Yan Qi graduates, they will suffer the pain of a long-distance relationship. This lavish birthday gift is probably his way of expressing his loyalty.

Unwavering loyalty? Hearing such speculations, Yan Wuyue couldn't help but smile bitterly to herself. These envious girls could never imagine the shameful things her senior brother had done behind Yan Qi's back, or how Yan Qi had endured such humiliation to reconcile with him. No, compared to her boyfriend's infidelity, Yan Qi probably couldn't bear the blow of losing her senior brother. Then again, that third party was really strange, appearing and disappearing without a trace—was it because she was dumped by her senior brother and too ashamed to stay? Even so, she was quite fragile—Yan Wuyue couldn't help but feel a little unnecessary sympathy for her.

Volume 3 Hell Records: My Eyes Are Only on You (Part 11)

The graduation defense was in full swing, and Senior Brother's internship was coming to an end. He returned to K University with his graduation project, and naturally, Yan Qi came along with him. During his internship at the company, Senior Brother had already prepared all the necessary materials for his defense, counting down the days until the final defense, waiting for that piece of paper—his degree certificate. Suddenly returning to the leisurely atmosphere of the university, he found it a little hard to adjust. With Yan Qi's support, he enrolled in a tennis class. Yan Qi wanted to practice with him, but she had already missed almost a month of classes in Shanghai. To make matters worse, midterms were approaching. Not to mention others, even the usually lazy Yan Wuyue had started studying diligently. Suddenly, the study room was packed with people. The battle was imminent, and the air was thick with tension. Everyone was studying like crazy. How could Yan Qi possibly take care of her boyfriend in this situation? She was busy as a bee, studying, taking exams, studying again, taking exams again… and so the tense days quietly passed by. Having finally made it to the last exam, the decisive battle was in the afternoon, and Yan Wuyue couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and excitement. Perhaps due to the exhaustion of staying up all night studying, she unknowingly fell asleep at her desk. When she woke up, the study room was suddenly deserted. Oh no! She hurriedly checked her watch and cried out in alarm—the exam started in five minutes! She quickly grabbed her bag and rushed out, not even having time to comb her messy hair. She casually brushed her hair aside, and in that fleeting glance, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure.

To be precise, there are two.

Strangely enough, standing under the peach tree in the modern art center were my senior and a strange girl. The girl had a slender waist and long legs, and from a distance, she was quite beautiful. Judging from my senior's expression, he seemed to be having a very pleasant conversation, completely unaware that Yan Wuyue was brushing past him. Yan Wuyue took a second look at the girl. Her long, flowing black hair, fair and gorgeous face, and graceful figure—wasn't that Zhan Xiaohui, the top 2 beauty at K University? Known as the "Tennis Flower," she was a dancer and a key member of the tennis club. Thanks to her reputation, the tennis club recruited countless new members every year. Could it be that my senior also...? This question flashed through Yan Wuyue's mind. She wanted to get a little closer and gather more information, but just then, K University's most penetrating ringtone rang out loudly—

Oh no, the exam has already started! She immediately took off running.

After barely managing to finish all the questions, Yan Wuyue collapsed onto the table like a lump of mud. Everyone was excitedly discussing the evening's entertainment, but she ignored them, her mind replaying the earlier scene. Should she remind Yan Qi to keep an eye on her senior's actions? Their relationship had finally stabilized; she couldn't afford any more trouble.

Through some means, she carefully (thought) subtly (thought) told Yan Qi about it. Yan Qi was in a good mood, much better than when she came to her dormitory looking for her last time. Unexpectedly, upon hearing Yan Wuyue's words, her face completely fell, as if a layer of skin had been peeled off, revealing a radiant exterior but an ugly interior. Yan Wuyue's words shattered her facade of happiness completely.

The ruby necklace on her chest seemed to echo her mood, its color dull like pigeon blood that had been left to settle for a long time. Her lips twitched twice, and suddenly she covered her face with her hands.

"Yan Qi..." Seeing her like this, Yan Wuyue couldn't help but panic. She stammered apologies and such, wishing she could pull out her own tongue and cut it off—she might go to the Tongue-Pulling Hell after death, and she deeply blamed herself for stirring up trouble between the couple!

"I...I only saw him from a distance. You know I'm nearsighted and not good at recognizing people," she wished she could disappear into the ground. "Maybe I mistook him for someone else! Yes, yes! I must have mistaken him for someone else! How could my senior brother possibly..."

The more she tried to explain, the worse it got… Yan Qi’s sobs grew louder, tears streaming down her face from between her fingers. “What should I do?” Yan Wuyue cried out to the heavens, “Oh God, please let me take back what I just said!”

“No, Wuyue…” Yan Qi uttered haltingly, “I don’t blame you, you did nothing wrong…”

In fact, Yan Qi had already noticed that Xiao Lan was acting strangely.

The senior student, who had never liked sports, had actually taken tennis seriously this time, buying professional equipment from tennis clothes to rackets and clubs. Occasionally, Yan Qi would find time to ask him out for dinner, but he would always decline, saying he didn't want to disturb her studies. His phone calls were often interrupted by loud noises, at which point he would explain that he was at the tennis court. In fact, thinking about it carefully, since returning from Shanghai, he hadn't had any face-to-face contact with Yan Qi, at most answering one or two of her phone calls. All these clues seemed exactly the same as back in Shanghai, didn't they? Yan Qi covered her face, sobbing softly, "I thought he would change..." Her helpless cries struck Yan Wuyue's ears, so heavy.

Why does she always suffer such immense emotional pain? Because she has met the wrong person. Yan Qi is no longer happy; her heart is filled only with sorrow. When they were still innocent young girls, untouched by love, so many things easily brought them joy. Their laughter echoed across the golden fields, clean and bright like transparent crystal. But now, looking back at that former rapeseed field, Yan Wuyue is shocked to find that she is all alone there.

Just one person.

Yan Qi left the innocent and carefree world of girlhood a step ahead of her, stepping into the more vibrant and distinct adult world of love and hate. The sweetness of being in love was ten times greater than before, making the bitterness of heartbreak a hundred times more intense. Separated by the River of Love, Yan Wuyue could only see Yan Qi's weeping back; her feet were only scratched by the pebbles on the riverbank, the stones called "unrequited love." How could she truly understand the suffering of someone struggling to survive in the river?

How terrifying. She whispered to herself, like a poisoned apple in a witch's hand, bright and tempting on the outside, but possibly containing deadly toxins inside. Love really does seem scary; I'd better not touch it lightly—after all, sometimes unrequited love isn't so bad—she had a rather self-deceptive spirit.

However, more often than not, love is like a sweet drug; once you're hooked, you can't escape. Those who can't have it yearn for it, while those who have it are never satisfied and crave more. This time, perhaps having learned his lesson, Xiao Lan didn't do anything bold. Their relationship remained on the line between "friends" and "lovers," hovering on the edge of ambiguity. Since the victim, Yan Qi, hadn't explicitly objected, others, though dissatisfied, dared not speak out. Either they erupted in silence, or they perished in silence—finally, on a sweltering early summer night, Yan Qi received a fatal phone call.

Volume 3 Hell Records: My Eyes Are Only on You (Part 12)

No one knows what was said on that phone call. What the girls saw afterward was simply the desolate state of a once tidy dormitory after a massive typhoon—everything within sight, on the desks and bookshelves, was flung wildly to the ground, an innocent consequence of the raging storm. The human-shaped typhoon, "Rage," left nothing but devastation in its wake, yet the eye of the storm remained relatively calm. Nestled amidst a high, limp pile of tissues soaked with countless tears, was Yan Qi's gaunt and terrifying face, like a skeleton. Perhaps from crying so long and so intensely, her eyes were bloodshot, and dried tears left streaks of white salt on her cheeks. She opened her mouth, making a gurgling sound, but no sound came out—her throat was completely hoarse.

"How could it have come to this?" Upon hearing the news about Yan Qi's roommate, Yan Wuyue immediately put down the anime she was watching and rushed to Yan Qi's dormitory—her appearance was even more terrifying than everyone had described. Seeing her dazed and disoriented expression, as if she had lost her soul, Yan Wuyue felt both heartache and regret. She pulled Yan Qi into her arms, feeling the latter's body as light and weightless as a ghost, and a wave of sadness made her nose sting.

"What happened?" Even though she was usually quick-witted, Yan Wuyue felt powerless in this situation and could only utter a few meaningless words, though she tried her best to be gentle. "What happened? Tell me, okay?"

There was no answer. Yan Wuyue slowly exhaled from her chest, her gaze sweeping across the ground. A ruby, shattered into several pieces, lay silently at Yan Qi's feet, like a broken, bleeding heart.

No words were needed. She silently embraced Yan Qi. The air was so still that even the breath of the heartbroken girl could not be heard. In such a moment, a silent shoulder was more precious and powerful than a thousand words.

"Cry, cry." She pressed Yan Qi's head down forcefully, as if that would send her heartfelt words into her ears. "Once you've cried it out, you'll forget what he said..."

However, her wish was not fulfilled. The next morning, when she went to find Yan Qi, she learned that Yan Qi hadn't slept a wink all night, having spent the entire night gazing at the stars from the balcony window. Her roommates, fearing she might doze off, had stayed with her, not daring to close their eyes. Exhausted and sleepy before dawn, they let their guard down and dozed off at the first light of day—and in the blink of an eye, Yan Qi was gone…

Oh no! Yan Wuyue knew something was wrong and quickly searched the streets for her senior brother. K University wasn't that big, but finding a specific person among thousands of students was still quite difficult. After much searching, Yan Wuyue finally managed to get her senior brother's phone number. As soon as the call connected, she blurted out, "Is Yan Qi with you?"

Perhaps her senior brother hesitated for only a moment, but to her it felt like half a century. Finally, a deep voice came from the other end of the phone, tinged with confusion and doubt, "...Yan Qi?"

"Yes!" She was frantic, not caring about politeness at all. "I am Yan Wuyue. She has disappeared, and we are all searching for her separately... Has she contacted you? Or," she deliberately changed her phrasing, "Have you seen her?"

Damn delay again. Is this question really that hard to answer? Why is it taking you so long to think about it, senior?

"No." This answer was exactly what Yan Wuyue expected. Hmph, her senior brother was probably with some other woman, hence his evasive tone. "But how did Yan Qi disappear..." Before her senior brother could finish his question, Yan Wuyue decisively hung up. Such a stupid question, even a child could answer it, how could her senior brother even dare to ask it? Yan Wuyue's priority right now was to calmly determine Yan Qi's possible whereabouts; as for answering her senior brother's questions, she'd leave that to him!

From the second teaching building to the fourth archway, from the playground to the gymnasium, she searched every nook and cranny, but still couldn't find Yan Qi. Passing the tennis courts, a sudden inspiration struck her. She asked the boys practicing there. With their directions, she quickly found Zhan Xiaohui's dormitory—it turned out she lived right downstairs.

Xiao Hui wasn't around, so her roommate told her she was a "new member of the tennis club." Naturally, wanting guidance from Senior Sister Zhan, the "new member" easily obtained her phone number. Although it felt a bit like a lie, saving someone was paramount, and she couldn't worry about that for now. She steadied herself, pressed her pounding heart, and pressed the call button.

The pleasant ringtone then rang out, playing the recently popular song "My Heart Only Has You, Not Her." The singer sang "My Heart Only Has You, Not Her" over and over again until Yan Wuyue's ears were calloused—but still no one answered.

What to do? Yan Wuyue plopped down on the steps of the auditorium entrance, staring blankly at the sky above, smeared with a bluish-gray hue by the smoke. A pale, handsome face crept into her mind, a signature wicked smile playing on his lips—No, absolutely not! She shook her head repeatedly. Should she ask that ghoul (and a wretched old man at that!) for help again?

What if he makes some disgusting and perverted demands? It's already miserable enough that she has no luck with the opposite sex; she doesn't dare utter a sound when she sees those jokes mocking old maids—because they might be a reflection of her future! The person I love doesn't love me, and the person who loves me (this is currently a blank for Yan Wuyue) I don't love—I'll drag this on until I'm a haggard old woman and still can't get married, so I'll be miserable serving as a bridesmaid for my classmates everywhere—at that time, the astrologer will definitely still have the same handsome appearance as now, sighing at her with a mocking smile:

"I asked for your body more than ten years ago, but you refused; now you (automatically censored to avoid hurting your self-esteem), if no man is willing, I'll reluctantly accept it!"

...What a chilling future. Human metabolism, birth, aging, sickness, and death are the most natural things in the world. Why then does this ghoul astrologer use human flesh as bait to maintain his eternal beauty, looking down upon the masses like a high and mighty god, mocking their insignificant, short-lived lives? In his long, endless life, what can he possibly use to while away one repetitive night after another?

Having no other choice, Yan Wuyue reluctantly lifted her weary body and started walking towards the Frozen Street. Fortunately, at that moment, someone called out to her from afar; the voice sounded extremely anxious.

"Yan... hurry..."

Yan Wuyue recognized one of Yan Qi's roommates. Could it be that there was news about Yan Qi? Where did you find her? Where is she now? A barrage of questions, delivered by Yan Wuyue, rained down on the girl. She was completely overwhelmed, gasping for breath as she desperately squeezed out a few words, "Back...back..."

Volume 3 Hell Records: My Eyes Are Only on You (Part 13)

Yan Qi did indeed return, but she wasn't the only one; an old-fashioned record player also came back. No one knew how she managed to carry that enormous record player into the dormitory. The girls in the dorm could only stare in disbelief as the record player blocked the center of the room.

When Yan Wuyue arrived, ethereal musical notes floated throughout the corridor, soft and evocative. "I said you're the only one in my eyes, only you are unforgettable..." What a familiar melody! Wasn't that Jing Gangshan's old song, "You're the Only One in My Eyes"? The tender, poignant voice flowed quietly into Yan Qi's ears, even the sound of the record needle could be clearly heard. "I said you're the only one in my eyes, you are the miracle of my life..." The singer's magnetic voice, like a lover's gentle whisper, softly enveloped Yan Qi's face, draping her in a hazy light—she leaned against the record player, and to the sound of the gentle music, a happy smile on her face, and drifted off to sleep. So Yan Wuyue quietly closed the door, unwilling to disturb her dream. At that moment, she only wanted to leave Yan Qi's side as quickly as possible, and didn't even notice the origin of the record.

The phone rang; it was her senior brother calling. Yan Wuyue frowned in disgust, unable to make up her mind. As if testing her patience, the ringing persisted, and finally, she succumbed to her curiosity and answered irritably, "Hello?"

It really was her senior. "May I ask what brings you here?" she asked.

Her senior hesitated, seemingly unsure what to say. "If you don't tell me, I'm hanging up!" she threatened fiercely.

"Wait a minute!" Now he panicked. "I wanted to ask you something..."

Yan Wuyue waited coldly for him to continue.

"Didn't you just say that Yan Qi went missing..." His voice grew weaker, "...What happened to her...?"

"Hmph, you still have the nerve to ask me?!" Yan Wuyue spat inwardly. "Isn't it all your fault, you stinking men!" So she replied hypocritically, "How would I know about her affairs? I'm not a mind reader. Logically speaking," her resentment was about to explode, "you should know more than I do! You agree, right, Senior Brother?"

Another silence fell. Yan Wuyue imagined her senior brother's embarrassed expression and couldn't help but curse inwardly, "Serves him right." Unexpectedly, her senior brother then sincerely said:

“I really don’t know. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her.”