Home of Psychics

Chapter 7

"Let's give this story a perfect ending."

“The ribs are for protecting the heart. If the heart loses its ribs, it will hurt and be injured. In order to prevent it from bleeding, the ribs must be found.”...---The Fairy of the Magpie Bridge replied [17]: CHARMINGBAR’s night ended with this sentence. It seems a bit unreal, but this is the true nature of life. We do not live in stories.

Like beautiful flowers in bloom, like fleeting years, a year has passed since I wrote this entry. Because of a sudden fire, CHARMINGBAR has completely disappeared from my sight, but the memory is so clear, as if I just left. I don't know why, but I truly believed his words. Perhaps it was psychological, but since then, I often see men clutching their left chests, their faces showing a slight throbbing pain. I think they are probably "reformed" vampires, searching for a rib to be borrowed. Who knows how long it will take? Since they reformed, they have given up immortality—ten years, twenty years, or forever—but as long as there is hope, life has an answer.

Fang Qingyan on April 27, 2001

Please marry me.

"Dinner's ready!" Rui'er, who had been diligently practicing cooking for the sake of her great love, had been cooking for three weeks straight, but the other two seemed to be making more strange noises than when there was no food.

At this moment, Qingyan was half-lying on the sofa reading a book, lazily not even lifting his eyelids: "What dish is it now?" "Ham and cabbage stew."

"I'm not eating anymore."

"You!" Rui'er was so angry that she wanted to hit her with the spatula in her hand. Qingyan seemed to sense it and added, "I saw a bloody scene on the broadcast today and I can't eat meat."

“What’s wrong with you? I’ve never seen you unable to eat during the live surgery broadcasts before,” Rui’er muttered. “Then eat the grapes, or they’ll go bad.”

"Yes, ma'am!" Qingyan lazily opened the refrigerator, took out grapes, and picked through them.

"What are you broadcasting today?" Vivi asked, holding a bowl. Although she didn't like Rui'er's cooking either, it was still easier to please than the picky Qingyan.

"Love suicide, suicide, jumping off a building."

"Oh? Where?" Rui'er also became interested, served herself the dishes she had made, sighed with satisfaction, and listened to what she had to say next.

"The Municipal First Hotel! Early this morning, someone from the department store across the street called the hotel's security department, saying they saw a figure on the top floor. The head of security panicked and rushed upstairs. Sure enough, there was a woman in white standing there. He shouted, and the woman turned around, smiled at him, and said something, but he couldn't remember anything afterward. Then the woman jumped. Thousands of people watched, and riot police had to be deployed to disperse them. A department manager in the hotel was working on the third floor. He looked up and saw something falling from the building. He opened the window and looked down, saw a bloody mess, and immediately fainted. He was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment."

Kiyohiko finished speaking in one breath, then popped a grape into his mouth, but probably didn't like the taste, so he spat it out.

"Didn't you always say you weren't afraid of anything? You got scared this time, didn't you?" Vivi teased her while eating.

Kiyohiko sighed.

"No, it's not that. I'm not afraid of flesh and blood, but it seems like there's something I can't quite explain... Ugh, I'm not going to talk about it anymore, or I'll have a nervous breakdown. I'm going online." With that, she turned and left the table.

"Neurosis? Humph, I think it's just a mental illness, trying to avoid washing dishes again!" Rui'er said angrily.

Turn on the computer, enter the operating system, dial up, and open QQ.

As usual, her friend list was mostly grayed out, and as usual, she double-clicked one of them and sent a message.

"Someone died here today."

The profile picture quickly started moving:

"Yes, they'll all die."

"The girl who died was very beautiful."

"Um."

"Beauty is often short-lived."

:)

：（”

"I'm just not interested in what you're saying."

"So what are you interested in?"

"I might go there."

"What what?"

"It's just a plan; I might not actually see you."

"..."

:)

"Okay, goodbye."

"88"

Qin Chuan stared blankly for a while as usual, and it was already past 2 a.m. when he logged off. The surroundings were silent. After shutting down the computer, he was immersed in darkness, with only the clock flashing a faint green light.

Lying in bed, I felt unusually tired, not physically, but mentally. I especially didn't want dawn to break, and I desperately wanted to find a reason to refuse. This strange lethargy always comes before important events.

But the sky still brightened as always.

When the sun is high in the sky, it appears pale and lacks warmth and friendliness. At times like this, jumping on a train for a long journey must feel like an escape.

The rumble of cars, with its distinct yet chaotic rhythm, is very soothing and easy to fall asleep; the effects of staying up all night are now becoming apparent.

By the time he arrived at the station, he had been sleeping soundly, his days and nights reversed. Standing in this unfamiliar place, the only thing he was sure of was the humid heat. It seemed that autumn had no effect on this place at all; the air felt like syrup clinging to his skin.

He hailed a taxi, gave the driver a place name, and something just felt off. The driver turned to look at him, and his eyes clearly said three words: Out-of-towner.

Looking out from the car, the roads everywhere looked like they had been ripped apart, terminally ill, covered in dust, and there was no discernible cultural background.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [18]: The car stopped at the entrance of a small community. Looking inside, you can see two high-rise buildings. The gatehouse is just for show, and the entrance is crowded with stalls and vendors.

The elevator wasn't going to the sixth floor, and I was already taking deep breaths when I stood at the door. I knocked a few times but there was no response. I took out my phone and dialed, but I could hear the phone ringing repeatedly inside the door. Obviously, no one was home.

Qin Chuan sat down with a bit of frustration, his travel bag beside him. Being dumped in an unfamiliar place was hardly lucky. He didn't know how long he would be there, but several people had been coming and going, giving him the look of someone who wasn't a thief.

After thinking for a long time, I finally dialed Xiao Yan's cell phone.

After ringing for a long time, Xiao Yan finally answered, almost hanging up impatiently. Before he could speak, she said repeatedly, "I'm sorry, brother, something came up at work. Why don't you come over first? I'll treat you to dinner tonight. Just say it's the Municipal First Hotel!"

So, I went downstairs again and called a car.

This time, they had switched to a green car with orange-red roof lights, which stood out among the sea of red cars. Qin Chuan, of course, didn't know what it meant, but the driver's professionalism was noticeably improved, making things much more comfortable. After a few turns, the car entered a smooth main road. The traffic was heavy, and the speed slowed down, allowing the surrounding scenery to come into clear view.

Square flowerpots were placed at intervals along the sky-blue railings. The colorful flowers, some slightly wilted, bathed in the setting sun, all appeared fragile, giving off a sense of fleeting beauty. Towering buildings stood tall, making one feel dizzy looking up at them.

After a painful struggle, the car finally pulled into the city's No. 1 Hotel. The white exterior walls showed signs of age, but the green vines on the second-floor platform were full of vitality. The fountain in the center of the courtyard had a powerful, cascading water effect.

The money was passed through the narrow gap, and the servant boy came over, opened the car door, and climbed out. The sun suddenly dropped below the horizon, and the endlessly rotating gate seemed unfathomable and frightening. After much consideration, Qin Chuan still went in through the side door.

The hotel floor was so shiny it was like a mirror. Fortunately, there were quite a few other people dressed like him, standing there, occasionally looking outside. I didn't know if they were picking someone up or what, but it was at least a comfort.

Looking further inside, I caught sight of a smiling face that looked somewhat familiar. After looking it over from head to toe and estimating its height, I finally confirmed that it was Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan has slender eyebrows and long eyes. Her carefully styled hair is slightly curly, and she looks comical wrapped in a black suit. Of course, Qin Chuan didn't have time to laugh. Xiao Yan had already darted in front of him, grabbed his arm and shook it for a while, almost pulling him off.

"I'm so sorry, brother, one of our managers suddenly fell ill and was admitted to the emergency room. I was temporarily assigned to cover her shift, and I won't be off until 1 o'clock. Why don't you eat here first, and I'll give you the key later?"

Qin Chuan said it was okay and that he had already eaten in the car. Before he could finish speaking, another staff member ran over and called Xiao Yan, saying that something had happened again.

Xiao Yan pulled Qin Chuan to the rest area under the spiral staircase on the right side of the lobby, pressed him down on the sofa, and said, "Brother, you rest for a while, I'll be right there." Qin Chuan replied, "You go ahead with your work." Xiao Yan then followed his colleague and jogged into the elevator lobby.

A Daewoo car drove into the courtyard, and the people standing in the hall rushed out to line up and get on the car.

He realized he was waiting for the bus. As he thought this, he felt his eyelids getting a little sore, so he closed them and decided to rest for a while.

Then consciousness began to blur.

It seemed like only a short while had passed, yet it also seemed like a long time had gone by. He heard the sound of the engine starting up and thought, "They're driving now." He opened his eyes and saw that it was pitch black outside the tinted glass, with only the beams of the headlights shining through the darkness relentlessly.

I finally found the clock above the front desk that marked Beijing. The hour hand was pointing to twelve o'clock. There were noticeably fewer people in the lobby, and the staff looked tired. Just then, my cell phone rang.

He pressed the answer button and Xiao Yan said in a high-pitched voice, "Big brother, could you please come up to the 13th floor? I've prepared dinner." Before Qin Chuan could answer, a hissing sound blocked out all of Xiao Yan's voice. Helplessly, Qin Chuan stood up, half-dragging and half-carrying his travel bag towards the elevator, wondering as he walked why he was so tired.

He was the only one in the elevator. After pressing 13, he stared at the red button until the elevator doors slowly opened.

The corridor was dark, and there was no one at the service desk. The doors were all closed, as if they held many stories. The fourth door was ajar, letting out half a light.

Walking over, he could faintly hear the sound of running water coming from inside. Qin Chuan pushed open the door and went in. Soft light filled the room, and the temperature was just right. In the center of the room was a small round table, which was full of food, emitting an enticing aroma. He casually put his bag on the ground, sat down on the bed, and hugged his knees.

After waiting for a long time, Xiao Yan still hadn't come out. However, the rhythm of the water was quite distinct. What on earth was that kid doing? Qin Chuan wondered as he headed to the bathroom.

A melodious and moving song drifted up, it was Karen Mok's "Why Do I Love You So Much", but it wasn't Mok's voice, but another delicate and sweet voice.

He didn't think about what was going on, or rather, he didn't have time to think about it before he pushed open the bathroom door.

My eyes lit up.

A pure white and delicate female body was presented before my eyes.

The color of ivory, the texture of silk, wrapped in apple-green foam, her wet black hair cascaded down her shoulders, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees.

Qin Chuan was immediately stunned, but just like when he came in, his hand involuntarily pulled the door shut again, and he said: I'm sorry.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [19]: The girl turned her face slightly, and in the instant the door closed, Qin Chuan caught a glimpse of her exquisite profile, like a painting.

Amidst the chaos, he hurriedly left the room, pressed the elevator button to go down to the first floor, and immediately saw Xiao Yan searching around. Upon seeing him, she rushed over as if she were something else.

"Hey brother, where have you been? I've been looking for you. You're off work now, let's hurry up and go eat. I'm starving, and I'm missing you just as much."

Qin Chuan looked at him with an almost bewildered expression: "Didn't you call me on my cell phone and tell me to go up to the 13th floor? And then you weren't here."

Xiao Yan laughed loudly: "Brother, you're so funny. It's blocked here, there's no cell phone signal. Are you sleepwalking?"

Qin Chuan thought for a long time and said definitively, "I really didn't sleepwalk. I answered the phone, went to the 13th floor, entered the room, and saw a sumptuous meal, and... He choked and asked, 'What else?' Xiao Yan squinted and smiled, 'Big brother, the 13th floor is a corner room, no one lives there.'"

Qin Chuan frowned. All the other rooms were closed, but the fourth one was open, and... he suddenly remembered: his travel bag was still inside.

Xiao Yan's expression also became a little serious. "Oh? Then let's go take a look. It wouldn't be good if something was lost."

The two entered the elevator again, pressed 13, and got off at their destination. It was pitch black, and the door to the fourth room was closed properly, making it impossible to recognize among the other doors.

As Xiao Yan opened the door, she said, "See, see. Foreigners don't like the number 13. This is a corner room, not for anyone to stay in. There's not even a service desk."

When the light is turned on, a stale, musty smell hits you, and the dust particles are clearly visible.

The room was empty; there was no food, no music, and no sound of water.

Before Xiao Yan could say anything more, Qin Chuan pushed open the bathroom door first.

The bathtub had been dry for at least 10 years without being used, and the shower curtain was neatly folded.

"Brother, you're hallucinating because you're overworked. I get like that too when I work too much overtime. Let's go downstairs and let the security guard look for your bag again."

Qin Chuan was dazedly pushed out the door. Xiao Yan locked the door and pressed the elevator button. He was still standing there, stunned, when suddenly he felt something hard under his feet. He bent down and groped around on the floor, grabbing something cool. Xiao Yan turned around and urged him, "Come on up."

After going downstairs, Xiao Yan called the security guard over to give instructions. He quietly opened his palm, revealing a perfectly round ring lying in the center, emitting a soft glow.

Qin Chuan sat on the bed, tugging at his pajamas with a lack of confidence. It was a bright white silk cotton pajama set with a small plum blossom pattern printed on it, and wide red trim on the cuffs and hem. Heaven knows how Xiao Yan got such pajamas, especially for winter. But it was the only one he could fit into.

Xiao Yan breathed evenly beside him. The sky outside the window was already faintly showing signs of light. After tossing and turning all night, what exactly happened? Qin Chuan lay down with some melancholy, whether it was because he was worried about his travel bag or something else, he slowly fell asleep.