Fourth Campus - Chapter 27
The Fourth Campus: Nangong Xiaoxue's Diary (6)
It was already three in the morning, and I couldn't fall asleep. I didn't know what misfortune Ouyang Jun had encountered in that faraway country.
Ouyang Jun, do you know how worried I am about you? If you can truly understand how I feel, please write me a letter as soon as possible and tell me what happened that prevented you from returning as scheduled.
Monday, May 3, 1993: Rain
Today I ran into Nami Ikeda again at the school gate. We greeted each other with our eyes and then continued our long wait. Around noon, Nami Ikeda suddenly invited me to lunch. We talked about our boyfriends, and our shared experiences made us good friends. Nami Ikeda said she had asked a friend in America to look for her boyfriend. She said she would let me know as soon as she had any news.
Weather on Friday, June 18, 1993: Thunderstorms
Why did this happen? Why did this happen?! Why did this tragedy have to happen to me?!
My tears have almost dried up, but they still can't ease my pain!
I went to ask Nami Ikeda for information today, but she wasn't at her apartment. Her friend Reiko Maeda told me that Nami was feeling down and had gone to that grove of trees. Reiko Maeda was evasive, as if she was trying to hide something. My woman's intuition tells me that I must be involved.
The thing I didn't want to happen has happened! But I'm not giving up. I have to find Ikeda Nami to confirm it. I ran quickly into the woods and found Ikeda Nami in the pavilion. She was dressed in white, her back to me, kneeling and crying.
I received devastating news from her—the entire group of them had died a month earlier due to a virus leak from the lab.
Why, why is this happening?
Today is my last entry in my diary. I will never open this notebook again. I don't want to relive this painful experience! He's gone. He took my heart with him. I love him, and I will never forget him!
My dear, this diary will close with your departure. The memories are beautiful, but they only leave me with pain!
Farewell! May you rest in peace in heaven, and may we meet again in the next life!
I don't understand why God always makes lovers suffer. Nangong Xiaoxue's experience reminded me of Meng Na in the hospital bed. Tomorrow is the date of her consultation, and an ominous premonition swept through my heart.
I casually flipped through the diary again; the back was blank. Nangong Xiaoxue really hadn't written anything more. "Poor girl, please forgive me for reading your diary. I hope you can understand my situation from beyond. I didn't mean to pry into your privacy." I closed the diary and prepared to go back to my dormitory.
Just then, whether by coincidence or divine arrangement, a biting gust of wind blew the diary to the ground, turning the blank page at the back, revealing words in the middle:
Thursday, February 16, 1995 Weather: Cloudy
I hate this world!
This diary, which should never have been opened, has been opened again. At least before leaving this world, I want to leave something behind. Only here, before your soul, can I vent!
Jun, please forgive my selfishness. I shouldn't have loved someone else behind your back, even though you've left this world. But do you know, after you left, I was trapped in endless pain, and he took care of me during that time. I know you will forgive me, I know you will understand this loneliness and heart-wrenching pain. For over a year, I haven't been able to escape your shadow.
It was his care and patience that helped me slowly emerge from my painful memories and return to a peaceful life. I thought everything could start anew, but I just couldn't understand why things suddenly turned out this way. Why would he betray me? Why would he betray me for another woman? That woman was none other than my best friend, Nami Ikeda!
Just two days ago, on Valentine's Day night, I waited in my dorm for his call, but it never came. I paged him several times, but he didn't answer. I wandered aimlessly through the streets, constantly worrying about him, wondering if something had happened to him. You know, Jun, ever since you left, I've become incredibly sensitive. I'm afraid history will repeat itself.
But I was wrong. I wished what I saw was a nightmare, but it was real. When I returned to campus, I saw him embracing Nami Ikeda!
Why, why did this happen? I cried for a long time after I came back. Today I went to see him again and asked him why. But do you know what he answered me? He actually said that the person he truly loves is me, but he can't choose me. For his future, he needs Ikeda Nami!
Oh my god, how terrible this is. I never thought that a scene from a movie would happen to me! Just like when you left me, I've been dealt another heavy blow!
I hate this world, I hate love! Heaven has been so unfair to me, making me suffer so much from unrequited love. I simply cannot understand why he abandoned me, abandoned the person he truly loved? Why would someone sell pure love for fame and fortune?
Jun, I know I was wrong. It's all my own fault. Wait for me there, I'll be back to join you soon!
Nangong Xiaoxue
Final Words
The Fourth Campus: The Vengeance of the Dead (1)
PART 1.
The north wind howled mournfully, passing through the buildings on campus, as if weeping for Nangong Xiaoxue, or perhaps as if Nangong Xiaoxue's soul was weeping in the wind.
This poor girl ended her young and short life. What exactly is love, and why have tragedies been staged for it throughout history?
Now I finally understand why Nami Ikeda felt guilty about Xiaoxue Nangong's death. The person mentioned in the therapy records who had already died was Xiaoxue Nangong!
I continued flipping through the diary, and after more than ten blank pages, another passage appeared. The first few sentences sent chills down my spine.
Weather on Friday, June 16, 1995: Thunderstorms
Return of the Soul
Today is the third month since my death, Ouyang Jun told me.
Just like the day I died, lightning flashed across the sky, and torrential rain poured down. I looked out the window; it was pitch black. There were no lights in the room, only a circle of candles on the floor. I didn't know where I was. Was this the underworld? This was completely different from the legends.
What surprised me most was that when I opened my eyes, the first person I saw was Ouyang Jun.
It turns out that there really is a soul after a person dies.
Ouyang Jun gently helped me up, his face beaming with joy. I couldn't help but ask him: Where are we?
He told me it was a very secluded place, and no one would discover my existence. Suddenly, he became very sad again. I comforted him, telling him not to be sad about my death, that at least we could be together now.
Ouyang Jun sat on the ground, staring at the flickering candlelight, saying nothing. After a long while, he suddenly asked me why I was so foolish, why I committed suicide.
I threw myself into his arms and wept bitterly.
"I hate them, I hate them! But I can't change anything, so this is the only way I can find relief! I never thought that I would actually find you in the underworld..." I cried.
Ouyang Jun gently cupped my face and wiped away my tears. "This isn't the underworld; it's still that ugly world. I've summoned your soul back."
I didn't understand what he was saying, and stared at him blankly.
"Do you still hate this world?" Ouyang Jun asked me.
I nodded.
Ouyang Jun slowly stood up, walked to the window, looked at the torrential rain outside, and said to me, "I hate it too. This world is too dirty, so I came back, and I wanted you to come back too. I have something to do. Would you like to do it with me?"
I didn't quite understand what he was saying, but whatever he wanted to do, I was willing to help him. So I said, "I'm willing." Then, confused, I asked, "You said you're back, and you want me to come back too, but I don't understand."
Ouyang Jun turned around, a smile appearing on his face. "We're all dead, but we're still in this world. Tell me, what are we?"
A little scared, I stammered two words: "Ghost?"
Ouyang Jun didn't answer me, he just smiled, then said seriously, "Xiaoxue, I want revenge. I want those who harmed us to come and join us in fear and pain. We're already dead, we have nothing to worry about anymore. Today is the first night of your return, you should rest well. I have some things to do and can't stay with you for now, remember not to wander off." Ouyang Jun gently kissed me, then left the room.
A night for the dead to return? Looking at the candles arranged in a circle around me, I wondered, "Could there really be a ritual to summon the souls of the dead back to this world?"
A flash of lightning streaked across the window, illuminating the diary I kept on the floor. Yes, I must record this moment.
Thunder rumbled incessantly, but I was no longer afraid, for I had become a ghost that terrified the living! Revenge, yes, I will take revenge! I will bring Ikeda Nami and the others into this world to be with me! I will bring all my lovers into this world to be with me! I will set the fires of revenge burning throughout the school! I wonder what kind of expression Ikeda Nami will have when she sees me again. Thinking of this, I burst into laughter.
Wednesday, June 28, 1995: Sunny
The moon is beautiful tonight. Nami Ikeda likes to admire the moon alone on her apartment balcony at times like this. It's time for me to appear.
I glanced at the old wall clock; it was exactly nine o'clock. Three hours to go, but I couldn't wait any longer. I could almost picture Nami Ikeda's terrified expression. But Ouyang Jun had repeatedly told me to wait until midnight, and not to let too many people see us wandering the campus.
Three hours!
Thursday, June 29, 1995 Weather: Sunny
It was another clear and sunny day. Looking at the bright moon outside the window, I suddenly realized how beautiful the moonlight was. No wonder Nami Ikeda always liked to admire the moon.
Yesterday, when Nami Ikeda suddenly saw me on the balcony, her terrified expression thrilled me! Haha, from today onwards, every moonlit night, I will go to see her. I will make her walk the path I walked—end her own life!
PART 2.
I couldn't believe my eyes; I couldn't believe the handwriting I was seeing. But after repeated comparisons, they were clearly from the same hand—Nangong Xiaoxue's handwriting!
I shuddered, thinking, "Could there really be such a thing as a vengeful spirit?" This is a plot from a supernatural movie, and I still can't believe that such a thing could happen in real life.
The north wind grew stronger, and the bare branches on campus rustled eerily. Standing on the rooftop, I looked out, and the distant clock tower resembled a gigantic monster, guarding that forbidden area of the campus. The image of that old Japanese woman flashed through my mind again, her aged cries for help echoing incessantly in my ears.
In the darkness, I felt once again that a pair of eyes were watching my every move from the depths of the darkness.
I rushed back to my dormitory, but when I opened the door, I was surprised to find a candle lit on the table.
Who's lighting candles so late? Zhao Jun, or Xu Zhifei? I looked into their beds; they were both fast asleep.
The Fourth Campus: The Vengeance of the Dead (2)
I blew out the candles and collapsed onto the bed.
When the morning exercise march woke me up, I felt dizzy; my clothes and the blankets were wet. I leaned against the headboard and tried to catch my breath.
Nightmare, another nightmare. Last night, that terrifying woman in white appeared in my dream again, floating in the dormitory corridor, holding a white candle. I followed her from the dormitory to the office building, and then I don't remember much else.
I hurriedly put on my clothes, washed up, grabbed my books, and headed straight for the classroom.
Today, the first two periods were taught by Ms. Li Moran. I only attend her classes every time, not only because her lectures are engaging, but more importantly, because I admire her. I was hoping to listen attentively, but as soon as class started, I heard some news that unsettled me once again. Ms. Li told everyone that the Youth League Committee had been robbed last night. No valuables were lost, but several sets of uniforms were missing.
Upon hearing this news, my first thought was of the dream I had last night: a woman in white walked into the office building. And the Youth League Committee office is located in that building.
"Could it be that the dream has become reality?" I wondered to myself. "Maybe it's just a coincidence, yes, just a coincidence." I tried to convince myself, and spent the entire class pondering this question, barely listening to anything else.
PART 3.
I skipped the third and fourth periods and rushed to the hospital. Today was Mengna's consultation day, and I was very anxious, praying for her all the way.
Upon arriving at the hospital, I went straight to her attending physician. However, before the consultation was over, I entered Mengna's ward.
She leaned against the hospital bed, looking unwell. I don't know if I was seeing things or just hallucinating, but I thought she had a few more wrinkles around her eyes.
When Mengna saw me come in, she smiled slightly and asked me why I hadn't finished my class.
As I peeled the pear for her, I said, "Today is your consultation day, and I'm in a hurry to see the results."
Mengna's expression suddenly became blank as she stared at the wall opposite the hospital bed and said, "Actually, I'd rather never have known the outcome."
I handed her the pear, forcing a smile, "Don't say that, there won't be any problems. You'll be discharged soon. You still need to help me with the investigation, so nothing can happen to you, but nothing will."
Meng Na smiled, but it was a little forced.
Around noon, the attending physician opened the ward door and called me out.
"How are you, Dr. Liu?" I asked.
"The results are in."
What exactly is the illness?
The attending physician looked around and said to me mysteriously, "Come to my office."
An ominous premonition rose in my heart.
As I entered his office, he closed the door and took some film from his desk, handing it to me.
"This is a photograph of the patient's cell tissue. She has a disease we've never encountered before; it's a gap in medical knowledge."
Is there any hope?