I didn't mean to scare you

1

Beauty and aloofness can be combined so perfectly in one person.

When Chen Yan transferred to their class, all the boys' eyes roamed freely over her entire body. Lin Han was no exception, but he believed his gaze wasn't as filthy as the others'. The focus of everyone else's attention was on her taut breasts beneath her white T-shirt and her long, shapely legs under her matching white miniskirt. But what he noticed first were her eyes, overflowing with melancholy, like the shimmering moonlight at the bottom of a clear lake.

It was a late summer afternoon; the sky was a clear blue, without a single cloud. Lin Han's originally sunny disposition was suddenly replaced by a deep melancholy in Chen Yan's eyes.

Time flies, and the season has shifted from late summer to late autumn. Withered yellow leaves linger on the branches, reluctantly shedding their leaves, performing their final dance of death in the chilly autumn wind. It's been almost two months since Chen Yan transferred schools, yet she always wears all white, keeping to herself amidst the ardent gazes of the boys and the envious looks of the girls. She has no friends and never speaks a word to anyone. No matter what class it is, she sits alone in the last row, her face still aloof, her eyes filled with melancholy.

Chen Yan did not live in the school dormitory; she rented a room in a private house not far from the school. Watching her from afar every day and constantly glancing back during class was no longer enough to satisfy Lin Han's growing desires. He finally decided to secretly follow her after school, hoping to find a suitable opportunity to express his feelings.

However, opportunity after opportunity slipped through Lin Han's fingers, and he was always unable to seize them. He could only watch helplessly as Chen Yan pushed open the door, her almost translucent white skin disappearing into the shadows behind it. Each dull slam of the door closing amplified his disappointment, causing a dull ache in his chest.

One evening after dinner, listening to his roommates' increasingly offensive gossip about Chen Yan, Lin Han angrily left the dormitory and went to the tiered classroom. The couples embracing tightly under the shade of the campus trees had just stirred his thoughts, making it impossible for him to concentrate on his textbook. In his imagination, those couples transformed into him and Chen Yan. He let her long hair slip lightly from his fingertips; her long, moist eyelashes trembled and drooped slightly, casting two dynamic shadows on her snow-white cheeks; her nostrils flared slightly, and her warm, red lips exuded immense allure.

Just as Lin Han's parched lips were drawing closer to those two full, red, alluring mounds in his reverie, a slight commotion stirred the tranquil waters of the classroom. Lin Han looked up in annoyance, a dazzling white figure flashing before his eyes, long, flowing hair carrying a delicate fragrance. Chen Yan suddenly appeared in his line of sight, causing his cheeks to burn and leaving him flustered and at a loss for words.

Chen Yan ignored Lin Han's presence, coldly walked straight to the empty seat at the back of the classroom, sat down, took out her textbook, and began to review diligently. Lin Han swallowed hard and secretly turned around, but he couldn't see her face covered by her long hair. Only her beautiful hands and slender fingers danced lightly as the pages of the book turned.

His concentration grew increasingly difficult, and time flew by as he secretly watched. When he looked up again, only Lin Han and Chen Yan remained in the classroom. An excited voice inside Lin Han reminded him that this was a golden opportunity, and he couldn't let it slip away again. He wiped the sweat from his palms on his rough jeans, picked up an English textbook, and nervously walked to Chen Yan's side, but his throat felt tight, and he couldn't utter a sound.

Sensing someone standing beside her, Chen Yan looked up from the shadow cast by Lin Han, her face still expressionless. Under her melancholic, dreamy gaze, Lin Han held his breath, his flustered eyes involuntarily sliding from her unnaturally pale face to the low neckline of her white sweater. A faint cleavage, barely visible, made his heart pound, his exposed Adam's apple bobbing violently.

Chen Yan indifferently withdrew her gaze, glanced at her chest, then raised her eyelids again, curled her lips, and said, "If you love me, play a game with me." After saying that, she ignored Lin Han's reaction, picked up a pen, wrote a line on the manuscript paper, tore it off and gently placed it on the corner of the table, packed her backpack, and gracefully walked past the dazed Lin Han, stepping out of the trapezoidal classroom.

This was the first time Lin Han had heard Chen Yan's voice; though cold, it was undeniably melodious. When he finally snapped out of his reverie, drawn by that enchanting, musical voice, he found himself alone, standing motionless in the stark white light of the fluorescent lamps in the vast, trapezoidal classroom. Turning around, Chen Yan was gone; the surroundings were deathly silent. He picked up the note she had left him, feeling his left hand tremble uncontrollably.

Tomorrow night at 11:44 PM, in the large classroom on the third floor of the North Building.

The thin strip of paper seemed to be permeated with Chen Yan's subtle fragrance, a scent that no perfume could match. Lin Han brought the paper to his nose, inhaling greedily. The simple, elegant handwriting was like Chen Yan's eyes, revealing a deep mystery. He hadn't expected everything to go so smoothly, just like in every dream he had.

Although the long-abandoned North Building was known as the "Ghost Building" on campus and had all sorts of terrifying legends, in Lin Han's mind at this moment, that forbidden place that he dared not approach on ordinary days suddenly seemed to become lovely, like the Eden that everyone longed for. He clutched the note tightly, not even knowing how he got back to his dormitory.

2

After a restless night, Lin Han's eyes were bloodshot, with dark circles spreading around his lower eyelids. As Chen Yan passed by him, she remained aloof and unapproachable, staring straight at him, as if everything that had happened last night was just a beautiful dream for Lin Han.

Restless, Lin Han waited until nightfall before the dormitory lights went out, then slipped out of his room. He patted the pocket where Chen Yan's note lay, and walked alone towards the grove of trees separating the North Building from the campus under the cold moonlight. Reaching the edge of the grove, he suddenly stopped. A breeze blew, and the trees, tinged deep black by the moonlight, emitted strange, low whistling sounds, as if countless wronged souls were weeping and lamenting their misfortunes.

His breathing became heavy, and Lin Han couldn't help but shrink back. Glistening beads of sweat on the tip of his nose reflected the moonlight, shimmering brightly. Stepping into this grove of trees known as the "Black Forest" meant entering forbidden territory. A terrifying legend that had long circulated at the school, as if to heighten the atmosphere, jumped into Lin Han's mind.

Twenty years ago, legend has it that a junior in college fell madly in love with a freshman—the beautiful campus belle who was admired by everyone. After dozens of unsuccessful attempts to win her over, the boy, consumed by hatred, stabbed her to death in the North Building on a beautiful moonlit autumn night. Then, in a frenzy, he rushed into the grove and hanged himself from a branch of an old locust tree.

It is said that the junior female student was found dead in the large classroom on the third floor of the North Building, her scalding blood splattering and staining the pale fluorescent lights and soaking the worn wooden floor. The male student who committed suicide out of guilt was found hanging from the old locust tree, his face bruised and purple, his eyes bulging, his swollen tongue almost reaching his chest. His body, stretched long by gravity, swayed gently in the evening breeze, the rope rubbing against the branches, making a rhythmic creaking sound.

From then on, the North Building was no longer peaceful. Students often said they encountered the ghost of the junior female student during evening self-study sessions, and some even saw blood flowing all over the floor of the large classroom. The lights in the North Building would also flicker inexplicably from time to time, and countless people had heard a girl weeping. Not only the North Building, but also the grove of trees, which was originally considered a paradise for lovers, was said to be frequently seen with the hanged boy, hanging from the old locust tree, swaying back and forth with a "creak, creak" sound, just like the night the incident happened.

The ghost stories grew increasingly outrageous, and students dared not venture into the North Building or the grove. After barely managing to continue using it for a few more years, the school finally had no choice but to abandon the North Building over a decade ago. "Do not easily enter the restricted area"—this seems to have become an unspoken school rule passed down through generations.

To go in or not to go in? Lin Han hesitated, pacing back and forth along the edge of the woods, fear still taking over. After much deliberation, he finally turned away, too afraid to continue, and tried to give up.

The wind continued to blow intermittently, and under the clear moonlight, the shadows of the grove flickered. A dark cloud drifted by, and the night instantly darkened. Lin Han's raised right leg remained suspended in mid-air, his heart pounding erratically. Because, he clearly felt something lightly brush against his neck the instant he turned around.

His entire body was covered in goosebumps, his muscles stiff as stone. Lin Han dared not move an inch, standing on one leg, facing off against the unknown thing behind him in the shadow of the dark clouds. A faint warmth emanated from his left chest, and at the same time, the moon struggled to emerge from the clouds, once again shrouding the night in its clear light.

With light, he felt less afraid. Lin Han put down his aching legs, the warmth still radiating from his chest. He pulled out the note Chen Yan had left him from his breast pocket with surprise. Before he could even fully unfold the damp note, it underwent an unbelievable change. It rapidly yellowed, became brittle, and the black pen writing faded beyond recognition.

Lin Han's mouth gaped open in a red "O" shape as he watched helplessly as the paper in his hand turned grayish-black, cracked, and then silently crumbled into ashes. A cold wind brushed his face, and the black dust drifted away without a trace.

"Holy crap, no way? Am I dreaming?" Lin Han slowly closed his wide-open mouth, but accidentally bit his tongue. The excruciating pain jolted him awake, making him realize he wasn't dreaming. It was this pain that brought a completely new thought to mind: A conspiracy, this must be a conspiracy.

"Oh no, Chen Yan is in danger!" Lin Han exclaimed, his intense worry for Chen Yan's safety overriding his fear. He turned sharply and rushed into the grove without hesitation, sprinting towards the north building behind the grove at top speed.

3

The wind whistled past his ears, and the horizontal branches, like ghostly claws, tried to stop Lin Han's advance. His mind was only on Chen Yan; fear had been completely cast aside, and now nothing seemed to be able to stop him from running. Sharp branches stung his cheeks.

In the very center of the clearing in the woods, there stood a tall, old locust tree, its branches spreading out in all directions, sending gusts of cold wind through it. Lin Han's heart tightened, and though he didn't slow his pace, his gaze couldn't help but timidly drift toward the dark shadow of the tree.

The wind seemed to be blowing faster and faster, the rustling sounds coming from all directions, tugging at Lin Han's nerves. Around the tree branch that was more than a person's height above the ground, a faint green glow appeared, and a series of creaking sounds drowned out all other noises. A slender, stiff human body swayed back and forth in the wind.

A legend?! Could the legend be true? Fear swept over him, and Lin Han dared not slow down. Holding his breath, he sprinted away. A sinister laugh drifted around him, not loud, but like a leech, it wouldn't leave.

Running had become an instinctive, mechanical action. Lin Han dared not look at the green light anymore, squinting his eyes, his body curled up into a ball as if to increase his speed. Suddenly, he felt a rope wrap around his neck from behind. The rope was rough, slippery, and cold, as if it had been soaked in water.

"No!" A beautiful voice descended from the sky, cold yet imbued with authority. The slowly tightening rope suddenly loosened, and Lin Han stumbled and fell to the ground. Years of accumulated fallen leaves supported his body, so he was neither injured nor in pain. He almost immediately got up after falling, but before he could regain his footing, a great fear made him stagger back several steps, his back slamming heavily against a hard tree trunk behind him.

The chilling green light illuminated everything in the forest with crystal clarity. The rope that had just wrapped around Lin Han's neck rapidly retracted, a viscous, bluish-purple liquid flowing from it. With just one glance, Lin Han realized it wasn't a rope at all, but a tongue—a tongue over ten feet long, its owner hanging from a branch

……