After hanging up the phone, Jiang Jianhuan sat on the bed with her knees drawn up to her chest, listening to the sounds outside. Unable to bear it any longer, she covered her ears. Trapped in the room, she felt like helpless prey, utterly insecure, unsure if someone would burst in at any moment, unleashing a series of unknown and terrifying events.
Finally, after an unknown amount of time, angry curses came from the doorway, followed by the sound of footsteps gradually fading away.
She breathed a sigh of relief and cautiously walked to the door to look out through the peephole, but was caught off guard by an eyeball. A scream almost escaped her throat, and she immediately covered her mouth.
No matter how strong her will was, her nerves, tormented for half a day, were like the last straw that broke the camel's back. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. The person by the door cursed a few more times before finally leaving.
Jiang Jianhuan's legs went weak, and she slid down the door panel, sitting on the carpet for a long time to recover before finally returning to bed.
She dared not sleep. She unconsciously scrolled through her phone screen, tapping and clicking, and suddenly entered a chat window with Su Mo.
The record above was from a few hours ago, when she and he reported that she was safe and sound, and Su Mo told her to be careful when she was alone.
Without much hesitation, Jiang Jianhuan dialed his number, and after a long wait, the other end finally answered.
"Hello? What's wrong?" Su Mo's voice was a little hoarse, probably because she had been woken up. But her tone was very gentle, and her voice was clear.
"Two people just knocked on my door, saying they were police officers and wanted to check my ID. They were really aggressive..." Jiang Jianhuan tried to remain calm as she recounted the incident, but she still couldn't help feeling a bit scared and weak. Her nose tingled, and she felt very wronged.
"Hmm, and then?" Su Mo had already sat up, completely wide awake.
"I called the front desk but no one answered, so I called the police. The police said they hadn't received any notification... The two people at the door knocked for a long time and were cursing. They've left now. I looked out through the peephole and I made eye contact with someone. I was terrified."
As Jiang Jianhuan spoke, her eyes welled up with tears again. She didn't show any unusual reaction, and her voice remained steady as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
"When did the police say they would be here?" Su Mo asked calmly, and Jiang Jianhuan was taken aback.
"They didn't say...they only said they'd contact the hotel, and it's so late, they've already left..."
"Are you still alone there?" Su Mo had already started to get out of bed and throw off the covers.
"Hmm. I don't dare to go out, but it will be dawn in a few hours, so it should be fine."
"Send me your location." Su Mo placed her phone on the bedside table, turned on speakerphone, and changed her clothes.
"do what?"
"I'm coming over now."
"No need, it's so late. Just chat with me." Jiang Jianhuan bit her lip, feeling both apologetic and touched, and even her fear was somewhat dispelled.
"I'm already out the door, send me the address quickly." She heard the sound of a door closing on the other end, and recalling the earlier rustling noises, she immediately realized what was happening.
“Su Mo—”
"I'm not saying anything more, I'm driving."
With a bang, the car door closed. Jiang Jianhuan stared blankly at her phone for a few seconds before quickly opening the chat window and sending her location.
Drive carefully and be safe!
"Okay, don't be afraid. Send me a message every half hour to let me know you're okay."
Su Mo replied with a voice message, and Jiang Jianhuan replied "okay." He sat on the bed for a while, then pulled the covers over himself again, feeling uneasy and unable to calm down, as if something was throbbing in his mind.
She clicked on a movie, a comedy from last year's Lunar New Year season that she hadn't had time to watch.
The movie is an hour and a half long. The opening plot is captivating. Filmed abroad, it tells the story of three strangers who embark on the same journey for different reasons, and the various unexpected and humorous situations that occur along the way.
Before she knew it, she had finished watching the entire movie, but Jiang Jianhuan was still wide awake. She glanced at the time; there were only three hours left until dawn.
Unable to sleep, she got out of bed and stretched her muscles. She did a few simple stretching exercises and was about to bend over when there was a knock on the door.
Jiang Jianhuan's heart skipped a beat. She didn't know if those two people had returned or if it was Su Mo. It shouldn't be that fast for them to come from Jiangcheng.
She was on guard, and perhaps knowing what she was thinking, the person outside the door spoke in a low voice.
"It's me, I've arrived."
Jiang Jianhuan couldn't help but rush over, but before opening the door, he cautiously looked through the peephole to confirm that Su Mo was standing there wearing a baseball cap, a familiar figure.
"How did you get here so fast!" Jiang Jianhuan flung open the door, unable to hide her surprise. Su Mo walked in, took her arm, and carefully scanned her twice.
Are you alright?
"I'm fine, they didn't come in," Jiang Jianhuan replied. Su Mo's gaze remained fixed on her, scrutinizing her for a few seconds before speaking softly.
"You've been crying." He wiped her slightly reddened eyes with his thumb, his eyes revealing an unreadable emotion.
Jiang Jianhuan lowered her head, avoiding his gaze. Su Mo released her and looked around the room.
"Nothing else happened after that, right?" After the examination, Su Mo turned to ask her, and Jiang Jianhuan shook her head.
"No, it was quiet afterwards."
"When I came up, there was no one at the hotel reception. I've already taken photos and filed a complaint. I'll have the manager check the security footage tomorrow." Su Mo finished speaking, then seemed to remember something.
"Do you have a match tomorrow?"
"Hmm. A few more hours."
"Then you can sleep a little longer." Su Mo ruffled her hair.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Su Mo checked the doors and windows again, making sure the security chain at the door was intact before she felt relieved. The room was a double room; Jiang Jianhuan lay down in bed, while Su Mo sat on the edge of the bed, leaning against the wall.
"You can sleep with me too." Jiang Jianhuan's face was only half exposed outside the blanket, her dark eyes looking at him. Su Mo hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded.