In the darkness, none of the four girls wanted to speak. Dormitory 441 was eerily silent, the only sounds audible were their heavy breathing and the pounding of their hearts. Occasionally, there was the sound of teeth grinding, unconsciously emitted by Qin Yanping as she trembled all over.
Suddenly, a cold, dim blue light flashed, faint and evaporating, illuminating four pale blue faces. In the darkness, they looked terrifying and miserable, as if they were not of this world. Everyone's fear was magnified and frozen in the cold blue light. The temperature in Dormitory 441 plummeted, a chill penetrating to the bone.
The blue light came from Tao Bing'er's phone. Her eyes, reflected in it, were exceptionally clear, bulging outwards as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. The other girls' expressions weren't much better, though they couldn't see it themselves.
The air seemed frozen, even breathing was labored. From other dormitories in the girls' building, the sounds of laughter and playfulness emanated. They were fully embracing their youthful energy, pure and joyful, completely oblivious to what was unfolding in girls' dormitory 441.
Fang Yuan cleared her mind, thinking nothing of anything. She took a few deep breaths, striving to maintain a calm mind. Then, she concluded in an undeniable tone: "In my opinion, Qin Yanping only stepped on a mouse. There's no need to be paranoid!"
Fang Yuan's affirmative tone reassured the other girls, breaking the oppressive atmosphere.
Xu Zhaodi thought for a moment and felt that Fang Yuan's words did make some sense. "Qin Yanping, didn't you say you saw a black cat? I think it might not be trying to attack you, but rather the mouse that appeared in the corner."
Tao Bing'er, realizing her speculation was absurd, quickly added, "Fang Yuan and Xu Zhaodi are right. What Qin Yanping stepped on was definitely a mouse. Mice can swim. I've seen one swimming before. Qin Yanping, think carefully now. Does it look like a mouse?"
After Xu Zhaodi calmed down, she noticed Qin Yanping was still trembling. She wrapped the blanket around her and gently hugged her. Qin Yanping felt much warmer, and the trembling gradually subsided.
Humans are strange creatures, easily influenced by the emotions of those around them. At least, on the surface, Fang Yuan and the other three were no longer afraid, and Qin Yanping's fear was also fading.
"I really didn't see it clearly... But now that you mention it, I remember... When I fell, I thought I saw a dark thing... It really looked a bit like a mouse," Qin Yanping said haltingly.
Tao Bing'er slapped the bed hard and laughed. "That's right, a little mouse! Look how scared you are! It's okay, it's okay, you just scared yourself!"
The atmosphere suddenly lightened considerably. Fang Yuan and Xu Zhaodi joked with Qin Yanping, saying she was too timid and needed to improve herself. Otherwise, how could she become a qualified doctor after graduation? She might faint from fright while operating on a patient before the operation was even completed.
Qin Yanping laughed, then whispered, "That thing seemed quite large, about the size of a volleyball. I couldn't put my foot on it firmly. Could there really be a mouse that big?"
She spoke softly, as if talking to herself, unconcerned about whether anyone else could hear. Fang Yuan leaned in closer, barely able to catch what she was saying, but she didn't want to press the issue further. Perhaps everyone shared her thoughts, and even if they heard, they pretended not to hear. No one wanted to dwell on this issue.
Tao Bing'er lit a few candles, their light bringing a touch of warmth to dormitory 441. The four girls sat together, chatting and laughing, making a lively scene.
At that moment, Tao Bing'er suddenly remembered something and screamed, "Oh no!"
"What's wrong?"
"Wuwuwu... This is terrible! This is my bed! How am I supposed to sleep tonight? Who's going to wash these sheets?"
Qin Yanping was sitting on her bed, covered in blood and vomit.
"Serves you right! Who told you to scare Qin Yanping? This is karma!"
Tao Bing'er's eyes rolled as she came up with an idea. "It's okay. I can sleep in Qin Yanping's bed and take the opportunity to molest her and feel her measurements!"
"Bah! I'm not sleeping with you, you shameless one!"
"Okay, since you call me shameless, I'll show you. Look carefully, Zhou Xingxing's signature move: the Dragon Claw Hand!"
The two rolled together. Fang Yuan smiled and quietly got up to help Qin Yanping clean up the bathroom, clearing the stagnant water and dunking her clothes in a bucket. Then she went to shower herself.
Fang Yuan chose the bathroom Qin Yanping used, leaving the other one for Xu Zhaodi. While they were bathing, Xu Zhaodi kept stirring up conversation in the next room. Fang Yuan knew Xu Zhaodi was still a little scared and was talking to her to give her courage. After all, knowing someone was around gave her a stronger sense of security. In reality, Fang Yuan was also terrified. Qin Yanping's point was, that thing was the size of a volleyball. If it was a rat, how terrifying would that be? If not a rat, what else could it be? Could it really be, as Tao Bing'er had said, a ghost head swimming in the water?
She didn't dare think any further. Although she had never seen a so-called ghost, she had been exposed to it for years, and it was impossible not to be afraid.
The drain was blocked again, and a layer of water accumulated in the bathroom.
Qin Yanping's words echoed in her ears: furry... like hair... swimming in the water...
Fang Yuan suddenly felt a sting in her toe. She instinctively screamed, and Xu Zhaodi, who was sitting next to her, immediately asked, "What's wrong, Fang Yuan? Are you okay?"
The stinging sensation passed quickly, and Fang Yuan slowly lowered her head to observe. There was nothing in the water, and her toe was intact.
"I'm fine..."
Was it just an illusion? Was she overthinking it?
Despite this, Fang Yuan still felt an unbearable itch in her toes. Not wanting to stay in the bathroom for another second, she quickly washed and rushed out.
When Fang Yuan returned to the bedroom, Qin Yanping had already changed into her pajamas and was lying on her bed. Tao Bing'er, who was accompanying her, made a face at Fang Yuan, remembering her unwashed clothes, and went to the bathroom to do the laundry.
Fang Yuan walked over and exchanged a few casual greetings with Qin Yanping. She was relieved to know that she was feeling much better. Although she had only been with these roommates for a short time, she already considered them like sisters and family.
It was 9:15 pm, and Su Ya hadn't returned yet. Fang Yuan had a dream within a dream last night and was feeling very tired, so she decided to go to bed early.
She crawled into her bed and was about to make it for sleep when she suddenly touched something furry, startling her.
It was black and motionless, standing in the corner of her bed.
It was that black cat!
The black cat's eyes stared into hers, making her feel dizzy. Of all animal eyes, a cat's are the most peculiar and mysterious. Legend has it that cats possess spiritual powers, capable of warding off evil spirits. Scientists estimate that the intelligence of an average cat is equivalent to that of a six or seven-year-old child.
Fang Yuan felt as if the one staring back at her wasn't a cat, but a wise old man, as if trying to tell her something.
What was it trying to tell her?
Ever since her first day in girls' dormitory 441, she had seen this strange black cat, and then a series of strange things had happened. The old school worker suddenly fell ill with a high fever, and Qin Yanping was frightened while showering in the bathroom—all related to it. Furthermore, she had read a post on the school's BBS about Xu Yan's madness, which described her mumbling to herself after going mad, with two phrases appearing frequently. One line read, "Time's up... I'm behind you..." The other, "Eyes... black cat..."
Fang Yuan felt the chill she'd felt the first time she'd laid eyes on the black cat. It was a chill that came from within. The black cat wasn't afraid of her at all, and judging by its appearance, it had no desire to leave the bed. It seemed to have come specifically for Fang Yuan. Its eyes emanated a mysterious, enchanting power that chilled her to the bone, making her afraid to breathe.