"Shh."
Just as Huang Jinghe spoke, Lan Jin heard the faint sound of footsteps trailing behind them. Ever since drinking the spring water, her senses had become far sharper than before. Now, even the quietest noise wouldn't escape her notice if she was paying attention.
The footsteps behind them were far too light to sound like someone climbing stairs normally. Since she had heard it, there was no reason not to confirm what was going on.
But whoever was downstairs seemed cautious too. The moment they stopped making noise, the footsteps halted as well.
Lan Jin quickly stepped over to the stairwell railing and leaned out to peer through the gap between the floors.
Huang Jinghe was already walking near the handrail, so when he saw Lan Jin look down, he instinctively followed her gaze.
And in that split second, the two of them caught a glimpse of a black-sleeved arm pulling back into the stairwell below.
They exchanged a look. That black sleeve was clearly suspicious. After all, if someone was just walking, why hide?
A chill passed through Huang Jinghe, though he wasn't entirely sure. He lowered his voice and asked, "Sister Lan, was someone following us?"
Lan Jin nodded and whispered back, "Let's talk at home."
They both kept their steps light as they hurried upstairs. Lan Jin only closed her door after hearing someone else shut theirs on the floor above. Then her phone buzzed—Huang Jinghe had sent a message: Sister Lan, was someone really following us? I saw that black sleeve too, but I was scared I might be wrong. Could it have been a resident from the 30th floor?
Lan Jin glanced down at Qiao Qiao and Nana, who were playing by her leg, then gently said, "Mama has to make a phone call. Let's play a game. See if you can stay completely quiet until Mama finishes. If you do, each of you gets a chicken drumstick."
At the mention of drumsticks, the child and dog both snapped their mouths shut without another word.
Once the game started, Lan Jin immediately called Huang Jinghe back.
"I actually noticed the footsteps while we were heading up. They were faint, but they were there, following us. At first, I didn't think too much of it. We do live on the top floor, after all. But then I remembered while we were in line earlier..."
She paused, then added, "You probably don't know everyone, but I'm familiar with most of the residents between the 29th and 30th floors. Almost all of them had already gone upstairs, and anyone who hadn't was still behind us in line. So when we reached the 30th floor and I started walking more quietly, that person followed us up another floor. That's when I knew something was wrong."
Huang Jinghe replied, "I don't know the 29th floor well, but I know who lives on the 30th. One family was definitely behind us in line, and the other three had already gone up. Plus, no one behind us was wearing black. So whoever that was, they followed us deliberately."
"Exactly. They're not from the 29th or 30th floors. And when we looked down, they were clearly standing right on the 30th floor landing. That's suspicious."
Huang Jinghe gave a nervous laugh. "So we're being watched again? But we didn't even buy much today."
"That's why we're being watched," Lan Jin said seriously. "If you're not buying, it suggests your household already has supplies. Who knows how much you've got hidden at home—or how many contribution points you're sitting on? And on top of that, we're easy targets."
That got to him. Huang Jinghe sounded worried. "Then what do we do? Do we have to stay up again tonight?"
"I don't think so. Someone was killed in this building just last week, and the killer still hasn't been caught. That alone should be enough to scare off anyone from trying something at night. I think we just need to stay alert during the day."
But what Lan Jin said only made Huang Jinghe more uneasy. "Sister Lan, now that you mention the killer... could the person following us be them? If that's true, we're really in danger. Should we report this? I mean, it could be a lead. What if this helps the police catch the killer? Then the whole building would be safer."
Sure, it sounded nice in theory. But if they really did catch the killer, would anyone actually feel safer? Knowing someone that dangerous had been living among them all this time might make people even more afraid to go out.
Not to mention, Lan Jin had her own suspicions. She wasn't about to say it out loud, but she had a pretty good idea of what was really going on. There wasn't much point in getting someone "caught."
Still, she didn't shoot down Huang Jinghe's idea. "I think it's worth reporting. If that person was the killer, we probably wouldn't stand a chance if it came to a fight."
"Alright then, Sister Lan. I'll call the community office. We don't have the police officer's number anyway."
He hung up quickly. As soon as Lan Jin set her phone down, Qiao Qiao and Nana both sucked in a big breath, then shouted excitedly.
"Mama, Mama! I good? I no talk when you call!"
"You were very good. Qiao Qiao was great, and Nana too. I'll get the drumsticks now. One for each of you."
The little one and the dog cheered, jumping in place. "Yay! Yay!"
Ever since the last incident—when the dining table and chairs were broken up to hide the evidence—they'd been eating on the coffee table instead. Lan Jin had traded the old furniture for contribution points when the canteen opened. So now, she placed the lunch boxes on the low table and picked the one that looked the best.
She opened the lid, took out three chicken drumsticks, set two on the lid for Qiao Qiao and herself, and dropped the third into Nana's bowl.
The meal boxes were generous, almost too much for a child. Lan Jin didn't bother plating separately for Qiao Qiao—she just picked out a little bit and placed it on the lid.
The lunch box was a standard four-compartment style. The largest section held white rice. A slightly smaller one on top had stir-fried shredded potatoes with green pepper. To the right was tomato beef brisket. To the left, stir-fried cabbage. Every section was packed tight. Not only was the food plentiful, but the box itself was taller than the usual kind.
Right now, Lan Jin could barely eat a third of that much food. Back in her last life, she could finish a whole box in one sitting. That alone showed how brutal the apocalypse had been.
Now that they had consistent meals, they often couldn't finish everything. Lan Jin packed up the untouched lunch and leftover breakfast, storing them in her space. The half-eaten portions went into the fridge. One quick reheat in the microwave, and they'd be ready to eat again.
She had just finished wiping down the table when footsteps sounded from the stairs outside. A few moments later, a knock came at the door.
When she opened it, she found a group of people: a couple of community staff members and the police officer she'd met once before.
Lan Jin greeted them calmly. "Hello. That was fast."
Since they'd been upstairs earlier, it wasn't surprising that they arrived quickly.
"Yes, we just have a few questions. We'd like to ask you about what happened."
Lan Jin stepped aside and let them in. Then she gently herded Qiao Qiao and Nana into the master bedroom and closed the door.
"The little one is too noisy. This way, it's quieter. Ask whatever you need."