Fang Yuan and Xu Zhaodi returned to Nanjiang Medical College, to girls' dormitory 441, and broke the news to Su Ya about Tao Bing'er's suicide.
Su Ya simply grumbled, "Hmm," and walked away, seemingly unfazed. But she was clearly distracted as she walked, wandering around the dormitory for a few moments without remembering what she had been planning to do.
Because of Tao Bing'er's death, the usually warm and generous Xu Zhaodi had become somewhat sentimental. She sat alone on her bed, staring blankly out the window, her eyes vacant, lost in thought.
Fang Yuan's heart was also in turmoil, her emotions slumped. Her body felt as if it were filled with stone, and every movement felt heavy and difficult.
She didn't know who else to trust.
She had once persuaded herself to trust Tang Tianyu, but he had deceived her.
Tang Tianyu was the first boy she had ever been emotionally entangled with, though the entanglement was not profound. He's probably still in the mental hospital now. I wonder how his treatment is going.
She had always believed in Xiao Jing. Actually, she didn't know why she trusted him so much; it was more based on intuition. But now, that intuition had failed. Xiao Jing didn't seem as kind as she'd imagined.
She thought of something: Qin Yanping's sleepwalking, something she'd told Xiao Jing about. Xiao Jing was so deeply versed in psychology. Could he be secretly using that knowledge to harm those who committed suicide?
It's quite possible.
Xiao Jing was a terrifying person to begin with. Why were there so many strange stories about him circulating in the medical school? His resurrection, his ability to see through others' minds, his cat-like blue eyes—these alone were enough to make one wary of him.
Furthermore, almost all of these suicides were related to him.
He knew Xu Yan, after she changed her name. He found Wan Hai, who had trapped him. He knew Qin Yanping's inner struggles, yet she had been so foolish as to believe him so completely.
If Xiao Jing couldn't be trusted, who else could she trust?
Only Qin Yue, her homeroom teacher.
Did Teacher Qin Yue know about Xiao Jing's affairs? Although she and Xiao Jing were classmates, people change. Xiao Jing is now seriously ill and secluded, and his thoughts and personality are also changing.
Fang Yuan has come to her senses. The only person she can rely on now is Teacher Qin Yue.
No one else will believe her except Teacher Qin Yue. From beginning to end, Teacher Qin Yue knew all about the terrible things that happened to her.
Although it was the weekend, Fang Yuan found Qin Yue in the teachers' dormitory. She was hiding in the kitchen, preparing lunch.
"It's Fang Yuan. You came just in time, just in time for dinner. I was just getting bored eating alone."
In the past, Fang Yuan would have happily agreed, but right now, she was in no mood. She said quietly, "Teacher Qin, I went to Tao Bing'er's house this morning."
"Oh, Tao Bing'er? Is she okay?"
"She—she's dead."
Qin Yue was frantically cooking. After Fang Yuan finished speaking, she stirred a few more times before realizing the seriousness of the situation. She turned and asked, "Fang Yuan, What did you say? Tao Bing'er is dead?"
Qin Yue was cooking stir-fried pork with chili peppers. The pungent aroma stung Fang Yuan's eyes, and tears streamed down her cheeks. "Tao Bing'er, she committed suicide."
"Suicide?" Qin Yue was incredulous. "Why would she do that?"
"Her father said she was sleeping alone at home and turned on all the gas, poisoning herself to death."
The chili peppers in the pot were burnt, and the meat had turned to greasy residue, writhing and twisting in the pot, each one seemingly filled with extreme resentment.
Qin Yue had no time to care about the food. She wiped her eyes, coughed a few times, and asked, "Definitely suicide?"
"Definitely suicide."
Qin Yue exhaled heavily, seeming relieved.
Why would she behave like that?
Fang Yuan suddenly felt dizzy, coughed a few times, and left the kitchen.
Qin Yue turned off the gas and left the kitchen as well. At that moment, another person walked in—it was He Jianhui.
He Jianhui, still with his usual face, flashed a playful smile upon seeing Fang Yuan. "Hey, pretty girl, why are you at my house again? Are you here for my wedding?"
Qin Yue glared at him fiercely, and He Jianhui, realizing the solemnity of their expressions, calmed down.
Fang Yuan, feeling somewhat embarrassed, fearing Qin Yue would blame him, deliberately asked, "Wedding? Are you and Teacher Qin planning to get married?"
"Yes, we're getting married on New Year's Day, in a little over a month," He Jianhui answered honestly, walking over to Qin Yue and hugging her.
Qin Yue spat at him and pushed him away. "Get out of here! Fang Yuan and I are talking about business."
"Business? What could be more important than our wedding?" He Jianhui exclaimed in surprise.
"Another girl from their dorm has committed suicide." Qin Yue seemed irritated, as if irritated. After a pause, she suddenly cursed, "How boring!"
Fang Yuan was stunned. Qin Yue's words were now incoherent. Was her thinking a bit confused?
He Jianhui didn't take it seriously. "These days, all sorts of strange things happen. It rains, it rains, and a woman gets married. What can we do? She committed suicide. Who can we blame?"
"How dare you make such sarcastic remarks?" Qin Yue jumped to her feet, her hair standing on end, glaring at He Jianhui.
He Jianhui waved his hand, conceding defeat. "Okay—okay—I said the wrong thing. Don't be so angry."
Fang Yuan also tried to dissuade him, "Teacher Qin, actually, I came to see you about something else."
Qin Yue finally left He Jianhui and asked Fang Yuan, "What is it?"
Fang Yuan glanced at He Jianhui and hesitated, unsure whether to avoid him.
Qin Yue couldn't wait any longer. "Don't worry about him. I don't think he'd dare say anything. Just tell me."
Fang Yuan then expressed her suspicions about Xiao Jing: "Tao Bing'er's father said that before Bing'er committed suicide, she saw Teacher Xiao Jing around his house."
"Xiao Jing?" Qin Yue frowned. "He rarely goes out. Why would he go to Tao Bing'er's house? Could it be a coincidence?"
"Maybe, just a coincidence," Fang Yuan said, but she didn't think so. Xiao Jing was in poor health and rarely went out. Why would he go so far away from Tao Bing'er's house? Besides, Tao Bing'er's house was a remote and quiet villa in the south of the city. Few people would go there unless they wanted to.
He Jianhui then interjected, "Is Xiao Jing your classmate who died of a serious illness and came back to life? He's quite an interesting person."
"None of your business!" Qin Yue grumbled. "Fang Yuan, I haven't seen him in ages. Why don't we go see him together?"
Fang Yuan couldn't have been more pleased. She was just hoping Qin Yue would accompany her to see Xiao Jing, to see if there was a chance to test him.
"I'll go too!" He Jianhui pressed on.
"Okay, just say we're inviting him to our wedding." This time, Qin Yue didn't object.
He Jianhui hid behind Qin Yue and made a face at Fang Yuan. "Let him attend our wedding? You said it. Don't blame me if he scares all your relatives and friends!"
"Go on! A dog can't spit out ivory!" Qin Yue said angrily.
Qin Yue couldn't make lunch, so the three of them had to grab a quick bite at the small restaurant in the medical school. They didn't call, and afterward, they went straight to the library to find Xiao Jing.
It was a weekend afternoon, and the medical school library was deserted. Not many students came to read or borrow books at this hour. The three of them walked to the checkout window and knocked, but no one came.
Strange, why was there no one? Normally, the library would have a staff member on duty. Fang Yuan remembered clearly that it was Xiao Jing's turn today.
Where had Xiao Jing gone?
Fang Yuan felt around for the key to the library's iron gate, opened it, and led Qin Yue and He Jianhui inside. Xiao Jing wasn't in the library either. Only rows of bookshelves filled with books, each silent, like a soulless soldier, staring eerily at the three of them.
The three of them lined up in a single file, slowly making their way through the shelves. They headed towards a small room inside the library—Xiao Jing's resting place, his home.
Just then, strange noises suddenly emanated from the small room. Something seemed to fall to the ground, interspersed with the faint meows of a cat.
Why was there a cat here? Cats are strictly prohibited in the library; they'll tear up the books. No one knows the value of these books; they might be priceless, or they might be worthless. Regardless, they belong to the school and must be carefully protected.
Fang Yuan quickened her pace, approached the small room, and gently pushed the door. It wasn't locked, so it swung open.
Then, Fang Yuan's first sight was a black cat! A pure black cat!