Chapter 7: Room 1303 (Part 7)
Perhaps because Song Qingluo had offered Ji Leshui a glimmer of hope to resolve this issue, Ji Leshui’s mental state improved significantly. He was more alert, his eyes fixated on Song Qingluo as if trying to bore a hole through him.
In response to Ji Leshui’s intense gaze, Song Qingluo remained indifferent. He said that Ji Leshui could move in, but the place could only accommodate him alone. During Ji Leshui’s recovery period, Song Qingluo would move next door.
Ji Leshui asked, “So you mean we switch rooms, right? I stay here, and you go next door?”
Song Qingluo replied, “Yes.”
Ji Leshui hesitated, “But…why is it okay for me to stay here?” He asked cautiously, “If you don’t want to tell me, I won’t press…”
Song Qingluo glanced at him and replied with four words, “Fight poison with poison.”
Ji Leshui: “…” He didn’t quite understand, but it sounded impressive.
Standing nearby, Lin Banxia seemed to catch the drift. He looked around at the meticulously arranged boxes in the living room and asked seriously, “Mr. Song…if Leshui accidentally opens one of the boxes…?”
Song Qingluo replied, “Either he’ll be fine, or the whole village will come for dinner at his house.”
Ji Leshui: “…”
Lin Banxia: “…” You really have a unique sense of humor.
Faced with such an extraordinary situation, Ji Leshui didn’t know if Song Qingluo’s method would work, but he had no choice but to try. He didn’t want to keep seeing those terrifying images, nor did he want to lock himself in a dark closet again.
Even so, the thought of staying alone in this room was still a bit unsettling. Ji Leshui cast a pleading look at Lin Banxia, who was about to ask Song Qingluo if he could keep him company. Before he could speak, Song Qingluo said, “Having others here would be ineffective.”
“Oh,” Lin Banxia said, disappointed.
Ji Leshui wanted to argue a little more, but seeing that Song Qingluo wasn’t one to be easily persuaded, he reluctantly agreed.
Song Qingluo, being straightforward, outlined the house rules once Ji Leshui decided to move in. The rules were simple: don’t touch anything in the house, get enough sleep, go to work and return on time, and nothing would happen. However, he emphasized that Ji Leshui should not open the kitchen door or the wardrobe in the living room.
Ji Leshui asked timidly what would happen if he accidentally opened them.
With a blank expression, Song Qingluo replied, “Isn’t being alive good enough?”
Ji Leshui immediately shut his mouth.
Lin Banxia, knowing Ji Leshui’s fear of his own home, thoughtfully helped him pack and bring his belongings over. Ji Leshui sat in the living room, looking a bit lost, and softly asked if Song Qingluo needed to pack anything. Song Qingluo said calmly that he wasn’t afraid to return home, so if he needed anything, he’d just come and get it—telling Ji Leshui not to worry.
Having barely slept the night before, Ji Leshui felt drowsy and began yawning on the sofa. Noticing this, Song Qingluo told him to sleep in the guest room to get used to it. Ji Leshui agreed, figuring it was better to test the waters during the day than face something scary at night. He went to the guest room, laid out his bedding, and soon fell asleep.
After he’d drifted off, Lin Banxia, wanting to be a good host, invited Song Qingluo over to his place, even changing the sheets to ensure everything was fresh.
Though Song Qingluo seemed aloof, he was actually easygoing.
Lin Banxia made a cup of coffee, handing it to him. Song Qingluo glanced at the cup and shook his head, “I don’t drink this.”
“Oh, what do you drink? I have milk, tea…” Lin Banxia hesitated, “and cola.”
Without hesitation, Song Qingluo said, “Cola.”
Lin Banxia was a bit taken aback, thinking, Boss, that sugary drink doesn’t quite match your mysterious aura. Nonetheless, he obediently poured a glass of cola and handed it to Song Qingluo.
Song Qingluo took a sip but frowned slightly.
“What’s wrong? Don’t like it?” Lin Banxia asked.
“It’s diet cola,” Song Qingluo replied, putting the glass down with a look of distaste.
Lin Banxia: “…” So you actually mind it not being sweet enough. Helplessly, he explained, “Well… I don’t like it too sweet, so I only have diet.”
“Forget it,” Song Qingluo muttered, looking at the glass as though it contained something repulsive.
Since Lin Banxia had worked the day before, today was his day off. Exhausted from the previous night, he soon fell asleep in his bedroom. When he woke up, the sun was already setting.
He walked out slowly and saw Song Qingluo watching TV on the sofa. From Lin Banxia’s angle, he had a full view of Song Qingluo’s profile.
There was no denying that Song Qingluo’s appearance was impeccable. His features were sharp, with a straight nose and defined lips, and his pale skin made his lips look especially red. His long, curled eyelashes were half-lowered, giving him a relaxed look.
Lin Banxia tried to move quietly, but he still woke up Song Qingluo, who shifted to the edge of the sofa as he looked at Lin Banxia. Lin Banxia took a seat on the other side of the sofa, making small talk. Song Qingluo would occasionally respond, maintaining a calm atmosphere until Lin Banxia asked about the boxes he wanted Ji Leshui to open.
“There’s nothing dangerous in those boxes, right? I’m just worried in case Leshui’s curiosity gets the better of him…” Lin Banxia said. Curiosity can be fatal; the more you tell someone not to do something, the harder it is for them to resist.
“Don’t worry, he won’t be able to open them,” Song Qingluo replied. “If it can be opened, then it’s meant to be opened.” Leaning his head on his hand, he said lazily, “I’m not reckless enough to get people killed.”
“By the way, about that mannequin we saw before?” Lin Banxia recalled. It had been unsettling, and since Ji Leshui was already scared to death, he feared another scare might push him over the edge.
Song Qingluo hesitated briefly before saying in a low voice, “It’s fine.”
Lin Banxia eyed him suspiciously.
Feeling guilty under his stare, Song Qingluo lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper, but Lin Banxia still caught it: “It won’t kill him.”
Lin Banxia: “…” Is that all it won’t do?
Under Lin Banxia’s accusatory gaze, Song Qingluo’s conscience seemed to stir. “Fine, let’s go check on him.”
He got up and headed next door.
Lin Banxia quickly followed, asking where he had hidden the mannequin. At first, Song Qingluo was reluctant to say, but after a few persistent questions, he finally replied, “Under the bed.”
Lin Banxia: “… Under the bed you sleep on?”
Looking innocent, Song Qingluo replied, “Are you kidding? I’m not that creepy. Of course, it’s in the guest room.”
Oh, that’s great news—except it wasn’t! That unfortunate Ji Leshui was staying in the guest room! Imagine him waking up to see that mannequin’s head by the side of the bed, scared out of his wits!
The more Lin Banxia thought about it, the more terrified he felt, and he hastened his pace.
Knock knock knock. He knocked on the door a few times, but there was no answer from Ji Leshui. In a panic, he urged Song Qingluo to use the key.
As he unlocked the door, Song Qingluo remarked, “He can’t be that unlucky.”
Lin Banxia sighed, “If he weren’t, he wouldn’t be living here.”
Song Qingluo: “…True.”
The door opened, and Lin Banxia rushed in, heading straight for the bedroom. However, as he entered the living room, he noticed someone sitting on the sofa, facing away from them. The person was dressed in the red wedding gown Lin Banxia had seen before, with long hair draped over the sofa. It was the plastic mannequin.
So Ji Leshui had indeed seen the mannequin! Feeling a jolt of panic, Lin Banxia sprinted towards the bedroom, calling out Ji Leshui’s name as he went.
When Lin Banxia entered the bedroom, he didn’t see Ji Leshui anywhere—only a messy bed. Startled, he shouted, “Oh no! Ji Leshui is gone!!”
Standing outside, Song Qingluo met Lin Banxia’s eyes with a complicated expression. Before Lin Banxia could understand, Song Qingluo said softly, “He hasn’t disappeared.”
Lin Banxia asked, “Huh? Then where is he??”
Song Qingluo replied, “He’s right in front of you.”
Lin Banxia looked around but saw no one, except for the plastic mannequin on the sofa, dressed in a woman’s wedding gown with its back to them. Wait, a mannequin? Lin Banxia suddenly realized and rushed to the mannequin. Looking closer, he saw that the mannequin’s face had transformed into Ji Leshui’s face.
At this moment, Ji Leshui was expressionlessly staring forward, standing rigidly like a mannequin, as if he’d lost all the softness of a human body and turned into hard plastic.
Shocked, Lin Banxia called out Ji Leshui’s name several times, but Ji Leshui didn’t respond. Lin Banxia grabbed his neck, shaking him hard to wake him from this stiff state. Ji Leshui remained motionless, staring blankly with unblinking eyes. Lin Banxia pinched his face hard, finding it cold to the touch—though at least it was still human skin, not plastic.
“Mr. Song, what’s wrong with him?” Lin Banxia, unable to wake Ji Leshui, looked up at Song Qingluo for help.
“Don’t worry,” Song Qingluo calmly replied. “First, find where that mannequin went; it can’t have left this room.”
The two of them began searching the room.
Anxiously, Lin Banxia searched the bedroom, even checking the closet, but found no trace of the mannequin. While crouching down to look under the bed, he suddenly felt something cold brush against his neck. Reaching up, he found a few strands of black hair. Realizing what it meant, he slowly looked up and saw the mannequin clinging to the ceiling in a bizarre posture. Its back was facing him, but its head had twisted 180 degrees to stare at him with dark, icy eyes.
Lin Banxia got up and quietly left the bedroom.
Seeing his reaction, the mannequin seemed to think he was frightened and curled its red-painted lips into a sinister smile. But before the grin lasted ten seconds, it saw Lin Banxia return, now holding a thick clothes rod.
Song Qingluo, following behind him, asked what he intended to do with the rod.
Lin Banxia pointed up at the ceiling and said, “The mannequin is up there; I’m going to knock it down.”
Song Qingluo looked up, also seeing the mannequin clinging like a spider to the ceiling. For anyone else, it would be terrifying, but Lin Banxia seemed to ignore the irrationality of it and quickly came up with a solution. Song Qingluo, impressed, gestured for him to go ahead.
Lin Banxia rolled up his sleeves and, holding the rod, began poking the mannequin until it fell to the floor with a heavy thud. He tried to pick it up and move it to the living room, but found it surprisingly heavy, heavier than a rock. Despite using all his strength, he couldn’t lift it.
“I’ll do it,” Song Qingluo offered.
Lin Banxia wanted to ask if he could handle it—Song Qingluo was taller but not particularly strong-looking, with slender arms pale as porcelain. But to his surprise, Song Qingluo effortlessly lifted the mannequin, though with some distaste, gripping it by the shoulders as if dragging a sack of sand, and deposited it on the living room sofa.
Lin Banxia followed obediently and asked what to do next.
“Go to my guest room closet and find a dress for it,” Song Qingluo instructed.
The mannequin was dressed only in basic undergarments. Without questioning further, Lin Banxia went to the guest room and brought back a nightgown.
“Put it on her,” Song Qingluo continued.
“Uh… Is there a reason?” Lin Banxia asked.
“You’ll see once you put it on her.”
Reluctantly, Lin Banxia complied.
Once the dress was on, Song Qingluo positioned the mannequin across from Ji Leshui, putting her within his line of sight.
Ji Leshui, previously unresponsive, began to blink slowly. His features started to regain expression, but his next actions left Lin Banxia stunned. Smiling happily, Ji Leshui reached out and gently pinched the fabric of the mannequin’s dress, sighing, “Silk! I’d love to try this on.”
Lin Banxia: “…”
Song Qingluo: “…”
The room was silent for a moment. Then, Song Qingluo casually asked Lin Banxia, “Shall you do it, or should I?”
Lin Banxia stammered, “D-do what?”
“Give him a couple of slaps.”
“I’ll do it! I’ll do it!” Lin Banxia quickly volunteered.
Song Qingluo: “…”
Before acting, Lin Banxia hesitated, asking, “Will hitting him really wake him up?”
“Just hit him. If two slaps don’t work, try a few more,” Song Qingluo said indifferently.
Looking at Ji Leshui’s enchanted expression, Lin Banxia thought to himself, This is for your own good. Better me than some stranger hitting you. After steeling himself, he slapped him twice, but Ji Leshui continued to stare at the mannequin’s dress, transfixed. Seeing this, Lin Banxia delivered several more slaps, and finally, after the seventh, Ji Leshui’s dazed look began to clear.
Ji Leshui glanced in confusion at the mannequin in front of him, then at Lin Banxia, his voice teary as he asked, “Lin Banxia, why are you hitting me?” As he tried to stand, he realized he was wearing a wedding dress, complete with a heavy phoenix crown on his head. Shocked, he exclaimed, “Wait, you hit me and dressed me up? You’re so twisted!”
Lin Banxia retorted, “Do you have no shame? Do you even know what you look like?”
Ji Leshui asked, “What’s going on?”
Both turned to look at Song Qingluo.
Song Qingluo, feigning innocence, pointed at the mannequin and said, “She did it.”
Ji Leshui scoffed, “Come on, she’s just a plastic mannequin; how could she dress me?”
“How do you feel about the dress she’s wearing?” Song Qingluo asked.
Hesitating, Ji Leshui looked at the mannequin and replied, “I want to take it off her.”
Hearing this, Lin Banxia thought, Ji Leshui, you’re such a single guy, even lusting after a mannequin. And you lied about having a girlfriend! Just as he was about to scold him, Ji Leshui bashfully added, “I feel like it would look good on me, too.”
Lin Banxia: “…”
Song Qingluo said, “You see?”
Ji Leshui finally understood. “So, seeing this mannequin’s outfit makes me want to wear it?”
“That’s about right,” Song Qingluo replied.
Ji Leshui clapped his hands in surprise. “Then, putting her in a mall would make tons of money!”
Lin Banxia: “…” What a business genius.
Song Qingluo said, “Yes, that’s exactly what they thought.” He patted the mannequin’s head and continued, “I got her from a mall.”
As he settled onto the sofa, he began to tell the mannequin’s backstory.
The mannequin first appeared in a new mall’s boutique. At first, the store didn’t think much of it, but over time, they noticed that customers were inexplicably drawn to the clothes she wore, even fighting over them when several people wanted the same outfit.
After several incidents, the store owner realized its potential and started dressing the mannequin in high-end outfits. The most expensive dresses were bridal gowns, costing tens of thousands, so with one dress after another being sold, the store owner was making a fortune.
However, this was not enough to satisfy the store owner’s insatiable greed. Fueled by success, they actively sought out various second-hand wedding dresses. Regardless of style, as long as they put it on that female mannequin, the dresses would quickly be sold without exception.
If the story continued along this path, it might not have turned into such a problem.
However, on a cold, overcast afternoon, the store owner spotted a beautiful Chinese embroidered wedding dress in a second-hand clothing shop.
Although it was in a second-hand shop, the wedding dress looked brand new, with intricate and captivating embroidery. Even though the store owner was a man, he couldn’t help but feel moved at first glance. He immediately decided to buy it and casually asked the second-hand shop owner about the dress’s origin.
The second-hand shop owner said, “This wedding dress? I got it from the countryside. It’s been well preserved. They say it was once worn by a landlord’s bride. Look at the fabric, the embroidery work—it’s top-notch.”
The store owner asked, “Oh? Then how did it end up in the countryside?”
The owner replied, “How should I know? They say the landlord’s family declined over time, and the bride ended up selling her wedding dress.”
“Is that so?” The store owner examined the dress carefully, but on the inner side of the cuff, he noticed some dark stains. He touched them, then sniffed them, and frowned, “Hey, this doesn’t seem right. You said the bride sold this dress?”
The second-hand shop owner responded nervously, “Yes, of course.”
The store owner continued, “Then why is there blood in the cuff?”
The shop owner froze, looking flustered. “Don’t talk nonsense! How could there be blood? If you don’t want it, just leave. Plenty of people are interested.”
“Plenty of people?” the store owner asked. “Who else has wanted this?”
The shop owner stammered, unable to give a clear answer. The store owner pressed further, even threatening to call the police. In the end, the shop owner gave in and admitted the truth. The dress had actually been sold several times, but each buyer would return it—either because the wedding was canceled or because the business went under. It seemed cursed.
Hearing this, the store owner became intrigued, giving the sleeve a shake and grinning, “In that case, you better give me a fair price.”
“You still want to buy it?” The shop owner was surprised.
“Why not? I’m not the one wearing it.” The store owner replied nonchalantly, thinking that he’d find a way to sell it anyway, and with such intricate embroidery, it would surely fetch a high price.
—
Author’s Note:
Song Qingluo: What do you do when you see something terrifying?
Ji Leshui: Scream, cry, and run.
Lin Banxia: Use… a clothes-drying pole… to poke it?
Song Qingluo: …
Ji Leshui: …
