I live in a perfect neighborhood.
Everyone in the neighborhood abides by the law and always has a happy smile on their face.
Everyone is a good neighbor.
I thought this was a paradise.
Until two lines of words appeared on my phone:
“Please escape from the neighborhood as soon as possible while following the ‘Good Neighbor’ rules.
“Countdown: 24 hours.”
1
I won a prize.
It was a fully – furnished house ready to move into.
On the day I moved into my new home, everyone I met in the neighborhood greeted me with a smile.
I thought I was the luckiest person in the world.
Until, before entering the elevator, the property manager secretly handed me a piece of paper and said:
‘Owner, be sure to follow the rules.’
There were only two simple lines on the paper:
“Please work together with everyone to build a perfect and happy neighborhood.
“If you have any trouble, please call my number. The good property manager will wholeheartedly serve you.”
I noted down the property manager’s phone number.
After all, I’m new here, and I might need it in the future.
Just as I saved the number, my phone suddenly went black.
When it lit up again, there was only a blood – red countdown and a line of words:
“Please escape from the neighborhood as soon as possible while following the ‘Good Neighbor’ rules.
“Countdown: 24 hours.”
While I was in a daze, the elevator door opened.
An old lady with white hair and a hunched body was standing in front of the neighbor’s door, knocking.
When I walked out of the elevator, the neighbor just opened the door.
The old lady said with a smile in her voice: ‘I’m your downstairs neighbor. My TV won’t turn on. Can you help me take a look?’
The neighbor next door was around my age and seemed to have just moved in too.
At this time, he was fiddling with his phone, which also went black. Hearing this, he impatiently waved his hand.
‘No time for that.’
The old lady’s tone instantly turned gloomy: ‘That’s not right. We neighbors should help each other.
‘You’re so cold – hearted. You’re not a good neighbor.’
The man became even more impatient: ‘Are you crazy? Get out of here.’
Then he closed the door mercilessly.
Witnessing the whole process, I felt a twinge of pity.
So I took two steps forward and tentatively asked: ‘Auntie, how about I help you take a look…’
Before I could finish speaking, a heart – rending scream suddenly came from behind the closed door.
Everything around was deathly silent, and the man’s shrill scream was particularly ear – piercing and creepy.
Accompanied by ‘bang’ ‘bang’ sounds, as if something heavy was being repeatedly smashed to the ground.
The man’s scream gradually weakened.
It was not until everything returned to calm that the old lady slowly turned her head.
She seemed not to have heard anything, and still had a proper smile on her face.
But what had just happened made this smile very strange.
‘Okay, then I’ll trouble you, young man.’
2
All this happened so suddenly.
When I came to my senses, I was already back in my own home.
I sat on the sofa, and panic swept over me. My heart started pounding belatedly.
Unconsciously, I actually fixed the neighbor’s TV.
But I didn’t know how to fix a TV before!
Everything that happened after the old lady said that sentence seemed to be on fast – forward.
When I was in it, I couldn’t even perceive what I was doing.
It was not until everything was over and I got home that I suddenly broke away from the controlled state.
Recalling the neighbor’s scream, I tremblingly raised my phone.
Looking at the prompt and the countdown that only had 23 hours left, I finally realized the seriousness of the problem.
This was not a dream, nor an exercise.
This was a game with time as a bargaining chip.
My neighbors would take up my time in various ways.
Once I made a choice that violated the identity of a ‘good neighbor’ and refused the other party, I would die a strange death like the neighbor next door.
But if I agreed to their requests and spent time with them, that time would be consumed.
And I only had 24 hours.
Looking at the blood – red countdown on the phone, I could still hear the neighbor man’s scream in my ears.
What would happen if I couldn’t escape the neighborhood before the countdown ended?
I didn’t even dare to think about it.
I took a deep breath to calm myself down and walked to the window to look out.
When I entered the neighborhood just now, there were people coming and going on the road.
Now it was empty outside, with only a deathly silence.
I looked towards the gate of the neighborhood.
To escape, I first had to get out of this building.
Just then, the doorbell rang abruptly.
Outside the door was a woman, and her voice was extremely gentle:
‘New neighbor, we specially held a party to welcome you.
‘Come and meet us quickly.’
My heart trembled.
It was not hard to guess that if I agreed to the party, several hours would surely be consumed.
But did I have a way to refuse?
The doorbell rang one after another, like a death – urging spell.
‘Not responding is very impolite, you know.’
Seeing that I didn’t answer for a long time, the woman’s gentle voice gradually became shrill.
I quickly shouted: ‘Wait a minute! I’ll be right there!’
I held my phone, stared at the countdown on the phone screen, and was sweating profusely.
What should I do? What should I do?
Wait…
I stared at the phone and blinked hard.
There seemed to be an icon in the lower – right corner of the phone screen!
If you didn’t look carefully, it almost merged with the black screen.
3
It was an icon in the shape of a phone.
It was the phone book!
I immediately clicked it open. In the phone book, there was only the property manager’s number that I had just saved.
This might be my only life – saving straw.
After two ‘beeps’, the phone was answered.
A brisk voice came from the other side:
‘Hello, owner. The good property manager is here to serve you wholeheartedly.’
I quickly asked for help: ‘Manager, can you come and save me!
‘There’s someone outside knocking on the door all the time. She wants to force me to attend a party!’
‘Sorry, this falls within the scope of good – neighbor behavior. I can’t help you with this.’
The manager’s voice was still brisk.
My heart suddenly sank to the bottom.
The manager hummed a little tune: ‘If there are no other questions, see you next time.’
‘Wait! I have another question.’
My gaze fell on the table.
It was the piece of paper the manager gave me at the beginning.
It read: “Please work together with everyone to build a perfect and happy neighborhood.”
A guess rose in my heart, and I tentatively asked:
‘Did you formulate the rules for building a perfect neighborhood?’
The manager paused: ‘… It wasn’t me.’
I immediately asked: ‘That means you also have to follow this rule, right?’
Everything started from this sentence. All of us have to follow this rule.
If the manager wasn’t the rule – maker…
Then he was the same as us, unable to go against this rule.
After a long while, a trembling voice came from the other side: ‘Yes, I have to follow it too.’
I suddenly understood and slowly showed a smile:
‘That’s great.
‘Now, I want to file a complaint against you!’
As soon as I finished speaking, the manager suddenly became panicked: ‘No, don’t file a complaint against me.’
I narrowed my eyes and said in a serious tone: ‘I’m very dissatisfied with your service now.
‘Unless you can give me some hints.’
4
‘For example, how can I refuse my neighbor’s invitation and help?’
The manager answered tremblingly: ‘You can reject it with the rules, just like what you did to me just now…
‘But you must have a valid reason, otherwise the rejection will be invalid, and if you violate the rules, the punishment time will be doubled.’
I nodded thoughtfully.
This required me to grasp a certain degree.
I quickly questioned: ‘There are at least a dozen neighbors in the building. If they all want to take up my time, how can I come up with a dozen reasons to reject them?
‘You’re not lying to me, are you?’
The manager quickly explained: ‘No!
‘Actually… you can also go to the neighbors you’ve helped.
‘As long as you’ve helped them, they have to agree to one of your requests…
‘This is all I can say! Really!’
‘Good, I’m satisfied with your service now.’
The other side obviously relaxed.
After hanging up the phone, I walked towards the door while thinking about how to deal with it.
The woman outside was so angry that she was pounding on the door. The lights in the room were flickering, and the floor was starting to shake.
But I calmly opened the door.
‘Hello.’
The woman’s distorted face quickly returned to normal the moment I opened the door.
She gave a coquettish laugh: ‘Why did it take you so long to open the door?
‘Well, are you going to attend the party?’
I stared at her face for a while, and then suddenly asked: ‘I really want to attend, but I want to ask, how long will this party last?’
The woman’s smile grew wider, almost certain that I would fall into her trap.
She didn’t even bother to hide her malicious eyes anymore and looked at me unscrupulously, as if looking at a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
After a long while, she curled her lips and said confidently: ‘We’ve been preparing for this party for a long time.
‘At least… it will take more than ten hours!
‘It might even be more than twenty hours.’
My eyes darkened.
No wonder she was so eager. It seemed she wanted to finish me off in one go.
If I hadn’t talked to the property just now, I might really have died at this party.
I asked again: ‘What activities will there be at the party?’
‘Singing, drinking, dancing, of course.’
The woman stared at me with anticipation and malice.
‘Well, are you going to attend?’
But I suddenly became stern – faced:
‘Now it’s not about whether I attend or not!
‘You’re going to have a party that lasts more than ten hours, singing and dancing. Do you still want others to sleep?
‘With a resident like you, it’s simply the biggest failure of our neighborhood!’
5
The woman suddenly widened her eyes and looked at me in horror: ‘No, no… I didn’t…
‘I was wrong. It’s only a few hours, just a few hours!’
I pressed on: ‘It’s too late for you to change your words now!
‘From the moment you decided to have a party overnight, it shows that you’re a selfish person without a sense of public morality!
‘With a neighbor like you, how can we build a perfect and happy neighborhood?’
‘You…’
The woman was so angry that she wanted to rush up and cover my mouth.
But the next second, she seemed to be pressed the pause button, and she stood there in a daze.
Her eyes were full of horror, but her mouth opened and closed, dryly reading: ‘I have no sense of public morality. I’m really a bad neighbor.
‘I… deserve to die.’
After saying that, she turned around without hesitation and rushed towards the window, opened it, and jumped out.
With a ‘bang’, everything returned to calm.
This was the second person to die in front of me.
But this time, I was much calmer.
There would only be more neighbors trying to kill me under various pretexts.
As long as I wanted to survive, I couldn’t be soft – hearted.
Now I had to find the old lady I had helped as soon as possible and ask her to help me out of this predicament.
Thinking of this, I quickly walked downstairs.
I didn’t dare to take the elevator, for fear of some uncontrollable accident.
Just as I reached the 13th floor, the door opposite the old lady’s house opened.
A woman wearing an apron and holding a spatula smiled at me.
Before she could speak, I rushed forward: ‘Neighbor sister, you seem to be very good at cooking at first glance.
‘How about having a meal together sometime?
‘But I’m afraid I can’t today. I have something to do.’
I said three sentences in one breath.
While the woman was in a daze, I quickly turned around and knocked on the old lady’s door.
‘Auntie, auntie, open the door. I know you’re home.’
The door opened a few seconds later.
I said straightforwardly: ‘Auntie, please send me downstairs.
‘I have claustrophobia and I’m afraid to take the elevator alone.’
The old lady’s smile froze slightly: ‘Good boy, how about taking the stairs?’
I looked resentful: ‘It’s thirteen floors! It’s so tiring to walk down.
‘Auntie, you won’t even help me with such a small thing, will you?’
Under my gaze, the old lady had to reluctantly take me to the elevator.
After getting into the elevator, I immediately pressed the button for the 1st floor.
However, the elevator stopped at the 12th floor.
The elevator door opened, and four residents on the 12th floor were standing neatly at the elevator entrance.
They stared at me without blinking, with perfect smiles on their faces.
I didn’t need to guess to know they were waiting for me.
‘Hello, new neighbor. We…’
I calmly held the old lady’s arm and also smiled, interrupting their words:
‘Sorry, neighbors. I have an appointment.’
6
The four people’s smiles froze instantly.
When I was interacting with another neighbor, they couldn’t intervene halfway.
This was the reason why I must ask the old lady to send me.
The elevator door slowly closed, and through the gap, I saw their angry and distorted faces and restless hands.
If there were no rules to restrain them, they would surely rush in and tear me apart.
The elevator stopped at every floor, and at most, there were ten people standing outside.
They hung fake smiles and looked at me greedily, but could only watch the elevator door close again resentfully.
There was a little episode on the 8th floor.
A bald man roared and tried to rush in the moment the elevator door was closing.
But before I could react, the rule punished this unfriendly neighbor.
The elevator door closed mercilessly.
The bald man didn’t get in, but one of his arms was left in the elevator.
I raised my head and tried to ignore the disgusting scene in front of me.
It was not until the elevator stopped at the 1st floor.
With a ‘ding’, the door opened.
I walked out of the elevator and smiled at the old lady: ‘How about walking with me for a while longer?’
The old lady waved her hand tiredly.
‘I’m old. Don’t torture me.’
I laughed twice and walked outside.
It was still deathly silent outside. The lawn and green trees seemed to be covered with a thin layer of gloom.
I lowered my head and looked at my phone.
“Countdown: 22 hours.”
It seemed that there was still a lot of time, but I didn’t relax because of it.
There was still a distance from here to the gate. Who knew what would happen?
Suddenly, a voice timidly sounded not far away: ‘Are… you the new owner?’
7
I looked in the direction of the voice and found a little girl about seven or eight years old.
She looked terrified, huddled behind a tree, and didn’t dare to approach.
I thought she looked a bit familiar at first glance, but I couldn’t remember where I had seen her.
At the same time, a man in a suit and glasses also walked over from another direction.
The man in glasses also seemed to have been greatly frightened. His expression was panicked, and he walked in a hurry.
I tentatively asked: ‘Did you two just escape too?’
The two nodded in unison.
I looked up at the building number. There were a total of 25 buildings.
Only the three of us survived.
I introduced myself first: ‘My name is Lin Ji. I’m 23 years old. I escaped from the 14th floor.’
The little girl was named Wu Xiaoyu. She was seven years old and escaped from the 6th floor.
The man in glasses was named Zhou Wei. He was 37 years old and escaped from the 3rd floor.
I was the only one who escaped from the tenth – floor area.
The two looked at me with more shock in their eyes.
Zhou Wei suspiciously sized me up: ‘I almost lost a layer of skin getting down from the 3rd floor. How could you escape from the 14th floor…’
I coughed softly and explained to them how I escaped.
The two were even more shocked.
‘You can call the manager?’
Wu Xiaoyu took out her children’s watch and found that there was really a call button.
‘If you encounter difficulties again, you can learn from my words and ask the property manager for help.’
The two nodded one after another.
We walked towards the gate together, carefully observing the surroundings along the way, for fear that neighbors would suddenly appear.
Just when we could almost see the gate, a voice suddenly came from behind us:
‘Oh, come and help me!’
Our backs felt cold, and we quickened our pace towards the gate.
‘I’m talking about you three! My good neighbors, you can’t stand by and do nothing!’
8
The voice behind us started to turn shrill.
We had to stop.
It was a middle – aged woman with curly hair.
When she saw us turn around, she immediately put on a smile and walked up to us in two or three steps.
‘My good neighbors, my dog is lost. Can you help me find it?’
I looked down at my phone.
“Countdown: 21 hours and 40 minutes.”
I exchanged glances with the other two.
Looking for a dog wasn’t a big deal, but it wasn’t small either.
If we really couldn’t find it, she couldn’t blame us.
I took a step forward. ‘How long will it probably take? We have other activities.’
The woman frowned. ‘What activities do you have?’
Wu Xiaoyu, who was beside me, stepped forward in a timely manner and said in a low voice, ‘I have homework from school. It asks us to clean up garbage near the community. These two uncles are here to help me.
‘It’s for the community… right?’
After saying that, Wu Xiaoyu looked at me timidly, as if seeking approval.
I immediately nodded. ‘That’s right. We’re contributing to the micro – community.’
The woman pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. ‘Fine, it won’t take more than three hours. Is that okay?’
I let out a sigh of relief.
The moment we nodded, everything seemed to be put on fast – forward.
When we came to our senses, the three of us had already walked around the community several times.
The countdown on the phone had changed to ’19 hours’.
We didn’t find the dog and came to the woman empty – handed.
‘Can we go now?’
The woman’s eyes rolled, and she showed a kind smile. ‘Why be in such a hurry?
‘I’ve taken up so much of your time. I should invite you to a meal.
‘Come to my house. I’ll make dumplings for you.’
9
Zhou Wei’s face turned stiff. ‘No need. We’re not hungry.’
We all knew what the woman was up to. She wanted to use this excuse to trick the three of us back into the building.
It would be even more difficult for us to escape then.
Although the rules allowed us to get a favor in return for our help,
since we didn’t succeed in finding her dog last time, it didn’t count.
We were in a very passive position now.
Xiaoyu quickly said, ‘Auntie, we need to go out and clean up the garbage quickly. Otherwise, it will be dark soon.’
The woman’s smile remained unchanged. ‘Don’t be afraid. After dinner, I’ll go with you to clean up the garbage.’
Zhou Wei looked at me nervously, his eyes asking for help.
I coughed softly. ‘It’s not impossible, but we need to make a call now and ask the manager to help us find the tools for cleaning up the garbage.’
This was a legitimate reason, and the woman readily nodded.
I immediately took out my phone and called the property manager.
But a minute passed, and no one answered on the other end.
‘What’s going on? Didn’t you say the property manager would help us?’ Zhou Wei was angry and anxious.
I suddenly understood.
The manager was neutral. He didn’t really want to help us.
But as long as he answered the phone, he had to give us useful information.
So he simply didn’t answer.
Especially since I tricked him badly when I called last time, he naturally refused to answer my call.
I told them my guess and then looked at Zhou Wei.
‘Lend me your phone. I’ll try with yours.’
Zhou Wei, however, hesitantly covered his pocket.
‘According to what you said, each person only has one chance to call the property manager for help.
‘What if I need it later? If you use my chance, what should I do?’
I stared at him like he was a fool. ‘At this time, can’t you use your brain?
‘Now it’s a common predicament for the three of us. If we can’t get through the phone, we’ll all die here.
‘If you don’t want me to use your phone, you can call yourself.’
Zhou Wei still tightly covered his pocket and stepped back two steps warily.
‘Why should I use my call chance?
‘What if we encounter problems later? I won’t be able to call! Anyway, I won’t call!’
My face darkened.
Just then, Xiaoyu tugged at my the edge of a clothes and handed me her phone watch. ‘Uncle, you can use mine.’
10
Seeing this, Zhou Wei immediately nodded. ‘Yes, use hers!’
I gave Zhou Wei a disgusted look, then turned to touch Xiaoyu’s head. ‘Thank you.’
Xiaoyu shook her head and blinked. ‘I know uncle is helping us.’
Even a child was more sensible than an adult.
I sighed and used the phone watch to call the manager’s number.
After a few rings, the brisk voice of the property manager came from the other end.
‘Hello, owner. The good property manager is here to serve you wholeheartedly.’
Just as I thought!
I said slowly, ‘Hello, property manager.’
‘Guess who I am?’
The other side was silent for a full ten seconds, then an embarrassed laugh came.
‘Oh, it’s you! Haha, I was busy just now. I’m really sorry I didn’t answer your call.
‘Is there any trouble you need my help with?’
‘Of course.’
I glanced at the woman not far away, waiting for our decision, and lowered my voice. ‘My neighbor invited us to her house as guests. How can I refuse?’
The manager sighed. ‘Oh dear, I can’t do anything about that.
‘This belongs to the category of good – neighbor behavior. As the manager, I can only respect and wish you well.’
I gritted my back teeth. ‘So it’s a dead – end?’
The manager paused and said reluctantly, ‘Well, not exactly.
‘There are security guards at the gate.’
The manager said it very concisely, but I immediately understood what he meant.
The duty of the security guards was to protect the owners.
So as long as I found the security guards, they would protect me from attacks.
This was very useful information.
I estimated the distance to the gate – about four hundred meters. I might have a chance if I made a dash for it.
But the problem was, how could we distract the woman’s attention?
I was thinking about hanging up the phone.
At this time, a relieved voice came from the other end of the phone. ‘I wish the two owners success in reaching the gate.’
I suddenly raised my head and tightly grasped the watch. ‘What did you say?’
Two owners?
11
The manager realized what he shouldn’t have said and suddenly stopped talking.
I looked at Xiaoyu beside me, then at Zhou Wei.
I walked two steps to an empty place, holding the watch, and asked, ‘What do you mean by that?
‘What do you mean there are only two owners? There are clearly three of us now!’
The manager was silent for a long time before answering. ‘Well, the system shows that only two new owners are currently alive.
‘As for the identity of the third person, I’m sorry, I can’t tell you.’
I suddenly felt a chill down my spine.
That meant only one of Wu Xiaoyu and Zhou Wei was a real ‘person’.
The other was an ‘unknown thing’ that hid its identity and came to us with malice.
Thankfully, I didn’t turn on the speakerphone just now.
When I turned around, my expression was normal again.
I secretly observed the two people and quickly identified a target.
‘Well? Did the manager give you any help?’
Zhou Wei stared at me nervously and expectantly.
Under his gaze, I slowly shook my head.
‘The manager doesn’t care about me.
‘He said that as long as it’s my call, he won’t provide me with any more help.’
I stared at Zhou Wei’s pocket. ‘Now only your phone can be used.’
Zhou Wei looked wary. ‘Is that true? You’re not trying to deceive me, are you?’
Wu Xiaoyu stepped forward, raised her head, and stared at him angrily. ‘Uncle, you’re too selfish.
‘Both of our call chances have been used, but you still don’t want to use yours.
‘Do you want us to die here?’
I also looked coldly at him. ‘If you don’t call, we’ll go our separate ways. You figure out how to deal with the neighbors yourself.’
Zhou Wei pouted and reluctantly took out his phone.
‘Fine, I’ll call.’
He wanted to go aside to make the call, but I stopped him.
I said firmly, ‘Right here, on speakerphone.’
Zhou Wei gave me an angry look but didn’t dare to argue with me.
As he pressed the call button, two ‘beeps’ came from the other end of the phone.
‘Sorry, the number you dialed is busy…’
12
I immediately looked at Zhou Wei.
His face was stunned, and he looked at me in confusion.
‘What… what’s going on?
‘Why was it hung up? Didn’t you say he didn’t dare to reject the call?’
I narrowed my eyes. ‘I should be asking you that question.’
‘What exactly is your identity?’
Zhou Wei took two steps back and widened his eyes. ‘I’m the same as you… No, that’s not right!’
His eyes instantly became very vigilant. ‘You’ve been lying to us from the beginning, haven’t you?
‘The manager’s phone can’t be reached at all!’
Xiaoyu quickly defended me. ‘You’re talking nonsense. Uncle got through the phone with mine just now!’
Zhou Wei sneered. ‘He didn’t turn on the speakerphone just now. Who knows if he really got through or was just acting!
‘I think you want to kill us!’
I watched Zhou Wei perform in silence.
After he finished speaking, the woman, who had been waiting impatiently, strode up to us.
‘Well, are you going to my house for dinner or not?’
Zhou Wei pursed his lips and didn’t dare to speak.
I said calmly, ‘We want to go for dinner, but it will be too slow for you to make dumplings alone. We plan to send one person to make dumplings with you first.
‘When you finish making the dumplings, we’ll have dinner together. How about that?’
The woman was taken aback and hesitated for a moment. ‘Well… that’s okay.’
Zhou Wei, who was beside us, thought I was going to sacrifice myself and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
I continued, ‘I’m allergic to flour and can’t make dumplings.
‘It seems that only…’
I dragged out the ending and looked at Zhou Wei.
I was already certain that Zhou Wei was the ‘unknown thing’ among the three of us.
He was very hostile to us, always uncooperative, and only his call to the manager was hung up.
If he were another new owner, the manager definitely wouldn’t dare to hang up.
So there was only one truth.
Realizing my intention, Zhou Wei’s face suddenly showed panic, and he immediately pointed at Xiaoyu. ‘Then let her go…’
Xiaoyu said timidly, ‘Uncle and auntie, I’m only seven years old. I don’t know how to make dumplings…’
The woman looked at Zhou Wei thoughtfully, then showed a standard smile. ‘It seems that only you can accompany me to make dumplings.’
13
Zhou Wei looked at me with a stiff face, half – resentful and half – pleading.
‘Help me…’
I pretended not to hear.
Zhou Wei suddenly flew into a rage and rushed towards me. ‘Then let’s all die together!’
I was prepared. The moment he pounced, I picked up Xiaoyu and ran towards the gate at full speed.
Zhou Wei wanted to catch up, but the woman grabbed his arm. ‘What? You don’t want to make dumplings with me, a good neighbor?’
The woman’s strength was surprisingly great. Zhou Wei struggled for a long time but couldn’t break free.
Zhou Wei’s face was covered with tears, and he shouted hoarsely, ‘I don’t want to!
‘I don’t want to!’
With a ‘bang’, a sound of flesh and blood exploding came from behind me.
I covered Xiaoyu’s eyes so that she wouldn’t look back.
‘It’s all fake. Don’t be afraid.’
Xiaoyu nodded.
I ran to the gate in one breath.
Putting Xiaoyu down, I quickly stepped forward and knocked on the door.
‘Security guard! Where is the security guard?
‘The owner needs protection!’
I knocked for a while before the door opened. A security guard came out with an electric baton and saluted me.
‘Welcome, new owner!
‘I’m a security guard, and I’ll defend the owner’s safety to the death!’
I was about to speak when I heard Xiaoyu’s scream from behind.
‘Uncle! Uncle, save me!’
I turned my head and saw a half – human – high big dog tearing at Xiaoyu’s trouser leg.
Xiaoyu was dragged to the ground and stretched out her hand to me, crying for help.
I immediately looked at the security guard. ‘Quick! Go and save her!’
The security guard scratched his head. ‘I’m only responsible for protecting the new owner.’
I was anxious and angry. ‘Yes, go and protect her. She’s also a new owner!’
The security guard looked confused. ‘Her?
‘She’s not a new owner.’
‘…’
14
I stiffly turned my head to look at Xiaoyu.
How could that be? The manager clearly said there were two new owners.
Could it not be Xiaoyu, but… Zhou Wei?
I grabbed the security guard’s collar. ‘You’re lying to me! Xiaoyu is clearly a new owner!
‘She’s the same as me! She was pulled into this strange perfect – happy neighborhood to escape!’
The security guard looked innocent. ‘But she really isn’t.
‘Her name is Wu Xiaoyu. She’s a resident of 1402, Building 11. She’s been living here for three years.’
Building 11…
Building 11…
A splitting headache hit me. I rubbed my head in pain, but I couldn’t remember anything.
Xiaoyu was still wailing and asking me for help.
I silently clenched my fists.
How could Xiaoyu not be human?
The child was so vividly standing in front of me, calling me uncle, and even defending me when Zhou Wei and I had a conflict.
How could she be one of the NPCs in this neighborhood?
The security guard reminded, ‘Owner, do you want to leave the neighborhood?
‘I’ve opened the gate. It will only be open for ten seconds.’
I suddenly turned my head and saw the gate in front of me slowly opening. Outside was a vast expanse of white.
‘Uncle… please save me…’
Xiaoyu behind me was crying and asking for help. Two choices kept pulling at my mind.
I gritted my teeth, made up my mind, and finally took a step.
‘Get out!’
I kicked the dog away and waved the electric baton snatched from the security guard to scare it back.
‘Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid. Uncle will take you away.’
I murmured, and helped Xiaoyu up.
Xiaoyu looked up at me in disbelief, seemingly not expecting me to choose to save her.
I picked up the injured Xiaoyu and ran towards the white outside as fast as I could.
I watched as the gate slowly closed.
The moment I touched the white, it closed completely.
15
‘Grandma, I don’t want to go to school anymore.’
When I opened my eyes, I was in a strange room with some strange decorations hanging on the walls.
My body was semi – transparent and floating. I saw the calendar on the wall.
It was three years ago.
Turning my head, I saw Xiaoyu sitting on the sofa, crying.
Beside her was a white – haired old lady.
Looking closely, the old lady was the first neighbor I met after entering the perfect – happy neighborhood.
The old lady hugged Xiaoyu and said gently and kindly, ‘Tell grandma, why don’t you want to go to school?’
Xiaoyu buried her face in the old lady’s arms and sobbed, ‘They called me an orphan and said I have no father or mother.
‘They also said my father was a fool and my mother ran away with another man…
‘But grandma, didn’t you say that mom and dad are heroes? ‘
Xiaoyu sobbed and looked up, her face streaming with tears.
‘Didn’t dad drown trying to save the neighbor’s child?
‘Didn’t mom get killed by the bad guys who caused trouble at the hospital?
‘Why do they scold mom and dad? Aren’t they heroes? Shouldn’t heroes be respected?’
The old lady rubbed Xiaoyu’s head but couldn’t say any words of comfort.
After a long while, she said softly,
‘We can’t control what others think. As long as we have a clear conscience, that’s enough.
‘Your father was ready to sacrifice for his belief from the day he decided to be a firefighter.
‘Your mother was the same. She never regretted becoming a doctor.
‘They both said, just do good deeds and don’t ask about the future. So let’s not be sad for them, okay?’
Under the old lady’s comfort, Xiaoyu gradually calmed down.
The old lady picked up the bag beside her and said, “Grandma will ask for leave for you today. You stay at home alone and be a good boy/girl. Grandma has to go earn some money.”
‘When grandma comes back in the evening, I’ll cook for you. Okay?’
Xiaoyu nodded seriously.
Time passed quickly to the evening. Xiaoyu, who had read a whole storybook at home alone, walked to the window.
She looked at the sky, made a decision, and turned to walk into the kitchen.
She clumsily tried to cook like her grandma but accidentally set the rag beside her on fire.
Xiaoyu had never encountered such a situation.
Maybe she had learned how to deal with a fire, but she was too young to react.
She tried to put out the fire but made it worse.
The fire grew bigger and bigger, and soon black smoke was billowing out of the window. I stood by the window, shouting and trying to call someone to save her, but I couldn’t make any sound. Suddenly, I saw a familiar figure downstairs.
16
“Is the fourteenth floor on fire?” A man in his twenties, wearing a shirt, stopped and looked up at the floor where the black smoke was coming from, frowning. He could vaguely see the flames.
A passer – by next to him also looked up and muttered, “It’s the fourteenth floor again.
This family is really unlucky. I advise you not to meddle.”
The man’s frown deepened. “What are you talking about?” The passer – by shrugged indifferently.
“The old lady in that house has been doing some kind of witchcraft. It’s really eerie.
And two people have died in their family in the past two years. Isn’t that unlucky? I think someone is going to die again today.”
The man glanced at the other person with some disgust, then lowered his head and took out his phone.
“I’ll call 119…” Just as he took out his phone, a number appeared on the screen.
The man casually turned on the speakerphone.
It was his boss’s call, telling him to go to work overtime immediately. A passer – by heard this and immediately said, “Go quickly. Don’t meddle in this. Look, the visible flames above have died out. Why call 119 anymore?”
It’s just a waste of public resources.” The man looked up again. The flames had indeed disappeared. It seemed the fire had been put out. The passer – by mumbled, “I’ll stroll downstairs for a while. If there’s any more fire, I’ll call the fire department.” At this time, the boss’s call came again, urging him. The man paused, then without hesitation, he quickly ran towards the gate of the community.
That man who rushed to work overtime was me. The on – looking passer – by was Zhou Wei. Seeing me leave, Zhou Wei sneered, took out the work permit from his pocket, on which were written four characters: “Property Manager”. He looked up at the fourteenth floor and cursed in a low voice, “Unlucky. Two people have died in a row, and the houses in the community can’t be sold. It would be better if they all died at once.” He didn’t observe the fire situation any further and turned to leave.
The fire that Xiaoyu had put out just now was only a small part by the window. After Zhou Wei left, the fire quickly spread again.
17
The old lady rushed back as soon as she received her granddaughter’s call. There were a group of neighbors standing downstairs. The old lady saw the neighbor on the same floor at a glance. “Where’s my granddaughter? Where’s Xiaoyu?” The other person took two steps back, shaking off the old lady’s hand, with a reluctant look on his face. “I smelled the smoke and ran downstairs. I don’t know if she’s at home.” The old lady’s voice trembled. “How could you not go and check, even just knock on the door… My son died trying to save your grandson!” The neighbor, being stared at, shouted with an ugly face, “That was his own choice. What does it have to do with me?” The old lady gritted her teeth and rushed towards the corridor with all her might.
But when she reached the door of her house, the door was blocked by the fire. However, Xiaoyu’s voice came from inside. She was still alive. The old lady immediately rushed to the fire hydrant in the corridor and opened the door. She still remembered when her son, a firefighter, taught her how to use the fire hydrant. Fortunately, she remembered everything. Fortunately, she had the ability to save her granddaughter. She connected the fire hydrant and, with trembling hands, forcefully opened the valve counter – clockwise.
“…” Not a single drop of water came out. The old lady sat down on the ground, her eyes blank. “How could it be… How could there be no water? Why is there no water in the fire hydrant?”
… By the time the fire engine arrived at the community to put out the fire, the child in 1402 had turned into a charred corpse. The white – haired old lady, hunched over, kept murmuring, “Why is there no water? Why?” The firefighter sighed. “If we had come earlier, maybe we could have saved this child. It’s all the fault of that security guard. He said he had to get the property manager’s permission to open the door. And the property manager just wouldn’t answer the phone.”
I stared blankly at the charred corpse, and in front of my eyes appeared the scene of Xiaoyu being forced into the bathroom by the fire, curled up in a ball.
“Grandma, didn’t you say that mom and dad are heroes, that they’re good people? Didn’t you say that good people will be rewarded? Dad saved the neighbor’s child. Shouldn’t someone come to help me in the future? Then why doesn’t anyone come to save me now… Grandma, if it were really like you said, that we live in a happy world… that would be great.”
18
The flames engulfed everything, and I suddenly woke up from a sharp pain. What greeted my eyes was a white expanse. “He’s awake! The patient in bed 14 is awake!” I was helped up, and they asked me if I remembered what had happened. My head hurt terribly, and I vaguely remembered something. I had won a prize. It was a travel ticket worth 100,000 yuan. I got on the same bus with a group of familiar – looking people. Halfway through the journey, the bus suddenly exploded.
“That’s it.” The doctor sighed. “You’re the only one who survived in the whole bus.” I murmured, “Was there a person named Zhou Wei among the deceased?” The doctor was taken aback. “Do you know him?” I paused for a long time, then slowly shook my head.
Although I survived the accident, I was seriously injured. It was a month before I was discharged from the hospital. After being discharged, I inquired everywhere and found an approximate address. I came to the vicinity of the address and asked passers – by about the old lady’s whereabouts. Soon, I found out from the landlord. The landlord was a kind – hearted old man. After listening to my description, he immediately recalled, “You mean that witch surnamed Wu? She died last month. Before she died, she made me some money by asking me to cremate her body. Are you her relative? I haven’t let anyone touch the things in her house yet. Do you want to take them away?”
I took the key and opened the dust – covered door. It was dark inside. There were some strange things hanging from the beam: dried lizards, shriveled spider skins, and crow specimens without eyes. I walked around these things and came to the inner room, where there was an object wrapped in a black – green flannelette full of incantations. It seemed to be waiting for me to come.
19
I was silent for a moment, then opened the flannelette. Inside was a pendant, along with a note.
“You’re the person Xiaoyu sent out, so I trust you.
“Please take this amulet.”
Later, I took the old lady’s urn and scattered her ashes into the sea as she wished. I wore that amulet, and my life has been getting better. I earned money that I had never dared to imagine before and also did a lot of good deeds.
Until one day, on my travel, an old man wearing a hood stopped me and asked me where I got the pendant around my neck. “This is an amulet refined from the heart – blood of a witch – doctor. A person can only make one before they die.”
“Witch – doctor?” I had long suspected the old lady’s identity, but when I really heard these three words, I was still stunned. The old man explained that witch – doctors mostly lived in seclusion. They had very powerful energy and could change the fates of many people, but they couldn’t change the fates of themselves and their descendants. Precisely because of this, they had no desires or demands and wouldn’t easily exhaust their efforts to refine amulets and give them to outsiders. So the old man was very curious about where my amulet came from.
I told him about my experience. He was surprised that the old lady had let me go. When the old lady decided to create that rules – based strange tale for Xiaoyu, she had the intention of killing everyone. But at the last moment, I chose to save Xiaoyu. Even I, who had experienced it firsthand, was surprised that I could survive. But gradually, I understood.
Perhaps at that moment, they thought of the deceased couple again. Just do good deeds and don’t ask about the future. Maybe I’m not a good person, but at that moment, they and I chose to follow our hearts. And I didn’t live up to the kindness they showed at the end of their lives. I passed on this kindness and helped more good people.
Maybe the perfect and happy world that Xiaoyu imagined doesn’t exist. But I will spend the rest of my life making this world a better place.
– The End –
