Chapter 156

Chapter 156

I messaged 925: “What was all that stuff you recalled last night?”

925: “A few work files. I got a work notice in the middle of the night yesterday and was supposed to forward some files to a coworker, but I tapped the wrong chat and sent them all to you instead.”

Then he sent me a screenshot of his chat with that coworker. I glanced at it. Sure enough, one minute after he recalled the messages, he had sent his coworker seven or eight Excel files.

Still half skeptical, I asked, “By the way, what do you do for work?”

925: “I work at a hospital.”

He worked at a hospital.

I thought again of that jarring smell of disinfectant in my room yesterday.

I really couldn’t stop myself from overthinking it. Even the least sensitive person could tell something was wrong here.

Right now, I seriously suspected 925’s true identity. I even wondered if he had secretly slipped into my place during those few minutes yesterday when I had left the door open, then hidden under my bed.

He had concealed himself perfectly, but scents didn’t lie. They drifted and wavered their way into my nose.

Following that line of thought, maybe after I fell asleep yesterday, he rolled over beneath my bed, took out his phone, and sent me WeChat messages, just like “Liang He” had sent WeChat messages to Zhang Qiong.

That was why my phone kept dinging nonstop, and that was what led to my nightmare.

But from a rational standpoint, that was basically impossible.

First of all, I now lived a minimal, simple, lonely, solitary life every single day. I honestly couldn’t think of a single reason anyone would go to such lengths to get close to me.

Second, I had never exposed my address. 925 only knew which city I was in. He didn’t know which district, which street, or which residential building.

Third, Grandma Next Door coming to me for help had been a sudden incident. There was no way 925 could have seized those few minutes so perfectly.

Coincidences belonged in novels. Reality wasn’t that dramatic.

Thinking deeper, if all this “repetition” wasn’t 925’s doing, then that was even more terrifying.

If 925 was a psychopath, a stalker, or some petty villain I had unknowingly offended at some point – if all of this was his doing – then it was still merely a human incident.

But… what if it wasn’t human?

What if the culprit affecting my life and guiding it toward this eerie rhythm wasn’t him?

I stared at the novel interface on my computer screen and began hesitating over whether I should keep writing this story at all.

Maybe I really shouldn’t have so casually started writing this kind of suspenseful supernatural story. It might very well have been silently ruining my luck, or attracting something unclean to me.

I couldn’t imagine what would happen if my life kept developing according to the plot, because the plot later on would only get stranger.

What had I written after this? I tried hard to remember.

I couldn’t quite recall, but it was definitely all things I was afraid of.

I was a cowardly author. There were more things that scared me than all of you combined.

Only elements that frightened me would be written into my novel. I had tried to use them to arouse fear in my readers… but I never expected those elements to turn into a boomerang, one that came whipping back and struck me right between the eyes.

Niufen came over to check on me again. He chuckled and patted me on the shoulder. I raised my hand and switched the interface back to my work software, but my thoughts kept going.

I didn’t want to give up on this novel. I really didn’t. I had poured a lot of effort into it, and I had accumulated some readers. Every day, those readers were looking forward to the next day’s update. I had a responsibility I couldn’t run away from.

Actually, everything had been fine before 925 appeared. Every single one of these abnormalities had happened after he showed up.

Maybe I really shouldn’t interact with people. Maybe I shouldn’t form any emotional connections with anyone. Maybe I was suited to living alone, the way I used to.

The Ashtray was a work I had written word by word, like my child. 925 was my loyal reader, an enthusiastic fan, and now, my good friend.

The current situation was like this: my child and I had been living peacefully at home, but after 925 came over as a guest, my child suddenly started acting out, throwing tantrums and smashing things around the house…

At a time like that, would I throw away my own child, or would I ask the outside guest to leave?

I hesitated for the entire morning and still couldn’t summon the courage to tell 925 that I wanted to delete him.

925 knew nothing about my mental turmoil. He chatted with me as usual.

925: “It’s almost lunchtime. What are you having this afternoon?”

Distracted, I replied, “Ordering takeout now.”

925: “The company cafeteria isn’t good?”

Me: “It is, but if you eat it all the time, you’ll get tired of it.”

925: “Then I’ll get takeout too. What did you order? Let me copy your homework.”

I sent him a screenshot of my takeout order.

925: “Whoa. A half-and-half pizza, a coffee, and a Coke. Can you finish all that by yourself?”

Me: “I like eating a bunch of things at the same time. Same with drinks. I like having two at once.”

925: “Hahaha, you like doing everything in two places at once. Last night, you were gaming, watching a movie, and chatting all at the same time. Dividing your attention in a relationship is disloyalty, but dividing your attention in daily life is a skill. It proves you’re smart.”

It would have been fine if he hadn’t brought up last night. The moment he did, that uncomfortable feeling started rising in me again.

At last, I said the words I had been hesitating over for so long: “I don’t think I’m really suited to having friends. I think I’m still better off alone.”

925: “What do you mean by that?”
Me: “Just delete me. We shouldn’t talk anymore.”

925 sent a laughing-through-tears emoji and said, “Are you serious? Why do I feel like I’m being dumped?”

Looking at that message from him, I suddenly felt physically sick.

925: “I’m kidding. But I really do want to ask… why? Did I do something to upset you?”

I felt a little guilty. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m the one who overthinks everything. I’m only suited to being alone.”

925: “Have you been under a lot of work pressure lately? Or are you too tired from writing your novel? Let me order you some milk tea. Don’t girls all like sweet things? Send me your location.”

The moment he said that, I froze for a long time.

I replied, “Really, no need. I’m serious. If you don’t delete me, I’m going to delete you.”

925 was clearly stunned by my sudden resolve. He didn’t reply for ages.

A few minutes later, he messaged me again to confirm: “Huahua, do you really want to delete me?”

Me: “Yes.”

In my heart, I silently begged him not to keep pestering me. I was already indecisive by nature and found it hard to make decisions. Dragging it out would only make me feel worse.

925: “But I really can’t bear to lose you. Every day I got to chat with you made me happy, and I really do admire you.”

I didn’t say anything.

925: “Fine. I respect your decision and your way of life.”

I didn’t say anything.

925: “Then can I ask you for one last thing?”

Me: “Go ahead.”

925: “It’s 11:45 right now. I still have so many questions I want to ask you! Let’s chat one last time. Let me ask everything I want to ask, and at midnight you can delete me. Is that okay?”

I glanced at the time displayed on my computer and said, “No problem.”

925 seemed to treasure those final fifteen minutes. The first thing he did was throw out an abrupt question:

“Are you dating someone?”

I sighed and replied, “I’m really not.”

Right after that, he asked an even more abrupt question. “I remember you said you were very good at lying. I want to know, have you ever lied to me?”

That question was way too broad. I couldn’t even remember everything we’d talked about. How was I supposed to answer that?

I said, “We’ve talked about way, way too much. Which thing are you talking about…?”

925: “Is your voice really unpleasant, or did you just not want to answer my calls?”

I got a little angry. “There was no need for me to lie to you! My vocal cords really were injured!”

925 pressed on relentlessly: “How were they injured?”

Me: “I was alone in a room with someone of the opposite sex, and that person hurt me. Ever since then, my throat has been ruined! Are you satisfied now? Do you want me to get you a medical certificate?”

925 hurriedly said, “Don’t be mad, don’t be mad. I’m sorry…”

By then it was already 11:50. For the next nine minutes, 925 did nothing but apologize.

In the final minute, he anxiously reminded me, “Huahua, I’m really glad I got to know you. When you said just now that someone of the opposite sex hurt you, it broke my heart. Even if you’re alone in the future, you have to take good care of yourself. It’s already unsafe for women to live alone. Remember, don’t be alone in a room with someone of the opposite sex.”

The moment midnight arrived, I struck fast and clean, deleting him without a trace.

Stop. Seriously, if he kept talking, I was going to lose my mind. Every single sentence he said was like an artillery shell landing with pinpoint accuracy on one of my land mines.

To me, “good at lying” is a neutral phrase. But when he questioned whether I’d ever lied, no matter how I heard it, it sounded like an accusation. I honestly don’t know what I said that made him feel like I was lying.

So had I lied or not?

Ever since the first chapter of Volume Three, I’ve been writing author monologues for you.

I said I was the author of The Ashtray and that my pen name was Huahua Xiao Saozi – as far as my personal information goes, I didn’t lie.

I said I was tall and slender, with bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and a sharp jawline – as far as my appearance goes, I didn’t lie.

I said Niufen came around in front of me three times a day, that he was tall and fat, wore Coke-bottle glasses, and was as bald as a braised egg – as far as my relationships go, I didn’t lie.

I said the entire upstairs area where I was smelled like a hospital, and that Niufen also reeked of disinfectant – as far as my surroundings go, I didn’t lie.

I said I liked drinking two different beverages at the same time, and that when I ate pizza I liked half-and-half flavors – as far as my eating habits go, I didn’t lie.

I said that when I didn’t sleep well, the dark circles under my eyes were huge and my hair stuck up in a wild mess – even about those pathetic moments in my daily life, I didn’t lie.

I’ve been so sincere in every possible way.

So I just don’t understand-

Where exactly did things go wrong that made 925 think I was a woman?

From the very first word of the first chapter of Volume Three all the way to here, I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned my gender even once. I told you that after I got out of bed, I put on my underwear and then changed into that blue-and-white outfit. I never said I put on a bra.

Dear readers, did all of you think Huahua Xiao Saozi was a girl too?

Right now, you might want to ask me who I really am.

Actually, even when it comes to the question of “who I am,” I have never lied to you.

Do you remember, in the first chapter of Volume Three, I answered five reader questions?

The answer was in my response to the fifth question.

You…

None of you noticed?

(The End)