Chapter 24: Dark Shadows
It was around ten o'clock in the evening when Luo Xin got off work at the Golden Coast KTV. The winter night in Qindao was bitterly cold, and the icy wind, whirling tiny snowflakes, scraped her face like countless tiny blades. She wrapped her down jacket tightly and hurried to the bus stop. The last bus was almost empty. Luo Xin chose a seat in the back, by the window. A thin layer of frost formed on the window, and the neon lights outside were blurred through the frost, like a blurred watercolor painting. After the bus started, Luo Xin habitually took out her phone and sent a message to her daughter: "Xiaoxue, Mom's off work. I'll be home in about half an hour. You go to bed first." As soon as the message was sent, she noticed a man in a black coat approaching the front door, his hat pulled low, almost obscuring his entire face. After inserting a coin, the man walked straight to the middle of the car and sat down with his back to her. Luo Xin's fingertips paused on the phone screen for a second, and a strange sense of unease passed through her heart. She usually knew the people who took the bus at this time, but she had never seen this man before. So she quietly looked up, observing the man through the reflection in the window. "Maybe I'm overthinking it," Luo Xin consoled herself, putting her phone back in her bag. But the feeling of being watched was unbearable, making her feel uneasy. When the bus stopped at Nan'an Village, Luo Xin deliberately lingered for a moment, waiting for the man to get off first. But he didn't seem in a hurry, remaining motionless. "You've arrived," the driver called impatiently. Luo Xin had no choice but to stand and hurried towards the door. She could feel the man's gaze clinging to her back like a sticky spiderweb. As she got off the bus, she pretended to adjust her scarf and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye—he was still sitting there, seemingly making no move. "I'm overthinking it, after all." Luo Xin breathed a sigh of relief and walked towards the village entrance. The road leading to Nan'an Village was almost deserted, and the streetlights were spaced far apart, casting dim circles of light on the snow-covered road. Luo Xin's high heels creaked on the snow, a sound that was particularly clear in the silent night. After walking about two hundred meters, the feeling of being followed returned. Luo Xin turned around suddenly - her own footprints were the only ones on the empty street. But as she continued walking, she clearly heard another footstep, so light that it almost blended into the wind, but it was real. Her heart began to beat faster, and beads of sweat oozed from her palms, but she didn't dare look back, fearing that the person was right behind her. The village entrance was just ahead, but it was even more remote, with sparse street lights and a few deep...
It was around ten o'clock in the evening when Luo Xin got off work from Gold Coast KTV.
The winter nights on Qindao Island were bitterly cold, and the wind, whirling with tiny snowflakes, scraped her face like countless tiny blades. She wrapped her down jacket tightly around her and hurried to the bus stop.
The last bus was nearly empty. Luo Xin chose a seat in the back, by the window. A thin layer of frost coated the window, and the neon lights outside shimmered through the frost, like a blurred watercolor painting.
After the car started, Luo Xin took out her phone out of habit and sent a message to her daughter: [Xiaoxue, Mommy is off work and will be home in about half an hour. You go to sleep first.]
Just as she sent the message, she noticed a man in a black coat coming up from the front door. His hat was pulled down low, almost covering his face. He put in his coin and walked straight to the middle of the car, where he sat with his back to her.
Luo Xin's fingertips paused on the phone screen for a second, and an inexplicable uneasiness passed through his heart.
She usually knew the people who took the bus at this time, but she had never seen this man before. So she quietly raised her eyes and observed the man through the reflection in the window.
"Maybe I'm overthinking it," Luo Xin consoled herself and put her phone back in her bag. But the feeling of being watched lingered with her, making her feel uneasy.
When the bus stopped at Nan'an Village, Luo Xin deliberately lingered for a while, waiting for the man to get off first. But the man didn't seem to be in a hurry and remained in that position without moving.
"We've reached our stop." the driver shouted impatiently.
Luo Xin had no choice but to stand up and walk quickly towards the car door. She could feel the man's gaze sticking to her back like a sticky spider web.
When she got out of the car, she pretended to adjust her scarf and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye - the man was still sitting in the same seat and didn't seem to want to move.
"I was overthinking it." Luo Xin breathed a sigh of relief and walked towards the village entrance.
There were almost no pedestrians on the road leading to Nan'an Village. The street lights were spaced far apart, casting dim circles of light on the snow-covered road.
Luo Xin's high heels made a "crunching" sound as she stepped on the snow, which was particularly clear in the quiet night.
After walking about two hundred meters, the feeling of being followed returned. Luo Xin turned around suddenly - her footprints were the only ones on the empty street.
But as she continued to move forward, she clearly heard another sound of footsteps, so light that it almost blended into the sound of the wind, but it was real.
Her heartbeat began to accelerate and beads of sweat appeared on her palms, but she didn't dare look back, fearing that the person was right behind her.
The village entrance is just ahead, but it is more remote, with sparse street lights and several deep alleys.
If someone was really following her, she couldn't bring danger home, and she couldn't let Luo Xue, who was alone at home, fall into danger.
Luo Xin stopped and pretended to look for something in her bag, while listening at the same time. The footsteps also stopped, as if playing hide-and-seek with her in the dark.
"Calm down, Luo Xin, calm down." She said to herself in her heart, and her fingertips touched the pepper spray in her bag.
After taking a deep breath, she suddenly turned a corner and walked towards the snack street not far away.
The lights in the snack street are much brighter than those on the main road. Several night snack stalls are still steaming, and the scattered diners add a bit of vitality to the street.
Luo Xin's tense nerves relaxed slightly.
Just then, she saw a familiar figure - Sun Yong was packing up the stall. His dark face showed fatigue, but his hands were still moving skillfully.
Luo Xin almost ran over, her high heels slipped on the snow and she almost fell.
"Brother Sun." Her voice trembled slightly because of her haste.
Sun Yong raised his head, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: "Luo Xin? It's so late..."
The two lived in the same village, their children were in the same class, and they were familiar with each other.
"Someone's following me." Luo Xin lowered his voice, twisting his scarf unconsciously with his fingers, "I don't dare go home directly."
Sun Yong's expression instantly turned serious. He put down the iron pan in his hand and glanced over Luo Xin's shoulder at the street: "Where is it?"
"Right over there..." Luo Xin turned around and pointed in the direction he came from. Sure enough, he saw a man in a hat quickly flashing into an alley. "That's him!"
Without saying a word, Sun Yong picked up the vegetable cutting knife from the stall and chased after him.
Luo Xin wanted to yell at him to be careful, but the sound got stuck in her throat. She stood there, her heart pounding like it was about to burst out of her chest.
A few minutes later, Sun Yong returned and shook his head. "He ran away." His brow furrowed. "Did you see his appearance clearly?"
Luo Xin shook his head, his lips still trembling: "He was wearing a hat the whole time, so I couldn't see his face clearly..."
Sun Yong pondered for a moment and looked at his watch: "I'll close the stall soon and take you home."
"Thank you..." Luo Xin's voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible. She stood by the stall, watching Sun Yong pack up his tools swiftly and steadily.
"The village has been in turmoil lately," Sun Yong suddenly said in a low voice. "You're a girl, and you're off work so late. You should be careful."
Luo Xin nodded. After all, two murders had occurred in the village in succession.
"Okay, let's go." Sun Yong pushed the snack cart and motioned Luo Xin to follow.
The two walked side by side on the way back to the village, and Sun Yong deliberately slowed down his pace to match Luo Xin's high heels.
"Brother Sun," Luo Xin suddenly spoke up, trying to find some topics to ease the tense atmosphere. "Is Sun Lei home alone?"
"Yeah." Sun Yong answered briefly, "He's used to being alone."
Luo Xin thought of the quiet boy and felt a surge of pity for him. She was about to say something when she heard a "crack" behind her—like the sound of a branch being stepped on.
They both turned around at the same time. The street was empty, with only endless darkness and scattered lights.
"It might be a wild cat." Sun Yong comforted, but one hand reached for the kitchen knife in the cart.
Neither of them spoke for the rest of the journey. When they finally arrived at Luo Xin's house, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, thank you so much." Luo Xin said sincerely, "Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?"
Sun Yong shook his head. "No, it's too late. Lei Zi is still home alone." He turned to leave, then stopped. "Tomorrow..." He seemed to be choosing his words. "If you get off work at this time, you can send me a message in advance and I'll pick you up at the station."
"That's too much trouble for you..."
"It's no trouble." Sun Yong's voice was soft, but it carried a firmness that brooked no refusal. "The village has been a bit volatile lately, so we should look out for each other."
After watching Sun Yong's back disappear around the corner of the stairs, Luo Xin gently closed the door, leaned against the door panel and let out a long sigh.
The room was very quiet, with only Luo Xue's even breathing coming from the inner room.
She tiptoed to her daughter's bed and looked at Luo Xue's sleeping face in the light of the snow outside the window.
Luo Xin leaned over and gently kissed her daughter's forehead, then walked to the window and pulled the curtains tight. Just as the curtains were about to close, she seemed to see a dark shadow flash by at the entrance of the alley not far away.
Her heart skipped a beat, and her fingers unconsciously clenched the curtains. When she looked again, the only sight in the alley was snowflakes whipped by the cold wind and swaying tree shadows.
"It must be an illusion..." Luo Xin muttered to herself, but she still checked all the door and window locks. She took out her phone and wanted to send a message to Yu Hao, but after thinking about it, she put it down.
Luo Xin sighed, placed her phone on the bedside table, and began to remove her makeup. The warm water washed away the makeup on her face, revealing her tired face.
The woman in the mirror had dark circles under her eyes, and the lines around her mouth were much deeper than she remembered. She gently stroked her face, remembering the time Yu Hao asked her if she wanted to change jobs.
"It's not that easy..." She smiled bitterly at herself in the mirror.
Although the KTV job wasn't dignified, the income was enough to pay for Luo Xue's tuition and their small home. If she changed jobs, how could she give her daughter a better life?
What's more..., hey...
After washing up, Luo Xin got into bed quietly, trying not to disturb her sleeping daughter.
Luo Xin turned off the desk lamp. In the darkness, she listened to her daughter's even breathing, but her thoughts were restless.
Outside the window, the wind howled, as if telling some unknown secret. Luo Xin hugged his sleeping daughter tightly, as if grabbing the only driftwood.
On this cold winter night, fear is like an invisible beast, lurking in every shadow, waiting for its next prey.
At the other end of the village, a dark figure was silently walking through the alley...
*
The light can take away all the evils and make for a peaceful night.
At six in the morning, just as the sky was getting light, Yu Hao stood at the door of Luo Xin's house and stamped his feet gently to dispel the cold.
The door creaked open, and Luo Xin stood there, holding a lunch box. She was wearing a light gray turtleneck sweater, which made her skin look even whiter, but there was a noticeable dark spot under her eyes.
"I brought you breakfast." She handed the lunch box to Yu Hao, her fingertips trembling slightly when they touched, "Eat it while it's hot."
Yu Hao took the lunch box, heavy and still warm. He opened the lid and was greeted by the aroma of fried eggs, ham, millet porridge, and a few steaming buns.
"So many?" Yu Hao was a little surprised.
Luo Xin pursed her lips, wanting to say something but stopping herself. She had barely slept last night, and the image of the stalker lingered in her mind.
She wanted to tell Yu Hao, but seeing the bloodshot in his eyes and the stubble on his chin that he hadn't shaved in time, she swallowed her words back again.
"Where's Xiaoxue?" Yu Hao took a bite of the bun, and the gravy burst in his mouth.
"I'll be right there." Luo Xin turned and called into the house, "Xiaoxue, Uncle Yu is here!"
A moment later, Luo Xue came skipping out, her ponytail swinging, her schoolbag on her back. "Good morning, Uncle Yu!" she greeted cheerfully, her face flushed with excitement.
"Are you so happy today?" Yu Hao rubbed her hair.
"Today is the first day of final exams!" Luo Xue puffed out her chest proudly. "I must get good grades to make Mom happy!" She blinked, "and also to repay Uncle Yu for picking me up every day. My classmates are so envious!"
Yu Hao's heart warmed up. He helped Luo Xue open the car door and said, "Then let's go, future academic masters."
Luo Xin stood at the door and watched them leave, her fingers unconsciously twisting her scarf. She didn't close the door until the car turned the corner.
The fear from last night came back to her, and she slid to the ground, hugging her knees.
......
The car was heated, and Luo Xue chattered away about school. Yu Hao watched her dancing in the rearview mirror as he drove, his lips curling up unconsciously.
"Oh, Uncle Yu," Luo Xue suddenly lowered her voice, "Lin Xiaoyu, the girl in our class who got her face scratched, her parents came to school to make trouble again yesterday."
Yu Hao frowned slightly: "What did the school say?"
"Just pay the money and let it go." Luo Xue curled her lips. "Anyway, we still haven't found out who did it. But now the school has new cameras installed everywhere, and there are more security guards, so there shouldn't be any more accidents."
Yu Hao nodded. This kind of unsolved case is the most troublesome, especially when it happens on campus.
The car turned a corner and the gate of Yucai Primary School came into view.
Many parents sending their children to school have gathered at the school gate, and several uniformed security guards are maintaining order.
"Look, it's Sun Lei!" Luo Xue suddenly pointed outside the window.
Yu Hao looked in the direction she pointed, and sure enough, he saw the thin figure standing alone at the side of the school gate, in stark contrast to the groups of students around him.
Sun Lei held a book in his hand, lowered his head and read attentively, ignoring the noise around him.
For some reason, every time he saw this boy, Yu Hao felt an inexplicable emotion. That lonely, stubborn, and wary demeanor...
"Does he arrive at school so early every day?" Yu Hao stopped the car and asked casually.
Luo Xue nodded: "Yeah, he said it's quiet in the morning, which is suitable for memorizing." She unbuckled her seat belt and whispered in Yu Hao's ear, "Actually, I think he wants to avoid crowded places. He doesn't like to be squeezed with others."
Yu Hao looked at Sun Lei thoughtfully. The boy seemed to sense something and suddenly raised his head, looking through the crowd and directly at Yu Hao's car.
At that moment, Yu Hao seemed to see a complex emotion flash across those obsidian eyes, but it disappeared in a flash.
"Uncle Yu, I'm leaving!" Luo Xue put on her schoolbag and pushed open the car door.
"Do well on the exam." Yu Hao patted her shoulder, "Keep going."
Watching Luo Xue run toward the school gate, Yu Hao didn't leave immediately. He noticed that when Sun Lei saw Luo Xue, he took a subtle step back, but couldn't help but secretly glance up at her. There was a kind of cautious concern hidden in those eyes, which made Yu Hao's heart soften.
Before the car pulled away, Yu Hao took one last look at the school gate. Sun Lei had vanished, and Luo Xue had blended into the crowd of students. He stepped on the accelerator, and the police car slowly drove away.
Just as he turned the corner, Sun Lei quietly watched the police car going away from behind the bushes next to the school gate.
The cold wind blew, lifting the corners of his clothes. His eyes flashed with a complex light that was inconsistent with his age...
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