Mao Xiaofeng walked ahead, her pace neither hurried nor slow.
She felt that the meat and vegetables she had prepared today were already quite plentiful, after all, they were the result of her careful selection.
The three members of the Ma family following behind—Ma Linghua, Ma Hehua, and Ma Lihua—had different ideas.
They felt that the amount of meat and vegetables was far too little for today's gathering, but out of politeness, no one said anything.
The group remained silent and followed Mao Xiaofeng to the residential area where she now lived.
From the outside, the neighborhood looks quite nice, with shady trees, winding paths, and a tranquil atmosphere.
However, when they looked up at the rooftop of the apartment building, the situation became somewhat strange.
Dark clouds loomed above the building, the thick clouds resembling a giant black curtain that made it hard to breathe.
There seemed to be an invisible force surging within the clouds, causing a strange unease to rise in one's heart.
Ma Linghua was the first to frown; she was quite sensitive to these unusual sights.
Her gaze was fixed on the dark cloud, as if she had discerned something from it.
Ma Hehua, standing beside her, muttered, breaking the brief silence, "It looks like it's going to rain."
Mao Xiaofeng seemed somewhat dismissive, saying, "Maybe it's just a temporary cloud that will dissipate soon." But there was a clear hint of uncertainty in her words.
Mao Xiaofeng seemed oblivious to the three women's unusual behavior and continued leading them into the residential area.
As they ventured deeper into the neighborhood, the oppressive feeling intensified.
The trees on both sides of the road swayed in the wind, making a rustling sound, as if they were whispering some secret.
Ma Linghua couldn't help but ask again, "Xiao Feng, is the weather like this in this neighborhood all the time?" Mao Xiaofeng paused for a moment, then smiled and replied, "No, it's unusual today." Her smile seemed somewhat forced in the gloomy atmosphere.
The group continued on their way when suddenly a gust of wind howled past, making everyone's clothes flutter loudly.
Mao Xiaofeng couldn't help but hug her arms tightly, a hint of unease showing in her eyes.
Seeing this, Ma Linghua comforted her, "Sister, don't be afraid, it's probably just a gust of wind." But a hint of wariness was revealed in her own eyes.
When they arrived at the building where Mao Xiaofeng lived, the wind suddenly stopped, and an eerie silence fell over the surroundings.
The lights at the building entrance were exceptionally dim, as if they might go out at any moment.
Mao Xiaofeng took out her keys and opened the building door. "Everyone, come in quickly." Her voice sounded somewhat abrupt in the silence.
The three of them entered the building, where a damp smell permeated the hallway.
Some of the paint on the wall had peeled off, revealing mottled marks.
Ma Linghua frowned even more; she felt there was something strange about this place.
They slowly walked up the stairs, each step seemingly carrying a heavy burden.
The lights in the stairwell flickered, creating an eerie atmosphere.
Ma Hehua couldn't help but mutter, "Why is this place so eerie?"
Mao Xiaofeng quickly explained, "It's probably because the circuit is a bit old; it's not usually this bad."
Finally, she arrived at Mao Xiaofeng's house. She opened the door and found the house to be warm and tidy.
Even so, it could not dispel the doubts in the hearts of the three caused by the abnormality outside.
The three sat down in the living room, looking at the taciturn old man, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
Mao Xiaofeng busied herself pouring water for them, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.
Ma Linghua kept looking out the window; the dark cloud still shrouded the rooftop, showing no sign of dissipating.
“These dark clouds, there’s something wrong with them no matter how you look at them,” Ma Linghua said again.
Ma Lihua nodded. "It is indeed unusual; it's probably not just a normal weather change."
Mao Xiaofeng looked at them with a puzzled expression. "Could there be any problem? Maybe it's just a storm coming."
Just then, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.
The lights in the room went out instantly, plunging everyone into darkness.
"Ah!" Mao Xiaofeng screamed in fright. Ma Hehua, speechless, comforted her, "Sister, don't be afraid, I'm here. Have you forgotten what I do?"
Mao Xiaofeng groped around and found the flashlight. After turning it on, the faint light flickered in the darkness.
"What exactly happened?" Mao Xiaofeng's voice trembled slightly.
Ma Linghua took a deep breath and said, "I'm afraid there's something unclean in this place." Her words made Mao Xiaofeng's heart tighten.
"Something unclean? Don't scare me." Mao Xiaofeng's face turned pale.
Ma Linghua said seriously, "I'm not trying to scare you. From the moment we entered this community, I sensed an unusual atmosphere. These dark clouds and this series of abnormal phenomena are by no means accidental."
Just then, a strange sound came from outside the window, like someone crying or whispering.
Mao Xiaofeng's hair stood on end, and fear spread through her heart.
Ma Hehua walked to the window and looked outside, but couldn't see anything. "Where is this sound coming from?" she asked, puzzled.
Mao Xiaofeng gripped the flashlight tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Ma Linghua stood up. "Sister, don't panic, calm down first." Her voice sounded so reassuring in the atmosphere of fear.
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