Mu Ye had just left the principal’s office when he saw Qin Fang enter behind him.
Mu Ye squinted his eyes slightly, his gaze momentarily darkening.
In his mind flashed the image of a boy with lips moistened by lip balm, delicate and soft pale pink lips. Just by looking at it, he could immediately recall the addictive feeling of actually kissing them.
Mu Ye lived a carefree life, except for abstaining from alcohol, he rarely exercised restraint.
For the past few minutes, he had been restraining himself.
Taking back his gaze, Mu Ye took out a cigarette box from his pocket and changed his path to the stairs leading to the rooftop of the teaching building.
Leaning against the railing on the rooftop, Mu Ye raised his hand and unbuttoned one of the buttons on his collar, lazily supporting his elbow and exhaling a faint puff of smoke.
Seeing someone approaching, he silently hooked his lip.
Mu Ye glanced at the person with a disinterested look and sneered at the faint red mark on their neck, “Being submissive again?”
There weren’t many people on the playground during the lunch break. Lu Shen leaned on the railing, holding a cigarette between his fingers.
Mu Ye looked puzzled, “What’s the point of getting married like this? You get beaten up every day. Isn’t it miserable?”
Lu Shen casually brushed over the small scar on his neck and said coldly, “He beats me, I f*ck him, no one loses.”
Mu Ye raised an eyebrow and remained silent for two seconds, “Impressive, Brother Lu.”
Lu Shen took a long drag on his cigarette and smirked, “You’re the impressive one. You’re willing to get involved with underage kids. Even a horny fox can’t match your promiscuity[mfn]Promiscuity refers to engaging in sexual activities or having multiple sexual partners without commitment or exclusivity.[/mfn].”
Mu Ye unbuttoned his shirt collar that was blown up by the wind and raised his chin in the breeze, smiling as the corners of his slender eyes slightly lifted, “There’s no helping it. Kids like me to be promiscuous. They give me money to spend, don’t beat me, and even kiss me.”
Lu Shen’s gaze became complicated.
Lu Shen sneered coldly and mockingly, “Kids haven’t grown up yet, they can’t judge people accurately. Aren’t you afraid that he’ll regret it when he comes to his senses?”
“He won’t.”
Mu Ye flicked the cigarette butt into a portable ashtray.
Lu Shen raised an eyebrow.
The class bell rang, and both of them didn’t have classes for the first afternoon session.
“Only the ones raised from a young age are obedient,” Mu Ye raised his gaze and said calmly, “Once they grow up, they recognize people.”
The inspection operation for the first-year high school students was a great success in the morning. In the afternoon, other grade groups followed suit and conducted a student image rectification campaign.
The new principal led the star teachers to complete a major task, and that night, the two-day staff moved into Pei Shinian’s dormitory.
Because he could only act as the interim principal for five days, Song Jianchu still had a lot of things he wanted to deal with. He worked alone in the principal’s office for several hours. Mo Ye didn’t disturb him, but he sent him a few messages asking when he would finish.
It was after 11 p.m. when Song Jianchu finally finished his third day as the principal. As he opened the door to his dormitory, Mo Ye happened to be pushing the door from the inside, and the two of them almost collided.
Mu Ye had changed into a set of casual sportswear for going out and smiled in surprise, “I was just about to pick you up, you left so fast.”
Song Jianchu was used to being alone and didn’t let Mu Ye come over earlier. Unexpectedly, Mu Ye still changed his clothes and went out.
He looked into Mu Ye’s eyes and paused before saying, “Very close.”
Before they could enter the room, the doors of the adjacent rooms almost simultaneously opened, and the other four members also came out wearing comfortable casual clothes.
“Jianchu is back,” Pei Shinian looked in their direction, “Now that everyone is here, let’s go.”
“Where to?” Song Jianchu remembered Qin Fang’s suggestion at noon, “To catch some couples in puppy love?”
Qin Fang yawned, “No, let them enjoy a sweet night. We’ll catch them tomorrow.”
A low and sinister male voice came from behind him, “It’s a special program, a campus horror special.”
“!!!”
Song Jianchu startled, turned around abruptly, and was met with a pale face. He almost threw a hook punch.
Seeing the person clearly, Song Jianchu ground his teeth, “What’s wrong with you?”
Pei Shinian sighed, “Director Cui, please act like a human being. I don’t want to be in a ridiculous director’s program.”
Qin Fang spoke to the camera, “Please help us make it a hot search: The variety show director wasting food, covered in flour.”
Bai Xingyu was tired of cursing, “You’re crazy.”
Mu Ye hugged Song Jianchu’s shoulder and soothingly stroked the boy’s startled hair. “Don’t be afraid, you’ll get used to it.”
[“Psycho! You scared the hell out of my son!”]
[“Teacher Mu, quickly comfort him. Baby, don’t be afraid.”]
[“Thank you, now the atmosphere of the horror special is complete.”]
[“Hehehe, a late-night horror livestream, how thrilling.”]
[“I love special programs. How can we not have a horror special with a campus theme?”]
[“Ah, the kids are scared. (Hugs tightly in a blanket.)”]
Song Jianchu suppressed his urge to punch the director and went with everyone to the location of the special program, his face calm.
The variety show lunatic stood among a row of cameras and said coldly, “Tonight, I will give you all a special task to explore this abandoned dormitory building, uncovering the truth behind the long-standing horror rumors at Hongyu International High School and dispelling the campus superstitions.”
The members stood below the long-abandoned dormitory, looking up together.
Coincidentally, it was an overcast day, and the weather forecast predicted snow in the early morning. The campus streetlights cast a pale and eerie glow, while the windows of the desolate dormitory were pitch black, giving off a particularly creepy vibe, as if something would suddenly appear if stared at for too long.
Pei Shinian stood behind Qin Fang, struggling to maintain his idol image, and his pupils trembled a little. “F*ck… I didn’t notice this when we toured the campus last time. How can your school have such a haunted place?”
Qin Fang also felt a bit uneasy and pretended to be nonchalant. “This building was the first batch of student dormitories when the school was established. It was supposed to be demolished after the campus was renovated, but there have been some eerie incidents every time construction began. Later, it was said that even the school leaders were a bit superstitious. They demolished all the other dormitory buildings but left this one untouched.”
[“I’ve heard of it!! The legend of the haunted building at Hongyu! It’s famous!”]
[“I know! It’s said that many years ago, a female student accidentally got pregnant and committed suicide in the fourth-floor restroom of this dormitory. That’s why you can often hear a baby crying on the fourth floor at night…”]
[“It’s true! Our high school building is right next to it, and one night during self-study, the whole class heard it! It was super terrifying!”]
[“I take a detour every evening when I pass by here…”]
[“May the country be prosperous, the people strong, and society harmonious, free, equal, and just.”]
[“Protect Jianchu!!!”]
Song Jianchu, with a tired expression, lazily placed his hands in his coat pockets and sneered, “Who would actually believe such nonsense?”
Qin Fang smiled, “Stick close to the brothers when we go in later, and try not to tremble.”
Song Jianchu lifted his eyelids coldly, “Take care of yourself and bring extra pants.”
[“Oh my god, my family, I’m really seeing ghosts now! —Two childish ghosts.”]
Bai Xingyu didn’t believe it at all, “It’s definitely all rumors. Can you imagine school leaders being openly superstitious? Great, today we’ll debunk these superstitions on the show.”
Pei Shinian took a deep breath and straightened his back. “Yes… Yes, these kinds of horror stories are definitely just rumors! Let’s not believe or spread rumors!”
Mu Ye whispered, “Scared.”
[“Teacher Mu, don’t ruin the atmosphere!”]
[“Hahaha, poor little scaredy-cat is back online.”]
[“The King of the Music Industry, scared.”]
Feeling someone grabbing his sleeve from below, Song Jianchu remained unfazed.
Is Mu Ye afraid of ghosts?
Song Jianchu’s expression became slightly serious. He followed the gentle tug on his sleeve and naturally stood closer to Mu Ye.
To create the atmosphere, the production team’s cameramen didn’t enter with them.
Bai Xingyu took the lead, and each member brought a walkie-talkie while holding their own cameras for selfies as they entered the abandoned dormitory.
The dilapidated building had no heating or electricity, and it was dark and desolate inside. Song Jianchu could see his breath turning into mist, and the silence was only broken by the sound of their footsteps on the floor.
When they reached the staircase, Bai Xingyu turned around and said, “Let’s split up and explore, to save time. Show the audience what’s inside and hurry back to sleep.”
“Ah? Are we separating??” Pei Shinian was dumbfounded and immediately said, “Then I’ll go with Brother Xing.”
[“Hahaha, Shinian is so real!”]
[“Following Brother Bai at times like this does give a sense of security.”]
[“In one of Brother Bai’s previous movies, he punched ghosts one by one. He’s quite skilled in this area.”]
Bai Xingyu said, “Then Lu and Xiao Pei will come with me, Xiao !in and Mu Ye will go with Jianchu.”
The two groups split up to explore.
Song Jianchu led the team to explore the first to fourth floors, while Bai Xingyu led the team to explore the fifth to eighth floors.
Song Jianchu turned on his phone’s flashlight and started checking each dorm room from the first floor, walking casually as if he were a dormitory supervisor. Song Jianchu was never afraid of these things. He once impulsively watched a highly rated classic horror film online and got so bored that he f’ell asleep towards the end.
[“Hahaha, I can tell that Stinky Treasure isn’t afraid at all.”]
[“If there were really ghosts, they would be startled when he opens the door.”]
[“Teacher Qin is also quite brave, no reaction at all.”]
[“Everyone is amazing!”]
In the silence, Mu Ye’s voice suddenly sounded softly, “Principal, can I hold your hand? It’s a bit dark, and I can’t see the way.”
[“Sorry, retraction of the previous sentence.”]
[“Teacher Mu, something’s off about you.”]
[“Okay, let’s hold hands! Hehe, Stinky Treasure, quickly hold hands with Teacher Mu!”]
Song Jianchu stopped in his tracks, turned his head first, and looked at the other person with disdain.
Qin Fang was very arrogant when they were outside, but he became quiet since they entered, always following closely behind him.
Qin Fang was starting to doubt if he misheard. Teacher Mu was mature and stable, so how could he make such a request? Song Jianchu clicked his tongue and sarcastically said, “Are you clinging to me so tightly that I have to carry you? Is Director Qin scared?”
Qin Fang raised an eyebrow, “Just kidding. What do I have to be afraid of? You’re walking so fast, are you in a hurry?”
“Then keep your distance, let’s go our separate ways.” Song Jianchu said coldly.
Qin Fang pursed his lips, remained silent for a moment, turned his face away, took a few steps back.
The cold disdain in Song Jianchu’s eyes dissipated as he reached out his hand to the person behind him and spoke calmly, “Walk beside me.”
Mu Ye took the offered hand and smiled, “Okay.”
Qin Fang: “…”
[“Hahaha, Principal’s double standards.”]
[“Qin Fang: It was supposed to be a plot with three people, but I’m pushed back.”]
[“Hehe, I love horror specials! Bring on more episodes!”]
[“Fragile Teacher Mu is so fragrant. Oh, I really want to hold him in my arms and cherish him.”]
[“Sisters up ahead, dare to compete with my son? Warning: RMB attack.”]
On the fourth floor, Qin Fang suddenly stopped at the staircase, “What sound is that?”
[“Oh my god, oh my god, Teacher Qin, don’t scare us.”]
In the quiet corridor, a sharp and fluctuating crying sound suddenly echoed, carrying an empty resonance in the abandoned building late at night. It sent shivers down people’s spines, as if someone was blowing cold wind on their necks.
[“It’s real! Oh my god, I heard it!”]
[“Ah ah ah ah, it’s the cry of a baby!”]
[“Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah”]
[“Protect my son!!!!”]
[“Prosperity, democracy, civilization, and harmony.”]
Song Jianchu felt that Mu Ye’s grip on his hand tightened calmly, and he also exerted some force in an attempt to reassure him.
Mu Ye hesitated and said, “This sound is…”
Song Jianchu calmly looked in the direction of the sound and said, “It’s coming from the end of the corridor on the right.”
Through the walkie-talkie, there were two seconds of crackling sound, and Bai Xingyu asked, “Is it from your side? What sound is it?”
Song Jianchu picked up the walkie-talkie and replied, “Yes, on the fourth floor.”
Bai Xingyu: “We’re done here, there’s nothing. Let’s wait for the others downstairs.”
Pei Shinian nervously said, “Yes, don’t go ahead without us! Wait for us!”
Song Jianchu replied calmly, “It’s okay, let’s go and have a look first.”
Bai Xingyu: “Stay safe.”
Qin Fang hesitated and said, “Let’s wait for Bai Xingyu to come before we go together.”
Song Jianchu laughed sarcastically, “What’s the matter, scared?”
Qin Fang unwillingly replied, “Who’s scared? Let’s go now.”
But Song Jianchu didn’t move immediately. He looked at Mu Ye and hesitantly said, “How about you wait here for them?”
“Yes, Teacher Mu, if you’re afraid, you can wait here for Bai Xingyu and the others,” Qin Fang gathered his courage and said, “Let’s go have a quick look.”
Mu Ye calmly said, “I’ll go with you.”
The three of them walked together through the dark corridor on the fourth floor and moved to the end where the toilet door was. The sound from inside stopped. The corridor suddenly became eerily quiet.
[“Damn, this is so eerie.”]
[“Ah ah ah, is the production team playing tricks on us?”]
[“Wuwuwu, I’m scared, I don’t dare to look anymore.”]
[“Don’t open the door!!”]
[“If it were a horror movie, the first one to open the door wouldn’t end up well for sure.”]
“I… I’ll open the door,” Qin Fang’s voice trembled slightly. He swallowed his saliva and stepped forward, saying, “Move back a bit.”
“If you’re scared, then step aside,” Song Jianchu said in a calm tone.
Song Jianchu decisively stepped forward and raised his hand to push the door. Mu Ye grabbed his hand in advance and stood in front of him, saying, “I’ll do it.”
[“Teacher Mu is so handsome!!!”]
[“Everyone is amazing in critical moments.”]
[“Damn, suddenly feeling touched.”]
Watching the figure blocking the front, Song Jianchu’s heartbeat slightly quickened.
Mu Ye slowly pushed open the old wooden door, and it creaked in varying tones in the quiet and cold air.
The toilet was pitch black, and Song Jianchu raised his phone to illuminate the inside while Qin Fang stood behind him, holding his breath and using his camera to take pictures.
The abandoned dormitory toilet had not been used for many years. The floor was filled with old mops, buckets, and other miscellaneous items. There were traces of dirty and dried-up water stains on the floor. The window glass at the far end was murky, with holes and a dim white light seeping through. The shadows of trees outside swayed on the ground like ghostly figures in the wind.
Song Jianchu slowly moved his phone outside, illuminating the inside thoroughly.
There was nothing.
But the sound had definitely come from here earlier.
This intangible “presence” was far more terrifying than seeing something.
Qin Fang shivered behind and muttered in a low voice, “Damn…”
[“Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah”]
[“Please forgive me for any offenses”]
[“Prosperity, democracy, civilization, harmony, freedom, equality, justice”]
[“Damn damn damn damn damn”]
[“Damn, this is too scary”]
It had been a long time since Song Jianchu felt this kind of excitement. With the atmosphere of horror filling the air, his heartbeat gradually accelerated. This feeling of a massive adrenaline rush brought him intense pleasure.
Qin Fang was about to say something when he turned his head and was genuinely startled, questioning in surprise, “Song Jianchu… what are you laughing at?”
[“????”]
[“My son, you scared Mom”]
[“Please, please, leave quickly”]
Mu Ye turned his head upon hearing the sound, his expression frozen.
The boy’s eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, and a rare hint of interest appeared on his usually calm face, curling up the corner of his mouth. It was as if he had discovered something amusing.
Mu Ye raised an eyebrow in curiosity and scanned the boy’s expression.
Bai Xingyu’s voice came from the walkie-talkie again, “We’re almost there. Did you see anything?”
Qin Fang suspiciously examined Song Jianchu and picked up the walkie-talkie, “No, we haven’t entered yet. There’s definitely something eerie here, and we’re a bit reluctant to go in…”
Before he could finish speaking, Song Jianchu had already let go of Mu Ye’s hand and walked into the dark restroom. “Wait for us outside.”
Mu Ye followed behind, “Be careful not to step on anything.”
“Song Jianchu, wait.” Qin Fang anxiously stopped him, “Don’t go in yet—”
A gust of wind blew through, causing the restroom door to sway and slam shut with a loud bang.
[“!!!!”]
[“Ahhh, Mom”]
Song Jianchu was about to turn around to look, but Mu Ye quickly pulled him into his embrace.
Qin Fang was stunned, hurriedly pushing the door. He found that the old door lock was jammed and anxiously knocked on the door, “Song Jianchu! Are you both okay?”
A calm voice came from inside, “We’re fine, don’t overreact.”
Qin Fang let out a sigh of relief, kicked the door twice, but the sturdy wooden door remained unmoved. It was solidly built. He clicked his tongue, “The door is stuck. You guys try opening it from the inside.”
Song Jianchu was about to break free from Mu Ye’s grip to examine the door lock when Mu Ye’s arms around him suddenly tightened, firmly holding him in front.
Song Jianchu looked up in surprise, “?”
Qin Fang kept trying to kick the door from the outside.
Inside the door, Mu Ye turned off their cameras and microphones, lowering his head to nuzzle Song Jianchu’s cheek intimately with his prominent nose bridge.
He softly revealed the truth, “Don’t be afraid. It’s just a cat. Peppermint makes that kind of sound when she’s in heat before being spayed.”
Just as Mu Ye finished speaking, Song Jianchu caught sight of an orange cat darting out from one of the restroom stalls, climbing out through a hole in the window, stepping on the protruding ledge of the building’s exterior, and jumping onto an old air conditioning unit.
Song Jianchu looked puzzled, “??”
“Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
He couldn’t bring himself to ask.
His face and ears were already burning from the repeated nuzzling. This person, who constantly rubbed against him in an ingratiating manner, leaving a faint scent of men’s perfume, seemed to be the only ghostly spirit in this dim space.
Delicate kisses landed on his ears and cheeks, and Mu Ye embraced him from the front, kissing him passionately, making his head spin. His nostrils were filled with a gentle and pleasant fragrance, creating a highly ambiguous atmosphere.
His lover was particularly clingy tonight, and Song Jianchu was finding it difficult to resist.
“W-Wait…” Song Jianchu struggled to stay clear-headed, pushing Mu Ye away with all his strength.
Mu Ye’s voice became low, husky, and enticing as he pressed their foreheads together, his warm fingertips brushing against the corner of Song Jianchu’s mouth. “Even the ghosts are helping us. Don’t you really want to kiss me?”
He didn’t know how it had come to this.
Song Jianchu’s heart was pounding.
He gazed at the lips so close to him, hesitated for only half a second, and decisively pressed down on Mu Ye’s head. Their lips met, and their intertwined breaths became frantic in an instant.
Compared to their first kiss yesterday, Mu Ye performed even better this time. It didn’t take long for him to part Song Jianchu’s lips, and the hand that had been wrapped around his waist came up to cradle his face, kissing him attentively with a lowered head.
Song Jianchu was still inexperienced with kissing, so he could only try to tilt his chin and cooperate.
The sticky sound of their kisses remained on the other side of the door, unable to be shared, only audible to the creator of the sound.
Mu Ye licked and gently nibbled at his lower lip while they exchanged breaths, his voice satisfied and low, “Cherry-flavored Chu Chu.”
Song Jianchu took the opportunity to take a breath and closed his eyes, feeling dizzy.
“Song Jianchu, you and Teacher Mu stay inside for a moment,” Qin Fang said from outside, “I can’t kick this door open. Let Bai Yingdi give it a try when he arrives.”
The other group had also arrived. Pei Shinian asked from outside, “What’s going on? Are they locked inside?”
Bai Xingyu prepared to kick the door, “You two step back.”
Song Jianchu wanted to move away, but Mu Ye didn’t let go. He simply dragged him to a safe distance, gently biting his tongue, as if bringing his attention back, cherishing the last few seconds together.
Song Jianchu tightly gripped Mu Ye’s coat. Due to his tense nerves, his adrenaline was even higher than before.
With a loud noise, the jammed door was kicked open by Bai Xingyu.
Qin Fang immediately asked, “Are you both okay?”
Song Jianchu walked out with a calm expression, “We’re fine.”
Pei Shinian dared not look inside but curiously and fearfully asked, “What’s inside? Anything?”
“A cat.”
Bai Xingyu looked bored, “I knew it.”
[“F*ck… It was just a cat”]
[“Actually… I already guessed it”]
[“Ahhh, my son must have been scared and didn’t dare to look up”]
[“What about Teacher Mu??”]
Mu Ye walked out slowly behind them, watching the retreating figure in front of him, his face carrying a lazy smile.
Pei Shinian, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, was startled when he suddenly saw the person walking out of the “haunted house” leisurely. He exclaimed, “Holy sh*t, brother, why do you look scarier than a ghost? Your lips are so red, like a vampire.”
Mu Ye looked at Qin Fang, who was following behind Song Jianchu, narrowed his eyes nonchalantly, “Hmm?”
[“Holy sh*t, why does Teacher Mu look even more enchanting after going in?”]
[“He seems like the original vampire from a movie”]
[“Comes with special effects”]
Bai Xingyu glanced at them, his face full of speechlessness, “What vampire… at most, he’s a ghost that eats children.”