Kaleidoscope of Death

CHAPTER 25: MISTAKE

That afternoon, Tang Yaoyao fell ill, and she returned to her room early to get some rest.

Lin Qiushi recalled what happened the day before, and he tactfully reminded her to be careful and take care.

Tang Yaoyao did not take Lin Qiushi's words to he­art. ­­She merely nodded, and turning on her heels, strutted away. Xu Xiaocheng gazed at her retreating back and hesitantly parted her lips to say something, but eventually deciding against it, she closed her mouth and chose to remain silent.

"What's the matter?" Lin Qiushi asked Xu Xiaocheng upon seeing her distraught appearance.

"Nothing." Xu Xiaocheng shook her head. "I just think it might be a bit safer for everyone to stick together."

Zhang Xinghuo said, "It doesn't matter if it's safe or unsafe. Even if everyone sticks together now, we'll have to be separated when night comes."

That was, indeed, the unfortunate truth. Lin Qiushi inwardly sighed.

With the grim atmosphere ruining everyone's mood, no one had the heart to chat.

After eating a simple dinner, Ruan Nanzhu announced that he was tired. He then stood up from his seat and dragged Lin Qiushi along with him back to that coffin-like room.

"What's wrong?" Lin Qiushi wondered. "Why are you in such a hurry today?"

Ruan Nanzhu pouted, "This one just wants to stay with you for a while... Can't I?"

Lin Qiushi: "...Speak. What's going on."

Ruan Nanzhu: "I think I know where the door is."

Lin Qiushi raised his eyebrows in shock, "You know where the door is?"

"It's only a guess though." Ruan Nanzhu said, "I have to verify it first. It's going to be very dangerous, so you should just—"

"I'm going with you." Lin Qiushi already knew what Ruan Nanzhu was going to say, so he immediately interrupted him. "Even though I probably can't be of much help, at least you'll have one other person by your side; two people looking out for each other is still better than one." He pursed his lips, his voice became an octave lower, much graver. "I know that I'm weak right now, but if something happens to you..."

A faint smile played around Ruan Nanzhu lips, "Ah, that's right, if anything bad happens to me, you'd end up becoming a widower."

Lin Qiushi: "..."

Ruan Nanzhu: "And I'm not kind enough to let you find another woman. Nope, I won't allow it."

Lin Qiushi exhaled deeply, "Okay big boss, can we just stop messing around and leave already?"

Ruan Nanzhu stretched his arm and patted Lin Qiushi's buttocks, before saying, "Alrighty, let's go."

Lin Qiushi: "..." You seriously can't keep your misbehaving hands to yourself, can you?

A few minutes later, the two appeared on the roof. As before, a bulky, rusted lock, covered in unrecognizable stains, hung from the roof, and judging from the looks of it, it hadn't been used in quite a long time. However, Lin Qiushi noticed that there were some new marks on the lock that hadn't been there previously. It looked as if someone had opened it; in particular, near the area of the keyhole, there seemed to be some traces of rubbing.

"Did someone come to the roof?" Lin Qiushi instantly recalled the forbidden door that shouldn't have been opened in the fairy tale, and wondered aloud, "Is this that door?"

"Perhaps." Ruan Nanzhu responded. "I'm not too sure though, so I plan to go up and check it out. You just stay down here and be on the lookout."

Lin Qiushi nodded.