Chapter 73: Because She’s Obsessed with Love, It Doesn’t Matter If Her Boyfriend Is Twisted (5)

Bai Yao propped her chin with one hand, thinking of that naked child, feeling a twinge of sympathy. "But if you think about it, he's a little pitiful. Children don't know anything. Do his parents not care about him?"

Lu Sheng mimicked her gesture, resting his chin in his hand, and replied, "His father abandoned him and his mother. His mother suffered a severe blow and isn't in good health, so she probably can't manage him most of the time."

Bai Yao sat up straight, her brows furrowed. "What a scumbag. I see people living in their house, but at night it's always dark. Does his father not pay child support? Maybe they can't afford the electricity!"

Lu Sheng straightened as well, filled with righteous indignation. "As far as I know, that man left nothing for them."

Bai Yao was furious at the scumbag, yet sympathy blossomed for the poor mother and child. She remembered how she had harshly threatened the boy earlier; now, guilt pricked her heart.

Night had fallen, and after their meal, it was time to go home.

Lu Sheng walked Bai Yao to her door. "Miss Bai, thank you for your hospitality today. The weather forecast says it will rain tonight. Remember to lock your doors and windows. May you have sweet dreams. Goodnight."

Bai Yao waved. "Goodnight."

Once Lu Sheng left, Bai Yao closed the door, replaying her interactions with him in her mind and confirming her performance had been flawless. Excitement bubbled up as she covered her face.

Thinking about what excuse she might use next time to meet him, she made her way to the bedroom, rummaging through her wardrobe for clothes to wear after her bath. Humming a tuneless song, she murmured, "Today is a wonderful day, Yao Yao is still perfect and lovable, hmm hmm, everyone should fall in love with me..."

Elsewhere, in a silent space illuminated by several high-intensity lamps, the heat was so oppressive it could roast a person into a mummy.

Several people, men and women, were confined here. Some had a leg chained, others a hand. It was like a reinforced sunroom; after long exposure, it was nearly impossible to keep their eyes open, and the dehydration was unbearable.

Just when they wondered if their skin would become dry and brittle, someone entered, humming a song.

"Today is a wonderful day, Yao Yao is still perfect and lovable, hmm hmm..."

The tune was utterly off-key, sung in a man's deep voice, making it even more eerie in this space saturated with the threat of death.

Those trapped here, having suffered countless lessons, no longer had the courage to beg for mercy.

A man wearing a black robe and hood entered, his face obscured by a grotesque white mask. But the captives knew he was anything but a clown; they'd already witnessed his methods.

He lounged in a chair, lazily leaning back, one long booted leg crossed over the other, swinging his foot to show his good mood.

Supporting his chin with one hand, the eyes beneath his mask curved with delight. "If you don't make a decision soon, you'll be dried up."

His tone was casual, as if in this arena of life and death, he alone was the god who commanded mortality.

In urban legend, a new tale had emerged of the "Murder Ghost"—draped in black robes, wearing a ghost-face mask. If you heard his laughter, you'd be taken to the realm of death and become a clown in his game.

Now, these haggard souls were unlucky enough to become his playthings for amusement.

They had already endured torment, believing they could survive his game, but woke today to find themselves locked in a room that felt like an oven.

One person, utterly desperate, pleaded, "Please, just kill me..."

The Murder Ghost encouraged him earnestly, "How can you give up so easily at the first sign of trouble? Life only comes once. Cherish it. If you die, there's nothing left."

A woman tried to cry, but dehydration left her unable to shed tears. She said painfully, "I'd rather die than be tortured by you!"

He switched legs, his posture careless, his tone light with laughter. "I've gone to great lengths to stimulate your will to live. You mention death so casually—how can you be so indifferent to life?"

He was insane!

"Only when faced with life and death will you understand its value. Cherish life, love life, strive to survive; that's how you create greater worth for the world." He chuckled softly. "Learning to choose is a vital lesson in life."

Somehow, a saw had appeared next to each captive. After enduring so much, the moment they saw the saw, they understood what the Murder Ghost wanted them to do.

In this space flooded with light, a door slowly opened.

He said, "See, you still have a chance to walk out."

The chains binding their limbs had no key; after long exposure they'd resigned themselves to death, but the appearance of the saw rekindled a flicker of hope.

The clock on the wall began to tick.

He smiled, "Ten minutes on the countdown."

Rain did indeed fall at midnight, thunder and lightning rumbling through the night, waking those who slept.

Bai Yao irritably pulled the blanket over her head, but the thunder was too loud. Failing to fall asleep again, she opened her eyes, hearing something beyond the storm.

She sat up and turned on the bedroom light, slipped on her slippers, and walked to the living room. The newly switched-on light flickered out with a crack of lightning. She tried the switch several times, but the lights wouldn't respond; even her bedroom light stayed dark. The power was out.

Outside, the wind and rain battered the windows, raindrops pelted the glass with noisy persistence. Lightning illuminated the night and she glimpsed a figure outside her window.

Bai Yao thought she must be seeing things. But after another flash of lightning, she realized the figure was right outside her window. She crouched in a corner, pulling out her phone, preparing to call the police.

Then she heard a cat's meow.

She looked up.

In the streak of lightning that split the night, a man caught the frantic black cat. He stood, seeming to borrow the sudden flash as he met the eyes of the girl crouched inside. He ruffled his wet hair in frustration and offered her an apologetic smile.

The power returned, and the room was suddenly flooded with light.

Someone knocked gently at the door outside. He said, "Miss Bai, you don't need to open the door. The thunder woke me, and I heard Xiao Hei meowing. I worried you might be scared sleeping alone, so I came to get the cat."

Lu Sheng stood outside, drenched head to toe. His orange hair, usually lively, was now limp and plastered to his pale face. If before he was like an energetic puppy, now he resembled a bedraggled, rain-soaked cat.

He held a black cat in his arms, his white T-shirt stained with mud. He didn't mind; instead, he spoke awkwardly, "I probably scared you. Don't worry, I'll leave now."

Just as Lu Sheng turned away, the door opened behind him.

A girl's voice called, "Mr. Lu."

He turned back, seeing the warm light spilling from the house, and the girl standing in its glow.

Bai Yao's long hair hung loose, she wore a white nightgown and a pair of pink bear slippers, a stark contrast to his rain-soaked state.

But as she stepped outside, droplets of water splashed onto her dark hair.

Lightning flashed, thunder roared, wind and rain swirled.

The little cat in his arms cast anxious eyes at Bai Yao.

After the next thunderclap, she looked up at him, her beautiful face shining, eyes sparkling as if lit from within. "What do you think of me?" she asked.

"I like you quite a lot," she said.

"And if you don't dislike me, would you like to try dating?"

Lu Sheng blinked, rainwater blurring his eyes. For a moment, he seemed slow, even dazed.

The little cat meowed urgently.

He snapped back to himself, his gaze landing on the girl's delicate face. Suddenly, he broke into a joyful smile. "Yes, let's date!"

As for the "try" part, he let it slip away altogether.