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On Sunday, Ye Chenfeng took Ding Li, Qin Keqing, and two other friends back to the Purple City Fourth Hospital.
The Purple City Fourth Hospital was currently under renovation. It was discovered that Ye Chenfeng had risked his life to expose the potential dangers lurking in the basement of the Four Hospitals.
There were predictions that the basement of the Four Hospitals contained a large number of dangerous items left behind by the Island Nation, including something called Nerve Gas, known as the king of poisonous gases. It was said that if it were to leak, the consequences would be unimaginable. Large machinery was digging deep to prepare for a one-time disposal to eliminate any future risks.
The now deserted Four Hospitals appeared empty and lifeless.
Ye Chenfeng and his companions waited until they found a skull, which they then burned on-site before chanting prayers to guide the spirit.
With the matters at the Purple City Fourth Hospital finally coming to an end, Ye Chenfeng felt a sense of relief and spent the remaining time inquiring about the Deep Mountain Old Monk.
Information about the Deep Mountain Old Monk was scarce, and it wasn't until three or five days later that he learned of the monk's passing.
As they returned to the city, Ding Li told Ye Chenfeng that on the night of his incident, she had felt anxious, sensing that something was about to happen. She then asked Su Dad to accompany her into town to find him at school.
When they found Qin Keqing and others, they learned that Ye Chenfeng had indeed encountered trouble and hurried to the Four Hospitals.
Ye Chenfeng embraced Ding Li, and countless unspoken words hung in the air between them.
Ding Li had been accepted into the kindergarten teacher program and should have felt happy, but she couldn't muster any joy.
Su Dad had to return to work and went back to Ancient River Town earlier.
Ding Li spent a few more days at school. This time, the Three Troublemakers in her dorm voluntarily gave up their bunks, avoiding any awkward situations.
As it was time for work, Ding Li had to return to Ancient River Town. When Ye Chenfeng accompanied her to the station, she didn't say a word. Just as she was about to board the bus, she suddenly asked, "Ye Chenfeng, if one day I grow old, will you dislike me or abandon me?"
Ye Chenfeng found Ding Li's question strange. If she grew old, he would also age with time. Since they would both be old together, what was there to dislike? He casually replied, "No."
Receiving a positive response from Ye Chenfeng, Ding Li felt relieved.
Watching the car drive away, Ye Chenfeng should also settle down and focus on his studies.
Time passed day by day, yet the terrifying nightmare continued to haunt him relentlessly. Each time he woke from the nightmare, he was drenched in sweat. Over time, a complete outline of his body formed on the clean sheets, a stain that no amount of washing could remove.
In an effort to uncover the truth behind it all, Ye Chenfeng avoided everyone and went alone to that street. Even in broad daylight, the street felt particularly desolate; at night, it was filled with eerie winds and an unsettling atmosphere.
While he had no leads on the happenings of that street, another strange sensation caught Ye Chenfeng's attention.
He felt as if someone was watching him from the side, from the front, from behind—always keeping an eye on him.
Every time he turned around, there was no one in sight.
It had been over a month since he last contacted Ding Li, and Ye Chenfeng finally decided to return to Ancient River Town.
The late autumn in Ancient River Town was beautiful.
The town was filled with red maple trees, and by late autumn, the leaves looked like a massive flame burning brightly, painting the entire Ancient River Town in vibrant red.
As he traveled through the town, he could see some of the maple leaves were golden yellow. Under the brilliant sunlight, the transparent yellow made the mountains come alive. Despite various industrial developments leading to multiple sources of pollution, Ancient River Town remained untainted; its red leaves were pure.
It was rare for Su Dad to come early to the station when he learned that Ye Chenfeng was coming to Ancient River Town.
Once he got off the bus, Ye Chenfeng immediately inquired about Ding Li.
However, Su Dad hesitated and skirted around the topic with trivial chatter, unwilling to mention Ding Li at all.
Could it be that there was a misunderstanding between Ding Li and Su Dad? Even if there was a misunderstanding, it shouldn't have led to ignoring my calls!
Ye Chenfeng remained silent, seemingly unhappy. Su Dad finally told him, "Ding Li got married not long ago."
How could Ding Li possibly be married? The apple in Ye Chenfeng's hand fell to the ground.
"No way, Su Dad, you must be mistaken. How could Ding Li get married?"
Su Dad replied, "It was arranged by her uncle; we couldn't do anything about it."
"Ding Li just accepted it?"
Ye Chenfeng felt as if the sky was falling. Ding Li was everything to him. How could her uncle decide her fate without consulting him?
"Child, don't be sad. Ding Li's uncle disdained our family's lack of money and forcibly took her away. He even forbade us from telling you and changed Ding Li's phone number." Seeing Su Dad sighing heavily, Ye Chenfeng didn't say much more. He listlessly picked up the apples with Su Dad and walked home.
Su Mother had prepared a feast.
She seemed quite mysterious, saying that there would be a special guest today.
When it was time to eat, the special guest arrived—Su Mother's niece named Hu Yun.
Hu Yun was studying railway engineering. She was very beautiful, spoke little, and was good at reading the room.
"Eat up," Su Mother said, clearly trying to set up Ye Chenfeng with Hu Yun. She kept serving them both dishes, never mentioning anything about Ding Li.
Su Dad drank heartily; after a few cups of wine, his face turned red, and he struggled to speak clearly.
Throughout the meal, Ye Chenfeng felt bored. His mind kept drifting back to the moment when Ding Li said goodbye to him and her words: "When I grow old, will you still want me?"
"Ye Chenfeng, eat your food."
Su Mother noticed his heavy heart and kept winking at Hu Yun, while also placing a piece of food into his bowl.
Hu Yun asked, "What do you do at the academy, Ye Ge?"
"Read."
"Oh, I like reading too. What do you usually read?"
"Horror story collections."
Hu Yun wasn't fond of dark and oppressive books, so he didn't press further. Instead, he turned to his aunt and said, "Aunt, I remember that scarf you wore last time; it looked really nice. This one is getting old."
Su Mother touched the scarf and smiled, saying, "This scarf is Su Bei's favorite color." As she spoke, her eyes became moist as she looked at Ye Chenfeng.
The conversation inevitably drifted back to Su Bei.
Ye Chenfeng felt increasingly disinterested. He put down his chopsticks and apologetically said, "I'm sorry, I've had enough."
Hu Yun smiled and nodded. Su Mother tried to persuade Ye Chenfeng to stay longer, saying, "Please eat a bit more."
Sitting there felt like a thorn in his back, especially when Su Mother mentioned Su Bei; it made Ye Chenfeng feel even worse. He wanted to leave immediately and go find Ding Li.
As Ye Chenfeng excused himself, he noticed Su Dad was asleep. When he drank too much, he would just sleep—what a good trait.
Unlike some people who would get drunk and act crazy.
Ye Chenfeng had a strong dislike for those who acted out when drunk, which made him respect Su Dad even more.
After leaving the Su household, Ye Chenfeng wandered aimlessly until he found himself at the entrance of the Ancient River Town police station. It suddenly occurred to him that he should check with Liu Wen about Ding Li's whereabouts. Entering the police station, he was greeted by a chilly draft that made him shiver.
Unfortunately, Liu Wen was not present.
The new duty officer was unfamiliar with Ye Chenfeng and felt uneasy about inquiring about a married person.
In the end, Ye Chenfeng left Ancient River Town feeling dejected.
Upon returning to the city from Ancient River Town, Ye Chenfeng had the unsettling feeling that someone was following him. He turned around several times while walking, but saw no one; he only sensed that a pair of eyes was hidden somewhere, closely watching him.
This feeling was reminiscent of Ding Li's initial experience of being observed by a mysterious gaze, leaving one restless and prone to daydreaming.
Back at school, Ye Chenfeng noticed that the atmosphere was off. Students were whispering among themselves, but he couldn't catch what they were saying. It wasn't until he returned to his dormitory that someone informed him about the transfer of the Three Troublemakers, which made him realize they were discussing him as an outsider.
The Three Troublemakers had gone through some inexplicable experiences in natural science classes, leading to various influences and a decline in their grades. They would tell anyone who would listen that there were ghosts in this world. Eventually, it was determined that they had some mental issues and transferred schools while also seeking help from a psychologist.
Now, Ye Chenfeng was the only one left in the dormitory.
In such a spacious dorm room, someone had taken issue with his presence and encouraged the teachers to make adjustments, ultimately resulting in him being moved to a long-unoccupied Single Dormitory.
On the second day after moving into the Single Dormitory, something strange happened.
An elderly woman, well past seventy, stole one of his shoes.
"Give it back." For Ye Chenfeng, that shoe was neither crucial nor inconsequential, but what was wrong with this old woman? Why would she come to steal a shoe? What did she want?
The old woman looked disheveled, her gray hair completely obscuring her wrinkled face. She stood trembling in the wind, her hands resembling old tree bark as they clutched Ye Chenfeng's shoe tightly. She didn't say a word; her small eyes sunk deep into their sockets fixedly stared at him.
Why is she looking at me like that? Ye Chenfeng shivered slightly, inexplicably reminded of his grandmother.
Indeed, this old woman bore an uncanny resemblance to his grandmother.
"I'll give you the money, just return my shoes."
The old woman remained unmoved by the ten yuan he offered, her gray-brown eyes staring at him intently, as if she were trying to see through him. Ye Chenfeng shivered again under her gaze and helplessly said, "Fine, take it. I'll throw in the other shoe for you as well."
Ye Chenfeng thought there could only be two reasons for the old woman wanting his shoes. One was that she had a son who couldn't afford to buy shoes and had stolen his instead.
The other possibility was that she intended to wear them herself. But could she even fit into them? With her frail arms and legs, those shoes were far too long for her small feet. When Ye Chenfeng stepped out of his dormitory, the old woman had already vanished.
How strange.
Feeling dejected, Ye Chenfeng returned to his room and tossed the single shoe onto the floor. He lay back on his pillow, closing his eyes in a feigned slumber. The dormitory was too quiet; he could hear even the slightest sounds.
He heard footsteps pacing in the hallway, the sound of a door opening and closing next door, and the wind battering against the dilapidated window frames.
There were several other single dormitories in this building.
However, they were all much better than his. In truth, Ye Chenfeng felt quite attached to the Three Troublemakers. After what happened at Purple City Fourth Hospital, he had advised them to let it go and not bring it up again. But unexpectedly, the Three Troublemakers were deeply impressed by their experience at Purple City Fourth Hospital; they couldn't forget it anytime soon and kept thinking and talking about it repeatedly, which created a negative impact.
Ye Chenfeng regretted it; had he known this would happen, he wouldn't have acted so rashly.
In a comfortable position and a quiet atmosphere, he unknowingly drifted off to sleep. In his dreams, he felt a hand brushing against his face with a dry, straw-like touch. He opened his eyes in shock—there stood the old woman who had stolen one of his shoes, staring right at him.
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