Chapter 2 She is waiting for me

  A few days later, on a morning, the flowers outside the school gate were in full bloom. The autumn wind blew gently, blowing away drowsiness and bringing an unknown fragrance.

  The gentle breeze blew up Xiaoyan's long hair, and the strands of hair fluttered back, her school uniform fit perfectly on her body, outlining a beautiful curve that was not flashy but pure like a white lotus, which could be admired from afar but not approached. Her eyes were lifeless, revealing a distant and unapproachable demeanor. The faint dark circles under her eyes revealed her exhaustion, but no one paid attention, after all, it was the third year of high school, and she had been staying up late to study.

  Yan Xi, a woman with a smile and laughter, had a head of curly brown hair, part of which was tied up behind her ear, making her look mature and charming. Her smile was very flirtatious, and under the school uniform skirt, a pair of slender legs wore high heels, beautiful and sexy, leaving a lasting impression on people at first sight.

  The two had been desk mates since high school, and Xiaoyan never socialized with anyone else, only having Yanxi as a friend, almost inseparable. However, the two were vastly different in every aspect: Xiaoyan was an excellent student, while Yanxi had never passed; Xiaoyan was introverted, while Yanxi was lively and passionate; Xiaoyan came from a poor family, while Yanxi was a rich heir... But incredibly, their feelings for each other remained unchanged over the past three years, never having a falling out.

  The school bell rang, and the math teacher walked into the classroom, as usual, saying a few words about "working hard for the college entrance exam" and "only by getting into university can you make something of yourself". Then she picked up her textbook and started teaching. Xiaoyan opened her textbook, spread out her hands, and stared blankly at the book, her pupils seemingly frozen in place, with no one knowing what she was thinking about.

  Soon, the teacher stopped to look at the classmates who were doing their homework and found Xiaoyan, who was not paying attention. Perhaps this math teacher, known as a "devil" by his classmates, was in a bad mood today and had been caught off guard by Xiaoyan.

  "Tong Xiao Yan, you answer this question."

  Xiao Yan remained unmoved, and a thread of anger ignited in the teacher's eyes.

  Tong Xiaoyan!

  "Xiao Yan, the teacher is calling you." Yan Xi reminded her with a nudge of his elbow, which finally brought Xiao Yan back to her senses, and she immediately stood up.

  "Tong Xiaoyan! You're already distracted in the first class! How can you do well on the college entrance exam with this attitude?! It's really disappointing for a teacher! ... For the rest of this class, stand and listen!" The teacher muttered to herself for a while, looking frustrated, before continuing the lesson after finishing her scolding of Xiaoyan.

  It wasn't until 45 minutes had passed that the class finally ended, and the teacher let out a long sigh as she picked up her textbook and walked out of the classroom. Xiaoyan sat down, rubbing her sore knees. Yanzhi patted Xiaoyan's head, asking with a hint of a smile.

  "What's wrong with you lately? You're distracted in class and it's not like your usual self."

  "No, nothing, just didn't sleep well." Xiaoyan forced a smile, trying to make herself look like she was telling the truth.

  Ye Chen walked past Xiao Yan's seat and rubbed Xiao Yan's head, the thousands of words he wanted to say turned into a faint smile, he didn't speak, just looked at Xiao Yan, thinking that Xiao Yan would understand.

  Ye Chen's eyes and heart were only on her, how could he see Yan Xi's jealous and crazy expression beside him.

  As usual, at noon break, the three of them had lunch together, chatting and laughing, but each carrying their own heartaches, unwilling to let anyone touch.

  In the evening, when the school bell rang, Yan Xi was picked up by his family's driver and taken home. Ye Chen still accompanied Xiao Yan on that quiet long street as usual. In late autumn, there was a hint of coolness in the evening air, but the palms of their tightly clasped hands were exceptionally warm. Along the way, there were no sweet words or excessive conversations, but it wasn't awkward or boring. They quietly stayed together, and each other's presence had already brought them immense happiness.

  Ye Chen furrowed his brow and looked at Xiao Yan, asking:

  "What's been going on with you lately? I've actually wanted to ask for a long time, but I knew you wouldn't say."

  "What's wrong, I'm just a bit tired, that's all. I'm fine, don't worry." Whether she was really okay or not, only Xiaoyan herself knew. Xiaoyan smiled as she looked ahead, but she wasn't very good at pretending to be happy. Perhaps her smile seemed genuine to others, but Ye Chen could see right through her with just one glance.

  "Look at me, if there's something you want to tell me, okay? Don't make me worry." Ye Chen looked straight into Xiao Yan's eyes, trying to see what she was thinking from the depths of her pupils. Even though he knew it was futile and that she wouldn't listen, he still couldn't help but care.

  "I know, it's all right, don't worry about it." As she spoke, she suddenly forgot that they had already arrived at the familiar old building. Xiaoyan turned around and smiled, looking up at Ye Chen, whose eyes showed concern, pampering, and affection. Xiaoyan saw it clearly, and her eyes gradually became hot.

  "It's all right, see you tomorrow." As he spoke, Ye Chen planted a gentle kiss on Xiao Yan's forehead.

  Xiao Yan waved her hand and walked up the stairs. The warmth of that kiss on her forehead still lingered, making her feel so good it brought tears to her eyes. She had wanted to say something, but was afraid, fearing he would worry or be troubled, perhaps also because she was used to shouldering everything herself, accustomed to living this way.

  Open the door, still a piece of darkness, no ordinary steaming hot meal, no warmth, and no light to illuminate the darkness in her heart. Fortunately, from young to old, she has already gotten used to it.

  As soon as she entered the house, the first thing she did was to take off her clothes and wash up. The hot water poured down from the top of her head, and only at that moment, all her fatigue, all her bitterness were let go. No need to pretend to be happy anymore. But when she closed her eyes, scenes like a dreamy haze, like worms crawling in her mind, grasping and pulling, Xiaoyan thought of giving herself a hard slap, don't torture herself like this, she told herself not to think, not to think. Looking at the haggard self in the mirror, the beautiful curves, the body still emitting warm white air. So beautiful, so delicate, so fragile.

  After taking a bath, she calmed down and started doing her homework. The complicated questions and messy subjects could fill up her mind and make her forget the things she didn't want to remember.

  Constantly doing exercises and reviewing, stopping to glance at the clock, it's already 12 o'clock. Drowsiness is getting heavier, if it were someone else, they would most hope to lie comfortably in bed and sleep soundly. But Xiaoyan never wants to remember is her bed. Never dares to do is sleep.

  She stared at the space under her bed, turning on all the lights in the room, trying to fill herself with brightness, but the light just couldn't reach under the bed. Even blinking made her feel afraid and terrified. She felt like there were eyes under the bed watching her every move, monitoring her every step, and as soon as she lay down, nightmares would wrap around her like countless hands, making it impossible for her to move, call for help, or escape.

  Xiao Yan was on the verge of collapse, "Who is it? Why are they doing this to me?" She couldn't stop thinking about it. Drowsiness invaded her brain again, Xiao Yan gritted her teeth and lay down on the bed, tightly hugging the quilt, not turning on the light, and fell asleep like that. She clenched her fists trying to give herself a sense of security. As she drifted off to sleep, Xiao Yan felt as though "she" wouldn't come again, and she was finally free.

  At some point, the lights in the house were turned off again by someone, and a strange noise came from under the bed, as if something was standing in front of Xiaoyan's bed, staring at her with an unblinking gaze.

  "Beautiful."..."Beautiful."...

  A faint, breathless voice seemed to be calling her, softly summoning her. She wanted to open her eyes, but somehow couldn't manage to do so.

  "Who is it?!" Xiaoyan wondered in her heart.

  "Ah-ah."..."Ah-ah, save me."...

  Memory seemed to go blank at that moment, 'Yan Yan' was so familiar, but she couldn't think of who had ever called her that. A girl in a white long dress flashed through her memory, with hair covering her face.

  "Who are you?! Who on earth are you?!" Xiaoyan exclaimed in her heart.

  "Xian Xian......do you know who I am......you know......"

  Xiao Yan's heart shouted countless times:

  I don't know! I don't know!

  She wanted to hide, cover her ears and escape. But the voice grew sharper, clearer and closer. It let out a strange, sinister laugh that echoed in her ears nonstop.

  "Hehe...... Haha......" ..."Yan Yan, I'm waiting for you under the bed...... Hehe......"

  Suddenly opened his eyes, everything in front of him was only darkness. Only the heartbeat at the chest remained uninterrupted. It seemed that the sentence "I'm waiting for you under the bed" still lingered in his ears. There was no one by the bed, no living thing, and no sound.

  It's the fourth time. 'She' continues to torment Xiaoyan, refusing to let go. The only thing left from the four visits is a vague figure in her dreams and countless strange and bizarre phenomena. She doesn't dare to think about 'why', nor does she dare to think about who 'she' really is. She can only deceive herself again and again that it's just a dream, just a dream.

  The real tactile sensation made her unable to deceive her own heart, she didn't know what to do and didn't know who was under the bed. She only knew it was so familiar, so frightening, and so unwilling to touch.

  For a long time, she lay in bed, not daring to move, nor did she dare to get up and turn on the lights again. She maintained a posture, motionless, tightly hugging her quilt and clenching her fists. Her eyes were wide open, staring at her surroundings. With bated breath, she listened to every sound, and at this moment, any noise could make her hair stand on end.

  Before she knew it, drowsiness crept in and let her drift off to sleep.

  "Xiao Yan! Xiao Yan! Tong Xiao Yan!" Tong Xuan shouted loudly, it was Xiao Yan's mother who had just finished her night shift and was on her way home.

  "Tong Xiao Yan, get up for me! It's so cold, how can you sleep under the bed?! Get up!"

  Xiao Yan heard her mother's loud call and suddenly opened her eyes to see a wooden board that was about to hit her face.

  Under the bed!

  She stood still under the bed, Tong Xuan pulled her out from under the bed by dragging and pulling.

  Tong Xuan anxiously and doubtfully asked her:

  "What are you doing sleeping under the bed?!"

  Xiao Yan's dull eyes slowly lifted her head, with endless fear and deep eye bags on her face, she said in a crying tone:

  "Mom! I didn't sleep under the bed! I was clearly on the bed!"

  Tong Xuan was frightened by her appearance and thought that maybe she had been studying too hard.

  "Don't talk nonsense! If you didn't sleep under the bed yourself, then someone must have pulled you down?! I think you're too tired, take a good rest today, Mom will help you ask for leave." She said, stroking her daughter's head and brushing off the dust on her body from being under the bed.

  "Mom! I'm not lying! Someone really pulled me down! Really, mom! She called me Yanyan! She said she's waiting for me under the bed! Mom! I'm scared, can you tell her not to come again? Mom...she's waiting for me, mom!" Xiaoyan hysterically pushed away her mother's hands and shook her shoulders, screaming. Her mind could no longer bear the fear brought by these four words, she was terrified.

  "Xiao Yan, what's wrong with you? Don't scare Mommy. Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, Mommy is here." Tong Xuan realized the severity of the situation and reached out to touch Xiao Yan's forehead, which was covered in cold sweat, but she didn't have a fever. She just kept crying and tightly grasping her mother's hand. Tong Xuan wiped away her tears and patted her back, asking:

  "What's wrong? Tell Mom if you need to go to the hospital?"

  "The hospital is useless, mom... there's a ghost... a ghost, mom! She's right under my bed... she pulled me down too... mom... save me!" Xiaoyan cried out incoherently, not daring to look under the bed again.

  "Don't scare Mom where there are ghosts." Tong Xuan was frightened by this conversation, her back chilled. She quickly helped Xiao Yan to the living room, called the teacher to ask for leave, and comforted Xiao Yan:

  "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, Mom is here, what's wrong, tell Mom, did you have a nightmare?"

  Xiao Yan burst into tears, slowly telling her mother and repeatedly confirming that she was not wrong, 'she' really existed. Tong Xuan patted her back:

  "It's okay, it's okay, just a dream, don't be afraid, Mom is here now, go to sleep, nothing will happen."

  "That's not a dream! That really isn't a dream! There's really something under the bed! Mom, don't you believe me?!" Xiaoyan shouted hysterically again. Fear had destroyed all her rationality. She could no longer deceive herself. When you're the only one facing it and the only one who believes it, maybe everyone else's reaction seems so unreasonable.

  "It's okay, it's not a dream, Mom is here now. She won't dare to come. Sleep tight, child, don't be afraid. Mom is here." As Tong Xue patted her daughter's back, perhaps she was really too tired and soon fell asleep. In her mother's arms, she finally found that sense of security that she could hold onto tightly.

  In her dream, Xiaoyan still clutched the corner of her mother's clothes tightly, as if grasping the last straw, refusing to let go.

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