Chapter 9Arc 1.
The way back to the dorm was very dark, but the good thing was that Sun Mo was there to guide him, and the road was also paved.
The gates to the dormitory building had been locked up already, so Sun Mo took Xu Ziyue over to the side and they both climbed over the fence.
Sun Mo then led Xu Ziyue through the dark building. Because he couldn’t see anything, and he was also exhausted from the stairs and the eventful day, Xu Ziyue didn’t pay much attention to his surroundings and just followed Sun Mo quietly the whole way.
Sun Mo flicked on the lights to his room, and Xu Ziyue realized that the bedroom was very clean, with no extra furnishings or knick-knacks. It just looked a little old.
Earlier today, while searching through the dorms, Xu Ziyue had noticed that all the bedrooms had the same style – with bunk beds that were beds on top and desks on the bottom. However, Sun Mo’s room was different – there were two bunk beds in the room, for a total of 4 beds, and 2 desks leaned against the side wall.
Other than Sun Mo’s made bed, the other threes all had random quilts bunched up on them.
“Then today…. Am I sleeping there?” Xu Ziyue casually pointed to the bed that was under Sun Mo’s.
“Whatever you want, you can sleep wherever you like.”
Xu Ziyue went over and sniffed the quilt. There was a musty smell as if it had been left there for a long time, and it also felt a little damp. Turning around, he asked, “Can I sleep with you?”
Sun Mo sat at his desk, and lifted his head to look at Xu Ziyue, “Why?”
“Uh… the other blankets smell a bit weird.” Actually, if he had to make do, then those beds weren’t unbearable. However, if there was a better choice, then he’d be a fool not to take it.
Besides, this way, he can actually sleep with Sun Mo! Sleeping together in the real sense of one bed and one blanket, instead of just sleeping together in the same room.
Sun Mo nodded distractedly, “Sure, that’s fine.”
Xu Ziyue eyes widened with surprise. He had thought he would be rejected, but the other had unexpectedly agreed! Although he was curious why, he wasn’t so dumb as to straightforwardly ask – what if Sun Mo changed his mind later, then what would he do?
“Then… I’m going to go take a shower? Do you have a change of clothes I can borrow?”
Sun Mo pointed to the wardrobe beside the washroom, and Xu Ziyue went over to take a look, his eyes wandering uncontrollably. Pajama tops, trousers … and also…… Underwear.
Xu Ziyue’s cheeks turned red as he stood in front of the wardrobe.
After taking a shower, he’d need to wear underwear right? Or, should he go commando? Or should he wash his own boxers and then wear them tomorrow when it’s dry? But to sleep under one duvet while not wearing any underwear, wasn’t that very stimulating? Though, to borrow and wear Sun Mo’s underwear, isn’t that even more stimulating?!!
“What are you looking at?”
A breath of cold air puffed across his exposed neck, causing Xu Ziyue to shiver. His heart started pounding, not only from the sudden fright, but also from the mental images he had just thought up.
Xu Ziyue lowered his head, his red ears completely exposed to Sun Mo’s eyes, “I was thinking that… I don’t have any underwear.”
Sun Mo came a little closer, and Xu Ziyue couldn’t help but take a step back, his whole being leaning against the wardrobe. He was going to explode if there was any more stimulation!
As if he was curious about the fact that with every step he took, Xu Ziyue took a step back, Sun Mo came closer and closer until he had Xu Ziyue trapped against the wardrobe.
Xu Ziyue’s entire neck turned red, and his upper body arched back as though he were about to perform a backbend. However, behind him was the wardrobe and so no matter how much he shrank back, he could only bury himself into the piles of clothes.
“You, you, you, you… This is too close! ” Xu Ziyue raised his hands to push Sun Mo away, but he found that no matter how hard he pushed, he couldn’t do so, as if all his energy were leaving him.
“Do you like me?” Sun Mo stood where he was, not coming any closer, but Xu Ziyue still felt like the air was getting too hot for him to breath comfortably.
Xu Ziyue heard Sun Mo’s question and became dazed for a moment, before the tendrils of shyness started to creep up. Standing this close, his physical proximity was causing his body to heat up. But now, these words caused him to feel shyness erupt from his heart.
He did not want to hide his actions, and he definitely had not covered up the fact that he liked Sun Mo. However, now that the other had stated it so bluntly, he began to feel very shy, and an impulse to hide was beginning to creep up.
Having a shameless heart, but not able to shamelessly confess, this was Xu Ziyue in a nutsh.e.l.l.
Xu Ziyue made a vaguely affirmative sound, and nodded slightly. He bowed his head, too embarra.s.sed to look at Sun Mo’s face, but at the same time desperately wanting to see what Sun Mo’s reaction was. Therefore, he ended up with his face angled down, but eyes secretly looking up at Sun Mo.
It’s just that these little actions were all too obvious from Sun Mo’s angle.
Sun Mo looked at Xu Ziyue, his dark eyes deep with unspoken meaning, “This is the first time I’ve been liked by someone.”
“What? But you’re so good-looking!” Xu Ziyue looked up and glanced at Sun Mo’s face, and then after a while… took another look.
There was no way he would ever tire of looking at Sun Mo.
Sun Mo inquired, “You like good-looking people?”
“Of course ah… Who doesn’t like good-looking people.”
Sun Mo didn’t speak again, but rather took a step back, releasing Xu Ziyue. Xu Ziyue immediately hugged the pajamas close to his chest and rushed into the bathroom. Looking at his red cheeks in the mirror, he patted his chest and muttered sadly to himself, “You’re too pathetic! Clearly I’m the one who’s supposed to be taking initiative to woo my target…. why am I like this argh.”
His reflection in the mirror was that of a youth aged around 17 or 18. He was above average in looks but not too outstanding, though his face had a natural charm to it, appearing joyous and happy even when he was not deliberately smiling.
Xu Ziyue stared at his reflection in the mirror and patted his cheeks, repeating again, “Too pathetic.”
He stripped and then took a shower, and it was only when he was redressing that he remembered…. it looks like he’ll really have to go commando!
Once Xu Ziyue was fully dressed, he realized that he really wasn’t used to the feeling of having no fabric down there. He wrinkled his face as he started to wash his boxers at the sink.
After wringing it, he wiped his hands and headed out.
He grabbed a hanger from the balcony and hung the garment up to dry, before returning to the washroom to clean up after himself.
But, as he walked by the mirror, he once again saw that b.l.o.o.d.y mirror man!
Xu Ziyue stared with wide eyes, forcibly swallowing his shout of fear and not making a sound.
“Don’t scream! I’m not here to hurt you! Please, help me!” The b.l.o.o.d.y man in the mirror quickly exclaimed.
“I … I won’t scream.” Xu Ziyue swallowed thickly, his voice trembling.
At this time, the figure in the mirror had been replaced from that of his own reflection, to that of another student.
The male student let out a breath of relief. Although he looked like a mess, he still seemed to be sane. However, he then said to Xu Ziyue in a serious tone, “You mustn’t tell that person outside that I’m speaking to you, or else you will be the next one to die!”
“What do you mean?” That person outside…. Isn’t that referring to Sun Mo?!!
The male student’s tone became more wild and anxious, “Yes, that’s exactly who I’m talking about! Sun Mo isn’t human! It was him who imprisoned me in here, and everyone who I’ve spoken to has ended up dead, because of him!”
Xu Ziyue blinked. He wanted to see the other man’s appearance clearly, but he was too dirty. His hair was also matted to his head with slicks of blood. Xu Ziyue thought over what the mirror man had just said, and then suddenly realized, If that’s the case, then isn’t this man the cause of everyone’s deaths so far?
Would it kill you to just stop talking to people??
Xu Ziyue’s brain works in different ways. If the man in the mirror knew what he was thinking about, then he would probably be so angry he’d spit up blood.
“My name is Sun Xuebao, I’m Sun Mo’s cousin. He’s always been bullying me, and even now when I’m dead, he still doesn’t leave me alone!” The student who introduced himself as Sun Xuebao spat out in anger, but hatred and fear also coloured his tone.
Xu Ziyue glanced towards the washroom door. He couldn’t help but wonder if Sun Mo was currently listening in on their conversation.
If what this Sun Xuebao was saying is true, then wasn’t he going to die soon?!
“Wait, stop talking!” Xu Ziyue exclaimed.
Sun Xuebao was already caught up in his own negative emotions, so when Xu Ziyue suddenly spoke up, he was very surprised. Dazedly, he asked, “Wait, why?”
“Didn’t you just say that everyone who you’ve spoken to ended up dead? Then I don’t want to listen anymore! I still want to live!” Xu Ziyue covered his ears, but deliberately left a small gap. He was still pretty curious as to what Sun Xuebao would say next.
“It’s too late, hahaha… You’ve already heard it! But, you can choose to listen to me speak, and then help me kill Sun Mo, then you won’t have to die!” Sun Xuebao’s expression turned a tad maniac, looking like he was not entirely mentally sane.
Xu Ziyue glanced at the door, and then closed his eyes. “Alright, say what you have to say, and I’ll see.” Sun Mo was so good-looking though, how could he be a ghost?!! Also, he doesn’t have it in him to kill such a beautiful existence ah!
But, his curiosity had indeed been piqued. He might as well give what the mirror man had to say a listen, since he had already heard the first half anyways.
If it were really like what Sun Xuebao had said, then he would die no matter if he continued to listen or not.
If he’s to die, then at least he wants to know what’s going on!
Sun Xuebao stopped laughing and began to explain, “Sun Mo has had a dark personality ever since childhood. We’re around the same age, but I’m a few months older. He looks like a nice guy, but he’s bad to the bone.”
Xu Ziyue crossed his arms, his fingers slightly fidgeting. “Then give me some examples ah, what exactly has he done?”
“He put his stuff in my desk and said that I stole it. It’s a good thing that the teacher didn’t believe him. ”
“……That’s bad, but does that really qualify as bad to the bone?” And didn’t these kinds of things only happen in those dramatic, cheap third-rate novels?
“It’s not just that, he also forced me down and then carved onto my back the words ‘I’ll never steal again’ with a knife!” Sun Xuebao’s eyes turned red as he stood up and peeled off his blood-stained uniform, exposing his back to Xu Ziyue.
On Sun Xuebao’s back were several words, carved so deeply that even the white of bone was visible. Blood was still flowing out, but his posture remained strong and upright.
Sun Xuebao started crying, his tears mixing with the blood still on his face to create tear tracks of bright red. “He carved these words onto me, and forced me to live in this mirror. The wounds will never heal, and it hurts! It really hurts! I want to die, but I can’t die in this mirror. I want to live, but he’s killed everyone who’s spoken to me!”