Deep Within the Living-Chapter 29: Mourning

Half a year passed, transitioning from the heat of summer to the solstice of winter.
Cold winds, accompanied by drizzles, compelled every student to don thick winter uniforms. The first semester of senior year had come to an end.
Students briskly left campus under umbrellas, some even jogging to avoid the rain. As usual, Luo Di timed his departure almost perfectly, being the last to leave school. He didn’t have the habit of carrying an umbrella, relying instead on the hood of his uniform to shield his head from the rain, while the school security guard watched him leave.
A familiar voice broke the silence at the school gate, though he had already left some time ago.
“Luo Di, hey!”
He looked up to see the class leader standing on the curb, her scarf covering half her face as she waved enthusiastically.
Noticing his unhurried pace, she came over with her umbrella, which was just large enough to cover both of them.
“Didn’t anyone come to pick you up?” Luo Di asked quietly.
“Nope, Uncle Driver has family business today and took the day off. I’ll hail a cab home. But since school let out an hour early, I thought I’d wait for you. Our homes are sort of in the same direction, so I figured we could go together. I haven’t taken a bus in ages; this is the perfect chance to experience it again.”
“You sound like such a spoiled princess.”
“Heh~ at least it gets you talking more.”
The winter bus was less crowded, and Luo Di, out of habit, sat by the window in the back row. This time, however, the seat beside him wasn’t empty.
“How’s that
knife
treating you?” the class leader asked.
“It’s fine. Occasionally, I hear the sound of zombies grinding their teeth, but the monthly research bureau checks show no issues.”
“That’s good. There’s only half a year until the college entrance exams. I can already imagine the looks on everyone’s faces when you show off that thing during the physical test. You might even take first place in the whole school.”
“Doesn’t matter. As long as I can land a normal job, that’s enough.”
Luo Di’s gaze drifted outside the window, lost in thought until a light elbow jab snapped him back.
“Got any plans for winter break? My family might give me three days to arrange freely. How about we organize something fun for everyone?”
“No,” Luo Di replied decisively, already having a thirty-day movie marathon planned that he didn’t want interrupted.
“Hmm~ if Gao asked you, would you go? You two seem inseparable lately—doing push-ups together and chatting all the way back to class after meals.”
“Still no.”
“Alright, fine.”
The conversation died, leaving the entire back row in silence. The class leader turned her gaze outside alongside Luo Di, unsure what was so interesting but finding herself gradually calm.
“Now arriving at No. 13 Resettlement Neighborhood. The doors will close in ten seconds.”
“Let’s go.”
Luo Di maneuvered past the class leader’s legs and skillfully disembarked, only to feel an unfamiliar unease as he did so. A simple, casual goodbye seemed insufficient for the end of the semester.
Turning back to wave properly, he found the class leader standing right behind him, having gotten off as well.
“Why’d you get off?”
“Huh? Didn’t I say earlier? I can go home later. Besides, you didn’t bring an umbrella, so I’ll walk you home.”
“You should just head home; I don’t need an umbrella.”
“No.”
Her gaze was firm, her eyes radiating sincerity.
“Just to the building downstairs.”
“Fine,” Luo Di relented.
The class leader brightened instantly, stepping ahead with a bounce in her step.
Not far into the neighborhood, a mournful wailing reached their ears, accompanied by yellow funeral paper fluttering in the wind.
Looking ahead, they saw a funeral ceremony taking place at the base of a building next to Luo Di’s.
They ceased their conversation and walked quietly past. The scene was fresh—grieving family members in black, all in tears.
As they passed the mourning hall, Luo Di pressed his palms together, bowing his head in respect. The class leader followed suit.
While they were bowing, a chilling gust of wind swept by, penetrating the skin and settling into their bones, compelling them to quicken their pace past the funeral site.
Ahead lay the deepest part of the resettlement neighborhood, where Luo Di’s home was. The class leader stopped walking, having no intention of overstepping her welcome.
They stood under the umbrella, arms brushing together. She lowered her scarf slightly, her damp lips nearly brushing Luo Di’s ear as she whispered:
“Hey~ did you see? The portrait in the mourning hall—it looked like a young girl.”
“I saw. Don’t talk about such things.”
“Mm!” The class leader quickly covered her mouth but then murmured, “What do I do? I feel a bit scared now. Can you walk me back to the bus stop?”
“Shouldn’t you be braver than me?”
“Ugh~ I just want to chat more. The next month, I’ll be stuck with my tutors. It’s going to be so boring! Hey, during the break, I’ve got three free days. Can I come over and do homework at your place? It won’t bother you, right?”
“No.”
“Fine... goodbye, see you next semester.”
The class leader pulled her scarf back up and turned to leave, her eyes dimming slightly.
Moments after she left, a faint voice came from behind her:
“If you’re doing homework... we can meet at a nearby fast-food place. My house isn’t convenient.”
“Okay,” she replied softly, not turning back.
On her way back to the bus stop, passing the mourning hall again, the chill deepened, as if something were urging her to leave.
Meanwhile, Luo Di reached his top-floor apartment.
“Dad, Mom, Sis, I’m back.”
“How’d the tests go?” his father called from the kitchen.
“Same as always.”
“Come eat. We’ve been waiting for you.”
“Let me wash my hands first.”
In the bathroom, Luo Di glanced through the window at the neighborhood below. Spotting the familiar figure and umbrella at the bus stop, he turned away and returned to the dining table, joining his family.
“Hey, little bro, we’re planning a trip during the break. Wanna come?”
“No.”
“Great! That means you’re in charge of holding down the fort.”
"Got it. You all take care on the road."
Living alone was Luo Di’s favorite kind of life. He had already begun fantasizing about a perfect evening: watching movies, lifting dumbbells, and munching on homemade flatbreads all at once.
There were ten days left of winter break. Luo Di’s family had departed on their trip the previous day, officially marking the start of his blissful solo time.
That morning, he woke up, munched on a steamed bun, and started cleaning the apartment. Once everything was in order, he prepared to settle down and tackle his homework.
Knock, knock!
A series of heavy knocks abruptly echoed from the door.
Luo Di glanced at the time on his wristband: 08:40. The community office didn’t open until 9:00, so there was no reason for anyone to visit this early.
Peering through the peephole, he saw nothing—no one was there.
“Did I hear wrong?”
Shrugging it off, Luo Di turned to head back to his desk.
Knock, knock!
The knocking came again, prompting him to dash to his bedroom and retrieve the machete wrapped in shroud cloth from under his bed.
Peering through the peephole once more, he still found no one outside.
This time, instead of walking away, he gripped the door handle tightly, silently waiting.
Knock, knock!
When the third round of knocking came, he yanked the door open and instinctively swung the cloth-wrapped blade.
His movements froze mid-air.
Squatting at the door was a high school girl, arms raised in a surrendering pose.
“Luo Di, do you have to be
this
cautious? You scared me to death.”
“Class Leader?!”
Startled, Luo Di instinctively pulled the door slightly shut, hiding the interior of his apartment from view.
“Relax~ I won’t come in without your permission. Didn’t you say we could meet at a fast-food place to do homework? I figured if I called, you’d just turn me down, so I came straight here.
"Are you coming? It’s fine if you’re not—I can just ask Anna instead.”
“I’ll go. Wait a moment.”