Although Luo Di lived in this neighborhood, he barely interacted with anyone besides the community workers. He had no memory of the third-floor resident. At least during the times he went to school, returned, or went on his night runs, the third-floor door was always shut.
“Class Leader, what kind of person lives on the third floor?” Luo Di asked.
“I think it’s a middle-aged person? They only opened the door a crack when I knocked—didn’t even show half their face. Once I confirmed it wasn’t you, I turned and left without observing further.”
Luo Di didn’t pursue the topic further. “Let’s just keep doing our homework and wait for the lockdown to end.”
The Class Leader suddenly blinked mischievously. “If it’s really a Lurking Impersonator, catching them won’t be easy. Judging by the investigator’s comments earlier, they’ve probably already hidden somewhere. The lockdown might last all day, maybe longer. Looks like I’ll have to stay at your place tonight.”
“Sure, you can take the sofa. I’ll get you a blanket.”
The Class Leader didn’t say more and quickly immersed herself in studying.
The homework for cultural studies and logical thinking wasn’t much. Students primarily focused on physical training, with daily exercise data logged onto their wristbands. After writing for about an hour, the two would switch to indoor workouts. Luo Di did push-ups on the balcony while the Class Leader alternated between high knees and weighted squats.
Time soon approached noon.
“I’m so hungry…” Wu Wen collapsed onto the sofa. “I only had a piece of bread on the way here this morning. Got anything to eat at your place?”
“I’ll make something.” Luo Di immediately got up from his push-up position and headed toward the kitchen.
Hearing this, the Class Leader’s fatigue vanished. She sprang up from the sofa and followed him to the small but tidy kitchen. Holding onto the doorframe with both hands, she peeked inside as Luo Di prepared ingredients.
“What’s for lunch?” she asked.
Luo Di pulled a frozen chunk of pork belly from the fridge. “Shredded pork with green peppers and winter melon soup. That should be enough, right?”
Wu Wen scratched the doorframe with her finger. “Can we have a little more~?”
“Alright, I’ll make some shredded potatoes too.”
“Yay! Need help?”
“Have you ever cut vegetables before?”
“Nope… But I’ve practiced swordsmanship! I’m really good at it.”
“Then give it a try. I’ll go take a quick shower—my clothes are soaked.”
Luo Di quickly rinsed off his sweat. By the time he returned to the kitchen, the vegetables and meat were all cut into uniform, neat pieces.
“How’s this? It’s my first time cutting vegetables.”
“Not bad.”
“Hehe~ See? Practicing swordsmanship is pretty useful. But I have no idea how to cook, so I’ll leave the rest to you!” Wu Wen stood on her tiptoes, stepping aside with a learning posture, ready to take notes.
In less than twenty minutes, the dishes were ready—two entrees and a soup.
They carried the food to the dining table.
“Let’s eat!” The Class Leader scooped herself a large bowl of rice and started shoveling food into her mouth.
“This is so good! Delicious!” she exclaimed through a full mouth, spilling a few grains of rice onto the table, which she promptly picked up and put back in her bowl.
Luo Di’s face remained expressionless, but something deep inside him stirred. Eating at home with someone else like this felt unexpectedly nice.
“By the way, what are we having for dinner? I can’t wait!” she asked, her rice bowl still half-full.
“We’ll eat whatever’s in the fridge… if the lockdown isn’t lifted by then.”
Hearing this, the Class Leader clasped her hands together as if praying for something.
Time flew by. The map app now displayed the lockdown status of the area, but the estimated lift time was still unknown.
By the afternoon, the pair had finished all their written assignments. The boredom of confinement began to ferment within the small room, making both Luo Di and the Class Leader increasingly restless.
Due to the lockdown, Luo Di had to cancel his nightly run. His usual movie plans might also need adjustment because of the Class Leader’s presence. She sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, switching TV channels at a speed of one per second.
“I’m so bored~ Luo Di, what do you usually do at night? Don’t tell me you just keep exercising at home?” she asked.
“I go for a night run or watch… movies.”
The Class Leader immediately turned her head toward him. “Movies? Oh yeah, you have one of those old DVD players at home. Got any recommendations? We could watch something together. I’m not allowed to watch many movies at home, so I’ve missed out on a lot.”
Noticing Luo Di’s hesitation, she seemed to pick up on something.
“You’re not hiding some weird movies, are you?”
“Huh?”
“Cough, cough~” The Class Leader coughed awkwardly. “I mean… you know, those
adult-only
movies.”
Faced with her speculation, Luo Di nodded.
For him, it was a major decision to share his “secret.” But after the dangerous events they’d faced during practice, he figured it didn’t matter. Watching a movie together wouldn’t interrupt his nightly routine either.
Strangely, the Class Leader curled up in the corner of the sofa, staring at him as if he were a creep.
Unaware of her reaction, Luo Di continued the topic. “Do you want to watch?”
She froze, completely caught off guard by this usually quiet boy’s directness. Instinct told her to refuse, but boredom suppressed her better judgment. Biting her lip gently, she nodded slowly.
“By the way, I’ve already seen most of these movies. There’s a collection in my room. Want to come and pick one with me?”
Now, she was genuinely frightened, shaking her head vigorously.
“Then I’ll just grab one randomly.”
This was Luo Di’s first time sharing his movie collection, and he wanted to pick the perfect slasher film for a beginner.
The Class Leader stayed huddled in the sofa’s corner, her body as small as possible. But her eyes widened when Luo Di walked out of his room holding two completely unrelated items: a
mysterious DVD
and a
dumbbell
. A bold and ridiculous image popped into her head, and her voice trembled as she spoke.
“Luo… Luo Di~ this isn’t… your
workout routine
, is it?”
“I like to exercise while watching movies. Sitting still isn’t good for you.”
“Do you mind if I turn off the lights? Leaving just the streetlights shining through the window creates a better atmosphere for watching.”
“Ah… oh… sure.”
The DVD slid into the player, and the TV screen immediately switched over.
The Class Leader instinctively covered her face with both hands, her throat visibly moving as she gulped. A strange heat spread throughout her body, compelling her to peek through the gaps between her fingers at the screen.
After the logo of an obscure film company faded out, the scene shifted to a cold, gloomy night. A young couple arrived at a lakeside for a swim. In pursuit of excitement, they stripped off their clothes completely.
It was the first time the Class Leader had seen such a scene, and her heartbeat quickened uncontrollably. In stark contrast, Luo Di watched with utmost seriousness, not even blinking.
In the movie, the young couple’s actions in the water became increasingly suggestive. Just as they were about to take things to the next level—
Slash!
A machete plunged straight through the man’s torso, lifting him high out of the water.
The blood-soaked blonde woman screamed frantically and swam toward the shore at full speed. Just as she was about to reach land, the machete’s blade came down again, impaling her heel. A massive hand grabbed her leg and dragged her back into the lake.
Blood spread across the surface of the water as the camera panned upward, revealing the grainy aesthetic of a 1970s-80s film. The movie’s title appeared on the screen.
“Ah… this is a horror movie?” The Class Leader asked cautiously.
Her question received no answer—Luo Di was already engrossed. One of his hands continued to perform automated dumbbell curls as he watched.
Staring at the killer on screen, the Class Leader’s thoughts drifted back to half a year ago in the practice mountain zone, to the moment Luo Di had decapitated a Jiangshi with a machete. The scene from the film bore an uncanny resemblance to that moment, even down to the same type of blade.
With her misunderstanding resolved, the Class Leader slowly shifted her position from the edge of the sofa back to her original spot.
She had gone through countless courage-training exercises and wasn’t afraid of this kind of horror movie. However, the resemblance between the killer and Luo Di was a bit unnerving. At that moment, she finally understood the so-called “training secret”—or more accurately, his training goal.
Whether by coincidence or not, midway through the movie—
Boom!
A clap of thunder split the air outside, and pea-sized raindrops pounded violently against the windows. The slightly open window let in droplets, splashing water onto the floor.
Luo Di promptly paused the movie and headed to the balcony to close the window.
As he locked the window, another flash of lightning illuminated the surroundings.
In the brief brightness, Luo Di caught the outline of something in his peripheral vision—something clinging to the building’s exterior wall.
He immediately turned, pressing his face against the glass for a closer look.
But all he saw was an outdoor air conditioning unit.
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