Ch95 - He’s Not The Same

Tap, tap, tap…

The knocking sound continued.

Ji Xiunian couldn’t ignore this sound, and could only stare at the window with a frown.

He couldn’t see what was happening outside the curtains, but he instinctively felt that it wouldn’t be a very welcoming scenario.

For some inexplicable reason, Ji Xiunian suddenly remembered the scene yesterday when he came out after showering.

Lu Xu had said he had accidentally opened the curtains, but it was obvious he had heard some movement.

In this moment, Ji Xiunian wasn’t sure if he was overthinking it, or if Lu Xu had really been hiding something from him.

He thought for a long time, and finally couldn’t resist. He reached out to press the switch for the curtains.

The curtains drew open slowly, and the thing outside became clearly visible.

Ji Xiunian didn’t know how to describe this mass of black, fog-like creature. It was like a black marshmallow that had been pinched into a random shape. The pitch black body had eyes like searchlights. Its long claws draped against the windows, tapping against the glass.

Although he had already accepted the reality that he could see ghosts, it still made him uncomfortable to suddenly see something like this.

Ji Xiunian’s brows furrowed. This thing really was too ugly.

The evil spirit outside stared greedily at Ji Xiunian, bumping its wide, open mouth against the window, clearly trying to enter.

Ji Xiunian subconsciously retreated, only to discover that the evil spirit was hovering anxiously around the window.

“These ghostly things, as long as you don’t open your door and invite them inside, will never get the chance to get close to you…”

Lu Xu’s previous words suddenly echoed in his ears. Ji Xiunian carefully observed the evil spirit outside the window, and discovered that it really did seem like that.

He blanked out for a moment, then reached his hand out to the switch for the curtains. The curtains slowly closed back together, isolating the frantic spirit outside.

The sound of knocking against the glass lingered, but Ji Xiunian was no longer in the mood to listen to it.

He called for the AI assistant to turn on the music. The sound wasn’t very loud, and the tapping against the glass was still noticeable. Ji Xiunian had never been in this kind of situation before, and was about to search on Baidu for any ways to send off evil spirits when two cat shrieks sounded outside, shrill and harsh.

At the same time, the tapping on the glass stopped.

Ji Xiunian recognised Ba Mei’s voice and hurriedly drew open the curtains, afraid it had been hurt.

But when he opened up the curtains, he discovered that the evil spirit just now had disappeared, and Ba Mei was squatting on his windowsill with its back facing him.

The round, chubby body looked like a fluffy ball with cat ears from the back, but this little buddy was crouched in a fighting stance. For some reason, Ji Xiunian felt as if Ba Mei was protecting him.

The ledge was narrow. Ji Xiunian threw caution to the winds and opened the window to call for Ba Mei.

“Meow…” When Ba Mei, who had been on the defensive, heard Ji Xiunian’s voice, it immediately softened and turned back to rub its head against his hand, becoming soft and fluffy.

Ji Xiunian reached out and carried Ba Mei into the room, then closed the window.

“Coming over so late at night. Were you worried about me?”

Ba Mei was usually asleep at this time. Even if it came to find him, it would have pawed at the door. This was the first time it had appeared at his window.

Although it seemed somewhat unrealistic, Ji Xiunian inexplicably felt like Ba Mei had come over for him.

It was a common saying that cats warded off evil. Did Ba Mei have something to do with the evil spirit leaving?

He opened a can of food for Ba Mei, falling into deep thought as he stared at Ba Mei’s round physique.

At this time, his phone screen suddenly lit up.

Only when Ji Xiunian grabbed his phone did he discover that Lu Xu had actually replied to his messages—

[SS-Lu Xu: Hahaha, no worries]

This was his reply to that “sorry”.

Now that the messages he had sent out had received a reply, the previous awkwardness disappeared completely.

Ji Xiunian didn’t even need to think to send Lu Xu another message—

[Ji Xiunian: Why aren’t you still asleep at this time?]

Only then did Lu Xu realise it was already past midnight.

He had just finished up the third order of the night when he took his phone out and saw Ji Xiunian’s message. He answered without thinking, and hadn’t noticed the time.

[SS-Lu Xu: Mn mn, I couldn’t fall asleep just now, I’ll continue thinking about being sleepy]

So was this responding to him the moment he saw his messages?

When he thought of this possibility, Ji Xiunian’s mood became even better.

[Ji Xiunian: Then go to sleep early. Right, where should Ba Mei sleep?]

Lu Xu had just finished work and had no idea Ba Mei went to Ji Xiunian’s room. He thought he was asking where Ba Mei had gone to sleep—

[SS-Lu Xu: Next to my pillow. Ba Mei is a little pig, and went to sleep very early!]

“…”

Ji Xiunian subconsciously glanced down at the squatting Ba Mei who was eating out of a can and momentarily wasn’t sure whether this was the evil spirit or Ba Mei.

But Ba Mei was just Ba Mei, round and a cute body with round and cute eyes. Just based off of its ability to eat, he knew it definitely wasn’t any other little kitty.

Strange.

Ba Mei was obviously here, but Lu Xu had said it was by his pillow. There was obviously something wrong here.

Ji Xiunian couldn’t figure it out, so he decided he might as well send a picture of Ba Mei to Lu Xu.

[Ji Xiunian: Don’t you think the little kitty in my room looks very familiar? (Picture)]

Lu Xu had been very busy with his work and wasn’t in the dorm, so he naturally didn’t know Ba Mei had actually sauntered over to Ji Xiunian’s room in the middle of the night. Now he realised Ji Xiunian had asked who Ba Mei should stay with tonight, but he had casually replied that Ba Mei was by his pillow…

[SS-Lu Xu: Aiya, I was too bleary after sleeping, and didn’t realise that Ba Mei had run off. This fellow just likes you, I have no way to counter]

This seemed reasonable, so Ji Xiunian didn’t think any more of it. After thinking about it for a while, he ultimately decided to not tell Lu Xu about meeting the evil spirit.

He was already very tired from seeing ghosts. He wanted to first think up something himself and not rope Lu Xu in.

The two of them chatted casually for a bit before Ji Xiunian urged Lu Xu to go to sleep soon.

Lu Xu was very obedient, and didn’t reply to any messages after saying goodnight.

“Ba Mei should have gone to sleep, right.”

Ji Xiunian thought this, and finally put his phone down and also got ready to sleep.

But perhaps he had been too affected by seeing a ghost earlier or something. Ji Xiunian now had no intention of sleeping whatsoever.

Even though Ba Mei was at his side, his spirits were still wired.

Insomnia was a very painful thing, his excited nerves preventing him from sleeping all night, slowly wearing down his happiness.

Ji Xiunian was very used to this state; none of the many ways he had thought of were of use. It was only after he had slept with Lu Xu that he had finally slept well after so many years.

But it was just at this time, he couldn’t call Lu Xu over, and had no excuse for doing so.

He was unable to sleep no matter what position he was in, and lying there with an awake mind only made him more miserable. Ji Xiunian decided to get up and get dressed so he could take a walk outside.

The thought of getting out to take a walk was a very sudden thought; he himself didn’t know why he thought of it.

But there was a clear voice telling him he must go out on a walk tonight.

“Meow…” Ba Mei was very clingy towards Ji Xiunian. Seeing that he was heading out, it immediately followed him with small, delicate steps. A fluffy little fellow walking by his side looked cute no matter what.

“Let me take you out for a walk. We’ll come back and go to sleep after ten minutes, okay.”

Ji Xiunian thought that having a cat to keep him company while he had insomnia was a very joyful thing, and brought Ba Mei outside.

One person and one cat walked back and forth in the hallway twice, and were about to head back when Fan Zeng came yawning up the stairs. Anyone would have noticed that this person had definitely stayed up all night working on next week’s episode.

“Fan ge…” Afraid he would wake up the other trainees, Ji Xiunian suppressed his voice, and raised his hand in greeting at Fan Zeng.

Fan Zeng raised his head when he heard him, and forced out a smile as he covered his chest. “It’s so late, how come you’re not asleep yet?”

His complexion was as white as a sheet, and his footsteps were weak as he spoke.

Ji Xiunian saw that his face was covered in a thin layer of sweat, and asked out of concern, “Fan ge, are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

“I’m fine, it’s just that my chest feels a little stifled, it should be fine after I take a rest…” Before Fan Zeng even finished saying this, he could only feel like everything in front of his eyes was black and white, his mind completely empty. Cold sweat oozed out of his pores. His chest could barely catch any breath, and he couldn’t control himself from reaching out to stabilise himself against the wall, almost fainting in front of Ji Xiunian.

Seeing that Fan Zeng was in a very uncomfortable situation, Ji Xiunian hurriedly rushed over to support him, extremely worried.

“I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m probably just a little dizzy from sleeping too little recently.” Fan Zeng recovered a bit after resting for a while, and merely dismissed it as a side effect from a lack of sleep.

In the past when he had said this, Ji Xiunian hadn’t thought much more of it, but this time there was no way to ignore it—

He could only see the dark energy hanging over Fan Zeng’s body, a sign of imminent death.