As the wind blew, the door slammed shut, followed by a "click" that carried an ominous message.
Xia Miao rushed to the door, grabbing the handle and twisting it fruitlessly. She turned back, glaring. "Your doing?"
Fu Lan, however, was in high spirits. As long as Xia Miao was inconvenienced, he was happy—never mind that he was trapped here too.
The boy narrowed his eyes with a grin, his tone light and teasing. "Guess if it was me?"
The door hadn’t closed because of Fu Lan. It was just the wind, and the old, neglected lock had automatically latched, sealing them inside.
Xia Miao’s expression darkened.
Fu Lan’s mood only improved. He pulled out a tissue from nowhere and leisurely wiped the spot where Xia Miao had touched his hand earlier.
He maintained his cheerful, harmless facade, all smiles and sunshine.
"How about kneeling and begging me?" the boy taunted maliciously. "Maybe if I’m in a good mood, I’ll let you out."
Xia Miao shot him a glance, then calmly crouched down, pulling out her phone to watch a pre-downloaded cartoon.
She wasn’t the least bit anxious, let alone inclined to kneel and beg as he hoped.
Fu Lan’s plastered-on smile vanished, replaced by a venomous, brooding glare. His eyes, dark as poisoned ink, bore into her as if he wanted nothing more than to tear her apart.
He had always been the center of attention, never ignored—and he would never tolerate being overlooked.
"Hey, Xia Miao. You really wanna be stuck here all night?"
She ignored him, even fishing out Bluetooth earbuds to block out the cartoon’s enthusiastic "Ora ora ora!"—denying him even that shared noise.
The black in Fu Lan’s eyes deepened, swirling like a sinister black hole that instilled an unnamed dread in anyone who dared meet his gaze.
"When midnight comes, a ghost will appear and devour you."
Xia Miao shifted slightly, settling into a more comfortable crouch, her eyes never leaving the screen. The flashy, exaggerated animation held more allure than the stunningly beautiful boy beside her.
Fu Lan wondered if her hearing and eyesight were defective—how else could anyone dismiss him so thoroughly? He stalked closer, crouching beside her, his teeth gritted as he enunciated each word:
"Xia Miao, this is your last chance. Beg for mercy, or I’ll declare war on you."
Fury twisted his pretty features into something sharp and cruel. Even under the bright lights, his presence exuded an eerie, unsettling aura.
Xia Miao didn’t even glance up. She turned her face slightly and sped up the video to double time—somehow still following the chaotic, accelerated scenes.
Fu Lan clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms. His pitch-black eyes brimmed with something terrifying, as if he might morph into a monster at any moment and shred the girl who dared disregard him.
He couldn’t take it anymore.
"Xia Miao, you know exactly how much influence I have at school. If you want to graduate smoothly, you’d better crawl on the ground like a slug and beg for my mercy!"
"Xia Miao, do you think I’m bluffing? Is that why you’re treating me like nothing?"
"Let me remind you—if that’s what you’re thinking, you’ll regret it bitterly!"
"Xia Miao!"
"Stop ignoring me!"
The black-haired, black-eyed boy was nearly hysterical, his shrill voice piercing the air. "Talk to me!"
"Then beg me," Xia Miao finally responded, lifting her face with an imperious smirk. "If you beg, I’ll talk to you."
In mere moments, their roles had reversed. She was the one in control now, toying with him as she pleased.
Fu Lan had never experienced such audacity. For a second, he was too stunned to react. Then, realization dawned, and his youthful face twisted with mocking disbelief.
"Xia Miao, have you lost your mind?"
She lowered her head, refocusing on her cartoon, cutting him off again.
Fu Lan’s breathing turned ragged. "Xia Miao, stop watching that!"
"You have to talk to me!"
"Or I’ll make your life hell!"
His threats were hollow, his frustration laid bare. Before he could make her suffer, he was already the one suffering.
Fu Lan was convinced Xia Miao had to be insane. No one in their right mind would dismiss him like this.
She should’ve been like everyone else—discarding dignity and pride just to earn a glance from him, groveling at his feet, begging to be his stepping stone. Not this—watching episode after episode, even shielding her screen so he couldn’t sneak a peek!
As if he cared!
Fu Lan stood up in a huff, deliberately putting distance between them. He’d wait for midnight, for the ghost in the restroom to emerge, for Xia Miao to scream and beg for his help.
And then he’d crush her pride, reduce her to tears, force her to regret ever treating him as nothing.
Outside, the night deepened. Silence swallowed the world. Suddenly, the lights flickered, the air growing damp and heavy with an eerie chill.
The strobing glare made Xia Miao look up at the ceiling light.
Across the room, Fu Lan smirked, arms crossed, poised and elegant, waiting for terror to seize her—for her to collapse in a pathetic, shrieking mess.
Then, the lights died completely, plunging them into darkness, save for the faint glow of Xia Miao’s phone.
In the unseen corner, a fourteenth stall materialized. Beneath its door, the shadow of a woman’s feet crept into view.
Fu Lan perked up, ready for Xia Miao’s scream—
Only for a hand to yank him backward.
Caught off guard, he was dragged into a cramped stall and locked inside.
Crammed into the tight space, Fu Lan—who could see perfectly well in the dark—scowled at Xia Miao’s proximity.
"Hey, Xia Miao, you—"
She clamped a hand over his mouth, whispering sharply, "Shh. Keep quiet."
Fu Lan’s eye twitched.
This woman had the nerve to cover his mouth with the same hand that had touched the bathroom door!