Chapter 13

Ten seconds later,

Mu Xiao slammed the door and stood up.

She picked up the phone and spoke to the person on the other end, her face still wary. “Did you just receive a message?”

“You scared me to death. I thought someone in the restroom overheard us.”

After saying this, her gaze turned cold as she stared at the occupied lock, which had turned red. She crouched down again.

Inside, it was completely empty. Other than the toilet seat, there was nothing else.

Mu Xiao stood up immediately and kicked the door, completely dispelling her suspicion.

“When I came in just now, all the locks were green. Who knew this one around the corner, blocked by the wall, had turned red? Tsk, it looks like the lock is broken. Or maybe, as you said, the cleaning staff locked it up as a storage room.”

…

“If I had seen this door was locked earlier, how could I have just chatted here like that? Everyone here today is that little b*tch’s family and friends. If they heard what I said, wouldn’t they tear me apart?”

“…Good thing even fate is on my side.”

Mu Xiao’s voice gradually faded, followed by the sound of the door closing.

Xu Yinghuai gasped roughly, clutching her chest, afraid that Mu Xiao might turn back. She didn’t dare to lower her raised foot.

Hearing what Mu Xiao had just said, Xu Yinghuai had a vague guess in her heart.

But she couldn’t calm down at all. The truth was too obvious to ignore, yet she couldn’t accept it.

Earlier, pain had drenched her back in cold sweat. Now, that sweat turned into fear, clinging to her without mercy.

Thinking of the message notification just now, Xu Yinghuai quickly picked up her phone.

Her hopeful gaze fell empty in an instant.

It was just Linda forwarding her the crew’s schedule.

Following the diligent worker’s principle, Xu Yinghuai held back her tears and replied with a simple “Received.”

Then, she opened the chat with ZZ and typed three words: “Where are you?”

Before she could send it, Zhou Zirong’s message popped up.

[Can you still stand up now?]

Xu Yinghuai deleted her drafted message and retyped a reply.

[Yes.]

[I’m waiting for you outside.]

Biting her lip, Xu Yinghuai braced herself against the wall and stood up. Before opening the door, anxiety filled her heart.

She knew Mu Xiao’s personality—paranoid and cautious.

Would she be waiting outside the door…?

Xu Yinghuai couldn’t rest easy. She sent Zhou Zirong another message.

[Boss, can you check again? Is there really no one else inside?]

It was as if Zhou Zirong knew exactly what she was worried about.

[A girl on a call just walked out of the restroom. There’s no one else around to help.]

Xu Yinghuai finally breathed a sigh of relief. Clutching her stomach, she stepped out cautiously, peeking through the slightly opened door to find Zhou Zirong.

He handed her something, his gaze scanning her face—part concern, part worry.

“I’m waiting outside. Take your time.”

Xu Yinghuai nodded, only for another sharp pain to twist in her stomach.

Her expression twisted slightly. She no longer cared about her surroundings—she popped open the pill packet, whispered a quick “stomach pain” to herself, and swallowed a pill dry.

She shoved the rest of the medicine and her bag into Zhou Zirong’s hands and hurried back into the stall to quickly clean up.

By the time she came out again, whether it was psychological or the ibuprofen had kicked in fast, the pain had eased significantly. At least she could stand up straight and walk now.

Grabbing her bag from Zhou Zirong’s hands, she sighed, “Thanks, boss. I owe you big time.”

Zhou Zirong: “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Xu Yinghuai froze for a second, bit her lip, and shook her head.

Zhou Zirong: “Then I have a question.”

Xu Yinghuai: “Hmm?”

“Do you know Xu Yinghuai?”

Her fingers tightened around the bag strap. She shook her head.

“Then why did you look like you were about to cry at her funeral?”

Xu Yinghuai hadn’t fully processed what she overheard on the phone earlier. Her mind was still a mess.

She forced down the lump in her throat.

“I wanted to cry because my stomach hurt. If your period cramps were as bad as mine, you’d cry too.”

Zhou Zirong tilted his head slightly, suddenly saying, “You remind me of someone I used to know.”

Just as she was about to bump into him, Xu Yinghuai abruptly stopped and instinctively looked up.

Their eyes met.

Taking a deep breath, she didn’t let her thoughts wander too far. She simply replied naturally, “You’re probably mistaken.”

The light in Zhou Zirong’s eyes dimmed instantly. He straightened up, stuffed his hands into his coat pockets, and nodded.

Then he turned and walked away, as if mocking himself, muttering in an indifferent tone—

“…Yeah, I must be blind. I was mistaken.”

---

For the rest of the ceremony, Zhou Zirong ignored Xu Yinghuai completely.

She found a place to sit quietly, waiting for the medicine to fully take effect and suppress the pain in her abdomen.

Only when that invisible hand twisting her insides finally stopped did she regain enough clarity to think things through.

The past two hours replayed in her mind like a crashing wave.

Most vividly, Mu Xiao’s and Zhou Zirong’s words echoed the loudest.

—”Xu Yinghuai, if you become a ghost, remember to come find me.”

—”Good thing that annoying person is finally dead.”

…

—”Xu Yinghuai, if you become a ghost, remember to come find me.”

—”Damn, why didn’t she just fall off a cliff and disappear completely?”

…

—”Xu Yinghuai, if you become a ghost, remember to come find me.”

—”Damn it, why is she so lucky? Born into that woman’s womb.”

Today, after suspecting that Mu Xiao—her best friend—might have played a direct role in her car accident, Xu Yinghuai had an even wilder realization.

Could Zhou Zirong recognize her?!

She immediately scolded herself for being crazy.

Who in their right mind would believe in supernatural phenomena without experiencing it firsthand?

As for Mu Xiao, Xu Yinghuai still couldn’t believe it.

They had been inseparable since high school.

Would her best friend really plot against her?

Until she saw solid evidence, Xu Yinghuai wouldn’t make a rash judgment.

For now, she pushed her suspicions about Mu Xiao aside and turned her thoughts back to Zhou Zirong’s words…

That question was easier to deal with.

He had asked if she had something to say.

He was probably expecting her to write a formal apology.

After all, making the boss buy sanitary pads and medicine for her was inappropriate.

And she hadn’t even paid him back yet!

With that thought, she jolted and immediately transferred money to Zhou Zirong via WeChat. Then, she started typing a long, apologetic message.

Just as she was about to send it, she looked up—

And locked eyes with Mu Xiao.

The distance between them was too far to read her expression, but Mu Xiao tilted her head slightly and smirked before turning away, disappearing into the crowd.

At that moment, a chill ran down Xu Yinghuai’s spine.