Chapter 84: The Haunted House Adventure (Part 1)

Jiang Muwen’s words still echoed in Wen Yichen’s mind. For some reason, whenever she spoke, he always felt there was something strange about it, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on what exactly was odd. Seeing Jiang Muwen’s figure slowly receding, Wen Yichen grew anxious and hurried after her, stepping in front to block her path. “I don’t like her,” he blurted out.

The suddenness of his appearance, coupled with his abrupt declaration, left her momentarily stunned. Jiang Muwen stared at the boy before her, as if she hadn’t quite grasped what he meant. Yet, hearing Wen Yichen say those words, a wave of relief washed over her, as if a knot in her heart had finally come undone. Still, she kept her emotions hidden, only replying with a soft, indifferent “Mm.”

Her lukewarm response seemed only to heighten Wen Yichen’s anxiety. “Don’t you understand how I feel?” he pressed.

With those words, silence immediately descended around them. Jiang Muwen gazed at Wen Yichen, dazed—was this a confession? As she caught the fleeting glimmer of surprise in Jiang Muwen’s clear eyes, Wen Yichen felt his ears grow warm with embarrassment. Had he frightened her?

Seeing her expression, Wen Yichen gave a sheepish laugh, then took the carton of star-shaped custard snacks from her and changed the subject on purpose. “Come on, is there anything else you want to eat? It’s my treat today.”

As he spoke, Wen Yichen thoughtfully pushed a shopping cart toward her. He grabbed a bag of snacks here, tossed it in, then picked up a couple of packs of biscuits and added them as well. By the time the two of them left the supermarket, their hands were overflowing with snacks. When Jiang Muwen got home, she stared at the enormous pile for a long while before arriving at a conclusion: perhaps Wen Yichen’s brain had short-circuited today, buying her this mountain of snacks. It didn’t feel like he was feeding his childhood friend, but rather fattening up a pig.

As she was thinking this, her phone on the table buzzed. Jiang Muwen’s eyes drifted to the screen, and she picked it up absentmindedly. Yin Lize had sent a message in their study group chat: “First-hand news from the front lines—next Thursday, we’re going on a spring outing!”

No sooner had he sent it than Bai Xu replied, “Wasn’t it supposed to be Friday?”

Yin Lize answered, “The school trip is on Friday, but Class A starts on Thursday—two days, one night.”

The news came out of nowhere, startling Jiang Muwen, but after the surprise came a surge of joy—after all, who wouldn’t want an extra day of fun?

Yin Lize messaged again, “Wow, aren’t you all excited? We get to play for two whole days!”

Gu Chen asked, “Is your info reliable?”

Yin Lize replied, “If it’s not, I’ll sit by the wall and sing ‘Conquer’ for you next week.”

Gu Nianxi asked, “Hey, is our outing at the forest park outside the city?”

Yin Lize confirmed, “Yup.”

Gu Nianxi chimed in, “I heard there’s an abandoned building nearby that’s supposed to be haunted.”

As soon as Gu Nianxi sent that message, Jiang Muwen’s eyes lit up. Although she was rather afraid of such things, just the mention of them sent a jolt of excitement through her, making her eager to give it a try.

Jiang Muwen asked, “Is that building sealed off?”

Gu Nianxi replied, “I heard it’s not.”

With that brief exchange, the boys immediately guessed what the girls were plotting. Just as Jiang Muwen was about to suggest they explore together, Wen Yichen beat her to it, sending a message: “Don’t go. Places like that aren’t safe.”

Jiang Muwen replied, “Alright then.”

The days slipped by quickly, and in a blink, Thursday arrived. Although Jiang Muwen had promised not to visit the haunted house, the thought lingered in her mind.

The bus was rather quiet, punctuated only by the low murmur of classmates chatting and the rustle of snack wrappers. Jiang Muwen was gazing out the window at the passing scenery when she felt a gentle tap on her arm. Turning, she found herself face-to-face with Gu Nianxi’s sweet smile. Gu Nianxi shook a freshly opened bag of chips at her, “Want some?”

Jiang Muwen nodded and took a chip from the bag, popping it into her mouth. As she chewed, Gu Nianxi’s voice drifted into her ear, soft and drawn out, “Xiao Wenwen, about that haunted house…”

She trailed off, keeping her voice low, as if afraid of being overheard. Jiang Muwen instantly knew what she meant.

“Do you want to go?” Jiang Muwen asked cautiously.

“I do,” Gu Nianxi replied without hesitation. Though not particularly brave, her curiosity for such mysterious things only grew stronger the more enigmatic they seemed.

“Then let’s go take a look tonight,” Jiang Muwen suggested tentatively.

“Should we bring a boy along?” Gu Nianxi asked, following up carefully. Having a boy with them would be more reassuring.

“Take me with you?”

A male voice suddenly spoke up from behind them, sending both girls jumping in fright. Jiang Muwen instinctively shuddered and turned around.

It was Yin Lize, his face peeking through the gap between the seats. The opening was narrow, so Jiang Muwen could see only part of his face, but his eyes sparkled with anticipation as he looked at the girls.

They’d been worried that no boy would agree to come along, so with Yin Lize volunteering, they could barely contain their excitement. “Sure, sure!”

“Then let’s meet at eleven tonight, downstairs at the hotel.”

“Okay!” Yin Lize replied, handing them each a candy through the gap.

Though the two girls thought they’d kept this plan a secret, somehow Wen Yichen found out. After they’d gathered flashlights and other gear, Wen Yichen sent Jiang Muwen a message.

“I heard you’re going to explore the haunted house.”

It was a simple question, but Jiang Muwen’s heart skipped a beat when she saw it. For a moment, she felt as if she’d committed some grave sin behind Wen Yichen’s back.

She stared at her phone for a long while, unsure how to respond. Watching the chat interface flicker with “the other party is typing,” Jiang Muwen’s nerves wound tighter and tighter.

Wen Yichen edited his message again and again, but in the end, he didn’t send anything more.

Staring at the chat window, Jiang Muwen cautiously tapped out a reply: “What is it?”

The moment her message went out, Wen Yichen replied instantly: “Did you forget what happened last time at the haunted house?”

Last time—of course Jiang Muwen hadn’t forgotten. Not only had she been scared out of her wits, but she’d also managed to wrench Wen Yichen’s back.

Before she could reply, Wen Yichen sent another message: “If you dare go, I’ll carry you straight back.”