In the silent night, everyone sat around a round table, eyeing the shadowy figures around them with guarded expressions.
Xia Miao recognized a few familiar faces.
Lin Gaoshan sat beside her, while Leng Yeting and Ruan Zhizhi were seated diagonally across. Ruan Zhizhi happened to be observing Xia Miao as well and instinctively scooted closer to Leng Yeting, her face paling slightly.
On the table, a paper effigy clutched a small box and chirped excitedly, "Let's all play a game of Truth or Dare today! It’ll be super thrilling!"
Truth or Dare—just the name alone sounded ominous.
Everyone felt uneasy about the "dare" part and silently resolved to choose "truth" when their turn came.
Xia Miao studied the paper effigy curiously, wondering how it could move and speak. Her phone buzzed incessantly in her pocket, annoying her. She pulled it out and glanced at the screen.
[Look, flowers!]
[Look, grass!]
[Look, the clouds in the sky look like a puppy!]
[Just like you!]
[Look, this pile of mud!]
[Isn’t the footprint I stepped in it so pretty?]
[Look, look! I climbed a tree and took a picture of a bird’s nest for you!]
[Look, there are bird eggs!]
[Here’s a squirrel’s nest!]
[I scooped out so many pinecones!]
...
Meaningless messages flooded in one after another. Since typing was difficult for him, they were all voice messages accompanied by poorly taken photos. Xia Miao couldn’t be bothered to listen and converted them all to text.
Lin Gaoshan noticed Xia Miao frowning at her phone and assumed she was terrified. But in a bizarre game like this, even searching online wouldn’t yield any strategies. He rolled his eyes and whispered, "Today’s butchers are definitely the conjoined twins."
Xia Miao: "Conjoined twins?"
"They love playing games. If you lose, they’ll erase you. And their games always have traps."
Sure enough, the paper effigy grinned and said, "But to make our game more fun, everyone must choose 'dare'!"
The group’s expressions darkened.
The paper effigy held out the small box filled with folded slips of paper. "Whatever task is written on the slip you draw, you must complete it within an hour. If you fail, someone far more interesting will come play with you!"
A chill ran down everyone’s spines. The "someone more interesting" the effigy mentioned could only be the conjoined twins who loved lurking in the shadows.
The paper effigy giggled. "Now, let’s begin the draw!"
Reluctantly, everyone reached forward, carefully unfolding their slips. Their expressions varied, but they all made sure to hide their tasks from the others.
Xia Miao drew a slip that read:
"Rumors say ghosts appear in the haunted projection room when horror films play. Is it true?"
She rubbed her chin, wondering if this meant she had to find the projection room.
Lin Gaoshan peeked at Xia Miao’s slip and shuddered. Seemingly out of concern, he said, "They say no one who enters that room ever comes out. It’s dangerous. Xia Miao, why don’t we team up? I can help you."
Xia Miao gave him a skeptical look. "No need."
She stuffed the slip into her pocket and walked out like the others.
Lin Gaoshan wanted to follow, but he glanced at his own task and knew he had his own mission. Grudgingly, he headed in a different direction.
Back when Xia Miao and Fang Keai were in the same club, Fang Keai had mentioned that the school’s projection room was on the fourth floor of an abandoned lab building behind the main complex.
Xia Miao walked down the dark path. At first, she could still see other figures, but the deeper she went, the more isolated she became.
With a creak, she pushed open the heavy iron door, coughing as dust filled the air. She took out her phone, and the moment the screen lit up, she saw the "99+" notifications from the contact labeled "Idiot." After a brief silence, she muted the alerts.
Giving him a phone might have been the worst decision she’d ever made.
Xia Miao turned on her phone’s flashlight and climbed the stairs step by step.
The deeper she went on the fourth floor, the colder it became. Wearing only her school uniform, she shivered.
The night wind rattled the branches against the windows, creating a sound like the growls of beasts. From an uncertain direction, faint creaking noises echoed.
Xia Miao wasn’t sure if it was rats. She rubbed her arms, goosebumps rising.
Finally, she reached the door marked "Projection Room." Pushing it open, stale air rushed at her.
Carefully avoiding the debris on the floor, she stepped inside. Under the dim light, she spotted an old VHS tape placed in front of a bulky CRT television.
Behind her, a pale figure crept closer—a silent specter, as if waiting to snatch her soul the moment it touched her.
The moment Xia Miao turned around, the ghostly figure spread its arms. "Ugly freak, I’m gonna eat you!"
Bam!
Her fist was the reply.
The boy draped in a curtain yelped, clutching his face. Through the two holes cut in the fabric, his dead-fish eyes burned with indignation.
"Why aren’t you scared?!"
"I knew it was you. Why would I be scared?" Xia Miao crossed her arms. Though she had to tilt her head up to look at him, her delicate, pretty face remained haughty and smug.
Lu Yan blinked dumbly. "How did you know it was me?"
"I memorized your scent. I smelled the burnt-cookie fragrance the moment you got close."
Lu Yan stammered, "S-s-scent?!"
Under the curtain, he hunched over, face burning, heart pounding wildly.
The next second, Xia Miao kicked the door shut. Cracking her knuckles, she smirked. "What did you just call me? Ugly freak?"
Lu Yan shuddered and bolted.
Xia Miao chased after him. "Don’t you dare run!"
"I dare not!"
With the door closed, Lu Yan couldn’t escape, but he was nimble—dodging and weaving around the cramped space, never letting her lay a finger on him.
But soon, he tripped over the curtain draped over him and crashed onto the couch.
Seizing the moment, Xia Miao leaped onto the couch, pinning him down and raining punches. "Call me ugly freak again, I dare you!"
Lu Yan flailed, desperately shielding himself.
Xia Miao touched his waist, and suddenly, his body trembled with laughter. "Hahaha!"
She paused for a moment, then flashed a mischievous grin, leaving both hands planted firmly at his waist, relentlessly tickling his taut sides.
"Haha… stop… it tickles!"
Amid his flailing, the curtains slipped aside, revealing his bandage-wrapped face bathed in moonlight. His once-lifeless eyes now curved into crescents, glimmering with forced laughter, the misty haze in them alight with stars that seemed to sparkle.
With his strength, he could have easily pushed her away—yet he didn’t. Even as he squirmed, his cold hands subtly steadied her, ensuring she wouldn’t topple off him.
Lu Yan suddenly felt the assault on his waist cease, finally giving him a chance to catch his breath. When he opened his eyes, his blurred vision found the girl perched atop him, staring intently.
For some reason, his heartbeat quickened, his body burning up. His face grew so hot it felt like the bandages might singe. Then came the bashfulness—unable to meet her gaze, yet unable to look away.
Xia Miao cupped his face in her hands, leaning down slowly, drawing closer.
Anticipating her, Lu Yan tugged the bandages free from his lips first, tilting his head up eagerly, parting them slightly to meet hers.
A soft press, a slow savor, then a gradual deepening—lingering so long the stifling air grew thick with sweetness.
Breathless, he mumbled between kisses, "Why… why are you kissing me again?"
"Because I want to. Do I need a reason?"
Their lips still entwined, he let out a light "hmph," laced with a hint of coquetry. "I never agreed to let you kiss me."
Xia Miao: "Plus ten points!"
The young man’s eyes gleamed as his slender hand cradled the back of her head, pulling her even closer. "Then I’ll add a few more… so you’ll kiss me longer."
