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The Heart's Vast Network
墨書 Inktalez
My name is Fang Yu, a new media worker who toils from nine to nine. Recently, a new neighbor with mental health issues moved in upstairs, and their late-night antics have made it impossible for me to get any rest. I tried complaining to the property management and even called the police, but they just brushed it off. Since that’s the case, I won’t hold back anymore; I plan to use my most effective weapon to let them experience the taste of online harassment. However, things are not as simple as I imagined. As this incident gained traction, twists began to unfold one after another, and I found myself caught in this massive whirlpool...
It was past ten o'clock when I finally dragged my exhausted body back to the community after working late again. I live in an old residential compound in the suburbs of Port City, a property my father inherited from my grandfather. It’s one of those seven-story buildings from the 1980s without an elevator, and I live on the sixth floor.
When I was a child, I quite liked it here; back then, neighbors got along like family. During summer vacations, everyone would gather by the flower beds downstairs to cool off while we kids ran around laughing and playing. Now, that lively atmosphere is long gone. Most of the elderly residents have moved away, and those who remain are mostly tenants looking for cheap rent. The reason I live here is simple: I can’t afford a place in the city center. Living here means no rent, and it's only a ten-minute walk to the subway station. Although my commute is longer, I endure it to save money.
Standing at the entrance of my building, looking at the dark corridor and the crookedly parked electric bikes, I sighed; the property management here is nearly useless. Just as I finally got through the door and was about to take a shower and sleep, hurried footsteps echoed from upstairs, followed by a sharp scream. Startled, I almost dropped my phone.
"Not again!"
This was already the third time this week! Ever since that new neighbor moved in upstairs, I've had no good night's sleep! This family seems to be in some sort of turmoil; every night they make a racket—people pacing back and forth with footsteps varying from hurried to slow, often accompanied by incoherent mumbling and occasionally terrifying screams.
I tried tagging property management in our Community Group to complain twice, but they merely said they would communicate with them—completely useless. Lying in bed staring at the ceiling, it was already two in the morning, and there were still intermittent noises coming from above. Frustrated, I picked up my phone and opened WeChat to message my department manager: "Boss, sorry, I'll be a bit late tomorrow; I'm not feeling well."
After sending the message, I tossed my phone aside. Tomorrow, I had to go to the property management office and have a serious argument.
The next day, I looked in the mirror at the two enormous dark circles under my eyes, and my irritation was nearly unbearable. After a quick splash of water on my face, I stormed into the property management office. As soon as I walked in, I got straight to the point:
"Sister Li, I can't take it anymore! What is going on with that family upstairs? They keep me awake every night!"
Sister Li, our property manager in her fifties, looked at me with a troubled expression and sighed.
"Xiao Fang, the family you mentioned does have special circumstances."
I scoffed, "Special enough to party on my ceiling at midnight?"
Sister Li poured me a glass of water and explained, "That family’s surname is Zhou. There are three of them: a couple and their daughter in her twenties. The girl is young but… sigh… she suffers from schizophrenia. The couple has it tough too; they have to take turns going out to work and can’t always keep an eye on their daughter…"
I paused for a moment but quickly furrowed my brows again.
"That’s not an excuse! Just because you feel sorry for them doesn’t mean you can ignore the other residents! I’m sleep-deprived every day and have to go to work. What if I suddenly drop dead one day? Who will sympathize with me then?"
Sister Li continued to soothe me, "Xiao Fang, we will communicate with them again, but it really is a difficult situation. I hope you can understand…"
Understand? Why doesn’t anyone understand my plight? That day, I was in a rush for work and didn’t have time to listen to Sister Li's excuses. Hopefully, her communication would make some difference.
Two more days passed without any change. I was sleep-deprived and had been dragged into meetings all day by the client, then spent the evening miserably revising plans until eleven at night. It was nearly midnight when I finally returned to the community.
The motion-sensor lights in the hallway still hadn’t been fixed, so I cursed under my breath as I turned on my phone’s flashlight. Suddenly, a faint sound of footsteps came from upstairs; they seemed slow and barely audible. I shone my phone light upward but saw nothing. A chill ran down my spine, and instinctively, I pressed myself against the wall, trying to sound calm as I called out:
"Who’s there? Out this late…?"
There was no response; only the footsteps quickened and slowed as if someone were dancing in the dark hallway.
Just two more flights up to my home, I bravely edged along the wall toward the stairs. At that moment, a figure suddenly burst out of the darkness and charged straight at me!
"What the hell!" I screamed as my phone clattered to the ground.
In the dim light, I finally saw who it was—
It was a woman with disheveled hair, her eyes wide open, making indistinct sounds as she lunged towards me with outstretched arms!
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