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墨書 Inktalez
Qin Nannan walked down the stairs, glancing back frequently, feeling as if someone was following him. As he reached the 14th floor, the earlier fright still lingered, sending chills down his spine. His repeated glances only deepened his sense of fear. In a moment of distraction, he turned back one last time and caught a glimpse of a head peeking out from the corner between the 15th and 14th floors before it quickly withdrew.
The surroundings were eerily quiet, so quiet that Qin Nannan could almost hear his own heartbeat. He certainly didn’t dare to turn around to see who it was, nor could he scream like a girl to release his fear. At that moment, he envied girls who could act cute or scream. As he thought about it, he quickened his pace down the stairs, muttering a few phrases his grandfather had taught him: "If your heart is clear, there are no ghosts; if you stand tall and straight, shadows won't distort." A gentleman is open and honest, while a coward trembles in fear, he chanted to himself.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ziya stepped into the elevator with a smile, watching Qin Nannan walk away dejectedly towards the stairs. She felt a twinge of sympathy but was too shy to chase after him. Just as the elevator started moving, a plump nurse beside her suddenly bent over, claiming she had a stomachache and needed to go to the restroom immediately.
Now only Ziya and Liu remained in the elevator. They exchanged glances and pressed the button for the first floor. The orange indicator light flickered slowly as they passed the 15th and then the 14th floors. A hint of a bitter smile appeared on Liu's serious face as he exhaled heavily.
"Xiao Fang, do you have any knowledge about that thing? Or do you have some sort of protective ability? Earlier you..."
"It's nothing! Liu, I just face it calmly; evil cannot triumph over good," Ziya replied, knowing Liu was referring to what had happened that afternoon. When Qin Nannan had seen a terrifying face appear before him, he fainted in fear. Ziya had suddenly pulled something out from her bag while crouching in a corner, causing that eerie shadow to vanish instantly.
The elevator stopped at the 13th floor as someone seemed to be getting on. Seizing the opportunity, Liu asked tentatively, "Can I see that thing you have?"
"Uh! I'm sorry, but I can't show you this; it's my guardian," Ziya said with an embarrassed smile, her dimples briefly showing as she nervously fiddled with the hem of her shirt.
As the elevator doors opened, a fragrant breeze swept in along with a fashionable woman wearing a revealing sheer top that clearly showcased her vibrant lingerie. After entering the elevator, she looked down her nose at everyone with an air of superiority before fixing her gaze on Ziya. The elevator was instantly filled with the scent of perfume and cosmetics, making Ziya's sensitive nose itch as she nearly sneezed several times. Feeling it was inappropriate to react that way in front of others, she pressed her tissue against her nostrils to stifle her urge to sneeze while tears welled up in her eyes.
"Nana, off work already? Why are you leaving so late?" Liu said with a flattering smile, though hidden beneath it was a hint of disgust that only Ziya could see clearly.
She responded perfunctorily while keeping her gaze on Ziya and thought to herself: "It seems this girl is the little beauty they mentioned; humph, little enchantress! How dare you provoke me? Just wait and see how I deal with you..."
Liu was accustomed to the arrogance of this person and let out a slight laugh, choosing not to speak further. Ziya, however, felt somewhat uneasy; why did this woman's gaze feel like a piercing thorn, constantly sweeping over her? As she thought this, she boldly met the other’s brazen stare. Their eyes clashed in the air, and one side...
"Wow! What a fierce little girl," exclaimed the woman named Nana, unable to withstand that sharp gaze and hurriedly dodging away. The latter emerged victorious, a smirk creeping onto her lips, though it was merely a secretive chuckle.
The elevator stopped at the 12th, 11th, and 10th floors before an elderly balding man entered. Liu smiled and said, "Lao Ran, are you working overtime today?" The balding man didn’t respond to Liu but instead humbly nodded at the coldly observing Nana.
"Nana, are you just leaving?" Nana raised her head and couldn’t even muster a sound of acknowledgment for the old man.
Feeling awkward, the old man then glanced at Liu and Ziya, nodding at both of them. He muttered to himself, "Heh heh, our team members have left work; I... need to organize some materials." The elevator emitted slight vibrations as everyone ignored him, focusing on their own thoughts. His words felt feeble and uninteresting; he stood there in silence for a moment before clearing his throat and falling silent again.
Seeing that no one in the elevator was paying attention to the old man anymore, Ziya suddenly felt pity for him. She smiled at him and adjusted her backpack strap. Looking up at the flickering indicator lights—10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4—the elevator stopped as the doors opened to let in a Cleaner Aunt.
The aunt carried a plastic bucket filled with cleaning supplies and laughed heartily. "Heh heh! You intellectuals haven’t left yet?" Except for Ziya, the other three seemed to ignore the Cleaner entirely.
"I got lost upstairs earlier, so I came down a bit late..." Ziya said politely with a faint smile towards the aunt. However, Liu discreetly tugged at her shirt, prompting her to stop speaking.
The elevator instantly fell into a dull silence. The old man kept glancing at his ancient watch while the beautiful Nana took out a small mirror from her bag and began adjusting her makeup under the elevator lights.
Ding! The elevator reached the first floor. The lobby was nearly empty; everyone who exited the elevator scattered except for Liu. At the glass door, she paused for a moment before leaving and tossed Ziya a parting remark: "The people in this building have all sorts of complex and mysterious relationships, including that Cleaner Aunt. It’s best for you to speak less here... And also..." She hesitated but ultimately didn’t say what she intended; glancing back at the building with urgency, she hurried outside.
After holding back an urge to sneeze that had been building up in the elevator, Ziya pinched her nose while holding a tissue but didn’t know where to throw it. She looked around for a metal trash can by the glass door on the first floor. After tossing away the tissue, she pulled out her phone to check the time. Remembering Liu's words made her feel somewhat bewildered.
Ziya watched Liu disappear through the door while continuously pondering what her words meant. Glancing at her watch again made her realize that Qin Nannan should have come down by now; where was she? Just then, a piercing male voice echoed from the stairwell, startling her into a shudder.
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