-- Chapter 1 --
Dawn.
The forest, in the vicinity of the school compounds, was enveloped in a cloud of mist. Faint cries of cicadas could be heard, while birds flapped their wings as they soared past. Rain fell in a drizzle, light and transparent. The air is fresh, as if in a dream.
But, Xiao Mi does not have the energy to admire all these.
After alighting the train in the morning, she couldn’t find a morning bus to bring her to school! She ended up calling a cab to get there, spending 15 dollars just for the ride. Her heart hurts just thinking about it. Hence, she made a decision. She must rely on her two feet to walk from the school gate to the dormitory!
The leaves of the camphor tree, dense and luxuriant, rustled amidst the light rain.
Xiao Mi trudged through the forest trail, lugging her bulky luggage. Her forehead was beaded with perspiration. The back of her white dress was drenched in water, not knowing if by rain, or sweat. She stopped, panting heavily, as she gazed around.
What the hell, this school is ridiculously huge!
She had already taken half an hour to get here from the school gate. Yet, according to the school map, she still has to cover another one third of the distance to reach the dormitory! If she had known that it would be so far, she would have just put her foot down and taken the bus. Sigh, just to save that meagre one dollar, she had walked to the extent that her arms were close to breaking off. Her feet were also blistering!
Exasperated, Xiao Mi wiped the sweat off her forehead, as she surveyed her surroundings once again.
All of a sudden, her eyes lit up.
Under the shade of a tree.
Sunlight seeped in through the leaves; the air seemed to be suffused in a transparent, emerald glow.
A man laid asleep on the stone table.
He had mesmerising flaxen hair, handsome back, and long, muscular legs. The first impression he gave off, was that he was really strong.
Xiao Mi suppressed her overwhelming joy as she dragged her weighty luggage towards the man. It made banging noises as it trudged along the uneven ground. She greeted him.
“Hello?”
That guy continued sleeping, without moving an inch.
She poked his arm, raising her voice, “Hey, can you do me favour?” Heehee, it would be great if you could help me carry my luggage to Maple Dormitory 5.
Rain drizzled on, soundlessly.
The guy remained asleep, completely ignoring her. That slender back exuded a cold, unfeeling aura.
“Hey, I’m talking to you. Can’t you hear me?”
Xiao Mi was getting a little pissed off.
Even if he wasn’t keen on helping, he could have at least given some perfunctory answer. How very rude of him!
“Hey! Hey!”
She pushed him violently, and had the urge to even kick him. How could he be so indifferent towards her? Was her voice that horrifying? This has seriously dealt a huge blow to her confidence.
This guy seemed dead. Dead in his sleep.
The forest was concealed in silence; only the cries of cicadas could be heard.
Something was wrong. Xiao Mi cocked her head, and pondered briefly, a bone-chilling fear creeping from the depths of her heart. She stared at the guy blankly, as the tips of her fingers started to chill. The iciness seemed to be radiating from his body to her.
His body was cold, just like a ---
CORPSE!
Petrified, Xiao Mi screamed shrilly at the top of her voice.
From the forest, a flock of birds took to the skies, bewildered by the noise.
She trembled in fear, a shiver running down her spine. Not knowing how much time had passed, she bit her lip, reaching out her hand to lightly push the guy.
“Bang--”
He toppled sideways along the stone table.
His short, flaxen hair brimmed with the exuberance of the sun. His nose bridge is high and straight, with a dazzling diamond stud on his right nose. This guy is indeed handsome! The only thing is, his face was as pale as a sheet of blank paper, as if drained of life. That face was gradually turning purple, and a purplish green tone started to intensify on his angular, defined lips.
She held her breath, and put her finger to his nose, to test if he was still breathing.
Phew—
A faint breath still remains.
Frantic, Xiao Mi cried out, “Help! Please, somebody, come quickly! Help---!” Her deafening screams pierced through the canopy of leaves, echoing throughout the forest.
Yet, the humongous forest remained silent.
Raindrops trickled off the tips of vivid green leaves, landing on the forest ground.
Xiao Mi started to stamp her feet in her anxiety.
What the hell! This school is enormous, yet where are all the people? Where have they all gone to? Why are there only a few birds and cicadas around? Glancing at the man, she decided not to care anymore. She squatted down, positioned him on her back, and then strained to drag him out of the forest.
He’s so heavy!
Xiao Mi panted, her face turning red in exhaustion. Just to carry him, she had already exerted 19 years of her strength.
The legs of the flaxen haired guy were trailed along the ground, lifeless.
His breathing seemed to be getting weaker and weaker.
“Hey! Hey! Don’t die on me!” Xiao Mi spun around anxiously, and yelled at the flaxen-haired man slung on her back. “I’m trying to save you now.”
The purplish colour in his lips deepened.
“Hey! Don’t stop breathing, will you?! Get your act together and wake up!”
She was so worried that she was blabbering nonsensically. She held onto his arms tightly, biting her lips as she struggled to drag him up and down the stone steps, finally reaching the street. Luckily, the campus was so large that cabs could be seen everywhere. Without even thinking, she flagged for a cab.
“Hospital! To the nearest hospital!”
Xiao Mi hollered at the driver. Drops of perspiration percolated from her forehead, like a tiny waterfall.
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