Chapter 10: Late Night City Village

June 30th, 2023

At 9:20 p.m., Lin Xuan removed her makeup and received 450 yuan from Tang Mingxu before leaving work. Out of the 450 yuan, 400 yuan was her salary, and the remaining 50 yuan was an additional taxi fare given by Tang Mingxu. Considering Lin Xuan’s frugality, it was unlikely for her to use this money for a taxi. It was only a little past 9 o’clock, not 11 o’clock yet, and there were still buses available.

Most escape rooms require a relatively large space, so the locations of most escape rooms are usually remote. The escape room where Lin Xuan worked was located in a building that was previously a converted abandoned factory. Although it was a distance away from the school, there was a direct bus route. It would take about five to six minutes to walk from the building to the bus stop. However, due to its remote location, there were not many bus trips and long intervals. If you walked a bit further, there was a village in the city, and passing through that village would lead to a relatively bustling area with more bus routes.

Lin Xuan glanced at the real-time bus schedule and saw that it would take another half an hour for the bus to arrive outside the building. Lin Xuan didn’t want to wait, so she planned to walk through the village and take a bus from there while treating herself to some food.

Those who have lived in big cities would know that places like city villages may look messy, but they are actually quite bustling, with various shops and vendors.

Lin Xuan had been to the city village several times before, and she had even visited to investigate the rental prices, considering renting a small house there temporarily after graduation. However, going there at night was a first for her.

With her headphones on and a bag on her back, Lin Xuan happily bounced into the village. Shortly after entering the village, she came across a night snack stall set up at the alley entrance. The owner had just finished frying a plate of stinky tofu and was pouring sauce and spring onions on it. The aroma made it impossible for Lin Xuan to move forward.

“Hey, classmate, want to try some?” The owner smiled at Lin Xuan.

“How much is it?”

“Eight yuan.”

Indeed, things in the city village were much cheaper. If it were in a mall, it would cost at least fifteen yuan. “Okay, I’ll have a portion, extra spicy.”

“Alright.” The owner swiftly poured a box of stinky tofu into the oil pan and started frying it. At the same time, he invited Lin Xuan to check out other items. “Take a look, is there anything else you’d like to eat? The iron plate tofu is also good.”

“I can’t just eat tofu. I’ll come back next time to buy it.” Lin Xuan paid the money using a mobile payment and chatted casually with the owner while waiting. “How did you know I’m a student? Most people living here are already working, right?”

“Students and office workers have different vibes, and I can tell at a glance.”

“Do I not have the vibe of an office worker?” Lin Xuan felt like she had mastered the appearance of an office worker with all the various part-time jobs she had done.

“I know, I know. I’m just a self-employed individual, a small business owner. An office worker is someone who works for others.”

“It’s all the same,” the owner said cheerfully. As the stinky tofu finished frying, he added extra spicy sauce as requested by Lin Xuan. “Eat it while it’s hot, but be careful not to burn yourself.”

“Thank you, boss.” Lin Xuan walked and ate at the same time. The warm stinky tofu was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and had a hint of spiciness. With just one bite, Lin Xuan couldn’t help but squint her eyes in happiness.

“Life is worth it, life is worth it!”

It’s just that the boss is too generous with the chili, and it’s getting a bit unbearable.

Lin Xuan took a deep breath, looked around, and quickly spotted a small supermarket. She hurried over, opened the refrigerator, and her hand instinctively reached for a cola.

“Eating fried food and drinking cola late at night isn’t good. Let’s change it.” Lin Xuan retracted her hand and looked at a lactobacillus drink priced at six yuan next to it. “The bus fare is only two yuan, stinky tofu is eight yuan, a bottle of drink is six yuan, and I’ll still have thirty-four yuan left. I’ll buy it.”

Confidently, Lin Xuan grabbed the drink and headed to the checkout. Suddenly, a black and gold fortune-telling tube flashed before her eyes.

She shook it twice, and a fortune slip fell out.

[Qi Anlian, 26 years old, returning home late at night, followed and sexually assaulted.]

“Crash!” The drink in Lin Xuan’s hand fell heavily to the ground. Due to the loose bottle cap from Lin Xuan’s previous twist, the milky liquid splashed all over the floor. The liquid flew up and happened to splatter onto a pair of black stockings that had just stepped into the store.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Lin Xuan rummaged through her bag and pulled out some tissue paper. She hurriedly wiped the liquid off the beautiful legs.

“Don’t move.” The owner of the beautiful legs took a step back, her voice filled with suppressed anger. “These stockings are expensive. Be careful not to snag them.”

Lin Xuan dared not move any further and cautiously stood up straight. Only then did she see the woman’s appearance. The woman had a beautiful head of long curly hair, delicate makeup on her face, and a well-fitted professional attire that accentuated her tall and curvaceous figure, exuding an elegant and charming demeanor—exactly what Lin Xuan imagined a female white-collar worker to be like.

The woman glanced at her stockings, frowned unhappily, and stared at Lin Xuan.

“I’m sorry,” Lin Xuan apologized once again.

“Forget it, you didn’t do it on purpose.” The woman seemed tired and couldn’t be bothered to argue with Lin Xuan. She grabbed a bottle of water, paid for it, and left on her own.

Wait, she hasn’t been told the fortune yet. Instinctively, Lin Xuan wanted to chase after her.

“Hey, hey, hey! You haven’t paid yet,” the owner of the small shop called out to Lin Xuan.

“Oh, oh, oh!” Lin Xuan suddenly remembered and quickly took out her phone to pay the six yuan. She then bent down and picked up the half-empty bottle of drink from the floor, tucking it into her pocket. Just as she was about to chase after the woman, she turned back and asked the shop owner, “Boss, do you know the name of the beautiful lady from earlier?”

“It seems like her last name is Qi, but I don’t remember her full name. Nowadays, young people like to have English names…” the owner rambled on, but Lin Xuan had already rushed out.

Although it was almost certain that the woman she just encountered was Qi Anlian from the fortune slip, considering that this was a densely populated area in the city, there was a possibility of other women passing by within three meters. To be on the safe side, Lin Xuan asked the shop owner. At the same time, the likelihood of another person with the same surname Qi within three meters seemed highly improbable.

Qi Anlian was wearing high heels and walking at a moderate pace. When Lin Xuan came out of the shop, Qi Anlian was still at the intersection ahead. Lin Xuan hurried a few steps and followed behind Qi Anlian, her gaze vigilantly scanning the surroundings.

Where could the person following hide? The more Lin Xuan looked, the more afraid she became, feeling as if someone could be hiding in every alley.

Should she just tell Qi Anlian about the fortune? But would she believe it?

Just as Lin Xuan hesitated, Qi Anlian, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped and turned her head to look at Lin Xuan. “Why are you following me?”

Lin Xuan held the unfinished stinky tofu in one hand and the half-empty lactobacillus drink in the other. Facing the gaze of the beautiful woman, she made a decision. She would tell her. Regardless of whether the other person believed it or not, she would still be cautious.

“Um, do you have a boyfriend?” Lin Xuan asked.

Qi Anlian looked at Lin Xuan with confusion. “Who asked you to ask me that?”

“No one asked me to ask. I just wanted to say, if you have a boyfriend, let him come and pick you up. You’re so beautiful, and it’s late now, not safe. Just now, many men were secretly looking at you.” Lin Xuan added the last sentence herself, hoping to make Qi Anlian aware of the danger.

After listening, Qi Anlian didn’t seem concerned. “Thanks, but my home is just up ahead. I’ll be there soon.”

“There really were people watching you. The way they looked at you was… especially creepy.” Lin Xuan almost said, “They looked like they wanted to sexually assault you.”

Qi Anlian couldn’t help but burst into laughter at Lin Xuan’s serious expression. “You’re a funny kid. You probably haven’t graduated yet. That’s how men look at women. When you grow up, you’ll understand.”

Lin Xuan was going crazy, “Aren’t you afraid?”

“What is there to be afraid of? At most, it’s just annoying. It will be better once I move out of here.” Qi Anlian wasn’t surprised that men were looking at her. Since the day she moved into this urban village, there hasn’t been a single man who didn’t secretly stare at her. There have been more than ten confessions to her, but she would never be interested in the men living here. To be honest, she was getting tired of this place too, but luckily she recently got a promotion and a raise. She’ll be able to move out next month.

“What if I tell you I can predict fortunes? Would you believe me?” Lin Xuan revealed her cards. “I predicted that tonight, someone would follow you and then… do that to you.”

Qi Anlian’s gaze gradually turned cold.

“I’m sorry, I’m really not cursing you. I can genuinely predict fortunes. Whether you believe it or not, it’s always better to be cautious.” Lin Xuan apologized incessantly with her eyes closed.

She knew it. This ability to only predict misfortune was really hated by others, just like being a bird of ill omen.

“Little student, focus on studying before you graduate. Zodiac signs, fortune-telling, I used to like those things too, but once you graduate, you’ll realize that they won’t give you any advantage when it comes to finding a job.” Qi Anlian seemed to be cautioning and advising at the same time. After finishing her words, she ignored Lin Xuan and walked away in her high heels.

Her walking posture was incredibly graceful and alluring, exuding a scent called femininity. The faint fragrance wafted with the night breeze, and Lin Xuan suddenly woke up, taking a few steps to catch up.

“Why are you still following me?” Qi Anlian frowned.

“Let me walk you home. It’s safer for two people to walk the streets at night.” Lin Xuan sincerely suggested. Perverts wouldn’t dare to do anything if they saw more people around.

Qi Anlian fell silent for a moment and then asked a question, “If you take me home, how will you get back alone? What if there really is danger?”

“Boom!”

Lin Xuan felt as if she had been struck by lightning, freezing on the spot. She… she seemed to have forgotten something very, very important.

Her -99 limit of luck and the inherent hidden attribute of attracting misfortune.

No, no, Qi Anlian is so feminine, and I’m just a kid.

“If you’re scared, then hurry home. It’s really empty on the streets this late.” Qi Anlian saw the girl pale and knew she was scared. She offered some advice and continued walking toward her home. She wasn’t lying just now; her home was indeed not far away, just a dozen meters ahead, already within sight.

“Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the divination task and gaining 1 point of merit. By helping the other party avoid misfortune, you additionally gained 9 points of merit.”

Success.

Lin Xuan first breathed a sigh of relief, then shivered all over and suddenly turned around, looking at the dark and steep alley behind her, trembling. At this moment, she was like a little white rabbit in the wild jungle, with ferocious beasts lurking behind every shadow.

Maybe I should call someone to pick me up.

Lin Xuan took out her phone and called Tang Mingxu. The factory is closest to here, so Manager Tang should be able to come quickly.

“Manager Tang, can you…” Lin Xuan didn’t finish her sentence when the screen of her phone suddenly went dark, running out of battery and shutting down.

“Why does it have to run out of battery at this moment? Am I really that unlucky?!” Lin Xuan wailed.

“Host, don’t you have any sense of your own luck value?” the voice of the system untimely rang out.

“Can you please not mock me at a time like this?” Lin Xuan was really on the verge of tears.