Chapter 7: The Mysterious Disappearance of the Faint Star 2

"You! You again!"

In the student union office, Yao Shanshan stood with her hands on her hips and walked around me and Ai Kaiqi for several times, her angry voice almost blew the roof off.

I stood there obediently, listening to the lecture without moving.

And Ai Keqi standing next to me...

Sorry, he's picking his ears with his fingers.

Just ten minutes ago, we were handed over to the Student Union by two furious teachers for disrupting classroom discipline and lacking respect for teachers. They also specifically instructed that we must be severely punished!

Severe punishment? There is no need for severe punishment. Just hand us over to Yao Shanshan. Even just listening to her roaring is already a huge torture for me.

"Tell me about you. You are all freshmen this year, but you have only been in school for a few days. How many mistakes have I already recorded in this little notebook?"

Yao Shanshan slapped the sacred little notebook so hard that it made a snapping sound. I even suspected that if eyes could burn, Ai Keqi and I would have been burned to ashes by her long ago.

"Especially you! Bai Jieni!" She suddenly turned her spearhead and focused her firepower on me alone. "You are a girl, but you actually played with boys from other classes in the corridor, and it was during class time. Do you have any sense of shame? It is because of girls like you who only know how to be infatuated that Ailey College has been in such a mess for so many years..."

Yao Shanshan's saliva was flying everywhere in front of us. I clearly saw Ai Keqi frown deeply and turned his body to the side in disgust.

I looked at Yao Shanshan in silence, who wanted to nail me to the pillar of shame in history. Deep down, I really wanted to remind her that I had only been at Ailey College for less than two months, and the so-called "Ailey College has been in such a mess for so many years" really had nothing to do with me! Before, I was an excellent student at Asakusa College!

Besides, what do you mean by a girl like me who is only interested in being a fangirl? In Ailey College, doesn't the word "fangirl" refer specifically to the girls who greet the study group at the intersection every morning?

I feel so wronged!

But many experiences have taught me that once I resist, I will be suppressed.

I could only stare with innocent eyes and let Yao Shanshan vent her anger to her heart's content.

After waiting for her lecture to come to an end, I thought it would be Ai Keqi's turn to be trained next, but -

"Ai Keqi, you..." Yao Shanshan took a breath and looked away from me. Then, after meeting Ai Keqi's provocative gaze, she did not lose her temper. Instead, she said without thinking, "We'll talk about your matter later. Go back to the classroom first and remember to behave yourself!"

No way? No way? Impossible?

I looked at Yao Shanshan in disbelief. What did she mean by this? Was she treating him differently? Or did she think Ai Kaiqi was handsome and so she couldn't bear to scold him?

Minister Yao! Senior Yao! Agent Yao! Where are your principles?

"You said it, don't come back and tell on me again!"

Ai Keqi seemed to be startled, but according to his personality, not having to listen to a lecture here was a pleasant surprise. As expected, he seemed to have forgotten that he had a comrade left here, and he just left a threatening word and walked out.

No, Ai Keqi, don't be so disloyal! I will be tortured to death by Yao Shanshan, wuwuwu...

My heart was already filled with tears, and I stretched out my hands to try to keep him, but before I could even open my mouth, a corny voice rang in my ears:

"Student Bai Jie Ni, sit down!"

I don't know when, Yao Shanshan had sat on the sofa next to me. She poured herself a glass of water and was drinking it slowly.

"No...no thanks!" I took a step back in fear, waving my hands around, and refused without hesitation.

Who dares to sit in front of Yao Shanshan? If I sit down, I might be accused of not having the right attitude to admit my mistakes.

"It's okay, sit down, I just have something to ask you."

Yao Shanshan actually insisted on pointing at the stool next to her and looked at me firmly, as if I was not giving her face if I didn't sit down.

This is really weird!

I twitched my lips, not having the courage to refuse again, so I moved over like a snail and sat down carefully, placing my hands on my knees properly, assuming the standard sitting posture that my teacher taught me in kindergarten.

"I criticized you just now for Ai Keqi to see, don't take it to heart!"

Perhaps because she saw that I was too restrained, Yao Shanshan suddenly threw a tender bomb at me, which almost made me jump up from the stool.

She...what does she mean?

I looked at her like she was a monster. Did she suddenly have a split personality?

I couldn't help but look at her carefully. She seemed not used to saying those soft words. She looked very awkward. The expressions on her face changed from confusion to gritted teeth and then to amiable. It was like she was performing Sichuan opera face-changing.

Finally, she seemed to have finally made up her mind. She suddenly showed a tooth-grinding smile, looked at me and said, "Bai Jieni, you have always been familiar with Norn from the study group, right?"

"Ah? No...we are not familiar with each other!"

I shook my head almost reflexively to deny it. I hadn't forgotten what Ai Keqi had told me before, Yao Shanshan was very dissatisfied with the study group, and I was stupid enough to run into her gun.

"Not familiar?" She raised her eyebrows in surprise, and then a strange smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. "But why did I hear you talking about personal interests in front of the Sichuan restaurant that day? It seemed like you had a lucky star, and there seemed to be some aliens? Did I hear it wrong?"

“Beep——”

The third-level alarm sounded in my heart, and I suddenly remembered what I had been worried about. Could it be that Yao Shanshan...did she really hear the conversation between Norn and I at the door of the Sichuan restaurant?

"Haha!" I laughed dryly twice, trying to dispel her suspicion, "Senior sister, you really heard it wrong. We were too bored at that time, so we were discussing a movie, a movie about aliens."

Please, stop asking!

I kept praying in my heart.

However, it was obvious that at this critical moment, God had abandoned me, because Yao Shanshan's eyes still looked full of doubt. Her eyes swept across my chest, and I was so scared that I almost touched the lucky star inside reflexively. Fortunately, I restrained myself, but the muscles on my face were already tense to the extreme, and I could hardly maintain a dry smile.

"Actually..." Yao Shanshan did not continue to ask the previous question. She suddenly stretched out her voice and looked very frustrated. "Actually, I have always felt that the people in the study group look very special. I also wondered if they have other identities. What do you think, Bai Jie Ni?"

“Beep beep—”

The alert has been raised to level six.

I looked at Yao Shanshan's aggressive eyes and listened to her bewitching tone, and a chill rose from the soles of my feet.

I finally understood why she left me alone . It turned out that she really heard the conversation between me and Norn that day, but she certainly didn't hear it clearly, so she doubted Norn's identity. And now, she tried to get some information from me, wanting to know what the truth was.

"If you are really curious, you can ask the seniors in the study group. I know nothing." Knowing her purpose, I could no longer maintain the smile on my face, and even my voice became stiff.

I hate people who do things in a shady way the most. Does she think everyone else is a fool?

"It doesn't matter if you don't know. What do you think if I tell you that as long as you help me find out their identities, I will cancel all your previous disciplinary records?"

Yao Shanshan finally lost her patience and directly put forward her request.

“Beep, beep, beep—”

The alert has reached level nine.

The disgust and anger in my heart also rose to level nine.

Who does she think I am, Bai Jie Ni? Am I the kind of person who would sell out my friends for a little bit of profit? She even asked me to help her find out. I must be crazy to agree to such a despicable request.

"Senior." I suppressed my anger, but couldn't suppress the sarcasm in my tone, "I would never do such disgusting things that only rats in the gutter would do. Please forgive me for not being able to agree to you!"

After saying that, I stood up suddenly, ignoring Yao Shanshan's face which suddenly darkened, and walked outside.

"Bai Jie Ni! Don't be so complacent!"

Yao Shanshan roared behind her.

I snorted without even turning my head.

However, just before my hand touched the door handle and I was about to walk out, a sinister voice suddenly rang in my ears -

"Then don't blame me for being rude! Have you forgotten what the teacher said just now?"

With a "bang", the heavy door closed in front of me, and Yao Shanshan's eyes full of hatred flashed through the crack of the door.

"The school's history exhibition hall hasn't been cleaned for a long time. If it's not cleaned before noon, you can't get out. This is the teacher's requirement!"

“Crack—”

There was the familiar sound of the lock being locked again.

I really admire Yao Shanshan. Every time she punishes me, she makes me clean the place. Last time it was the medical laboratory, and this time it was the school history exhibition hall. Can she come up with some new tricks?

I stuck out my tongue at the door.

It's broad daylight now. Do you think I'll be as timid as last time?

How can it be!

I sneered disdainfully.

I'll just clean it. This time I'll show you how hardworking, brave, and versatile I am...ah...

Turning around , I was stunned by the dim scene in the room.

I forgot that it was a stormy day. This exhibition hall was on the first floor, and the damp air mixed with the light was like the eerie scene at the beginning of a horror movie. In addition, there were rows of dark cabinets standing there, and occasionally the doors of the cabinets that were not closed tightly made a light "click-click" sound, which sounded like the footsteps of hell approaching little by little. And the dim photos hanging on the wall seemed to have opened their bloody mouths, as if they would swallow me immediately if I moved.

So...so scary!

I shivered involuntarily, and my legs became weak.

"No, don't be afraid! Bai Jie Ni, these are all the predecessors of the Eli Academy, they won't do anything to you!"

While comforting myself, I reached out my hand with difficulty and tried to turn on the switch on the wall.

“Pah—”

The sound of a switch being pressed was heard, but the exhibition hall was still in darkness.

what happened?

I didn't hear there was a power outage today. Could it be that the light here is broken?

An ominous feeling came over me.

I took out my cell phone with trembling hands, trying to use the light from the phone to see where the switch was inside. But after taking two steps, I saw a huge portrait of a person looking at me with a weird smile.

"ah!"

The phone slipped from my hand, the battery fell out, and the only light disappeared.

I squatted on the ground, shivering, and fumbled for my cell phone. Just then, a flash of lightning flashed outside, instantly illuminating the entire room. Although it was only a blink of an eye, it was enough for me to see clearly the various photos densely hung on the walls around me. The people in the photos were all smiling at me. The rows of cabinets looked like gloomy cave entrances, emitting a terrifying atmosphere.

"thump--"

I couldn't hold on any longer and sat down on the ground.

This is even scarier than a medical laboratory! I don't want to stay here anymore!

I held the phone like crazy, found a number reflexively, and dialed it quickly.

"Hello!"

The cold voice from the other side made my eyes warm. I felt like I had found my backbone and cried out with sobs: "Noen! Come and save me! Woo woo... I'm in the school history exhibition hall. Yao Shanshan punished me to come here to clean it, but it's so scary here. The lights are broken. Woo woo... The door is locked and I can't get out."

I don’t know if Norn will come to save me, but when I was most helpless, the first person I thought of was him.

I held the phone in my hands as if I were grasping at a life-saving straw.

"You wait."

Without even a second's pause, he hung up the phone.

I put away my phone, hugged my knees and sat on the ground, not daring to move.

Norn will come, right? He will definitely come!

I closed my eyes and found that this was the only thought left in my mind.

As time passed, the sound of rain outside became louder and louder, as if it was going to drown the entire world.

The wind was blowing, and occasionally a strange sound came from the window, "click, click", as if someone was knocking on the window.

"Norne?"

I shouted loudly, but my voice was the only echo in the empty exhibition hall.

I was really stupid. Norn had the ability to use the Anywhere Door. Didn't he suddenly appear in the medical laboratory last time? It was still class time. Maybe he was trying to ask the teacher for leave and then find a place where no one was around to open the Anywhere Door. Maybe he would appear in front of me in the next second.

I kept comforting myself, and a long time passed, but Norn never showed up.

“Boom boom boom—”

There were strange noises in the corridor, as if someone was banging on the wall.

I was so scared that I couldn't help but call again.

“Beep—beep—beep—”

The sound of the phone being connected seemed to be right next to my ear.

"Hello!"

A panting voice came from the other end, followed by a curse that I didn't hear clearly, and a dull "bang" sound came from the wall behind me, as if someone kicked it.

"Norn?" I called out tentatively, and then pressed my other ear tightly against the wall. "Is that you? Are you outside?"

"No!" As soon as I finished speaking, Norn's rough voice came from the receiver. Then he suddenly slowed down his tone, took a deep breath, and asked awkwardly: "Are you... are you okay?"

"No, I..." I don't know why. Although Norn said he wasn't outside, I always felt that I was closer to him when I was leaning against the wall. His concerned tone made my voice choke. After a long time, I managed to control my emotions. "Anyway, come and save me quickly. I've been waiting for you!"

The breathing sound on the other end suddenly became heavier. Norn did not speak for a long time, and an awkward silence spread on both sides of the receiver.

"Noen?" I asked in a strange tone, "Where are you now? I heard the sound of rain on the phone. Are you nearby?"

"Bai Jie Ni..." Norn's voice sounded with difficulty, and it sounded like there was a strong nasal tone, mixed with a faint sigh, "I can't save you, you..."

"Why?" I asked in shock before he could finish. "Why couldn't you save me?"

It was as if my heart, which had been lifted high, was suddenly dropped to the ground. I held the phone tightly and even my breathing seemed to stop.

"I'm sorry!" Norn's voice sounded so sad and cruel.

After a heavy apology, the call was suddenly cut off.

"No, that won't happen, Norn, don't joke with me! The signal must be bad, right! That must be it, I'll just call again, call again!"

I stared at the phone for a long time, then shook my head as if waking up from a dream, and stubbornly dialed the number again.

“Beep—beep—beep—”

This time I was absolutely sure that the cell phone rang outside the exhibition hall, but no one answered it.

"Noen, are you kidding me? You're clearly outside! I heard your voice, I'm so scared, can you open the door?"

I shouted at the wall, but the sound of the phone being connected was still ringing and there was still silence outside the wall.

Why?

Why is this happening?

My voice began to choke, and I kept calling Norn's name, but got no response at all.

“Boom boom boom—”

The wall behind me seemed to be shaking, and the huge impact force made me dare not sit there anymore.

Is the wall about to collapse?

The ground was getting colder and colder, and I felt like my whole body was frozen. I struggled to get up, but accidentally touched the frame of the glasses above my head.

“Crash——”

The picture frame fell off the wall and shattered into pieces, and I felt a sudden pain in my left ankle, as if something sharp had pierced into it.

When I touched it with my hand, a hot and sticky liquid flowed out, and there was a faint smell of blood in the air.

"Ah! It's bleeding!"

My head suddenly felt dizzy.

Oh my god, I faint when I see blood!

Now I no longer cared whether Norn was joking with me or not, and I crawled towards the door as if I had fainted.

"Wuwu... Norn, come and save me!"

I cried out Norn's name, but it was still damn quiet around me, even the sounds outside the wall disappeared.

The silence in the darkness was like a whirlpool that sucked away all my rationality and strength. I finally collapsed completely. The unprecedented panic and helplessness made me tightly grasp the lucky star in my chest: "Woo woo... Lucky star, you are the only one I have now, who can save me?"

“Crash——”

The sound of the door being slammed open came into my ears like the sound of nature, and a godly figure appeared in front of me.

"Norn!"

Are you here to rescue me?

I reached out, wanting to hold him tightly.

But, the next second——

"Oh my God! Bai Jie Ni, what happened to you? Are you hurt? Don't move, I'll carry you out!"

The figure rushed over anxiously and held me in his arms with a pair of strong arms.

But I was not happy at all. The heat that had just gathered suddenly dissipated, and my heart felt like it was exposed to the wind and rain outside. I was so devastated that I couldn't speak.

Because, this is not Norn, but——

Aikeqi!

How could it be him?

My heart kept falling, as if there was a hole in it, and the cold wind outside was blowing in.

"Aikeqi, how did you know I was here?"

"Noen asked me to save you!"

"where is he?"

"Just outside the door - huh? Why is it gone?"

…

The corridor was empty, without a single person in sight.

I heard the sound of something breaking in my heart.

Norn, you have always been the hero I have been waiting for!