The surveillance footage showed that when we were going down the stairs, there was indeed a large crowd behind us. However, due to the number of people, it was impossible to recognize. But I did clearly see a hand reaching out from the crowd.
I was right; someone did push me.
"Didn't you still have your phone in your hand when you were going downstairs? Did you forget it in other places?" the guard asked.
"Sorry, I might have made a mistake. I'll go back and look for it again." With that, Amelia pulled me out of the security room.
Standing on the busy street, Amelia and I exchanged a glance, and a chill ran down my spine.
"Be careful these days. Given that person has acted once, they are bound to strike again," Amelia warned in a deep voice.
I couldn't help but pull a long face, feeling utterly helpless due to my entanglement in some kind of trouble.
In the afternoon PE class, Amelia and I signed up for different activities, so we separated for the afternoon.
I was standing in the aerobics line when I suddenly heard someone shout, "Watch out!"
Before I could react, a ball hit the back of my head.
What happened afterward remained unknown to me, as I fainted on the spot. It felt as though I were in a dream, for I seemed to catch a glimpse of the long-deceased Sophia.
She was staring at me with a malevolent gaze, her face tinged with a ghastly blue-purple hue, and her bleeding eyes ablaze with overwhelming hatred. "I will never forgive you. Even in death, I will drag you to hell with me," she hissed.
I was so terrified by her appearance that my limbs went weak, but no matter what, I couldn't escape. "It wasn't me who killed you. Why are you seeking revenge on me?"
I felt truly innocent.
Sophia remained silent, her gaze malevolent as she slowly floated towards me, extending her fingers to grip my throat. I felt myself on the brink of suffocation, struggling to breathe. The sensation was so disturbingly real that I awoke from the dream instantly.
Then I found myself in a pitch-black place, with no light around. I wondered whether I was really in hell. Just as I was about to cry, the world suddenly lit up.
Howard was holding a blanket, looking at me with a cold gaze.
Seeing him, I sat up and hugged him tightly. "Howard, thank goodness you're here. I thought I was going to die here."
At that moment, I thought he was my savior, my guardian angel.
Seeing me crying with snot and tears, Howard seemed a bit disgusted but didn't push me away. "It's just a ghost. Look how scared you are."
I raised my head in confusion, sniffing. "How did you know it was Sophia? She almost strangled me to death in the dream."
Feeling sorry for my pitiful state, Howard sat beside me and pulled me into his arms. "There was no Sophia. It was just a dream. But if I hadn't come, you might have been killed by the ghost."
Seeing my confusion, Howard explained, "Hospitals have the heaviest Yin energy because many people have died here, so it's no surprise there are some restless ghosts around. Since you have made a deal with me now, you'll also attract a lot of those ghosts."
Hearing this, I was on the verge of tears. "What should I do then?"
It seemed that I was bound to Howard for life. Given my fragile state, I would surely die without him.
"So remember to call my name when you're in danger, and I'll come to save you." He gently touched the tattoo on my chest.
I nodded, then shook my head. "Wait, why weren't you here just now? What if you're not here next time?"
I didn't know how to summon him. The feeling of putting my life in someone else's hands was really unsettling.
"As long as you call me, I'll come." His words reassured me a lot.
I grabbed his sleeve. "Howard, don't leave me. I can't live without you."
My words seemed to please him, and he smiled.
Thinking about the strange things that happened at school, I said pitifully, "So the things I encountered at school were also..."
It didn't make sense. There were so many students at school, so the Yang energy should be the strongest.
He awkwardly scratched his nose. "Well, I wasn't there, so I don't know what happened."
I quickly told him what happened at school.
He seemed unsure and said after a moment of contemplation, "I'll go to school with you tomorrow to check it out."
"Then I don't want to stay in the hospital tonight." I wanted to go back to the dormitory.
"Then I'll take you somewhere." He said.
Knowing he wouldn't harm me, I agreed without hesitation.
Dragging my sick body, I followed Howard's instructions and took a taxi to a high-end residential area.
Opening the door and seeing the brand-new furniture inside, I looked at Howard in confusion. "Whose house is it?"
"It is our new home." Howard pulled me inside.
The place was a spacious three-bedroom, two-living room setup, beautifully decorated in a creamy European style. There were cute little knick-knacks everywhere. Honestly, it didn’t look like a guy had decorated it.
Whenever we had some alone time, Howard clung to me like a ghost wanting to absorb Yang Energy on me.
I was held in his arms, frowning at everything in the house, while he lowered his head and sniffed my neck.
Feeling ticklish, I pushed him away. "Wait, how did you get this house?"
Seemingly unhappy with my rejection, Howard glared at me. This resentful look was nothing like the cold and gloomy demeanor he had when we first met. "I have my ways. You don't need to worry."
I was just afraid he got it through improper means. If the police came looking for me, it would be troublesome.
"There's no one here tonight." He deliberately leaned close, his warm breath on my cheek.
I understood his hint, and my face turned red. "I'm still a patient."
Because of my first time, I was still pretty shaken up about having sex and didn't want to go through it again. I guess I was just meant for pure romance. Even when I saw Howard's handsome face, I just didn't have the guts to take it any further.
Howard fixed his blue eyes on me. Just when I thought he was angry, he suddenly smiled.