Chapter Thirty-Eight: As Expected, There’s Something Wrong with Her!

The fierce wind rushed against them, and amid the roar of the engine, the motorcycle sped down the road. Cheng Feng’s driving was anything but slow. Throughout the ride, neither of them spoke, and a certain silence settled over them.

Once she grew accustomed to Cheng Feng’s breakneck speed, Xia Qingyao finally loosened her grip from his back and, feeling a bit awkward, scooted further back on the seat to put some distance between them.

Losing the warmth pressed against him, Cheng Feng didn’t seem to mind. He turned his head slightly and grinned, “Class leader, how come I never noticed before how well you’ve developed?”

Xia Qingyao’s cheeks flushed as she shot him a fierce look. “What are you talking about?”

“I just mean, with such a great figure, whoever marries you in the future will be incredibly lucky.”

“Stop joking around.”

“Alright, alright. By the way…” Having succeeded in lightening the mood, Cheng Feng changed the subject. “Class leader, you’ve known Lin Xiaoqin for about three years now, right?”

“What kind of question is that? We’ve been in high school for almost three years—of course I’ve known her that long.”

“And in all that time, have you ever noticed anything strange about Lin Xiaoqin?”

Xia Qingyao blinked. “What do you mean?”

Cheng Feng ventured boldly, “Like, maybe she looks quiet and bookish, but deep down she’s actually the opposite—a violent maniac or something?”

“Don’t say ridiculous things.” Xia Qingyao sounded a bit angry. “You’re the one who’s violent. How can you be so suspicious of a girl?”

Suddenly, Cheng Feng hit the brakes.

Caught off guard, Xia Qingyao let out a small cry and bumped against his back once more.

“Cheng Feng, you—”

“What’s wrong? We’re at her place.”

Lin Xiaoqin lived in Clear Water Community. Cheng Feng already knew which building and unit—he’d taken her home once before.

Paying no mind to Xia Qingyao’s annoyed glance from the back seat, he drove the motorcycle into the community’s parking shed, locked it up, and led her upstairs.

They entered the elevator and pressed the button for the sixth floor. The elevator was faster than expected; the floor display flickered rapidly, and before long, they arrived.

Stepping out, they approached a door. Xia Qingyao gently pressed the doorbell. “Lin Xiaoqin, it’s us. Please open the door.”

Cheng Feng stood beside her, waiting in silence.

Quietly, he activated his vampiric sense of smell, testing to see if there was any unusual scent within the apartment. Thankfully, he detected nothing out of the ordinary—no blood, no trace of monsters, everything seemed normal.

It seemed last night’s “Black Noise” was nothing more than a prankster, and the place was safe. Cheng Feng reassured himself with this thought, letting his guard down just a little.

If possible, he truly hoped Lin Xiaoqin was just an ordinary girl.

In a short while, there was a click, and the security door opened a crack. Lin Xiaoqin, dressed in home clothes, peeked out, then quickly opened the door fully when she saw them. “Class leader, Cheng Feng, come in and sit.”

She took the class leader’s hand and led her inside. Cheng Feng changed into slippers and followed.

Xia Qingyao noticed Lin Xiaoqin’s face looked haggard, as if she hadn’t slept for three days and nights; her dark circles were quite obvious.

Feeling a pang of sympathy, she asked with concern, “Xiaoqin, how’s your illness? Are you feeling better?”

Lin Xiaoqin lowered her head slightly, as if trying to hide her face. But soon, wanting to reassure the class leader, she looked up and forced a smile. “I’m much better now, really. It was just a bit of a fever—I’ve already taken medicine.”

Cheng Feng glanced around. The apartment was well-arranged with good lighting, but curiously, there was no sign of anyone else. “Are your family all out?”

“Mm… yes.” Lin Xiaoqin twirled a strand of hair by her ear, a bit self-conscious. “They have to work, you know—to support the family.”

In the living room, Lin Xiaoqin wanted to boil water and make tea, but Xia Qingyao stopped her, insisting that since she was sick, she shouldn’t exert herself.

The two girls sat chatting on the sofa, while Cheng Feng didn’t join them. Instead, he wandered into the kitchen alone.

From the moment he entered, Cheng Feng’s gaze swept every corner, searching for anything suspicious.

Fortunately, he found nothing amiss.

But the words from Black Noise’s message last night flashed through his mind: “I’ve seen her happily dismember someone and put the pieces in the fridge for cooking.”

Walking around the kitchen, he finally fixed his gaze on the refrigerator. From the bottom of the fridge, a trickle of bright red liquid was seeping out.

Blood!

Cheng Feng’s heart sank. Narrowing his eyes, he stepped over and slowly opened the fridge, bracing himself for the possibility of discovering human remains inside.

But there was nothing unusual—just regular food. The red liquid was only blood from some raw chicken.

He exhaled in relief and shut the refrigerator door.

Now, Lin Xiaoqin could be considered completely innocent—not only was there no trace of monsters, but everything at home was perfectly normal.

“What are you sneaking around for?”

The class leader’s voice startled him, and Cheng Feng turned to see Xia Qingyao. “Weren’t you in the living room with Lin Xiaoqin? Why come to the kitchen?”

“It’s already eleven. Since Xiaoqin’s family won’t be home for lunch, I thought I’d get some ingredients and cook for the three of us.”

She tied on the apron hanging in the kitchen, fastening a big bow that accentuated her slim waist. The black fabric was light and airy, giving her a fresh, cool look, with little cat paw prints decorating the front.

Leaving the class leader to cook, Cheng Feng returned to the living room and found Lin Xiaoqin sitting restlessly on the sofa, her fingers twisted together.

“Lin Xiaoqin, is something on your mind?”

He sat beside her, studying her haggard, uneasy expression. “You don’t look like someone who’s just sick—you look like you haven’t slept well in days.”

Lin Xiaoqin averted her gaze, unable to meet his eyes, and replied anxiously, “Cheng Feng, I can’t sleep. If I do… I have nightmares.”

“Nightmares?” Cheng Feng frowned. “What kind of nightmares? Can you tell me?”

“Don’t laugh at me, Cheng Feng, but lately I keep dreaming I’ve killed someone… It feels so real.”

She spoke with a tremble in her voice, fear evident in her eyes. “So real that I wonder if it’s not a dream at all… I’m afraid I’ve been sleepwalking… That these nightmares aren’t just dreams, but that I really killed someone.”

She looked at him, tears brimming in her eyes, and clutched his hands. “Cheng Feng, I’m so scared… I’m scared it’s all real.”

“It’s alright. What are you letting your imagination run wild for? Having nightmares when you’re sick is perfectly normal.”

He offered her a gentle smile, doing his best to comfort her. His warmth seemed to calm her, and bit by bit, Lin Xiaoqin’s anxiety eased.

But in his mind, Cheng Feng was certain—something was definitely wrong with her!