"These people..." The older janitor smiled and shook his head. He instructed the younger janitor to take a pair of pliers from his tool bag, and the two of them slowly began to remove the wooden planks.
The planks had been nailed there for some time, and many of the nails had rusted and stuck to the wood, making it difficult for the two janitors to remove them. They pounded the planks with a resounding "dong dong" sound that echoed throughout the fourth girls' building, a piercing sound.
Soon, the girls from several nearby dormitories were startled by the noise and gathered around.
"What are you doing?"
"You're trying to open the door to Dormitory 441?"
"Stop! You're not allowed to open this iron gate."
"That's right. No one can open this iron gate without our permission!"
"Let's unite and protest this inhumane school practice."
As the girls spoke, their emotions grew intense. The braver ones even grabbed the hands of the two janitors, trying to wrestle the tools from their hands.
The younger janitor, clearly new to such a situation, was embarrassed and blushed, daring not to use force. The girls easily snatched the tools from his hands. The older janitor chuckled, put his tools away, and took out a cigarette, puffing away contentedly.
"Don't be like that! If you have any problems, go report them to the head of the logistics department. We have no choice. We're paid to do what they tell us to do, so we have to do it. Don't ruin our jobs," the young janitor said with a bitter face.
No one listened. He was too young to understand how difficult it was to convince girls, let alone so many of them who all agreed.
The older janitor, unfazed, waved his hand, signaling the younger one to stop arguing. He narrowed his eyes and chuckled, looking confident.
Fang Yuan stood in the crowd, speechless, unsure of what to do. A faint worry lingered in her heart. If she didn't hurry and finish the dorm before dark, her own accommodation would be in jeopardy. The girls grew increasingly furious, their tempers boiling, and they incited one another. The issue of Dormitory 441 was being escalated to a far greater level, with Nanjiang Medical College's use of the room deemed a shameful crime that harmed students' physical and mental health, prioritizing economic gain over their safety. It felt like they were about to march to the principal's office for a demonstration.
At this moment, a shrill, piercing soprano voice erupted among the girls like a bolt from the blue: "What are you arguing about? If you're timid, don't come to Nanjiang Medical College! If you're not convinced, drop out. What are you babbling about here? Get out of here!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, a woman who looked to be in her forties or fifties emerged from the stairs. Her face was filled with deep and shallow wrinkles, like a dried-out peach pit. Her sinister eyes, like a venomous snake with its tongue lolling, were cold and vicious as she swept over each of the girls present. A chill ran down the spines of those who caught her gaze, and one of them shuddered.
The elderly janitor seemed to have anticipated this situation. He put out his cigarette and chuckled at the woman, "Sister Zhang, you're here! I knew you'd come. If you hadn't, these little girls would have annoyed my old bones."
Sister Zhang was the administrator of the girls' dormitory, a stern, withdrawn old woman. Furthermore, she could only be called Sister Zhang, not Aunt Zhang—because she had never been married.
Sister Zhang's arrival silenced the girls' conversation. No one dared to speak further, and no one wanted to meet Sister Zhang's cold gaze. It was said that Sister Zhang was not to be offended, otherwise, she would have plenty of ways to make you regret it during your next four years of boarding school.
The two janitors continued to remove the wooden planks. After a series of crackling sounds, the boards were removed, revealing a light green iron door.
Sister Zhang fished out the key to dormitory 441 and tried repeatedly, but to no avail. "This door is weird... I just can't believe it won't open..." Sister Zhang's forehead was covered with beads of sweat.
"Did you get the wrong key?"
"Impossible! I'm incredibly familiar with these keys. There's no way I'd get it wrong."
"Or is there rust in the keyhole?"
The younger janitor found some motor oil, poured it in, and finally got the door open.
The iron door creaked open, a strong smell of decay filling the air, and everyone dispersed.
The janitor and Fang Yuan entered dormitory 441. It looked just like any other girls' dormitory. Desks were lined up in the hall. The bedroom had eight beds on two tiers, each with a nightstand. On the balcony, a withered bamboo pole was propped up, with empty clothes hangers dangling from it. Then there was the bathroom with a row of four faucets and two bathrooms.
Everything seemed ordinary. Dorm 441 was now just a bit dustier, a heavy atmosphere that seemed to weigh on people, making them feel depressed and uncomfortable. Fang Yuan walked around Dorm 441 and then returned to the hall, but she found nothing unusual.
But when she stood in the hall again, she had a strange feeling, as if something was watching her. She froze. The girls were all outside the dormitory door, not entering. Sister Zhang went back to her work. Two janitors were cleaning in front of her. Dorm 441 should be empty, but the feeling of being watched was so distinct that it made her back itch.
She was certain that there were eyes watching her from behind. Women's intuition is usually sharp, and she trusted her instincts.
Fang Yuan turned around and saw nothing.
Another illusion?
For some reason, Fang Yuan's heart suddenly felt heavy. She had experienced two illusions in just over ten minutes. Could this be just a coincidence?
She sighed, feeling a little tired, and sat down with a newspaper under her. She hadn't rested since getting off the train.
The feeling of being watched returned, right there nearby!
Fang Yuan looked up and saw a pair of strange pupils—they were a cat's.
It was a pitch-black wild cat, its tail tucked in, crouching in the wall of dormitory 441, staring at her darkly.
A shudder washed over Fang Yuan, and she shivered, staring blankly at those cat-like eyes. Of all animals, a cat's eyes are the most mysterious. You can see emotions like fear, excitement, and anger in other animals' eyes, but in a cat's, none of these emotions are palpable. Instead, there's a mysterious and strange color, clear and transparent, faintly shimmering with an enchanting light that's captivating.
The doors and windows were clearly closed. Where had the black cat gotten in? Had it been locked up in dormitory 441 for a year?
"Meow!" The black cat, as if sensing some uneasiness, suddenly leaped up and vanished in a flash.
As the black cat's strange cry blew, a cold wind blew from nowhere, chilling Fang Yuan to the bone. At the same moment, she heard a "thump," followed by the nervous voice of a young janitor: "Master, what's wrong with you?"
Turning around, Fang Yuan saw the elderly janitor collapsed to the ground, trembling all over, his mouth quivering, unable to speak.