043 Visiting the Haunted House
Some people like parties because they can have a blast with friends and blow off steam; some like parties because they have the chance to meet someone special, fall in love at first sight, and flirt to their heart's content; and still others like parties because they can let loose without restraint.
Richard couldn't say he liked parties, nor could he say he hated them; in his eyes, a party was simply a place where he could enjoy free food.
In the buffet area, three figures—one guy and two girls—remained by the dining table for a long time, unwilling to leave even if they had to stand.
"Cheers." Richard picked up his juice and raised his glass, and Robin and Barbara also raised theirs to clink them together.
"If it weren't for you guys, I might not have had the guts to come to a place like this." Barbara's eyelashes fluttered as she looked at Richard with bright eyes.
Richard smiled and said, "If there's another chance, let's hang out again. Besides, if you just like enjoying good food, there should be better places than parties. We can plan a proper dinner."
"Mm-hmm." Barbara nodded. After finishing a plate of pasta and a slice of pizza, she somewhat shyly set down her plate.
"Why aren't you eating more?" Robin asked curiously.
Barbara's eyes flickered toward Richard, and she said without much confidence, "Recently... I've recently started trying to lose weight."
"When did you decide that?" Richard asked with a curious smile.
"Um... the day before yesterday."
"In that case, one day won't hurt. Just start tomorrow." Richard served her another slice of pizza and said with a laugh, "Besides, do you see any nutritional labels on this food? No label means zero calories."
Barbara picked up her plate and took the pizza, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Richard, you're just lying to yourself."
"While weight loss requires attention to diet, it doesn't mean you should starve yourself. You need to eat enough to support your daily activities. Beyond that, you have to learn to exercise regularly. If you're willing, I can teach you some effective fitness routines. We'll start with basic cardio and strength training."
Richard spoke with great conviction, and Barbara listened in a daze, her round face filled with genuine happiness.
Robin watched silently from the side, maintaining a forced smile, though a complex sense of melancholy lingered in her expression.
At the party, Jonathan, who had dressed up a bit, was approached by a girl from the same school. It had to be said that this somewhat quiet, reserved guy actually had quite a following. Coupled with the fact that he rarely appeared at his peers' parties, he seemed somewhat mysterious to girls who didn't know him well.
Mystery is always one of the most irresistible qualities.
Everyone was having a good time at the party. The couple, Nancy and Steve, were also quite affectionate, but perhaps having experienced the events with the monsters from The Upside Down, they now viewed their relationship with more maturity and clarity.
Nancy had moved past her infatuation phase, regaining her sense from the rush of hormones, and Steve had learned restraint. He now understood that he truly loved this independent and strong girl and didn't want to treat her like the girls he had dated before; it definitely wasn't just for fun anymore.
The party lasted until late at night. Steve was responsible for taking Nancy and her best friend Barbara home, while Richard had to take a tipsy Robin home. For some reason, this good buddy of his had started drinking during the latter half of the party; he had thought she hated drinking.
Halfway through the ride, Robin, who was leaning half her body against Richard's back, woke up. Feeling the warmth of the jacket on her shoulders, smelling the unique clean scent on Richard, and feeling the cold wind, Robin sobered up significantly in an instant. She asked, "Where am I?"
"You're awake?" Richard asked with a smile without turning his head.
Robin subconsciously hugged Richard's waist as naturally as she had in the past, then stiffly let go. "Is it over already?"
"Don't tell me you still want to drink. Be careful not to end up like that last hangover; even with hangover remedies, there's no guarantee you won't feel miserable all day."
Robin listened quietly, then suddenly said, "Take me home."
"Since when did you become so formal with me?" Richard looked back at her with some surprise, but he still made a turn and headed toward Robin's house.
There was silence all the way. Finally, Robin reached her doorstep and got off the bike.
As soon as she got off, her feet were still a bit unsteady, clearly still feeling the effects of the alcohol.
At that moment, a sudden question from Richard almost made her trip. "Can I take it that you're upset?"
"Wh... what?" Robin took a step back.
"I'm sorry that it's sometimes hard to take your feelings into account. You were a bit bothered by what I said to Barbara tonight, weren't you?" Under the night sky, Richard's dark eyes were like a reflection of moonlight on water—bright and clear. His calm, gentle tone always managed to stir up powerful emotions.
The sound of Robin swallowing was as clear as the chirping of crickets in the deep night. She stammered, "Why... do you think I'm jealous?!"
"I didn't say anything, but you thought of that word first. You really are bothered."
"That's bullshit!" Robin ducked her head and immediately turned to walk away, shouting loudly, "I'm not! Don't talk nonsense! Between us, at most, it's purely platonic!"
Watching the figure stumbling into the house, Richard stood in place until the light in her bedroom turned on. Only then did he shake his head and ride away, muttering softly, "Before leaving, you should have returned my jacket first... my good buddy."
...The next day, Richard brought his fully packed backpack to the old Creel House. Bug spray, dust mask, flashlight, hammer, small oil can, lighter, machete, collapsible baton... everything was there.
Before even entering the house, Richard felt as if an inescapable cloud of gloom shrouded this oppressive old residence. There were no other houses within a hundred yards; it stood like a lonely grave in a wilderness surrounded by trees.
Opposite the old house was a road, and across the road was a vast empty lot. That small area also belonged to the Creel family's property—a small playground Victor Creel had built for his children. It had remained there for over twenty years.
"What a terrible design." Richard was really bothered by this layout, unable to understand why a playground for children would be built across a busy road. Wasn't that dangerous?
Richard walked into the old Creel House, using his flashlight to illuminate the abandoned mansion, exploring through the dust-filled air and the cobwebs in the ceiling corners.
"The house is really big. If I had been the first to move in here, I would have lived pretty comfortably. Now it's been turned into a haunted house." Richard thought to himself as he wandered around, "Maybe after everything is over and I've made some money, I can buy this place?"
Others might fear a haunted house, but Richard wasn't afraid.
Even if he were, Richard could bring over the house-protection expert Eleven to stay for a few days. By then, even if there were any demons or ghosts, they would have long been easily killed or driven out by Eleven.
Zzz-zzz-zzz—
Just as Richard was thinking about some currently impractical things, he froze in his tracks, staring intently at the flashlight that was flickering constantly.
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