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In the elevator!
[Ding Dong!]
[Hot Noodles has requested to add you as a friend.]
Looking at the WeChat message on her phone, Fang Xiaocao subconsciously chose to agree.
Fang Xiaocao raised an eyebrow and muttered, "Other than me, someone else likes to use such a bizarre screen name."
That had been Fang Xiaocao's QQ name back in middle school, Hot Noodles.
Fang Xiaocao stepped out of the elevator, searching for her keys as she walked towards her apartment door.
[Ding Dong!]
[Your friend sent you a message.]
Just as she unlocked the door, her phone rang.
Taking out her phone, Fang Xiaocao saw that it was a WeChat message.
"Could it be that my salary is paid?" she wondered.
Muttering to herself, Fang Xiaocao opened WeChat.
[Hot Noodles: Danger, do not come home tonight.]
Looking at the WeChat message, Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and cursed, "Are you crazy?" and casually opened the door.
She kicked off her high heels and slipped into her house slippers.
Fang Xiaocao threw herself onto the sofa.
"I'm exhausted. Who on earth invented high heels? They're so tiring," she complained.
Sitting on the sofa pressing her sore feet, Fang Xiaocao continued to grumble.
Fang Xiaocao, a freshman at the School of Arts, usually worked part-time jobs to earn some pocket money.
For convenience, she had rented a small one-bedroom apartment near her work.
She had just accepted a job as a receptionist for a hotel opening and had finished her shift, now that the National Day holiday had started.
[Ding Dong!]
The phone screen lit up!
[Your friend sent you a message.]
Fang Xiaocao glanced at her phone, another WeChat message.
Picking up the phone from the sofa, she opened WeChat.
[Hot Noodles: At midnight 12 o'clock, when you hear knocking, if you don't want to die, don't turn on the lights and keep quiet!]
"Are you deranged?"
Seeing another nonsensical prank message from this person, Fang Xiaocao got angry and immediately made a video call back.
[Contact does not exist!]
The video call went through only to return this system prompt.
Fang Xiaocao furrowed her brows, guessing that the other party had set some sort of restriction, so she spoke into the voice input:
"Are you a bit loony? Is it microcephaly or just lack of love that you're seeking attention here at my expense with such low-grade pranks?"
[Contact does not exist!]
"Huh?"
Looking at her phone, Fang Xiaocao was stunned.
Trying to block the other person, she found that she was unable to use any functions other than the chat box, not even delete the friend.
"Could my phone have been hacked?"
"I didn't click any weird links, did I?"
Fang Xiaocao fell into self-doubt.
After some struggle and a headache, Fang Xiaocao gave up.
She was just too tired today and all she wanted was to sleep.
After taking a bath, Fang Xiaocao crawled into bed and fell into a deep sleep.
...
"Knock, knock, knock~"
In the silent midnight, rhythmic knocking sounds woke up the sleeping Fang Xiaocao.
The echoing "knock, knock" teased at her fragile nerves.
Awoken grumpy, Fang Xiaocao sat up irritably muttering, "Are they insane?"
She reached for the switch of the bedside lamp.
Suddenly...
Fang Xiaocao's hand shook as the image of that eerie friend from WeChat flashed through her mind.
Instinctively, she picked up her phone to check the time.
Midnight: 00:00:00
A shiver ran through Fang Xiaocao, and a sense of fear emerged within her.
With trembling hands, she opened WeChat.
Messages in the chat interface came into view...
```
Just like the scene before me, it's exactly the same!
Fang Xiaocao instinctively wrapped herself tighter in the small quilt, daring not to move a muscle, straining her ears to listen for any noises outside the door.
The house Fang Xiaocao rented was in an old neighborhood, and the soundproofing wasn't good.
Then, Fang Xiaocao let out a sigh of relief.
It was the neighbor's door that had been knocked on.
"Click!"
The sound of the door lock turning was followed by the creaking of the door opening. Fang Xiaocao's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively clenched her small fists.
At this moment, an inexplicable WeChat message surfaced in Fang Xiaocao's mind.
She wanted to warn her neighbor of the danger, but fear kept her eyes wide open like copper bells, terror written all over her face. She instinctively covered her mouth with her hand, stifling the impulse to scream.
"Who are you?"
"It's the middle of the night, don't you know you're disturbing the peace?"
From the hallway came the impatient shouts of her neighbor.
"Phew~"
Fang Xiaocao subconsciously let out another sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness, thank goodness, there was no violent break-in."
Fang Xiaocao patted her chest, comforting her frightened heart.
Just a moment ago, Fang Xiaocao had been so nervous she could hardly breathe.
"Ah~"
"What are you doing~"
Suddenly, the neighbor's screams pierced into her ears.
Fang Xiaocao's nerves, which had just relaxed, instantly tensed up again.
Cold sweat poured down, leaving her face ashen.
Fang Xiaocao's emotions changed in an instant.
Nervous, terrified, uneasy!
Her body began to shake uncontrollably!
Fearing she would scream out loud, Fang Xiaocao bit hard into the small quilt.
"Ah~"
"Mmm..."
The neighbor's screams cut off abruptly.
The sounds of a heavy object falling, dragging friction, a man's panting, and the pungent scent of blood mixed into a terrifying background score, continuously assaulting Fang Xiaocao's eardrums, teasing her sensitive nerves.
Fang Xiaocao subconsciously covered her ears, burrowing completely under the covers, as extreme fear caused tears to uncontrollably slide down, soaking the quilt.
Reason told her she should call the police!
But fear made her afraid to make the slightest sound!
She didn't dare gamble that the steadfast wooden door could hold off a furious murderer's onslaught until the police arrived.
Eventually, fear overcame reason, and the instinct to survive made her choose to be an ostrich.
The noises outside ceased, and the "thud, thud, thud" of knocking began again.
"This time, it's my own door!"
Fang Xiaocao's body shivered, she bit the quilt tightly, refusing to let herself scream out loud.
"Is there nobody home?"
A man's deep voice came through, unsettling.
Footsteps sounded, growing distant as if someone was heading downstairs.
Fang Xiaocao wanted to go out and check, but extreme terror sapped her strength.
Worn down by fear, unease, and exhaustion, Fang Xiaocao's awareness began to blur.
She didn't know how much time had passed when she was jolted awake by the noisy sounds outside and the intense knocking at the door.
She glanced at the time, it was 06:35 in the morning.
Day had broken!
Fang Xiaocao subconsciously let out a sigh of relief.
"Open up, police!"
The intense knocking continued.
Upon hearing the word "police," Fang Xiaocao's eyes lit up. She scrambled out of bed, barefoot, and ran to the living room.
Fang Xiaocao leaned on the door, peeking through the peephole to make sure they were the police before tremblingly opening the door.
"Good morning, ma'am, Criminal Investigation Team, Wang Qiang."
"There are a few things we need to ask you about!"
Wang Qiang took out his badge to identify himself.
"How is the neighbor... how is she?"
Fang Xiaocao asked with a trembling voice.
Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang frowned, signaling his colleague with a look and inquired, "What happened last night?"
```
Fang Xiaocao had told Li Qiang everything that had happened last night, but subconsciously hid the existence of a strange friend in WeChat who had predicted the murder.
"Ms. Fang," he said, "based on your description, we cannot rule out that the killer might target you again, so we suggest you change your residence temporarily."
"Also, please do not leave this city for the time being, and notify me immediately if anything happens."
Wang Qiang advised patiently.
Fang Xiaocao nodded repeatedly, indicating she understood.
Upon leaving the police station, Fang Xiaocao didn't even dare to go back to her rented room but went straight to a hotel closest to the police station and checked in.
Last night's experience had totally shocked Fang Xiaocao.
She couldn't bear to return to that building filled with the smell of blood.
Lying on the hotel bed and recalling the events of last night, Fang Xiaocao's body still couldn't stop trembling.
The deep voice of that man and the horrified screams of her neighbor seemed to echo in her ears, refusing to fade away.
[Ding-dong!]
[Your friend has sent a message.]
The notification tone of her cell phone went off, indicating a WeChat message.
Fang Xiaocao eagerly picked up her phone and opened WeChat, having a premonition it was that eerie person's message.
[Hot Noodles: To celebrate our survival, go to the flea market before 3 p.m., stall number 7, buy the inkstone on the left, third row, seventh item, the owner's psychological price is 80, the inkstone's value is 8 million.]
"Who exactly are you?"
Fang Xiaocao couldn't wait and asked using voice message.
Her voice trembled due to nervousness.
Message sent successfully!
Fang Xiaocao held her phone tightly, her eyes glued to the screen.
[Hot Noodles: I am you, you are me, I come from the future.]
Upon reading the message, Fang Xiaocao was stunned.
Soon after, anger crept over her face.
"Are you playing with me?"
"Such a clumsy excuse, even a child wouldn't be fooled!"
Fang Xiaocao questioned angrily.
[Hot Noodles: Don't believe it? Remember the love letter you wrote to your Chinese teacher in your second year of high school?]
[Hot Noodles: Want me to read it to you?]
Fang Xiaocao froze, her eyes wide like copper bells, her angry expression replaced by disbelief.
"How would she know?"
"Could it really be me from the future?"
Fang Xiaocao sat on the bed, muttering to herself.
In high school, she had a secret crush on her Chinese teacher, a secret she had never shared with anyone.
And that love letter was burned by Fang Xiaocao the day after it was written, upon discovering her teacher had a girlfriend.
Apart from herself, Fang Xiaocao really couldn't think of anyone else who would know this secret.
Looking at the chat interface, Fang Xiaocao spaced out intermittently.
After a full morning of mental struggle, Fang Xiaocao mustered her courage and left the hotel.
Her toiletries and personal clothes were still in the rental room, and she had not brought them out. Rather than returning to that fearful place, Fang Xiaocao preferred to spend money to buy a new set.
Aimlessly walking on the street, Fang Xiaocao ended up at the flea market as if led by some mysterious force.
Looking at the bustling flea market, Fang Xiaocao bit her lip and decided to verify the authenticity of the message.
Walking through the flea market, Fang Xiaocao looked around, searching for stall number 7 mentioned in the message.
Fang Xiaocao felt conflicted.
When she arrived in front of stall 7 and saw a variety of goods for sale, she anxiously searched through the air for the inkstone mentioned in the message.
1, 2, 3...
When Fang Xiaocao followed the directions and reached the third row on the left, counting to 7, she was stunned.
An inkstone!
On the left, third row, the seventh item...
It really was an inkstone!
Fang Xiaocao moved closer, squatting in front of the stall.
The stall owner was a skinny old man with a sharp face.
His eyes were shifty, exuding craftiness.
As Fang Xiaocao crouched in front of the stall, her eyes suddenly lit up. She looked at Fang Xiaocao's clear but foolish eyes, which sparkled with greed.
The shrewd stall owner loved doing business with college students who were easy to deceive; a little sweet talk, and the money would obediently come out.
"Boss, how much for this?"
Fang Xiaocao casually picked up the inkstone and asked.
"One hundred thousand!"
The owner stretched out five fingers yet quoted a high price of one hundred thousand.
Fang Xiaocao put down the inkstone and got up to leave.
"Do I really look like Pei Qi? Thinking I'm a pig to be slaughtered, the message already said, my psychological price is 80 yuan."
Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself.
"Hey, hey, hey, young lady, don't go!"
Seeing Fang Xiaocao about to leave, the stall owner quickly called out.
Fang Xiaocao stopped in her tracks and looked at the stall owner.
"Was there something else?"
The stall owner smiled sleazily, making a gesture as if he were wringing his hands like a fly, and chuckled, "Ask for the sky, settle for the earth, you think the price is high, you can bargain."
Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao raised her eyebrows and laughed.
"Then shall I bargain?"
Fang Xiaocao asked with a smiling face.
"Ah, that's more like it."
A flower of a smile bloomed on the stall owner's face.
"One yuan!"
Fang Xiaocao stretched out five fingers and laughed.
The stall owner's expression instantly fell.
"Just kidding, will you sell it for one hundred?"
Fang Xiaocao laughed.
"Deal!"
The stall owner agreed without hesitation.
"That's too much..."
Fang Xiaocao mumbled, scanned to pay, picked up the inkstone, and left.
Right at the exit of the old goods market, there was an antique shop.
Fang Xiaocao couldn't wait to verify the value of the inkstone!
After visiting several antique shops, she finally saw a sign on one that advertised "Antique Appraisal and Purchase", and she eagerly walked in.
"Hello, welcome."
Just as she entered the shop, a sunny and cheerful uncle greeted her with a smile.
"Ma'am, are you buying or selling?"
The uncle asked with a smile.
"Please take a look at this inkstone!"
Fang Xiaocao took out the inkstone and placed it on the counter.
The uncle put on white gloves, turned on the LED light, and began to examine the inkstone thoroughly.
The more he looked, the more shocked the uncle's expression became.
After a while, the uncle put the inkstone back on the counter, looked at Fang Xiaocao, and smiled, "Ma'am, are you looking to have it appraised or to sell it?"
"The appraisal fee here is three thousand, a certificate is ten thousand, and if you are selling, the appraisal fee is waived."
After finishing, the uncle continued watching Fang Xiaocao with a beaming smile, waiting for her response.
"To sell, if the price is right,"
Fang Xiaocao's goal was to verify the truth of the WeChat message, and since she had no interest in collecting antiques and had no intention of keeping it, she decided to sell it directly.
"The offer here is eight million, and if it goes to auction, after subtracting the continuing fee, it could earn an extra three hundred thousand."
"Our store has a partnership with the largest auction house in the city, and can help contact them without additional fees."
Hearing that Fang Xiaocao wanted to sell, the uncle's smile grew even brighter as he introduced enthusiastically.
Hearing the eight million offer made Fang Xiaocao's heartbeat slow down from shock. She suppressed the excitement in her heart and calmly said, "I'll sell it directly!"
"Eight million, it's really eight million!"
Fang Xiaocao inwardly exclaimed.
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