White Affairs

Six months passed, from the end of summer to the beginning of winter.

The cold wind, carrying a light rain, forced every student to put on their thick winter school uniforms.

The first semester of the third year of high school had completely concluded.

Students, each holding their own umbrella, jogged out of the school campus.

Luo Di was the same as always, leaving school almost at the last possible moment. He didn't have the habit of carrying an umbrella, merely pulling up the hood of his school uniform to cover his head, enduring the security guard's gaze as he was the last one to leave.

Some time had passed since he left school, but the usually quiet school entrance was filled with a familiar voice.

"Luo Di, hey!"

Looking up, The class monitor, with half her face buried in her scarf, stood by the curb, waving energetically.

Seeing Luo Di still moving slowly, she proactively opened her umbrella and walked over. The umbrella was just large enough to cover both of them.

Luo Di said softly, "Aren't you getting picked up by a car?"

"The driver uncle took leave today because of family matters, so I'm taking a taxi back myself. But since school ended an hour early today, I can go home a bit later. My house is in a similar direction to yours, so I thought I'd wait for you and walk together! I haven't taken the bus in a while, so this is a good chance to experience it."

"You really do have the air of a rich young lady."

"Heh~ At least it gets you to talk a bit more."

The winter bus was half as crowded. Luo Di habitually sat in the last seat by the window, but this time, his side felt a bit crowded.

"Is that [knife] of yours still working well?"

"It's okay. Occasionally, I can hear the jiangshi grinding its teeth, but there are no issues during the monthly inspections by the research bureau."

"That's good. The entrance exams are in half a year. I can already imagine the surprised looks on all the students' faces when you display that thing during the physical fitness test. You might even get first place in the whole school."

"It doesn't matter. As long as I can get a normal position at the Company, that's enough."

Luo Di stared out the window, seemingly lost in thought, but was quickly pulled back by a gentle nudge of an elbow.

"Do you have any plans for winter break? My family can give me about three days of free time. Want to organize a trip somewhere for everyone?"

"No," Luo Di refused decisively. He had already planned thirty days of movie watching and didn't want to disrupt it.

"Huh~ If Xiao Gao asked you, would you go? I've seen you two doing push-ups together every day recently, and you still chat on the way back to the classroom after dinner."

"Still no."

"Alright."

The conversation seemed to have hit a dead end, and the entire back of the bus fell silent.

The class monitor also followed Luo Di's gaze out the window. Though she didn't know what was so interesting to look at, her heart gradually quieted down.

"Residential Zone 13, we've arrived. The doors will close in ten seconds."

"I'm going."

Luo Di squeezed past the class monitor's legs and skillfully navigated around the pole to get off the bus.

Strangely, as he got off, Luo Di felt a sensation he'd never experienced before – a feeling that this rather casual farewell for winter break wasn't quite right.

So, he turned back to look at the rear window of the bus, intending to give the class monitor a more formal goodbye.

Before he could even start waving, he found the class monitor, who had also gotten off the bus, standing behind him.

"Why did you get off?"

"Ah? Didn't I say earlier that I could go home a bit later? Besides, you don't seem to have an umbrella, I can walk you home."

"You should go home. I don't need an umbrella."

"No." Wu Wen refused this time as well, her eyes filled with seriousness.

"Just to the downstairs."

"Yay!" The serious class monitor immediately returned to normal, walking ahead with light steps.

Not long after they entered the residential zone, they heard the sound of wailing, and yellow paper also drifted towards them.

Looking forward, Right next to Luo Di's building, someone was holding a funeral service.

The two stopped chatting and tried to pass as quietly as possible.

It seemed to have happened not long ago, as the relatives dressed in black were all weeping.

As Luo Di passed the mourning hall, he clasped his hands together and bowed his head. The class monitor beside him did the same.

Just as they both lowered their heads, Whoosh~

A gust of cold wind swept by. In the winter chill, it felt like it could seep into the skin and brush against the bones.

The icy cold forced them to quicken their pace through the funeral area. Ahead was the building furthest inside the residential zone, where Luo Di lived.

The class monitor didn't push her luck either, and stopped walking.

The two stood together under the umbrella, arms touching.

The class monitor reached out and pulled down the scarf in front of her, bringing her slightly damp lips as close as possible, almost touching Luo Di's ear, and whispered:

"Hey~ Did you see it just now? The portrait hanging in the mourning hall looked like a young girl."

"I saw it. Stop talking about funerals."

Wuuu~ The class monitor quickly covered her mouth, but immediately said in a small voice, "What should I do~ I'm a little scared. Why don't you walk me back to the bus stop?"

"Aren't you supposed to be braver than me?"

"Tsk~ I just want to talk to you more. After all, for the next month, I'll only be with my tutor. It's going to be so boring!

Oh, right. During the winter break, I have a three-day gap. Can I come over to your place to do homework together? That shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"No."

"Sigh... Bye, see you next semester."

The class monitor didn't insist and pulled up her scarf again. As she turned to leave, her eyes seemed to have lost some of their luster.

Not long after she left, an unclear voice came from behind her.

"If we're doing homework... we can meet at a fast-food restaurant not too far away. It's not convenient at my place."

"Okay."

The class monitor simply replied quietly, without looking back.

On her way back to the bus stop alone, the class monitor passed by the mourning hall again. The chill deepened, as if something was urging her to leave.

Meanwhile, Luo Di had already reached the top floor.

"Dad, Mom, Sis, I'm back."

"How were your exams?" his father's voice came from the kitchen.

"Same as usual."

"Come and eat quickly, we're waiting for you."

"I'll go wash my hands."

As Luo Di went to the bathroom to wash his hands, he also looked out the window. His gaze fell upon the bus stop outside the residential zone. After spotting the familiar figure and the color of the umbrella, he turned away.

He returned to the dining table and sat with his family.

"Little brother, we're going on a trip during the holiday. Do you want to come?"

"No."

"Great! Then we'll leave the important task of guarding the house to you."

"Got it. Be careful on your journey."

Luo Di loved living alone the most. He had already started fantasizing about the blissful feeling of watching movies, lifting dumbbells, and eating his homemade flatbread all at the same time.

[Tenth Day of the First Lunar Month]

There were only ten days left until the end of the winter break.

His family had already embarked on their journey yesterday, and Luo Di had officially begun his blissful solitary time.

Waking up early, he ate a steamed bun while cleaning. Just as he finished everything and was about to start his homework.

Knock knock!

A series of heavy knocks suddenly came from the door.

Luo Di looked at the time on his wristband: [08:40]. The community center didn't open until nine, so it wouldn't be them at this hour.

He looked through the peephole, but there was no one outside.

"Did I mishear?"

Just as Luo Di turned away, preparing to go back to his homework.

Knock knock!

The knocking came again.

Luo Di quickly rushed back to his bedroom and took out the machete wrapped in mummy bandages from under the bed.

He looked through the peephole again, and there was still no one there.

However, this time Luo Di didn't leave. He gripped the doorknob with one hand and waited quietly.

Knock knock!

When the third knock came, he suddenly opened the door and swung the white-cloth-wrapped blade forward.

But his movement stopped in mid-air. He saw a high school girl squatting at the doorway, already in a surrender pose.

"Luo Di, do you have to be so cautious... You scared me to death."

"Class monitor!?"

Luo Di instinctively pulled the door shut, blocking the view inside.

"Don't worry~ I won't go in without your permission.

Didn't you say before that we could meet at a fast-food restaurant to do homework? I figured if I called you, you'd just refuse, so I came straight here.

Are you going? It's fine if you don't, I'll just ask Anna."

"I'll go, wait for me for a moment."