The Eerie Quiet and an Absent Dinner
The house was unnervingly still, broken only by the refrigerator’s occasional hum. Venturing out, I found the living room deserted, her door shut tight. I wondered if she’d even eaten lunch. Come evening, I cooked instant noodles, pausing outside her door. I hesitated, then walked on—no sound within. It was bizarre. Where was the woman who baked pies and kept everything spotless? It was nearly ten when I stepped into the shower, hair lathered, eyes stinging from foam.
An Unexpected Visitor and the Urgent Knock
Suddenly, a frantic pounding rattled the bathroom door. "Xiao Li? Are you in there?" Her voice, sharp and desperate, cut through the water’s roar. "Open up! Open up, Xiao Li!" More command than question, it trembled with tears. My heart plummeted, panic surging. Foam seared my eyes as I fumbled to turn off the water. Where was the towel? Damn it! I snatched one from the hook, scrubbing my face hastily.
Clumsy Chaos and Drenched Disarray
Water pooled on the floor; my bare feet slipped as I steadied myself against the wall. I yanked on a wrinkled, damp T-shirt, my wet hair soaking the collar. Unlatching the door, I peered out. She stood inches away, her face ghostly pale under the hallway light, lips bloodless. Her eyes, wide and unblinking, locked onto mine as if I were a specter. "Xiao Li..." Her voice quivered like a taut wire about to snap. "Your brother... he..." Her lips trembled, the words choked by terror.
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