Chapter 001: Odd Neighbor 01

Chapter 001: Odd Neighbor 01

"Little Yu, long time no see! Hmm, you seem to have gotten even paler. Have you been staying indoors for too long?"

"Of course not, Dr. Chen. I go downstairs every day to pick up takeout."

"You should really cut down on that. So, how have you been lately? Anything exciting happen?"

"Not too bad, things at work are going smoothly. I moved to a new apartment with very affordable rent. The environment there is quite conducive to my work."

"That sounds wonderful. Are you settling in well at your new place?"

"Mmm...I'd say I'm mostly adjusted."

Upon hearing this, the gentle-eyed female doctor chuckled.

"What do you mean by 'mostly adjusted'? And what about the parts that aren't?"

The boy sitting across from her looked earnestly at her.

"I haven't found the cause yet, but there have been some peculiar occurrences."

"Peculiar occurrences? Could you elaborate?"

"For instance, starting from two days ago, I've been hearing knocking sounds coming from the pipes within the walls, and these sounds only appear at night."

The doctor listened attentively with a smile on his face.

"Is it like the sound of marbles dropping?"

"No, not at all. I know that marble sounds could be due to mold, and there's a scientific explanation for that. But I haven't found an explanation for the sound I'm hearing. It's so close, as if embedded in the wall, just a thin partition away. It's faint but distinct, definitely not originating from any neighboring apartments."

A subtle chill crept across the surface of their skin.

"...What kind of knocking is it?"

"Thump, thump, thump – it's like the sound of knuckles rapping against a pipe, very crisp. Two nights ago, it was sporadic and intermittent, but last night it fell into a pattern. It tapped out a sequence of sounds that I'm very familiar with, and it repeated incessantly."

The doctor instinctively softened their breath and sat up slightly straighter.

"What was that sound?"

In the stillness of the air, she gazed at the boy sitting across from her, noticing his unusual silence before he finally spoke, albeit slowly.

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star."

"..."

The doctor nearly choked on her own words, her face a mask of confusion. "Uh, t-tiny star?"

"Indeed, it's the tune of that lullaby."

After a brief pause, the doctor laughed again, this time with a warmer and more understanding smile. "It seems this move has been quite beneficial for your work," she teased. "Such a surge of creativity?"

Buried in the cozy guest sofa, Yu Bai pondered for a moment before deciding not to put his long-time psychiatrist in an awkward position.

"Sorry, Doctor Chen. I just had a sudden thought, and it seemed like a decent beginning for a story."

"No worries, I find it interesting too. If you ever write this story, do remember to show it to me."

She pondered and added, "Or perhaps send it to me."

The warm afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating every corner of the room. The young man lounging on the sofa had fair, cold skin. A pair of black-rimmed glasses perched on his straight nose bridge, and his brown hair, just reaching his shoulders, was tied into a small bun at the nape of his neck. With a simple white T-shirt and khaki shorts, he exuded a casual, laid-back vibe of an indoor enthusiast.

Dr. Chen, with her silver-streaked hair, still possessed a gentle and clear gaze. Gazing at his face, a hint of wistfulness tinged her tone. "In the blink of an eye, you've grown so much."

"You still look as beautiful as before," Yu Bai remarked, standing up from the sofa. From his backpack, he retrieved a rectangular box tied with a bow and presented it to the doctor.

"Congratulations on your retirement," he said sincerely. "Take good care and have a wonderful journey."

"Aww, there's even a gift," Dr. Chen accepted the present, smiling as she opened her arms. She tilted her head slightly, hiding the glistening tears in the corners of her eyes.

Yu Bai leaned down to embrace her. "Thank you for everything these years."

The much shorter doctor patted his head gently. "If anything bothers you, you can still call me anytime."

Yu Bai thought that the gift he had chosen was indeed perfect for this doctor.

Inside the box was a delicate ceramic angel figurine.

He took a deep breath and, with some reluctance, replied, "Yes, I will."

But even an angel might not believe that someone was playing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star in the pipes in the dead of night.

That was precisely what troubled him the most at the moment.

As a 'patient' who had been accompanied by an experienced psychiatrist for twelve years, both Yu Bai and Dr. Chen were convinced that he had no mental health issues that could induce hallucinations or auditory hallucinations. His mental state was healthy, and his outlook on life was positive and sunny.

...Under these circumstances, the sound of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star in the pipes was all the more terrifying.

As Dr. Chen secretly wiped away tears, Yu Bai also sighed quietly.

Before the embrace ended, the psychiatrist, like an angel, gave him one last encouragement. "Little Yu, live your life well, and your dreams will come true."

"I hope so too," he said.

After bidding farewell to Doctor Chen, Yu Bai walked alone towards the bus stop that would take him home.

The streets were bustling and noisy. Just after parting with an elder he had known for years, being amidst the throngs of people made him feel a tinge of sadness.

Under the eaves along the street, a group of short-haired men in floral shirts, who had been pretending to play cards, paused their game, looking up at him in unison.

Upon seeing this, Yu Bai's melancholy vanished as he quickened his pace without hesitation, hastening to leave their sight.

He rushed onto a bus that had just arrived and breathed a sigh of relief once it closed its doors and departed. He then casually found an empty seat to sit in.

The bus wasn't crowded, and his hasty boarding had caught the attention of a few idle passengers. A young woman looked at him curiously, her gaze alternating between him and the scenery outside the window.

Disregarding all external gazes, Yu Bai lowered his head to look at his phone.

His magazine editor had sent the usual reminder about the deadline; the story he was working on was nearing its conclusion. If he hadn't lost sleep over Little Star the previous night, he should have submitted it today.

The day after tomorrow was the fixed date for paying rent each month. Should he seize the opportunity to ask his landlord if there had ever been any similar strange sounds before?

A few seats away, the girl's constant gaze at him irked her boyfriend. "Why are you always staring at him?" he grumbled sourly. "Is he that handsome?"

"Hey, can you keep your voice down? Look outside the window. There are some menacing-looking guys; they seem like debt collectors. Weren't they chasing that guy just now? It's a bit scary."

"I didn't see anything, and it's none of my business. Stop ogling others."

Yu Bai continued to tune out external noises, hesitating with his fingertips on his phone screen.

If he were to ask for help, he should honestly explain the situation. Considering Dr. Chen's reaction earlier, would his landlord, who had only met him once and knew his occupation, take the matter seriously or think he was losing his mind due to writer's block and hallucinating? Yu Bai suspected the latter was more likely.

"Your attitude!" the girl's voice rose. "You never hold back when looking at pretty girls!"

"What are you talking about? I wasn't looking. Can you please lower your volume?"

"You only know to be quiet now? Still denying it, huh? Let me tell you, I've put up with enough of your nonsense! Don't think I'm unaware of you secretly adding my best friend's contact!"

The entire bus was straining their ears to listen.

Yu Bai closed his eyes, attempting to focus.

If he couldn't seek external help for the time being, he had to rely on himself to uncover the cause. During this process, to rule out the slim possibility that his hallucinations were due to mental instability, he could call Yan Jing to act as a witness.

Yan Jing was a close friend he'd known since primary school, who had witnessed countless dramatic moments in his life. He was very accepting of many things, albeit not the brightest, so he wouldn't be much assistance.

Alternatively, to fulfill his long-held life aspirations, he should cease pondering over this matter. Perhaps the eerie sound would vanish by tonight, and life would return to its usual tranquility.

"What do you mean by secretly adding my best friend? I just asked Ah Ling for a favor – it's work-related. Let me explain..."

"Ah? You added Ah Ling too?! I meant Lily!! How many have you added? No, what are you even up to –"

...Forget it, there had never been any peace to begin with.

The quarrel between the couple on the bus became increasingly melodramatic, intriguing the eavesdropping passengers, even causing the driver to involuntarily slow down the vehicle.

Amidst the chaos, Yu Bai got up expressionlessly and alighted at the nearest stop.

He decided it was best to walk back.

He hoped that this time, the quiet alley he took wouldn't be the stage for hooligan muggings, unconscious pedestrians, trapped kittens, or illicit dealings. He just wanted an ordinary, peaceful path.

Indeed, he had unfortunately stumbled upon all those scenarios before.

Yu Bai's life aspiration was modest and straightforward: he longed to be an average person with an unremarkable life, a family that might not be picture-perfect but would stay together for a reasonable amount of time, and to live out the average lifespan before passing away in a relatively normal manner - ideally, from natural causes.

Yet, throughout his life thus far, he had encountered an array of dramatic incidents, sometimes as a spectator, other times as the protagonist.

As he strolled along the rare tranquil street, the intense sunlight illuminated the tips of his hair, casting a honey-like translucent light brown hue.

People often asked him what shade of brown he dyed his hair, but in truth, it wasn't a dye job at all.

This was the legacy left by the first dramatic event in his life.

His natural brown hair was inherited from his birth mother, a result of a deficiency in melanin within her body.

He had never met her, but from his father, Yu Jiaping, he knew that his mother was a strikingly beautiful woman, the kind that could have been a movie star.

Her life unfolded like a film: heartbroken, she traveled, encountering a man who was unassuming but kind. Initially intrigued by his uncommon surname, she later fell for his awkward yet sincere affection, leading to a whirlwind romance and marriage.

Alas, life is not a fairy tale, and the days following marriage remained monotonous, while tending to the infant was utterly draining. The world outside still shimmered with vibrant hues, and so, on a melancholic morning, she kissed her son's cheeks through tears, gathered all her belongings, and left home alone. To the bewildered baby, she left behind two glistening tears and the imprint of a bold red lipstick kiss.

Yu Bai's father was an unremarkable man who could easily blend into a crowd. He had an average appearance, lacked social skills, and held a job that merely sustained his family. His only notable qualities were his diligence and perseverance. After his wife left without a word, he continued to silently raise his son with unwavering commitment.

A man of utter ordinariness had but two moments of extraordinary brilliance in his life: once, when he was favored by a breathtaking woman who seemed to inhabit two worlds, and again, when he fearlessly rode his small electric scooter to rescue his son whom he believed was in peril.

It happened when Yu Bai was in elementary school. At the zebra crossing, a group of chattering pupils were crossing the road when a car, intent on harming pedestrians, raced towards them. Yu Jiaping, who had arrived on an electric bike to pick up Yu Bai from school, witnessed the scene and, in that split second, chose to dash directly into the vehicle, altering its course. The car and he collided fiercely into a wall, sparing many from disaster.

It was unclear what precisely had been going through his mind then, whether he had seen in the familiar face of his son's classmate a sign that his own child was among the crowd, or if it was simply an act of selfless heroism.

In short, Yu Bai was not among the pedestrians that day. He was being held back by their newly assigned homeroom teacher to write a guarantee letter. During the morning exercise, his brown hair had shimmered so brilliantly under the sunlight that it had set him apart from the crowd, attracting the frequent attention of the visiting school officials. First, the principal received a scolding, then the homeroom teacher, and finally, it was Yu Bai's turn. As a result, he was left behind to pen a promise that his hair color was natural.

Upon receiving the grim news, the homeroom teacher found it hard to utter the details, hesitant to reveal the truth. Anyway, the significance of his hair had diminished drastically.

In each subsequent school transition, from junior high to senior high, his teachers would commence with disapproval over his supposed dyed hair, only to conclude with sympathy upon learning that he was the son of that renowned civic hero. They all, with unusual leniency, accepted his hair color and explanation, granting him an exception - even though it was genuinely natural, nobody truly believed him.

Yu Bai's father passed away suddenly and dramatically, leaving behind a small, empty house, a substantial settlement, the accolade of being the son of a heroic citizen, a psychologist initially appointed by the government who later continued to serve pro bono, and...

"Well, hurry in. I've got the gate open for you."

A deliberately hushed voice interrupted Yu Bai's thoughts.

Before he knew it, he had returned to the entrance of his residential compound. The kind-faced security guard, an elderly man, poked his head out of the booth, manually unlocking the gate and waving at him warmly.

"Quickly, quickly. Those guys are watching you."

With a watchful eye on the crew of buzz-cut men across the street, the elder urged Yu Bai inside, sighing in exasperation.

"One would wonder how much they owe. He looks like such an innocent, clean-cut student. Such a pity!"

"..." Yu Bai hesitated, attempting to clarify. "Thank you, grandpa. I'm not being chased by debt collectors."

"Alright, alright. I'll close the gate now. Hurry home, don't stay outside!"

Reluctantly, Yu Bai closed his mouth and, before turning to go home, gave a casual wave in the direction of the street as a form of greeting.

The crew of buzz-cut men instantly straightened their backs, their expressions respectful. In unison, they waved back, their floral shirts fluttering in the breeze.

A hearty "Huh!" came from the security guard behind him.

Yu Bai didn't need to turn around to know what was happening; it only made his temples throb.

He was thrifty and financially stable – certainly not being chased by debt collectors.

To be precise, these buzz-cut men who clearly didn't exude an air of virtue were actually bodyguards assigned to protect him.

It was one of the unexpected legacies left behind by his father's passing.

On that day, among the crowd on the zebra crossing, there was no young student named Yu Bai. Instead, a towering, muscular man with tattoos on his arms was about to cross the road.

Coincidentally, he was the feared local leader of a notorious gang.

After barely escaping with his life in that narrow scrape, the gang leader, saved by the brave electric scooter, had a change of heart. He realized the impermanence of life and the priceless value of kindness, thus turning over a new leaf and dedicating himself to legitimate endeavors. He vowed to treat Yu Bai, the orphaned child of the heroic citizen, as his own son, as a way to repay the favor.

Though the gang leader indeed changed his livelihood and sincerely tried his best to care for Yu Bai, the demeanor and attire of his subordinates still struck fear into people's hearts.

During his school days, Yu Bai had been caught on the spot by a teacher, accompanied by his bodyguards. The courageous young teacher, seeing the outnumbered hooligans, shouted at them before dragging Yu Bai away in a mad dash. The bewildered buzz-cut men chased after them, creating a scene resembling a mass marathon.

Observing the curious onlookers, oblivious to the true situation, eager to join the fray, a flabbergasted Yu Bai swiftly devised a plan. He loudly proclaimed that he was conducting character interviews for a social practice report, thus bringing an end to the farce.

He would repeatedly employ this excuse to account for similar scenarios, and over time, unexpectedly garnered the prestigious first place in the province's high school social practice report competition. This twist of fate inadvertently set him on a path to become a columnist for popular magazines.

As an adult, Yu Bai protested against the bodyguard arrangement. The underworld boss, who had ingrained the notion of gratitude in his heart, insisted that it was an industry tradition for the sake of his safety, a compromise that could never be made.

It wasn't until one occasion when Yu Bai was visiting Dr. Chen as usual that he happened to encounter a patient in the midst of an episode storming in with a knife. Thanks to the alert bodyguards who subdued the individual on the spot, no incident occurred. As a result, he gradually accepted the presence of these guards.

Speaking of that patient...

So exhausting, he didn't feel like dwelling on the past.

The marvels he had witnessed in his life could fill three days and three nights of storytelling.

In short, he needed to return home and indulge in a day of relaxation; going out was truly a laborious endeavor.

Nightfall was yet to arrive, so Yu Bai decided to put the matter of Little Star aside for now and simply savor the tranquility of the moment.

He strolled down the lush path and entered the building, finding a soothing sense of peace in the serene atmosphere.

This was a well-known haunted residential area, renowned for its scenic beauty, prime location, sparse population of tenants, and affordable rent. It perfectly suited Yu Bai's requirements for a rental property, and the neighborhood's eerie tales could serve as inspiration for his writing.

He had never believed in ghosts; if they truly existed, why hadn't his father ever come to haunt him?

At the very least, he'd expect a spectral tear from his old man for the rollercoaster of surprises he'd experienced over the years.

The elevator was already on the first floor. Yu Bai envisioned the cozy air conditioning, snacks, and soft sofa cushions awaiting him in solitude, and he briskly stepped inside.

Just as he was about to press the button for his floor, he noticed that the number was already illuminated.

There was an unfamiliar passenger in the lift, a tall figure standing timidly in a corner with his head lowered. His face was obscured, but Yu Bai could see his slightly curly black hair, which billowed softly around his forehead.

Yu Bai glanced at him indifferently, assuming the stranger was either a new neighbor on the same floor or a visitor. Engaging in conversation with strangers was not his style; he preferred the peace and security of his home over the unpredictable turmoil of the outside world.

With this thought, a hint of a pleasant smile finally graced Yu Bai's face.

With a gentle ding, the elevator doors began to slide shut.

"Hold on—wait!"

Accompanied by hurried footsteps, a hand suddenly shot out, intercepting the closing doors just in time.