Chapter 005 – Odd Neighbor 05

Chapter 005 - Odd Neighbor 05

In the stillness of the night, all was quiet.

Beyond the poorly soundproofed door, the sound of a door opening echoed.

Followed by faint footsteps.

Moments later, the rustling of paper could be heard as if it was being flipped through by a gentle breeze, passing between fingertips.

A slightly prolonged pause ensued.

Then came more footsteps.

Soon after, the crisp sound of a lock's internal gears turning, a sudden snap that reverberated like ripples in an empty hallway.

—The door closed.

"Uh? What?" Yan Jing, with his ear pressed firmly against the door and his posture awkwardly tilted, was confused. "He closed the door? That's it?"

Yu Bai, sitting aside, released the rolled-up magazine he was holding and removed the makeshift earpiece from his ear, feeling somewhat puzzled.

He waited a while longer. Indeed, there was no more commotion outside. Looking through the peephole, he couldn't see anyone. It seemed that the neighbor from 1204 had no intention of coming over.

"He just pretended not to see it?" Yu Bai mused. "That's a pretty normal response, I guess."

If he were in that situation, he would also act as if nothing had happened, not bothering to take or ask about it.

"Alright then." Yan Jing straightened up, rather excitedly reaching for the doorknob. "I'll go grab the watermelon. I haven't had enough yet."

"Still eating? Aren't you afraid your mom will scold you for needing to use the bathroom at night?"

Yu Bai casually teased but didn't stop him.

Rubbing his eyes, he yawned and prepared to wash up and go to bed for some rest.

He hadn't slept at all last night and had just consumed quite a bit of watermelon, making him even sleepier.

"Oh, come on, what's there to be afraid of? I don't have work tomorrow. I'll crash on your couch tonight. If there's another ghostly occurrence, having me around will make you feel much safer. You can sleep soundly, how about that, buddy? I'm really...

With the sound of the door opening, Yan Jing's monologue abruptly ceased, his unfinished "si" turning into a long exclamation.

"Ouch—!"

Yu Bai turned back in surprise.

The door was ajar, and Yan Jing stood sideways, gazing outside, frozen as if struck by lightning, his face a mask of astonishment.

"What's wrong?"

A foreboding feeling warmly embraced Yu Bai's heart.

He hurried over and looked out the door as well.

The hallway remained eerily quiet, devoid of any figures or peculiar objects – nothing at all.

...Nothing, at all.

At the doorstep of Room 1204, the ground was eerily empty.

The enormous half-watermelon, as large as a yoga ball, had vanished.

Yu Bai closed his eyes in disbelief, then reopened them, only to find the scene unchanged.

The conspicuous A4 note on the neighboring door was also gone.

After a moment of silence, Yu Bai calmly stated the reality, "It seems he's accepted it."

Yan Jing, however, stared in disbelief, scanning the shallow hallway repeatedly with unwavering eyes.

"It's impossible!" He exclaimed, his voice cracking with emotion, "There wasn't any sound of moving things just now!"

The quiet hallway immediately echoed with the reverberation of "yi yi yi yi."

Yu Bai hastily pulled Yan Jing back into their apartment and shut the door.

"Lower your voice," Yu Bai said, "Both of us saw it. The watermelon is indeed missing."

"This defies science!" Yan Jing's face flushed red as he argued logically, "There was no sound of moving anything, not even heavy breathing. How could he have possibly taken the watermelon back?"

"Do you know how heavy that giant watermelon was? If not for my well-built physique, there's no way I could have carried it down from the rooftop. You wouldn't even be able to lift it, let alone carry it!"

Yan Jing promptly flexed his muscles, eagerly pressing for more information. "So, what does this neighbor look like? You haven't given me a detailed description. How's his build? Is he broader than me when he spreads his shoulders? How big are his muscles? Show me with your hands—"

"..." Yu Bai coldly interrupted his rambling. "He doesn't seem like a bodybuilder. He's about the same as me, but he took it away effortlessly."

"Fine." Yan Jing decisively concluded. "He's not human!"

"Stop being sour," Yu Bai sneered. "Face reality."

The two stared at each other, their eyes battling silently in mid-air.

Then, they both slumped backward into the sofa, exhausted.

"What do we do now?" Yan Jing muttered. "How on earth did he train like that...?"

"I don't know." Yu Bai attempted to analyze. "Did he just accept it and not have any other reaction?"

"Yeah, why didn't he come over to thank you?" Yan Jing couldn't comprehend. "If it were me, I'd definitely come, carrying the watermelon with ease and knocking on your door with a relaxed expression."

"So he's not normal at all." Yu Bai sighed, filled with concern for the future. "With so many empty houses, why did he have to move in next door to me?"

"I can't figure it out," Yan Jing pondered, seeking alternative explanations. "Could it be that both of us have gone mad? That we're experiencing illusions and there was never any giant watermelon in the first place, let alone him taking it?"

"Maybe." Yu Bai hugged a cushion, reflecting on his actions. "I shouldn't have held the door open for him today... no, I shouldn't have taken that elevator, shouldn't have talked to Master Wang, shouldn't have eaten fried chicken and coke."

"You had fried chicken today? Fried chicken doesn't cause hallucinations, does it?" Yan Jing pondered seriously. "For dinner, I ate mushrooms. My dad made mushroom soup – it was delicious. They were just ordinary button mushrooms, but maybe they weren't fully cooked and could have caused hallucinations? I got poisoned, and then somehow passed it on to you through the air."

"What mushrooms? You're talking nonsense." Yu Bai's gaze grew more distant. "I'm getting drowsy from listening to you."

"Yes, it must be the uncooked mushrooms causing the hallucination." Yan Jing's voice faded. "In any case, he couldn't possibly have moved that watermelon..."

The two, unable to understand each other, nestled on the sofa and dozed off one after another.

That gigantic watermelon was incredibly sweet.

The high concentration of sugar coursing through their veins dragged them into a deep slumber.

That night, Yu Bai had a dream that would stay with him for a long time.

The air in the dream was tinged with sweetness, while faint sobs echoed in the breeze. Crispy golden fried chicken ran along the path, its body bound by a rope fashioned from plastic bags; at the other end of the rope, an enormous watermelon carriage, as colossal as a fantasy beast, trundled along.

Inside the vibrant watermelon carriage sat two cans of Coca-Cola, who peered through the melon's windows to see a silver-gray, rectangular palace drawing near. The grand doors slowly parted to either side, and the tune of "Little Star" wafted melodiously through the air. Excited, the Coke cans sprang up, clinking together in a toast, their fizzy bubbles bursting forth with exuberance.

In the enchanting fairy-tale setting, the chicken, pulling the watermelon cart, quickened its pace. Its golden, crispy skin gradually darkened as the high heat released an aromatic blend of oil, tinged with a smoky, burnt essence.

Suddenly, a tremendous boom echoed.

The elevator palace detonated, erupting into a vast, unripened mushroom cloud.

Yu Bai snapped his eyes open.

As consciousness returned, he found himself in the familiar room. The living room curtains were open, casting the dazzling sunlight from outside onto the interior.

"Damn, what noise was that?" Yan Jing abruptly sat up beside him, hastily wiping away saliva. "Did something explode?!"

Without missing a beat, Yu Bai replied, "The Elevator Palace exploded."

The moment the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake.

How could Yan Jing have heard the surreal scene from his dream?

"Aah? What's that?" Yan Jing responded, confused, then sniffed the air. "Do you smell something? Is it a burnt odor?"

"I smell it too. Nothing to worry about," Yu Bai replied.

Completely awake now, Yu Bai rubbed his sore neck and stood up, hastening towards the kitchen.

A strong burnt scent filled the air.

Both gas burners in the kitchen were empty, without any pots on them or any flames lit.

The source of the smell wasn't from his kitchen.

Yu Bai relaxed, simultaneously checking his phone for the time—it was already past midnight.

He had indeed slept for a long time.

After all, yesterday had been packed with events, draining him of all energy.

Yan Jing sniffed the air, his nose twitching like that of a hound, as he followed closely behind.

"The smell is coming from this direction," he observed, staring at the two quiet gas burners with a puzzled expression. "But there's no fire on, so what could be burning?"

Yu Bai glanced at the partially open kitchen window and casually remarked, "Maybe the smell of someone else's burnt food is drifting over."

"Well, they'll certainly need a new pot after that loud bang. It was enough to rouse both of us from our sleep," Yan Jing commented. Recalling their earlier conversation, he added curiously, "By the way, you mentioned something exploded earlier. What kind of construction site? A foundation site?"

"..." Yu Bai maintained his gaze forward as he brushed past Yan Jing, heading for the restroom. "I'm hungry. Order takeout and go get it."

"That's not fair! I already carried the watermelon yesterday!"

"You were the one who said that doesn't count as takeout."

"Fine, I'll go get it then. Hey, were you talking in your sleep just now? What's a 'foundation construction site'? Or 'elevator power supply'? 'Drip foe'? 'Little brother little brother'?"

Yu Bai brushed his teeth with unwavering focus, then continued washing his face. He ignored Yan Jing's amused guessing and muttering, treating it as mere background noise.

Until another deafening crash echoed.

Boom!!

The hand holding the water froze mid-air, and the chanting lips abruptly sealed shut.

Both of them turned their heads in unison towards the kitchen.

The noise had originated from that direction.

"I swear, it can't be a war, can it? Did a plane drop a bomb?"

Yan Jing's terrified voice reverberated in the still spotless and seemingly normal kitchen.

"Or could it be an explosion somewhere? Should we run first?!"

As Yu Bai peered out for a glimpse, his tone grew increasingly grim.

"It might be even worse than any of those scenarios."

Under the clear blue sky, the neighboring apartment's window appeared shrouded in gray, with flickering orange flames amidst thick smoke. The clanging of pots and pans accompanied the pungent smell of burnt food.

"Whose place is this? How disastrous," Yan Jing commented, leaning in for a better look. "They must've blown up their kitchen while cooking."

Yu Bai remained expressionless. "The one who effortlessly stole the watermelon."

Their kitchen shared a wall with the adjacent 1204 unit.

"Oh," Yan Jing switched gears. "Terrible cooking skills!"

Despite his envy, he promptly reached for his phone, ready to offer assistance by making a call.

But which number should he dial first?

Scratching his head, Yan Jing leaned out the window and shouted with full volume, "Hey, neighbor! Are you alright? Still alive? Do you need me to call an ambulance? Or should I directly summon the firefighters? Or maybe I should call the police first—"

Yu Bai's ears were still ringing from Yan Jing's loud voice, but once the shouting ceased, the buzzing wasn't just in his ears anymore.

Yu Bai stared at the scene before him, feeling as if his mind was jolted by the stark contrast.

No response came from next door, yet the scenery shifted in silence.

In the blink of an eye, the thick smoke, flickering flames, and smoky odor vanished without a trace.

The kitchen next door was spotless. Through the glass, one could see a gleaming golden bucket of cooking oil on the countertop, a brand new iron pot, and several bulging plastic bags, their contents unknown. Despite the modest decorations and furnishings, there wasn't a single charred mark anywhere.

It was as if time had rewound to before the kitchen explosion.

"…Damn it." Yan Jing's face was dazed, and he staggered back two steps. "This mushroom's poison is so potent. I'm still having hallucinations."

Yu Bai remained silent.

He calmly returned to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and splashed more cold water on his face.

With the refreshing sensation of the cold water against his cheeks, he passed by the kitchen once more and saw Yan Jing, frozen like a statue at the window. The air around them was clean and odorless.

It wasn't an illusion.

Following that, Yu Bai unlocked his door and stepped into the corridor.

Just like the previous night, there was nothing in front of Room 1204.

However, there was a small ball on the ground beside his door.

Before he bent down to pick it up, a sudden thought struck him, prompting him to turn his head towards his entrance.

A giant note, as large as an A4 paper, was attached to his door.

It read:

This is a gift. I love watermelons. Thank you.

-From your neighbor in Room 1204 🙂

The handwriting was not Yu Bai's, but the formatting was identical, even down to the simple smiley face at the end.

...He had drawn that smiley face spontaneously to make the note seem more peculiar!

Indeed, things had taken an even more unusual turn now.

A profound sense of absurdity washed over Yu Bai.

He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and knocked on the door.

This time, after hearing footsteps from within the neighboring apartment, he didn't make any attempt to retreat.

The door swung open, and sunlight flooded the ground in an instant.

Fixing his gaze on the figure standing in the sunbeams, Yu Bai couldn't help but blurt out the question that had been swirling in his mind.

"Excuse me, are you human?"