The Bloody Rabbit’s Message

“I, you… never mind,” Qi Nian stammered. “Do you realize… you might have stirred up trouble?”

As he spoke, his gaze darted nervously elsewhere, his bangs damp with sweat, and the usually cheerful smile on his face was now utterly pale and weak.

Su Yan subtly furrowed his brow, bewildered by Qi Nian’s sudden, inexplicable words, yet he managed to suppress his confusion and tease, “Did going to the restroom make you lose your cool?”

It was then that he noticed the bag Qi Nian usually cherished and carried was missing, prompting him to raise an eyebrow and ask, “Where’s your bag?”

“Don’t you always say you’d rather have your bag than your life?”

Seeing that Su Yan still had the presence of mind to joke, Qi Nian gritted his teeth, as if exasperated by his inability to improve, “This isn’t about the bag right now!”

The deafening music within the arcade and the bursts of laughter from passersby playing games now filled Qi Nian with an unsettling dread.

He had no idea in which dark corner that person might be lurking, watching them with eyes as cold and sinister as a viper’s.

They had barely exchanged a few words when Qi Nian urged, “Let’s just go back quickly.”

As he tugged at Su Yan’s arm, attempting to hurry them both away, his phone vibrated frantically in his pocket, each pulse thrumming against his heart like a death knell.

Su Yan stumbled a step, utterly bewildered by Qi Nian’s frantic behavior, yet he patiently pointed to his pants pocket and said, “Your phone’s ringing.”

Qi Nian reached into his pocket, retrieved his phone, and clutched it in his hand, but the instant he saw the message, his pupils dilated dramatically, a thin sheen of sweat broke out on his face, and the preceding scene immediately replayed in his mind.

The phone nearly slipped from his weakened grasp and fell to the floor.

Growing slightly annoyed by Qi Nian’s persistent silence, Su Yan forcefully pulled him further into the arcade, then casually dragged a stool over to a corner and sat down. “Just tell me, what on earth happened?”

Having somewhat composed himself, Qi Nian lowered his head, his eyes reflecting a hint of anger, yet he could only murmur softly, “You know, I usually take a long time in the restroom.”

“After all, I have to fix my hair first, and reapply sunscreen. I’m not naturally as fair-skinned as you are; I have to work hard at it.”

“I’m usually quite particular about my appearance……”

Su Yan: “……”

‘Stop.’

“Can you please get to the point? Do you have to preface every conversation with a heap of nonsense? Am I here for your skincare tutorial?”

Qi Nian: “Alright.”

‘Flashback.’

At that moment, Qi Nian, clutching his phone, was secretly grumbling about someone’s comments on his hairstyle, and before he knew it, he had reached the restroom.

Only upon arriving did he realize he’d forgotten to take off his backpack. Since there were no hooks inside the stall, he, trusting in society and surveillance, placed his bag in the cleanest corner of the sink counter.

He hadn’t been particularly slow in the restroom, perhaps only ten minutes.

The instant he pushed open the door, he was assailed by a strong, meaty stench that permeated the entire restroom, nearly making him gag.

It was only when his fingers parted his backpack that his breath hitched; the previously empty bag was now filled with……

……a dead rabbit.

There was even a blood-soaked knife.

The ordeal was far from over; his phone vibrated uncontrollably, displaying hundreds of messages as if its life depended on it.

[Stay away from Su Yan.]

[Stay away from Su Yan.]

……

[Did you touch him?]

[Did you touch him?]

……

Qi Nian was naturally timid, and seeing this barrage of messages, it was a miracle he hadn’t screamed in fright.

He bit his lip, trembling, his eyes wide with terror. Finally, with numb fingertips, he removed the rabbit hair clip from his head and fastened it onto the bloody rabbit fur……

‘Rest well, little rabbit.’

After that, he went to find Su Yan, his face utterly devoid of color.

Qi Nian tightened his grip, his fingernails almost digging into his flesh. Every time he recalled that gruesome scene and the string of interrogations and threats, a chilling dread enveloped him.

“So, you just threw your bag away?” Su Yan’s amber eyes reflected Qi Nian’s pallid face, yet his question left Qi Nian utterly speechless.

“Are you seriously only concerned about the bag?” Qi Nian’s exasperation, paradoxically, significantly lightened his mood. The chilling sensation vanished without a trace, as if he had returned to the land of the living.

A myriad of emotions flickered in Su Yan’s eyes. After delivering that nonsensical remark without waiting for a reply, he unlocked his phone, tapped into a chat, and initiated a video call.

Qi Nian didn’t understand the sudden video call, merely watching him with wide, expectant eyes.

The video call connected swiftly.

The person on the other end seemed to have been waiting for the call; his dazzling silver hair immediately came into view. The tear mole beneath his captivating peach-blossom eyes created an utterly mesmerizing effect.

Su Yan tapped the table rhythmically with his bent fingers, his beautiful eyes devoid of any amusement. He asked coolly, “Where are you?”

After a moment, Lu Lin curved his lips, a nonchalant smile playing on them. “Checking up on me? I’d be delighted.”

The young man’s voice carried an alluring, almost seductive chuckle. Su Yan, unwilling to engage further with this lunatic, reiterated, “Where are you?”

This was Qi Nian’s first time seeing Su Yan with a cold expression. Su Yan possessed a beauty so striking it was almost gender-ambiguous; his smile alone was captivating, and his personality was typically optimistic and well-behaved.

‘Who on earth was the person on the video call? How could they possibly anger someone so good-natured?’

Driven by his thirst for gossip, Qi Nian completely forgot the terrifying incident he had just experienced.

Lu Lin let out a soft chuckle, then raised his phone to allow Su Yan a clear view of his surroundings—indeed, it was the dorm room.

“I’m in the dorm.”

“Or perhaps… you missed me?”

Su Yan immediately ended the call. When he looked up at Qi Nian, he found him staring intently, his eyes wide with an expression of utter “dumbfoundedness.”

It was as if he was asking, ‘You’re capable of dating?’

“No way! I’m already this miserable, and you’re still flaunting your affection?!”

“Also, where did you find such a handsome boyfriend?”

“You think I’m gay?” Su Yan asked blandly, though his tone belied his composure.

“Haven’t you always been? If it weren’t for the palace’s ban on ‘pairing up and eating together,’ I would definitely have fallen for you, just like Jian Lin.”

As Qi Nian spoke, his hands involuntarily moved towards Su Yan’s face, wanting to touch him, but then he remembered the string of threatening messages and hesitantly withdrew his hands.

Su Yan: “……”

Su Yan was left speechless, regarding him with the look one might give an idiot. It seemed Qi Nian hadn’t been truly frightened by the incident; an idiot’s life, after all, was quite simple.

He couldn’t be bothered with Qi Nian, his mind now consumed with questions. If it wasn’t Lu Lin, then who could it be?

After just a second’s thought, he concluded that it must have been someone Lu Lin hired.

Su Yan’s fair, slender fingers clutched the corner of his clothing, not releasing until the fabric was wrinkled. Despite being engulfed by anger, there was nothing he could do to Lu Lin.

Lu Lin’s methods remained unchanged, whether in the novel or in the present.

Intimidation, threats, coercion—he would approach step by step with a smiling face, leading you into his meticulously laid trap, all while watching your expressions of fear and panic……

When his anger reached its peak, he often found himself struggling to breathe, clutching his chest and panting rapidly. This terrified Qi Nian, who was sitting beside him, and he hurriedly tried to help him calm down.

Su Yan brushed away his hand, his beautiful eyes seeming to be veiled with a misty sheen. “I’m fine.”

He didn’t want to implicate Qi Nian, nor could he guarantee his safety.

He had decided on a course of action.

****

By the time they returned from the arcade, it was already dinner time. Qi Nian had originally booked a restaurant, but ultimately had to cancel it as Su Yan instructed.

Once in the car, he felt a complex mix of emotions, uncertain whether his fate could truly be altered.

Yet, in the original plot, after dating Lu Lin for a while and breaking up, he was tormented by the protagonist pair for various reasons. If asked why, he wouldn’t know, for it was utterly nonsensical.

Such was the nature of this brainless angst novel.

Now, he possessed too much love; in his previous life, he might not have felt any lingering attachment.

Now, he yearned to live, to be with his parents, to fulfill his filial duties in the future, and to watch his good friends settle down and build their careers.

He didn’t want to die.

However, if not being with Lu Lin would endanger those around him, then he surely already had an answer in his heart as to how to choose.

His eyes were a tangled mess of emotions: fear, dread, and anger.

****

Lost in thought, he found himself already at the dorm room door. As the key slid into the lock, sounds from within the room reached his ears.

“Holy crap, what is this thing?” Chen Xubai’s boisterous voice was laced with a hint of fear, a feeling that only dissipated when Su Yan entered, distracting him.

Su Yan’s vision swam. He saw Chen Xubai clutching a meticulously crafted, freshly washed severed hand, and his tone was nothing short of exaggerated – though, perhaps, exaggeration was quite normal for him.

“Su Yan, is this yours?” Chen Xubai, having apparently just showered, had a towel draped around his firm, muscular waist.

“I just asked Song Xingyu, and he said it wasn’t his. By the way, how do you even like this kind of……” Chen Xubai paused for a moment. “Is this for pranking people?”

He couldn’t imagine any purpose for the severed hand other than a prank; such a realistic prop seemed almost wasted on mere tomfoolery.

Su Yan casually placed the keys on the table, his gaze drifting towards Lu Lin’s bed, and replied offhandedly, “It’s for a pillow.”

Chen Xubai: “……”

“Oh, oh, alright, alright.” Chen Xubai returned the severed hand to its owner.

Su Yan wrapped it in paper and carelessly tossed it into a drawer, completely unconcerned about whether his future self would be startled opening it.

“When did Lu Lin leave?” Su Yan sat down, his eyes betraying a faint annoyance.

Chen Xubai was bare-chested, proudly displaying his physique, his head tilted as he searched for his hairdryer.

Hearing the question, he looked up, puzzled. “Huh? He left just a few minutes after you did. If you don’t believe me, ask Song Xingyu. We both thought you two went on a secret date.”

The word choice was certainly suggestive.

Song Xingyu was scrubbing his clothes by the sink. He was a frugal sort, saving wherever he could; using the school washing machine cost several yuan, so hand-washing was preferable.

Song Xingyu, unexpectedly called out, turned to look inside. For some reason, Su Yan perceived a hint of “resentment” in his gaze.

“Mm, yeah.” Su Yan and Chen Xubai simply assumed Song Xingyu didn’t want to join the conversation.

“He hasn’t returned since?” Su Yan’s gaze slowly shifted to Lu Lin’s bed, his voice tinged with inquiry, yet lacking the expected strangeness, doubt, or anger.

Nothing Lu Lin did or said could shock him anymore.

“He hasn’t returned.” Chen Xubai found his hairdryer, pressed the button, and the whooshing sound filled the dorm room.

Su Yan paused, feeling a persistent gaze on him, though he dismissed it as perhaps just a trick of his mind.

The door gently pushed open, and Lu Lin slowly walked in. As he tilted his head, the earring on his ear became visible, and his peach-blossom eyes held a playful smile. “Yanyan, were you looking for me?”