When I lifted my face, the sky began to whiten.

The strange scene of last night made me feel like I was sinking into water.

In the thirteenth hour after the paranormal incident, I took an afternoon off to go to the new campus of Beijing Normal University, where Mu Tongtong studied.

I want to determine if Mu Tongtong is still in Beijing, whether the video tragedy is just a prank or if someone has ulterior motives.

I finally found the teaching building of the art department, but I found that everyone was busy with art exhibitions or graduation projects, and there were very few juniors in the school. I decided to try my luck and stop a girl in a fashionable fashion and hurrying pace.

"Do you know Mu Tongtong, the sophomore who changed to the department?"

The girl froze, and her mascara-smeared eyes looked me up and down: "Who are you?" ”

"I'm her friend, I haven't been in touch with her for a long time, and I have something important to look for her."

"She dropped out of school in the second half of her sophomore year."

This sentence was like a bolt from the blue, and I was so shocked that I couldn't speak. How is this possible! Mu Tongtong was so competitive and worked so hard to be admitted to Beijing Normal University, how could he really drop out?

"So where is she now...... How to contact her......"

The girl's delicate face showed an impatient look: "I don't know! ”

At this time, another girl's shout came from afar: "Yu Gongyin, hurry up, I'm going to be late for sketching!" She answered, tightened her coat and walked away.

Unwillingly, I turned sideways, stared directly at the person in front of me with bright eyes, and asked loudly without allowing her to dodge a little: "Then have you heard that Mu Tongtong is getting married?" ”

The girl turned her head suddenly, her face pale and even a little convulsive, as if she had heard some terrible story, and quickly turned and ran, leaving only a soft "impossible" floating in the wind.

Her attitude made me wonder. Since it is a dropout, only the teacher knows the specific reason! With that in mind, I walked towards the teacher's office.

"I'm sorry, I really don't know why Mu Tongtong dropped out." The head of the department still has the charm to push the glasses on the bridge of his nose, this teacher named Zhu Qi once gave us an open class, and it is said that she was the school flower of the year.

"It was her family who did the withdrawal procedures for her, and at that time I also said that Mu Tongtong was a very talented child, and it was a pity not to study, but her father said that he had already helped her contact a good school abroad, after all, she still had to go abroad for further study......

"Did she behave abnormally before she dropped out?" The mysteries grew more and more, piling up in my mind like a dark cloud, almost leaving me breathless.

Zhu Qi pondered for a long time: "No." She was in a good mood and told me that she was going to go to the tube building with a few classmates before leaving......"

"Tube Building?!" I exclaimed, attracting the sideways glances of many teachers in the office: "You said she went to the tube building?" ”

"It should be. As soon as I said this, I remembered that she didn't go back to school after that, and then her family came to go through the withdrawal procedures. ”

"Do you have the address of her home?" I asked, holding on to the last shred of hope. Speaking of which, although I have actually been a classmate for many years, I have never been to her house or met her family...... As far as I know, she's never invited anyone into her room...... Or is Gao Qiuwu the exception?

My heart ached again.

The night view of the metropolis is more beautiful than the morning view, and it is much more beautiful. The bright lights erode the pulse of the city, the passing cars dotted the night curtain, and the busy people shed their heavy armor during the day, put on exquisite masks, and shuttled through the lights, playing roles different from those of the day.

Instead, I shook my overwhelmed body and came to the apartment building at the address. It's an old apartment outside the Fifth Ring Road, and even the elevator is in disrepair.

Unexpectedly, Mu Tongtong, who is known for his generosity, actually lives in such a remote and simple place, the staircase handrails are covered with rust everywhere, and the walls are also very dirty and mottled; The thought that Mu Tongtong was no longer here now made it even more messy.

How did she cope with the high tuition fees and the extravagant expenses?

"Whew...... Call...... ......I gasped for breath and subconsciously looked behind me, empty before I was relieved.

"Jingle bell...... Jingle Bell...... "The old-fashioned doorbell didn't respond, still didn't respond, I was a little discouraged, licked my dry lips, and then realized that I was a little thirsty.

"That family has already moved out." Hearing this sudden voice, I came back to my senses.

Judging by the young man's dress, it was clear that he was a milkman.

The smiling youth cast curious glances at me; No way, I do look a little strange now.

"No, I'm sorry, you said she moved......" I asked again in disbelief at the young man's words.

"yes. This film has always been me, about a year ago, right? She called us and said she was moving, so the milk was going to be unsubscribed. But the house seems to be empty all the time. ”

"Uh...... Are you telling the truth? ”

"I have nothing to do, why lie to you."

He was right.

"Do you know where she moved to?"

"Well, I don't know much about that. Who knows who these days! The young man left this sentence and returned to work again. And I'm just standing where I am.

I don't feel any warmth in the milkman's smile, only hypocrisy that is more indifferent than indifference, I think, or the metropolis divided by high walls of steel and concrete, everyone is also involuntarily, and if they want to make a living, there is only utilitarianism.

Everyone has their own wounds, it's just that during the day we wear perfect masks, pretend to be successful, and when night falls, we hide in the corner and lick our wounds alone.

But, did Mu Tongtong really disappear?

What's the mystery here? Can people really disappear into thin air? I don't believe in urban legends, but what is happening in front of me is difficult to explain with common sense. I am reminded of an enigmatic man...... Shiling people.

At the end of the morning class, I turned down the invitation of a few friends to go to the building to collect materials, and rushed out of the classroom to the sound of their laughter.

The spring was cold, and the wind outside was very cold, so I regretted in my heart: I would have worn more if I had known, and I came to the small room at the bottom of the auxiliary building, the "Adolescent Psychological Counseling Room".

After confirming the number plate on the door, I knocked on the door.

No one answered. I tried shouting "Hello", but no one responded. I couldn't help it, I knew it wasn't right, but I had to open the door and take a look.

As soon as the door opened, it happened to meet the tall man sitting there facing the door.

The man stared at me lazily, half-squinting, and looked at me at a loss.

This is the second time I've met Shi Lingren, and unlike the first time I've met face-to-face, I've gathered a lot of information about this mysterious figure from those girls, but it sounds like some rumored stories, and I always have a foggy mentality.

"Please, may I ask ......"

"Could you please close the door?"

I was only halfway through my sentence when Shi Ling unceremoniously interrupted me.

I panicked into the room and closed the door.

This is what he looks like when he works? I looked at the man in front of me in disbelief. He has fashionable short hair and skin as white as ceramic. Bright and wise eyes, clean and fresh smile. Under the white coat is a set of casual clothes that have become popular recently, "you...... Isn't it a self-proclaimed student? I spoke with deep suspicion.

"It's a graduate student. I am currently a freshman counselor and adolescent counselor in the Department of Tourism Management, but only the previous one has a subsidy, so what's the matter, am I not good enough to be a teacher? The corners of his mouth rose into a graceful arc, which was very playful.

Right! I thought to myself, you are the most undignified teacher I have ever seen! God knows if your fame was bought by your appearance! For some reason, I have a deep prejudice against men who look like this, and I always feel that things like pretentiousness and frivolity have something to do with him.

He calmly stood up and stretched out his hand to me: "It's a pleasure to see you, Shui Yue...... Classmate, right? I read what you posted on the campus forum, but I don't remember the author's name! ”

"My surname is Shen, Shen Shuiyue." I took his hand and noticed that his eyes were different from those of ordinary people. As the saying goes, the eyes are the windows of the soul, and the reflection from his eyes does not seem to pass through any impurities.

Shaking hands politely, I said, "Counselor Shi, can we start today's consultation?" ”

"I want to ask first, has Shen encountered some psychological obstacles recently, so that he has a feeling of mental collapse?"

"How do you know?" I was amazed and asked, is this guy really capable of seeing through people's hearts, as the legend says?

Shi Lingren smiled: "It's very simple. A person's mental state can be seen by his speech and demeanor. Physical tiredness is manifested in physical behavior, while mental tiredness is manifested in facial expressions.

Student Shen has been unable to concentrate since he first came in, and his tone of voice is also very slow, which proves that you have something hidden in your heart. And...... Personally, I think that Shen seems to be a little disgusted with this psychological counseling room or me...... Hospitals and doctors are subconsciously rejected by most patients, aren't they? ”

"I didn't expect you to be not only an excellent adolescent counselor, but also a very unique reasoning ability. It's a shame not to be a police officer. I finally smiled and began to look at him a little impressed.

"In fact, teaching and reasoning are just hobbies, and there is no need to be a career." He said meaningfully.

I just wanted to pretend to be dissatisfied and pick on the loophole in his words, "Then aren't you already a counselor and adolescent psychological counselor", but he preemptively said: "Student Shen might as well talk about your own thoughts, maybe I can share it for you." ”

This is a handsome, cold, and absolutely ungraceful man, I define.

But this sentence undoubtedly speaks to my heart. After turning over and over overnight, how much I wanted to pour out what happened to me, but I was afraid that others would ridicule and not understand, and I would even mistakenly think that I was really insane. So, when someone told me in such a gentle tone that I was willing to listen, I couldn't help but feel like I had found my way in the fog.

"What if I say that I saw something that didn't exist, like the paranormal...... For example, ghosts ......"

With that, he was interrupted by a knock on the door, and a man in his early forties walked in. He was slightly fat, and his appearance was full of bookishness, but his expression was secretive, and he was wearing thick black-framed glasses, as if he was deliberately not being seen.

Seeing me, the middle-aged man was obviously puzzled, but he didn't ask in person, so he nodded and handed a document bag to Shi Lingren, "Let's call us, my number hasn't changed." ”

"Please call me by my name, and besides, I always trade on the spot." Shi Lingren leaned back in his chair, looking lazy, smiling on his lips, quite like the end of the conversation and the gesture of serving tea to the guests. It's as if you were talking and laughing with me just now.

The air froze for ten seconds, and every second was tormenting. The middle-aged man shook his head helplessly, didn't answer Shi Lingren's words, opened the file bag, and pushed a stack of photos to him.

Panic, is this an illegal transaction? I consciously turned my eyes away and was ready to flee at any time, but Shi Lingren only glanced at the photo in the afterglow, and then raised the corners of his mouth confidently.

"I see. I thought it was a big deal, but it turned out to be this thing. ”

"I think the more I look at this photo, the more weird it becomes, and I really can't ignore it." The middle-aged man smiled bitterly. Listen to the voice, huh? Why does it sound familiar? I suddenly remembered who he was—Dean Zuo Bosheng! It is said that he also came from the art world, and later moved to an administrative position. But he's more of a gym teacher, and I've noticed that he likes to push his glasses when he talks.

Listening to the leader's privacy and being caught is worse than breaking the illegal transaction! I just hope he doesn't have much of an impression of me, a not-so-surprising schoolgirl, to get his attention. I moved it carefully to the table, not because I wanted to die, but because I always felt that this matter might have something to do with me, I wanted to know the facts, whether I was eavesdropping on other people's privacy, whether I was too gossipy.

In the photograph he handed to Shi Lingren, there was a woman about twenty years old posing for the camera in the center, with shoulder-length hair, beautiful facial features, and a figure that was like a "moving work of art". The filming location must have been a resort, right? Many verdant trees are reflected in the background.

It seems to be a photo taken when he went out to play with his baby daughter, and the daughter born to his American ex-wife is also the idol of many senior sisters, and it is said that she got into the modeling world just after graduating from college, and now she is famous, and I have seen her photos in entertainment magazines.

The female model stands in front of the ginkgo tree and smiles, which at first glance looks like an ordinary photo.

However, when I saw him spread out the picture, it finally felt as if something wasn't quite right.

In the background, on the trunk of the ginkgo tree, there is a human face - or rather an image that looks like a human face. He has a wide open mouth and a sullen expression like the main character in the manga.

"It's a supernatural photo!" I understand.

Pity the hearts of parents in the world, Director Zuo is also a high authority, but he is sick and rushed to the doctor, I don't know from which student I learned about the rumors of Shi Lingren, and I heard that he has yin and yang eyes, and he also guided the police to solve a homicide case that hit the reputation of the school very hard.

This man is both an artist and a bureaucrat, and he must have been skeptical of this, but it was probably the emotional side that prevailed, and for the sake of safety, he decided to come and talk to Shi Lingren.

"Humph! Let's make this guy complacent this time! But Director Zuo is not as easy to deceive as those little girls, beware of shooting yourself in the foot! "For Shi Lingren's pretense, I scoffed in my heart.

"And then?" Shi Lingren listened to the ins and outs casually and yawned.

"I've heard you're an expert on this."

"I'm a graduate student, so I should say I'm an expert."

"Well, that's right...... Well, I'd like to ask you to help me identify this photo from a tourism perspective. ”

"I see." Shi Lingren muttered, and then looked at the photo again, holding his brow with his left index finger, as if thinking about something.

"How?"

Director Zuo couldn't bear the long silence and couldn't help asking. I also opened my eyes wide, pricked up my ears, and started a "eavesdropping storm". I saw Shi Lingren take his eyes off the photo and sigh.

"Director, this picture is dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

"Yes. Has anything strange happened to your family lately? ”

"Strange things?"

"It doesn't matter about any small things, please tell me."

Director Zuo's expression was sluggish, as if he was thinking back to what had happened in the past few days, but the reality was not to make a movie, and there were probably nothing strange to pay attention to.

"No, it doesn't seem like there is a ......."

"If you think about it, this photo sends a very strong red flag."

"It was only then that I remembered that yesterday I stepped on the empty stairs and bruised my knee. However, such a small thing ......"

"This is it!" Shi Lingren interrupted Director Zuo's words loudly, and stretched out his index finger to point at the tip of his nose, which undoubtedly made him startled.

"But that's just ......"

A small thing - everyone inevitably steps on empty stairs in their daily lives.

"Those who do not seek eternity are not enough to seek a time; Those who do not seek the overall situation are not enough to seek a domain. Shi Lingren's serious appearance actually carried a sense of oppression, "The so-called seeing the subtleties to know the sprout, seeing the end to know the end, this is not a trivial matter!" ”