I stayed overnight at the school gate.

The teacher in the guard room saw me, unsurprised.

He kindly advised me to go home.

"Students like you face a lot of pressure, and it's normal to have conflicts with your parents. Running away from home is not a good solution. You're the one who will suffer."

I was exhausted and didn't know how to explain.

Back in the classroom, I lay on my desk and took a nap.

In a daze, someone poked my arm.

I opened my eyes and saw my desk mate, Meng Ya, had arrived.

My heart sank suddenly.

Was she still the Meng Ya I knew?

"Xiao Mei, what's wrong? You look terrible."

I smiled awkwardly, "I'm fine. How about you last night... are you okay?"

Meng Ya grinned, "I went swimming in the Dead Sea with my mom."

She had forgotten about what happened between us.

She wasn't my desk mate anymore.

I saw her arm twist backward, her fingers digging into her bag forcefully.

Her movements were extremely strange.

Her fingers touched a crumpled piece of paper.

"I need to go to the restroom!"

Meng Ya suddenly stood up, seemingly restraining some kind of emotion.

The paper fell to the ground.

Trembling, I picked it up with my fingers.

The crooked and messy handwriting seemed to be written hastily and anxiously--

【Save my mom.】

【Something is drilling into the soles of my feet.】

【It's so scary! I'm going to be in unbearable pain!】

【I just want to be with my mom forever!】

【Who is inside my body?】

A few disjointed sentences.

I pondered, unable to find any useful information.

The teacher arrived.

I hid the note.

"Xiao Mei, your mom is waiting for you at the gate. She has already asked for leave for you."

I was stunned.

That monster had actually followed me to school?

"No, teacher, I'm not going home."

The teacher's expression was complicated. "Although you're busy with your studies, there's a family matter. Go back and rest for three days."

A family matter?

I asked puzzled, "What family matter?"

The teacher looked at me sympathetically. "Your father passed away last night. Hurry and go."

My dad died?!

Could it be that the monster was gone?

I struggled to stand up.

Under the sympathetic gazes of my classmates, I had no choice but to leave the classroom.

Mom was waiting for me in the corridor.

"Xiao Mei, Mom will take you to the funeral home to send your dad on his final journey."

"Did my dad really die?"

I had doubts in my heart: Did the monster die? Or was it my real dad?

"How did he die?"

I asked cautiously.

Mom cried as she wiped her tears. "Your dad drowned, and I wasn't there. I don't know what happened at the time."

I looked at my mom crying so sadly.

Her eyes were filled with sorrow.

Tears overflowed.

The monster wouldn't shed tears.

She was my real mom.