Dong, dong, dong.

Soon, there was a knocking at the door.

I held my breath, tiptoed to the door, and looked outside through the peephole.

It's Lin Jia!

She stood expressionless at the door, seeming to realize I was looking at her. She suddenly moved closer to the door.

The peephole was instantly filled with her bloodshot eye.

"Damn it!" I covered my mouth, barely suppressing a scream.

Cold sweat crawled up my back, soaking my clothes.

Dong, dong, dong!!!

The knocking grew louder, almost pounding on the door!

If I keep pretending not to hear, it will be too suspicious.

I went to the kitchen, took a kitchen knife, and hid it behind me.

"Who is it?" I suppressed my trembling, pretending to have just been woken up, and opened the door a crack.

Lin Jia stood outside with a stiff smile on her face, giving me the creeps.

"Brother Chen, my water pipe is leaking. It's quite noisy. Did you hear it?" Lin Jia took a step forward, placed her hand on the door frame, and peeked into my apartment.

I quickly blocked her line of sight with my body. In my panic earlier, I forgot to turn off the monitor. It would be bad if she saw it!

"No, I went to bed early. I'll find someone to help you fix it tomorrow."

I forced myself to stay calm, but noticed a red mark on Lin Jia's neck—it's blood!

"I can find someone to fix it myself. No need to trouble you." Lin Jia withdrew her gaze and gave me a meaningful look.

"Brother Chen, don't you change clothes to sleep?"

My heart jumped.

At that moment, I was wearing a shirt and jeans, which didn't look like I had been sleeping.

"Oh, I was too tired today, didn't notice." I gripped the door so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

Lin Jia was noncommittal: "It's not early, Brother Chen. You should rest early."

"Mm, you too." I forced a smile at her and hastily closed the door like escaping.

In the surveillance video at the doorway, Lin Jia didn't leave.

She wiped her neck with her hand, which was stained with bright red blood.

The sound-activated light in the hallway went out, and darkness rushed in like a tide.

In the darkness, Lin Jia stared at my door with a sinister smile.