Chapter 275: Now Everything is Poisoned

Near the heart of Xingfu Community’s central garden, there stood an activity center for homeowners.

This three-story building, modeled after traditional Chinese gardens, featured eaves touching dark gray tiles, with its walls painted white. The open terrace was supported by deep red stone pillars, creating an aesthetically pleasing yet oddly unsettling atmosphere.

When Lu Yibei first arrived in Xingfu Community, she felt something off about the building. It wasn’t until she uncovered the haunting tales hidden within the community that she experienced a moment of clarity.

She thought the strange feeling might stem from the building’s layout, resembling a theater.

The ground floor of the activity center housed a convenience store, a breakfast cafe, and a dry cleaner. The second floor, which included a gym and a reading room, saw fewer visitors compared to the bustling first floor.

On the day she moved into Xingfu Community, Lu Yibei had already scoped out the third floor.

This floor hosted a theater-themed lounge bar, which served tea and coffee by day and alcoholic beverages by night until 8:30 PM. Over the past few days, Lu Yibei visited the bar a couple of times.

During her visits, the spacious bar was nearly empty in daylight, only livening up in the evenings with a sparse crowd due to its early closing time.

Another deterrent for frequent visits was the steep price of the bar’s dinner menu, which made Lu Yibei hesitant to return often.

Overall, after a cursory investigation of the peculiar activity center, aside from discovering a locked door to the underground parking on the first floor, Lu Yibei found nothing unusual.

It was 5:00 PM, half an hour before the welcome ball was to start in Xingfu Community.

As the evening set in, the sunlight dimmed, hanging low and gloomy over the horizon, casting a somber mood.

The fading light slowly sunk into the darkness, much like a breath struggling to escape in the final moments of life.

Under the dimming sun, friendly neighbors began to gather near the activity center by the central garden.

As the start of the welcome ball approached, Lu Yibei checked the essentials packed in her guitar case and was about to call Jiang Li to head out when she noticed an extra guitar case on her back, wondering what instrument it might contain.

“What’s this?” she inquired.

Jiang Li, with a slight chin lift and a calm voice, replied, “Erhu.”

With that, Jiang Li walked confidently out of the rental house.

Watching Jiang Li’s departing figure, Lu Yibei murmured to herself, “There’s no sorrow that Erhu cannot express, no soul that Suona cannot send off. A song of heartbreak, where in this vast world can one find a true companion? Maybe we should…”

Before she could finish, Jiang Li suddenly stopped, rummaged through her purse, and took out two pairs of round-frame sunglasses-one for herself and one for Lu Yibei.

Lu Yibei accepted the sunglasses and said, “You’re really prepared. I’m starting to like you.”

As soon as she spoke, Jiang Li’s haunting voice floated back.

“Don’t. I actually can’t stand you.”

“Yet, somehow, this makes us look like we’re here to cause a scene,” Lu Yibei shrugged.

Jiang Li glanced at Lu Yibei and said dismissively, “Isn’t that exactly what we’re doing? Come on, stop dawdling. The ball is about to start.”

As night fell, the activity center lit up. From the windows shaped like traditional Chinese tiles, the interior glowed with vibrant light and bustling figures.

The property staff, dressed in formal Tang suits, stood smiling on the red carpet outside the center, welcoming guests.

It looked almost like a scene from a high-society event, awaiting the flash of cameras to focus on the elegantly dressed homeowners.

Seeing this, Lu Yibei whispered to Jiang Li, “They’re making it quite upscale for just a welcome ball, don’t you think?”

“It’s already odd for a modest community like this to have such a large activity center.”

Jiang Li rolled her eyes, “If someone told you about a community close to downtown, with convenient access, full amenities, where you can meet all your basic needs without leaving, and the neighbors are friendly, with property management organizing classy events, what would you think?”

“Hmm…”

Lu Yibei pondered seriously for a moment, then said earnestly, “I’d ask the saleslady if the house prices are outrageously high.”

“If the prices are normal, I’d think the sales team was lying.”

“There’s no such perfect deal in the world. If it sounds too good to be true, either the Feng Shui is off, or it’s haunted!”

So you’re not normal… Jiang Li thought silently, “But some people will believe it, especially those who are easily lured by a bargain.”

“Chasing small advantages only to face greater disasters? That’s pretty foolish.”

Jiang Li didn’t respond to Lu Yibei’s trash talk but simply walked straight into the activity center and up to the third-floor lounge bar, the designated venue for the welcome ball.

The bar had been rearranged early in the morning. Tables and chairs were moved to create a circular dance floor, and long tables lined with white cloths displayed a lavish spread of dishes.

As they entered, Lu Yibei’s eyes briefly heated up as she felt an eerie sensation, as if something was observing them. Following this strange feeling, she scanned around and noticed the decorative face masks on the walls.

These artistically altered masks, vivid in color and irregular in shape, appeared somewhat distorted under the dim lighting, adding to the venue’s eerie atmosphere.

Lu Yibei approached the masks, extending her psychic sense to probe them, but detected no significant psychic energy fluctuations. Just as she was about to touch one, a voice behind her warned, “Miss, please do not touch.”

Turning around, Lu Yibei saw a property staff member in a dark red Tang suit, his smile unsettling.

The man, short and stocky, seemed to have applied makeup poorly, with overly white foundation and unevenly applied blush that made him look more like a prop for a ritual than a person.

Lu Yibei thought disdainfully, then politely apologized and quickly turned away to join Jiang Li.

The music had started, and the invited homeowners, swaying to a melodic tune under the soft, romantic, and slightly psychedelic lights, embraced each other in the dance floor’s center in somewhat peculiar poses.

It wasn’t that their dancing was stiff or strange, but rather, they seemed as if they were all taught by the same dance instructor. Dozens of couples moved in unison, their steps and rhythms perfectly aligned, even the timing of the women’s twirls synchronized to the music.

They resembled a group of robots controlled by a program. Jiang Li thought.

As she watched the dancers with a furrowed brow, Lu Yibei rejoined her.

“It looks like those in the dance floor are the community’s longtime homeowners, maybe all affected by the haunting,” Lu Yibei speculated.

“Why are you so sure?” Jiang Li asked, though she had noticed something off about the dancers, she wasn’t certain that they were all influenced by the haunting.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Lu Yibei pointed towards the outskirts of the dance floor, where a dozen people were meticulously selecting food from the buffet. “That’s how normal people react at these kinds of balls.”

“Who would actually come to a ball just to dance? If you’re here, you’d naturally want to get your money’s worth in food!”

“Besides, ignoring those exquisite appetizers, they even have hairy crabs! Outrageous!”

Jiang Li frowned slightly, “Is it weird to have hairy crabs?”

“Of course, it’s weird!” Lu Yibei explained, “It’s late November, and hairy crabs are almost out of season. At this time, they’re not very meaty and are overpriced… not a good deal.”

“Oh wait, but a haunting wouldn’t care about cost.”

“Speaking of hairy crabs, actually our l… Wang family has a unique cooking method…”

“…”

Jiang Li tilted her head, watching as Lu Yibei expertly critiqued the various dishes at the ball, momentarily feeling as if her dance partner were a charming and skilled home chef.

After Lu Yibei had finished her lengthy critique, she noticed Jiang Li’s odd look.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“It’s nothing,” Jiang Li shook her head lightly.

Lu Yibei shrugged and glanced outside at the darkening sky, her tone becoming serious, “I think it’s about time. Have you figured out what we should do next?”

“…”

Jiang Li pondered for a moment before responding, “Keep a low profile, try not to stand out, avoid getting involved in irrelevant matters, don’t eat or drink anything recklessly, just quietly observe and wait for something unusual to happen.”

“So, we’re just outsiders then?”

“Pretty much,” Jiang Li nodded.

“Though, I suggest we at least eat a little,” Lu Yibei added, “Even if it’s pretend, we need to look the part.”

“Oh.” Jiang Li seemed to understand and turned to pick a leaf of cilantro from behind her on the table, placing it between her lips.

“You actually like cilantro?” Lu Yibei scrutinized Jiang Li, her expression full of disdain.

Jiang Li, “???”

“What’s wrong with cilantro?”

“Nothing, forget it. I’m just going to use the restroom, I’ll be right back. Wait here for me,” Lu Yibei said before heading towards the restroom.

“Okay!” Jiang Li nodded lightly, then turned her attention back to the central dance floor, watching the people intently while using her psychic sense to detect any psychic energy fluctuations, hoping to find a clue related to the haunting.

A moment later, someone tapped her shoulder gently. She turned to see Lu Yibei, who said without expression, “Alright, done!”

“By the way, do you remember what you promised me this morning?”

Promised…

A dance? Jiang Li’s lips parted slightly, “I thought…”

She had assumed it was just one of Lu Yibei’s casual remarks when inviting her to the ball.

It turned out Lu Yibei actually wanted to dance?

What was she really here for?

Jiang Li pondered, about to refuse, but Lu Yibei didn’t give her a chance, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the center of the dance floor.

By the time she realized it, a hand had reached behind her, gently pressing against her slim waist, and with a slight pull, their flat stomachs came together.

Jiang Li glanced around and whispered harshly, “What are you doing?”

“Dancing!” Lu Yibei responded innocently, her tone sincere, “Don’t worry, tango is one of my strengths!”

Or rather, it was one of Yun Meng’s strengths from their days at Shihekou High School. It was finally coming in handy… Lu Yibei thought to herself.

Jiang Li, “…”

She stared at Lu Yibei silently for a moment, resignedly accepting her fate, and firmly decided never to casually accept any invitations from this little bastard again.

However…

Maybe there wouldn’t be a next time. Considering the odds of winning the Haunting Gambling Game, Jiang Li estimated her chances of survival to be about one in ten.

Perhaps that was also why she decided to go along with Lu Yibei and dance this one dance.

Like having a last meal before execution, she couldn’t help but indulge herself just this once.

As the music started, their dresses swirled, the dance floor filled with couples gracefully moving to the rhythm. The formation briefly spread into a circle, with the men on the outside and the women inside, their movements regimented and synchronized.

In the entire dance floor, only Jiang Li and Lu Yibei were out of sync, standing out like two cranes in a chicken coop.

Indeed, although they seemed out of place, they danced far better than anyone else!

Even Jiang Li, who had attended various balls in her youth, was amazed at how well Lu Yibei danced the tango. She, who considered herself proficient, was completely led by Lu Yibei’s rhythm.

Under Lu Yibei’s lead, her dress twirled with her body, the bow at the back fluttering lightly, as if ready to take flight.

The dance was free and unrestrained, as if they had been dancing partners for years.

Gradually, Jiang Li too became immersed in the music and dance. As the music approached its climax, she seamlessly followed Lu Yibei’s lead, executing a spectacular high kick, her skirt flaring like a blooming flower, revealing her elegantly curved legs.

Unknowingly, as the third song neared its end, after Jiang Li smoothly completed a dip, Lu Yibei’s hand, which had been holding hers, suddenly exerted force, pulling her into an embrace.

Soft against soft, an unexpected and not-so-unexpected contact of chests, separated by two layers of fabric, briefly collided. A hand silently reached from behind and gently pressed Jiang Li’s head against Lu Yibei’s slender shoulder.

In the next moment, Jiang Li felt Lu Yibei’s cheek against her own, her warm, moist breath, slightly hurried, brushing against the back of her hair.

Her fair face instantly flushed, and she instinctively tried to pull away, only to hear Lu Yibei whisper, “Don’t move, everyone’s watching us.”

“…”

Jiang Li silently let her gaze drift to the side, only then realizing that while she was lost in the dance, the situation had evolved far beyond her original plan.

“Do you remember what I said?”

“Keep a low profile, pretend to be an outsider, right?” Lu Yibei murmured, “But I never agreed to follow your plan.”

“Since we’re here to disrupt the event, shouldn’t we draw attention to make the haunting target us as a priority?”

“Besides, ever since I watched the 007 series as a kid, I’ve always thought the scenes where Bond dances with the beauties while investigating were super cool! I’ve always wanted to try it!”

That’s probably the real reason, right? Jiang Li rolled her eyes.

Soon, the music resumed, but Lu Yibei didn’t continue dancing with Jiang Li. Instead, she maintained their current posture and, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, retreated to the edge of the dance floor.

“…”

Jiang Li remained silent for a moment, then commented softly, “This doesn’t seem like your style.”

“What style? Run first when there’s danger?” Lu Yibei retorted, then answered herself, “But there’s no danger yet, is there?”

“Don’t worry, if there’s any real danger, I’ll definitely leave you behind and run first!”

Jiang Li glanced at Lu Yibei briefly, stating flatly, “I really do hate you.”

“It’s an honor,” Lu Yibei remarked, scanning the surroundings, “It’s been about half an hour; it should be about time.”

Jiang Li frowned, puzzled, “Time for what?”

“The effects of the poison to kick in…”

“Poison?” Jiang Li was taken aback, then, piecing together Lu Yibei’s earlier actions of pretending to eat, her eyes widened in realization, “You mean there was poison in the buffet?”

“But how did you know?”

“I did a divination.” Lu Yibei seemed nonchalant, “If they start collapsing, we just play along.”

Divination, huh? Jiang Li nodded slightly; she knew that Lu Yibei had taken the second psychic artifact, the Fortune Deity Coin, from The Midnight Watchers Society. If she had learned some divination technique, it indeed could reveal such information.

“But we also ate some of that food, could we be…” Jiang Li expressed her concern.

Although they had only eaten a small amount, if it was poison related to the haunting, even a little could be problematic.

“Don’t worry, I divined that too. The decorations and drinks are non-toxic.”

Jiang Li’s brow furrowed slightly, “But what if someone only drank and didn’t eat…”

“That’s why I also poisoned the non-toxic things! Except for the two leaves we ate just now, now everything is poisoned!”

That is, unless Gu Qianqian’s poison works… Lu Yibei thought to herself.

Remembering Lu Yibei’s excuse to use the restroom to secretly leave, Jiang Li sighed silently, “You should have told me first.”

“If I had told you, would you have let me poison the food?”

Jiang Li opened her mouth to say something, but just as a song ended, the lights in the venue suddenly went out. Amidst the darkness, sounds of people collapsing mixed with the faint strains of a jaw harp…