C19

Beirong Group's Design Department.

That afternoon, Yang Wanwan felt like she spent the entire day in a daze, unsure of what she actually accomplished. It wasn't until the end of the workday that she realized she still had a ton of reports left unfinished.

"Wanwan, make sure you finish those reports tonight and hand them to me," the supervisor had reminded her that morning. Wanwan felt like crying but had no tears left. Why did she spend the whole afternoon daydreaming?

Ugh... does this mean I have to work overtime tonight?

"Wanwan, we're heading out. Don't stay too late, okay? You never know what might be lurking around at night," a coworker said with a seemingly kind smile. But who knows if they were genuinely concerned or just teasing?

"I heard the bathroom here is pretty creepy. Someone once worked late and heard strange noises coming from there, even though no one else was around," another voice chimed in.

"Oh, stop scaring her," a coworker said, noticing Wanwan's pale face and trying to reassure her.

In truth, Wanwan wasn't really afraid of such things. Besides, the bathroom had lights, so what was there to fear? She comforted herself with this thought.

Watching her coworkers leave one by one while she remained at her desk struggling, Wanwan felt like there was nothing more miserable in life than having to pull an all-nighter at work.

Wanwan called her mom to explain she'd be working late tonight due to overtime.

"Wanwan, no matter how much you work, don't overdo it," her mom gently reminded her, full of concern.

"Oh, Mom, I know. I'll be careful."

Sometimes, a simple word from family feels more genuine than countless reassurances from others. Her mom's words warmed Wanwan's heart, making her feel she wasn't alone. In a world where people can be indifferent and harsh, knowing she has a warm place to return to is enough for Wanwan.

Let bygones be bygones. There's nothing in life you can't overcome. Everyone deals with a few bad experiences. Honestly, Beijin wasn't so bad. At least he offered her some compensation and a chance to work at a big company like Beirong, right?

Wanwan's lips curved into a smile, though it was a bit forced, as if her muscles were just going through the motions. With that, she embarked on her overtime journey.

Checking reports is truly tedious. Staring at endless numbers and rows of tables, Wanwan felt her eyes were about to glaze over.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed, but night had quietly fallen, and darkness had taken over. Wanwan stretched her sore arms and glanced out the window. Suddenly, she felt a sharp, throbbing pain in her stomach that was almost unbearable. Her pants felt a bit sticky, and there was a dull ache in her lower abdomen.

Could it be that time of the month? Seriously, now of all times? As if confirming her suspicion, the moment Wanwan stood up, a warm flow rushed down.

This wasn't her usual time for it, probably because her eating and sleeping schedule had been all over the place lately. What was she going to do? She'd forgotten to bring any sanitary pads today. Grabbing a few tissues, Wanwan hurried to the restroom.

At first, it didn't seem so bad, but once inside, the rows of white stalls under the dim, yellowish lights gave off a creepy vibe, like something out of a horror movie. Her coworker's parting words echoed in her mind.

"Be careful, okay? People have heard strange noises coming from the restroom."

Wanwan's stomach cramped even more, the pain coming in waves, like something inside was being torn apart. It was sheer torture.

After quickly taking care of her personal needs, Wanwan realized that the back of her pants was stained red. How was she supposed to go back like this? She was internally freaking out.

Suddenly, she heard strange footsteps echoing in the empty restroom. The "tap, tap, tap" sound was eerily unsettling in the quiet space. Her colleagues' warnings replayed in her mind, making her even more anxious.

The sound of running water startled her, and she felt her heart leap into her throat. If things got worse, she decided she would just make a run for it.

In the next moment, Wanwan dashed out, ignoring the discomfort in her stomach.

"Thud!"

She felt like she had run into a wall—solid and warm. Confused, she reached out to touch it, only to realize walls aren't warm. Opening her bewildered eyes, she found herself face-to-face with a familiar man.

Noticing her hand was still on his chest, Wanwan quickly pulled it back and stepped away to maintain a respectful distance from Beijin.

"Mr. Yeh..." she started, but then stopped herself, addressing him as formally as everyone else did.

For some reason, seeing Wanwan's distant demeanor left Beijin feeling inexplicably irritated.

The next moment, Beijin noticed the woman in front of him clearly wasn't feeling well. Wanwan was unaware of how pale she looked, her brow furrowed in pain. Her face was ashen, devoid of any color, and she had bitten her lip so hard it was bleeding. The bright red blood stood out like a rose blooming on her cracked, pale lips, making it all the more noticeable.

"Are you okay?" Beijin asked. He was never one to meddle in other people's business, but seeing her so pale, he couldn't help but feel concerned.

Maybe, in his heart, she was... different. Beijin thought to himself.