NOVEL WEB Chapter 18 - Chaotic Information, Zhang Chao's Express Delivery Record
Upon hearing Wang Tao’s words, He Gu tentatively said, “How do you know everyone from our dorm went to Kangde Chinese Medicine Factory?”
Wang Tao: “Don’t be silly, Old Yellow from our dorm showed me his night shift bonus on video call this morning, and I saw the guys from your dorm in the video.”
He Gu’s body shuddered: “You saw the people from our dorm this morning!?”
Wang Tao nodded: “Yeah, just Old Yellow from your dorm, he’s your dorm leader right?”
“I also casually asked him, and he told me except you and Chaozi, everyone else got sent there.”
Suddenly, He Gu felt a chill run down his spine from his heels to the back of his head.
Teacher Fang had told He Gu that except him, everyone else from his dorm had died in a car accident last week.
But Wang Tao said he video called with Old Yellow this morning and even spoke with him.
So did he see a person or a ghost!?
Or did Teacher Fang lie to him!?
At that moment, He Gu suddenly thought of something.
It was only a little past 9 right now. Wang Tao was sleepwalking at 7:50, so what “morning” was he referring to?
Could it be something he dreamed about while sleepwalking?
Thinking of this, He Gu asked: “What time did you video call with Big Head?”
Wang Tao answered without hesitation: “Around 8 o’clock? That jerk had just gotten off his night shift and woke me up with a video call, otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten up this early either.”
He Gu asked again: “Around 8, you were woken up by his video call while in your own bed?”
Wang Tao laughed and scolded: “No kidding, where else could I have been? You think everyone’s got a secret lover like you?”
He Gu fell silent.
When He Gu had encountered Wang Tao sleepwalking close to 8, he had seen the janitor dragging someone away with his own eyes.
In He Gu’s memory, he and Wang Tao were the only two left in the entire third floor dormitory building.
But Wang Tao said he had woken up in bed and taken a video call from his roommate, and even saw Old Yellow…
His words could not be believed!
Something must be wrong here!
He Gu pondered silently, feeling like something was off but unable to figure out what exactly.
Beside him, Wang Tao saw that He Gu had gone silent, so he took the milk carton that He Gu had just handed him and took a sip.
After one sip of milk, Wang Tao, who was just chatting away with He Gu a moment ago, suddenly went silent, his smiling expression also disappearing.
Then, Wang Tao finished the entire carton of milk in one breath, and turned to leave with a blank expression, moving stiffly as if his soul had left his body.
Just as He Gu was about to call out to him, the parrot in the dorm suddenly fluttered its wings and squawked loudly: “Welcome!”
“Welcome!”
Wang Tao glanced at the parrot, a flash of confusion in his eyes, then walked straight out the door.
He Gu had wanted to ask what was going on, but suddenly felt that Wang Tao’s manner resembled his sleepwalking state this morning, so he didn’t dare speak up.
It was better to just let him leave, rather than cause more trouble.
After Wang Tao left, He Gu carefully locked the dorm room door, his thoughts in turmoil.
At this time, Xiao Ying, who had been silently sitting on the bed drying her hair, suddenly spoke up: “That guy is so annoying.”
He Gu was slightly surprised: “Hmm? You mean Wang Tao?”
Xiao Ying nodded, pouting: “I don’t like him.”
“If he comes again in the future, let me know in advance so I can avoid him.”
He Gu laughed helplessly: “But the dorm is so small, where can you go? Hide in the bathroom?”
Xiao Ying thought for a moment, then said: “Is there a curtain…or old bedsheet or something?”
He Gu asked puzzledly: “What do you need it for?”
Xiao Ying: “Make a curtain to block off my bed. That way if he comes again I can just pull it closed.”
Hearing Xiao Ying’s words, He Gu was overjoyed.
What a great idea!
Not just a curtain, if it was possible He Gu would build a wall to separate Xiao Ying from himself, to avoid succumbing to temptation!
Thinking this, He Gu immediately started rummaging through boxes.
Soon, he found a clean old bedsheet in his wardrobe.
He Gu got to work right away, hanging the old bedsheet over Xiao Ying’s top bunk.
Xiao Ying seemed very satisfied, immediately pulling the curtain closed after He Gu was done, sitting on the bed playing with her phone.
Looking at the curtain completely blocking Xiao Ying’s bed, He Gu suddenly felt something was off.
Xiao Ying today…seemed totally different from yesterday, as if she had become a whole new person!
What was going on here?
He Gu couldn’t figure it out, but he slightly relaxed.
This was good too, at least she wouldn’t just sit there tempting him to break the rules.
Then, He Gu climbed back into his top bunk, lying in bed sorting through his jumbled thoughts.
He had obtained too much information this morning, and it was very chaotic and even contradictory.
He Gu felt like he was on the verge of uncovering the truth, yet something vague seemed to be hindering him.
Lying there quietly pondering for a long time, He Gu unknowingly fell asleep.
After an unknown amount of time, He Gu was woken up by his phone vibrating.
Perhaps he had slept uneasily with much on his mind, when He Gu woke up his whole head felt groggy.
Taking out his phone, it was a call from an unknown number.
After hesitating briefly, He Gu answered: “Hello?”
A strange man’s voice came from the receiver: “Hello, is this Mr. He Gu?”
He Gu: “Yes, may I ask who’s calling?”
The voice continued: “This is Tong Tong Express, you have a package that the school wouldn’t allow delivery into, so we left it at the guard room.”
After saying this, the other party immediately hung up.
He Gu was confused.
A package?
Who sent him something?
Suddenly, He Gu’s spirits lifted. Could it be the internship notice!?
It arrived so quickly?
No, could he have slept until the next morning!?
Just then He Gu remembered to check the time on his phone.
The current time was 4:43 PM.
He Gu hadn’t slept straight until the next day, but still slept for most of the day, from morning until afternoon, even missing lunch.
Still feeling dizzy as he got up, He Gu saw that Xiao Ying had already opened the curtain on her bed but was still curled up playing on her phone.
Jumping down from the top bunk, He Gu said: “I accidentally slept so long without even going to buy lunch…you must be hungry right?”
Without lifting her head, Xiao Ying flatly said: “I had instant noodles, I’m not hungry.”
He Gu looked at Xiao Ying in surprise, feeling more and more that something was off about her.
Shaking his still groggy head, He Gu continued: “I’m going to pick up a package, and grab some food from the cafeteria on the way back.”
Then He Gu briskly walked out the door.
Since the school was small, He Gu quickly arrived at the school gates.
The entire school was empty, with not a soul in sight at the gates.
Arriving at the guard room entrance, He Gu carefully looked around, but unfortunately didn’t see any new rules.
Inside the guard room an uncle in security uniform was watching TV. Seeing He Gu enter, he expressionlessly said: “Here for a package?”
He Gu nodded: “Yes.”
The security guard took out a brick-sized box from under the desk, then pointed at the registry book on the table: “Sign.”
He Gu nodded and flipped open the registry book to sign.
Since almost no one was left on campus at this time, the registry book was blank except for one entry.
But when He Gu glanced at it, his entire body froze up.
The only delivery receipt record in the book had Zhang Chao’s signature on the back.
And the receipt time was just ten minutes ago…