I'd Rather Die Than Play

"Let's change the subject, this is too scary!" Han Xiaoyu clung tightly to Tang Ziyun beside her.

Liu Bo's expression shifted, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "If we're not telling ghost stories, how about we play a game instead?"

"What game?" several girls asked in unison.

"Spirit of the Pen."

"No way! I’m not playing that, absolutely not!" Xia Keke sat bolt upright, her face full of refusal. "If we play that, I’m going back to my room."

"You dare go back alone right now?" Liu Bo teased.

"Ugh, no! I’m not playing. I’m too scared. What if something actually happens? I’d probably be scared out of my mind."

Su Yang stepped in to mediate. "Alright, Liu Bo, just stick to storytelling. Don’t actually freak anyone out."

Liu Bo chuckled. "Fine, fine. I was just messing with her. Anyway, back to the story—let me tell you one."

He glanced around at the group, thinking for a moment before continuing. "This story was told to me by a friend. I might embellish it a bit, but any resemblance to real life is purely coincidental."

The room fell silent as everyone focused on Liu Bo. He cleared his throat and began.

"This story takes place in a villa..."

"Can you... change the setting?" Shen Yixue glared at him in annoyance.

Liu Bo grinned. "Relax, it’s all made up. No big deal."

"Alright, quiet down. So, a few years ago, my buddy and three of his friends—two guys and two girls, all pretty well-off—went on a trip together. They rented a two-story villa, spent the day out, and at night, split into two rooms since they were all couples."

"At night, my buddy—let’s call him Xiao Zhang for now—"

Pan Ning rolled her eyes. "Pick a different name."

"Uh, fine. Xiao Zhang then."

"Xiao Zhang and his girlfriend went back to their room. You know how it is—young couple, alone, things got... heated."

Su Yang sighed. "How is this relevant to the story?"

"Uh, it’s not."

"Then why mention it? Get to the point already. Skip the useless details... I’ll talk to you about this later."

Pan Ning shot Su Yang an exasperated look.

Liu Bo smirked and continued. "After they... you know, they fell asleep. Around midnight, Xiao Zhang vaguely heard knocking at the door."

"Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock."

"It went on for minutes, until he was fully awake—and the knocking still hadn’t stopped."

"He thought it was his friend from the next room, so he sat up and asked what they wanted. No answer. Annoyed, he got up and opened the door... but no one was there."

"Assuming he’d imagined it, he closed the door and went back to bed. But the moment he lay down, the knocking started again."

"His heart raced. He figured it was just his friend messing with him, so he shouted, 'Xiao Liu, cut it out! Stop screwing around and go to sleep!'"

"The knocking stopped... but then resumed moments later."

"Knock, knock, knock. Steady, rhythmic, neither fast nor slow."

Liu Bo paused to gauge the group’s reactions. Xia Keke, Shen Yixue, and Han Xiaoyu had their hands clamped over their ears.

He frowned. "You three, seriously? Can you at least pretend to listen?"

"We can hear you," Shen Yixue muttered, hands still covering her ears.

"Fine." Liu Bo went on. "Xiao Zhang glanced at his girlfriend, Xiao Mei, sleeping with her back to him. He thought about waking her but didn’t want to be laughed at for being scared. So he called Xiao Liu instead."

"Xiao Liu answered, groggy and clearly asleep. Xiao Zhang demanded to know if he was the one knocking. Xiao Liu, irritated at being woken up, just hung up."

"Meanwhile, the knocking continued. Knock, knock, knock. Fed up, Xiao Zhang threw the covers off, marched to the door, and yanked it open."

"Again, no one. His blood ran cold. Xiao Liu’s room was at least five meters away—no way anyone could’ve dashed back that fast."

"If it wasn’t Xiao Liu... who was knocking? A chill shot down his spine as he slammed the door shut."

"Can you please stop...?" Xia Keke whimpered, burying her face in Tang Ziyun’s chest.

Tang Ziyun wasn’t faring much better, pressing close to Su Yang. On the other side, Pan Ning had somehow ended up clinging to Su Yang’s arm, curled up on the couch.

Suddenly, the candlelight on the table flickered, casting wavering shadows across their faces.

The air conditioning was on, the windows shut tight. No breeze could’ve reached the candles—yet they flickered unnaturally.

The girls shrieked, huddling closer to whoever was nearest.

Meng Wenzhou eyed the candles suspiciously. "Who’s blowing on them?"

"No one!"

"Please, just tell me it’s one of you," Xia Keke begged, on the verge of tears.

"Wasn’t me," Liu Bo said, raising his hands.

"Not me either," Zhang Ziming added.

"Then who the hell is doing it? There’s no wind here!"

"Relax, it’s probably just movement messing with the flame. Look, it’s fine now," Liu Bo said, gesturing at the steady candlelight.

Even Su Yang, who hadn’t been scared before, felt goosebumps rising.

"Guys, stop freaking yourselves out. It’s not like ghosts are blowing out the candles. 'Light a candle, ghosts blow it out'—that kind of nonsense?"

"Ugh, shut up," Tang Ziyun scolded, swatting his arm.

Liu Bo waved for silence. "Enough interruptions! I’m not done yet."

He huffed. "Where was I? Right—Xiao Zhang shut the door and dove under the covers."

"But as soon as he settled in, the knocking started again. Same rhythm."

"Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock."

"Xiao Zhang snapped. He screamed, grabbing his girlfriend’s shoulder and shaking her. 'Xiao Mei, wake up! Now!'"

"She didn’t stir. Something felt wrong. Slowly, he sat up, leaning over to look at her face—"

"And was met with a featureless, blank mask staring back at him."

"Ahhh, stop it, stop it!! I'm done playing!" Xia Keke quickly stood up and reached for the remote control in front of Liu Bo.

Liu Bo snatched it away, and before anyone could say another word, the candles on the table suddenly went out.