Carousel Music Box

Chen Shuo's bed in the dormitory was still empty. The dorm manager probably wouldn't arrange for a new student to move in until next semester.

Everything seemed unchanged.

The chubby Zhu Fei was still drinking soda for gaming as usual while commanding his teammates in the online game through his headset. Unfortunately, they never seemed to win when following his orders in-game.

The dark eye circles on Shen Xu's face looked like they had never faded throughout the entire year. I heard he had so many small movies on his computer that he couldn't even count them all. He even labeled them in different categories so he wouldn't lose track of the types he wanted to watch.

Of all the roommates, Lu Chen, who was closest to Chen Shuo, seemed to be dating recently. He was frequently posting sweet nothings reeking of new relationship energy on Moments and QQ Space. However, the mysterious girlfriend didn't seem to appear on camera. Lu Chen was probably just lovesick!

Everything was the same as before, but also a little different.

When the three roommates saw Chen Shuo appear in the dorm lugging large and small bags, they all looked surprised for a few seconds.

When they saw Chen Shuo was also holding newly purchased beddings and other living supplies, the three looked at each other without saying anything. They put down what they were doing and went to help Chen Shuo carry things.

Chen Shuo put the six-pack of soda he bought on the table, "I just took these out of the supermarket fridge, they're still cold!"

"Is anyone using the bathroom? I'm going to take a shower."

Chen Shuo went into the dorm's bathroom with his new towel and shower gel, looking as if nothing had changed.

His phone was on the bed, vibrating nonstop.

Shen Xu looked at the phone, wanting to help Chen Shuo answer but pulled Lu Chen's sleeve, "Something seems off about Brother Shuo! Should we answer this call or not?"

Lu Chen thought for a moment, "Let me see who it is. If I'm not wrong, it should be the campus belle Su Xiyan."

The two looked and as expected, the caller ID showed Su Xiyan's name.

Lu Chen shrugged, "Looks like they must've had a fight!"

"This is Chen Shuo running away from home."

Shen Xu said, "Don't tell me Brother Shuo was abused by the campus belle Su Xiyan?"

Lu Chen felt with Su Xiyan's personality and Chen Shuo's sarcastic habits, domestic violence could really happen between those two.

"Let's not interfere with their domestic affairs!"

So with that, Chen Shuo's phone kept ringing as the three roommates pretended not to hear it.

The male bonding between them needed no verbal explanation.

At this moment, Su Xiyan, who kept calling Chen Shuo, was curled up barefoot on the sofa.

Her long, fair toes were as white as congealed fat, flawless like a piece of art that made people want to hold and play with them.

Still not answering the phone, huh?

Let me try one last call. If you don't pick up, I won't call you again in the future!

After making up her mind, Su Xiyan called the familiar number again.

What awaited her was still no response.

On the coffee table in front of the sofa sat an unopened gift box.

Su Xiyan sent Chen Shuo a few voice messages: [If you don't answer my calls again, I'm not waiting for you anymore. I'll just open the gift myself!]

[I was planning to tell you something important today since it's your birthday. But since you don't want to listen, then I won't say it!]

[You'll regret this!]

Su Xiyan believed Chen Shuo was just misunderstanding things. He never held a grudge overnight. He'd forget it all after a good sleep and wake up fresh the next day, never keeping vendettas.

What she didn't know was that after his shower, Chen Shuo lay in his dorm bed holding his phone, looking at the countless missed calls and unread WeChat voice messages from Su Xiyan with a frown.

Now Su Xiyan's actions appeared to him as desperate ploys to extract his identity from him.

She probably still wanted to interrogate him on whether or not he was the Ghost King!

Chen Shuo knew he had become the prime suspect for being the Ghost King. All the exorcists suspected he was the Ghost King but had no evidence.

I love seeing you look at me unpleasantly, wanting to test me, yet being unable to do anything about me!

Thinking this, a hidden cold smile appeared at the corner of Chen Shuo's mouth.

He had long known Su Xiyan's mind ran deep, but didn't expect she would use him as bait to try and force him to reveal his true identity.

Now all of Su Xiyan's actions had lost credibility in Chen Shuo's eyes.

He didn't want to be duped by her over and over again.

His finger lingered over his phone screen before ultimately leaving Su Xiyan's voice messages unheard.

Those messages remained unread.

Finding them an eyesore, Chen Shuo directly added Su Xiyan to his blacklist.

Might as well add her number to the blacklist too! Less trouble, out of sight, out of mind.

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.

The top floor of Haiyi Apartment still had its lights on.

Su Xiyan curled up on the sofa, her lithe body sinking deep into it. She looked at the slightly over-the-top gift box on the coffee table, lost in thought:

I wonder what birthday gift Chen Shuo got me?

Su Xiyan couldn't wait anymore, unable to restrain her anticipation.

Since Chen Shuo didn't reply anyway, why not just open the present herself!

As she carefully unwrapped the exquisite gift box layer by layer, Su Xiyan's pupils suddenly contracted when she saw the gift.

Inside the box was a vintage-styled carousel music box.

The reason Su Xiyan knew this was not just a decorative piece but a music box was because she had owned one such music box before as a child.

Back then, to prevent herself from indulging in play, she had smashed her own music box.

The memory of what that music box looked like was completely sealed away.

But now, seeing the gift Chen Shuo gave, that deliberately sealed away memory seemed to reawaken, like a spell had been broken.

To become the excellent person she envisioned, little Su Xiyan had given up too much childhood joy.

And Chen Shuo had found that lost joy and brought it back to her!

If she remembered correctly, there were two buttons under the music box, one was the power switch and the other to control the carousel's volume.

Su Xiyan carefully held up the carousel music box. Underneath were two familiar buttons in their expected spots.

When she pressed the power button, the familiar melody rang out.

Accompanying the music, the carousel slowly began to turn.

Everything was still as she remembered from childhood. That missing period of happiness had finally been found again so many years later. Like missing jigsaw pieces finally put together to be whole, no longer leaving regrets.

This carousel music box was a childhood relic that had gone out of production long ago. It could no longer be found for sale.

She wondered where Chen Shuo had gotten it?