**Chapter Sixty-Two: Now Everything is Poisoned**
Near the central garden of Happy Neighborhood, there is a life activity center for residents.
That three-story building, modeled after traditional Chinese garden style, has a roof with eaves covered in deep gray tiles. The entire wall is painted white, and on the terrace, which serves as an open area, there are deep red stone pillars, giving it a unique flavor but also an oddly unsettling feeling.
When Luxianbei first arrived at Happy Neighborhood and saw that building, she sensed that something was off. It wasn’t until she researched the hidden urban legends behind Happy Neighborhood that she felt a sense of clarity.
She believed that the odd feeling might stem from the layout of the building, as it resembled a theater.
The life activity center in Happy Neighborhood features a small supermarket, a breakfast diner, and a dry cleaning shop on the first floor. The gym and reading room on the second floor have many residents coming and going, but compared to the first floor, it feels much less lively.
As for the third floor, Luxianbei had explored it on the day she accompanied her landlord to Happy Neighborhood.
There is a uniquely decorated clear bar with a theme of traditional Chinese opera, selling milk tea and coffee during the day, and alcoholic beverages at night.
Over the past few days, Luxianbei has visited that bar two or three times.
Each time she went, the bar, the size of a football field, had almost no customers during the day, with only a few appearing at night. However, since it only operates until 8:30 PM, she never had the chance to conduct a deeper investigation.
Of course, another reason was that the prices for dinner at the bar made Luxianbei wince, preventing her from going too often.
In summary, she conducted a simple investigation of the life activity center with its strange atmosphere. Besides discovering a locked door to the underground parking lot on the first floor, she found nothing unusual.
At 5 PM, there was still half an hour until the welcome dance party at Happy Neighborhood began.
At this time, the sky had gradually darkened, with the dim yellow sun hanging over the horizon, lighting things just enough to create an uncomfortable feeling.
The last rays of sunlight seemed to lazily sink into darkness, yet the end still felt far away.
It was like a person lying in a critical care unit with tubes all over their body, unable to take their last breath.
Under the warm yellow sunlight, friendly neighbors in the community began to gather near the life activity center by the central garden.
As the time for the welcome party approached, Luxianbei examined her supplies to see what she might need, packing everything into her guitar case. When she was about to call Jiang Li to go out, she noticed that there was also a musical instrument case on her back, though she didn’t know what it contained.
“What is this…?”
Jiang Li slightly raised her chin and calmly replied, “Erhu.”
After saying this, she confidently walked out through the door of her rented house.
Watching Jiang Li’s graceful departure, Luxianbei was momentarily taken aback and murmured, “Without an erhu, no one can weep; without a suona, no soul can be sent away. One tune tears the heart; where can one find a soulmate? Don’t you think we should…”
Before Luxianbei could finish her sentence, Jiang Li suddenly stopped in her tracks and rummaged through her handbag, pulling out two pairs of small round-framed sunglasses. She wore one herself and handed the other to Luxianbei.
Luxianbei was a bit stunned. Accepting the sunglasses, she said, “You even prepared this? You really know how to have fun. I’m starting to like you a bit.”
Just as she finished speaking, Jiang Li’s ghostly voice floated over.
“Don’t say that; I actually dislike you a lot.”
“Ugh, but why does it feel like we’re going to crash the party?” Luxianbei shrugged.
Jiang Li turned her head to look at Luxianbei and said mildly, “Aren’t we just going to crash the party? Come on, stop stalling; the dance is about to start.”
————
As night fell, the life activity center lit up. Looking through the glass windows styled like bright tiles, the lights were dazzling, and people were bustling about.
The property staff changed into clean Tang suits and smiled as they stood on either side of the red carpet at the entrance to welcome guests.
They just needed a few reporters to click their cameras and focus the bright light and attention on the elegantly dressed homeowners.
Seeing such a scene, Luxianbei walked alongside Jiang Li and whispered, “This looks pretty upscale. It’s just a welcome dance for new homeowners; isn’t this a bit too extravagant?”
“To have such a large activity center in a neighborhood that isn’t particularly upscale is already quite strange.”
Jiang Li rolled her eyes. “If someone told you there was a neighborhood that was convenient to the city center, had complete facilities, could satisfy basic living needs without leaving home, had friendly neighbors, and the property management would occasionally organize high-class events, what would you think?”
“Hmm…”
Luxianbei propped her chin in thought, seeming to ponder seriously, before answering earnestly, “I would first ask the sales lady if the housing prices are ridiculously high.”
“If the prices are reasonable, I would think the salespeople are lying to me.”
“There can’t be such a good deal in the world. If it sounds too good to be true, either the feng shui is bad or there’s an urban legend!”
So you’re not a normal person… Jiang Li silently sighed to herself. “But some people will believe it, and they especially enjoy it.”
“Being greedy for small profits and then suffering big losses? That’s enough to be foolish.”
Jiang Li didn’t respond to Luxianbei’s banter. She simply walked along the red carpet and directly entered the activity center, taking the stairs to reach the clear bar on the third floor.
The clear bar, selected as the venue for the welcome dance, had rearranged its tables and chairs early in the morning, clearing a circular space for a dance floor. The long tables on both sides were covered with white cloths, adorned with blue-and-white porcelain plates filled with a feast.
As soon as she entered the venue, Luxianbei’s eyes slightly warmed, and she vaguely felt that something was watching them from the shadows. Following that strange sensation, she searched around and her gaze landed on the decorative facial masks on the walls.
Those artistically crafted masks were vividly colored, not resembling regular human faces, but somewhat distorted — some stretched, others warped, looking somewhat eerie under the dim lighting.
Luxianbei silently approached the masks and extended her spiritual senses to probe, but sensed no significant spirit energy fluctuations. Just as she was about to reach out to touch one, a muffled voice came from behind her.
“Miss, please do not touch.”
Turning around, she saw a property staff member in a dark red Tang suit with an unsettling smile on his face.
The short and stout man seemed to be in makeup, but his technique was poor, and the quality of the cosmetics was subpar — his overly white face had patches of blush unevenly applied.
It’s better not to wear makeup than to look like a paper cutout for tribute…
Not even worried about scaring other people.
Luxianbei scoffed internally and impassively said, “Sorry!” quickly turning to catch up with Jiang Li.
The music had already started, and the invited residents were embracing in the center of the dance floor, swaying to a tune called “A Step Away” under soft, romantic, and slightly dreamy lighting. Their dancing appeared somewhat unusual.
It wasn’t that their movements were stiff or weird, but they all seemed to be learning the same dance from the same teacher, with dozens or even hundreds of couples moving in unison, matching rhythmically, even the women spinning in time to the music.
Like a group of robots controlled by a program, Jiang Li thought.
As she watched the people in the dance floor with a frown, Luxianbei returned to her side.
“It seems that those folks in the dance floor are all seasoned homeowners of the community; they might all be influenced by the urban legend.”
“How can you be so sure?” Jiang Li asked, puzzled.
Although she had sensed something unusual about the dancers, she wasn’t certain all of them had been influenced by the legend.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Luxianbei pointed at the perimeter of the dance floor, where about a dozen people were carefully selecting food from the buffet table. “That’s the normal reaction of people attending such a dance party.”
“There can’t be anyone really here just to dance, right? They must have come to eat their fill!”
“And besides, aside from those fancy appetizers, there are even hairy crabs! That’s outrageous!”
Jiang Li frowned, “Is hairy crab really that strange?”
“Of course it’s strange!” Luxianbei explained, “It’s already the end of November; hairy crabs are almost out of season. Buying them at this time means the meat quality is poor, and the prices are high — not worth it…”
“Oh, right; an urban legend probably wouldn’t care about the cost.”
“Speaking of hairy crabs, actually, our old… Old Wang family has a special cooking method…”
“…”
Jiang Li tilted her head, watching Luxianbei enthusiastically discuss various dishes at the dance party starting from hairy crabs, momentarily thinking of her dance partner as a beautiful and virtuous little chef.
After a while, when Luxianbei finally finished her lengthy explanation, she noticed Jiang Li was looking at her with a strange expression.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Nothing.” Jiang Li gently shook her head.
Luxianbei shrugged, glancing out the window to check the time. Her tone turned serious, “I think it’s about time. Have you figured out what we should do next?”
“…”
Jiang Li pondered for two seconds and said, “Less talking, less doing; try to minimize our presence. Don’t meddle in unrelated matters, don’t eat or drink carelessly. Just quietly observe and wait for anything unusual to happen.”
“So basically, be an outsider, right?”
“Pretty much.” Jiang Li nodded.
“However, I suggest we should at least eat something.” Luxianbei added, “Even if it’s fake, we should make it look presentable.”
“Oh.” Jiang Li seemed to understand Luxianbei’s point and turned to grab a cilantro leaf from the buffet table and placed it between her lips.
“You actually like eating cilantro?” Luxianbei looked Jiang Li up and down, her eyes filled with distaste.
Jiang Li, “???”
“What’s wrong with cilantro?”
“Nothing, forget it. I’ll be right back; I need to go to the restroom.” Luxianbei finished and turned to head toward the bathroom.
“Mm!” Jiang Li lightly replied, refocusing her gaze on the crowd in the center of the dance floor, intently watching them while using her spirit sense to detect the spirit energy fluctuations in the venue, trying to find any clues related to the urban legend.
Moments later, someone gently tapped her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Luxianbei with a blank expression, saying, “Done, it’s taken care of!”
“By the way, do you remember what you promised me this morning?”
Promised…
To dance? Jiang Li slightly parted her lips and said, “I thought…”
She thought that was just Luxianbei’s banter about inviting her to the dance.
She didn’t expect Luxianbei actually wanted to dance?
What on earth is she here for?
Jiang Li thought, about to open her mouth to refuse, but Luxianbei seemed to give her no chance, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the center of the dance floor.
By the time she regained her senses, a hand had slipped around her slender waist, and with slight pressure, their flat bellies pressed gently together.
Jiang Li glanced around nervously and whispered, “What are you doing?”
“Dancing!” Luxianbei replied with an innocent look and sincere tone, “Don’t worry; tango is one of my strengths!”
Or should I say, it’s one of Yun Meng’s strengths; Luxianbei thought, as the skills of the “d*ath-seeking group” from Shihhekou Middle School finally came in handy, except for Liangyue…
Jiang Li, “…”
She stared at Luxianbei in silence for some time, reluctantly choosing to accept reality and silently resolved to never casually agree to any invitation from this little b*stard again.
But…
There might not be a ‘next time’ anyway. Betting on an urban legend with a probability of winning one in ten, Jiang Li felt compelled to participate in this heart-pounding wager.
Perhaps that was one of the reasons she chose to dance the entire song with Luxianbei.
Like a last meal before execution, she couldn’t help wanting to indulge a little before the final moment.
As the music started, skirts twirled, and the men and women in the dance floor gracefully began to dance, forming a circle. The men were on the outside, and the women in long dresses were on the inside, their movements perfectly synchronized.
In the entire dance floor, only Jiang Li and Luxianbei were out of sync with the rhythm, standing out like two cranes among a flock of chickens.
Indeed, while they appeared to be at odds with the others around them, they were clearly dancing far better!
Even Jiang Li, who had attended various dance parties in her youth, was surprised at how well Luxianbei danced the tango. She had always thought of herself as proficient in tango, but she found herself entirely guided by Luxianbei’s rhythm.
Under Luxianbei’s lead, the gown swirled with her movements, the bow behind gently swayed, light as if it were about to take flight.
The dance was free-spirited, as if they had been dancing together for years.
Slowly, Jiang Li also became absorbed in the music and dance. As the music approached its climax, they perfectly executed a magnificent high kick together, their flowing skirts blooming like flowers, revealing the graceful lines of their long legs.
Unwittingly, nearing the end of the third song, after Jiang Li completed a clean back bend, Luxianbei suddenly pulled on her hand with force, drawing her into an embrace.
Soft meeting soft, the abrupt yet not so abrupt chests bumped together between two layers of fabric, as one hand quietly slid from behind and gently cradled Jiang Li’s head, pressing her against a slightly thin but soft shoulder.
In the next moment, Jiang Li felt Luxianbei’s cheek brush against hers, the warm, humid breath, accompanied by slightly hurried breathing, wispy against the hair at the back of her head.
A slight flush appeared on her fair face, and instinctively wanting to pull away, she heard Luxianbei lower her voice.
“Don’t move; everyone is watching us!”
“…”
Jiang Li silently cast her gaze to the crowd nearby, only then realizing that while she had been lost in the dance, things had developed contrary to her initial plan.
“Do you remember what I said?”
“To keep a low profile and pretend to be an outsider, right?” Luxianbei whispered, “But I never promised to follow your plan!”
“Since we’re crashing the party, shouldn’t we be a bit more high-profile to attract attention, so that the urban legend targets us first?”
“Plus, when I was young and watched the ‘007’ series, I thought it was super cool to see Bond dancing while investigating! I always wanted to try it!”
Maybe that was the real reason? Jiang Li rolled her eyes.
Soon, the music played again, but Luxianbei didn’t continue to dance with Jiang Li. Instead, she maintained their current position and began to retreat towards the edge of the dance floor under everyone’s watchful eyes.
“…”
Jiang Li paused for a moment, then said lightly, “This doesn’t seem like your style?”
“What style do I have? Run away when I encounter danger?” Luxianbei retorted, and then answered herself, “But there’s no danger yet, is there?”
“Don’t worry; if there’s any life-threatening situation, I’ll definitely be the first to run away, leaving you behind!”
Jiang Li glanced at Luxianbei with a calm expression and said, “I still really dislike you!”
“That’s my honor,” Luxianbei replied, her gaze quickly scanning the surroundings. “It’s been about half an hour; the time is probably almost up.”
Jiang Li frowned and questioned, “What time?”
“The onset of the poison…”
“Poison?” Jiang Li took a moment, quickly connecting it to Luxianbei’s earlier request for her to pretend to eat. Her eyes flashed with realization. “You mean there’s poison in those buffet dishes?”
“How did you figure that out?”
“I did a bit of divination.” Luxianbei shrugged it off. “If they start collapsing, we just have to collapse too.”
Divination? Jiang Li nodded slightly, knowing that Luxianbei’s second spirit energy item stolen from Siye Society was the Blessing God Copper Coin; if she had learned a divination technique, she could indeed see it.
“But we just ate those dishes; won’t that…” Jiang Li said with concern.
Although they had eaten only a little, if the poison was from an urban legend, even a tiny bit could pose a problem.
“Don’t worry; I’ve also divined that the decorative greens and drinks are non-toxic.”
Jiang Li frowned, “In that case, what if someone only drinks the beverages without eating?”
“So, I poisoned the non-toxic ones too! Besides those two leaves we just ate, everything else is now poisonous!”
I just hope Gu Qiqi’s poison works… Luxianbei thought.
Remembering how Luxianbei had made an excuse to leave for the restroom, Jiang Li sighed silently. “You should have told me first.”
“Told you? Would you let me go poison them?”
Jiang Li opened her mouth, about to say something, when the dance track suddenly ended, and the venue went dark. In the darkness, sounds of people collapsing could be heard, mixed with faint sounds of a qin…
