Breeze

Chapter 8 - Revelation

Xiao Zhan found Yibo sitting in the university library, hidden behind a stack of books. It was late afternoon, and the place was quiet, with only the sound of rustling pages and the occasional tap of a keyboard breaking the silence. Yibo seemed absorbed in his reading, but Zhan knew him well enough to see the tension in his posture. He was still haunted by whatever he had seen back in the dorm.

Zhan approached slowly, placing his bag on the chair across from Yibo. He didn’t say anything at first, waiting for Yibo to notice him. It didn’t take long—Yibo looked up, blinking in surprise.

"Xiao Zhan? What are you doing here?"

Yibo asked, his voice low, but there was a flicker of relief in his eyes. Zhan's presence seemed to ease the weight on his mind.
Zhan sat down and leaned closer.

"I need to tell you something. Something the professor told me today… it might explain what’s been happening to you."

Yibo furrowed his brows, leaning forward as well, his curiosity piqued.

"What did he say?"

Zhan took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts.

"He said there’s a story that’s been passed down through the years. It’s about a soldier—a young man who lost his best friend during the war. Apparently, he was so devastated by the loss that he never recovered. Some people believe his spirit still wanders the campus, searching for his friend."

Yibo’s face remained expressionless for a moment, but Zhan saw the flicker of recognition in his eyes.

"You think that’s what I saw?"

Zhan nodded slowly.

"It fits, doesn’t it? A soldier, grieving for his lost friend… the professor said it’s one of the university’s oldest legends. Maybe that’s the ghost you’ve been seeing."

Yibo didn’t respond right away. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes staring off into the distance as if piecing something together in his mind. After a few moments of silence, he spoke quietly, his voice heavy with emotion.

"I had a dream last night," Yibo began, his eyes meeting Zhan’s.

"It felt so real… almost like I was there, like I was living it."
Zhan leaned in closer, listening intently.

"I was standing in a courtyard," Yibo continued, his voice barely above a whisper.

"There was snow everywhere. I saw a man—he was wearing an old military uniform, and he looked… familiar. Like you, but older, sadder. He was standing on a balcony, looking down, like he was ready to jump."

Zhan’s heart skipped a beat.
"And then?"

Yibo swallowed hard, his hands tightening into fists on the table.

"He said a name. Ruolai. He kept saying he was sorry, that he couldn’t save him. And then… he jumped. I couldn’t do anything. I just watched him fall."

Zhan felt a chill run down his spine. The name Ruolai—he had never heard it before, but something about it seemed to resonate deeply with Yibo.
Yibo’s voice trembled slightly as he continued.

"I don’t know who he was, but it felt so real, like I was connected to it somehow. And now, hearing what you just told me… it makes sense. That soldier in my dream, he must be the one from the professor’s story."

Zhan’s mind was racing, trying to piece together the puzzle.

"Do you think… you’re connected to him? Somehow tied to this place, to this ghost?"

Yibo shook his head, frustration evident in his eyes.

"I don’t know. But it feels like more than just a dream, more than just a story. It’s like I’m reliving something that isn’t mine, but at the same time… it is."

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the mystery pressing down on them both. Zhan reached out, placing a comforting hand on Yibo’s arm.

"We’ll figure this out," Zhan said softly.

"Whatever’s happening, we’ll get to the bottom of it."

Yibo nodded, though the uncertainty still lingered in his eyes.

"Yeah, but… what if this ghost, this soldier, wants something from us? What if he’s not just appearing for no reason?"

Zhan didn’t have an answer for that. All he knew was that they were caught in something far bigger than themselves, something that went beyond ghost stories and legends. And whatever it was, it wasn’t going to let them go easily.

"We’ll find out," Zhan repeated, his voice firmer now.

"Together."

Yibo managed a small, grateful smile, though his unease didn’t fade.

"Yeah… together."