The moment Sirui walked toward where the others were gathered, he was immediately met with a series of playful smacks on the head.
"Ouch! Ouch! Don't bully me!" he complained loudly, raising his hands to shield himself.
The culprits were Sheng Wang, Zhao Xi, and Lin Beiting. While all three delivered their share of teasing, Sheng Wang's smacks had noticeably more force behind them than the ones from the two older men.
The playful chaos only stopped when Jiang Tian finally stepped in. With a swift but gentle motion, he wrapped an arm around Sheng Wang's waist, pulling him firmly to his side. Jiang Tian held him securely, ensuring Sheng Wang couldn't reach Sirui anymore. Sheng Wang squirmed and tried to break free from his Ge's strong grip, but it was pointless—Jiang Tian was much stronger, and Sheng Wang had no choice but to stay put.
In the end, Sheng Wang introduced his best friend, Crab, once again, since Sirui still didn't know who he was.
After the greetings and laughter settled down, everyone settled into the living room to discuss the matter at hand.
The living room was a charming mix of comfort and clutter, striking a perfect balance between coziness and elegance. The centerpiece of the room was a soft, oversized couch adorned with matching pillows in shades of white and green, which added a touch of freshness to the space.
A glass coffee table sat in front of the couch, its surface scattered with magazines and books that had yet to find their proper place. It was clear the couple had only recently moved in, as the shelves and walls were lined with empty photo frames that seemed to wait eagerly for memories to fill them.
The floor was covered with a large, intricately designed green carpet that brought warmth and a sense of familiarity to the room. The gentle hum of a fan mixed with the occasional soft crackle from the nearby fireplace that was lit before the visitors came, since it's almost night anyway, to at least feel warm against the cold wind as nighttime approach.
In one corner stood a bookshelf, which, despite its size, seemed to be losing a battle against the sheer number of books. Many volumes lay in neat but precarious piles on the floor, as if they were waiting for their turn to be shelved.
It took a few moments for the visitors to fully take in the beautiful mess around them before they finally settled into the seating arrangement. The room had a single long couch and two solo chairs, which meant one person would inevitably have to sit elsewhere. Without hesitation, Sheng Wang volunteered to sit on the carpet. He settled into an Indian seat position, looking perfectly at ease on the soft rug.
Once everyone was comfortable, the discussion began.
At first, Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian shared what they overheard from the group of teenagers sitting at the table next to them earlier in the afternoon. This happened when they went out together to grab iced coffee and some snacks.
After talking for a while, everyone came to the conclusion that they would stay in the living room for a sleepover that night.
The reason? They all agreed it would be fun to hang out together in the same space.
However, deep down, they all knew the real reason none of them wanted to go upstairs. The second floor of the house had a window where people said the lady in white had been seen haunting. None of them dared to be anywhere near it.