Li Banfeng disembarked from the train and proceeded to board the subway.
The journey from the university to the station via taxi had concluded in a mere thirty minutes.
Conversely, the return trip from the station to the university by subway extended for over an hour.
Residing in the Sixth Dormitory, a location quite distant from the main entrance, Li Banfeng was met by the doorman upon his arrival at the dormitory building. The doorman, with a raised eyebrow, inquired, "You haven't departed yet?"
A subtle smile touched Li Banfeng's lips. He offered the elderly man a placid smile before making his way directly up the staircase.
The First Layer, exclusively housing postgraduate students, was enveloped in an unnerving silence; it was likely that the majority of its occupants had already departed.
Ascending to the sixth floor, Li Banfeng entered his shared room, only to find it shrouded in absolute darkness.
University regulations stipulated lights-out at eleven o'clock. It wasn't even nine yet, and yet the old caretaker had already extinguished the lights.
All other occupants of the dormitory had moved out. Those who had secured employment had commenced their duties, while those without jobs had returned home to await further developments.
He Jiaqing, having not yet secured employment, had taken his girlfriend back home to wait alongside him.
At this moment, Li Banfeng was the sole remaining occupant of the dormitory.
Li Banfeng's inability to find a job stemmed from a documented history of mental health challenges.
Furthermore, he possessed no familial home to which he could return. Relocating back to the welfare home was not a viable option.
Contemplating his rather 'promising' future, Li Banfeng's furrowed brow began to smooth out, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile.
Another job fair was scheduled for the following day. He resolved to try his fortune once more then.
Li Banfeng proceeded to the communal restroom for a bracing cold shower. Just as he was preparing to retire to his bed and engage with his mobile phone, a sudden recollection surfaced—he needed to contact He Jiaqing.
He initiated the call. After a considerable duration of ringing, there was no response.
Li Banfeng redialed. Following another prolonged series of rings, the call was finally answered.
"Ban Feng..." He Jiaqing's voice, laced with hoarseness, emanated from the receiver. He sounded as if he had only just roused from a deep slumber.
"Jia Qing, get up and take a leak!"
He Jiaqing's voice, imbued with evident confusion, stammered, "Pee? Where should I pee? Where am I..."
Without further words, Li Banfeng terminated the call. In the pitch-black dormitory, he fumbled for the ladder to his bunk and began his ascent, preparing to settle into bed.
At the very precipice of his bed, Li Banfeng discerned that his quilt was unnaturally distended, as though an individual was concealed within its folds.
Li Banfeng cautiously lifted the quilt.
Beneath it lay, indeed, a person!
The individual was positioned facing the wall, their back presented to Li Banfeng, remaining utterly motionless.
A potent aroma of alcohol assailed his senses. It appeared this person had indulged in excessive drinking.
"Get up! Who are you? Rise!" Li Banfeng nudged the person, but received absolutely no reaction.
The curtains remained undrawn, allowing the ethereal moonlight to cast its glow upon the bed, enabling him to vaguely discern the figure's indistinct form.
Quite suddenly, Li Banfeng found the silhouette to bear a degree of familiarity.
He grasped the person's shoulder and gently turned them over. Upon witnessing the face revealed, Li Banfeng nearly toppled from the ladder.
It was none other than He Jiaqing!
A mere hour and a half prior, Li Banfeng had bid He Jiaqing farewell at the train station.
"Jia Qing, what on earth happened to you? Jia Qing, awaken..."
After several attempts at shaking He Jiaqing, Li Banfeng abruptly withdrew his hand.
The fine hairs on his arms stood on end, each one individually reacting. The dormitory, previously heavy with stagnant air, now felt remarkably cooler.
Li Banfeng activated his phone's flashlight, directing its beam onto the face of the person in the bed for an extended period.
It was undeniably He Jiaqing!
This was his closest friend from their university days; Li Banfeng could never mistake him.
THUD!
Li Banfeng plummeted from the ladder, his descent culminating in the overturning of the wastepaper basket situated on the floor.
Composing himself with remarkable calm, he righted the fallen bin and made a swift exit from the dormitory.
Closing the door behind him, he leaned against the corridor wall, standing in silent contemplation.
The unstable electrical current caused the dim corridor lights to flicker intermittently.
Li Banfeng compelled himself to regain composure, retrieved his mobile phone, and initiated another call to He Jiaqing.
The earpiece was filled with a suffocating silence. After a tense interval exceeding ten seconds, a female voice intoned:
"Hello, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable."
He redialed several more times, yet the call consistently failed to connect.
Li Banfeng did not possess Lu Xiaolan's contact details. His interactions with her were generally infrequent.
The corridor remained utterly silent. It appeared that every resident on this particular floor had already vacated their rooms.
Li Banfeng turned his gaze back towards the dormitory door, his mind actively processing his subsequent course of action.
An internal debate commenced within Li Banfeng.
A rational individual would certainly not venture back into the dormitory alone under these circumstances.
However, Li Banfeng was not an entirely rational person.
He had previously undergone an evaluation at a psychiatric hospital. While not diagnosed as insane, his mental state deviated from the norm.
A subtle smile graced his lips.
Despite his emotional instability, he experienced a peculiar sensation of elation.
Employing his own unique method, he began the process of self-soothing.
A rational excuse for the recent events formed in his mind.
Li Banfeng offered a smile, unlatched the door, and stepped back inside.
All an illusion. Purely a fabrication of his mind.
The closer he approached the bed, the more potent the alcoholic stench became, acting as a grim confirmation that this was no figment of his imagination.
Li Banfeng ascended the ladder once more, phone in hand, and cast his gaze upon the bed.
He Jiaqing lay there, his eyelids sealed shut, his complexion alarmingly pale.
Li Banfeng reached out, his fingers brushing against He Jiaqing’s cheek. It felt warm.
A subsequent check revealed He Jiaqing’s breathing – still present, yet alarmingly shallow and erratic.
Descending the ladder, Li Banfeng made the swift decision to contact emergency services.
After relaying their location and the precarious situation, Li Banfeng ended the call and settled into a quiet vigil for the approaching ambulance.
He took his position beside the bed, upon which rested He Jiaqing, a figure who seemed to have materialized from thin air.
The two remained in the hushed confines of the dormitory room.
CLICK-CLACK.
The oppressive silence of the dormitory was shattered by the sharp chime of a message notification.
The sender was He Jiaqing.
He was absolutely convinced that the He Jiaqing currently lying before him was incapable of composing and sending a message.
Yet, astonishingly, a message from He Jiaqing had arrived.
The message contained a mere four characters.
"Ban Feng, save me!"
*PS: The doctor assured me I could be released from the hospital after completing this Chapter. I suspect he’s deceiving me, so I’ve resolved to write yet another Chapter.*