Yu Xiao and Zhao Lan’s brows furrowed at the question.


    “Well,” Zhao Lan began, carefully choosing her words, “theories suggest… It’s possible. Imagine opening the door and seeing yourselves from a few minutes ahead.”


    Zhou Xiao Zhen’s eyes sparkled. “But why a few minutes ahead? Couldn’t it be a few minutes back too?”


    “Think about it,” Yu Xiao said, trying to explain the logic. “Up until now, nobody has just barged into our room. So until we see our future selves, we won’t see our past selves.”


    “Right!” Zhou Xiao Zhen chimed in, her excitement bubbling over. “If we can find ourselves, ourselves can find us, too!”


    “True,” Yu Xiao agreed, wanting to temper the enthusiasm a bit. After all, the longer they stayed in this instance, the higher the chance of someone else stumbling upon them. “But the chances are pretty slim, considering—”


    The click of the doorknob cut her off. All three women whipped their heads around, eyes wide with shock.


    Framed in the doorway stood two figures mirroring their own astonishment. A young woman with short hair stood next to an older woman, both staring with disbelief at the unexpected dinner party happening before their eyes.


    Silence stretched, thick and heavy. The newcomers remained rooted to the spot, faces etched with confusion.


    Zhou Xiao Zhen’s gaze darted between them, silently questioning if they were humans or ghosts.


    “Are you… patients too?” the younger woman finally managed to stammer out.


    “Of course,” Zhao Lan replied, finding her voice first.


    The young woman narrowed her eyes, suspicion creeping into her expression. “You… came in together?”


    “Yes?”


    “The same door?” the younger woman pressed on, incredulous. “Didn’t you guys hear what Dr. Shi Guang said?”


    “We did,” Zhou Xiao Zhen countered, a hint of defiance creeping into her tone. “But why should we just follow his orders blindly? Like, seriously, are we supposed to be his trained dogs?”


    “…”


    The room plunged into an awkward silence. Even Yu Xiao and Zhao Lan, usually quick with a quip, found themselves speechless.


    The young woman with short hair stared at Zhou Xiao Zhen, a mix of emotions flickering across her face. Then, a loud rumble shattered the tension – the woman’s stomach had declared war. Her cheeks flushed red, and she stole a glance at the steaming dishes on the table.


    A beat of hesitation passed. Zhao Lan, ever the pragmatist, shot a questioning glance at her companions, then made a decision. With a slight smile, she picked up the large bowl of fried noodles. “Hungry? Care for some noodles?”


    The woman’s famished expression spoke volumes. Without a word, she ushered the elderly woman into the room.


    “Wait!” Yu Xiao called out before they could fully enter. Both women whirled around, surprise etched on their faces. “Is this,” Yu Xiao began, carefully phrasing her question, “the first room you entered after coming through the door?”


    The short-haired woman blinked, clearly confused by the question. “No,” she finally replied, “we’ve been through a bunch of rooms already.”


    Well, that was that. Whether they left their room or not became irrelevant.


    With a resigned sigh, Zhao Lan gestured to the empty chairs. “Have a seat, then. We’re a bit low on chopsticks, though – these were for the tomato beef earlier.”


    “No worries,” the woman said, grabbing a bowl and hastily snatching the used chopsticks. Hunger fueled her movements as she devoured the noodles with gusto.


    The portion was meant for three, yet the woman managed to polish off half of it in record time. Zhou Xiao Zhen and the others watched in a mixture of amusement and disbelief.


    Finally, unable to hold back any longer, Zhao Lan pointed towards the silent elderly woman. “Isn’t your friend going to have some?”


    The short-haired woman, mid-chew, finally looked up. Her face, smeared with sauce and sporting a strangely unsettling smile, turned towards Zhao Lan. “She doesn’t need to eat,” she mumbled before returning to her feast.


    Yu Xiao and her companions watched, mouths agape, as the woman single-handedly inhaled the large bowl of noodles.


    With a satisfied sigh and a resounding burp, she finally set down her chopsticks and wiped her mouth. “Thanks for the food,” she mumbled, the words slightly muffled by a face still half-buried in sauce.


    Zhou Xiao Zhen, sweat beading on her forehead from the sheer spectacle, couldn’t help but ask, “Are you, uh, good now?”


    Yu Xiao, meanwhile, had been subtly observing the elderly woman. Her clothes were threadbare and hung loosely on her gaunt frame. Her expression remained vacant, devoid of any desire for food. Instead, her gaze kept wandering over to Yu Xiao and the others’ bodies.


    Feeling a prickle on her skin, Yu Xiao met the woman’s dull eyes head-on. A flicker of something, perhaps hunger, passed through those vacant depths before the elderly woman swallowed hard and looked away.


    Taking a deep breath, Yu Xiao turned to the short-haired woman. “Hi, I’m Yu Xiao. What’s your name?”


    The woman wiped her hands on her pants and offered a hesitant smile. “Ye Tao..” (叶桃: “the harmonious peach leaf” or “a symbol of enduring youth and growth”) Her voice lowering slightly as she noticed Yu Xiao’s focus on the elderly woman.


    叶 (Yè): This surname means “leaf” and can symbolise growth, renewal, and the cycle of life. It is also phonetically similar to the word for “harmony” (和, hé), which adds a connotation of balance and unity.桃 (Táo): This character means “peach” and is often associated with longevity, immortality, and youthfulness in Chinese culture due to the legendary peaches of immortality.Thus, 叶桃 (Yè Táo) could be interpreted as “the harmonious peach leaf” or “a symbol of enduring youth and growth”, reflecting a person who embodies vitality and the harmonious balance of life.


    “These are my roommates, Zhou Xiao Zhen and Zhao Lan.”


    “Nice to meet you,” Zhou Xiao Zhen piped up, though her eyes remained glued to the silent woman beside Ye Tao. “What about your friend?”


    Ye Tao hesitated, a flicker of unease crossing her features. In a low, almost raspy voice, she finally replied, “Her name is Zhang Qi Qi (张琪琪: “the extended beauty of fine jade” or “the Zhang family’s doubly precious and elegant jade”).”


    张 (Zhāng): This surname has historical significance and is derived from the character meaning “to stretch” or “to extend”. It is associated with the invention of the bow and arrow, symbolising “stretching a bow” or “drawing a bow”, which implies potential, readiness, and the ability to reach further.琪琪 (Qíqí): The character 琪, repeated here for emphasis, means “fine jade”. It suggests beauty, preciousness, and elegance. The repetition of the character often signifies a doubling of these qualities.Combining these meanings, 张琪琪 (Zhāng Qíqí) could be interpreted as “the extended beauty of fine jade” or “the Zhang family’s doubly precious and elegant jade”, signifying someone who is highly valued and possesses both inner and outer beauty, with the potential to reach great heights.


    “Is she your roommate?” Zhou Xiao Zhen blurted, her brows furrowing. Wasn’t it said that everyone admitted to the hospital was under thirty-five? Or had this Zhang Qi Qi been here for many years already? Then why did Ye Tao still look so young?


    Yu Xiao, her gaze fixed on the silent Zhang Qi Qi, felt a knot of dread tighten in her stomach.


    “Zhang Qi Qi…” she began, her voice barely a whisper, “has she ever… eaten anyone?”


    Ye Tao’s head snapped up. Her eyes locked onto Yu Xiao’s with an intensity that sent shivers down the spines of all three women. Neither Zhao Lan nor Zhou Xiao Zhen dared to breathe, their eyes flitting nervously between Yu Xiao and the increasingly agitated Ye Tao.


    But Yu Xiao held her gaze, “Has Zhang Qi Qi been trapped here for years, slowly succumbing to this strange hunger?”


    The air crackled with tension as Ye Tao held eyes with Yu Xiao, but then a heavy sigh escaped her lips, her shoulders slumping in defeat. “Looks like you’ve stumbled upon the darkness of this place too.”


    Zhou Xiao Zhen quietly placed her chopsticks down, fingers hovering near her pocket where talismans lay hidden.


    Ye Tao cast a pained glance at Zhang Qi Qi, her youthful face etched with worry. “We entered this copy three days ago, following Dr. Shi Guang’s cryptic instructions. We decided to split up – door number seven for me, and door number three for Qi Qi. But once inside, there was no escape… no matter how hard I tried, i couldn’t find a way out…. Until last night, that is, when a door…”


    Taking a deep breath, Ye Tao launched into a chilling narrative. “It was a broken-down room, a stench of death thick in the air. A figure stood with its back to me, gnawing on something unspeakable. Panic seized me, and I was about to slam the door shut. But then… she called my name.”


    Tears welled up in Ye Tao’s eyes, her voice breaking. “It’s only been two and a half days for me in this instance. We were the same age when we went in, Qi Qi even a year younger. How can two and a half days turn someone like that? Why? Do you have any idea?”


    “Did she… not tell you what happened?” Zhou Xiao Zhen ventured.


    Ye Tao wiped away a stray tear, regaining some composure. “She… can’t talk much anymore. Responds when I speak, sometimes her eyes follow me, but mostly… blank. Only seems to come alive at the thought of…” The word stuck in her throat, replaced by a shudder.


    Yu Xiao pondered for a moment, then spoke softly, her words heavy. “It’s because she’s been trapped here for a long time.”


    A flicker of disbelief crossed Ye Tao’s face, a spark of hope battling against a tide of despair. “But that’s impossible. It’s only been three days.”


    “Three days for you,” Zhou Xiao Zhen emphasised, gesturing towards the silent Zhang Qi Qi. “But for her, years might have passed.”


    Despite her lack of experience explaining complex concepts, she pressed on. “Think about it. Every time you open a door, the room changes. But it’s not just space, it’s time too. You open a door and see a bedroom. Next time you see that same bedroom, years could have passed inside it.”


    Ye Tao swallowed hard, the horrifying truth sinking in. “So, you’re saying Qi Qi stayed in that same room for years?” S~ea??h the Novёl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhao Lan stepped in, her voice calm amidst the chaos. “It’s more like she existed in different timelines. You kept opening doors, and so did she. You just happened to be luckier, encountering her years-older self only two days after entering.”


    The weight of revelation settled upon Ye Tao. Shock, disbelief, and a soul-crushing sadness clouded her eyes, a silent scream trapped within.


    Tears welled up in Ye Tao’s eyes again, spilling over as she clutched her hair. Three days for her, an eternity for Qi Qi. “But why?” she choked out, voice raw with anguish. “Why did she become like this? Did the place… drive her mad?”


    Yu Xiao shook her head gently. “No. It’s the Yin energy here. It corrupts, slowly twists you.”


    The horrifying implication hung heavy in the air. After a long beat, Ye Tao finally accepted reality.


    “So, if I keep opening doors,” she rasped, “there’s a chance I could meet the young Qi Qi again?”


    “It’s unlikely,” Yu Xiao explained. “Imagine a timeline where you do meet a young Qi Qi. She wouldn’t have turned out like this, wouldn’t have aged alone. That means yesterday’s you wouldn’t have seen her older self, and wouldn’t have met us either.”


    “Exactly,” Zhao Lan chimed in, “meeting her yesterday, that’s your fixed point.”


    A crushing weight settled on Ye Tao’s shoulders. Yet, through the tears, a flicker of determination sparked. Qi Qi might be a shell, but Ye Tao wouldn’t give up. “Have you found a way out of here?” she asked, her voice surprisingly steady.


    Yu Xiao and her companions valued honesty. “We have some ideas,” Yu Xiao replied. Zhao Lan elaborated, “We think we can leave this duplicate tomorrow.”


    But Ye Tao’s hopeful spark dimmed with each word. “Do we have to stay in the first room?”


    “That’s what we believe,” Zhao Lan explained patiently. “The time flow only seems to match ours in the first space.”


    The truth slammed into Ye Tao. It meant that even if they discovered the escape method later, it would be useless once they left the first space. The colour drained from her face. Trapped. Forever.


    Desperate, Ye Tao reached out, her hand trembling. “Can’t you take us with you?”


    Zhao Lan, her expression sympathetic, gently pulled back. “It’s not that we don’t want to help, but Dr. Shi Guang said everyone has their own way out. Maybe ‘way out’ refers to time itself, and yours just doesn’t align with ours…”


    Her voice trailed off, a crucial question hanging in the air. “Which hospital are you from?”


    Ye Tao, defeated, whispered, “Seventh Hospital.”


    Yu Xiao and her companions exchanged a stunned look. Newcomers in the Sixth Hospital themselves, they now encountered someone from the Seventh. The depths of this strange place seemed bottomless.


    “We’re…” Yu Xiao’s mood was complicated. “Sixth Hospital.”


    Ye Tao’s eyes widened in surprise. Then, a flicker of hope ignited within them. “Sixth Hospital?!” she exclaimed, a relieved smile breaking through her tears. “That’s amazing!”


    “Amazing?” Zhou Xiao Zhen furrowed her brow. “Why’s that amazing?”


    “Because at your Sixth Hospital,” Ye Tao explained, her voice trembling with newfound hope, “people have actually left! Did they leave behind any information, anything about how they escaped? Maybe that’s why you figured out the time-shifting pattern so quickly!”


    A shared look passed between Yu Xiao and Zhao Lan. Someone leaving the Sixth Hospital? Surely, that wasn’t something that had happened yet, on their timeline.


    “Wait,” Yu Xiao interjected, a spark of curiosity igniting. “People left the Sixth Hospital? Do you know who they were?”


    Ye Tao’s eyes widened in surprise. “Of course everyone knows! How can you not…” A realisation dawned on her face, slowly morphing into disbelief. “…Are you from the past?”


    Zhou Xiao Zhen, unable to hold back, blurted out, “Yeah, kind of newbies here.”


    The smile vanished from Ye Tao’s face as fast as it appeared. Her features hardened, a wave of despair washing over her. The joy in her eyes was replaced by a hollowness that mirrored the despair they’d glimpsed in Zhang Qi Qi.


    “Newbies…” Ye Tao muttered, her voice barely a whisper.


    Yu Xiao pushed forward, hoping to salvage the situation. “Do you know who these people were that left? Maybe we know them.”


    Ye Tao shot them a dark look, a stark contrast to her previous optimism. “Shortly after I entered the Seventh Hospital,” she began, her voice devoid of emotion, “I overheard some veterans from other hospitals talking in the instance. They said two people from the Sixth Hospital escaped. One with a nickname… ‘Nickname Hassle’… and the other with a strange one – ‘Talisman Shop – Only three points each!’ Apparently, they were even in the same ward.”


    “…”


    Yu Xiao and her companions exchanged another round of wide-eyed glances. This news was a bombshell.


    Before Zhou Xiao Zhen could contain her excitement, she suddenly paled and grabbed Ye Tao’s hand. “Only two?” she blurted out. “Weren’t there three in the ward?”


    Ye Tao shook her head, confused. “Three? I don’t know anything about that. These are just rumours I overheard from veterans in the Seventh Hospital. Do you actually know them?”


    “But how?” Disbelief tinged Zhou Xiao Zhen’s voice. There was no joy in this revelation, only a knot of dread tightening in her stomach. “There had to be three!”


    Yu Xiao, her face pale, managed a weak smile but remained silent.


    Zhou Xiao Zhen pressed on, her voice trembling. “It can’t be… even if it is, it couldn’t be Yu Xiao…”


    The tension in the room was thick. Ye Tao, sensing something amiss, looked between the three with growing concern.


    “It’s alright,” Yu Xiao finally said, regaining her composure. “You can join us tomorrow when we leave. But escaping this place… we can’t promise anything.”


    Relief washed over Ye Tao’s features. “Thank you,” she gushed, her voice thick with gratitude. “Thank you so much! Don’t worry, I’ll keep Qi Qi under control. She listens to me and wouldn’t hurt anyone.”


    Yu Xiao cast a glance towards the corner of the room. “We understand,” she said. “Besides, this isn’t exactly our first encounter with a restless ghost.”


    Ye Tao’s eyes darted towards the corner, following Yu Xiao’s gaze. A charred body lay there, sending shivers down her spine. Despite their claims of being newbies, a sense of mystery clung to these three women.


    Zhou Xiao Zhen remained troubled, tears welling up in her eyes as she covered her face. Zhao Lan sat motionless, her brow furrowed in deep thought.


    Yu Xiao hadn’t finished her rice in her bowl, so she picked it up and continued eating. The sight seemed to trigger something in Zhou Xiao Zhen, who suddenly burst into tears.


    Ye Tao, completely bewildered, turned to Yu Xiao. “What’s wrong with her?”


    Yu Xiao took a nonchalant bite of her food. “Just remembering something sad.”


    Ye Tao then glanced at Zhao Lan, who remained silent and contemplative. “And her?”


    Yu Xiao scooped up another mouthful of rice. “Just pondering over something she can’t figure out.”


    Ye Tao could only nod, her mind swirling with questions about these peculiar new companions.