Everyone dozed off in the driver's terrible driving.
Ning Wei's thoughts, however, were triggered by the sight of the female ghost jumping off the building, opening up those resistant memories in her mind.
After giving birth to her, her mother had suffered from severe depression. It was manageable at first, but then she required medication and constant supervision.
Because she was so troublesome, Ning Wei received very little attention growing up. Although she had everything she needed in terms of food and clothing, she never felt loved.
She had longed for her mother's embrace, but she never received it, even as she witnessed her mother die before her eyes.
At the funeral, all her relatives were in tears, yet ten-year-old Ning Wei didn't shed a single one.
Some gossipy relatives said she was born evil and had caused her mother's death.
Her father, unable to accept the loss of his beloved wife, especially as Ning Wei increasingly resembled her mother, sent her to her maternal grandparents' home.
Her grandparents lived in the countryside. Her grandmother would burn incense on the mountains on the first and fifteenth of each month.
Once, when she took Ning Wei to a Taoist temple, the abbot said Ning Wei had a special destiny and hoped she could stay there.
Without hesitation, her grandmother left Ning Wei there with a bag of clothes.
Up to this point, no one had noticed a problem: ever since Ning Wei witnessed her mother's suicide, not only had she not cried, but she hadn't spoken a word.
Ning Wei spent eight years at the Taoist temple until her father returned after achieving success. He then remembered his daughter.
During these eight years, Ning Wei met new friends. Some were poisoned, some burned to death, and some were hacked to death.
Even after death, they remained ghosts, retaining the appearance they had in their final moments.
Either charred or contorted.
Ning Wei watched for eight years and learned for eight years. Her heart had long been as still as water, and nothing could stir her.
Even upon returning to her father's home, where there was already a new mistress, Ning Wei left the luxuriously decorated villa one night.
Until she boarded a bus. This bus was magical, taking her to experience different events, and her heart was slowly changing.
It wasn't that she didn't care; otherwise, she wouldn't have asked the female ghost that question before leaving.
The ghost's answer brought her some comfort. Perhaps her mother had also regretted her actions, but the deceased were gone, and the past could not be changed.
Ning Wei herself didn't realize that her reflection on the glass showed a smiling girl.
Until a sudden brake made everyone open their eyes, and their brief respite ended.
Ning Wei looked straight ahead, wondering where they would be taken this time.
The attendant stood at the front of the bus, "Dear passengers, we have arrived at the School Station. Please disembark in an orderly fashion and enter the school."
The doors slowly opened, and everyone disembarked according to their seat numbers.
It was still the same dilapidated station. Everyone suspected they were going in circles, just with a different station name.
After waiting at the station for a long time without any guide, someone asked the person next to them, "This ghost isn't very enthusiastic about their job."
A female student in uniform walked closer, holding something that glowed. Upon closer inspection, they realized she was carrying her own head.
Inside the head, luminous insects swarmed. She lifted her head with her hand and said, "If you can survive at the school for a week, you will receive a bus ticket. The countdown begins now."
After speaking, the female student, still holding her head, slowly retreated back into the darkness.
The scene was as bizarre as it could get.
Even though they were all seasoned individuals, they couldn't help but avert their gaze, refusing to look at the moving head.
After the female student disappeared, they turned back to see the station had changed.
All the passengers were wearing different uniforms: some were students, some were teachers, and some were from other departments.
They stood at the school entrance, facing a closed gate.
"How do we get in?" someone asked.
Someone quickly offered a suggestion, "Didn't you go to school? If the gate is closed, of course, you find the security guard to open it."
The problem now was, who would go find the security guard.
Everyone pushed the responsibility onto each other, and then their gazes uniformly fell upon Ning Wei.
At this moment, Ning Wei was wearing a school uniform: a crisp white shirt, a plaid skirt that reached her knees, and black leather shoes. She looked young and vibrant.
Only her expression remained as indifferent as ever, keeping everyone at a distance.
"Why are you looking at me?" Ning Wei's reaction said it all.
She was so intelligent; it was impossible she didn't understand their intentions.
Clearly, she refused.
"I'll go," said Song Zhi, dressed in a suit.
He had a name tag on his chest that read, "Class 2, Grade 2 Math Teacher - Song Zhi."
With a teacher stepping forward, the security guard immediately opened the gate. He then saw a group of people rushing in, including students and other staff.
The security guard stood at the gate, looking bewildered. Song Zhi smiled, waved to him, and then hurried after the others.
The security guard muttered to himself, "What's going on today? Everyone's late."
The entire campus was eerily quiet. Everyone hid in a small grove to hold a meeting.
Everyone wore identification tags, designating them as students, teachers, or maintenance workers.
Based on typical patterns, these assigned roles would likely play an important part.
Although the mission this time stated that surviving for a week was sufficient, it was surely not that simple. The hidden rules would inevitably claim everyone's lives.
They agreed to work diligently in their respective positions and to contact each other immediately if anything seemed amiss.
After passing the Happy Community stop, they gradually developed a tacit understanding. Although each still had their own thoughts, they finally understood the importance of the bigger picture.
As they were engaged in a heated discussion, the school bell rang.
No one knew what this bell signified, but Ning Wei suggested, "Let's stop talking for now and find our respective places."
Ning Wei then walked out of the grove, followed by about seven or eight people who looked like students, including Fu Chengwei.
Fu Chengwei, relying on the slight rapport he had built with Ning Wei during their shared room in the previous stop, shamelessly stuck with her.
"Ning Wei, we're in the same class. I'm not very bright, so please remind me often."
"Mhm," Ning Wei replied softly.
Although Fu Chengwei lacked intelligence and courage, he was very obedient.
Ning Wei, already unusual, sensed a strong presence of Yin energy within the school the moment she entered.
They lurked in the shadows, ready to tear apart the throats of these unfortunate passengers at any moment.
This was becoming increasingly interesting.
Ning Wei walked with small steps and quickly found her classroom according to the instructions on her student ID.