Chapter 311: Look Away
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you were doing home visits today. Look at the mess of this home.” The middle-aged woman was very polite. She was no different from the other parents Teacher Liu had visited. However, she kept facing away from Teacher Liu. It was strange.
“Xiao Guo’s mom... Are you alright?” Teacher Liu studied the woman’s back. Her dishevelled, black hair reached her shoulders. The woman was at home, but she was well-dressed. She wore a dress that was very expensive but not very fitting.
“It’s indeed not that convenient for me at the moment. Did Xiao Guo give you any trouble? This damn kid. I’ll be sure to teach her a lesson tonight.” The woman walked backwards out of the bedroom.
Teacher Liu’s breathing caught in her throat. However, she instantly shielded Xiao Guo behind her. “It has nothing to do with the child. If anything, I have concerns about your teaching methods. Meaningless beatings and scares will affect the normal growth of a child...” Teacher Liu shut up instantly because the middle-aged woman was already one meter away from her face. There was silence inside the living room. Due to the immense pressure, Teacher Liu had to take a step back.
The middle-aged woman didn’t turn around, but she appeared to be able to see from the back of her head. She didn’t bump into anything.
“Xiao Guo’s mom, if you’re not feeling well today, I can come back another day.” Teacher Liu felt that the woman was mentally ill. She held Xiao Guo’s wrist and planned to leave. However, as she turned around, she noticed a man standing facing away from her outside the living room door. He appeared to be Xiao Guo’s father.
“When did he arrive?”
Teacher Liu felt a chill run down her spine. She held Xiao Guo’s hand, and her palm started to sweat.
“Teacher Liu, since you’re here, you should stay for a meal.” The middle-aged man’s voice was welcoming and gentle. “We brought something delicious for you.”
The man backed into the room and closed the door. The moment the door closed, the temperature inside plummeted. It was like the house was isolated from the outside reality.
“Xiao Guo was like me when I was young. She must have been very naughty. I apologise.” The man spoke as he moved backwards. He looked normal, but when he approached, Teacher Liu instantly shivered with goosebumps. Every cell in her being was telling her to run.
“Help! Help!”
Rapid footsteps sounded. A small figure appeared at the door.
“Look away from the mirror!” The young voice said. Then, Teacher Liu heard a crack. Xiao Guo threw the knife that was used to chop meat at the mirror. The smooth mirror had a few splinters.
Teacher Liu’s reflection grimaced. Xiao Guo’s parents paused for a moment.
Teacher Liu used this chance to escape. She grabbed Xiao Guo’s hand and ran towards the door. She shoved through the door. Xiao Guo’s parents chased after them.
“Teacher, you should go.” Xiao Guo let go of Teacher Liu to hug her mother’s legs. She also lifted her head to look at her mother. When she saw her mother’s face, Xiao Guo’s face started to blur.
At that moment, Teacher Liu finally understood why Xiao Guo always kept her face down. This discovery frightened Teacher Liu. She ignored everything and ran downstairs.
The sky outside was dark. She had no idea what time it was. It felt like she had spent a long time at Xiao Guo’s home. Tracing her memory, she ran to the residential gate. The place where the gate should be had turned into a wall.
Footsteps came from behind her. Teacher Liu ran with all her might, but she was still too slow. Soon, a hand pressed on her shoulder.
“I just want to ask for directions. Do you need to react like this?” The man said between breaths. After he caught up to Teacher Liu, a few others came over. They were dressed differently, but they shared one similarity. Their phones had received a mission update from Dead Water Forum.