After school one day, Ning Yi Zhou approaches you with a warm smile and hands you an invitation to her birthday party.

"The party’s Saturday night. I hope you can make it!" she says cheerfully before walking away.

Curious, you ask your friends if they’re going too, but their answers surprise you. None of them have been invited. A strange feeling settles in your chest, but despite the oddity, you decide to go. Maybe there’s a reason she singled you out.

When Saturday night arrives, you find yourself standing outside her house. The place is beautifully decorated, complete with colorful banners, balloons, and twinkling lights. Yet, something feels off. There’s no sign of any other guests.

You step inside, expecting the lively hum of a party, but the house is eerily quiet. The lights are dim, and every room you check is empty. You call out, but your voice echoes back unanswered.

As you cautiously move deeper into the house, a sudden noise startles you. Before you can react, someone jumps out from behind the curtain, startling you so much that you nearly lose your footing.

It’s Ning Yi Zhou, her face lit up with laughter.

"I’ve been waiting for you," she says, grinning mischievously. Her laughter fills the quiet space, her playful energy erasing your earlier unease.