As I sat on the sofa and waited for Xiaotao, my heart was in turmoil. It was so nerve-racking for me that I even contemplated bolting out the door. But another voice in my head jeered at how pathetic I was.

Those few minutes felt like years. Finally, Xiaotao came out of the bedroom with her hands behind her back. 

“Guess what I’m holding in my hands?” she asked playfully. “I’ll give you some clues—it’s made of plastic, and there’s a hole in it too.”

I almost choked, but quickly realized that it must be another trap.

“Is it a DVD?” I guessed.

“Aww, that’s no fun! You got it right on the first try!” Xiaotao complained. She held up a DVD which was still in its case. I noticed that the cover was of the classic horror film The Ring.

“What did you want me to guess?” I teased her.

“What else could you guess?” she countered after some hesitation....