Horror Short Story | The Potted Plant

Shen Li bought a small potted plant from the flower market. The shop owner said it was easy to care for, didn't need frequent watering, and would thrive just by being left alone. She placed it on her desk and glanced at it every morning when she woke up. There wasn't much change. One day, she found a small fallen leaf next to the plant. She picked it up and threw it away. The next day, another leaf had fallen in the exact same spot. Feeling strange, she dug into the soil of the pot and found a small piece of paper buried within. She dug it out. The paper had a name written on it. It wasn't her name. She searched online and discovered the name belonged to the previous tenant of her studio apartment. When she moved in, the landlord had mentioned the previous tenant had moved out, but didn't elaborate. She put the paper back into the soil, pretending she hadn't seen it. The next day, the plant had grown taller by a segment. It had more leaves, and their color had deepened. She felt something was off, but couldn't pinpoint what. That night, she dreamed of a woman sitting at her desk, looking down at the potted plant, her fingers gently stroking the leaves. The woman looked up, smiled at her, and her lips silently formed the words: 'Thank you for watering me.' Shen Li woke up with a start and walked to her desk. The plant had grown even taller, reaching her knees. The soil was damp, but she hadn't watered it at all for the past few days. She decided to move the plant to the balcony. As she moved it, she discovered a photo stuck to the bottom of the pot, half-covered by soil. She wiped it clean. The photo showed a woman happily holding a potted plant. The background was her studio apartment. The back of the photo had a date, from two years ago. And another line of text: 'If one day I'm no longer here, please continue to take care of it for me. It will remember me.' Shen Li froze, then turned to look at the balcony.