Chapter 14: Why Isn’t This a Shura Field?

Though extremely unwilling, Gu Nanqiu breathed a sigh of relief after seeing Zhang Yang off with Fan Ning.

“What Zhang Yang said reminded me—my Meal Card seems different from yours, and yours is almost out of money.”

Gu Nanqiu looked at Yue Yiyue with some worry. “Will it affect you?”

With no one else around, Yue Yiyue couldn’t be bothered to go to the bathroom to change. “Nanqiu, turn around for me. I’ll change here.”

“Okay.” Gu Nanqiu turned her back and listened to the rustling sounds behind her.

Yue Yiyue took off her pajamas and tossed them onto the bed. She casually pulled on a T-shirt and threw on her loose school uniform jacket. “My Meal Card is indeed running low on money.”

“From what I understand, you have to send classmates into the Little Black Room—one exchanges for a hundred.” At this point, even Yue Yiyue wanted to laugh. These classmates’ lives really weren’t worth much.

“Speaking of which, I seem to have found the Key to the Locked Locker.” Yue Yiyue paused oddly here.

After all, she couldn’t exactly say she’d found this thing. It had just inexplicably appeared in her desk.

It felt somewhat strange.

She pulled on her pants, dragged a stool over to stand on, and deftly unlocked it.

“Step back a bit. While they’re not here, let’s see what’s inside. If something disgusting crawls out and I faint from fright, remember to call in sick for me.” Bracing herself, Yue Yiyue eyed the square locker warily.

It was just like Pandora’s Box—no one knew what was inside until it was opened.

But she was afraid of missing something crucial.

Just like the evidence-gathering phase in Script Killing.

She’d seen it on the restaurant TV when there was no line, though that version was fancy, with costumes and all.

“How about I open it?” Gu Nanqiu looked at Yue Yiyue with concern.

“No need.”

Confirming Gu Nanqiu was in a safe position, Yue Yiyue opened the locker.

Nothing strange appeared—no horrific thing crawled out, just as she’d hoped.

Inside was just a Yellowed Paper.

Yue Yiyue eyed the locker strangely; it was excessively clean—a bizarre mismatch for the dormitory.

“It’s fine.” Yue Yiyue took the item out. “I don’t know if what’s written on it is true: ‘Must get out before the Midterm Exam.’”

Wasn’t the Midterm Exam a week after the Monthly Exam?

She didn’t know. She’d ask later.

“There’s writing on the back too.” Gu Nanqiu looked up at the paper in Yue Yiyue’s hand. “What does the back say?”

“Mm, let me see.”

Yue Yiyue flipped it over. “Don’t let them ruin Fan Ning.”

“Keep Fan Ning safe, and you can get out.”

The words were exceptionally simple and crude.

“So the bullied student is Fan Ning. What about Zhang Yang?”

“It doesn’t say only one was bullied.” Yue Yiyue folded the paper. “Later, I’ll ask around about the Midterm Exam, and we should pay more attention to Fan Ning.”

“It’s getting late. Let’s grab breakfast first. Also, where’s Zhao Heyi? What’s the situation with Wang Xiaoyan now?”

These two were key figures.

If it really was Zhao Heyi who brought them in, then he definitely had a way out.

————

Yue Yiyue was absent-minded during class that day.

Her desk mate noticed and lowered her gaze, fiddling with something on the desk.

Soon, a light pink Paper Note was passed over. “What’s wrong with you?”

It was elegant handwriting—neat and proper, just like her.

“Lately, no one should harass Nanqiu anymore. You should be happy, right? You get to stay by her side.”

“Speaking of which, that Zhang Yang from next door is asking for it. I heard she stayed in Nanqiu’s Dormitory last night?”

“So who did you sleep with? Comfortable?”

“Can you tell me what’s going on? In exchange…” Her desk mate paused, then winked mischievously.

“I’ll tell you where Wang Xiaoyan is, okay?”

“You’re looking for her, right?”

If the first words had made Yue Yiyue find her a bit odd, the rest made her scalp tingle.

She didn’t miss the vigilance that flashed across Yue Yiyue’s face. She twirled her pen and soon slid over a new paper note.

“I’m on your side. I’ve thought it through—letting Nanqiu stay here is too cruel for her. We’ll help her.” The “Nanqiu” in this sentence was written exceptionally sloppily, as if reluctant to write the name but forced to.

“After all, & exists for her sake.”

“Come on, come on… Look, I haven’t called you lowly ones, baby. Tell me, okay?”

As paper note after paper note was passed over, Yue Yiyue thought it over and finally gave a brief account of yesterday’s events before passing it back.

“No lies, huh? Such a good baby, thanks—”

“3rd Floor, Room 317 Art Room. Oh, and the Midterm Exam is the second week after the Monthly Exam. By the way, some people were watching you all, but I chased them off ^_^.”

That final symbol stirred a sense of familiarity, leaving Yue Yiyue somewhat dazed. She turned her head to look at her desk mate—jet-black hair, fair skin with red lips, collar open.

In that one glance, Yue Yiyue seemed to catch a glimpse of a pretty red mole on her collarbone?

Did her previous desk mate look like this?

She’d clearly seen her yesterday, but today Yue Yiyue felt her desk mate’s enthusiasm was off.

Strange murmurs seemed to echo in her ears again.

‘Damn it, how did she get to touch you?’

‘It’s disgusting. She actually crawled onto your bed. She’s so scheming.’

‘Baby likes this kind? Actually likes this?’

‘You’ve been marked by something filthy. Damn it, even she’s drawn to you.’

‘Baby, you’re so cute. That’s why we can’t help it, can’t help…’

‘It’s all your fault… Really, baby is so cute. It’s all your fault.’

The teacher slapped the blackboard with resounding smacks, snapping Yue Yiyue back to reality.

A smile curved her desk mate’s pretty face, a flash of dark red in her eyes.

In that instant, Yue Yiyue felt dazed, a fog seeming to fill her mind. She instinctively lowered her head to look at her book.

Her desk mate lay on the desk, toying with Yue Yiyue’s dangling hair. Noticing the gaze from afar, she lifted her head and provocatively looked at Gu Nanqiu, who sat by the window.

As soon as the bell rang, a clattering noise came from the other side.

Yue Yiyue, immersed in her reading, was drawn by the sound. She hazily lifted her head toward the commotion.

Gu Nanqiu was dragging her desk over.

Before long, another desk appeared behind Yue Yiyue.

Seeing Yue Yiyue’s bewildered expression, Gu Nanqiu explained considerately, “The sunlight over there was too glaring, so I asked the teacher. Since she knows we’re close, she let me move over.”