Pei Yujang mechanically and numbly delivered the food into the school cafeteria, following the other workers as they plated the meals, waiting for the students to come and eat.
The food, though fragrant with the smell of cooking, didn't carry the true aroma of a well-prepared meal. The rice wasn't infested with bugs, but its rough texture was evident. The vegetables were stir-fried fresh but were likely leftovers from the market, bought at a bargain due to their lack of appeal.
Despite the subsidies, these people were maximizing their profits in the most heartless ways. Pei Yujang inwardly cursed them, enraged at the thought of them making money through such unethical means without fearing the consequences.
However, regardless of her thoughts, Pei Yujang couldn't openly resist or swap out the food under their watchful eyes.
As she was plating, she scooped up a spoonful of seaweed egg drop soup and inspected it, only to be scolded by another worker. Pei Yujang quickly put it down and continued her work.
A little while later, the students entered under the guidance of their teachers.
The cafeteria, which should have been filled with the lively sounds of children enjoying their meals, was instead eerily quiet, as though the students were not children at all. Even a construction site cafeteria would have more life than this.
In silence, with the help of the teachers, the children received their food, found seats, and began eating. Pei Yujang noticed that only a few teachers were present, likely the caretakers who volunteered to stay during the holiday to look after the children.
As she watched the children consume the meals, Pei Yujang felt a mix of emotions she couldn't quite describe. She removed her hat, using the motion to discreetly observe the scene. Most of the children were small and thin, their ages indiscernible; even sixth graders didn't look much older than the younger students.
Pei Yujang held back the tears welling up in her eyes, determined not to let her emotions show.
After the meal, Pei Yujang slipped away as soon as she finished clearing the plates, not wasting any time since she wasn't a real employee of the company and didn't need to worry about performance evaluations.
Moving quickly, she explored the layout of the school before sneaking back inside, pretending she had just been taking out the trash. The supervisor spotted her and was immediately irritated, demanding to know where she had been. Pei Yujang thrust her dirty gloves toward the supervisor's face.
"Move aside, there's more to take out!"
Thick, greasy liquid was still sliding down the inside of the plastic bag. When Pei Yujang had gone out, she grabbed several trash bags. Seeing the supervisor's angry expression, she started swinging her arms around, splattering the liquid.
The supervisor recoiled in disgust, not wanting to be touched by the nasty fluid, and hurriedly stepped aside. Still, some of the liquid splashed onto her clothes, and she angrily threatened to dock Pei Yujang's pay.
Pei Yujang didn't care about the pay and used this as an excuse to linger by the trash cans for a while before returning.
Later, "Zhou Yan" was informed that she was being dismissed. Zhou Yan was the name of the woman Pei Yujang was impersonating. After receiving a sum of money far more than she could have earned in a year at the food company, Zhou Yan left the scene. She and Pei Yujang were of similar build, and with Pei Yujang mimicking Zhou Yan's voice and mannerisms, no one noticed the switch.
The woman in disguise stayed at the school.
In the afternoon, the catering company was called back because several children had fallen ill after eating the food. Pei Yujang saw a caretaker arguing fiercely with the catering staff.
The manager was on the phone with someone, while the caretaker insisted that the food was the problem, not her care. The head chefs, with their fiery tempers, accused the caretaker of being irresponsible and making false accusations.
Pei Yujang hid in the background, observing the commotion.
Only a few caretakers had stayed behind, and one of them—a slender woman of average height—was particularly fierce, her sharp voice startling Pei Yujang. The chefs couldn't match her intensity and were forced to back down.
"You think you can just get away with this? There will be compensation!"
The woman's sharp voice made her point clear.
Pei Yujang watched as the argument escalated, recalling the "seasoning" she had added to the food at lunchtime—small doses of a laxative. The dosage was low, so only a few children would have been affected.
This would cause only temporary discomfort and wouldn't harm the children in the long run, but the immediate results were undeniable. It was far more effective than the long-term harm caused by the substandard food they had been serving.
With this incident causing a stir, Pei Yujang could stay in the school and observe further. During her midday excursion, besides checking the school's layout, she had also noted the locations of the security cameras, avoiding them as much as possible.
Pei Yujang hid in a secluded spot, listening to the commotion. After the argument, it seemed everyone had left the school, and the caretaker began heading toward the restroom.
The restroom was right near where she was hiding. Pei Yujang hadn't expected the caretaker to move so quickly, and they bumped into each other as soon as she stepped outside.
Pei Yujang quickly apologized in a low voice, fearing that the sharp-tempered caretaker might scream or question her presence. Her heart raced, and she suddenly realized she had made a critical mistake, even considering knocking the woman out before she could speak.
The caretaker, who was shorter than her, looked up and met Pei Yujang's eyes.
The woman had a decent figure, and her curvy shape wasn't hidden by her bulky down jacket. However, her facial features were ordinary and easily forgettable in a crowd.
When she saw Pei Yujang, she simply glanced at her indifferently, seemingly unconcerned about the stranger's presence. She pushed open the door and went into the restroom.
Pei Yujang heard the sound of running water.
She was nervous, debating whether she should leave immediately. But before she could decide, the caretaker emerged again. Normally, no one would finish so quickly, and Pei Yujang was unsure if the woman had actually used the restroom. She was on high alert, ready to strike.
The caretaker paused at the door and asked, "Are you one of the new hires? Just started today?"
"Yeah."
"Do you know where the office is?"
"Yes."
"Then what are you standing around here for?" The caretaker frowned, her voice naturally sharp. If the shrillness were toned down, it might actually be pleasant to hear. "Go to the office and help move the books to the library, then clean the room. The kids will be using it tomorrow."
"Okay."
Pei Yujang kept her responses short, maintaining a silent and stoic persona. Since the woman had mistaken her for someone else, she decided to go along with it, though something about the caretaker seemed off.
Even with her disguise, Pei Yujang's face was plain and unremarkable, her facial structure slightly altered to avoid recognition. Yet, this teacher didn't seem to recognize her own colleagues, mistaking her for a new teacher.
Knowing where the office was, Pei Yujang headed in that direction. But the woman called her back.
Ten minutes later, Pei Yujang followed the caretaker into her office. As soon as they entered, the woman locked the door behind them.
Pei Yujang's instincts kicked in, and she immediately assumed a defensive posture, her muscles tensing, her eyes scanning the old desk, considering how to defend herself if the woman had a weapon.
But as Pei Yujang readied herself, the caretaker relaxed and approached her, placing a hand gently on her wrist. She leaned in, lips moving toward Pei Yujang's cheek—
The familiar warmth of the woman's breath on her skin quickly dissolved Pei Yujang's tension.
The invasion of her personal space made Pei Yujang uncomfortable, and she nearly threw the woman over her shoulder, but her sense of smell reacted first, recognizing the familiar scent.
Pei Yujang halted her attack, staring at the unfamiliar face with a mix of embarrassment and unease. It wasn't until the woman removed her jacket, unwrapped the bandages from her body, and began washing off her makeup and prosthetics that her true features emerged—a pale face, brightened by a familiar smile.
Drenched with water, Yu Zhiwan tossed the makeup towel aside and asked playfully, "Was I not pretty just now?"
"No—I mean, you're always pretty."
Pei Yujang's response was vague.
Yu Zhiwan's natural beauty, with her refined features, elegant demeanor, and flawless bone structure, was in a completely different league from the plain disguise she had worn.
Before Pei Yujang could ask why Yu Zhiwan was there, she was met with a teasing look.
The Omega patted her cheek and said, "Don't worry, I don't think I could bring myself to kiss you in that getup."
Zhou Yan had an ordinary appearance, but after she left, Pei Yujang had deliberately altered her look further, using her basic makeup skills to create a somewhat grotesque appearance, complete with crooked false eyelashes.
False lashes could be a great accessory, but if applied poorly, they looked strange. Pei Yujang had applied them in clumps, awkwardly raising her eyelids and distorting her eye shape.
Yu Zhiwan had only been teasing her, but thinking of Pei Yujang's original appearance, she realized that the contrast was too stark for her to feel any attraction.
"What are you doing here?"
Pei Yujang deliberately ignored the previous question, avoiding a direct response. She also considered that if she had acted rashly earlier, she might have ended up single again—at least for a while.
"Helping out," Yu Zhiwan replied simply.
She had finished her work and immediately rushed over, without even taking a nap. But she didn't mention this to Pei Yujang, not wanting to cause her worry. She just said that things on her end had been handled and that she had asked the mayor for permission to come.
If the mayor could place one person in the school, she could easily place a second. After all, this was just a regular school.
Yu Zhiwan didn't want Pei Yujang facing danger alone and had offered to help. Although Pei Yujang didn't want her to take the risk, Yu Zhiwan had already prepared a reason.
The Omega took her hand and shook it gently, her expression pitiful and her voice soft:
"We said we'd spend the New Year together, but we didn't have time. Now it's winter break, so it's almost like New Year's. What, you're going to send me away just after we meet?"
The argument Pei Yujang had been preparing was left unsaid.
Despite her worries, she felt better knowing she could see Yu Zhiwan safe and sound right in front of her.
Not long ago, when Yu Zhiwan had told her they were relocating because of the A Organization, and she couldn't share too many details, Pei Yujang had gone through a difficult period. They couldn't even contact each other, and Pei Yujang had nightmares of them being hunted down by the A Organization, waking up drenched in cold sweat.
Nothing was more reassuring than seeing her lover alive and well in front of her. With that thought, Pei Yujang didn't push her away. In fact, nowhere was truly safe now. At least together, they could look out for each other.
Yu Zhiwan's cover was as a dorm supervisor at the school, with her own room. Pei Yujang could sleep with her, squeezing in to share the space—a place to rest at night.
After a brief conversation, Yu Zhiwan began to cough. Pei Yujang quickly moved to rub her back, but Yu Zhiwan waved her off.
"I'm fine, just a sore throat. I shouted too much earlier."
To maintain the persona of the fierce dorm supervisor, Yu Zhiwan had to alter her voice, making it sharp and grating, which took a toll on her throat.
Seeing her discomfort, Pei Yujang pulled out a bottle of water from her bag and handed it to her. She had brought several essentials, including small bottles of mineral water and some snacks, in case the school's water was unsafe or the food was inedible.
Yu Zhiwan drank elegantly, tilting her head slightly. Noticing the fatigue in her eyes, Pei Yujang guessed that she hadn't been resting well.
The office was sparse, and Pei Yujang only found a small blanket, which she spread on the floor before sitting down and pulling Yu Zhiwan into her arms, using her body heat to keep the Omega warm in the freezing temperatures:
"Get some sleep, just a short nap. They'll probably come by to check soon. Food poisoning isn't something to take lightly."
She rubbed her hands together for warmth, then wrapped her long fingers around Yu Zhiwan's hands. The night was cold, but with the warmth of her lover in her arms, Pei Yujang finally found a small measure of peace in this chaotic New Year.