The next step, as the director had mentioned, was a thorough inspection of Wang Lei's luggage and body.
After that, he had to say goodbye to his long hair as he watched a stern barber with a permanent scowl shear off the strands without any hint of hesitation. Each snip felt like shedding a piece of his old life, a sharp reminder of the changes to come.
Once his haircut was complete, they led him to a large board displaying the school's rules and regulations. Wang Lei stood before it, trying to absorb the rigid and formal wording. The rules seemed fairly standard, much like those of any other school he had encountered.
So far, nothing seemed out of the ordinary—certainly not enough to make him forget the unsettling rumors.
He glanced down at the card in his hand, noting the number that would dictate where he slept for the next three years. North Dormitory. Room 1. He sighed deeply, the weight of this new reality settling in.
A teacher, his face unreadable, waved over a student to escort him to his room. The boy who appeared was small and frail, his narrow face framed by glasses that gave him an intellectual look, though his demeanor was far too polite and shy for someone attending such a notorious school.
The boy smiled awkwardly as he offered to carry Wang Lei's suitcase, and Wang Lei allowed it, still sizing up his new surroundings.
"Which room are you in?" the boy asked, his voice light and cautious.
"North dormitory, I think. Room 1," Wang Lei replied, handing over the card as they started walking.
The boy examined the card and brightened, his smile widening with a relief. "Oh, you're my roommate!" He gave a small chuckle. "I'm Zhao Yuqin. And you are?"
"Wang Lei," he answered, keeping his voice neutral.
"Well, Lei, why did you apply to this school?" Yuqin's tone was friendly, almost too friendly for a place with such an ominous reputation.
His curiosity was genuine, though, as if he genuinely couldn't imagine anyone voluntarily enrolling here. "Not that you made a mistake, of course," Yuqin added quickly, sensing Wang Lei's hesitance. "I'm just curious. Sorry if I'm talking too much."
Wang Lei shot him a glance, wondering what someone as polite and mild-mannered as Yuqin was doing in a place like this. The question should have been directed the other way around. He forced a small chuckle, masking the truth.
"I don't really... have a reason." The lie came easily enough, but he knew full well there was no way he would admit it had been his mother's idea to send him here. "Maybe I thought it would be fun?" he added with a grin, knowing how unconvincing it sounded.
"Fun, huh?" Yuqin laughed, but his laugh had a hollow edge to it, as if he'd heard this before and knew exactly how little fun this school promised to be. His smile faltered slightly as he turned back to lead them forward. "Fun indeed."
Ahead of them, a long building loomed, divided into no more than ten rooms, each numbered plainly. There wasn't a single building on campus with more than two floors, which struck Wang Lei as odd—most schools of this caliber would have towering, intimidating architecture. This place seemed oddly... contained.
"We're here," Yuqin announced as they reached the first door, labeled simply "Room 1." The door, oddly enough, didn't even have a lock. Yuqin just pushed it open, the creak of the hinges cutting through the silence. "They don't believe in locks here, I guess," he joked softly, stepping inside.
Wang Lei followed, eyes scanning the room. It was spacious but simple, with three sets of bunk beds, meaning six students per room. He was already mentally preparing himself for the challenge of sharing a space with so many people.
"These are the only beds left," Yuqin pointed to the bunk in the far-left corner. "Do you prefer the upper or lower one?"
Wang Lei walked over, testing the bed's frame before sitting on the lower bunk. "No one's claimed the upper?"
"Not yet," Yuqin shrugged. "Students are still arriving. Class hours are still in session, so we should probably head back."
Wang Lei stood up and began getting ready. Shortly after, he found himself standing in front of the school Dean, registering his assigned desk. The Dean, a rigid man with no sense of humor, handed him a wooden desk and chair, both with numbered tags.
Wang Lei could hardly believe it. I'm responsible for this desk? He was told that any damage would result in him paying for repairs, even if he wasn't at fault. It was absurd, but there was no room for negotiation. With a resigned sigh, he carried the chair, while Yuqin helped with the desk as they navigated the corridor.
As they made their way back, someone suddenly shoved Wang Lei from behind, a hand roughly grabbing his shoulder and pushing him forward without warning. Struggling to keep up, his chair slipped from his hands and crashed onto the ground.
For a second, Wang Lei froze, his heart pounding. He immediately rushed to pick up the chair, his eyes scanning it anxiously for any sign of damage. Relief washed over him when he found none. He turned slowly, anger rising, and glared at the person responsible for the unnecessary commotion.
"He was scared! Hahaha!" A wild laugh came from a boy with dark red, spiked hair. His shirt was untucked, his uniform disheveled. The name on his tag read Lee Yichen, and his reckless grin didn't falter for a second.
"You could have hurt him!" Yuqin snapped, his soft demeanor briefly hardening into anger.
But Yichen just smirked, grabbing Yuqin by the armpits and shaking him playfully. "Lighten up, would ya?" He seemed to find amusement in everything, even the fear he caused. Wang Lei watched in disbelief as Yichen lifted Yuqin off the ground, the desk moving precariously with him.
Just as Wang Lei thought things were going to escalate, a hand shot out and grabbed Yichen by the collar, yanking him back with surprising force. Yichen stumbled and let go of Yuqin, spinning around to face whoever had dared to humiliate him.
When he saw the boy standing behind him, a tall figure with sharp features and perfectly styled blonde hair swept to the side, Yichen's aggression disappeared. The name on this boy's tag read Zhi Jiahao.
His expression was calm, but his eyes held an intensity that made Yichen's bravado melt away. Without saying a word, Jiahao gripped Yichen firmly by the collar and dragged him toward the classroom, as if the troublemaker weighed nothing.
Wang Lei's gaze followed them, unable to look away from the strange dynamic. Yichen, who moments ago had been full of chaotic energy, was now quietly struggling against Jiahao's iron grip. As they disappeared into the classroom, Jiahao turned, his piercing eyes meeting Wang Lei's for a split second. Wang Lei quickly looked away.
"Lei, are you alright?" Yuqin asked, his voice soft again, the anger from before gone.
Wang Lei looked at Yuqin's messy brown hair, still a bit tousled from Yichen's rough play, and nodded slowly.
"Don't mind him," Yuqin muttered. "He's always like that. Let's just head to class before we're late."
Wang Lei nodded again, following Yuqin as they hurried to their classroom.