Song Shi abruptly stopped in her tracks.
Chen Lishu, still walking ahead, noticed the absence of footsteps behind him and turned around immediately.
He saw a girl from the morning's work-study program, a backpack slung over her shoulders and a small, jet-black suitcase clattering noisily behind her as she dashed toward them. She skidded to a halt three steps in front of Song Shi.
"I managed to pack some things together for you. You might find them useful," she said, her breath uneven from running. Her cheeks were flushed crimson.
Both Chen Lishu and Song Shi were momentarily stunned.
"Where did you get this information—"
No, wait. From the moment she signed the consent form until now, barely half an hour had passed. Even if she had tipped off Tang You right after, there was no way she could have packed all this in such a short time.
Unless…
"You—"
"Yes," Tang You admitted with a nod.
Song Shi fell silent. From the very beginning, when she had sought out Wei Yuyu to settle scores, Tang You had anticipated the outcome and prepared in advance.
"My dad asked me to get these ready for you. He said since you only stayed one night after paying for ten days, the remaining nine days' worth of rent could be converted into something useful for your stay there," Tang You explained.
Taking the suitcase handle from her hands, Song Shi felt a surge of mixed emotions. "Your father… does he know I'm from the Berserker faction?"
"He figured it out when you added him as a friend," Tang You replied, her fingers tapping on her optical device. "By the way, I don't have your contact yet. Let me add you."
Song Shi extended her optical device for scanning, her mind replaying the scene when she had added Wei Hong as a friend. Did she reveal herself back then? She couldn't recall any slip-ups.
After scanning was completed, Tang You, seemingly reading her thoughts, showed her the friend request interface.
Looking down, Song Shi saw five bold red characters on the screen: **High-Risk Individual.**
Song Shi: "..."
Could this warning be any more conspicuous?
It was as if they were desperate to make sure no one missed it.
Tang You retracted her optical device and said brightly, "I have some good news for you."
"What is it?" Song Shi raised her eyes to meet her gaze.
Tang You's eyes curved into crescents as she gripped her backpack straps, exuding a charming innocence. "When I went to the office to request leave and head home, my homeroom teacher—who's also the head of the Ability Branch—asked about you. He thinks you're on the verge of awakening and told me to keep an eye on you."
She raised her eyebrows slightly, her gaze flitting deliberately over Chen Lishu before returning to Song Shi's face. Then, with a playful shake of the optical device on her wrist, she added, "So, remember to contact me every week, so I can update my teacher on your situation."
Her voice was perfectly pitched—not too loud, not too soft—just loud enough for Chen Lishu, standing in the shadows near the garage entrance, to overhear.
Chen Lishu wiped his sweat.
The message was clearly meant for him.
He sighed inwardly. Kids these days really have a knack for scheming.
Unable to linger any longer, he checked the time on his optical device and called out, "Miss Song, hurry up. We need to arrive before six."
Hearing this, Song Shi pulled back the sleeve of her patient's uniform, revealing her optical device. It was 5:10. Looking up at Tang You, she promised, "I will."
With that, she dragged her suitcase toward the garage.
...
Forty minutes later, Chen Lishu drove Song Shi out of Renxi High School and into the neighboring district, Xinhe District.
At the gate stood a plaque with gilded letters that read: **11-6 Reformatory School Branch.**
After registering at the guard post, Chen Lishu parked the car.
As soon as the car was secured, a middle-aged man in a gray suit approached them. He was there to escort them, assist with the admission procedures, and introduce Song Shi to the school.
The school wasn't much different from a regular institution, except for its notably stricter regulations.
Students were allowed out only once a month, for no more than half a day.
Optical devices were confiscated, with access permitted for only one hour on weekend afternoons.
A penalty system was in place: accumulating five demerits would result in solitary confinement.
It was practically a prison. Song Shi scowled inwardly.
The man in the gray suit introduced himself, "Li Bingwen, Admissions Office."
He elaborated on the school's rules with pride and even extolled its contributions to District 11:
"Our 11-6 branch may not have produced renowned talents, but over the past few years, the crime rate in District 11 has plummeted, thanks in no small part to our efforts. Xinhe District, once a perennial leader in crime statistics, now ranks among the lowest."
Song Shi could hardly believe her ears. A school boasting about reducing crime rates as its crowning achievement?
"What a pitiful comparison for other places," she muttered under her breath.
Li Bingwen didn't catch her remark and continued his impassioned speech, his tone rising and falling dramatically. "Character is paramount. Without it, even the most capable individual is a menace—not just to District 11 but to the entire Federation."
Chen Lishu, usually adept at chiming in, could only muster an awkward smile, unsure how to respond.
"So, Miss Song," Li Bingwen said, turning to her abruptly, "make the most of your time here. Reform yourself and emerge as a new person."
Trailing behind and observing the campus, Song Shi thought, "…? What kind of absurd statement is that?"
Chen Lishu, sensing her hesitation, grabbed her arm and pulled her forward, smiling ingratiatingly. "Director Li, please take good care of her. If there's anything she needs, just contact me anytime."
"It's rare to see such a dedicated homeroom teacher these days," Li Bingwen remarked, casting Chen Lishu an approving glance before continuing ahead.
Chen Lishu's smile grew increasingly strained. When he caught Song Shi's gaze, he hastily looked away, quickening his steps to catch up with Li Bingwen.
Watching his retreating figure, Song Shi narrowed her eyes. Was that guilt she glimpsed just now?
Guilt for turning a blind eye to the bullying she endured over the past two years?
Pushing the thought aside, Song Shi hurried after them.
She was assigned to Class 3-2, the same grade and class as before.
Once all admission procedures were complete, Chen Lishu left.
Li Bingwen handed her a dorm key card, took her optical device, and replaced it with a mechanical watch for timekeeping. Alone, she dragged her suitcase toward the dormitory.
...
The dormitory was a single room, about ten square meters, sparsely furnished with a wooden bed, a worn desk and chair, and a tiny bathroom with a showerhead.
She twisted the faucet. Ice-cold water.
Suppressing her frustration, she inspected the items on the bed—standard-issued supplies, including uniforms, casual wear, and even shoes.
Just as Chen Lishu had said, everything was provided.
After unpacking and organizing for an hour, Song Shi sat in the peeling chair, exhausted. Finally, she could rest.
She had barely slept since the early hours of the previous day.
Looking at the black suitcase from Tang You, she decided to deal with it tomorrow.
However, after a cold shower, her fatigue had dissipated. Resigned, she pulled the suitcase out and unzipped it.
The first thing she saw was a stash of milk cartons—Tang You's favorite brand.
Beneath the milk was an assortment of medicines: painkillers, hemostatic drugs, and bandages.
"So, she anticipated I'd suffer here," Song Shi muttered, shaking her head in exasperation.
Organizing the supplies, she glanced at the time: 9:00 PM.
She was about to climb into bed when a loud kick struck her dormitory door.
"Hey, newbie! Open the door!"
Song Shi switched off the light, plunging the room into darkness.
The shadow outside hesitated briefly before the door was kicked again, louder this time.
The sound reverberated through the silent dormitory building.
Song Shi sat motionless in the chair, her gaze fixed on the door. On the door was a small window, behind which she had placed the paper with the penalty points that Li Bingwen had given her, covering it for privacy while she tidied up earlier.
It blocked the view from the outside. Inside, the room was pitch-black, while the hallway outside was bathed in light, casting the shadows of passersby onto the paper.
The shadow grew smaller, and the person who had been kicking her door walked away.
But in the next moment, the shadow rapidly expanded, and her door was struck by another violent kick.
The sound of the impact reverberated throughout the building, and all conversations in the vicinity fell silent.
(End of chapter)