Chapter 63: I Discovered That You’re All Concealed (Combo)

Chapter 63: I Discovered That You’re All Concealed (Combo)

“That’s about right, keep your forearm as vertical as possible to the ground with the Smith machine. Good, now maintain that position.”

Monday night, South District.

Inside a Syria-styled gym, Teacher Jiao Tan, or rather, Arakawa Kyouji, was watching Yan Huan lying on the equipment while guiding him through the bench press.

“Hu hu. Hu.”

“Alright, stop. This is the last set. You can start with this tempo, five sets of each movement, 12 to 15 reps until you’re exhausted.”

Though Jiao Tan said that, once Yan Huan got off the equipment, he looked like he was about to die.

He half-kneeled on the floor, gasping for breath, clutching his arm where the pain was excruciating.

“Hiss.”

No way, this lack of shirt effect is pretty hard to handle with the efficiency bonus side effect.

The piercing pain was one thing; more importantly, Yan Huan truly felt that at this rate he would either injure himself or become a cripple.

He looked up at the muscle-bound Jiao Tan, and helplessly asked,

“Teacher Jiao Tan, is there a way to train at home?”

Jiao Tan sat down, handed Yan Huan a glass of water, and asked,

“Don’t want to come to the gym? Ya Qiao Mu said it shouldn’t be far from your home, and it’s pretty cheap, just the decor is a bit lacking. The owner doesn’t manage things much; the equipment works, and he hasn’t run off yet, so it’s alright.”

Around ten in the morning, Jiao Tan contacted both Yan Huan and Ya Qiao Mu, saying they could train together. That was when Yan Huan learned that Jiao Tan and his partner also lived in the South District.

Since there was nothing to do that evening, Yan Huan quickly wrapped up his homework, and he and Ya Qiao Mu came to this nearby gym to test the waters.

This trial almost left Yan Huan in agony.

After two sets, his upper arms and pectorals felt like they wanted to run away from home due to the pain.

Yan Huan glanced at the “No shirtless training” sign on the wall, a rule he usually supported one hundred percent was now feeling like a constraint.

He stiffly smiled and said,

“It’s not that the gym is the issue; it’s just that I work part-time, and if I could train at home, it’d be more convenient.”

Jiao Tan nodded, only saying his duties diligently,

“You can do the same at home; just focus on dividing muscle areas. I’ll send you a bodyweight exercise video later, and you just need to follow the key points.

“But it’s okay to practice like this as a newbie, but if you want to build more muscle later, you’ll have to come to the gym, and you have to pay attention to your diet; otherwise, the results will be very poor.”

As he spoke, he glanced at the other side of the gym’s cardio area and added,

“You could also do some cardio with Ya Qiao Mu and shed some fat.”

Yan Huan noted everything Jiao Tan said and then painfully pushed himself up to stand, saying,

“Alright, thanks, Teacher Jiao Tan.”

“You’re welcome.” The introverted Jiao Tan felt a bit embarrassed and turned to look at the treadmill.

At that moment, he noticed Ya Qiao Mu lying next to the treadmill, looking like he’d run himself to death.

Just goes to show, that’s the physique of an otaku.

“You guys take a break, and then you can start the next exercise; I’ll get going.”

“Okay, Teacher Jiao Tan, don’t mind us.”

Yan Huan smiled slightly, watching Jiao Tan turn and leave. He then took a swig from the water bottle and pulled out his phone to check messages.

“Far Moon Student Council General Management Group”

You Anli Na: “Phew, finally finished organizing! The personnel list and recommended clubs to join are written out above. But since there are transfer students this semester, they didn’t include their interests, so no recommended clubs, oh~”

Yan Huan: “Got it; thanks for your hard work.”

Cat cat “thank you” emoji.

You Anli Na: “Hehe~”

Yan Huan opened the spreadsheet file and skimmed through the numbers of students in the three grades, realizing the total was just a few dozen.

But not scanning was fine; once he did, it was shocking.

“First Year”

“Bai Yi, not joined a club, noted interest in singing at the start of school: recommended to join: Choir, Light Music Club.”

“An Le, not joined a club, noted interest in ACG at the start of school: recommended to join: Anime Club, Electric Club.”

“Aria Spencer, not joined a club, noted interest: none, recommended to join: Athletics Club.”

Yan Huan opened another sheet.

“Second Year”

“Ye Shiyu, not joined a club, noted interest: none, recommended to join: none.”

Alright, alright, no one joined a club.

I mean, it’s no wonder they can be hosts for modifiers; each one possesses hidden skills.

The reason Bai Yi hadn’t joined a club didn’t need explaining; she rarely came to school due to activities and had no time for afternoon club activities.

An Le, on the other hand, was the individual he mentioned earlier, isolated by the group.

Far Moon Academy class allocation is random, but Class C is notoriously known as the “Noble Class,” with very few “external recruits” from poor backgrounds.

Individuals like An Le with a cowardly disposition among external recruits often easily became isolated or even bullied by the other wealthy heirs.

Yan Huan squinted, looking at the next two transfer students.

Ye Shiyu, normal.

And then Spencer.

No interests listed yet has club recommendations, plus it’s marked in red by the principal’s office.

Looks like that old Hermis is pulling strings as usual.

Spencer doesn’t have any way of eating me.

Anyway, she’ll be participating in study group tomorrow noon with Bai Yi as well, so I’ll talk then.

An Le is in the same grade, so she’ll be easy to find.

Thus, Yan Huan planned to contact Ye Shiyu first.

After a weekend apart, he didn’t know where she’s been making progress or rather, developing modifications.

In summary, Yan Huan stood up and walked out of the gym, stepping into the neon-lit South District.

He was feeling the cool evening breeze when he dialed Ye Shiyu on a phone call.

“Beep.”

At the same time, in the Ye family’s luxurious mansion in Jinghe District, Ye Shiyu, who was sewing something, glanced at the phone that had just lit up next to her.

Focusing intently on the fabric on her desk, she instinctively reached to hang up the call.

But a glimpse caught her eyes—the contact name above.

“Little Huan.”

She blinked, shutting off the sewing machine and picked up the phone, holding it to her ear.

The next second, the call connected.

“Little.”

However, before she could speak, the other end was filled with loud sirens, chatter, and notably, a few female voices.

“Little brother, want me to treat you to a drink?”

“I want to go too, I want to go too.”

“Little handsome, my house is pretty big; do you want to come up and take a look?”

Ye Shiyu’s expression didn’t change, but her eyes turned cold, releasing a purple aura toward the phone.

“Not needed, excuse me.”

Luckily, Yan Huan’s voice interrupted those female voices that were making her inexplicably furious.

Quieting down, she finally spoke,

“Little Huan?”

“Ah, Sister Shiyu, sorry, it was a bit noisy just now; I’ll find a quieter place.”

Soon, the noise on the other end decreased significantly.

“How about now? Better?”

“Mhm.”

Ye Shiyu looked at the semi-finished clothing on her table, seemingly men’s wear, which only Yan Huan among her acquaintances would fit the shoulder width.

She fumbled with the tiny “Ye Shiyu” stitched inside the collar and asked,

“Little Huan, where are you?”

“I’m nearby, just working out a bit.”

Ye Shiyu frowned, then said,

“Is that environment not good? How about I have my mom pick you up to stay for the week?”

Just the fact that he could encounter women hitting on him just for the sake of working out down there, who knows how many women had set their sights on him over the years?

That just wouldn’t do.

Although it’s risky to go back to the mansion, since Ye Shiyu rationally didn’t consider herself a match for desire,

It’d still be better if she could hypnotize him than daily dealing with unclear women watching, right?

Ye Shiyu thought to herself.

“It’s fine here, Sister Shiyu.”

Yan Huan straightforwardly rejected.

He didn’t even dare to wear the school uniform that Ye Shiyu had sent back to him, fearing she’d find out he had discovered her secret of secretly embroidering words on the clothing.

She’d probably unlock some unknown CG right away, right?

“…”

After sending that refusal, there was an awkward silence on the other end, leaving Yan Huan unsure of how Ye Shiyu was feeling.

But just a moment later, her seemingly unperturbed voice came through again,

“Okay, so did you call for something you need my help with?”

Yan Huan smiled slightly and continued,

“Actually, Sister Shiyu, you should’ve received an email.

“Due to the policy of the Linyi Gate, the school has enforced a mandatory requirement for students not in clubs, student councils, or any student organizations to join a club. You unfortunately are one of them.

“This matter happens to be our responsibility, so I called to see if Sister Shiyu is interested in any clubs. I can help you get in touch, so you wouldn’t have to run around.”

Little Huan always thought ahead for himself.

Ye Shiyu blinked, getting up while holding the phone, and gently lay on the bed.

A contemplative look came to her face.

Little Huan is the Student Council President, so…

“Then, does joining the Student Council count instead of a club?”

“…”

On the other end, Yan Huan almost couldn’t hold it together upon hearing that.

Directly jumping into the deep end, huh?

The issue is that the last time this hypnotizing master showed up at the Student Council, she almost fought with Sakura Kyoko, and if Ye Shiyu were to join the Student Council…

So he shifted his stance and helplessly explained,

“Sister Shiyu, I already nominated the management before last semester and set all the other members. If you want to join the Student Council, you’ll have to wait until the next president nominates you.”

“Will you be that next president, Little Huan?”

“Uh, I probably won’t be.”

He hadn’t considered that for now, but his intuition told him it was best to deny it for now.

“I see.”

Ye Shiyu’s tone sounded a bit disappointed.

Yan Huan didn’t let the topic drop yet, as he strolled along the relatively quiet side of the road and remarked,

“But there are many interesting clubs in school, and the club battles are coming up soon; the scene should be grand at that time.”

Ye Shiyu had heard about the club battles; her relationship with Gongzi in class had recently been good.

Gongzi’s boyfriend, Owen, was the president of the Athletics Club, and she often mentioned that they were training daily for the club battles.

“Little Huan, did you join a club?”

“I haven’t, since there’s already enough on my plate. But as the Student Council President, I can freely visit clubs, so if you join one, I’ll come watch you.”

Within the Student Council management, neither Yan Huan nor Sakura Kyoko participated in clubs, while the other three did.

Ya Qiao Mu was in the Computer Club, which Yan Huan had mentioned before.

Ai Xili was in the Kendo Club and seemed quite formidable—Yan Huan would often see her overpowering others whenever he went to observe.

As for You Anli Na, that character was a member of the Model United Nations Club.

She had a unique skill; no matter which country she drew, she could speak a few sentences in that country’s language.

Moreover, she once spouted a ridiculous theory that said, “Developing the global kangaroo-selling industry vigorously” after being kicked by a kangaroo on a trip.

“Therefore, Sister Shiyu, do you have any specialties or things you are particularly interested in?”

“Um, no special abilities. I had joined some interest classes before and learned some things.”

Yan Huan was loitering at the gym door, unknowingly walking toward the mouth of an alley beside the gym.

“What did you learn?”

“Piano, guzheng, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, fine arts, and embroidery, plus…”

“Wait, hold on, stop there.”

Yan Huan looked exasperatedly at his phone; just as he was about to say something, he vaguely heard a familiar voice from the alley.

“Click~”

It was the sound of a lighter striking.

“Has it been dealt with?”

The voice belonged to a woman speaking with a neutral tone.

“It’s been dealt with, Tong Jie. Both have made their decisions; one was sent off to Linyi last night, and it should reach golden water in about ten days. Someone will be there to pick him up. As for the other one…”

This voice seemed familiar; it was the gym’s owner, whom Teacher Jiao Tan had greeted earlier.

“Stop. Don’t tell me; you handle it yourself, bury it or burn it, just don’t let the cops catch onto it.”

“Alright, got it; I’ll take care of it, no worries.”

“Alright, you head back; if the gym needs anything, just tell me; I’m leaving.”

“Sure thing, take care, Tong Jie.”

Yan Huan stood there, stunned, watching the side alley of the gym. Between a wisp of cloud and mist, he saw the gym owner smiling as he exited through the side door.

At that moment, a red-haired beauty, looking disheartened and with a cigarette in hand, pushed off the wall and turned to exit the alley.

As she lifted her gaze, she was caught off guard upon seeing the handsome young man on the phone.

Both locked eyes for a moment, and the red-haired beauty instantly froze.

Her red lips parted slightly, and the newly lit cigarette slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground.

“…”

“…”

After a brief silence, Yan Huan quickly diverted his gaze as if he hadn’t seen anything and ramped up the volume of his phone call,

“Alright, then how about I find Sister Shiyu later to personally consult her about the club matter… Mhm, okay.”

He turned to head back to the gym, but suddenly the sound of high heels accelerated behind him.

Like a beat that echoed in his heart, it made him shift from a slow walk to a quick run.

Before taking a few steps, he felt a tight grip on the collar from behind.

The force let Yan Huan, whose arms and chest were already sore, be pulled back into the alley.

“Bang!”

Yan Huan slammed against the wall, his eyes widened as he instinctively hung up the phone.

This startled Ye Shiyu on the other end, who blinked in confusion.

Displaying a forced smile that read “What a coincidence,” Yan Huan looked at Tong Yingying pressing him against the wall and exclaimed,

“Oh, Tong Jie, what are you doing here? What a coincidence!”

Tong Yingying didn’t answer; she just stared at him with her empty eyes.

After a moment of silence, she suddenly extended her finger and tilted Yan Huan’s chin.

Her beautiful face moved closer, scrutinizing Yan Huan’s expression like a judge.

In her eyes, an unfamiliar shadow flickered.

“Did you hear anything just now?”

Yan Huan blinked, staring at her lips, which were subtly coated in lip balm.

That sweet scent hardly masked an underlying hint of smoke.

His dry throat felt uneasy, leaving him momentarily speechless.

“…”

The next second, the phone he had just hung up rang again,

“Beep beep beep~”

Incoming call displayed:

“Sister Shiyu.”

“Oh my, this kid eats a lot. Here, let’s add some more rice.”

In Liao Qiao District, An Le’s home.

An Le’s mom and dad looked in surprise at the blonde girl across the table, vigorously shoveling down rice with a spoon, their expressions bewildered.

It was like they couldn’t help but film a short video on their phones, captioned,

“Classmate daughter eating five bowls of rice at home.”

An Le stared in shock at Spencer, watching as she polished off the food on the table like a whirlwind.

“Burp~”

Finally, after finishing the last bowl, Spencer put down the big bowl, patted her belly, and burped.

She couldn’t use chopsticks, so she merely spooned the food into her mouth.

Fortuitously, the dishes at An Le’s home were particularly condensing.

“Delicious!”

“As long as it’s good, it’s fine. Come over to play again next time, Auntie will cook for you. An Le, clear the dishes!”

“Okay!”

An Le stood up, and Spencer caught a glance but also stood to help, but An Le’s mom quickly said,

“Oh, sit back down, let An Le handle it.”

“Okay, okay.”

So Spencer stayed seated, rubbing her belly, completely unmoving.

An Le’s mom blinked, then covered her mouth with a soft laugh.

Carrying the clean plate, she walked into the kitchen with An Le, while An Le’s dad remained at the dining table cleaning up.

In the kitchen, An Le’s mom chuckled,

“These foreign kids are so straightforward, no niceties like us.”

“Spencer isn’t even from the Dragon Kingdom, not even a Linyi person; she can’t even use chopsticks.”

“That’s no issue. This girl is quite interesting.”

An Le’s mom rolled up her sleeves and said to An Le,

“Alright, you let your dad wash up; finish your homework and then go out to play.”

An Le nodded, exiting the room as she called,

“Dad! Mom wants you to wash the dishes!”

The middle-aged uncle who had been sitting on the couch, about to turn on the TV, stared back incredulously.

“Me again? I’m the one who cooked! Let your mom wash!”

In the kitchen, An Le’s mother leisurefully replied,

“I’m not feeling well~”

“Yeah, right! You say that every day!”

Though that was the case, the uncle reluctantly stood up, walking towards the kitchen while muttering grumbles,

“From now on, I’ll need to get paid for dishwashing! Fifty bucks each time! I want to buy a fishing rod!”

“Yeah, yeah, hurry up, I’ll make dessert for you.”

Spencer crossed her arms, watching the banter between An Le’s parents in the kitchen, looking at An Le smiling brightly, wondering what she was thinking.

“…”

After a few seconds, An Le walked over and said to Spencer,

“Come on, I’ll show you how my pets are doing at home. There are also games inside.”

“…Sure.”

Spencer stood up and followed An Le back to her room.

Before leaving, she turned to look back at the kitchen.

“Click.”

Once the room door shut, An Le undid her bra straps, tossing them into the laundry hamper beside her.

Then, she finally stretched comfortably, sat at her computer, and asked Spencer,

“Hey, Spencer, wanna see my reptiles?”

Spencer peered at the gecko in the box, her face slightly paled; she took a step back and shook her head.

“I don’t want to!”

An Le blinked, smiling,

“Don’t be scared; they’re all really nice and super cute~”

“I’m not scared, alright?! It’s just that—how is this cute at all!”

“Well, do you want to play a game instead?”

Spencer glanced at An Le’s old console and realized she could only play gal games on it, making it unlikely to play the 3D racing games she liked.

“Forget it. You go ahead.”

As the boredom settled in, she naturally lay back down on An Le’s bed, hugging her arms and staring into space.

“Well.”

An Le approached, noticing Spencer’s face hadn’t recovered after finishing her meal, and nervously explained,

“My house doesn’t have much to play with, Spencer, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what? It’s not your fault!”

At that, Spencer turned away in annoyance.

But just as she turned, she caught a glimpse of a framed photo sitting on the headboard.

In the photo, two very cute kids—a boy and a girl.

The boy was smiling broadly, and just one glance let Spencer recognize the identity of the student council president, Yan Huan.

While the girl, on the side, appeared much shyer, contrasting the boy’s bold “Yay!” pose with her timid grasp on his clothing.

“Hey.”

The originally irritated Spencer became intrigued, sitting up to examine the picture closely.

“Spencer, th—that’s not okay!”

But this time, An Le refused to let it go; she snatched the picture back, clutching it to her chest.

Spencer wasn’t annoyed; rather, she tilted her head in curiosity, staring at the embarrassed An Le and asked,

“Is it that precious?”

“Of course! This and that bookmark are the only copies; this is my one and only photo with Little Huan, so…”

“You’re not saying you two like him too much, are you?”

Spencer crossed her arms, lying back on the bed while fixating on An Le and asking,

“Outside of being good looking, what other merits does he have? He has a vicious demeanor. The girls in school mention him just like you do—with that ghostly expression. He probably just got elected Student Council President because of his looks, right?”

“No way!”

An Le opened her mouth to explain, hurriedly saying,

“The presidential voting was strict! Even if during the initial round many people might’ve voted for Little Huan because of his appearance…

“There were so many debates, so many tests and activities proving that Little Huan is indeed the right person for the role.”

An Le carefully placed the picture back on the bedside table, looking at Spencer, and pressed her lips together, remarking,

“Little Huan is not just a nice guy who is kind-hearted; at crucial moments, he is very fierce and dependable.

“Especially during last semester’s final debate, he debated against sophomores and juniors, and he made the opponent break down in tears right then and there.

“Far Moon Academy is a hub for privileged students like Spencer, so for Little Huan to gain recognition from most people, it really isn’t just due to his looks.”

Spencer completely didn’t grasp why An Le and the others liked Yan Huan.

After all, she hadn’t threatened him because she liked him.

Though aesthetically speaking, Yan Huan was certainly exceptional in Spencer’s eyes, but just that wasn’t enough to draw her.

That guy was fierce and loved to deceive her; how could he have any good points?

Spencer unconsciously recalled his expression of frowning at her, looking disgusted.

At that thought, instead of being annoyed, she smiled wickedly.

As long as there’s the “Plunder System,” it’s all the more better if he and all those girls who like him dislike her.

However, looking at the flushed An Le before her, Spencer stroked her chin and said,

“I get it; so that guy is a ‘contrast’ then. Acting all sweet and innocent, while actually behind the scenes…”

Upon hearing this, An Le’s face turned crimson, puffing out her cheeks in frustration and exclaiming,

“Spencer! I told you, stop looking at those things!! You’re going to learn bad stuff!!”

“Huh?!”

Spencer looked bewildered and pulled out the black bag she had started carrying everywhere, flipping to a certain page and declaring,

“But isn’t that exactly what you mean? Smiling sweetly and appearing harmless yet actually isn’t true—that’s not a contrast, what is?”

An Le was truly left at wit’s end.

Spencer had just dabbled in a bit of vocabulary and now was misapplying terms; if she were to browse the internet, there’s no telling how outrageous she’d become.

An Le sulked, snatching the book titled “Pure Ballet” from Spencer’s hand and stuffing it back into her bag,

“Don’t use those weird terms! It’s sexual tension! That’s what it is!!”

“Uh, I don’t get the difference.”

Spencer had a blank expression, too lazy to consider the difference between the two terms.

“Knock knock~”

“Come in!”

At that moment, someone knocked on the door, and after An Le responded, the door opened.

Revealing An Le’s mother who was carrying a plate of cut-up apples.

“Here you two, have some fruit.”

“Ah, thanks, Auntie!”

Spencer sprung from the bed as if she were shot out of a cannon, startling An Le’s mom.

Seeing her lick her lips and beam, An Le’s mom couldn’t help but laugh.

She cast her gaze between Spencer and An Le without leaving, pulling over a chair to sit and curiously asking Spencer,

“By the way, um, Little Spencer, can I call you that?”

“Anything’s fine, woof.”

“Well, Auntie wants to ask you, you and An Le are classmates. She’s doing well in class, right? Those classmates there are not simple, and she just recently moved into Linyi; her dad and I are a bit worried about her not adapting well in school.”

Spencer grabbed an apple, glancing at An Le. She prepared to blurt something without a thought,

“Oh, in class, that Park—”

“No! I’m fine! My classmates and teachers are all really good to me, Mom!”

Spencer glanced at An Le, seeing her blush as if silently pleading.

“…Is that really so, Little Spencer?”

Spencer couldn’t find the words, so she merely munched on the apple and nodded.

Seeing her like this, An Le’s mom finally smiled, stood up, and told Spencer,

“Then Auntie is relieved; you two enjoy yourselves, and after you’re done, just take the plates out. If it gets late, you can stay here; it’s fine, just treat this as your home.”

“…Okay.”

An Le forced out a smile, waving to see her mother leave the room.

Once she turned back, she found that Spencer had already polished off all the apples.

She was sucking her fingers, looking at An Le, and asked,

“Why didn’t you tell the truth? In class, Park Shuwen and her gang are bullying you, while others are less severe, but they basically don’t talk to you.”

An Le looked closely at Spencer and slightly lowered her head, explaining,

“Yeah… our class is known as the ‘Noble Class’ in the school, right? Even if I tell Mom, except for causing her worry, what use would it be?”

She brushed her hair back and chuckled sadly,

“And besides, even if Park Shuwen and her lot look down on me, it’s not like they’d do much more than mock me if they didn’t discover my love letter to Little Huan, you know? It’s not that serious.

“I’ve gotten used to not having friends throughout my life. Besides, I still have you, Supervisor Spencer, right?”

Spencer watched An Le, who smiled at her, blinking.

Originally, she just planned to snatch Yan Huan from all those women who liked him.

As for what happened after, Spencer hadn’t given much thought, just like when she snatched that little girl’s windmill at the aquarium.

Perhaps at that moment, she’d suddenly lose interest in Yan Huan altogether.

But this time, perhaps she could change her strategy.

Helping An Le—this empty-handed girl—get Yan Huan wasn’t a bad idea after all.

Considering that she had said that to herself.

“Well then, thanks for inviting me over to your home today; I’ll head back now.”

Spencer thought that but didn’t voice it; she merely stood up to take her leave.

“Hey, are you really leaving already?”

“Mm-hm.”

Spencer yawned, carrying the plate towards the door.

“I’m tired; I’ll head back to rest.”

“Alright, then I’ll see you off.”

Spencer nodded and exited the room.

After returning the plate to An Le’s mother and exchanging some formalities, she left with a line she had never said before, “Come play again next time.”

Descending the stairs, the high-end car was parked by the roadside, waiting for her while the driver sat inside.

Spencer opened the back door and waved back at An Le, who donned a thick coat to see her off, before getting into the car.

“Bzzz.”

The vehicle started, and the driver said,

“Just got a message from AI; it’s from the President. Your mother reached out to you.”

“Got it; take me home.”

“Yes.”

The car started moving, leaving the South District towards Jinghe District, where a tall tower with the Golden Lion Group’s logo was situated.

Carrying her bag and a black bag, Spencer took the VIP elevator from the underground parking lot up to the top floor.

After unlocking the door with her fingerprint, a vast, dim, and cold penthouse got revealed inside.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the night view of Linyi was like a mirage; until Spencer approached, her expression would reflect back in that illusion.

“…”

After a moment of silence, she turned back as she did at An Le’s home.

But what she saw wasn’t the lively sounds of the kitchen but rather the faint glow of lights, screens, and the mechanical AI voice echoing.

“Welcome back, young lady.”

“Yeah, what’s up with my mom’s message?”

“Regarding your behavior last week, Principal Hermis spoke with the Student Council president. You are currently on the verge of the expulsion process, which greatly displeased the president.”

“…”

Spencer bit her lip, seemingly indifferent, discarding her bag and the items onto the floor before sprawling on the couch.

“According to the conversation between Principal Hermis and the Student Council President, you must meet one of the following conditions before the midterm assessments to avoid expulsion.

“1. Academic test scores in required subjects must not be more than half failing. Based on the system’s calculations, the possibility of meeting this condition is 15.32%.”

“2. Maintain a conduct score above 60 points; you are currently at 29 points. To recover to 60 before midterms, this option’s probability is 0%.”

“3. Earn corresponding honors in various competitions, but based on your interests, the next sports competition will take place in mid-March after midterms, making this option’s probability 0%.”

The more Spencer listened, the more irritable she became; she threw the pillow from her head toward the screen, exclaiming,

“Isn’t that equivalent to definitely getting expelled? What’s the point?!”

“According to the conversation between Principal Hermis and the Student Council president, it has been suggested that you join a club and achieve victory in the upcoming club battles. This would allow you to propose any demands to the school committee.”

The AI seemed entirely devoid of emotion, its golden lion head on the screen stared mechanically at the blonde girl in the room,

“Principal Hermis has recommended the Athletics Club, which has the highest chance of winning this year. In the coming days, the Student Council members will contact you.”

“Ha! You want to make them exchange their hard-earned wishes for me not getting expelled? Will they agree?”

“Based on the conversation between Principal Hermis and the Student Council president, this matter will be handled by others; Principal Hermis will modify certain past rules to ensure the plan goes smoothly.”

Upon hearing this, Spencer neither answered in the affirmative nor negative; she simply hugged the pillow beside her, sinking back into the couch.

After a moment’s silence, she told the AI,

“I want to call my mom; help me connect the call.”

“Okay, I’ll connect the call with the president right now; please hold on.”

Suddenly, the surroundings quieted down, and the “ding-ding” sound of the call connection began broadcasting.

“Beep.”

In the spacious and empty penthouse echoed the resonant sounds as Linyi’s reflection hung from the floor-to-ceiling windows like a waterfall from the sky.

Lying on the couch, Spencer’s golden, slightly curled hair sprawled out, her blue eyes, as clear as the sky, stared blankly at the coffee table.

She was merely listening—the sounds of the call.

“Beep.”

“Beep.”

“Beep.”

“Ding-dong. Sorry, your call is currently unanswered.”

Spencer, seemingly feeling cold, tightened her grip on the pillow.

It felt like she had grown accustomed to this.

The next moment, however, the AI’s advisory voice continued resonating,

“Miss, based on the conversation between the president and Principal Hermis, I humbly recommend you…”

But the next second, Spencer furrowed her brows, biting her lip, burying her head in the pillow to drown out the AI’s emotionless voice.

“Based on the conversation between the president and Principal Hermis…”

“Based on the conversation with the president and psychologist Alina…”

“Based on the conversation with the Linyi gate education officer Shen Xueyuan…”

In the couch’s embrace, Spencer wrapped her head further tightly.

As the chilly wind howled through Linyi outside, it beat against the windows, causing the panes to shake gently, making the mirror-like scene transform into a hazy blur.

Inside the reflection of the golden AI lion, expressionless, its mouth opened wide, addressing the curled-up girl like a nightmare,

“Ding-dong.”

“Sorry, your call is currently unanswered.”