Chapter 21: Punishment
A Weary Soul
In the student council room, Lan Yi worked tirelessly, but the heavy dark circles under her eyes betrayed how long it had been since she last rested properly.
“Senior, you need to rest.”
Ai Xinglan frowned, worried about Lan Yi’s condition. At this rate, her body would collapse before her mind did.
“Oh… Little Xinglan, I’m fine. Don’t underestimate your senior, okay?”
Lan Yi forced a smile at Ai Xinglan, playfully flexing her arm to show she was perfectly alright.
But her pale face and trembling body told a different story.
“Senior, this isn’t the time for jokes! Look at yourself!”
Ai Xinglan pulled out a mirror and placed it in front of Lan Yi, urging her to see her haggard reflection.
Lan Yi stared at the worn-out figure in the mirror, then lowered her head in silence, still refusing to rest.
‘Because… I’m scared to sleep. I’m scared I’ll dream of those eyes judging me. I don’t want to face them.’
“Senior!”
Ai Xinglan stepped forward, grabbing Lan Yi’s hand, forcing her to meet her eyes.
“Senior, no matter what others say, I believe in you… and so does everyone in the student council. We all know who you really are.”
Ai Xinglan’s expression was serious and earnest as she looked at Lan Yi.
“Senior Lan Yi, we just need some time… We’ll definitely find a way to prove your innocence, but you can’t let yourself break down before then!”
Lan Yi looked at the resolute Ai Xinglan in silence, then gave a bitter smile.
“Thank you… Little Xinglan. I never thought a senior like me would need comforting from a junior.”
Lan Yi took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, as if trying to expel all her frustrations.
“Little Xinglan… you go ahead. I’ll be fine.”
“Senior…” Ai Xinglan tried to say more.
“Don’t worry, I’m really okay. I just have some work left to finish. I’ll rest right after, I promise.”
Though Lan Yi’s tone was gentle, her stubbornness was clear. Ai Xinglan sighed helplessly, said goodbye, and left.
“Then… I’ll head out, Senior Lan Yi.”
“Mm… see you tomorrow…”
Lan Yi smiled as she watched Ai Xinglan leave, but tears slipped down her face despite her smile. She was so, so tired, but only by burying herself in work could she avoid thinking about those scornful gazes.
“You’re so useless, Lan Yi. Now you’re making your junior worry…”
Lan Yi muttered to herself, holding that expression.
“Thank you… Little Xinglan.”
As the sky darkened, the student council room was left with only Lan Yi once more.
A Lonely Ride
Ai Xinglan glanced back at the still-lit student council room, sighing helplessly. She knew she couldn’t persuade Lan Yi, so she could only place her hopes on Yu Li.
She opened the car door and slid into the backseat. The car was empty except for Feng, the driver, in the front.
“Where’s Yu Li?”
Ai Xinglan’s voice carried a hint of confusion as she asked Feng.
“Miss Yu Li will be returning home late today as well,” Feng replied calmly.
“Again? She’s been so busy lately…”
Yesterday, Yu Li hadn’t gone home with Ai Xinglan either. Not only that, but after returning, Yu Li had holed up in the training room. Looking at the empty seat beside her, Ai Xinglan suddenly felt a pang of loneliness.
“You’re too soft, Young Miss!”
Perhaps noticing Ai Xinglan’s forlorn expression, Feng spoke abruptly, startling her.
“Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“You’re too lenient with Miss Yu Li, and that’s why she’s so brazen now! You need to be tougher, take the initiative, and go on the offensive—she won’t be able to resist!”
Feng’s expression was deadly serious, gesturing with his fingers to emphasize that Ai Xinglan shouldn’t be so passive.
“What are you even saying?!”
Ai Xinglan’s train of thought was completely derailed, and she shouted at Feng in exasperation.
“Miss Yu Li is already bold enough to come home late and mess around. Next, she’ll be staying over at some other woman’s place! You need to assert your authority as the master and let her know there are consequences for straying!”
Feng grew more animated, practically urging Ai Xinglan to confront Yu Li right then and there.
Caught up in Feng’s words, Ai Xinglan’s mind conjured inappropriate images, her cheeks flushing red, her ears tinged with pink.
“P-Punishment for straying… Yu Li’s only doing this because I asked her to… No, wait, we don’t even have that kind of relationship! What messing around? What punishment? That’s all your imagination! Nothing like that will happen!”
Ai Xinglan, blushing, shouted chaotically to explain herself.
“It’s not about straying?”
“Of course not!”
“So no punishment either?”
“…Only a ghost would do that!”
A New Course
“Ahem, everyone, wake up. I have an important announcement.”
The morning’s first theory class left students drowsy, and the teacher, aware of this, deliberately knocked on the blackboard to grab their attention.
“Next week, the school will invite a special professor to teach a new, critical course. Prepare yourselves—this isn’t like regular theory classes. It’s about your future, so take it seriously.”
The teacher left after speaking, leaving the students to exchange glances and start discussing.
“The teacher was so serious. Do you know what’s going on?”
A male student asked his deskmate.
“Oh, I heard from a senior friend that it’s probably a new course on Disaster Beasts.”
“Disaster Beasts? What are those? I only know about Magic Beasts…”
He looked at his deskmate, confused.
“You don’t even know about Disaster Beasts? They’re monsters dozens of times stronger than Magic Beasts, supposedly humanity’s greatest enemy.”
“Huh?”
“I heard that wherever a Disaster Beast goes, nothing survives, and anyone who comes into contact with them loses their sanity.”
“That terrifying?”
“Yeah, that’s why it’s such a big deal. This is an ability school, after all. We might have to face them someday.”
“Hell no, I don’t want to encounter something like that!”
“A weakling like you would probably faint just seeing one from afar.”
“What did you say?!”
Their conversation took a turn, and they started playfully bickering.
“Disaster Beasts, huh…”
Yu Li instinctively mulled over their words.
“What’s that? Little Yu Li’s interested in Disaster Beasts?”
Yu Li, deep in thought, was interrupted by a lively female voice. Looking up, she saw Chen Ya, whom she’d interacted with before.
“Little Yu Li?”
“Hehe, doesn’t that sound cute and friendly?”
Chen Ya chattered excitedly in front of Yu Li.
“That’s fine, I guess. You asked if I’m interested in Disaster Beasts. Do you know a lot about them, Chen Ya?”
“Not that much, but I know a bit. Heh heh~”
Chen Ya flashed a sly grin, looking like she was up to something.