"Buzz~"
Sakuramiya Hitomi gazed at her delicate palms, eagerly exploring them like an infant who had just discovered a new toy.
Then, with a mere thought, her body underwent another miraculous transformation.
Sakuramiya Plus, making her debut!
As her height broke free from its former petiteness, her field of vision slowly shifted, making everything around her seem shorter.
Her originally frail and delicate body was gradually filled with the power of life. That endless vitality drove away the weakness inside her, making her complete.
The Barrier's modifications to her went beyond her innate appearance; even the illness that clung to her like a gangrenous sore was modified as well.
So this is...
The feeling of health.
It feels so comfortable.
Her mind was clear, her vision sharp, and her body felt light...
It even made someone like her, who normally would never stand if she could sit and never sit if she could lie down, want to jump and skip around.
"So this is what it's like to be tall... Wait, does that mean the President usually looks at me like I am a little chick?!"
Sakuramiya Hitomi reached out to measure the height difference from before, trying her best to imagine how she looked in Yan Huan's eyes.
When she materialized the image of a "little chick" in her mind, her body suddenly reacted.
Her hands actually began to twist little by little. Colorful feathers sprouted from her fair skin, and her arms twisted along with them, starting to transform into wings.
"Eek!"
Sakuramiya Hitomi turned pale with fright. After all, watching one's own body slowly lose its human form would make anyone briefly lose their sanity.
But before she could even form the thought to stop it, the changes on her body seemed to jam, unable to fully transform.
Thus, the only thing left in the room was a petite girl who had grown a small portion of non-human characteristics.
Looking more like a...
Demi-human girl?
Sakuramiya Hitomi blinked. With a shift in her thoughts, she instantly reverted to her original appearance.
This discovery made her realize something. She then imagined turning herself into a machine.
"Click-clack~"
The next second, her body slowly began to contort in the direction of a robot.
But just like when she tried to become a "little chick," it jammed after only developing a few traits, unable to proceed any further.
As a result, she looked like she had become a mecha girl, displaying a bizarre sense of aesthetic sense.
"Can't I detach from a human form?"
After multiple attempts, Sakuramiya Hitomi discovered that the Barrier's modifications to her had limits.
She could change her appearance and even add some highly sci-fi or fantasy elements to a certain extent, such as wings, scales, and tails.
But once it reached the point of losing her human form, the transformation would be forcibly halted.
"..."
'If I combine this with the rules inside the Barrier, could I achieve even more things?'
Sakuramiya Hitomi pondered deeply, considering related works in her mind.
"Knock, knock, knock~"
Right as Sakuramiya Hitomi was deep in thought, someone suddenly knocked on the door.
Of course, no sound actually transmitted into the Barrier. It was the Barrier warning her that someone had arrived outside.
Sakuramiya Hitomi hastily restored her body to its original state, merging the outer and Inner Barrier into one.
Then, she adjusted her posture and spoke,
"Please come in."
"Click~"
The door opened. A male and a female staff member from Ye International walked in carrying a pot of tea. They smiled politely at Sakuramiya Hitomi and said,
"Here, please have some water."
"Okay, thank you."
"You are welcome..."
The female staff member took out a paper cup and poured water for her.
Behind her, Sakuramiya Hitomi, sitting on the sofa, kept observing them. She studied these "outsiders" who had stepped into her Barrier.
She deeply felt that the people before her were intruders and did not belong to this Barrier.
Therefore, she could not directly alter their states the way she changed her own form.
Otherwise, she would be able to activate "Idle Transfiguration" just like Mahito from Jujutsu Kaisen.
The Barrier constantly attempted to erode the intruders, but these other unique individuals inherently repelled it.
To influence them, she could only do so through "common sense alteration."
Meanwhile, the male employee glanced at his mobile phone and smiled as he explained to Sakuramiya Hitomi,
"Currently, President Ye is already meeting with Ms. Sakuramiya. Their discussion will not take long."
As Sakuramiya Hitomi thought this in secret, the staff member placed a cup of tea next to her and smiled.
"Please enjoy."
"Thank you."
"You are welcome. We will get back to work now."
The staff members left the hot teapot behind, then turned and departed.
As they left, they did not forget to close the door.
Thus, the room became Sakuramiya Hitomi's sealed Barrier once again.
"Skitter-skitter~"
Outside the window was a murky abyss, the filthy reflection of the world.
The originally bright red sun was being coiled around and swallowed by countless centipedes, a sight that would make anyone shudder.
Yet, Sakuramiya Hitomi simply stroked her chin, feeling the information fed back to her by the Barrier.
Just now, when those two staff members were inside the Barrier, she could perceive their states so clearly, yet she was entirely unable to tamper with them.
'Hmm?'
'Wait...'
Sakuramiya Hitomi paused slightly, recalling the scene when the staff members entered moments ago.
With the help of the Barrier, she knew every single detail of what had just happened like the back of her hand.
'If that is the case...'
"..."
With this thought, Sakuramiya Hitomi's appearance began to change bit by bit.
Ultimately, whether it was her facial features, clothing, or even her voice, she became completely identical to that female employee from earlier.
"It actually works..."
Sakuramiya Hitomi broke into an excited smile and attempted to transform into the male employee's appearance.
But this time, the exact same problem occurred as when she tried to take on a non-human form.
When her appearance gradually deviated from female, turned androgynous, and then attempted to shift toward male...
It jammed.
She could not transform.
"..."
She tried several times, all to no avail.
This made Sakuramiya increasingly certain that the Barrier could indeed alter her physical conditions, but it absolutely could not break free from the category of "human female."
No matter how hard she tried, it would only get stuck at the absolute extreme boundary of that limitation.
"Well, at least I finally discovered a new way to use the Barrier..."
Sakuramiya Hitomi gradually changed back to her original appearance, stretching her newly strengthened palms with a smile.
"I really wonder what the Barrier will evolve into if it continues to upgrade?"
"Ding-ding~"
After she experimented a few more times, the mobile phone in her pocket suddenly received a message.
Opening it, she saw a text from her mother,
"The discussion is over, we can leave now."
As she looked at the message on her mobile phone, a knock came from the door. It seemed the staff had returned for her.
She put her mobile phone away and immediately walked to the door.
The door opened, revealing the face of the older female staff member from before.
"President Ye and Ms. Sakuramiya have finished their meeting and are waiting for you at the entrance of the conference room."
"Okay, please take me there."
Sakuramiya Hitomi nodded and lightly took a step out of the Barrier.
"Buzz!"
The Barrier's coverage vanished instantly. Her previously light and healthy body suddenly became heavy, causing Sakuramiya Hitomi to stumble as she failed to adapt immediately.
The young woman in front of her quickly reached out to catch her, asking with concern,
"Are you alright?"
"I-I am fine."
Sakuramiya Hitomi paused, taking several seconds to readjust to the frailty that had accompanied her for over a decade.
But at this moment, she felt as if a lifetime had passed.
She could not help but glance back at the Barrier behind her, then look down at her weak, powerless palms in reality.
"..."
The female staff member carefully helped her stand steady and asked,
"Should I inform your mother to take you to see a doctor?"
"It is fine, I just..."
Sakuramiya Hitomi gathered her wits, smiled gracefully, and told her,
"My health is just a bit poor, that is all. It is nothing. Just take me to my mother, thank you."
"Ah, okay, okay. Please come this way, the conference room is over here."
"Wow, this fried noodles smells amazing!"
In the Kyogo Ward, on the other side of the street below the Baiyu restaurant, the group who had just sent off Sakuramiya and her mother were standing in front of a fried noodle stall.
A steaming bowl of fried noodles was handed to Yurianna, whose eyes were gleaming. Her mouth watered intensely, and she wiped her lips, wanting to dig in immediately.
But before she could even raise her chopsticks, Ashley, who was standing next to her, chopped her on the head with the side of her hand and reminded her,
"Just hold it for now. Wait until we go up to eat."
"Eh? Why? That is so unfair! Yabashi Ki has already started eating, and you didn't say anything to him!"
"Huh?"
Ashley blinked in surprise. She turned her head and saw Yabashi Ki, who had gotten a portion early, squatting on the ground and eating his fried noodles.
While eating, he praised Yan Huan standing beside him,
"Oh my, this is delicious!"
Seeing his mouth greasy from the food, Yan Huan could not help but smile faintly.
"I only remembered there was a very authentic fried noodle shop here when I saw the street sign, so I figured we could grab a few portions. How is it? Between this and the high-end dishes Sister Tong is treating us to, which one is more authoritative?"
"The fried noodles. The fried noodles are more authoritative."
Yabashi Ki gave Yan Huan a thumbs up and praised,
"President, you really know your fried noodles. You have such great taste in life!"
"Hilarious."
Ashley held her portion of fried noodles and walked back to Yan Huan and the others with a slight headache. She couldn't help but ask,
"President, your boss is treating us to a meal. Aren't we disrespecting her by buying all this to take back?"
"I saw the menu. Forget about us, I guarantee even Sister Tong will not be full."
Yan Huan smiled helplessly, gesturing to the two portions of fried noodles in his hands. One of them was for Tong Yingying.
"She is just trying to put on a brave front. She will be thanking me when I bring these fried noodles back as a supplement. Besides, eating fried noodles will not stop us from eating her fancy dishes."
Yan Huan knew Tong Yingying very well. He figured that after this meal, she would still want to grab some barbecue when she returned to the South Ward.
Rather than eating just that stuff, it was better to have these fried noodles.
"...She is your boss, President. You call the shots."
Yan Huan nodded, looking at Jiang Nuannuan, who was holding a bowl of fried noodles in front of the stall, and asked,
"Jiang Nuannuan, right?"
"Ah, y-yes, President Yan."
"You are used to eating fried noodles, right?"
"It is fine!"
Yurianna hugged Jiang Nuannuan with a wide grin and declared,
"Nuannuan is like me, not a picky eater! Hehe~"
"That is good."
Yan Huan scanned the code to pay for the meal, then led them as they slowly strolled back.
As they walked, the Student Council members chatted.
Mostly, it was Yan Huan interrogating Yurianna, who had caused a series of messy situations.
"Yurianna, you idiot. I already told you I do not have anyone I like, yet you keep making blind guesses every single day."
"Eh? You were the one who clearly said you had someone you liked, President! Everyone heard it at the time!"
"Exactly, President, you are not being honest."
"Maybe the President is like me, and only likes two-dimensional lo—"
"Go to hell, you otaku!"
"Alright, sister."
"In short, the investigation into my crush is terminated. The conclusion is: none."
"Hmph, I do not believe it. One day I will uncover the truth... There definitely is someone!"
"Nonsense."
"Ouch!"
Holding her fried noodles, Jiang Nuannuan could not help but giggle as she watched Yurianna run back to hug her after receiving a flick on the forehead from Yan Huan.
This little laugh drew Yan Huan's attention to her.
He turned his head, looking at the Shuurei Academy school uniform she was wearing, and could not help but fall into thought.
Shuurei Academy was a top-tier elite school in Linmen on par with Far Moon Academy, and its internal situation was not much different from Far Moon's.
"...By the way, Jiang Nuannuan, I never got the chance to ask earlier. Isn't today Monday? You didn't go to school and spent the whole day at our academy instead..."
Hearing Yan Huan's sudden question, Jiang Nuannuan paused slightly and looked at Yurianna, who was clinging to her.
Yurianna also looked puzzled, as if realizing it only in hindsight as she asked,
"Oh right, Nuannuan, why did you skip classes on a Monday to come hang out with me?"
Yabashi Ki covered his face, entirely speechless. He could not even be bothered to roast this idiot anymore.
"So you hung out with her for a whole day and never asked a single thing, huh?"
"Hehe, I completely forgot about it."
Hearing this, Jiang Nuannuan pursed her lips, staying silent for a second before managing a forced smile.
"Um... the truth is, I am finding it a bit hard to continue studying at Shuurei Academy... So, I just applied for a temporary leave today, and I thought I would come see Yurianna."
"A temporary leave?! Nuan-Nuannuan, wh-what happened to you?"
Yurianna was horrified. She quickly grabbed her shoulders and shook her frantically, making Jiang Nuannuan dizzy.
Fortunately, Yan Huan delivered another chop to her head, preventing her from shaking her best friend to death.
"Stop it. Listen to her properly first."
"Uuu..."
Yurianna looked at Jiang Nuannuan worriedly, and Jiang Nuannuan had no choice but to explain helplessly,
"How should I put this... I just feel like the academy is a bit different from what I imagined..."
She gripped her fried noodles, lowered her head slightly, and continued,
"Everyone is so competitive and outstanding. It just... makes me not know how to fit in..."
"I can't even understand what those Inner Court Students talk about. Things like golf, or what breed of horse their family just bought..."
"Maybe the problem lies with me as well. I am too introverted and clumsy with words. I can't chime in with them like the other Outer Court Students, not even pretending to understand when I don't..."
As she spoke, Jiang Nuannuan looked at Yurianna with a hint of envy and said,
"Moreover, our President is different from President Yan. She is a very strict person, and the atmosphere in the Student Council, and even the whole school, has become very rigid.
"She pursues high grades and discipline, and she favors excellent people. Someone as mediocre as me probably doesn't catch her eye..."
Yabashi Ki curled his lip, seemingly accustomed to this kind of thing. He had already taken out his mobile phone and started playing a gacha game.
"Well, look on the bright side. Being able to pass the exams for Shuurei Academy is already amazing. Even if you don't want to kiss up to those Inner Court Students, it's just three years. Endure it, and it will pass."
Ashley glared at Yabashi Ki. She absolutely detested this "let it be" and slacking-off attitude of his.
"Can't you say something a bit more positive?"
"..."
Yabashi Ki pursed his lips in annoyance, looking at Ashley without saying another word.
But in reality, Ashley probably knew that Yabashi Ki was right. Constantly talking about Inner Court Students versus Outer Court Students actually seemed to blur the massive class disparity between them.
Taking Far Moon Academy as a simple example: one only needed to know that the Track and Field Club President Owen's monthly pocket money equaled the annual salary of Yabashi Ki's parents to understand the difference between Inner and Outer Court Students.
A broad liberal arts evaluation standard might provide a more comprehensive measure of a young person's talents in some respects, but to a certain extent, it also amplified the objective conditions that nurtured those talents.
That was why the Linmen Education Department had increased the weight of objective assessments in recent years.
However, mentioning the Student Council President of Shuurei Academy seemed to remind Ashley of something, and she asked Yan Huan,
"I remember the Student Council President of Shuurei Academy is also a first-year student, a person from the Ying Country. During the national high school joint exams, only you and she got a perfect score, President. Do you know her?"
Yan Huan glanced at Ashley, pondered for a second, and then shook his head.
"I don't know her. Besides, she is from the Kyogo Ward, right? Why would she know someone like me from the South Ward?"
"Well, that is true..."
Seeing everyone from the Far Moon Academy Student Council discussing on her behalf, Jiang Nuannuan hastily and nervously waved her hands and said,
"U-Um, you don't need to worry about me. I just need to... readjust myself. My student status is still active. At worst, I will just graduate a year late."
Listening to her, Yurianna's face remained full of concern, but her single-track mind forced her to process a new piece of information that had suddenly popped into her brain,
"Eh... then Nuannuan, doesn't that mean you'll have to call me Senior Female Student from now on? Come on, call me that once! Since I am a first-year, I only ever get to call others Senior. I want to be called that too—"
Hearing this, Jiang Nuannuan was slightly stunned, while the rest of the Student Council members' faces immediately darkened.
Yan Huan once again raised his fist of justice to give this little idiot a harsh reminder.
"Can you read the room for once?! You brain-dead stupid fool!"
"Ouch!!"
Yurianna went down.
"Pfft~"
Seeing her best friend being chased around by Yan Huan, Jiang Nuannuan could not help but laugh out loud again.
She looked at Yurianna and could not help but remark,
"It is a relief that Yurianna isn't being ostracized for failing to read the atmosphere like she was in high school..."
Hearing this, Yan Huan could not help but glance at Yurianna.
Yet, he saw her laughing carelessly, rubbing the back of her head as she said,
"Ehehe~ Actually, I think everyone in high school really liked me too."
"..."
This time, it wasn't just the Student Council members—even Jiang Nuannuan didn't know how to respond.
In the end, she simply picked up her chopsticks, took a bite of the fried noodles, and smiled.
"Um... President Yan, I will not be going up to eat with you later. I will head back first. And... I will come see Yurianna and the rest of you again during the finals of the Club War!"
"Yay! I will be hosting the match and doing live commentary! And then, the President will be the referee, Ashley will lead the Disciplinary Committee to maintain order, and the super handsome Yabashi... uh, Yabashi is completely useless."
"Screw you!"
The group ate their fried noodles as they slowly walked toward the elevator of the Baiyu restaurant.
Up above, Tong Yingying sat by the window, looking down and taking in the sight of them playing and bantering.
"It is great to be young..."
As she thought about it, she suddenly chuckled to herself.
"Well, growing up isn't bad either. Otherwise, I wouldn't have the money to keep a six-foot-tall male university student hanging around me every day as some great eye candy.
"...If only I could properly taste him again like I did that night."
Thinking this, Tong Yingying regretfully leaned back against her chair.
She lit a cigarette and slowly enjoyed it.
At that exact same moment, on the top floor of the Golden Lion Mansion, inside the expansive flat where Spencer lived alone, several uninvited guests in black suits suddenly paid a visit.
"Hello, Miss Spencer. Sorry for the intrusion."
The woman in the lead, carrying a briefcase, walked into the spacious living room and looked at Spencer, who was still training on the treadmill.
"Pant, pant..."
Spencer turned her head. Upon seeing the familiar-faced woman, she clicked her tongue in annoyance.
This woman was the educational consultant hired by her mother.
"Miss Spencer, we meet again."
"What do you want?"
Spencer stopped the treadmill and picked up a towel nearby to wipe her head, messing up her originally beautiful and neat long blonde hair.
It became disheveled, much like a golden lion's mane.
Seeing this, the suited woman could not help but sigh in admiration.
"Even though I know your relationship with the President, every time I see you, I can't help but marvel. You two really are cut from the same cloth..."
"Cloth... What cloth?"
"..."
The suited woman maintained her smile, immediately opened her briefcase, and sat down on the sofa.
"Shall we get down to business?"
"Alright."
"Miss Spencer, based on the information I have gathered, your life at the academy seems... less than ideal."
The suited woman took out the documents from her briefcase one by one. All of them were reports sent back by Far Moon Academy detailing Spencer's performance at school.
"Violent behavior, bad habits, academic negligence. These actions force me to reconsider whether you possess the capability to return to a normal campus life..."
"Hah?! I..."
"You must understand that your behavior doesn't just affect your own future. Most importantly, your actions also hinder the other students in the school and harm them."
When the suited woman said this, Spencer couldn't help but freeze slightly.
Because she suddenly remembered the words Yan Huan had said to her when he finally couldn't tolerate her anymore.
'So, I really have been hindering him and hurting him all this time, haven't I?'
The suited woman in front of her seemed already accustomed to Spencer's short temper, so at this moment, when Spencer remained unusually quiet, it surprised her into raising an eyebrow.
'When did this child become so reasonable?'
"Miss Spencer, the President's style has always been to never continue investing in pointless endeavors.
"As it stands, continuing to increase investment and keeping you at the academy when you clearly lack the ability to adapt to campus life is not a good choice..."
The suited woman glanced at Spencer tentatively, then handed over a document and said,
"Therefore, we have prepared an alternative plan for you. You will undergo a 'formal withdrawal' from Far Moon Academy, which means retaining your student status, while we hire specialized private tutors to instruct you in your coursework outside of school..."
Spencer glanced at the document. She knew in her heart that, in the eyes of her mother and this tutor before her, something like the Club War was completely insignificant.
They had already assumed that she had completely messed up her time at the school.
Perhaps winning the Club War would indeed allow her to stay, but just as Yan Huan had reminded her before...
The Club War would only save her from being expelled this one time; it wasn't a permanent get-out-of-jail-free card.
She had to think about what would happen after she stayed. She needed to consider the more fundamental question:
'Am I really suited to stay?'
When she first arrived at Far Moon, she might have genuinely wanted to study hard at school.
Maybe studying would be tough, and maybe she could even make a few friends...
But the truth was, this place was different from what she had imagined.
It might be due to objective environmental reasons, but more likely, it was her own fault.
Regardless, she had messed things up once again.
"..."
Thinking this over, Spencer finally reached out, accepted the document the suited woman handed to her, and began reading it.
Watching Spencer quietly read the contents on the paper, the suited woman looked pleased and said,
"If you are willing, I will report this to the President tonight. Then, by the day after tomorrow at the latest, we will negotiate with Far Moon regarding the retention of your student status."
Spencer actually didn't take in a single word she read. After all, ever since she was a child, reading anything was like reading a heavenly book to her.
But hearing her say that, Spencer hesitated for a moment, handed the document back, and replied,
"You can show this to Mom first, but... as for negotiating with the school, let's wait until the Club War is over. I will go with you then."
"...You want to wait for the results of the Club War? If you win, do you plan to—"
However, hearing this, Spencer merely shook her head and said,
"After it is over, no matter the result, I will go with you to process my withdrawal."
"...Very well, Miss Spencer."
"Ugh..."
Ye Shiyu's consciousness was a bit blurry. She only remembered that after she and Xiao Huan encountered that Spencer and the suspected presence of Bai Yi in the flower room, her body had suddenly felt unwell.
Her last memory was roughly of her mother and Xiao Huan putting her into an ambulance.
"Beep~ Beep~ Beep~"
"What do you mean the condition is unclear? Do you have any idea that my daughter has work scheduled later? Do you know how much you'll have to pay if she is delayed?"
"...Madam, please calm down. Your daughter is unwell right now; please do not cause a scene here."
"Yes, furthermore, all three patients whose causes cannot be determined are from the same school. This forces us to suspect whether the illness is contagious..."
"Are you kidding me? Are you even a professional? Three patients with different symptoms, and just because you can't figure out the cause, you suspect it's the same disease?"
'What is that noise? So annoying...'
'I really want to use hypnosis to shut that chirping madwoman up forever!'
"..."
Thinking this, Ye Shiyu subconsciously reached out to feel for her mobile phone—normally, even when sleeping, her mobile phone was always placed right next to her so she could grab it as soon as she woke up.
But this time, she grasped nothing but empty air.
'Where is my mobile phone?'
The fact that her mobile phone was not beside her instantly alarmed Ye Shiyu, like a basin of cold water poured over her head, instantly snapping her previously muddled mind awake.
She immediately opened her eyes and sat up.
At this moment, she finally realized that she was lying in an isolation hospital ward.
Through the transparent window of the hospital ward, she could vaguely see a middle-aged woman with a ferocious expression screaming curses at the doctors.
"..."
Ye Shiyu narrowed her eyes, staring expressionlessly at the woman outside the window, only feeling that she was incredibly noisy.
"Mom... can you please stop yelling..."
'Hmm?'
At this moment, a weak female voice suddenly sounded from the side, drawing Ye Shiyu's attention.
Turning her head, Ye Shiyu realized that this hospital ward was actually very spacious. There were three beds inside, and she was in the outermost one.
On the left, the bed next to hers, lay a girl she was very familiar with, who also seemed to not be fully conscious yet.
"Bai Yi?"
Gazing at the girl, Ye Shiyu spoke in a faint, eerie tone.
Yes, the person next to her was indeed Bai Yi. After using her pocket watch, she had vomited uncontrollably, feeling so awful that she called Jiang Xion for help and was rushed to the hospital.
"Ugh... why is that female pervert's voice in my house... Mom, quickly kick her out. She is a pervert who gets turned on by her younger brother..."
Bai Yi was still half-asleep, and the moment she heard Ye Shiyu's voice, her whole being felt awful.
Dazed, she smashed her pillow over her head, mistaking Ye Shiyu's direction for her mother's and vocalizing her demand to drive her out.
"..."
Ye Shiyu remained expressionless, but her gaze made it clear she was ready to slice Bai Yi into a thousand pieces.
'If only my mobile phone were with me, otherwise...'
"Umm... Senior Student Ye, h-hello there... Cough, cough!"
Just as Ye Shiyu was silently staring at the sleeping Bai Yi, plotting a seamless way to eliminate her, a soft, sweet voice sounded from further away.
'There's another one?'
Ye Shiyu raised her eyes and saw that on the furthest bed, An Le—her face flushed red and her eyes looking dizzy—was waving at her in a friendly manner.
While waving, she could not help but cough and sneeze.
It looked like she had caught the flu, with severe symptoms of fever, coughing, and a runny nose.
"An Le..."
"Y-Yes, it's me."
"Why are you here?"
"I-I seem to have a bit of a fever and a cold, but... the doctors couldn't find the cause, so they sent me to be hospitalized here too."
An Le scratched her cheek nervously, only to sneeze again halfway through speaking.
"Achoo!!"
"Sorry... Uuu..."
An Le felt terrible. She hastily grabbed a tissue to blow her nose, then forced a smile and said,
"You were already here when I arrived, Senior Student Ye. Bai Yi came last."
"..."
After this brief catch-up, Ye Shiyu finally understood what had happened.
'But, how could it be such a coincidence?'
'Bai Yi and I only just crossed paths, and now we are both feeling sick and lying in hospital beds.'
'And this girl An Le as well...'
Thinking about it, Ye Shiyu felt that the only possible culprit was Spencer.
Spencer had just seen both her and Bai Yi, and she was also good friends with An Le, so she definitely had the means to commit the crime.
'No matter what...'
'It's all Spencer's fault!'
"Ugh..."
While she was thinking, Bai Yi, sleeping in the middle, finally sobered up a bit.
Outside the door, Zuo Jiangqin's voice was getting louder and louder. It looked like she was on the verge of tearing into the doctors over Bai Yi's compromised schedule.
Bai Yi rubbed her eyes and sat up, but her body still felt awful, and she still wanted to throw up.
The side effects of activating Time Stop were much more severe than she had imagined.
"Mom, please don't— Eh?"
After rubbing her eyes, Bai Yi's vision finally cleared up quite a bit.
Just as she was about to speak up to stop her mother from continuing her tantrum, she looked up, only to be met with the expressionless face of Ye Shiyu right in front of her.
"Eek!!"
This almost scared Bai Yi right off the bed. She hurriedly hugged her pillow, holding it in front of her like a shield, and asked loudly,
"Ye-Ye-Ye-Ye Shiyu?! Why are you here?!"
"..."
Ye Shiyu looked at her, remained silent for a second, and then said faintly,
"It is not just me."
"Not just you?"
Bai Yi paused slightly, then suddenly realized something and turned to look behind her.
"H-Hello there, Bai Yi..."
'Hmm?'
'Who is this?'
'Oh, that girl named An Le, Yan Huan's Childhood Sweetheart?'
'A little piece of trash, safely ignored.'
"Hello."
Bai Yi gave a polite greeting and then completely ignored the utterly useless, invisible An Le behind her, causing An Le—who had wanted to continue her greeting and say more—to choke on her words.
A moment later, she could only smile helplessly and swallow her words.
"..."
But exactly after this sentence, the three people in the hospital ward fell into a bizarre silence.
Ye Shiyu circled her two pieces of "prey on a plate" before her like a ravenous beast. Bai Yi didn't pay the invisible An Le any mind at all, focusing completely on staying guarded against Ye Shiyu.
Only An Le pursed her lips, searching her heart for a topic to break the silent atmosphere.
But at this moment, ever since Little Finger's head had turned pointy earlier, it had fallen uncomfortably ill and hadn't shown itself for quite a while.
Therefore, An Le also had no idea what to say.
This scene and setting seemed to pay homage to a certain world-famous painting...
"The Three of Us"?