After Xinli Laoshi died, there was no one left who could talk to Luo Yun.
Furthermore, she was locked up at home by her father and couldn’t go anywhere.
Her home was big and empty.
She wasn’t allowed to use the internet, wasn’t allowed to contact others, wasn’t allowed to accept anything about life.
Nothing was allowed.
Luo Yun was trapped in a large cage, unable to break free.
One day, in a small attic where things were stored, she saw a painting.
It was one of the few paintings rescued from the old estate destroyed by fire.
It was also the first painting He Rou ever made.
Because it was hung very high, it hadn’t been affected.
She touched it, wanting to feel what the person who painted it was doing now.
‘Ah… just like her, trapped in a cage.’
Of course, Luo Yun couldn’t feel where He Rou was now.
This painting was a joint creation between her and He Rou.
She could only feel herself.
She was in pain.
She didn’t like being here.
That same day, He Rou entered her mind again.
Her life was given by her mother.
The pain Luo Yun was suffering now needed her to alleviate.
She missed her body, missed the scent of her, missed her beauty in a gown, missed… how to destroy her.
So Luo Yun began learning to be obedient, and waiting, waiting and waiting… until her father started giving her freedom, until school started, until… three years later.
It was also yesterday that she finally saw that girl again.
She was sleeping.
Sleeping very peacefully, with none of the attitude one should have toward her master and the daughter of her savior.
But it didn’t matter. It was just a nap.
Let this girl…
sleep one last peaceful sleep…
—
He Rou was led into the classroom by the teacher.
Since it was break time, not many people noticed her.
“The next class happens to be mine. When the time comes, you can introduce yourself properly. As for your seat… you’ll sit next that person. She’s like you, from an ordinary family, so getting along should be easier.”
The teacher stood at the classroom door, pointing a finger toward the back of the room.
At that moment, in the second-to-last row by the window, a girl was sleeping face-down on her desk.
She was dreaming.
Who would have thought that the spot next to her, which had been empty for ages, would suddenly be graced with a beautiful girl as her desk mate?
“Cheng Ruo… Cheng Ruo! Wake up. We just got out of class, how can you sleep so soundly?”
The teacher knocked on the desk and kept calling loudly.
“Teacher… didn’t you just say it’s break time? I’m so sleepy… Eh? Whoa, He Rou?”
Cheng Ruo wasn’t actually asleep.
She just liked closing her eyes and letting her imagination run wild.
But the moment she looked up, she saw the person who had made her late this morning standing right in front of her.
And from the looks of it, she was going to be her desk mate.
“Oh, you two know each other? That makes things easier. Make sure to take good care of the new student.”
The teacher dropped He Rou off and left the classroom.
After all, student relationships could only be managed by the students themselves.
“What a coincidence. Even across the distance, I run into you. Looks like our meeting this morning was fate.”
“About this morning… thank you.”
“How about you take the window seat? At least I can protect you.”
“Eh? No, no need. I can take care of myself.”
“Ah, I was just saying. The window seat is so nice, there’s no way I’d give it up. You sort yourself out first. I’m going back to sleep.”
“Okay…”
Then Cheng Ruo lay back down to sleep, and He Rou slowly started organizing her desk.
—
After He Rou had finished tidying up, she stared blankly at the blackboard, not knowing what to do next.
Luo Yun had said there would be punishment for being late, but… now she had arrived on time, and Luo Yun wasn’t here.
Just as she was thinking, the bell rang.
The gazes of the students returning from outside landed on He Rou the moment they entered the classroom.
Next to some bitch sat someone who looked like a country bumpkin straight from the village.
A perfect match.
Except the bumpkin was actually pretty good-looking.
But the shirt that was hard to compliment, and the jeans in a style that had been popular who knows how many years ago…
It was like Diao Chan doing a belly dance—an eyesore.
Under countless stares, He Rou slowly lowered her head.
Soon, the teacher arrived.
The murmurs around her quieted down, after all, they had to show respect to the class teacher.
“Ahem, um, we have a new transfer student today. Let me properly introduce her to you. Her name is He Rou. I hope you’ll all get along well.”
After the teacher said a few casual words, He Rou’s matter was settled.
She didn’t want to introduce He Rou so simply, but this girl looked so shy.
A long introduction would only make her uncomfortable, and there were some details that required He Rou to speak for herself.
It was better not to force that.
An introduction wasn’t as effective as getting to know each other over a few days.
Class began.
Cheng Ruo’s gaze never left He Rou’s face.
And He Rou, who hadn’t attended class in three years, didn’t understand a thing the teacher was saying.
“Hey, He Rou, how come you’re so pretty? Did you get plastic surgery?”
“Eh? I… no, not at all. And we’re in class right now. Is it okay to talk like this?”
“What’s wrong with it? Look around, how many people are actually paying attention? In a year, we’ll all be out of here anyway. It’s not like us—if we don’t study hard, our lives are ruined.”
“…”
“Speaking of which… I’m still curious. How exactly did you get to study here? The bar is so high, and you don’t seem rich. You also look kind of clueless…”
“Don’t put me down like that. I… this is my job. As for the rest, I can’t say much.”
Under Cheng Ruo’s relentless questioning, He Rou could only reveal a little to avoid unnecessary trouble later.
“Oh, a companion student? Then why isn’t your owner coming to take you in?”
“!”
At those words, He Rou’s face turned completely red.
“Hmph, looks like I guessed right. Your owner isn’t very kind. First day of school and she makes you walk here. No appreciation for a beauty. If it were me, hehe, I’d put a collar around your neck and show you off to everyone every break.”
“Please, just stop talking…”
He Rou turned her head to look at the person teasing her.
“Fine, fine. You stay here. I’m going to sleep.”
“Aren’t you going to study?”
“What they’re teaching now? I’ve already ‘reviewed the new’ so many times, there’s no need to ‘revisit the old.'”
With that, she spread her hands and buried her head back into a pillow she had somehow pulled out.
‘I have to find her…’
He Rou fell back into thought.
Soon, the bell rang.