"Can I call you Xiao Ci?" Shanwu Lingsheng kept chatting with Yueci Porcelain on their way to class, discussing small things like school life and stress management.
To be fair, as a homeroom teacher, Shanwu Lingsheng was excellent.
During their brief interaction, Yueci could tell she genuinely wanted to ease her anxiety.
But knowing her own background was fabricated, Yueci felt a little awkward.
After all, the teacher cared so much about her...
When Shanwu asked, Yueci instinctively nodded. It was just a nickname—no big deal.
Class 1-1 buzzed with energy. Through the window, Yueci saw lively high schoolers chatting and laughing.
Though most students at Light Private High School came from wealthy families, they didn’t have adult responsibilities yet. For now, they were just ordinary teens.
A few students in the hallway greeted Shanwu politely. Seeing Yueci behind her, their eyes widened in surprise.
Shanwu scanned the classroom from the doorway, then paused at an empty desk in the corner. After a few seconds’ hesitation, she turned to Yueci and pointed.
"Xiao Ci, how about sitting there?"
Yueci blinked. She’d expected an introduction to the class.
"I thought you might dislike being stared at during a self-introduction," Shanwu explained with a smile, reading her thoughts. "So I took the liberty of assigning your seat directly. Your desk partner has a gentle personality—you’ll get along fine."
Yueci glanced at the corner. The seat was empty. Her future desk partner wasn’t there.
*Ding-dong-ding-dong*—the pre-class bell rang.
Shanwu stepped inside, placed her textbook on the podium, and booted up her computer.
Yueci walked to the empty desk amid curious stares and hushed whispers. Some students who’d seen her earlier shared their guesses about her.
When the class bell blared, everyone settled down. The chatter faded.
Shanwu counted heads. A few were missing—but class had to start.
"Open your textbooks to page sixty-eight..." Her gentle voice drew everyone in. Soon, they were immersed in her masterful teaching.
Even without a textbook, Yueci felt transported into the world Shanwu described.
"Sorry we’re late, Ms. Shanwu! Bathroom break ran long."
Several grinning faces appeared at the door, shattering the focus.
Muffled complaints rose in the classroom, but no one spoke up loudly.
"Be mindful of time next time, Tanaka-kun." Shanwu’s tone stayed warm, but her eyes turned icy.
"Take your seats."
Tanaka Kenta promised he would, but his smirk said otherwise. His group swaggered back, laughing. Then he spotted Yueci.
She wasn’t wearing Light’s uniform. Her clothes looked worn-out. Long bangs hid most of her face, and thick black glasses made her seem gloomy—a total mismatch for Light’s polished atmosphere.
*Another charity-case scholarship student,* Tanaka thought dismissively. *Definitely bottom-tier.*
Unaware she’d been marked, Yueci frowned at the empty seat beside her. Books lay on the desk—someone should be here. Where were they?
"Reporting late..."
Another interruption. A thin girl stood at the door, her hair clumped together, clothes darkened as if she’d just wrung them out.
"Take your seat quickly," Shanwu said simply.
Yueci finally saw the girl’s face.
Her mouth fell open slightly.
*Hiru Kawakami.* They’d met again.
Hiru looked equally surprised to find a stranger at her desk but said nothing, sliding into her seat. She didn’t recognize Yueci.
Anxiety prickled in Hiru’s chest. *What’s this new desk partner like? Did my lateness ruin her first impression? Will she bully me like the last one...?*
The damp chill of her clothes seeped into her skin. Silently, she began carving her eraser with a small knife.
Yueci watched her. Days had passed since they last met, but Hiru’s aura felt unchanged.
She noticed the soaked clothes too. *Bullied again.*
Light Private High had a rotten underbelly. Where wealth and power gathered, hierarchies hardened. Bullying was routine here—strong preyed on weak, weak preyed on weaker.
Yueci had seen it often in her own high school days. Back then, her frail health and connections shielded her.
Twenty-three years later, the school hadn’t changed. Or perhaps it was never the school’s fault—just human nature.
This time, though, no one shielded her. Not even Nishikino An, the police superintendent, could reach into every shadow. Some enterprises thrived on tangled red strings and black stains—messy, dangerous webs.
The bell rang. Shanwu gathered her things and left. Instantly, the classroom erupted.
Curious students swarmed Yueci’s desk. The girl in front twisted around, twin ponytails bouncing.
"New student! I’m Kobayashi Miki. Nice to meet you!" Her face was fresh and friendly.
"Yueci Porcelain. Likewise."
Boys and girls crowded around, firing questions. Hiru grew restless, shrinking in her seat.
"Hey, Kawakami—move it!"
A rude male voice cut through the noise.
Tanaka Kenta yanked Hiru out of her chair.
She hit the floor with a sharp gasp.
Silence froze the room. Not a single person moved to help.
The boy standing over her was Tanaka Kenta.
