Chapter 33
After the events of last night, the students passing by seemed no different than before, and the campus was a picture of tranquility.
It was still early. Fu Xia detoured past the dorm supervisor, returned to her room, quickly showered, and changed into clean clothes.
“You and Xie Rin were covered in blood last night,” she asked Yan Zhu. “Wasn’t the fight at the school?”
“It was,” he replied. “Over by the Lakeside Theater.”
Last night had nearly turned into an irreversible massacre. The half-breeds didn’t care if humans discovered their existence, and with so many blood bags nearby, no injured vampire could have resisted taking a bite. However, due to certain abilities, all the bitten humans would only think they had been bitten by mosquitoes—after all, the theater was surrounded by water and trees.
“Didn’t it leave any trace at all?”
Yan Zhu blinked. “Xie Rin and I were in a hurry to get back to you. A Prince probably showed up to clean up the mess.” He paused, then added, “Even if someone had been drained dry and died, nothing would have come of it.”
That’s just what vampires were.
Fu Xia thought for a moment and chose a phrase: “Their power is absolute.”
Yan Zhu, standing half a step behind her, leaned in and whispered, “This academy was founded by vampires. A normal school wouldn’t have a Night Division, right? So it’s only natural.” He raised a hand to adjust his mask, his eyes behind it fixed on her. “And… don’t you like it?”
Fu Xia didn’t answer. The question didn’t need to be asked. Of course, she liked it.
She quickly packed her schoolbag and checked the time. “Are we just going to leave Xie Rin tied up like that? Will he be okay?”
“It’s fine. I contacted his brother before I left. Someone has probably gone to get him by now.” Someone’s about to be grounded.
Fu Xia nodded. “I’m heading to class first.”
Yan Zhu wasn’t a student, and his ability to move in the sun was still limited. She assigned him the task of checking on Pei Wang’s condition. Her own movements in the morning were safe; she planned to investigate Zhu Ye’s situation first.
—But she couldn’t find him at the school.
It was Monday; normally, all students were required to be on campus. During P.E. class, she detoured to the academic building where his class was held and peeked through the back door for a while, but couldn’t find him. There was no news on the forum either; the information from the previous day had been wiped clean, like pencil marks erased from paper. She couldn’t reach him by phone, and wearing her scholarship student uniform, she couldn’t just waltz into his classroom and ask.
Fu Xia rushed back to the gym before class ended. Since the guy who used to bully her had already died “by accident,” the teacher and the other students, likely aware of the price of messing with her, all turned a blind eye.
Fu Xia was happy to be left alone. She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
…The rich and powerful really don’t need to hide themselves.
At that thought, she patted her cheeks and quickly readjusted her mindset. No, I haven’t been turned yet. I can’t get ahead of myself—and it’s bad luck to celebrate a victory halfway through.
Having failed to find Zhu Ye, Fu Xia returned to the classroom. She was just about to organize the massive amount of information she’d gathered over the past two days when someone suddenly sat down in the empty seat in front of her.
She looked up and saw Chen Wang.
She was sitting backward on the chair, her elbows propped on the backrest, her chin in her hands, staring at Fu Xia. Having gotten the invitation to the Full Moon Ball, she was on top of the world and found Fu Xia more and more agreeable.
“Where were you last night?” she asked. “I heard there was a little accident. The administrator told me they couldn’t find you. I thought something had happened to you.”
“I had to leave early for something… What accident?”
Chen Wang thought for a moment. “A few students got drunk and fell into the lake last night. They’re probably lying in the hospital now.”
“…Do you know who?”
She shook her head. “A few of the popular new kids, I think? I don’t know the specifics. The news was blocked by the student council as soon as it came out.” It was to protect the school’s reputation, which Chen Wang could understand.
Fu Xia tilted her head, thinking. As she did, Chen Wang watched her, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
“…I feel like you’ve changed somehow.”
Before, Fu Xia had been completely invisible in the class. Her grades were good but average, she never showed off, and when called upon, she would just complete her task adequately. She didn’t get close to other scholarship students or interact with the regular ones. If one had to describe her, she was like a mushroom in the corner of the classroom, quietly observing everything. It was a smart strategy, not drawing attention to herself, but something had always been missing.
But now, perhaps because she had seized some opportunity after Pei Wang’s arrival—Chen Wang felt an instinct that she should build a friendlier relationship with her.
At that thought, Chen Wang said, “About threatening you before, I apologize.”
She rarely apologized to anyone.
“You got me the invitation to the Full Moon Ball, which was a huge help,” she continued. “If you need anything in the future, just let me know. Let me make up for my past behavior.”
This was a novelty. Fu Xia glanced at her and saw no hint of a joke on her face.
“Okay,” Fu Xia said. “I’ll contact you if I need anything… But before that, I have a small question.”
“Ask away!”
“Which hospital did those students go to? A first-year I know hasn’t contacted me, and I’m a little worried.”
“That I don’t know. You could try asking the student council.”
Fu Xia nodded and said thank you. The party last night had been organized by the student council; it made sense that they would be responsible for the students who fell in the water. She would just take a trip to the student council office during her lunch break and ask which hospital they were in.
But… could the student council really be unaware of the existence of vampires?
Fu Xia twirled her pen, her gaze fixed on the teacher at the front of the room.
Whatever, she thought. During class, I should focus on my studies… Even if I’m going to become a vampire, I can’t just give up on learning.
During her lunch break, Fu Xia declined Chen Wang’s invitation to eat together. She took out her phone and saw several messages from Yan Zhu.
Yan Zhu: [Pei Wang is fine, but he’ll need some time to recover. He’s back at his castle now. Do you want to go see him?]
Yan Zhu: [Or we could go later. A sleeping vampire isn’t much to look at. How about we find Zhu Ye first?]
Yan Zhu: [Ah… that’s just a suggestion. We’ll do whatever you want.]
Fu Xia: [I’m going to the student council first.]
Yan Zhu: [Do you need me to come with you?]
Fu Xia: [I should be fine.]
The student council was in the student activity center, a place that was usually bustling with people. With so many people around and the midday sun, nothing should go wrong.
Yan Zhu: [Okay, I’ll be on standby in the shadows.]
He was like a guard dog, on call at all times.
Fu Xia put her phone away and walked toward the student council. The path was crowded, but strangely, the student activity center itself seemed a little deserted today.
She pushed open the glass doors to the student council office and saw several students rushing past her, their arms full of documents. Several landlines on the desks were ringing off the hook.
“Leave the appeasement to us.”
“Yes, yes, the school will organize professionals to come and deal with the mosquitoes, don’t worry.”
“We are very sorry. We are investigating the matter of the alcohol supply and will definitely give everyone a satisfactory explanation.”
Fu Xia: “…”
No wonder everything is so calm. The student council is carrying the weight of the world on its shoulders.
But even though everyone looked busy, they all had calm expressions, as if they were perfectly capable of handling the situation.
“Excuse me…” Fu Xia started.
The person she was addressing made an apologetic gesture, quickly picked up a phone, and began reciting the same script she had just heard.
Frustrated, she tried another target. “Um…”
The student council member pointed to an office. “Hey, could you please ask the President? I have to go deal with something.”
Before Fu Xia could stop her, she had hurried away.
Fu Xia: “…”
This is so weird. The entire student council is swamped, yet they’re passing off a simple question to the President?
The strange feeling was fleeting. Fu Xia walked toward the office the girl had pointed to. At the very least, she had to find out which hospital Zhu Ye was in.
But she stopped at the door. A small, gold-rimmed plaque on it read, “Student Council President’s Office.”
The student council president, Song Yingxi.
Only then did she realize who she was about to meet. She stood outside the office for a moment, and with a strange feeling, she raised her hand and knocked.
Three seconds later, a gentle “Come in” came from inside.
Fu Xia clearly heard her heart give two quick beats. She instinctively pushed the door open and walked in.
The moment the door opened, all the sounds—the ringing phones, the voices of the student council members, the rustling of papers—seemed to vanish. Her hand on the doorknob tightened.
The office was decorated in warm tones. The desk and chairs were simple, and there were a few cozy decorations that gave it a lived-in feel. Song Yingxi had been the president for nearly two years, and his presence was everywhere.
Her hand still on the doorknob, Fu Xia quickly scanned the room, and her gaze came to rest on the only person inside.
Behind the desk, Song Yingxi lifted his eyes.
The sun didn’t shine into the room, but the moment anyone saw him, they would think—So dazzling. It’s hard to look away, as unreachable as the sun in the sky.
He smiled gently. His angelic face was exceptionally vivid, his voice as smooth and warm as jade.
“Hello. Do you need some help?”