Morning arrived, with warm sunlight streaming through the small window of Yuan Jin's house. The rays illuminated Vaelthanya's long hair as she busily preened herself in front of the mirror.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Yuan Jin paced back and forth, checking the time on his phone.
"Hey… hurry up! We're going to get punished for being late, you know?!" Yuan Jin shouted, knocking on Vaelthanya's door.
The door opened slowly. Vaelthanya stepped out with light steps, her hair beautifully styled, her face radiant, and… her school uniform skirt cut to half its normal length.
Yuan Jin's eyes widened.
"Why is your skirt… so short?!"
"I cut it. If it's too long, I have trouble moving," Vaelthanya replied casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Yuan Jin took a deep breath, trying not to stress out in the morning.
"Okay, then… let's go."
-
They walked side by side along the sidewalk, still damp with morning dew. The cool air made their steps feel light. The bakery had just opened its doors, the aroma of baked goods wafting gently. Birds were chirping, and the small stream they passed by flowed softly.
Vaelthanya gazed at it all with sparkling eyes—like a child discovering the world for the first time.
"Mornings in the city… so bustling," she murmured.
"Busy but tiring," Yuan Jin replied.
-
As soon as they arrived at the school gates, several of Yuan Jin's friends—Shi Yanghao, Zhu Huakai, and Wang Xiaoming—were already standing waiting.
They immediately gasped when they saw Vaelthanya.
"Woah… who is this? You brought your girlfriend to school?!" Shi Yanghao asked, his mouth half open.
Yuan Jin immediately panicked. There was no way he could tell his that Vaelthanya was the woman he had found on the street a few days ago.
"She's… my younger cousin. Her parents left her with me. We're only a year apart."
But just as he finished speaking, Vaelthanya raised her eyebrows and said loudly:
"What the hell? I'm 150 years older than you!"
All his friends were shocked. "Huh???"
Yuan Jin instinctively covered Vaelthanya's mouth with his hand.
"Ahaha! She sure does talk weird. Don't listen to her!" he said with a stiff laugh.
His friends were still confused, but they eventually accepted it.
-
One by one, they introduced themselves.
Shi Yanghao extended his hand in a showy, handsome manner.
"Hello, beautiful girl, my name is Shi Yanghao. The most handsome man you've ever seen."
Vaelthanya chuckled, her cheeks slightly flushed—not from interest, but from amusement at the way she spoke.
Zhu Huakai and Wang Xiaoming also enthusiastically introduced themselves.
After the brief introductions, they entered the classroom together.
-
Inside the classroom, everyone sat down. But there was only one problem: there was no empty seat for Vaelthanya.
The teacher entered and immediately saw Vaelthanya standing in confusion.
"Find a chair in the storage room. If you don't know where it is, ask the principal," he said nonchalantly.
Vaelthanya simply nodded and walked out of the classroom.
She walked down the hallway. The doors to the rooms were lined with large signs. She read each one thoughtfully.
"Music Room… Physics Laboratory… Bathroom… ah there!"
She found the principal's office and knocked.
"Excuse me?"
The principal, who was sitting there, turned around in his chair.
He was a man in a neat suit with a handsome, mature face and neatly combed brown hair. As soon as he saw Vaelthanya, he immediately froze.
"…"
He thought to himself:
'Damn… what beautiful girl is entering my office?'
Vaelthanya waved her hand directly in front of his face.
"Sir? Hey? Did you hear me?"
The principal snapped to his senses.
"Sorry! Sorry… what did you ask?"
"There's an empty seat. Where is it?"
Whether he slipped or something, the principal replied:
"You can sit on my lap if you like."
There was a few seconds of silence.
Then he froze.
"OH MY GOD, what did I just say!"
Vaelthanya made a shocked face.
The principal quickly corrected himself:
"Sorry! I meant… the empty seat is in the warehouse behind the school. Go straight, turn left, and exit to the backyard."
Vaelthanya nodded politely.
"Thank you."
She quietly closed the door, while the principal sat there, holding his face.
-
The route to the warehouse turned out to be a bit confusing. Vaelthanya passed through the school's small garden, the basketball court, and then a back area rarely used by students.
The warehouse looked old, the paint peeling, and the windows opaque.
When she opened the door, it made a long creak.
"Ugh… what is this place? It's so dark."
Cold air assaulted her from inside.
There was no light at all.
The lamp wasn't on. The smell of dust lingered.
Vaelthanya bit her lip, a little afraid, but she tried to gather her courage. She slowly entered, feeling the walls.
"Seat… Seat… where are you…?"
Her hand touched something hard—like wood. It was a seat. She approached cautiously.
But just as her fingers touched the bench's surface, something jumped onto her shoulder.
"!!"
Her body stiffened instantly.
She felt something move on her shoulder, its dark, light body. But a small sound was heard…
"Trrt… trrt…"
Vaelthanya swallowed. She slowly raised her hand, feeling the object.
A moment later, she realized what she was holding.
And in that exact moment—her eyes widened, her face tensed, and…
"Aaaa…!!!"