Passed Out
Shen Yuqing didn’t dare to hesitate this time. He quickly removed the padlock and pushed the door open.
Song Wangzhuo had indeed fainted. A puddle of water covered the floor, and his entire body was curled up in the corner.
Shen Yuqing set down the clean clothes he had brought with him and stepped inside, half-carrying, half-dragging him out with great effort.
The changing room had a sofa for resting. After hauling Song Wangzhuo onto it, Shen Yuqing took a moment to catch his breath. He asked, how did he pass out for no reason?
The system replied, Host, didn’t you notice the temperature in this room is lower?
Shen Yuqing hadn’t realized it until the system pointed it out, but the temperature here was indeed slightly colder than outside.
The system continued, The male lead only recently recovered from a serious illness. Today, he only ate a piece of bread for lunch, and just now, he helped the teacher move some miscellaneous items. His body was already exhausted.
And then a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him. He had tried everything to escape but failed.
Shen Yuqing sighed. Song Wangzhuo really had the worst luck.
Who had he offended this time?
Is he okay? Should we call an ambulance? Shen Yuqing walked over and pressed a hand to Song Wangzhuo’s forehead. His temperature was frighteningly low.
Because he had a tutoring interview that afternoon, Shen Yuqing was wearing casual clothes just a simple T-shirt and sweatpants.
But leaving Song Wangzhuo in wet clothes wasn’t an option. Without hesitation, Shen Yuqing began peeling off his soaked shirt.
He’s fine… Wait! Host! What are you doing?! The system covered its camera lens, acting flustered.
Changing his clothes. Otherwise, he’ll catch a fever when he wakes up. Shen Yuqing pulled out a clean towel from his pocket and wiped Song Wangzhuo’s upper body dry.
To his surprise, despite looking thin, Song Wangzhuo had well-defined muscles.
Shen Yuqing raised an eyebrow before helping him into the new clothes.
He had bought a black button-up shirt, which was easier to put on than a T-shirt. In no time, he had dressed Song Wangzhuo.
Next were the pants. Shen Yuqing stared for two seconds before giving up. How long until he wakes up?
Probably five minutes, the system answered.
Shen Yuqing studied Song Wangzhuo’s face. His brows were furrowed tightly, as if he were in pain, but since he’d wake up soon, it shouldn’t be a big deal.
He stood up. Let’s go. He can change the rest himself.
But after taking two steps toward the door, he remembered something. He glanced around until he spotted an abandoned… eyeliner pencil.
Unfazed, Shen Yuqing went back and scribbled a message on the clothes bag before leaving, satisfied.
The changing room door opened and closed. On the sofa, the unconscious man stirred slightly, his eyes fluttering open just enough to catch a glimpse of a fleeting shadow just the edge of someone’s clothes.
Song Wangzhuo slowly regained awareness, his gaze dazed as it fixed on the ceiling.
He… was out?
He was out!
Song Wangzhuo bolted upright, only for his vision to darken from the sudden movement. It took him a moment to recover.
He looked around. No one else was there. The cubicle that had trapped him earlier was now open, the lock hanging loose from the latch.
No wonder he couldn’t open that door earlier even the partition door was unusually sturdy, impossible to kick open. Now it seemed clear it had been specially reinforced.
The other party had clearly come prepared.
Song Wangzhuo’s face was pale. He hadn’t forgotten the sensation of that bucket of ice water pouring over his head, drenching him completely.
He blinked, then suddenly realized something was off. Looking down, he saw he was wearing a black shirt, every button neatly fastened. His upper body felt completely dry, while only his lower half remained soaked.
Who had been here?
His gaze shifted to the nearby dressing table, where his T-shirt and a bag were placed.
With a grim expression, he walked over and saw a note written on the bag:
[“Silence won’t solve any of your troubles. Changed your shirt, pants are in the bag. —Your friend.”]
His friend.
Song Wangzhuo immediately recalled the person who had bailed him out over the weekend and later broken into his home.
This person meant him no harm. In fact, they kept extending help.
But if they cared so much, why refuse to meet him?
His head still throbbed dizzily. Outside, a professor’s voice echoed through the auditorium he couldn’t waste any more time. He grabbed the clean pants from the bag, only to pause in surprise.
Even the most personal items had been prepared for him.
Hurriedly straightening his appearance, he stuffed the wet clothes into the bag. Before leaving, he glanced at his reflection in the mirror.
His hair, though towel-dried, was still damp. The black clothes his “friend” had chosen only accentuated his pallor, making him look utterly disheveled.
Silence hadn’t solved anything instead; his repeated retreats had only dragged him deeper into danger.
Closing his eyes, Song Wangzhuo took a deep breath, then left the dressing room with the bag in hand.
When Shen Yuqing returned to his seat, Lin Sui frowned. “You were gone for half an hour.”
“Got lost,” Shen Yuqing replied flatly. “Ended up back at the academic building.”
“I told you to let someone guide you, but you refused.” Lin Sui sighed.
Shen Yuqing didn’t respond. Slumping in his seat, he watched the professor demonstrate a mech suit, but his thoughts lingered on Song Wangzhuo.
He checked the side mission progress, already completed.
[Aside from the original bullies, who else has a grudge against Song Wangzhuo?] He couldn’t think of anyone else who’d target him so relentlessly.
The system, of course, had no answers.
Shen Yuqing pressed his lips together. [Check the surveillance footage.]
He’d noticed cameras in the hallway earlier. Identifying the culprit should’ve been simple if only the power hadn’t been cut.
The system returned quickly. [Master, the feed’s disabled. Other cameras are operational but show nothing useful.]
A headache pulsed at his temples. The perpetrator had covered their tracks flawlessly.
The lecture ended early. As Shen Yuqing and Lin Sui exited the auditorium, the latter announced, “I booked a private lounge. Let’s throw Lejin another welcome party tonight.”
“How many ‘welcome parties’ does he need?” Shen Yuqing scoffed. “Not going.”
Lin Sui said, “Come with us.”
Shen Yuqing shook his head. He was still waiting to go back and check the surveillance footage. “What would I be doing there? Third-wheeling?”
Lin Sui had no choice but to relent. “I’ll send you the address. If you change your mind, just come over.”
Shen Yuqing nodded, and Lin Sui left first to find Song Lejin.
The sun was making Shen Yuqing a little dizzy, and he couldn’t help but wonder. Could it be Song Lejin?
But he dismissed the thought within seconds. Even if it was Song Lejin, he wouldn’t make a move until after learning the truth about his origins.
He exhaled. If only he could get closer to Song Wangzhuo that way, the system could track him better and help expose whoever was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
As Shen Yuqing walked toward the school gate, he heard someone call his name just as he reached the entrance.
“Shen Yuqing.”
He turned around and saw Song Wangzhuo standing a short distance away, watching him.
