[Dream's Lament]

"Let's ask around first."

Shen Yu took the hat Lu Yanjin handed him and tucked all his conspicuous blue hair beneath it, slipping the stray strands behind his ears. His brilliant blue eyes gazed at Lu Yanjin without reservation.

They were very bright.

There was no trace of the wariness and defensiveness he had shown in the hospital.

Lu Yanjin said nothing. He simply tucked the exposed ruby inside Shen Yu's school uniform and pulled his hat down a little farther. Then he looked at the hair hanging loose behind him...

Expressionless, he took out a hair tie and carefully plaited it into a braid that hung down one side of Shen Yu's body.

Xu Shenzheng: "Where did you get the hair tie?"

Shen Yu was happy to have someone take care of it without having to lift a finger, so he let him be.

Lu Yanjin answered succinctly. "Bought it."

Ring, ring—

The bell for class rang.

Students still lingering on the athletic field hurried back, while the three hid behind a flower bed.

Breaks between classes were short.

But gym class was long!

Shen Yu had planned to wait for students during their free activity time, but they hadn't expected so many people to have gym at once.

"One, two, three... seven, eight?" Xu Shenzheng was stunned. "Eight classes having gym? Has the teacher who made the schedule gone crazy? Would the principal allow that?"

And they had been dismissed right after assembling.

Watching the figures strolling across the field in twos and threes, Shen Yu could almost have mistaken it for a park if they hadn't been at school and wearing uniforms.

Just then, two people sat down in front of the flower bed where the three were hiding. They were all over each other, holding hands as though no one else were around. One look was enough to tell they were a young couple.

"The director's looking this way. Why did you drag me over here anyway?"

"What are you afraid of? You think he dares interfere with us?"

The boy even raised their joined hands, fingers interlaced, and waved them toward the director.

"All that stuff lately has given them enough headaches. A whole bunch of people have been killing themselves, a little jump every two days and a big commotion every three. Three have jumped off buildings already, not to mention the ones who slit their wrists in the dorms. If the Bai family's young master weren't at this school too, they wouldn't have been able to keep a lid on it."

"Now those people are terrified we'll get upset and start threatening to kill ourselves. How could they possibly interfere with us?"

"You're so clever." The girl punched him in the chest. The boy pretended it hurt, clutching his chest. When he successfully drew a worried look from her, he chuckled.

Then she hit him again, and he hurriedly changed the subject.

"I heard Jiang Lian didn't come to class today?"

"Word travels that fast? I really haven't seen him."

"Do you think he might have..." The word "suicide" never left his mouth, but both of them took it as understood.

"I don't think so. Jiang Lian has a seven-year-old sister. How could he?"

Silence fell for a moment.

The boy scratched his head and changed the subject again. "Do you know about [Dream's Lament]? He's been really popular in our dorm group chat lately, though I've only heard about him. Apparently, if you send him 'prayer words' at midnight, he'll grant you one wish."

"He's in our group too, but what exactly are 'prayer words'? A code? A contact? I hate people who talk in riddles. The rumors do make it sound pretty spooky."

The boy grinned. "Neither."

"Then what is it?"

"I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone else."

"Of course."

"Really, really, you can't tell anyone else. Only the two of us can know."

"Tsk, you still don't trust me?"

The boy leaned close to the girl's ear and whispered. Shen Yu and the other two couldn't make out what followed.

Eventually, the two figures walked away.

Only then did Shen Yu ask.

"So many students have killed themselves. Didn't anyone call the police?"

Xu Shenzheng: "Of course they did. The second team handled it. Most of the cases were settled privately with the school. Even for the ones who slit their wrists at home, the school paid compensation on humanitarian grounds."

Xu Shenzheng: "There were suicide notes too. Their browsing histories had been wiped completely clean. When the team checked what they'd done before they died, every one of them had gone and done the thing they wanted to do most, then calmly faced death. They were all smiling during the autopsies, except the ones who jumped off buildings—it wasn't easy to tell with them."

"What is it? Do you suspect there's something wrong with this [Dream's Lament]?"

"Yeah." Shen Yu sat down instead of squatting; his legs had gone a little numb. "Could you send someone to keep a close eye on those two?"

"Of course." Xu Shenzheng immediately called for backup. "But people at the Police Bureau have looked into this [Dream's Lament] too. It's an overseas virtual number. Its location isn't accurate and keeps changing in real time, so it can't be pinpointed."

"Did anyone check the deceased's chat histories?"

"I'll have to go back and ask about that. I only heard their people mention it in passing."

"Okay." Shen Yu stood up. "I'll find someone to ask."

Lu Yanjin stopped him. "I'll go. What should I ask?"

Shen Yu looked him up and down. Lu Yanjin wore his usual cold expression. He might not have noticed it himself, but standing there, he was like an air conditioner blasting cold air.

Before he could even speak to anyone, he'd freeze them to death.

But he was good with his hands.

Shen Yu raised a hand and touched his braid.

"Oh, come on. You'd be lucky to find a student who could stand in front of you without running away. If you ask me, you should leave this job to me." Xu Shenzheng put down his rival, then put himself forward.

"All right."

Having someone help meant he didn't have to do it himself. That was wonderful.

"Ask what Jiang Lian has been doing lately, who he's been in contact with..."

But before he could finish, a delighted voice came from behind him.

"Shen Yu?"

Shen Yu closed his eyes.

Why did the original owner know so many people?

He didn't turn around. "You've got the wrong person."

Lu Yanjin moved to shield him from view.

"This classmate looks unfamiliar, but Shen Yu, your hair really stands out. Besides, nobody else at school dares dye their hair such a striking color." The newcomer acted as though they were old friends and chattered on. "Didn't you drop out? Are you planning to come back to class? Do you need notes? Mine are very thorough."

Shen Yu turned around.

She had an exuberant smile and clear, bright eyes that seemed to hold flecks of sunlight. Her lips curved upward, her cheeks were faintly flushed, and she wore a neat school uniform. Her long hair fluttered in the wind, like a ray of warm sunlight that would never fade.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" She tilted her head in puzzlement, looking past Lu Yanjin at Shen Yu.

[Host, she's Xu Yao, the class representative of Year Two, Class Three. She treated the original owner very well.]

Xu Shenzheng was about to speak, but Shen Yu stopped him.

He spoke sincerely. "I've forgotten what happened before. I'm sorry, but I don't remember you."

"I'm not planning to come back to school either. I had something to do here today, and I'll be leaving soon."

"I see."

But the girl before him didn't leave. Instead, she held out her hand to him. Her face was vivid and bright, and her words were light and unhurried, conveying a gentle acceptance. Like sunlight that had soaked everything through, they could easily soothe a person's heart.

"Then let's get to know each other again..."

"My name is Xu Yao. Xu as in promise, Yao as in the light of a jade star."

Shen Yu was truly seared by that scorching gaze.

It was very attractive.

A smile blossomed on the young man's lips.

Looking at his dazzling smile, Xu Yao couldn't help losing herself for a moment. She took a step forward. "Aren't you going to introduce yourself to your new friend?"

Shen Yu raised his head. Golden sunlight edged Xu Yao in a layer of gold.

New friend.

He slowly savored those words in his heart.

"Sure."

He took Xu Yao's hand in return. His grip was weak, but he held on firmly.

"My name is Shen Yu. It's nice to meet you for the first time *^_^*"