After leaving the cafeteria, Xia Mu returned to the dormitory, changed into his workout clothes, and hurried off to the athletic field.
His schedule for the day was really packed.
But that was nothing. If it helped him or someone close to him improve, Xia Mu wouldn't begrudge the time.
That was just how this world worked. If you didn't work hard to climb higher, you'd become a stepping stone for others to trample underfoot.
Just like Yamauchi.
Today, the chubby guy was full of fighting spirit. When he weighed himself after getting back yesterday, he'd found that he'd lost half a pound.
It wasn't much, but with time, he was sure to keep losing weight.
He was gradually growing more confident, too.
"Thump, thump, thump!"
Today, Xia Mu had brought professional boxing gloves for the chubby guy to practice with.
"By the way, if Long Yuan and the others give you trouble again, just come to me," Xia Mu said as he blocked the chubby guy's punches.
"Don't worry." The chubby guy was panting, his clothes soaked with sweat. He threw a hard punch. "Thump!"
"I'll make that kid Long Yuan learn who's boss!"
At that, Xia Mu couldn't help twitching the corner of his mouth, but he didn't shatter the chubby guy's fantasy.
Confidence was a good thing.
Besides, he had what it took to protect him.
Although the chubby guy had agreed, Xia Mu still didn't feel at ease. He installed a virus on the chubby guy's phone. Whenever it detected vigorous movement, it would automatically activate both the front and rear cameras.
Yesterday, he'd maxed out his networking skill—what people usually called hacking.
He'd also explored the school's internal network and uncovered quite a few little secrets.
For instance, some girls had been sent to the Youth Correction Center and locked up because they'd engaged in compensated dating.
After training the chubby guy, Xia Mu hurried back to the dormitory to shower and change again, then took the elevator to the fifth floor.
"Ah, I really was born to be a pack camel." He sighed, then went to the door of Room 502 and knocked. "It's me, Xia Mu."
"Tap, tap, tap~"
"Xia Mu, wait a moment."
Footsteps sounded, drawing closer to the door. Click. It opened a crack.
Sakura poked half her head out. After confirming it was Xia Mu, she gently pulled the door open. "Xia Mu, please, c-come in..."
Her cheeks were a little red. This was the first time since entering puberty that a boy had come into her room.
Or, rather, the first person besides her parents.
Xia Mu slipped on a clean pair of spare slippers and went inside.
The floor was covered in pink carpet, and the walls were full of photos she'd taken of herself. She'd hung several pictures Xia Mu had taken of her directly across from her bed, where she could see them as soon as she woke up.
"Ah, have a seat. I'll go make some tea."
Her face was red as a teapot, and she pattered off to the kitchen on her little feet. She was wearing nothing but a pair of SpongeBob SquarePants socks.
Why hadn't she worn the Patrick Star ones?
Xia Mu wondered to himself as he obediently sat cross-legged. He wasn't used to sitting seiza-style.
Even if the floor was soft.
In the kitchen, Sakura fumbled around as she made tea. When she accidentally scalded her hand, she quickly rubbed the back of her ear to cool down.
After a while, she brought over the teapot and poured Xia Mu a cup.
There were tea leaves in the cup, too.
"Uh..."
"Don't you strain the tea leaves?" Xia Mu asked, looking at Sakura in surprise.
"Huh?"
"You can strain the tea leaves?" Sakura was completely stunned. In a fluster, she picked up the teapot. "S-sorry, this is my first time making tea. I'll make you a fresh cup right away."
"Smack." Xia Mu grabbed her wrist. "There's no need."
"Ah, ah..." Feeling the warmth of Xia Mu's palm, Sakura's heart pounded wildly. She hurriedly pulled her hand back. "O-okay, sorry..."
"I really can't do anything right." She shrank her head like an ostrich.
"You don't need to be so nervous, do you? I'm not a ghost."
Xia Mu finally understood why Sakura Airi needed Correction.
She was practically a shut-in.
Living in her own world.
Strictly speaking, though, it wasn't really a problem. Everyone just lived differently.
But the system considered it an illness. There was nothing he could do about that.
"Weren't you going to take photos? Go get ready." Xia Mu glanced at the Totoro clock on the wall. "It's already eight. I shouldn't stay here too late."
"Ah, o-okay..." Sakura was like a robot that followed orders but still had feelings. She hurried off to get clothes from the wardrobe, then dashed into the bathroom.
"Good grief, this girl." Xia Mu could only shake his head.
Couldn't she be more like him? Being modest was useless and only brought unnecessary trouble.
Still, Xia Mu figured Sakura wouldn't have agreed to let him come to her room if her Correction progress weren't already more than halfway complete.
After all, the entire wall was covered with Sakura's private photos.
"Mm..." Xia Mu took a small sip of tea and murmured thoughtfully.
Sakura really did have a nice figure.
"I-I'm ready."
"Xia Mu, you can come in now."
Half an hour passed before Sakura's voice reached Xia Mu through the glass.
"Okay." Xia Mu answered, picked up the camera from the table, and went to knock on the bathroom door. "Can I come in?"
"Y-yes..."
After she confirmed again, Xia Mu gently pushed open the bathroom door.
As soon as he opened it, he froze.
A sensual scene was unfolding inside.
Sakura was wearing a sexy swimsuit and soaking in the bathtub. The water's surface was covered in white foam, and Sakura's fair, rosy skin, combined with the hazy steam, made the scene look like something from a film.
In fact, it was a photo shoot.
"Glug, glug..." When Sakura noticed Xia Mu looking at her, she submerged her head beneath the water and blew bubbles, embarrassed.
"Ahem, let's begin. Pose however you like," Xia Mu said, recovering from the sight.
He hadn't forgotten why he was here. He was a photographer with an eye for the risqué; he couldn't let himself be distracted by such things.
At that, Sakura slowly raised her head above the water again.
Unlike her usual clothes, which covered her from head to toe, this swimsuit left plenty exposed—both what should be shown and what shouldn't.
Xia Mu took a deep breath. Through the camera's high-definition lens, everything looked even clearer.
But once Sakura got into the rhythm of the photo shoot, she wasn't as shy.
She radiated confidence, using her hands to scoop up the bubbles and cover herself with them like a censor bar.
She'd wanted to take this kind of photo for a long time, but it was difficult to manage alone.
That was why she'd asked Xia Mu to take them.
Watching Xia Mu's focused posture, she saw faint red light through her snow-white skin.
Perhaps that was exactly why she trusted him.
But why was Xia Mu helping her for free?
That question had lingered in her mind for a long time. Even though she didn't want to, she couldn't stop herself from imagining there might be more to it.
After the photo shoot, Xia Mu made a pot of tea himself, teaching Sakura how as he went.
Throughout the whole process, Sakura's heart never stopped pounding.
This warm, reassuring feeling was wonderful.
"Phew, phew..."
The two of them sat together. Sakura held her teacup in both hands and slowly blew on it.
Then she took a small sip.
The tea was smooth, with no impurities, and brought out the leaves' natural flavor.
After drinking it, she felt warm all over.
"All right, I'm heading out. Be careful not to catch a cold."
Xia Mu glanced at the clock on the wall and said goodbye to Sakura.
"Mm, see you tomorrow." Sakura looked happy as she waved to Xia Mu.
Her Correction progress had already reached sixty percent.
He took the elevator back to the floor where his dormitory was.
At the entrance to his dorm, he ran into a familiar figure and couldn't help looking surprised. "Shiina?"
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