Echo Chamber

"You seem to have misunderstood something." Hesta lowered her gaze with a smile. "When someone's reputation is slandered, even if that person is a stranger unrelated to you, there are still people who won't stand by and do nothing—it depends on whether your bottom line is 'do no evil' or 'uphold justice.' If it's the latter, then this is perfectly natural."

"...Your standards are pretty high." Lin Jiao propped up her chin. "But it's still easy to tell whether someone truly thinks that way or is just putting on an act."

Their eyes met, and Lin Jiao smiled. "Time will give us the answer."

"...When do we start?" Yiti spoke softly from the side. "Can we begin?"

"Let's begin." Lin Jiao turned back toward Xiang Hanshan. "Help us turn off the lights."

At ten o'clock, Xiang Hanshan saw Hesta and Yiti out of the old Wen Academy building. Lin Jiao and the oldest member remained in the meeting room, apparently still having things to discuss.

Throughout the walk, Hesta remained expressionless. Xiang Hanshan glanced at her several times, but could not tell how her emotions were shifting beneath that calm exterior.

"Jane."

Hesta turned her gaze toward her. "Hm?"

"Do you like the poetry society?"

"I do." Hesta answered without hesitation. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have wanted to bring my friend here."

"This poetry society wasn't built by Lin Jiao. She's only an assistant."

Hesta realized something. "...It was you?"

Xiang Hanshan answered the question with a smile.

"When I had just entered high school, I ranked near the top in the entrance exams, but in the first monthly exam, I dropped straight past four hundredth place. It happened to be when the school clubs were recruiting new members, so I registered a new club with the student association."

"A