The man nervously rubbed the wrinkled hem of his clothes.
"Um..."
Ye Buyu patted his shoulder and pressed him down into a chair.
"What are you afraid of? Tell us what's puzzling you. Isn't that what you came for?"
After taking a moment to compose himself, the man drew a deep breath.
"Actually... I'm a little lost. I used to be the captain of a Labor Corps, but someone replaced me.
At first, I thought I was replaced because I wasn't capable enough, wasn't good with words, and couldn't take care of the members' feelings. But afterward, the person who replaced me kept targeting me.
Even someone as slow as me noticed. My formerly friendly friends have become increasingly irritable, easily angered, and constantly at odds with other people.
Then, one time, I came to the School and met my teacher, so this time I withdrew outright.
But I'm still a little lost. Am I... really that terrible?"
The man anxiously clutched his hem, not daring to meet their eyes.
Will they look down on me for asking something so disjointed that it doesn't even count as a question?
Su Wuwei nodded, his expression calm.
"You had the courage to leave that circle, and you're looking for ways to confront the things you don't understand. That's an excellent way of thinking."
The man abruptly raised his head.
"Is... is it?"
Wan Lan leaned back in her chair and yawned.
"Yes. Lift your head. Have you wondered why you used to be so confident, but now you unconsciously watch people's reactions even when you speak?
Has someone told you it's because you used to be the captain, and having power makes people confident?"
The man nodded repeatedly.
Wan Lan laughed. "That's not it. You were confident because you used to hear