Volume 1 / Chapter 56: The Lively Night in the Attic

 As more people finished bathing, the attic grew increasingly lively.

Everyone had picked their preferred spots and laid out their bedding.

Naturally, those who came later had fewer choices to pick from.

Since they were sleeping directly on the floor, many found their thin sheets were practically useless. So, the girls followed Mò Xuěyáo and Huā Yínyín’s example, pairing up to combine their bedding. One person’s quilt served as a mattress pad, while the other’s served as the cover.

The prospect of two people sharing one quilt also made everyone seem a bit excited.

Only the Class Monitor was sleeping alone.

Well, with twenty-one girls, someone was bound to be the odd one out.

“Mò Xuěyáo, could you move your luggage and schoolbag over there?” Lǐ Wǎnyán pointed to the opposite corner. “I’d like to sleep here, is that alright?”

“Ah, of course.” Mò Xuěyáo crawled out from under her quilt and moved her suitcase and schoolbag aside, including Huā Yínyín’s.

Their suitcases piled here had been serving as a makeshift screen, offering a bit of visual separation, but it wasn’t strictly necessary.

Besides, the Class Monitor was a nice person. She’d even lent Mò Xuěyáo her notes before, so Mò Xuěyáo had even less reason to refuse.

The Class Monitor did have friends in the class, but none she was particularly close to.

It always made her seem rather lonely.

Mò Xuěyáo thought about it carefully and realized the Class Monitor truly did seem to be alone most of the time.

Do students with good grades just not like making friends?

That didn’t seem right either.

Perhaps the Class Monitor’s personality was just the serious type, making her seem a bit harder to approach.

Eleven bedding spots were laid out in the attic. Being in one room meant whoever spoke loudly could be heard by everyone else.

Some chatted across the distance from their makeshift beds, while others, seeing it was still early, hadn’t climbed under their quilts yet. Instead, they chose to gather in small groups, gossiping about all sorts of things.

Wáng Jiālè even pulled out a Ludo board and started playing with a few other girls.

Mo Zhúyòu, lying opposite Mò Xuěyáo, took out a radio and tuned into a station with rather poor reception.

The sound from the radio wasn’t very clear. Even after Mo Zhúyòu fiddled with the antenna for a long time, she couldn’t eliminate the crackling static.

Strangely enough, once you got used to that static, it had a somewhat hypnotic effect, making people feel at ease.

Mo Zhúyòu seemed to really enjoy this bustling atmosphere. She sat cross-legged, humming along softly to the song playing on the radio, as if already lost in it.

That book with the incredibly long title, which turned out to be a cookbook, had been taken by Huā Yínyín to read. Mò Xuěyáo, meanwhile, picked up an ordinary urban novel – this one was about various urban legends.

Most of them were horror stories.

Usually, even if someone else was home, she wouldn’t dare read this kind of book alone in her room.

But today, with so many people around, no matter how terrifying the story was, she didn’t feel scared at all.

Strength in numbers, after all!

Just then, the closed door was gently pushed open. Yè Wén looked in with surprise at the attic packed with girls. “So that’s where you all are! I wondered why I couldn’t find you downstairs. You’ve all decided to sleep up here in the attic?”

“Hello, Homeroom Teacher~”

“Hey, A-Wen~” The girls greeted her familiarly.

“Whose idea was this? So fun, everyone sleeping together… and clever too, pairing up bedding like this…”

“It was everyone’s idea together,” Wáng Jiālè answered, waving at Yè Wén. “A-Wen~ Want to join us for Ludo?”

“I say, girls, when you call me… could you call me Wenwen instead? ‘A-Wen’ makes me feel like some middle-aged auntie,” Yè Wén pouted. Outside of school, she seemed completely like a lively young woman, full of youthful energy. “I’m not that old, am I?”

“Huh? Is it okay to call you Wenwen?”

“Sure.”

“Wenwen~”

“Wenwen!”

So the girls all started calling out her name like a flock of chattering birds.

Yè Wén narrowed her eyes with satisfaction, looking as if her bones were melting.

“So, what’s everyone up to?”

“We’re playing Ludo over here,” Wáng Jiālè replied.

“We’re playing cards, Wenwen, want to join?” another group of girls called out. “It’s Fight the Landlord!”

“You girls sure know how to enjoy yourselves…” Yè Wén walked from the attic entrance all the way to the very back, inspecting each sleeping spot. Seeing the students all seemed quite happy pleased her greatly. “Hmm, but everyone still needs to rest. Tomorrow is a full day of military training, and you have to get up at five in the morning.”

“That early!” Wáng Jiālè’s eyes widened. “I don’t think I can get up…”

“You have to get up. I’ll come wake you. So, try to get to sleep early, okay? Also, the drill instructors will be doing bed checks later, so don’t get too rowdy.” Yè Wén brushed back her beautiful hair, still slightly damp from her wash. “Class Monitor, you’re in charge of keeping order—Chá Lí, you’re the Discipline Committee member, help out too.”

“No problem, Wenwen~” Chá Lí blinked, letting down her side ponytail. If nothing was happening, letting her hair down was probably more comfortable anyway.

At least, that’s what Mò Xuěyáo thought.

“Mm.” The Class Monitor gave a slight nod.

“Hey, hey, Wenwen,” Huā Yínyín put down the cookbook with the long title and asked, “If it’s still raining tomorrow, do we still have to do military training?”

“Not sure about that yet. If the rain causes any schedule changes tomorrow, I’ll let you know. Don’t worry~” Yè Wén said, snatching a lollipop from Wáng Jiālè. “Hehe, got it! Alright, I’m off. You all get to bed soon too.”

“Where are you going, Wenwen? Not sleeping with us?” Wáng Jiālè suddenly remembered the drink she wanted to give Mò Xuěyáo. As she asked this, she placed a large bottle of Liziyuan milk with its straw beside her.

“I have to sleep with the other teachers. The teachers’ dorms are in villas like this one too. Okay, okay, off I go~” Yè Wén waved to the students over her shoulder and pushed the door open to leave.

Shortly after, the sound of the main door downstairs slamming shut echoed up.

The girls’ chatting voices immediately grew louder.

The small attic was buzzing with life.

Mò Xuěyáo, having just finished one urban legend story, looked up and noticed the bottle of Liziyuan milk beside her.

“Huh? Whose is this?” she wondered aloud.

“Xiǎo Lèlè gave it to you~” Huā Yínyín seemed to love using diminutives and adding ‘Xiǎo’ to people’s nicknames.

“Wáng Jiālè? You gave this to me?” Mò Xuěyáo asked for confirmation.

“Yeah! Xuěyáo, why are you still calling me by my full name?” Wáng Jiālè pouted. “It makes me feel like we’re strangers!”

“No, no… just habit.” Mò Xuěyáo scratched her forehead awkwardly. Looking at the Liziyuan milk Wáng Jiālè had given her, she ultimately accepted it. “Thanks.”

“No big deal, it’s just a drink.”

Wáng Jiālè’s reply was casual, as if it meant nothing.

But Mò Xuěyáo quietly noted every kindness shown to her.

Or rather, she remembered every kindness anyone showed her, waiting until she was able to repay the favor someday.

Accepting others’ kindness as given was something she absolutely couldn’t do.

“Xiao yáoyáo, this book isn’t fun,” Huā Yínyín declared, having finally gotten bored after reading half the cookbook. “Do you have any other books?”

“I’m reading this one… There’s another book in my bag, get it yourself.” Mò Xuěyáo stuck the straw into the milk bottle and took a blissful sip.

Sweet Liziyuan milk – she rarely got to drink it.

“Xiao yáoyáo, do you like sweet milk?” Huā Yínyín asked, rummaging through her bag.

“Sweet, sour, plain… I like it all,” Mò Xuěyáo answered indifferently. “I like drinking milk in general.”

“No discrimination, huh? Didn’t expect Xiao yáoyáo to be so fickle.”

Though she wasn’t sure how this equated to being fickle, she knew the best tactic was not to engage. The more she answered, the more excited Huā Yínyín would get. If she ignored her, she’d usually change the subject herself soon enough.

“Is it this one?” Sure enough, Huā Yínyín switched topics shortly after, holding up a book with a pink cover.

“Yeah.” Mò Xuěyáo didn’t look up, answering dismissively.

“Falling for the Plump You… Ew, such a heavy title. Does the protagonist in this book have a special thing for chubby people?”

“What’s wrong with chubby people!” a plump girl who had keenly overheard Huā Yínyín immediately shouted jokingly.

When it came to people she disliked, or girls she didn’t find pretty, Huā Yínyín simply treated them as air.

Mò Xuěyáo was certain she was absolutely a member of the ‘looks matter’ club.

“I read a bit of the synopsis. It seemed like a warm, urban romance kind of novel, so I borrowed it.”

“Are you sure it’s… urban romance?” Huā Yínyín’s expression grew increasingly strange as she flipped through a few more pages.

“Isn’t it?”

“Mmm… mmm… This book seems to be… about livestock farming.”

“Pfft.” Mò Xuěyáo choked on her own saliva.

“Xiao yáoyáo, why do you always borrow such weird books? That last one had such a long title but was a cookbook, this one has such a bizarre title but is about animal husbandry… Is the one in your hand now some kind of… dirty book?”

“…You think too much. It’s just regular urban legends,” Mò Xuěyáo replied, her eyelids drooping.

“Awww, there’s nothing good to read~ Xiao yáoyáo, I want to read with you!”

“Fine… whatever…” Mò Xuěyáo initially thought reading together wouldn’t be a big deal.

Until Huā Yínyín pressed her face right up against hers, glued there like sticky candy, refusing to budge. That’s when Mò Xuěyáo realized this girl could turn anything into an event.

Perhaps it was something only someone brimming with enthusiasm for life could manage.

Because they were so close, Mò Xuěyáo could clearly feel the warmth of Huā Yínyín’s breath and a faint, sweet scent of strawberry toothpaste.

It made her cheeks grow slightly warm, but to avoid seeming strange, she pretended nothing was happening.

“Xiao yáoyáo, you read so slowly?”

“Huh?”

“I finished! Turn the page~”

“Hey, hey, don’t push it…” Mò Xuěyáo muttered, really just trying to cover her embarrassment.