Su Yuan took out his phone to check the time.

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It was already ten o'clock at night.

He never thought time could pass so quickly at school.

Seeing Su Yuan looking at his phone, Song Xiaoxia softly asked, "What time is it? Is it almost lights out?"

"Still early," Su Yuan replied expressionlessly, putting down his phone.

Song Xiaoxia stared at him blankly, then suddenly laughed, "You're still like this..."

"Like what?" Su Yuan didn't understand her and asked back.

"Whenever you lie, your face goes stiff like this, with no expression at all. It feels like even the best psychologists and lie detectors wouldn't be able to tell you're lying..." Song Xiaoxia laughed and said, "But actually, anyone who knows you well can tell you're lying just by seeing that expression."

"Really?" Su Yuan felt a pang in his nose and forced a wry smile, "I thought I was good at lying..."

At this moment, Gao Wenyi, who had finished his tasks in the corridor, returned to the dormitory.

Seeing Song Xiaoxia tied up on the bed, he exaggeratedly exclaimed, "Sister!"

Then he quickly walked over to Song Xiaoxia, squatted down beside her, and said with delight, "Sister, that romance novel you lent me last time was amazing! The male lead is so manly!!!!"

"The illustrations with abs made me drool... Can I keep it a few more days?"

"No problem, you can keep it as long as you want..."

"Come on, am I the type to borrow and not return? I'll definitely return it to you personally in a couple of days."

Before Song Xiaoxia could speak, Gao Wenyi continued on his own, "Why do you look so unwell, sister? Did Brother Su tie you up too tightly? These men have no idea how to treat a lady..."

Gao Wenyi chattered away with Song Xiaoxia, trying to ease her fear.

But Song Xiaoxia remained calm throughout, smiling as she responded to Gao Wenyi.

Qi Yinhong and Ye Haoyu also came in, standing silently by and watching the two chat.

The last to enter was Zhang Yang, holding a few talismans in his hand. He walked over to Su Yuan, "I've put them up all over outside, and there are a few left. You should put them on her..."

Su Yuan nodded, took the talismans, and asked, "Where should I put them?"

"Anywhere," Zhang Yang said, "On her head... limbs, wherever there's space."

Su Yuan wasn't sure if this would work, but he carefully placed the talismans all over Song Xiaoxia's body.

He never understood why so many people prayed to gods.

Now he understood.

When faced with an unsolvable predicament, people can only place their hopes in the divine.

Often, it's not about whether you believe or not, but that you have no choice but to believe...

Song Xiaoxia puffed her cheeks, blew the talisman off her face, and looked at Su Yuan pitifully, "Can you take the one on my forehead off first... and put it back after lights out? It's hard to breathe..."

Su Yuan couldn't bear to see her uncomfortable, thinking it wouldn't make much difference, so he helped her remove the talisman from her forehead.

Song Xiaoxia struggled to lift her head and looked at her talisman-covered body, smiling wryly, "I feel like a zombie..."

Su Yuan took out his phone again to check the time.

Only ten minutes left until lights out...

The atmosphere in the dormitory became somewhat heavy, even Gao Wenyi didn't know what to say, his legs trembling with excessive tension.

From everyone's expressions, Song Xiaoxia realized this too, her breathing gradually becoming rapid, and her fists subconsciously clenched tightly.

"Su Yuan..." Her voice trembled slightly, yet she tried to maintain her composure, "I... I want to call my mom..."

"Is... is that necessary?" Su Yuan felt it was like saying a final goodbye, but seeing the pleading look in Song Xiaoxia's eyes, he still took out his phone, "I can't say no to you... What's the number?"

Song Xiaoxia recited a number.

Su Yuan dialed it and placed the phone by Song Xiaoxia's ear.

The phone rang slowly, and after a while, it was answered, with Song Xiaoxia's mother's voice coming through, "Hello, who is this?"

"Mom..." Song Xiaoxia's voice finally lost its calmness.

"Xiaoxia?" On the other end, Xia Dong glanced at the caller ID in confusion, "Why aren't you calling me with your own phone?"

Song Xiaoxia took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, "My phone's out of battery, I'm using a classmate's..."

"Oh, I see..."

Her daughter often called her from the dormitory, so Xia Dong didn't think much of it, "You little rascal, you left in such a hurry this evening, did you have dinner? I just bought some strawberries this afternoon and didn't get to pack them for you. Let me tell you, those strawberries are as big as fists. If you don't come back early after school the day after tomorrow, your sister will definitely finish them..."

The dormitory fell silent, leaving only Xia Dong's rambling voice on the phone.

It sounded like nagging, but anyone could hear the love and affection in her words.

"Mom!" Song Xiaoxia's eyes reddened slightly, she interrupted Xia Dong, "What are you doing?"

"Me?" Xia Dong was taken aback, then smiled slightly, "What else can I do, just putting on a face mask and watching TV..."

"What about my sister?"

"Xiaodong went to bed ages ago, it's late, she has to go to kindergarten tomorrow."

"And Dad?"

"Your dad's on a business trip, should be back by Saturday." Xia Dong sensed something was off, "Xiaoxia, what's wrong?"

"Nothing... nothing, I just... just miss you, Mom."

Song Xiaoxia's voice was intermittent, her nasal tone growing stronger.

On the other end, Xia Dong's voice suddenly turned cold, "What's going on, is someone bullying you?"

"No... I just miss you." Song Xiaoxia tried hard to control her emotions.

"Really?"

"Really!"

"You little rascal, I told you to stay home, but you insisted on going back to school, and now you're calling to say you miss me..."

Xia Dong's voice softened, becoming gentle, "How about I come to school to pick you up, get you a leave of absence, and wake Xiaodong up, and the three of us can go have KFC, okay? Don't cry..."

Song Xiaoxia bit her lip hard, tears welling up in her eyes, her chest heaving, "No... no need, Mom, I just miss you... don't come, it's too late, I'm... I'm fine, I'll be back the day after tomorrow, it's almost lights out, I'm getting ready to sleep... goodnight, Mom."