A few days later.
Lin Mo dragged his suitcase, standing at the exit of Haicheng East Station.
The sunlight was so bright it made people feel dizzy.
He squinted his eyes and looked around.
People were everywhere.
There were students dragging suitcases, parents seeing off their children, and pickup personnel holding up signs.
(；一_一)…
He pulled out his phone.
The navigation showed that from here to that Alice Royal Academy, it would take another one-hour bus ride.
One hour.
‘Where is this school built, in the middle of nowhere?’
Just as he was thinking, his phone vibrated.
Shen Qingyue: Are you here yet?
Lin Mo typed:
Just arrived. How about you?
Shen Qingyue: I just arrived too, I’m over by the exit.
Lin Mo looked up and scanned the area.
Then, he saw a familiar figure from behind.
She wore a light blue dress, had her hair in a ponytail, and was dragging a small suitcase.
A middle-aged woman stood beside her, likely Shen Qingyue’s Mother.
Lin Mo walked over.
“Study Representative.”
Shen Qingyue turned her head.
The moment she saw him, her eyes brightened for a split second.
Then, she quickly regained her composure.
“Lin Mo.”
Shen Qingyue’s Mother also looked over, scanning him from head to toe.
“Is this the classmate you mentioned?”
Shen Qingyue nodded.
“Yes, he… is going to the same school as me.”
Shen Qingyue’s Mother smiled.
“That’s good. It’s nice to have a companion. Young man, where is your family?”
“I… came by myself.”
Lin Mo scratched his head.
Shen Qingyue’s Mother was startled for a moment, then nodded.
“Alright, then you two go together. Be careful on the road.”
“Okay, okay.”
The two of them dragged their suitcases toward the bus station.
The sunlight made the ground scorching hot.
Lin Mo walked in front, and Shen Qingyue followed behind.
Neither of them spoke.
The atmosphere was a bit… subtle.
Lin Mo’s mind began to wander back to that day they went mountain climbing.
She had sat on him.
Face to face.
‘Slime impact…’
(；¬＿¬)…
‘No, no, I can’t think about that.’
He stole a glance back.
Shen Qingyue was walking with her head down, her ears a bit red.
(｡•́︿•̀｡)…
‘She remembers too, right?’
‘She definitely remembers.’
‘Otherwise, why would her face be red?’
There weren’t many people on the bus.
The two of them found seats in the back row and sat down.
Lin Mo leaned against the window, and Shen Qingyue sat next to him.
The bus started moving.
The scenery outside the window sped backward.
Lin Mo looked out the window, his mind going blank.
“Um…” Shen Qingyue suddenly spoke.
“Yeah?”
“Are you… nervous?”
Lin Mo thought about it.
Nervous?
Maybe… a little?
After all, it was a school he had never heard of before.
It didn’t even have an official website.
It didn’t even have a forum.
It didn’t even…
Forget it.
“I’m okay,” he said. “What about you?”
Shen Qingyue lowered her head, her finger tracing circles on her knee.
“I’m… a little.”
Lin Mo looked at her.
She was wearing a light blue dress today, and her hair was tied up, revealing her fair neck.
The sunlight shone through the window, falling upon her.
(；一_一)…
He quickly looked away.
“It’s fine,” he said. “Anyway… we’re together.”
Shen Qingyue didn’t say anything.
But the corners of her mouth curled up just a tiny bit.
A very, very small curve.
Lin Mo saw it.
It was exactly the same as when they were mountain climbing that day.
(｡•́︿•̀｡)…
His heart rate sped up a bit more.
The bus drove for over one hour.
Finally, they arrived.
When Lin Mo got off the bus, he was completely stunned.
Before him was a massive school gate.
It wasn’t the gate of an ordinary school.
It was… a castle-style gate.
Yes, a castle.
White stone walls, pointed towers, and intricate patterns carved into the iron gates.
A stone monument stood by the entrance, with words engraved on it—
Alice Royal Academy
(°△°|||)
Lin Mo stared at that stone monument, dazed for three seconds.
‘What the hell is this?’
He turned to look at Shen Qingyue.
Shen Qingyue was also staring blankly.
“Is… is this the school?” she whispered.
“It… should be…”
The two of them dragged their suitcases inside.
There was a reception desk at the entrance, where several staff members in uniforms were handling registrations.
Lin Mo walked over and handed over his Admission Notice.
the staff member took a look and then looked up at him.
Her gaze was a bit… strange?
“A boy?” she asked.
“Uh… yes.”
The staff member gave him another look before looking down to register him.
“The dormitory is in A-District Building 3, the girls’ dormitory building. You boys are alone on the top floor. Go straight and turn right.”
Lin Mo was stunned for a moment.
‘Living in the same building as girls?’
(°△°|||)
“Um… I’m staying in the girls’ building?”
“Yes, the top floor is a separate level, partitioned off by a security gate.” The staff member didn’t even look up. “Don’t worry, you can’t go down and they can’t come up.”
Lin Mo: “……”
He dragged his suitcase further inside.
After walking a few steps, he realized something was wrong.
The people around him were all looking at him.
Those girls.
Yes, they were all girls.
Walking in groups of two or three, dragging suitcases, carrying bags, and wearing all sorts of clothes.
But without exception, they were all looking at him.
(；一_一)…
Lin Mo lowered his head and walked quickly.
Whispers reached his ears:
“Is that a boy?”
“Are you serious?”
“I thought this school only had girls?”
“I don’t know, this is the first time I’ve seen one…”
“Hey, look, he’s actually quite handsome…”
“Do you want to go up and ask for his WeChat?”
“You go, you go.”
Lin Mo’s face turned red.
He picked up his pace.
Shen Qingyue followed behind, also being watched.
But the gazes of those people were clearly falling more on him.
(；¬＿¬)…
‘Is this… the Kingdom of Women?’
They reached the dormitory area.
A-District Building 3, the girls’ dormitory building.
It was a six-story building with white exterior walls, and various colored clothes were drying on the balconies.
Lin Mo stood at the bottom of the building, looking up at it.
(；一_一)…
‘Am I really going to live in the same building as a bunch of girls?’
Even if the top floor was separate.
It was still…
He dragged his suitcase inside.
The hallway was very quiet.
But occasionally, a girl would enter or leave. When they saw him, they would freeze for a second before quickly looking away.
Lin Mo kept his head down and walked quickly to the elevator.
He pressed the button for the top floor.
The elevator doors opened, and he stepped inside.
The doors closed.
He let out a sigh of relief.
(；¬＿¬)…
The elevator reached the sixth floor.
The doors opened.
In front of him was an iron gate with a sign hanging on it—
MALE DORMITORY AREA, FEMALE ADMISSION PROHIBITED
Lin Mo took out his key and opened the gate.
Inside was a corridor.
There were rooms on both sides, each with a room number posted on the door.
It was very quiet.
Not a single person was in sight.
He found his room and pushed the door open.
It was a single room.
A bed, a desk, and a wardrobe—simple but clean.
Lin Mo put his luggage down and sat on the bed.
He spaced out for a while.
Then he took out his phone and sent a message to Shen Qingyue:
Have you arrived?
Shen Qingyue: Yes, I’m here. The girls’ dormitory… is so big. How about your side?
Lin Mo: I’m in the same building as you, on the top floor.
Shen Qingyue: ???
Shen Qingyue: Are you serious?
Lin Mo: For real…
Shen Qingyue: ……
Shen Qingyue: Then be careful, don’t go to the wrong floor.
Lin Mo: ……
Lin Mo: I’m not stupid.
Shen Qingyue: Haha.
Shen Qingyue: Then go ahead and unpack. See you in a bit?
Lin Mo: Okay.
He put down his phone and began unpacking his luggage.
He took out his clothes, folded them, and put them in the wardrobe.
He took out his books and placed them on the desk.
That Ginkgo Leaf Bookmark…
He took it out to look at it, then put it back in the drawer.
(；一_一)…
After he finished cleaning up, he lay on the bed.
His mind began to race again.
What exactly was the deal with this school?
Why were there only girls?
Why was he allowed in?
And…
Forget it, I won’t think about it. I’m too tired today. I’ll figure it out tomorrow.