Chapter 9: OUTSIDERS.
It was late at night when Hua Rong awoke, her throat dry and uncomfortable. The faint glow from the hallway cast long, shifting shadows on the walls, giving the room an eerie stillness. She sat up slowly, glancing at the other bed in the dorm. Xu Lingwei was fast asleep, his breathing steady and undisturbed.
Careful not to wake him, she got up and grabbed the water bottle beside her bed—only to find it empty. She sighed, moving with deliberate steps to avoid making noise as she slipped out of the room.
The hallway was unsettlingly quiet, the kind of silence that made even the softest footsteps sound deafening. After refilling her bottle, she hesitated before returning. Instead, her feet carried her toward the glass bridge—a suspended walkway with transparent walls connecting the three buildings.
The air felt cool against her skin as she stepped onto the bridge, her fingers grazing the glass railing. The dark sky stretched endlessly above her, speckled with faint stars. There was something oddly peaceful about the stillness of the night.
But then—movement.
Outside, a group of people in suits was walking toward the right-wing building. She frowned. Why would there be outsiders here? Isn't this place restricted to students?
She was so focused on observing them that she didn't notice someone approaching from behind.
"What are you looking at?"
A hand clamped over her mouth before she could scream.
Her entire body tensed. Shit.
Heart pounding, she turned sharply—only to find Xu Lingwei standing dangerously close, his face inches from hers. His grip was firm but not forceful, his maroon eyes staring straight into hers.