Chapter 21 Chapter 21: Burglary?
Su Yuan had no idea about Ling Chendong’s musings—had she known, she’d have smashed her head against a wall. Right now, she trudged down the hall with a water bucket, muttering curses. “What a weirdo, calling me ‘pretty.’ What eyes! I’m handsome! How can he say ‘pretty’? Unreasonable!”
The ceiling lights slid past in rows. A whimsical thought struck her. “Am I actually pretty?” She recalled her reflection in the mirror and shook her head. Not at all!
Back in the dorm, she hastily hung all the washed clothes to dry. Then she crept up to her bunk, slipping quietly under the covers.
Eyes open, she listened to water droplets falling rhythmically from the damp laundry outside—like a midnight melody lulling her to sleep.
In the moonlight, the swaying clothes cast dancing shadows on the window like ghostly silhouettes. She startled awake, sweating coldly.
Inside the warm blanket, drowsiness washed over her. She hugged herself, fingers brushing cool, smooth arms—skin like fine jade, soft and delicate. Beneath her thin pajamas, one hand rested on her stomach, feeling its gentle softness.
Under this tempting sensation, almost without thinking, she slid a hand beneath her shirt. It lingered on her belly, then drifted upward to her chest. Lightly cupping the small swell there, she felt its soft fullness—a hint of overflow.
In just a few days, her chest had grown this much. She hadn’t noticed while looking in the mirror; she’d only registered that it wasn’t as flat as before. Now, under her palm, it felt like it had already reached an A-cup.
Staring at the ceiling, her mind drifted. Her fingertips toyed absentmindedly with a tiny bud until a faint tingling shot through her. The bud stiffened. Only then did she snap back to herself.
She pulled her hand out from under her shirt, laying it gently on her stomach. Fully clothed, she fell asleep.
Dawn came again, sunlight pouring in. Another day, seemingly identical to the last.
Student life was both lively and monotonous—a cycle dictated by the class schedule…
After class that day, Ji Yehan and Gao Jun debated dormitory basketball match strategies. The Biochemistry College organized this event to enrich campus life: each dorm formed a team for friendly three-on-three games, with one substitute. Rules followed standard basketball, but the match duration was halved.
Su Yuan had little interest in basketball. She yawned repeatedly, exhausted from poor sleep. All she wanted was to return to bed. As for the game, Ji Yehan, Gao Jun, and Yang Xiaowei were all skilled players. She’d obviously be the substitute—just along for the ride.
“Yehan, tell Xiao Wei to come over,” Gao Jun said earnestly. “Our first match is the day after tomorrow. We need to plan tactics!” His attitude was the opposite of Su Yuan’s—he took the friendly tournament very seriously.
In Dorm 330, basketball was a point of pride. Except for Su Yuan, who rarely appeared on the court, the other three were regulars—talented players known across campus. Anyone familiar with them knew 330 was a championship contender.
They might even be someone else’s tactical analysis target right now.
“Su Yuan, did you go thieving last night? You look terrible,” Ji Yehan noticed her trailing silently behind them, face pale with fatigue.
“Slept poorly. Can barely keep my eyes open.” Su Yuan yawned, eyelids heavy. She had nothing to add to the basketball talk, and exhaustion made her even quieter.
Just then—
As the trio turned from the stairs into the hallway, a lean figure sprinted from the opposite direction. Su Yuan couldn’t dodge in time. The person slammed hard into her shoulder. “Ah!” She stumbled sideways.
“Careful!” Ji Yehan caught her arm. By the time he looked up, the runner had vanished around the stairwell corner.
Heart pounding from her near-fall, Su Yuan snapped, “Damn it! In such a hurry to die?!” she yelled toward the stairs.
“Seriously,” Gao Jun agreed sharply. “Knocks someone over and doesn’t even apologize. What kind of manners!”
The culprit had already disappeared down the stairwell. Through the small window at the hall’s end, they saw him dash past the flowerbed beside the dorm building. “Fast runner!” Su Yuan growled.
“He looked unfamiliar. Probably not from our building.”
“Maybe, but why sprint like that just to visit?”
It was a minor incident, but Su Yuan’s anger lingered. Though powerless to catch the culprit, she wouldn’t let it go verbally. When they reached Room 330, she reached for her keys—then froze. “Why isn’t the door locked?”
Ji Yehan checked. The door stood slightly ajar. “Did you forget to close it this morning?”
“Impossible. I shut it behind me.”
Su Yuan had been the last to leave these past days. If the door was open, it was her fault—but she clearly remembered locking it.
Ji Yehan and Gao Jun exchanged glances. Remembering the frantic runner, a chilling thought struck them both. “Bad news—we were robbed!”
“No way.” Su Yuan hurried inside.
Facing the balcony, pale green curtains fluttered in the breeze. The dorm looked orderly—desks tidy, wardrobes undisturbed. Three laptops sat quietly on the desks.
Relief washed over Su Yuan. “Good, the laptops are here. Probably no burglary.”
“Don’t celebrate yet,” Ji Yehan warned. “Check anything valuable or cash stashes for signs of searching.” He headed straight to his bed, opening drawers and wardrobes.
Su Yuan agreed. Laptops were too obvious to steal, but smaller valuables might be targeted. Fortunately, she never kept cash in the dorm. Her laptop was her most valuable possession. That thought eased her nerves. She opened her own wardrobe to check. Then—
The wardrobe gaped open. Inside, Su Yuan’s heart dropped.
“I checked. Nothing missing,” Gao Jun announced from his corner.
“Same here. Su Yuan, how about you?” Ji Yehan asked.
Su Yuan: “….”
She slammed the wardrobe shut with a loud bang. Her mind felt thick as glue. She hadn’t lost anything—but something had been added.
Yes. Added. And not just one thing.
Dozens of colorful packets filled the wardrobe. From one open bag peeked a lacy garment…
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!