Price

Back in the car, An Shiyu quietly peeled peanuts, chewing them slowly as if savoring the memories of her past life.

None of it was particularly remarkable.

Ye Shuang drove in silence as well. The elderly man they had just met was someone An Shiyu had once promised to help "bury"—yet now, it seemed she was the one the world had abandoned first.

"Want some?" An Shiyu suddenly asked.

She peeled one and offered it, but for some reason, her fingers seemed to lack strength. The peanuts slipped through her fingers, falling onto the car mat and rolling away until they disappeared into the crevices.

"Bad luck. Better not eat them." An Shiyu silently withdrew her hand, her appetite for peanuts apparently gone. She gathered the shells, then closed her eyes slightly, as if resting.

The car moved forward, the road eerily quiet with no other vehicles in sight.

Ye Shuang couldn’t quite place his own emotions—it was like swallowing scalding food after a mouthful of ice cream in winter, leaving him with an indescribable discomfort. He eased off the accelerator slightly, slowing the car down.

"Are we heading back to school?" The unnatural silence in the car made Ye Shuang uneasy, and he couldn’t help but speak up, hoping for some response from the girl. "Is there anywhere else you want to go?"

An Shiyu didn’t react.

"An Shiyu?"

"An Shiyu?!"

"I’m not dead…" An Shiyu lazily opened her eyes, a faint smile playing on her lips. "I’ll let you know when I’m about to die."

Ye Shuang: "…"

This girl.

"Where to?"

"Tired. Back to school to sleep."

"Got it."

…

Back in the infirmary, An Shiyu curled up on the sofa, asleep under a white lab coat.

Ye Shuang sat nearby, his gaze inevitably drawn to the strange window hovering over her.

[You, are you willing to pay the price?]

What price?

Ye Shuang didn’t understand, but he had a vague feeling this was connected to An Shiyu—perhaps it could cure her condition?

He reached out and touched it.

The moment his fingers made contact, a sharp pain shot through his skull, as if a drill had been forced into his brain and set spinning violently.

"Thud!" The overwhelming agony made Ye Shuang release the window and stumble backward, collapsing onto the floor.

An Shiyu seemed to sense the disturbance and cracked an eye open, looking at him in confusion.

"Old man, you playing hopscotch?"

Ye Shuang felt a vein throb at his temple, her words nearly making him black out. After steadying himself, he managed to say,

"Lost my balance. Took a fall."

"Pretty weak. Maybe you should take some supplements."

Ye Shuang: "…"

Says the one who’s weaker than me.

Once back on his feet, Ye Shuang glanced at the window again. The intense pain from earlier felt like a warning—something would happen if he pushed further.

"Maybe the timing isn’t right?" Ye Shuang rubbed his temples and returned to work.

Time passed quickly, and it was already afternoon.

Since he’d asked another teacher to cover the morning training session, Ye Shuang headed to the Business Class 1 to check on the students.

…

The moment he arrived at the training field, cheers erupted from the girls. "Ooooh, the hottie’s here!"

"Alright, alright, line up properly."

Ye Shuang smoothly directed the students, asking about their morning activities before continuing with the planned drills.

"Today, we’ll practice the squatting position. It’s pretty tiring, so we won’t do it for long."

"Yessss!" The students cheered.

"Oh, and you—stand in this spot. The sunlight will help toughen your willpower."

While assigning positions, Ye Shuang made sure to reserve a special spot for yesterday’s "Sunshine Bro." He admired students with such dedication—their radiant spirit even made him feel a little inadequate.

So, he picked the perfect spot for Sunshine Bro.

Right under the fiercest sunlight.

Standing at attention yesterday had been manageable, but squatting under the scorching sun today was pure torture. Yet, when Sunshine Bro met Ye Shuang’s approving gaze, he puffed out his chest again.

"Where did An Shiyu run off to?" Tang Keke muttered in the lineup.

She hadn’t seen the girl all day—probably skipped after yesterday’s drills.

"Ugh, squatting is so hard…"

Tang Keke wobbled unsteadily in her squat, but Ye Shuang pretended not to notice. After all, she was one of his own—no need to be too strict.

Bai Yuyou squatted down, her signature antenna-like hair sticking straight up.

"Tired?" Ye Shuang asked.

"Nope!" The students replied energetically.

"How about you?" Ye Shuang glanced at Sunshine Bro, now considering letting him take a break in the shade.

"Is that all you got?" The boy’s face was drenched in sweat, but he still managed a disdainful look.

"Pathetic. Squatting is nothing."

Ye Shuang nodded approvingly. "Excellent. Everyone, learn from him."

"Ooooh—"

The class’s response made Sunshine Bro’s lips twitch—he fought to keep a straight face, but the mix of sweat and suppressed smugness twisted his expression comically.

"Next up—plank position."

"If you can’t hold it, you can use your knees, but your chest can’t touch the ground." Ye Shuang pointed for emphasis.

Just hold it for a minute or two—no need to overdo it.

The students complied without complaint, laughing as they dropped into position.

Ye Shuang scanned the group. Most of the boys held the pose perfectly, while some of the weaker girls used their knees for support. But the only one truly failing was Tang Keke.

Even with her arms fully extended, her chest stayed glued to the ground.

Ye Shuang watched her puff out her cheeks, straining to lift herself, then tactfully looked away.

Meanwhile, Sunshine Bro, standing in the sunlight, let out occasional yelps like Tom the Cat the moment his hands touched the scorching ground.