The Lone Warrior’s Burden

Only children bother with right and wrong,” the Student Union secretary standing nearby scoffed, a disdainful smile playing on his lips. “Don’t imagine we can’t function without you; our advantage over your side is far greater now.

Among all members of the Student Union, he harbored the deepest envy for Aileen.

With Aileen’s departure, the path to becoming Secretary-General might finally open for him.

Yet, everyone, himself included, understood that the Student Union genuinely couldn’t function without Aileen.

The coveted position of permanent Secretary-General could only be filled by this well-endowed, blonde beauty.

Should Yun Caiyi succeed in her election, she herself wasn’t the most reliable candidate.

Without an exceptionally capable Secretary-General by her side, the potential for significant issues loomed large.

It was well known that an overly erratic Student Union could face impeachment mid-term, much like the previous administration that had controversially imposed four extra evening study sessions.

However, as things stood, Yun Caiyi’s campaign enjoyed a formidable lead, having already secured the allegiance of many voters.

“That’s hardly your concern,” Aileen declared, setting down her cup and making it clear their audience was over. “Today’s visiting hours have concluded; you may leave.”

She didn’t even bother to rise from her seat.

Several cadres departed, muttering under their breath, their discontent stemming either from Aileen’s dismissive attitude or from the failure to secure their ‘persuasion’ commission.

Their strenuous efforts to sway Aileen had, of course, been compensated with additional funds.

Aileen, ignoring their departure, calmly gathered her belongings, preparing to head home.

Her younger sister’s elementary school was holding its opening ceremony this morning, followed by a day-and-a-half holiday, so Aileen needed to return home to prepare a meal for her.

Despite classes still being in session, the small path outside the teaching building occasionally saw one or two people passing by.

Aileen overheard two gossiping girls walking past, their conversation drifting to her ears:

“Jiang Li and that other person, what’s-her-name Yao—are they really a couple?”

“I don’t know.”

“The internet portrays it as something divine and mythical, yet there isn’t a single intimate photo to prove it.”

“Ugh, you actually wish to see such things? Your intentions are questionable; I must keep my distance from you.”

“I’m merely curious, just curious. So, they haven’t actually engaged in any intimate behavior?”

“It’s possible. Perhaps nothing of the sort ever happened, and it’s all just rumors.”

“Or perhaps they’re simply having a very chaste romance.”

The two girls maintained their differing perspectives, while Aileen walked past in thoughtful silence.

The blonde girl knew with certainty that intimate acts were occurring.

The night before last, they had even dared to ‘feed’ each other right in front of her.

If she hadn’t been present, she couldn’t even fathom what they might have gotten up to.

At the very least, they must have shared a bed.

Aileen felt a suffocating tightness in her chest at this thought.

Here she was, caught in the inferno of the Student Union, fighting a solitary battle.

Meanwhile, those two were happily rolling around in bed, hidden away in their dorm, without a care in the world.

It was an utter outrage.

Completing her school leave procedures, exiting the campus gates, taking a car to the elementary school, and picking up her sister to bring her home—the entire journey unfolded seamlessly.

Lunch was out of the question, so they would have to grab some snacks on the way to stave off their hunger.

“Jiejie (TL Note: A term of address for an older sister),” the little girl with pigtails asked, her voice tinged with concern, “Are you feeling unhappy?”

“No.”

Aileen replied succinctly, handing the recently purchased Sachima (TL Note: A sweet pastry originating from Manchuria, made of fluffy strands of fried batter coated in sugar syrup) to Ai Xiaoxue.

“But you truly do look unhappy,” Ai Xiaoxue said thoughtfully. “How about I sing you a song? It’s the one I just performed at the school celebration.”

“What song?” Aileen inquired casually.

“Lone Warrior!”

…Just as she had anticipated.

After all, it was currently the one and only designated children’s song.

“Don’t sing that,” Aileen stated with utmost seriousness. “At least not out here on the street.”

It was quite embarrassing.

Aileen’s home was situated in an ordinary residential complex, the building not particularly tall and lacking an elevator.

For a well-endowed girl, ascending the stairs could prove quite fatiguing.

Ai Xiaoxue, however, was brimming with energy, and as soon as she stepped through the door, she burst into song: “All, are brave!”

“Please, take a break,” Aileen couldn’t help but interject. “Didn’t you sing enough at school?”

“No, I didn’t,” Ai Xiaoxue pouted, feeling aggrieved. “I could have sung to my heart’s content, but then the teacher looked at the list, and the entire class had chosen ‘Lone Warrior,’ so it was changed to a chorus.”

“…”

They really had managed to turn it into ‘Many Warriors.’

“None of them sang as well as I did, especially the boy next to me; he even got the lyrics wrong,” Ai Xiaoxue declared indignantly. “I heard it very clearly.”

“Really? What did he sing instead?”

“A fleeting pig giving way…”

Aileen’s vision swam. (TL Note: A common Chinese idiom meaning to be utterly speechless or shocked to the point of fainting.)

To prevent her sister from continuing her impromptu concert, she quickly asked, “What do you want for lunch?”

“I just had Sachima, so I don’t want rice,” Ai Xiaoxue replied. “Let’s have noodles instead.”

“What kind of noodles?”

“Shredded pork noodles.”

Excellent, no challenging ingredients required.

Aileen retrieved the meat to thaw, then donned a white apron, her entire persona shifting from that of a young lady to a budding chef.

The well-endowed kind, naturally.

Next, she poured out flour and began to knead the dough, her pair of fair, delicate hands displaying an unimaginably skilled technique.

The white dough completely yielded to her touch, becoming incredibly soft and compliant.

“Jiejie,” Ai Xiaoxue poked her small head out from the side, “You’re so skilled at kneading dough! Have you practiced at school?”

Aileen rolled her eyes. “How would I practice at school? By ambushing the cafeteria?”

“You could do it in other ways, like a girl’s…” Ai Xiaoxue pondered for a moment. “But then again, it’s hard to find girls as ‘big’ as Jiejie in middle school.”

Aileen quirked her lips, a thought flickering through her mind: ‘How do you know there aren’t any? I just arrived this semester and already saw one. I’ll see her every day from now on, though she won’t be mine.’

This thought brought a fresh wave of irritation.

She had endured vexations at the Student Union, only to come home and laboriously knead dough.

Meanwhile, Xi Yao and Jiang Li were lying in their dorm, doing nothing, perhaps even “practicing kneading dough” themselves.

And they were both quite happy about it, too.

‘Ugh, I’m so utterly annoyed.’

As cooking commenced, Ai Xiaoxue grew bored and retreated to the living room, her completely off-key singing still audible:

“Love you walking alone in dark alleys, love you for not kneeling… Shall I go? Am I worthy? This tattered cloak!”

The tune was completely wrong, though the emotion was full.

Yet, Aileen simply couldn’t comprehend which lyric these elementary school students were actually relating to.

Half an hour later, she placed two steaming bowls of shredded pork noodles on the table.

Ai Xiaoxue snatched up her chopsticks but didn’t immediately eat, still singing, apparently intending to finish her song first.

Aileen also refrained from eating for the moment, opening her laptop.

She had intended to just glance at it casually, but then she suddenly noticed a post from Yun Caiyi—

[Yun Caiyi, Senior Year Head Student: I officially announce my candidacy for this term’s Student Union President election. I urge everyone to enthusiastically support me!]

Below it was a long string of familiar names.

[Yang XX, Head of Student Union Clubs Department: Senior year’s head student, truly deserving.]

[Zhang XX, Head of Student Union Organization Department: It seems no one else can compete with Student Yun. Congratulations in advance.]

[Wang XX, Head of Student Union Publicity Department: For the President’s position, who else but you!]

[Li XX, Senior Student Union Scribe: I am always ready to assist the new President.]

[Student Union…………]

Aileen casually glanced over the comments.

‘Well, well,’ she thought, ‘almost everyone with a position in the Student Union has fallen in line.’

This time, she truly had become the lone warrior.

The comment section was filled with cheers and congratulations, as if Yun Caiyi were already the Student Union President, and everyone else was insignificant.

Aileen thought of that white-haired, well-endowed girl, recalling how she had recently been taking a grassroots approach, recruiting supporters.

If the situation on the forum was so overwhelmingly one-sided, her followers would likely become unsettled.

She just knew how to indulge in her ‘gentle haven,’ while Aileen worried herself sick for her.

But what could she do?

This was the person she had chosen, so she would just have to keep worrying.

“Only children bother with right and wrong. Fortunately, I’m not that old.”

She was merely well-endowed, in the prime of her youth, precisely at an age where one still distinguished between right and wrong.

Her slender, jade-like fingers rested on the keyboard, her gaze resolute.

‘Will I choose? Am I worthy? This presidential nomination!’