Interview with the School (3)

Twenty seconds. A relentless barrage of [Boost Shot] rained down—not so much an attack on the aberration, but a scorched-earth assault on the world below.

After unleashing her fury, Tidal hovered in midair, panting, staring at the smoldering crater beneath her.

The earth had been gouged open—over ten meters deep. The aberration’s remains were gone, vaporized. Only a single black mana crystal remained, resting silently at the pit’s center.

She caught her breath—but didn’t descend to collect it. Instead, she spun around and shot toward the city like a bullet.

Just a few minutes of talking… that should be fine.

Sure, You Xi might scold him for being late. But if he was late, it was his fault. Time management was basic professionalism. No excuses.

If this were a school meeting, You Xi would be facing someone like Director Cao—a man who, by virtue of his position, was undoubtedly a cunning veteran. Tidal remembered school politics well: only the most manipulative survived in roles like that.

You Xi, with her blunt, straightforward nature, would be shredded alive in such a confrontation.

She’d be interrogated. Intimidated. Cornered by twisted logic and adult rhetoric until she could no longer speak, her mental defenses shattered.

The thought made Tidal’s chest tighten.

Faster. Faster!

Channeling every last drop of magic, she accelerated.

The air thickened, resisting her passage—until it felt like pushing through solid walls.

At 3:07 p.m., she arrived—right on the edge of acceptability.

She landed in a quiet alley, de-transformed into You Dong, and sprinted toward the administrative office.

It was 3:15 now.

How was the meeting going? Was You Xi being bullied? Pressured? You Dong scanned the silent hallway, searching for signs of life.

His heavy footsteps echoed under the fluorescent lights.

He paused. Listened. Then stopped before a door.

Through the one-way glass, the orange-yellow glow outlined three silhouettes inside.

“This must be it.”

You Dong reached for the metal handle—just as a voice from within cut through the air.

“Let’s be clear: your claim that we’re lying simply doesn’t hold up. Why? Let’s walk through it logically.”

Director Cao’s tone was calm, methodical—like a prosecutor dismantling a weak defense.

“First: Bai Mian did not file for long-term leave, yet came to school anyway. Fact. Second: during her unauthorized absence, she ran away from home. Now, I ask you—what does that have to do with our school? If you take these two unrelated events and imagine a connection, fabricate a narrative for the press… is that responsible?”

“You know what kind of publication Shangjing Weekly is. If they publish baseless accusations that damage Xinwang High’s reputation—built over decades by countless students and teachers—do you understand what you’d become, You Xi?”

He leaned forward, emphasizing the final word.

“A criminal against this school.”

The word “criminal” hit like a slap. Humiliation burned through You Xi’s chest.

She was furious. But her throat felt dry, empty—no words came.

This helplessness—the sense that everything was slipping from her grasp—was just like that evening, standing across from Bai Mian at the fence.

She could see the truth, clear as day. But without the strength or tools to reach it, she could only watch as her friend drifted away.

Here she sat, guilty of nothing, yet forced to endure this lecture, branded a villain.

Director Cao kept talking, but his voice began to fade—as if her consciousness was slowly retreating.

The flicker of the overhead lights. The rhythm of her breathing.

As her mind dulled, these small details grew sharper.

So… Uncle really didn’t come after all.

At that thought, You Xi almost laughed at herself.

When she was a magical girl, she often wondered:

Aren’t Uncle and Senior Tidal actually quite similar?

Both logical. Both deeply caring. Both ready to step in when she was helpless.

Yet why did she idolize one, while treating the other with coldness—even hostility?

Was it because, with Uncle, she always knew she was loved unconditionally? That safety made her reckless—allowed her to take his kindness for granted.

She tried to imagine the reverse.

If someone treated her that way after she helped them, she’d have cut them off long ago.

How had Uncle endured her for five years? Was it really just duty—that cold, impersonal word?

Guilt surged through her.

All her past defiance… had she just been squandering the warmth of family?

Every time she was in trouble, she turned to him.
Every time the crisis passed, she called him annoying.

Their life together had been nothing but this cycle, repeated again and again.

Now, seeing it clearly, You Xi felt ashamed.

Fine. He didn’t come. Good.
No—he shouldn’t come.

Until she truly repented, accepting his kindness would only deepen her guilt.

This suffering? This loneliness?

Let it be her punishment—for arrogance, for ignoring others’ feelings.

With that, You Xi slowly closed her eyes.

Click.

A metallic sound—the turning of a doorknob.

Could it be—?

Hope was fragile, but You Xi snapped her eyes open, turning desperately toward the door.

And there he stood.

Her uncle.

You Dong.

“Good afternoon, teachers.”

He stepped in, one hand holding a briefcase, the other draped with his suit jacket—like a businessman fresh from a high-stakes meeting.

His淡blue shirt was damp with sweat, hair clinging to his forehead. Disheveled, yes—but his presence remained composed, authoritative, unshaken.

“Sorry for the delay. Traffic was brutal.”

Without waiting, he pulled out a chair and sat beside You Xi.

Then, one by one, he placed items on the table:
A leather-bound notebook.
A ballpoint pen.
A teacup.
A voice recorder.
His phone.
A business card holder.

Director Cao and Teacher Li stared, stunned.

In truth, You Dong had arrived two minutes earlier.

He’d heard everything.

Every condescending word. Every manipulative twist.

You piece of shit. Enjoying bullying a kid, huh?

Rage boiled inside him.

But he showed nothing.

Instead, he fixed them with a cold, indifferent gaze.

Then, calmly, he said:

“Shall we continue?”