Don’t Try To Corrupt Me

Seeing the fluctuating delinquency value, Sheng Yuan’s eyelid twitched.

A piercing pain struck his heart.

Despite consistently ensuring that Yu Zuojin returned to the dormitory on time for over a month, the delinquency value had only decreased by a little over a hundred points.

But yesterday, this bastard went out for a trip and returned with an increase of three thousand.

It was like going back to square one overnight.

When Sheng Yuan remained silent, Yu Zuojin turned his head and met Sheng Yuan’s distressed gaze. His pitch-black eyes shrank, and he turned his head away again.

Sheng Yuan’s white fingertips toyed with Yu Zuojin’s ear, inspecting the wound.

The cut wasn’t deep, but it covered a considerable area.

The external unit of the cochlear implant would occasionally scrape against the wound.

He had passed by Nan’an Road intersection, and there were broken glass bottles on the ground.

One could imagine the scene of the brawl from last night.

Considering that Yu Zuojin only had an injury on his ear, it could be considered fortunate.

“Was your ear cut by the shards of glass?”

The tender and distressed gaze lingered in Yu Zuojin’s mind.

“Yes.”

With this heavy sigh, his delinquency value increased by another ten points.

Sheng Yuan: ?

The fight happened yesterday, yet the delinquency value was still fluctuating today.

Sheng Yuan: “Does the delinquency value have backlash?”

[System: It’s possible.]

Truly Ambitious couldn’t understand.

It was merely a simple little system that knew nothing.

It had no idea how long this backlash of the delinquency value would last. Just the thought of it fluctuating again later made Sheng Yuan feel upset.

“Ah.” He let out a sigh.

Looking at Yu Zuojin’s ear, Sheng Yuan helplessly said, “Little Yu, gege feels distressed.”

“You going out like this could cost me my life.”

His voice sounded soothing to the ears.

The hard-earned achievements he had built, he destroyed them with a single punch.

Casual consolation, carrying an unspeakable sincerity.

—Cost me my life.

Yu Zuojin’s heart pounded as his ear was being touched.

Did he really feel distressed for him?

Although the wound had stopped bleeding, it was still red and swollen. Without disinfection, it could develop towards infection.

“Tidy up the room. I’ll go to the duty room and ask if they have any disinfectant alcohol or solutions.”

After giving instructions, Sheng Yuan walked out of Room 408. Yu Zuojin lay on the bed with red ears and took two minutes to get up. With his large build, he clumsily picked up the scattered debris from the floor.

After some thorough work, it didn’t look much better than before.

He couldn’t find many differences.

He glanced at the wardrobe that hadn’t been touched since yesterday.

Fortunately, it remained untouched.

Yu Zuojin had no patience, and he particularly disliked folding clothes.

Sheng Yuan walked to the first floor and knocked on the door of the duty room.

Dormitory supervisor: “Please come in.”

Sheng Yuan opened the door and entered.

“Student Sheng, what can I do for you?”

The dormitory supervisor faced hundreds of students every day and couldn’t remember their surnames unless it was an important matter or special students like Yu Zuojin and Chu Weitian.

Sheng Yuan was considered a prominent figure in No. 1 Middle School. Even when he went to the cafeteria to get his meal, he could hear a group of students talking about Brother Sheng this and Brother Sheng that.

Moreover, he shared a dormitory with Yu Zuojin, so he naturally made an impression.

When Sheng Yuan first moved in, he worried for a while, afraid that something terrible might happen in Room 408.

But unexpectedly, after more than a month, they lived harmoniously, and the hygiene had improved considerably.

Sheng Yuan: “Teacher, do you have any alcohol or antiseptic solution for wound disinfection?”

“Yes, I used it yesterday. Let me find it for you.”

Used it yesterday?

Sheng Yuan looked at the dormitory supery supporting his waist and naturally expressed concern. “Teacher, did you get injured too?”

“Ah, it’s nothing serious. When Yu Zuojin went out last night, I followed him and accidentally fell.”

He used euphemistic words.

Sheng Yuan: “Did Yu Zuojin bump into you?”

“I was careless when pulling.”

The dormitory supervisor handed Sheng Yuan a cotton swab soaked in iodine and adhesive bandages.

“Take it and use it.”

Sheng Yuan expressed his gratitude and returned to Room 408.

Compared to when he left, the room hadn’t improved much. Yu Zuojin stood in the middle, making the dormitory feel cramped.

Sheng Yuan avoided the clutter on the floor.

“You sit on the bed, and I’ll dress your wound.”

Yu Zuojin looked at the iodine swab and the tender adhesive bandage in Sheng Yuan’s hand, furrowing his brows.

In a dry tone, he said, “I can do it myself.”

“You want to do it yourself?”

He nodded, his face as indifferent as usual.

Sheng Yuan didn’t comply with his request. He broke open the iodine swab, instantly dyeing the white cotton with the red medicine.

“Do you have eyes in the back of your head?” Sheng Yuan approached him. “Lower your head.”

Yu Zuojin looked at the adhesive bandage in Sheng Yuan’s hand and lowered his head.

Sheng Yuan turned Yu Zuojin’s earlobe with one hand and applied the medication with the other.

“Be careful when you take showers these days.”

His scent filled Yu Zuojin’s nostrils.

Dark eyes roamed over She g Yuan’s body—his waist, chest, and neck—he kept his head lowered, using his eyes to glance upward.

“Did you accidentally bump into the dormitory supervisor last night? He seemed uncomfortable in the waist area.”

Yu Zuojin recalled the events of last night.

Indeed, he had such a memory.

Sheng Yuan pressed the cotton swab firmly, causing the medicine to flow out. He applied the medicine smoothly.

“You should rest and then apologize to the dormitory supervisor. He meant well last night.”

Yu Zuojin only felt a slight rub on his ear.

After throwing the used cotton swab into the trash bin, Sheng Yuan opened the Band Aid. It was adorned with a pink candy-like pattern, quite playful.

He turned Yu Zuojin’s earlobe, but just as he was about to apply the Band Aid, the person lowered their head and evaded him.

Thinking that Yu Zuojin felt itchy somewhere, Sheng Yuan made a slight movement.

He continued to apply the bandage.

Second time, third time… fifth time, and it still wouldn’t stick.

Sheng Yuan watched as Yu Zuojin’s head moved sporadically.

He raised his arm and held him tightly, trapping him under his armpit.

“Why are you moving around?”

Yu Zuojin’s voice was hoarse. “I don’t want it.”

Sheng Yuan applied the Band Aid to his cut.

“You wouldn’t need this if you didn’t get into a fight. It’s your punishment.”

Yu Zuojin expressed dissatisfaction, his cold expression unappealing.

The pink Band Aid clashed with the black artificial cochlear implant, making it particularly striking.

Turning around, Sheng Yuan picked up his school uniform jacket, preparing to return to the classroom.

Yu Zuojin looked at his back and raised his hand, intending to tear off the BandAid.

“It suits you.” Sheng Yuan smiled at him before leaving.

The light spilled onto his face through the door frame, accentuating his refined features.

Yu Zuojin’s hand, which was about to remove the BandAid, halted in mid-air. He lifted it and then put it down again.

The room fell into silence for a long time.

He rubbed his slightly itchy ear and walked into the bathroom, looking at his reflection in the mirror.

He still felt uncomfortable with that touch of pink.

The dormitory supervisor sat at his desk with closed eyes, engrossed in listening to the radio. Suddenly, the window in the room was forcefully pushed open.

Swoosh…

The dormitory supervisor was startled and opened his eyes to see Yu Zuojin’s cold face.

The window was located inside the building, and it was only opened when students registered their departures or returns.

It wasn’t high; so Yu Zuojin had to bend down to see inside the window.

He stared at the dormitory supervisor for a few seconds.

Those few seconds felt like an eternity, and the dormitory supervisor swallowed nervously.

“Yu…?”

“Sorry.”

The dormitory supervisor: ?

With this brief apology, Yu Zuojin turned and left.

Sorry? Sorry???

Why was he apologizing to him?

Why did he suddenly apologize!

Was Yu Zuojin the kind of child who would do this?

Unusual behavior must have a cause.

Yu Zuojin apologized.

And the dormitory supervisor heard it. Then he heard—

“Old man, when I want to cause trouble again, don’t try to stop me. Even if you do, it’s pointless.”

The dormitory supervisor felt like crying in his office. Why was his life so miserable?

Stereotypes are deeply ingrained.

Sheng Yuan returned to the classroom and noticed that it was unusually lively inside. Most of the students who were supposed to be in class were filled with a relaxed atmosphere, even though there were still five minutes before class.

For the first class in the afternoon, the Chinese teacher had something to attend to, so it was a self-study session.

Sheng Yuan entered the classroom, and Xia Zhiqi looked up from the crowd.

“Brother Sheng, come here!”

There were only a few students sitting in their seats in the classroom. Around a dozen students gathered in groups.

Not understanding what was happening, Sheng Yuan walked over.

The class’s literary committee member, a gentle-looking female student, was also beside Xia Zhiqi.

“What are you doing?”

He casually asked.

Xiao Pang: “Brother Sheng, don’t you know yet?!”

Sheng Yuan: ?

Seeing his puzzled expression, the literary committee member kindly explained, “Next Friday, our school will celebrate its anniversary. It happens every year, and each class performs a program, while each grade collaborates on another.”

“The comparison is between the class programs and the class evaluations of the same grade, as well as the comparison between the grade program and the first and second graders. We’re brainstorming ideas for our class’s performance and still need one more idea to finalize it.”

Sheng Yuan looked at the three or four small groups in the classroom.

Xia Zhiqi: “The whole class is divided into three groups to think about programs, each group thinks about five, and then we shall select one among the fifteen. Brother Sheng, our group is only one short.”

“What kind of ideas are you considering?” Sheng Yuan picked up a piece of paper from the table. Written in messy handwriting were:

“The Three Visits to the Thatched Hut”

“Tiger Fights Wu Song”

“Lin Daiyu Pulling Out Willow Trees”

“Daiyu Buries Flowers”

Sheng Yuan: “…”

The Four Great Classical Novels being persecuted so blatantly.

*The way Xia Zhiqi wrote “The Three Visits To The Thatched Hut” was like he was making a casual suggestion to visit thatched huts.“Tiger fights Wu Song” is supposed to be “Wu Song fights Tiger”

“Lin Daiyu Pulling Out Willow Trees” is supposed to be “Lin Daiyu Pulls Out Willow Trees”.

“Daiyu Buries Flowers” is supposed to be “Daiyu Burying Flowers”.

Sheng Yuan silently put down the paper.

His eyes…

Xia Zhiqi: “What do you think, Brother Sheng?”

“You’re the one who came up with this, right?”

He exclaimed, “Brother Sheng, how did you know?!”

Sheng Yuan didn’t answer.

Ordinary people couldn’t come up with such ideas.

Only Xia Zhiqi, the big loudspeaker, was extraordinary.

Sheng Yuan looked at those program ideas and said, “If your idea gets chosen, our class will get the first place.”

Xia Zhiqi squirmed in embarrassment, and his whole body felt like floating feeling, “It’s not that impressive.”

Cun Tou chimed in, “First place from the bottom, idiot.”

Xia Zhiqi: “…”

After twenty minutes, the literary committee member stood on the podium. Although each class had to send a few students to participate in the grade-level program, the script for the grade-level program had been adapted by the literary committee three days ago. Each class just needed people to present it.

Now, what mattered was their own class’s program.

The literary committee member looked at the programs written on the note and felt like she had eaten shit.

—“Goubuli Baozi” (Recommended for Xia Zhiqi to play the dog)

—“Class Six’s Afternoon Tea” (It’s to showoff before the whole school on stage)

—“Lin Daiyu Pulling Out Willow Trees”

—“Eat Peaches”

—“Husband, Say Something~”

*Goubuli Buns literally translates to “Dog Doesn’t Pay Attention to Buns”. The story behind the name is that there was a street vendor in Tianjin who was so busy and focused on making and selling his buns that he didn’t even have time to pay attention to his surroundings, including dogs. As a result, the locals started referring to his buns as “Goubuli” (Dog Doesn’t Pay Attention to Buns) to honor his dedication to his craft. It’s now a popular food item in China and is known for its thin, delicate skin and savory fillings.

The literary committee member’s hands trembled.

What were these!?

Was there no normal person in Class Six?!

She opened the next note, and the literary committee member’s eyes brightened.

“This one is good!”

All thirty-nine students in Class Six turned their heads to look at the literary committee member.

She turned the note over and showed it to everyone.

“A musical of Zootopia. With many animals, each classmate can be on stage.”

It wasn’t that it was particularly novel, but among the many bizarre programs, it was the only normal one that stood out, thanks to the contrast.

“Yeah, this one is good.”

“Is it the one with that Officer Bunny?”

“Doesn’t the Buffalo Police wear a uniform? That works, I have a set.”

“Who will play Fox Nick?”

As soon as the question was asked, all eyes in the classroom fell on Sheng Yuan.

Sheng Yuan was looking at his vocabulary book when the classroom suddenly fell silent. He looked up and saw dozens of pairs of eyes staring at him like hungry wolves.

“Why are all of you looking at me?”

The literary committee member said, “You are under arrest.”

*It’s a line from Zootopia.

——————

Author’s Note:

Interview

Reporter: Brother Sheng has been arrested.

Zootopia is a 2016 animated film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The film is set in a world where anthropomorphic animals live in a modern city called Zootopia. It follows the story of a rookie bunny police officer named Judy Hopps, who teams up with a con artist fox named Nick Wilde to solve a mysterious case involving missing animals. Through their investigation, they uncover a larger conspiracy that challenges the harmony between predator and prey in their society.