TANH Chapter 28.2: Seminary 04.2

9TH APR 2023~SV

Bullying people —— Stepping

After the broadcast repeated twice, the sound of the broadcast stopped abruptly.

Soon, the dormitory building exploded like a pot, all sorts of cries sounded out one after another for a long time, making those who were listening feel restless.

Wen Qing’s act of eating his biscuit paused as he realised the broadcast was to remind them to act in time and enjoy themselves…

The dormitory’s sound insulation wasn’t good. Wen Qing could clearly hear the sounds of impact in the next dormitory. The air around him seemed to grow drier, and his cheeks were reddening inch by inch.

Bai Tong sat to the side. His expression was also gradually becoming unnatural.

He lowered his eyes, his gaze involuntarily turning towards Wen Qing.

Wen Qing held the compressed biscuit in his right hand. His cuff was open, and he (BT) could clearly see the red marks on his wrist,

There was a ring of pinch marks on the thin wrist. With the current ambiguous atmosphere, it was hard to not think about it.

Bai Tong felt very thirsty. He quickly withdrew his gaze and dryly asked Wen Qing, “Are the biscuits delicious?”

Wen Qing hummed, handing the biscuit to him. “Do you want to eat?”

A clear voice rang in his ears. Bai Tong felt even thirstier. He raised his hands to untie his cuffs, shook his head and said, “No need.”

The two sat there until five minutes before curfew. Bai Tong abruptly got up and told Wen Qing, “Hearing what the girl said earlier, nothing will happen if you don’t go out after the curfew, so it should be very safe. Remember to lock the door after I leave.”

“Today is the first night. The players should be on high guard, not daring to violate the school rules. If something really happens, call out. The sound insulation here isn’t good, I’ll be able to hear it.”

After he finished speaking, Bai Tong hurriedly ran out of the bedroom.

Before Wen Qing could say a word, Bai Tong disappeared from sight.

He was stunned, and rose to lock the bedroom door.

As soon as he turned around, he saw the dark scenery outside the window.

Wen Qing walked to the window and scrutinised the school.

At night, not a single street lamp was lit. The school was shrouded in darkness, and the curtain of night was also gloomy. There was no moonlight, no stars, seeming all the more abnormal.

As a light breeze blew, a rustling sound came from the sycamore trees. Wen Qing turned his head and looked over and seemed to see something vaguely moving.

He shivered in fright. Taking a closer look, it was only the vines beside the sculpture that seemed to be moving under light and shadow.

Wen Qing sighed in relief. He didn’t dare to look any further, and hurriedly got into bed, locked the window, and got under the quilt.

Lying on the bed, it didn’t take long before he fell asleep in a daze.

When he was half-asleep, Wen Qing heard the sound of the door opening and closing. He murmured twice, turned over, and continued to sleep.

****

Early in the next morning, pleasant music sounded throughout the dormitory.

Wen Qing slowly sat up. His eyes hadn’t opened when the music ended, and Teacher Chen’s voice sounded on the radio, “God’s birthday is on this Sunday. Starting from today onwards, the whole school will start fasting to purify your hearts.”

“All students, please go to the cafeteria immediately after waking up. We will begin to fast at eight o’clock sharp.”

“Now,” Teacher Chen paused, before his voice was raised by an octave and he said excitedly, “Let us pray to God together!”

“Dear God, You are the embodiment of love and desire, you saved us from the abyss of boredom.”

“Dear God, I yearn for You, day and night.”

“My spirit is completely open to You, I await Your visit.”

…………

Teacher Chen prayed on the broadcast, and low-pitched prayers from the students rang out from the surrounding dormitories.

Hearing this familiar prayer, Wen Qing immediately woke up. His body started to heat up again, and he rushed to get up and wash up.

There was only one bathroom in the dormitory. Wen Qing pushed the door open, and what caught his eye was Oz’s naked upper body. The water droplets in his hair dripped onto the floor. His lower body was loosely wrapped in a towel, and he looked like he had just finished showering.

Wen Qing’s face turned red instantly. He quickly stepped back, lowered his head and said, “Sorry, I- I didn’t know someone was here.”

Oz’s eyes went half-lidded. Looking at the gradually flushing cheeks, his throat moved slightly. He strode to the sink, turned the tap on, and washed his face again.

Wen Qing stood outside the bathroom. The prayer on the broadcast was not finished yet. His body heat was rising, and he couldn’t help but roll up his sleeves and tug at his collar.

“Come in.”

Oz’s voice rang out from the bathroom.

Wen Qing glanced at his muscles and whispered, “It’s fine, I’ll be fine after a while.”

Oz snorted, turned off the tap and turned sideways to look at Wen Qing.

His eyes fell on Wen Qing’s wrist. The red marks scratched yesterday had completely faded away. His wrists were thin and white. With one hand, he could hold both of the other party’s hands. 

Thinking of this, Oz’s eyes darkened.

Wen Qing lowered his head. He couldn’t see Oz’s face, and was even more unable to know what Oz was thinking about.

He waited until Oz left. Only then did he stride into the bathroom and wash his face with cold water.

The heat in his heart subsided. He let out a long breath, washed his face, brushed his teeth, and ran downstairs to find Bai Tong.

Bai Tong stood at the head of the staircase. He saw Wen Qing and looked him up and down. Seeing that nothing was abnormal, he smiled and said, “Did you hear it?”

Wen Qing looked confused. “Hear what?”

Bai Tong tilted his head and beckoned for him to listen.

Wen Qing listened carefully for a while. He heard the sounds of doors opening and closing, the sounds of washing, the sounds of talking… all normal dormitory sounds.

Only one type of sound was missing.

Moaning.

Wen Qing’s eyes widened. He looked at Bai Tong.

Bai Tong said with a smile, “The broadcast said that we will eat vegetarian and purify our hearts starting from today onwards. The school should be normal during these few days.”

Wen Qing couldn’t help curving his lips. Suddenly, he wanted to thank God a little.

“Come on, let’s go to the cafeteria first.”

The cafeteria was diagonally opposite the dormitory building. They needed to pass by the only teaching block.

As soon as Wen Qing and Bai Tong walked to the door of the teaching block, Teacher Chen appeared in front of them and amiably said, “You’ve woken up.”

Wen Qing nodded.

Teacher Chen smiled and looked at him kindly, like an elder looking at a child, and asked, “How did you sleep at night?”

Bai Tong casually said, “We slept very well. Thank you for the concern, sir.”

“It’s what I should do,” Teacher Chen glanced at him then gradually shifted his gaze onto Wen Qing and slowly. “Wen Qing, you come with teacher to the office. Teacher wants to give you something.”

Wen Qing’s eyelids jumped. He nervously looked towards Bai Tong.

Bai Tong’s expression didn’t change as he said, “Teacher, don’t I have a share?”

Teacher Chen smiled. “This is God’s will.”

After he finished speaking, he told Bai Tong, “You should go to the cafeteria and eat first.”

Seeing Teacher Chen shooing Bai Tong away, Wen Qing was even more terrified. His mind was filled with thoughts about the buff on himself.

Was this teacher not a human either?

Did he want to take him for breakfast?

……

The more Wen Qing thought, the more frightened he became.

Teacher Chen walked two steps. Seeing Wen Qing not following, he frowned and said, “Wen Qing.”

Wen Qing pursed his lips tightly. Bai Tong’s gentle voice sounded behind him. “I’ll go with you. I’ll wait for you at the stairs.”

Wen Qing responded quietly. Only when he heard Bai Tong’s footsteps behind him did he feel relieved, and slowly walked, following Teacher Chen.

The office was on the second floor. It was the first time Wen Qing went to the second floor, and he couldn’t help but glance at the classrooms beside him.

There were only two classrooms on the second floor. Like the classrooms on the first floor, there were blackboards, tables and chairs. However, the classrooms were empty, and there was no one there.

Wen Qing glanced at them and followed Teacher Chen into the office.

The decoration of the office was the same as that of an ordinary school office. There were also two teachers who were reading books with their heads lowered. There were familiar heating pads on their desks, but beside the heating pads were all books about theology.

Wen Qing exhaled and walked to Teacher Chen’s table.

Teacher Chen pulled out a small rectangular box from the drawer. There was a pink ribbon tied on it.

He told Wen Qing, “This is what the High Priest told me to give to you.”

Wen Qing froze for a while, then carefully took it. “Th- thank you to the High Priest.”

Teacher Chen smiled and said, “Open it and have a look.”

Wen Qing slowly opened the box. There was a set of silver spoons and chopsticks lying on the black velvet. They were dotted with a pattern of light green leaves and tied with two small pink bows at the ends, looking very exquisite.

Wen Qing was dumbfounded.

???

What does this mean?

Teacher Chen obviously didn’t know what was inside. He looked a little surprised when he saw the spoon and chopsticks. He slowly said, “This is tailor-made for you by the High Priest.”

“He should be telling you to eat well.”

???

Wen Qing froze for two seconds. A chill ran up his spine.

He didn’t go to the cafeteria last night, and received this thing this morning……

Was the High Priest constantly watching him? Or watching them?

Perhaps seeing Wen Qing’s psychological thoughts, Teacher Chen smiled and said, “The High Priest guards the school according to God’s will. There is nothing he does not know.”

Wen Qing reluctantly curved the corners of his mouth.

Teacher Chen smiled and said, “It’s getting late. You should quickly go to the cafeteria to eat.”

Wen Qing responded and strode out of the office quickly.

The moment he reached the stairs, he suddenly heard a muffled groan, as if they were enduring something.

Wen Qing’s first reaction was that people were having sex in a public place. He quickened his pace, wanting to leave, when that muffled sound grew louder. It didn’t sound like a comfortable sound, but a sound made from too much pain.

The voice sounded a little familiar too…

Wen Qing tried to make it out for a while, then remembered. It sounded like his deskmate’s voice.

Thinking about the injuries on Ji Junfeng’s body, he hesitated for two seconds before walking back.

The sound came from the restroom on the second floor. Before Wen Qing entered the restroom, he heard rustling noises from within, as if there was a fight.

Wen Qing poked his head out cautiously, and faintly saw three or four people in the school uniform waving sticks in their hands and beating something on the ground.

Taking a closer look, Wen Qing then realised what was laying on the ground wasn’t just something, it was Ji Junfeng.

Startled, he quickly retracted his head.

The people inside didn’t notice the movement at the doorway. They were still punching JI Junfeng.

Wen Qing took a deep breath for a second. He raised his volume and dryly called, “Hello, Mr. Chen.”

Immediately afterwards, the perpetrators’ conversation sounded in the restroom:

“Fuck, teacher’s here.”

“Who told you to come to the second floor?”

“Isn’t this more exciting?”

“Quickly go, quickly go.”

…………

Wen Qing hid in the classroom at the side and waited for the perpetrators to leave before rushing into the restroom.

There was a faint smell of blood in the air.

Wen Qing saw some blood on the discarded wooden stick, so he quickly ran to the corner.

Ji Junfeng slowly moved his body, slowly sitting up and leaning against the wall.

The shirt on his body was torn up, and there were bruises and injuries everywhere. There was a long scratch on his right cheek, and blood was oozing out, making him seem beautiful with a bit of a monstrous appearance.

Wen Qing hurriedly asked, “How do you feel now?”

“Does the school have an infirmary? I- I’ll help you call for a teacher.”

Ji Junfeng opened his eyes, not saying a word.

Wen Qing squatted down and lightly touched his arm. “Ji Junfeng? Deskmate? Roommate?”

Unknowingly, he touched his wound, and Ji Junfeng quietly groaned.

Wen Qing hurriedly withdrew his hand, and stammeringly apologised, “S- sorry…”

“I’m going to call Mr. Chen…”

Before he finished speaking, Ji Junfeng’s eyelashes trembled. He slowly opened his eyes. His pitch black eyes stared deeply at Wen Qing.

The next second, a cold voice sounded inside Wen Qing’s mind.

【 Bullying people —— Stepping 】

【 Released target: Ji Junfeng 】