Chapter 17: School Event

Chapter 17: School Event

Soon, when the red poster went up on the school bulletin board, the first-floor lobby of the teaching building was packed, chatter bubbling up like boiling water.

"Wilderness survival?"

"For freshmen? Us?"

"Seven days... guaranteed grad school recommendation?!"

The guaranteed grad school recommendation wasn't exactly a big deal for most people at this school.

Anyone who could sit in this classroom came from families with money and connections—whether they got the recommendation or not was just a matter of having one more path or one less.

But the words "wilderness survival" made quite a few people's expressions change.

Wen Yu stood at the edge of the crowd, holding a milk tea Lou Xuemeng had shoved into his hands. He was chewing on the straw as he looked up at the poster. There wasn't much text, but it was packed with info.

Location: unnamed island, roughly three hours by boat from the mainland.

Risk level: manageable.

Note: Over the past three years, five similar activities have been held on this island with no serious injuries on record.

This school was for the rich only—kids of politicians and businessmen.

Every year the school ran a wilderness survival program, with the main purpose of teaching rich kids how to think on their feet in dangerous situations.

Wen Yu bit the straw harder.

"Rich kids." He repeated it in his head.

"You're going?"

Lou Xuemeng's voice came from behind him, making Wen Yu jump.

He didn't know when she'd appeared behind him, holding that tarot deck she never put down. Today the pouch was a different color—deep purple with a moon embroidered on it.

Wen Yu turned to look at her. "Are you?"

Lou Xuemeng glanced over the poster.

"I'll go."

"Seven days for a guaranteed grad school spot—totally worth it. Besides—"

She paused, her finger twirling the drawstring of the pouch.

"I want to see for myself."

It was a deserted island with nothing on it, purely for survival training.

A conversation nearby caught Wen Yu's ear.

"Sign-ups close tomorrow at 5 PM." A boy with glasses chimed in, phone in hand, the screen showing the registration page. "I heard over forty have already signed up—more girls than guys."

"Well, duh, more girls," a girl cut in. "You think they're doing it for the grad school spot? They're doing it to slap 'Seven-Day Wilderness Survivor' on their resumes. That beats any internship. When you marry into money and your mother-in-law asks, 'Can you survive in that kind of environment?'—you whip out this certificate and don't have to say a thing."

Wen Yu listened and felt like he didn't belong in this world.

But he still took out his phone and scanned the QR code in the corner of the poster.

A page popped up with an electronic registration form. It asked for your name, student ID, emergency contact, medical history, allergies, and blood type.

But when he reached the "emergency contact" field, his finger froze.

He paused, then filled in Lou Xuemeng's name and number.

A message popped up: [Emergency contact can't be a student at this school.]

You can't put a student?

Wen Yu was confused and scrolled through his contacts.

Dad's busy with work—he'd never let me go, and I can't let him find out.

Big bro's tied up with the company.

Second bro's gone off somewhere, and that Wen Qingshi's a jerk anyway—he bullies me. No.

Last one: Gu Junhan (labeled "good friend").

He'll do. Nothing's gonna happen to me anyway—might as well bother him.

Hit submit.

The screen said: "Registration successful. Meet at the east gate at 7 AM this Saturday. Details sent to your email."

Wen Yu pocketed his phone, drained the last of his milk tea, smashed the plastic cup, and tossed it in the trash.

Lou Xuemeng had been watching the whole time, not saying a word, but there was a faint smile at the corner of her mouth.

"What're you smiling at?" Wen Yu asked.

"I'm not smiling."

"You are smiling."

"Fine, maybe I was." Lou Xuemeng slung the pouch over her shoulder, turned, and walked out, her voice floating back as she walked away. "See you Saturday."

Wen Yu stood there, watching her disappear around the corner.

He felt like Lou Xuemeng's walk today was a little off.

Usually she walked all lazy—like a cat in the sun, small steps, slow pace, not giving a damn about anyone.

But now it was like she was strutting?

Saturday. Five days to go.

Wen Yu turned and headed for the dorms. Passing the board, he glanced at the red poster again.

Something felt weird.

He looked away and hurried off.

His phone buzzed. He pulled it out—a text, no sender, just one line:

"Don't stay on the island alone."

Wen Yu stared at the message for five seconds, then locked the screen and slipped the phone back into his pocket without replying.

He didn't know who sent it.

He wasn't a little kid anymore; he could take care of himself.

Wen Yu still lived in the dorms, and Gu Junhan didn't make a fuss, but he helped Wen Yu switch rooms.

Wen Yu didn't dare hire anyone to rough up his bullies, so he could only resort to this.