Interlocking Fingers

The college's investigation is progressing faster than expected.

Thanks to the IP tracing technology of the anonymous forum and Lin Xun's clear description of the bullies' physical characteristics, especially the tuft of blue hair and the conspicuous silver earring, the target was quickly locked in.

When Director Chen came to the classroom to find Yu Fuli, the first class of the afternoon had just passed the halfway point.

He appeared at the back door of the classroom and nodded slightly to Yu Fuli on the podium. Yu Fuli understood and briefly assigned the self-study tasks, then gestured for Lin Xun, who was sitting in the back row, to follow.

The two walked out of the classroom one after the other, leaving the students' vaguely curious gazes inside the door.

The corridor was quiet, with only the sound of their three footsteps.

"We have preliminarily identified three students involved, all from Class B of Grade 11," Director Chen said as he walked, his tone concise and official. "The account that posted on the forum belongs to one of them. Based on the review of surveillance footage and the testimonies of some eyewitness students, we can basically reconstruct what happened, which matches Lin Xun's statement."

Yu Fuli nodded without saying anything, but glanced sideways at Lin Xun beside her. The boy's face was paler than it had been in the classroom, his lips were tightly pursed, but his gaze remained steady as he listened quietly.

Good, no running away.

Yu Fuli is very satisfied with Lin Xun's current performance.

"These three students," Director Chen pushed up his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses filled with exhaustion, "have somewhat unusual family backgrounds. One's father is a member of the school board, and another's family has business dealings with a branch of the royal family. This is one of the reasons why the investigation was able to produce results so quickly; the characteristics are too obvious."

His meaning was clear: precisely because the students involved were not unknown, but rather prominent figures, they were easier to identify and pinpoint once the disciplinary authorities were on their radar. However, this also meant facing more obstacles and needing to consider more factors in handling the case.

"The college's stance is clear: bullying with conclusive evidence must be dealt with according to regulations," Director Chen continued, his tone becoming more forceful. "I have already made initial contact with the three students' homeroom teachers and their parents. The parents' reactions... are mixed."

He paused, then looked at Yu Fuli: "Teacher Yu, according to procedure, Lin Xun needs to confront the student involved in person and verify the relevant evidence. This will be a rather formal occasion. As his homeroom teacher, you need to be present throughout the entire process."

"I understand," Yu Fuli replied, then turned to Lin Xun, her voice softening, "Lin Xun, remember what I said before. Just say what's true. As for the rest, the teacher is here."

Lin Xun took a deep breath, raised his head, and looked into Yu Fuli's calm eyes.

He nodded vigorously: "Yes."

The three of them entered a small conference room next to the disciplinary office.

There were already five people sitting inside.

On one side were three boys wearing Saint Laurent Academy uniforms, but with different expressions.

The one in the middle had a row of silver earrings on his ears and a striking blue highlight on his forehead. He had an impatient look and a hint of arrogance on his face. The one on the left was a tall, strong boy with a somewhat evasive look in his eyes. The one on the right was a boy who looked more refined, but whose face was pale at the moment.

Beside them sat two middle-aged men and women with solemn expressions, and a well-dressed woman with a serious face, who appeared to be the parent and homeroom teacher of one of the students.

When Director Chen entered with Yu Fuli and Lin Xun, the air in the conference room seemed to freeze instantly.

The blue-haired boy's gaze swept over Lin Xun like a knife, filled with undisguised disgust and threat. His father, a member of the school board, frowned slightly, scrutinizing Yu Fuli with a critical look.

Director Chen didn't waste any time with pleasantries. He went straight to the head seat and sat down, gesturing for Yu Fuli and Lin Xun to sit on the other side of the conference table. He got straight to the point, pushing the printed forum screenshots, keyframes from the surveillance footage, and a copy of the preliminary investigation report to the center of the table.

"Regarding the incident that occurred yesterday afternoon on the path west of the dormitory area, involving the damage to the property and personal insult of outstanding student Lin Xun, the following evidence points to three students."

Director Chen's voice was devoid of any emotion. He pointed out the key points in the chain of evidence one by one, his logic clear and irrefutable.

As he spoke, the expressions of the three boys opposite him grew increasingly grim. The tall, muscular boy was already sweating profusely, his eyes darting nervously towards his parents. The more refined boy kept his head bowed. Only the blue-haired boy, though his face was ashen, still held his head high, his gaze defiant.

When Director Chen asked Lin Xun to identify and recount the specific events, the silence in the meeting room reached its peak. All eyes were focused on this thin, quiet, and outstanding student.

Lin Xun clenched his fist under the table, his nails digging into his palm. He could feel the malicious gaze directed at him from across the table, and he could also feel the invisible pressure from the parents opposite him.

He opened his mouth, but the first syllables were somewhat dry.

Just then, Yu Fuli moved her hand, which had been casually resting under the table, to the side and gently placed it on the back of Lin Xun's clenched fist, which was trembling slightly.

The warmth from his palm was gentle and dry, the touch was light and soothing.

Yu Fuli's intention was simple: to give this boy, who was clearly under immense pressure, some support and tell him, "Don't be afraid, I'm here for you."

However, he underestimated Lin Xun's tense state at that moment.

Almost the instant his hand touched the other's, Lin Xun grabbed the only piece of driftwood like a drowning man. The stiff, cold hand suddenly gripped him tightly, not letting go, but instead turning it over urgently, its fingers forcefully interlocking with his, instantly forming a tight, interlocked grip.

Yu Fuli was slightly taken aback.

This... seems a bit too intimate.

This exceeded the boundaries of normal comforting between teachers and students.

He twitched his fingertips slightly, trying to gently and imperceptibly pull his hand back.

But as soon as he made a move, Lin Xun suddenly tightened her grip on him, her five slender yet surprisingly strong fingers holding him tightly, her knuckles even turning slightly white from the force, as if afraid that even this warm support would slip away.

Yu Fuli paused in his movements.

He could feel the fine cold sweat seeping from the boy's palms and the uncontrollable trembling. Looking up, Lin Xun still had his eyelids lowered, forcing himself to listen attentively to Director Chen's statement. His profile was tense, and only his tightly clasped hands betrayed the turbulent emotions within him that were far more intense than his outward appearance suggested.

Yu Fuli sighed helplessly in her heart.

That's it.

He stopped trying to pull his hand away, letting Lin Xun hold it tightly. In this special occasion, any slightly larger movement could attract unwanted attention.

He could only maintain this slightly awkward intimate posture, steadily transferring the warmth of his palm to her, while turning his gaze back to the center of the conference table, as if everything was normal.

But the overly intimate touch between their clasped hands and the almost dependent strength from the boy's fingertips reminded him that this comfort had changed.

His face remained calm, but a faint, indescribable sense of unease stirred within him.

Isn't this kid being held a little too tightly?