Cooking class ended, and Shen Yue went home with a full load, eating cream puffs along the way.
Because there were too many cream puffs to finish, she was caught sneaking bites during class by Niu Kaihuai, but then...nothing happened.
This brings up her good sister Shen Hui, who has been doing very well on Niu's team lately, so even Niu Kaihuai looks on her more kindly.
Things like being late and eating in class are overlooked without comment when it comes to Shen Hui.
In return, after class Shen Yue deliberately persuaded Shen Hui to give homemade durian cream puffs to Teacher Niu, whose face lit up with joy.
Shen Yue has seen the smile on Niu Kaihuai's face before - it's what they call an "auntie smile."
It was around then that Shen Yue remembered to check her phone.
Unlocking it, she saw Si Chengyou had sent her a text message.
Though it was a simple sentence, it made Shen Yue feel empowered.
[Two months. I'll catch those two.]
That was his promise.
Shen Yue deleted the message and opened WeChat to send Si Chengyou an emoticon package instead.
[I'm here.jpg]
Si Chengyou replied quickly, as if he had been looking at his phone.
[I know.]
Shen Yue: [Then why didn't you tell me over WeChat?]
[I feel text messages are more formal.]
Shen Yue thought for a moment before sending back: [Hope your banner emerges victorious.]
[Thank you.]
...
After that, Shen Yue continued going to school and coming home with Shen Hui, occasionally going out to play or getting scolded.
Regarding Su Yunan, Shen Yichen had already agreed to let him stay with the Shen family, but because his brainwashing hadn't been fully undone yet, Shen Hui was still keeping him locked in her lab and not letting him out.
At this time, Shen Yue deeply understood why Shen Yichen had been so insistent on putting a bathroom in the lab back then.
If there was no bathroom in the lab, forget about eating and drinking - Su Yunan's bathroom needs would have been problematic.
That day, as usual, Shen Yue brought food to the lab.
In Shen Hui's lab, there was not only Shen Hui now, but also Shen Wu.
Right then, the two of them were gathered around Su Yunan, talking about something, and didn't even notice Shen Yue come in.
"Can I take one of his fingers with me?"
"No, just look at him here."
"What about a toe?"
"Can't do that either."
"Let me take a piece of his rib cartilage - it wouldn't affect him at all."
"No, I don't trust you. You'd definitely take the whole rib."
"I've experimented on fish before, removing all their ribs, and they could still survive in the special medicine."
"He's a person, not a fish."
"His whole body is saturated with drugs now - he's already in a medicinal state."
"Can you undo it?"
"I could, but I'd need to take some of his flesh with me."
Shen Hui, who had refused outright up to now, hesitated at this point.
After all, a piece of flesh was nothing compared to fingers, toes, or ribs.
Just when it looked like Shen Hui was about to agree, Shen Yue finally spoke up. "Let's let Su Yunan wake up and eat something first. He hasn't eaten all day."
Su Yunan only ate one meal a day - the dinner that came after Shen Hui and Shen Yue got out of class in the evening.
Shen Hui said keeping Su Yunan's body in a state of hunger would speed up his mental exhaustion, which would help undo the brainwashing faster.
From the first day Su Yunan was brought back, this routine had gone on continuously for half a month.
Shen Wu had accidentally discovered Su Yunan's existence a few days ago.
The cause was an academic disagreement between Shen Wu and Shen Hui.
Don't ask how a medical researcher and a physicist got in a disagreement over academia - genius worlds inevitably know a little about everything but have deep expertise in one particular field.
The two were at odds, so Shen Wu decided to go to Shen Hui's lab and demonstrate the correctness of his conclusion. Upon entering, he saw Su Yunan.
Shen Wu had unmatched research into the human body - with one look at Su Yunan, he noticed his abnormal bodily state.
This was not a physical quality attainable through normal human development. Calling it human would be inaccurate - "monster" would be more precise.
Shen Wu became extremely interested in Su Yunan. After reaching some agreement with Shen Hui, he obtained access to her lab, but only when Shen Hui was present.
Seeing Shen Yue arrive, Shen Hui removed a device from Su Yunan's neck. Within minutes, the previously comatose Su Yunan opened his eyes.
A normal person eating only one meal a day and restricted in movement for half a month would surely be somewhat emotional, but Su Yunan was different. His gaze remained the same as when Shen Yue first saw him.
Innocent, yet fearless.
From Shen Hui, Shen Yue already knew why Su Yunan was like this. Setting the food box aside, she asked, "Hasn't his brainwashing been undone yet?"
Shen Hui shook her head. "No. The drugs I've formulated are brainwashing agents. Giving them to Su Yunan might overlay new directives onto the original brainwashing, but he'd still be under my control rather than his own."
Hearing this, Shen Yue looked to Shen Wu, who was examining Su Yunan's pupils. "Brother Wu, can you do anything about these drugs?"
