34: Su Mu's worries and late-night conversation

Through days of monitoring footage, Su Mu discovered more scenes that deeply unsettled her: Xiao Zhang frequently entering and exiting Excellence's dormitory building, sometimes carrying professional equipment cases that looked anything but ordinary, their metallic gleam reflecting a cold light in the surveillance footage; Excellence often returning late at night or stealthily slipping out of the dorm in the middle of the night, carrying tightly sealed black bags, possibly to dispose of experimental waste that couldn't be handled in the dorm; what alarmed her even more was the occasional appearance of other individuals around Excellence, people with unique temperaments who didn't resemble students at all. They wore ordinary clothes but moved with efficiency, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings... All these fragmented pieces of evidence gradually pieced together a worrying conclusion in her mind: the matter Excellence was involved in was absolutely not simple! It likely involved state secrets or... something even more dangerous!

She could no longer remain a calm bystander. The worry for Excellence's safety, and her concern that he might be going astray, intertwined around her heart like vines. Whenever she saw Excellence's dark circles under his eyes and his occasional distracted expression in class, her brow would unconsciously furrow.

That night, it was past eleven, and Su Mu returned to her dorm after finishing work at the lab. She habitually looked up at the window of Excellence's dorm—a habit she had unconsciously developed recently. That window was still lit, standing out conspicuously in the otherwise mostly dark dormitory building.

She lingered downstairs for a moment, finally unable to resist, and took out her phone to send a WeChat message:

"Excellence, are you asleep?"

The message showed as read. Soon, Excellence replied: "Not yet. Class Monitor, is something wrong?" (accompanied by a puzzled panda emoji)

Su Mu took a deep breath, the cool night air filling her lungs and calming her slightly. Her slender fingers quickly typed on the screen: "There's something I want to ask you. Can you come down? I'm downstairs at your building."

In his dorm, Excellence's heart skipped a beat when he saw the WeChat message. Su Mu was actively looking for him? And so late at night? He subconsciously glanced at the seemingly ordinary decorative item on his bookshelf—he knew a miniature camera was hidden there, and his scalp tingled.

"System... what should I do?" he urgently asked in his mind.

[Emotional Support Module Activated: Advise Host to meet. Target 'Su Mu's' proactive contact may indicate a turning point in the relationship. However, strictly control the scope of information disclosure to avoid exposing core secrets.] The System gave a calm suggestion.

Excellence steeled himself and replied: "Okay, I'll be right down."

He casually grabbed a jacket, put it on, took a deep breath, and went downstairs, feeling as anxious as if he were heading to a battlefield. With each step down, his heart beat faster. How should he respond to Su Mu's questions? How much should he reveal? These questions raced through his mind.

Su Mu was standing under the streetlamp outside the dormitory building, the dim yellow light outlining her elegant figure and serious profile. Her arms were crossed over her chest, a subconscious defensive posture. Seeing Excellence emerge, her gaze immediately locked onto him, her eyes carrying a rare solemnity and worry.

"Class Monitor..." Excellence walked over, his voice a little guilt-ridden as he greeted her. He noticed Su Mu hadn't tied her hair back today; her long hair draped casually over her shoulders, making her look softer than usual, but her tightly pursed lips and furrowed brow showed her inner turmoil.

Su Mu didn't exchange pleasantries and got straight to the point: "Excellence, tell me honestly, what exactly are you doing?" Her voice was deeper than usual, with an undeniable seriousness, "Who are those people who often come looking for you? Are you in some kind of trouble?"

Excellence's scalp tingled, and he stammered, trying to evade: "N-nothing... just some... friends... discussing technical issues..." His gaze drifted, unwilling to meet Su Mu's eyes.

"Friends?" Su Mu's tone was clearly skeptical. She took a small step forward, her voice slightly raised, "Excellence, I checked the surveillance! That person!" She pointed in the direction where Xiao Zhang might be, "He's not an ordinary person at all! His mode of action, his equipment, and that demeanor... My father worked in the military, I know what kind of people those are!"

Excellence's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't expected Su Mu to investigate so thoroughly.

Su Mu pressed on, her voice filled with urgency and worry: "And that anonymous package you received earlier! The things you secretly disposed of in the middle of the night! What exactly are you doing? Are you involved in some... illegal research?" Her voice trembled slightly, unlike the calm questioning in the library last time; she was genuinely afraid something had happened to him.

Excellence looked at the genuine concern in Su Mu's eyes; under the streetlamp, her eyes appeared exceptionally bright, reflecting his flustered figure. He felt a surge of emotion, a mix of warmth and bitterness. He couldn't tell her the truth, but he also didn't want to keep deceiving this person who genuinely cared about him.

"Class Monitor, I..." Excellence began with difficulty, his fingers unconsciously clutching the edge of his jacket, "I can't say too much. But I promise you, I haven't done anything illegal!" His voice was earnest, "What I'm doing... is very important, and... very complex. The people above," he pointed skyward, "they are here to... protect me and... supervise me. It's for safety."

He tried to reveal a little information as vaguely as possible, hoping Su Mu would understand the deeper meaning.

Su Mu was stunned, her lips slightly parted, clearly not expecting such an answer. People from the state protecting him? Supervising him? His research was that important? A series of questions flashed through her mind, leaving her momentarily unsure how to react.

"You... what kind of person are you?" Su Mu's voice trembled slightly. She scrutinized Excellence as if seeing him for the first time, "Those strange designs of yours... those books... and The Foundation... what is all this about?"

"I'm just a student, an unlucky... or rather, a very lucky student." Excellence gave a bitter smile, his expression weary and helpless, "Class Monitor, thank you for caring about me. But some things, the less you know, the safer you are. Trust me, okay?"

He looked at Su Mu sincerely, hoping she could read the unspoken difficulties in his eyes.

Su Mu gazed at him; under the streetlamp, his eyes were tired yet clear, carrying a sincere plea. Her doubts hadn't completely vanished, but her worry seemed to have eased. At least, judging from his expression and tone, he wasn't being reckless; he genuinely seemed to have unspoken difficulties.

"Then... be careful yourself." Su Mu finally sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly, "If... if you really need help, or encounter danger, you must tell me... or, call the police?" Her tone still carried uncertainty, but her concern was evident.

Excellence felt a warmth in his heart and nodded: "Mm, I will." He felt a strange comfort; at least in this world full of schemes and pressure, there was still someone who genuinely cared about his safety.

The two stood in silence under the streetlamp for a while, the atmosphere somewhat subtle. The night breeze blew, bringing the faint noise of the distant city and the rustling of nearby leaves. Excellence could smell the faint scent of Su Mu's shampoo, mixed with the cool night air.

"It's late, you should go back," Excellence said softly, breaking the silence.

"Mm." Su Mu nodded, then turned to leave. After a few steps, she looked back and said, her tone returning to her usual academic concern: "Don't forget the make-up exam. If you need notes, I can bring them to you tomorrow."

Excellence: "..." Alright, still the familiar Su Mu, even her way of caring was so practical.

Watching Su Mu's retreating figure gradually blend into the night, Excellence felt a mix of emotions. Although this conversation hadn't completely cleared up the misunderstanding, it seemed to have warmed their relationship a bit. However, the pressure on his shoulders seemed to have grown heavier—now there was one more person he needed to protect, to keep her from being drawn into this dangerous game.

He looked up at the night sky; a few stars were barely visible through the urban light pollution. Taking a deep breath, Excellence turned and returned to the dormitory building, each step feeling much heavier. This hidden confrontation had become even more complicated due to Su Mu's intervention. What he didn't know was that this conversation under the streetlamp had been fully recorded by multiple hidden surveillance devices and was about to be presented to various decision-makers.