54: Chapter 51: The Fall

The student housing at St. Freya Academy is divided into three areas.

The side near the sea is the main building, where both freshmen and current students live; the rooms are clean and fully equipped.

Walking toward the back mountain for ten minutes brings you to an area of old single-story houses, which were temporary dormitories built in the early days of the academy and became largely unoccupied after the new buildings were completed.

A few scattered "Monthly Rent" signs still hung there, with very cheap prices, occasionally rented by service personnel or intern researchers to store sundries.

Raiden Mei was standing in a small alley within this old single-story housing area.

She wore a pristine uniform, her long hair draped neatly over the shoulders, and she was carrying a canvas bag, looking like an ordinary female student taking a walk after school.

The alley was very quiet.

The afternoon sunlight leaked through the gaps in the roofs, shining on the moss-covered flagstone path.

Mei stopped in front of the third single-story house.

A faded note was pasted on the door: "Underground storage room, monthly rent 500, with a lock. Contact the management office."

She pushed the door; it wasn't locked.

Behind the door was a short flight of downward concrete steps, reaching the bottom in just seven or eight steps.

The basement wasn't large, about ten square meters, without windows.

A bare lightbulb hung overhead. She pulled the cord, and it lit up with a yellowish light, illuminating the dusty grey concrete walls on all sides and a few empty cardboard boxes on the floor.

Piled in the corner was some old furniture left behind by unknown people, including a folding bed, a chair, and a few wooden boards.

There was also an iron cage.

The iron bars of the cage had some rust, but the structure was very sturdy, and an old lock hung on the door.

Mei stood in front of the iron cage, reaching out to slowly slide her fingertips along the cold bars.

The cage wasn't very large, but it was enough to confine one person.

She couldn't help but think of last night's events, and of the hair from last night.

She had waited so late last night, just so that she could have a hot meal as soon as she got back.

But what about her?

The hair on her clothes, her slightly swollen lips.

When she brought the milk over later, she saw it clearly.

Kaiwen's lips looked like they had been forcefully kissed by someone.

She had read many books, so she couldn't be wrong.

After returning to her own room that night, Mei sat by the bed for a very long time.

Moonlight seeped through the gap in the curtains, shining on the hands she rested on her knees.

That light chestnut strand of hair was still pinched between her fingertips, slender and almost invisible under the moonlight.

She thought about a lot back then.

Thinking about how she woke up every morning to prepare breakfast for Kaiwen.

Thinking about how she waited every night until Kaiwen came back before going to sleep.

Thinking about every cup of milk at just the right temperature, every folded piece of clothing, and every sentence of "Come back early."

She had given her everything she could possibly give.

Yet Kaiwen's body was still tainted with someone else's scent.

Mei placed that strand of hair in the palm of her hand and gently closed her fingers.

If there were always going to be other people outside touching her Kaiwen, wouldn't it be fine if she just didn't let Kaiwen go outside anymore?

Mei stood in front of the iron cage and withdrew her hand from the bars.

She squatted down and carefully checked the lock clasp of the cage door.

The structure was old but very sturdy; changing the lock to a new one would suffice.

The basement had no windows and decent soundproofing.

If someone passed by outside, they wouldn't hear a thing.

She stood up and slowly walked around the basement.

Bedding could be spread on the folding bed.

She needed to bring a clean quilt down, and a pillow as well.

Kaiwen was afraid of the cold, so she also had to prepare a blanket.

She would make the food; she just needed to bring it down every day.

Mei took her phone out of the canvas bag and dialed the number for the management office.

While waiting for the call to connect, she stood under the light of the yellow bulb, her casting shadow projected onto the dusty grey concrete wall behind her.

"Hello, I'd like to rent the underground storage room of the third unit in District B."

On the other end of the line was a middle-aged man's voice, sounding somewhat sleepy, probably woken up from an afternoon nap.

"District B, third unit? That basement... Are you sure? That place hasn't been rented for quite a while."

"Sure."

"Alright, the monthly rent is five hundred, a deposit of one month plus one month's rent upfront. When are you coming to get the keys?"

"Is now convenient?"

The other person was stunned for a moment, probably never having seen such an anxious tenant. But as long as the money was in hand, he didn't ask much more.

"Alright, just come to the management office to find me."

Mei hung up the phone and put it back into the canvas bag.

She took one last look at the iron cage, turned off the lightbulb by pulling the cord, and walked up the concrete steps.

When the door closed behind her, it made a very soft, muffled sound.

The afternoon sunlight was still very nice.

Mei walked along the mossy flagstone path, passed by a few empty single-story houses, turned out of the alley, and stepped onto the main road leading to the management office.

On the way, she met two students carrying schoolbags who greeted her: "You're Kaiwen's friend, right? Hello!"

Mei turned her head slightly, revealing a gentle and appropriate smile: "Hello to you too."

After they walked away, Mei continued walking forward.

After getting the keys, she went to the small supermarket inside the academy.

A new lock, two towels, a quilt, a pillow, and a thick blanket.

When checking out, the middle-aged woman at the cashier smiled and asked: "You're Kaiwen's friend, right? Are you guys moving dorms?"

Mei smiled: "I'm just helping a friend tidy up."

She packed the items into the canvas bag and a large shopping bag, carrying them toward District B.

Returning to the basement, she replaced the old lock on the cage door with the newly bought lock.

She tried it twice; the latch clicked tightly with a crisp sound.

Then she unfolded the folding bed, spread the quilt and pillow, and placed the neatly folded blanket at the end of the bed.

The towels were hung on the back of the chair, and she took out a bottle of mineral water and a few small pastries from the bottom of the canvas bag, neatly arranging them on the floor beside the bed.

After finishing all this, Mei stood in the middle of the basement and looked around.

It was perfect, for a small room that belonged only to the two of them.

Raiden Mei quietly looked at her own masterpiece, a sweet smile blooming on her face.

"Kaiwen, don't be anxious. We'll be together very soon."

Then she stood up, patted the dust off her skirt, and locked the door.

When she walked out of the alley, the setting sun stretched her shadow very long.

Mei glanced at the time on her phone.

It was almost time to make dinner.

Kaiwen said she wanted to eat fried chicken cutlets today.