Scrolling further, someone from the same lab came out with an exposé.

No accusations from him. All the accusations were from other people.

Looking back at the folder, there was another document. This one was named: Password.

Phone password, private photo album password, written in great detail.

He opened his phone. WeChat was filled with messages from all sorts of classmates. The contact names he saved were all formatted as name, class, and department. Cheng Shuo's was just his name.

That was normal too. They had never exchanged personal information.

In the chat with Cheng Shuo, there was a draft, an unsent message. The time was this morning, 12:55 AM.

"Tomorrow probably won't work."

Cheng Shuo almost wanted to laugh.

What do you mean, Cen Zeng?

What on earth do you mean?

Before you died, you remembered to censor the victims' names. Before you died, you remembered to remove your computer password. Before you died, you remembered to leave your phone password.

Before you died, you even remembered there were no eggs at home. Before you died, you even remembered to say tomorrow won't work. What on earth does it mean?

You took care of everyone else, but you couldn't be bothered to care for yourself.

Why, exactly?

Wu Yin carefully patted his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Not okay. Of course, I'm not okay.

But none of it mattered.

If it's like this, if it's like this, Cheng Shuo could barely think between each breath. If it's like this, if Cen Zeng wouldn't speak, then he would speak for him.

He had read his diary. He came back, and then Cen Zeng died even earlier.

And then he looked, looked at all of this, and wanted to rush over and tear up that "Quite unnecessary" A4 paper.

White paper, black characters, the contrast made one's eyes ache.

But what was the point? The paper wouldn't feel pain, Cen Zeng wouldn't come back, and none of it would disappear.

He wanted to crumple that paper into a ball, but in the end, he just stood there and said, "I've copied the files, just in case. Then I'm going to leak them."

"What about the phone?"

"Give me the phone too," he said.

"What about Cen Zeng's mom?" Wu Yin asked.

"I'll contact Auntie." Cheng Shuo took a breath. "It's fine."

Wu Yin frowned and said, "What about me?"

He asked very softly, very lost, as soft as the voice in Cheng Shuo's head the last time he faced the diary.

Cheng Shuo said, "You get some rest. Don't stay in the dorm for now. Wait for my news, I might need your help. The university might look for you too. Don't say too much."

Wu Yin nodded, it was unclear if he had really heard him.

But none of that mattered. Cheng Shuo zipped up all the files and sent them to his own email, confirming receipt.

Then, carrying all the belongings, he pretended to be nonchalant and calmly left the dormitory building, away from the surveillance of the university leaders at the entrance.

Sitting in a taxi, he dialed Chen Ziheng's number.

"How are things?" he asked.

"The university is suppressing the news," Chen Ziheng replied.

"Are they even human?"

Chen Ziheng didn't respond to that, instead asking him, "And you? How are you doing?"

Cheng Shuo gripped his phone tightly, not knowing if he should ask.

"Can I trust you?" Cheng Shuo finally said.

"What do you mean?" Chen Ziheng's tone changed. "Are you doubting me?"

"You're the president of the Student Council," Cheng Shuo said. "I don't know which side you'll be on."

"You think I'm on the university's side?" Chen Ziheng sneered. "Then do you think I'm calling you now to placate you and soothe your emotions? Aren't you afraid I'll tell the university that you came to ask about him the day before yesterday?"

Cheng Shuo tightened his grip on his phone, a chill running down his back.

"If you need my help..." Chen Ziheng continued, "you'd better not say things like that."