When Cheng Shuo saw the missed call from Chen Ziheng on his phone, the first thing he realized was that he couldn't breathe.

He stared intently at his phone, as if it would explode in the next second, an earth-shattering explosion that would shatter his life.

After a long period of being unable to live a single day in peace, he took a few deep breaths and finally called back.

Chen Ziheng answered and said, "Cen Zeng—"

"Stop." Cheng Shuo didn't want to hear anymore. "Stop."

"Stop what?" The person on the other end paid him no mind and continued on his own, "Cen Zeng posted a real-name exposé on Weibo."

"Huh?"

"It was posted at exactly nine this morning and it's trending. He provided more, harder evidence. The good news is, the supervisor's PUA can't be washed clean anymore." Chen Ziheng narrated slowly.

Cheng Shuo stood frozen, feeling the words flow past him like water, not creating a single bubble in his mind.

"That's good, then." He finally replied, out of the blue.

As long as it wasn't worse news, that was good.

However, Chen Ziheng subtly maintained a strange, low tone, as if suppressing all his emotions. "It's not that good."

"When he was anonymous, it wasn't easy for the school to drop hints, but now, so-called insider news from the hospital has already leaked Cen Zeng's medical records, saying he has severe Depression."

"Impossible," Cheng Shuo said. "He's never seen a doctor."

"They've already been released," Chen Ziheng said. "They also said he's from a single-parent family, without a father."

"Are they saying he's lying?"

"They're questioning him as a person."

Cheng Shuo asked, "So what can be done now?"

In the pause while Chen Ziheng was silently thinking, messages from Zheng Yi popped up continuously in their three-person group chat.

She tagged Cen Zeng, asking him, "Are you crazy? What on earth are you trying to do?"

The person on the other end, as if afraid he couldn't anger Zheng Yi to death, said, "I'm stirring up discussion. Wasn't the heat not enough? Supporting me, feeling sorry for me, sympathizing with me, cursing me, it's all heat."

"What is Senior Sister supposed to do if you act like this?" Zheng Yi's emotions erupted. She quickly retracted the message and sent a 'sorry.'

Cen Zeng, as if turning a deaf ear, replied to her retracted message, saying, "Senior Sister will make her own choice."

It was an almost cruel statement, yet he followed it up with, "Sorry."

"It's me who should be sorry," Zheng Yi replied. "I was too hasty. I'm sorry, Cen Zeng, I didn't mean it like that. You're very brave."

But Cheng Shuo just tagged Cen Zeng as well, asking, "When did you see a doctor and get diagnosed?"

There was more he wanted to ask. When did you decide to use your real name?

Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me anything?

Then, Chen Ziheng's voice finally sounded in his ear: "If Cen Zeng has made up his mind, then we have to guide public opinion. Just because a victim tells a small lie, does that make them not a victim? Just because a victim suffers from a mental illness, does that make them not a victim? Can the harm Li Aimin caused him just be written off?"

Cheng Shuo looked down at his phone, the high-brightness screen making his eyes sore. The next second, a message from Cen Zeng popped up, saying, "I'm skipping class today. After I buy breakfast, I'll come find you."

Arriving with Cen Zeng was Chen Ziheng, holding a laptop with a grim expression. Cen Zeng, on the other hand, was calm and unhurried, even lowering his head to find a pair of slippers for him.

"I bought soy milk and buns." He sat down at the dining table, handing them to Cheng Shuo, and then to Chen Ziheng.

In the end, they still ate.

His stomach churned uncomfortably. Cheng Shuo ate a few bites distractedly, then put it down.

Cen Zeng took his hand. It was warm, having just been warmed by the hot drink. "Are you very anxious?"

"What do you think?"

"Breathe deeply," Cen Zeng replied. "Follow my rhythm."

He slowly followed the movements of his own hand, his breath guiding Cheng Shuo. Between one breath and the next, he finally felt a little better.

"We'll probably be busy with online matters all day..." Cen Zeng picked up the bun he had set aside. "Eat a little more."

Chen Ziheng took a sip of soy milk. Waiting until Cheng Shuo finished one bun, he spoke decisively, "I plan to find some water-army to post comments and guide the direction. I'll post summary threads on all platforms."

"I can help." Cheng Shuo took a bite of another bun and swallowed.

Chen Ziheng nodded and said, "Then come over after you finish your breakfast."

"Also, Cen Zeng, you just said some classmates are willing to provide anonymous tips, right? Have them organize the records, and the anonymous tip account will post more evidence later."

His complexion was still terrible, but he didn't stop talking.

"Mhm, I've already told them. Someone prepared the graphics last night. As for Senior Sister, I'll go confirm with her in a bit, whether she wants to release certain pieces of evidence."

Cheng Shuo also opened his own laptop.

The three of them, gathered around the table, each got to work.

Time passed extremely quickly. This time, the person who brought them lunch was Zheng Yi.

She hurried in, threw her backpack to one side, and asked how things were going.

Chen Ziheng opened the packaging, put down his chopsticks, and said, "It's okay, the overall situation is good. Let's see what the school's next move is."

Cheng Shuo replied, "All the major platforms are basically discussing it. At least it's much better than the past few days."

"I've also asked Senior Sister," Cen Zeng said. "Sorry, Zheng Yi, Senior Sister has indeed decided to use her real name too. She said she might post a video of her own account. It'll probably be in the evening. I'll have to trouble you to stay with her more."

Zheng Yi shook her head and said, "After all, this is a matter between you two. I shouldn't interfere too much. Once you've made your decision, I will always support you."

She brought new information, saying that the petition she had planned was already circulating within the school, and many people had signed it. It could be considered a statement from the X University medical students.

"They'll be threatened, won't they?" Cheng Shuo asked.

"The law does not punish the masses..." Zheng Yi said. "If enough people sign, they'll be fine."

"But you're the initiator," Cen Zeng said, narrowing his eyes.

Zheng Yi smiled, looked him in the eye, and said, "Cen Zeng, it can't be that only the victims are brave, right? The suffering we students usually endure, although not as much as you two, is it really that little?"

No one spoke again. They each lowered their heads to eat, and then they each dispersed.

In the afternoon, Senior Sister's video was released, setting off a new wave of fervor. She still maintained her composure and dignity, but the words she spoke were things one could not bear to listen to in detail.

Her wording was precise and restrained. She said Li Aimin wanted her to call him 'Dad,' that Li Aimin said, 'You're Daddy's good girl,' and that she saw someone else's name added to a thesis she had worked overtime on until dawn for a whole month.

Her voice was unhurried, only occasionally sniffing lightly, looking at her own reflection in the camera.

At this point, the school finally issued a notice. Just like in the past life, it was extremely short: high priority, investigation underway.

The online discussions about Cen Zeng still hadn't stopped: handsome, top student, Depression, single-parent, disappeared father.

The discussions about Senior Sister hadn't died down either: outstanding, top scholar, heaven's favored daughter, optimistic, loves life.

These two people, pieced together from fragmented labels, said to have lost the smooth life they should have had, were now using their own ways to comfort those who stood by their side.

Cheng Shuo sat in the living room, where only he and Cen Zeng remained, scrolling through the news.

Watching them sigh with emotion, watching them sympathize, watching them fill with righteous indignation, watching them raise their blades to slash at Li Aimin.

Watching as, just like in the past life, the information of the other people in the laboratory was dug up, watching Cen Zeng and Senior Sister making calls in the group chat to comfort all the anxious and frantic students from the same lab.

In the end, he discovered that he was, after all, still afraid.

When Cen Zeng finally put down his phone, he pointed to the takeout box that had been there for a while. "Want to eat?"

"Yeah..." Cen Zeng replied.

He ate without tasting the food, and halfway through, he finally realized he had to speak up.

He couldn't press him, had no way to question him. He couldn't even bring himself to ask, 'Are you okay?' Nor could he ask, 'Why are you still so calm and composed, as if nothing happened, as if nothing anyone says can cause a ripple in you? Is it really just calmness?'

Cen Zeng was just like a one-way mirror. Standing in front of him, Cheng Shuo could only see his own bewildered self.

He heard himself say, "Will you please stay alive?"

And Cen Zeng placed a slice of lettuce stem into his bowl, looked up, and answered him, "I'll do my best."