LABMY CH12

At six in the morning, the sky remained shrouded in darkness, as if a black curtain concealed the horizon. While the world had yet to awaken, the sharp ringing of the bell had already echoed through the dormitory building of Jinyang No. 1 High School.

Wei Zhenge sat up in bed, dressed, and pulled back the bed curtain to get off the bunk. The bell was still ringing. From the bed across, Chen Ji grumbled, “This damn school, this damn bell. Sooner or later, I’m gonna get a heart attack from this thing.”

The wake-up bell of Jinyang No. 1 High was infamous for its effectiveness. It jolted students awake every time, leaving them dazed no matter how often they experienced it.

The bell rang for five minutes before switching to an English song that Wei Zhenge couldn’t name.

By this time, he was already on the sports field, memorizing English vocabulary. One after another, students gradually arrived. Towering floodlights illuminated the small world of the field, while the hopeful melody of the English song echoed from the speakers. By 6:30, the music would switch to the energetic running soundtrack.

The floodlights were high yet still glaring. The students, their youthful faces not yet shed of innocence, chased after the sun that had yet to rise in the artificially lit darkness.

After the morning run, they had breakfast, attended morning self-study, then morning classes. Following the crowd, they rushed to the cafeteria for lunch, took a short nap, and then plunged into the afternoon classes.

When the bell for the final afternoon class rang, Wei Zhenge closed his book. Instead of rushing to the cafeteria with the crowd, he picked up his water cup and walked to the water dispenser at the back of the classroom.

The dispenser’s power had been turned off by someone, and when Wei Zhenge switched it on, the red light lit up. He stood there quietly, waiting for the water to boil. This waiting time was dull, but for him, it was a rare moment to clear his mind.

Holding the cup, dressed in a white school uniform, with his eyes lowered and posture upright, Wei Zhenge’s figure was elegant and composed. Passing female classmates couldn’t help but glance at him twice, whispering among themselves as they walked away.

When Wei Zhenge returned with his water, he saw his deskmate, Chen Ji, grinning while holding a basketball.

“I’m off to play ball.”

After taking two steps, Chen Ji suddenly turned back as if remembering something. “Oh, right. That thing on my desk, a friend gave it to me. Help me put it in my locker.”

Jinyang No. 1 High School was wealthy. Each classroom had a water dispenser and rows of lockers at the back for students’ personal belongings. Each locker was labeled with a number corresponding to the student’s ID number.

Without waiting for a response, Chen Ji turned and quickly left the classroom, not giving Wei Zhenge a chance to refuse.

He seemed eager to play, but his face showed not excitement, but anxiety. His heart pounded louder than his footsteps.

Wei Zhenge glanced at the box on Chen Ji’s desk and, without much thought, walked to the locker and placed it inside.

The locker had a lock, but most students didn’t bother using it. Locking and unlocking it was a hassle when there were no valuables inside.

Returning to his seat, Wei Zhenge began working on his practice paper. He only stopped when classmates gradually returned from lunch. Then, he got up and went to the cafeteria to eat.

This was his habit—avoiding peak dining hours to dodge the long lines and crowded space. Although the food would be colder and the eating time shorter, neither mattered to him.

During the evening self-study, teachers usually didn’t lecture. The classroom was filled with the sound of pens scratching against paper and occasional whispers.

Normally, this peaceful atmosphere would last until the dismissal bell. However, today, that peace was shattered.

“Teacher, this is Wei Zhenge’s classroom.”

A male voice echoed from the doorway as a group of people barged into the quiet classroom.

“I saw it with my own eyes. That pen was taken by him.”

“I thought it was his bag at first, but turns out he was stealing!”

The last few words were drawn out loudly, ensuring the entire class heard.

Leading the group was the dean, followed by the homeroom teacher of Class 5, two security guards, an unfamiliar boy, and Fu Pengyi.

The evening self-study teacher immediately stepped forward and whispered, trying to understand the situation. However, Fu Pengyi shouted out loud, “I lost my pen. We searched all our desks and lockers. My classmate said he saw Wei Zhenge rummaging through my bag before the morning exercise, so we came to check.”

“To see if he stole it,” Fu Pengyi emphasized each word, making his accusation clear.

The dean scanned the classroom with a stern expression. “Where is Wei Zhenge? Come out.”

Wei Zhenge stood up, but before he could speak, the teacher hesitated and said, “Director, Wei Zhenge is my student. He has excellent grades. I believe he wouldn’t steal.”

The dean shook his head. “Grades do not define a person’s character. Jinyang No. 1 High maintains strict discipline. We must firmly prevent such incidents from happening.”

The class erupted in whispers.

“Did he really steal?”

“Doesn’t seem like something he’d do.”

“Someone saw it, though. How could that be fake?”

“Tsk, maybe the one who ‘saw’ it is Fu Pengyi’s accomplice.”

“What’s going on here exactly?”

Fu Pengyi grinned smugly at Wei Zhenge and deliberately raised his voice, “I must find my pen today. It’s a custom-made masterpiece worth 200,000 yuan!”

He glared at Wei Zhenge viciously, “If you really stole it, get ready to be expelled. How dare you steal something like that?”

Wei Zhenge replied calmly, “I didn’t steal.”

“Whether you did or not isn’t up to your words. We need evidence,” Fu Pengyi sneered and turned to the dean. “Director, this pen was a gift from my father. If I lose it, I can’t explain it to him.”

The dean nodded, and the two security guards behind him stepped forward—one to search Wei Zhenge’s desk and backpack, and the other to check his locker.

Soon, a security guard walked over holding a box. “Found this in Wei’s locker.”

The box was opened, revealing a fountain pen.

The female teacher grew anxious. “Director, there must be some misunderstanding. Wei Zhenge would never commit theft.”

She was well aware that Fu Pengyi had been targeting Wei Zhenge. All of Wei Zhenge’s teachers knew this, but as adults with families to support, none dared to intervene.

But this time was different. Theft—especially of a pen worth 200,000 yuan—could lead to expulsion or even jail time.

“Since enrolling, Wei Zhenge has been the top student in the grade. He would never do something that would ruin his future.”

Fu Pengyi rudely interrupted, “We have both eyewitnesses and physical evidence. What misunderstanding could there be?”

“This school also has shares from my dad’s company. As his son, I won’t report this to the police to avoid damaging the school’s reputation, but if you refuse to admit it, we’ll have no choice but to call the police.”

He sneered, “Expulsion or jail—choose one.”

At this point, how could Wei Zhenge not understand what was happening? He turned slightly and met the guilty, evasive gaze of Chen Ji. His lips moved silently: “Great acting.”

If Fu Pengyi dared to threaten calling the police, the box would surely be wiped clean of Chen Ji’s fingerprints.

At this moment, Tong Lerong stood up abruptly. “Fu Pengyi, don’t push people too far! Why would Wei Zhenge care about your stupid pen?”

Fu Pengyi grinned smugly, “Rong Rong, this is no ordinary pen. It’s worth 200,000 yuan. For a poor kid like him, it’s not surprising he’d steal it.”

The female teacher suddenly thought of something and turned to the dean. “Director, Wei Zhenge’s family is actually one of the wealthiest. He wouldn’t need to steal a pen. There must be a misunderstanding. Why don’t we call his parents? This is a serious matter, after all.”

Wei Zhenge tried to stop her, “No need to call—”

Before he could finish, the female teacher grabbed his arm anxiously. “We’ll call. I have your parents’ number.”

Fumbling with her bag, the teacher struggled to open the button. Normally, she turned a blind eye to the minor bullying incidents. She had her own family to feed and couldn’t afford to lose her job.

But now, she couldn’t watch her student, who was on the verge of escaping this muddy environment, get expelled before her eyes.

The call rang for a while before someone answered. The female teacher kept her words brief and to the point:

“If this matter isn’t handled properly, your child might face expulsion.”

At the dean’s request, the call was on speaker, so everyone heard the reply from the other end—a cold, disdainful male voice:

“That little bastard stole something? The school can handle it however they want. If he deserves expulsion, then expel him.”

The female teacher panicked, “Sir, we haven’t confirmed that he—”

Before she could finish, the call was abruptly disconnected, leaving only the beeping sound of a terminated line.

The teacher’s mind raced. She suggested, “What about the surveillance cameras? We can check the footage.”

The dean replied with a sigh, “Half of the school’s cameras are old models with faulty equipment and storage. The person in charge routinely deletes all footage before leaving work. Unfortunately, today was that day.”

The female teacher stared at her phone’s screen, stunned for two seconds. Taking a deep breath, she raised her head and said firmly, “Director, with my ten years of teaching experience, I guarantee that Wei Zhenge would never steal. We cannot make a hasty conclusion. We need time to investigate.”

Tong Lerong stepped forward, “Teacher, I believe in Wei Zhenge. Someone is framing him.”

“Me too! I believe he wouldn’t steal.”

“Teacher, he’s not that kind of person.”

“How could he possibly steal from Fu Pengyi?”

“I don’t believe it either!”

One by one, students stood up.

Everyone knew Fu Pengyi had been targeting Wei Zhenge, but in the past, they stayed silent to avoid trouble. Plus, Wei Zhenge rarely spoke to others, appearing distant and aloof.

But deep down, they admired top-performing students. Although Wei Zhenge was cold, he would help others with questions when asked. Most of them didn’t believe he would steal, especially not from Fu Pengyi.

With over half the class standing up, Fu Pengyi’s face twisted with anger. He sneered, “What’s the point of your belief? You can’t read minds. The truth will come out with a fingerprint check.”

The female teacher looked down at her phone, hesitating. “We can’t call the police. Let me try calling his parents again.”

At this point, all evidence pointed to Wei Zhenge. If the police got involved, he could end up in jail.

She wasn’t stupid. If this was Fu Pengyi’s trap, he must have chosen today, the day the surveillance footage was deleted. And the box would only have Wei Zhenge’s fingerprints.

As the teacher’s anxiety grew, Wei Zhenge suddenly spoke, “Jian Yuanbai. My current guardian is Jian Yuanbai.”

The female teacher, as if grasping at a lifeline, quickly dialed the number he provided.

The moment the call connected, a drunken, slurred voice answered, “Hello? Hello, hello?”

Clearly, the person was intoxicated and sounded quite young.

Her heart sank, but she explained the situation anyway.

Unexpectedly, the other end exploded with rage:

“I’m here negotiating a billion-dollar deal! Does my Little Pillow need to steal a 200,000 yuan pen? Forget 200,000, I could buy him a million-yuan pen!”

Fu Pengyi sneered, “A million-yuan pen? That’s limited edition and impossible to buy. Who’s he trying to fool?”

“I’ll buy a pen and encrust it with diamonds! Who do you think you’re looking down on? I’m coming over right now.”

The call ended with a loud bang, followed by the sound of people shouting, “President Jian! President Jian!”

The female teacher stared at her phone in shock. For some reason, she felt a strange sense of reassurance.