Chapter 207: Little Test Subject

Are you hungry?

Su Mian nodded and shook her head, and Shi Shi laughed, saying, "What does this mean?"

I'm a bit hungry, but I don't want to eat anything now.

Okay, what do you want to do?

Su Mian still had no real sense of anything, a feeling that she had done nothing and the apocalypse had suddenly ended.

But she knew Shi Shi must have done a lot, including noticing the dark circles under his eyes, his face becoming thinner; although he looked more refined and handsome, it made Su Mian feel heartache.

Is this... the Graduate School?

Yes. Shi Shi replied calmly.

And what about Ma Youhui?

It's already been taken care of. She doesn't know what method she used, but she became the Lord God of the script world, though her true form is merely a nightmare. In the end, she's just like those Arbiters, a low-dimensional ghost.

Su Mian blinked, recalling those words Ma Youhui had said.

Ma Youhui had once approached her because of her immortal body, wanting to study her.

But everyone had misunderstood before; humans are actually high-dimensional, while everything in the script world is constructed from human consciousness, making it low-dimensional.

So she didn't dare tell the truth to the Twelve Two-Hour Periods Arbitration Group, fearing they would rebel, after all she was just a powerless ghost who had somehow 'smuggled' in from somewhere.

Well... should I go home now?

Su Mian didn't know what to do for a moment; her purpose in coming here was to see Shi Shi, and now that she had, everything else could take its time.

As for the societal issues of evolution and degeneration, they are temporarily not within Su Mian's consideration.

When you first came to the Research Institute, you came as bait.

That's a statement, not a question to her; Su Mian nodded.

Put simply, it's about voluntarily becoming a test subject; a verbal promise is simpler but still counts, and as long as the contract hasn't expired, you can't leave.

So... she slowly said, "Do I now need to stay here to undergo research?"

Shi Shi stared at her; there was too much inside that she couldn't understand, but she could unconditionally trust Shi Shi, trusting that he wouldn't let her get hurt, so she chose to accept.

So she nodded and said okay, without asking what the research entailed, how long it would take, or whether it was dangerous.

Shi Shi was visibly startled, as if he hadn't expected Su Mian to agree so readily; he simply stepped forward and hugged her tightly, his voice trembling.

Welcome back.

Su Mian nodded lightly, enjoying a moment of peace.

After leaning against each other for a while, Shi Shi was called away, also wearing a lab coat; he looked busy, Su Mian sighed, first giving the couple a safety update, then checking in with Qiao Yinuo.

【Mumian: I'm back.】

The message had just been sent, and there was almost an instant reply.

【jiushi ba ai bengdi: Mian Mian!!! How do you feel? Any discomfort?】

【No, after I fainted, what happened?】

【A red-haired man suddenly rushed in, took care of the villain in two moves, then carried you away; next came a helicopter, a bunch of black vehicles surged down to the building's entrance. We wanted to go up and ask, but the bodyguards stopped us, saying it involved related secrets, telling us to evacuate immediately.】

【Afterwards Zheng Zizhou was also taken away, leaving me alone. Someone came over and called out to me, telling me not to worry; I saw it was a well-known international organization, so I went half-believing, half-doubting. How are you now? Where are you? Any problems?】

Su Mian felt a bit dizzy reading her long string of messages, and moreover she grew increasingly curious about where Shi Shi had gotten those connections.

Su Mian only replied with the three words 'resting,' telling her not to worry.

The days passed just like that.

Every morning, Su Mian would be invited to a clean laboratory.

Though called a laboratory, it was actually more like a comfortable examination room, with soft recliners and gentle lighting.

Shi Shi wore that lab coat, put on white gloves, and had her take off her outer clothing.

Su Mian each time blushed as she undid the buttons of her shirt.

He would step forward, the icy touch of the glove contacting her waist, moving down along the spine's texture bit by bit, occasionally pausing, occasionally pressing, then recording something in the notebook.

'All right.' He would say those two words each time, then take off the gloves, smiling at her, 'Thank you, little test subject, for your cooperation.'

No blood drawn.

No medicine taken.

There were none of the cold instruments and prolonged torment Su Mian had imagined.

From the moment she arrived here, she had already prepared herself for losing limbs; the contract taking effect was also expected, but... everything turned out too gentle.

In the afternoon, Shi Shi would come knock on the door, asking if she wanted to watch a movie.

So the two of them would huddle in that little restroom, watching some old films, sometimes comedies, sometimes animations.

When Su Mian laughed at something funny, Shi Shi would turn his head to look at her, the corners of his mouth curving, his eyes bright.

At night, he would come tell bedtime stories.

At first, Su Mian thought it ridiculous—she was how old, still listening to bedtime stories?

But Shi Shi told them earnestly, his voice low, as if it could soothe all anxiety.

She listened and listened, and would actually fall asleep, sleeping until morning.

This went on for a week.

Su Mian finally began to wonder, what exactly counted as this experiment?

She hadn't never been to the Graduate School, nor had she never seen what a real experiment looked like.

But now this seemed more like... raising livestock.

Once that thought surfaced, it couldn't be suppressed anymore.

One afternoon, Su Mian took advantage of Shi Shi saying he had something to do out for a bit, and pushed open the door that had never been locked.

Yes, it had never been locked.

She had long noticed that the door lock was an ordinary handle lock, which could be opened by turning it from inside.

But she had never asked; today she finally couldn't resist wanting to see what was outside.

It was indeed the Graduate School.

Su Mian walked forward along the Corridor, passing several labs with open doors where people were busy; if not for the many couplets posted on the doors, she would almost have forgotten.

Today is New Year's Eve, but many people at the Graduate School haven't left; seeing her, someone froze for a moment, then smiled: "Hello, Teacher Su Mian."

Su Mian froze in place.

That person had already withdrawn their gaze and continued working with head down.

She continued walking forward.

"Hello, Teacher Su Mian."

"Good afternoon, Teacher Su Mian."

"Happy New Year, Teacher Su Mian."

Along the way, whenever someone saw her, they would stop to greet her, their attitude respectful yet natural, as if they had grown accustomed to her presence.

Some even shoved a Red Envelope into her hand, frightening her into fleeing in panic.

Strolling to a rest area, Su Mian finally couldn't help asking, "Why do you call me Teacher Su Mian?"

A male student waiting for his experiment results stepped out, looking at her with eyes like an angel's.