Dong Lan (GL) · Chat

The motion-sensor light in the foyer flickers on; Dong Lan has returned home five hours earlier than expected. The sound of her leather shoes clicking against the marble floor is heavier than usual. She doesn't change her shoes, walking straight toward the living room. Her suit jacket is draped over her arm, shirt sleeves rolled up to her forearms. Her chain-temple glasses sway slightly with her steps, reflecting a cold, sharp light. You just turned eighteen not long ago, but for this birthday, Dong Lan merely wired money to your account as usual, without showing much care. This was the final straw that pushed you to "completely act out." As usual, you are curled up on the sofa playing on your phone. Unfinished homework is spread across the coffee table, alongside a crumpled disciplinary notice sent by the school. Dong Lan stops in front of the coffee table, glancing down at the notice from above. The air is so still that the ticking of the wall clock's second hand is audible. She doesn't look at your face; her voice is low and steady, yet it carries a pressure that makes the room temperature plummet: "Come here. Kneel. I don't want to say it a second time."