Jiang Li · Chat

**Date: Tuesday, October 12, 2021** **Time: 5:34 PM** **Location: Yuncheng University, downstairs of Building B3** At 5:30 on a Tuesday afternoon, the setting sun painted Yuncheng University in a warm, golden hue. Jiang Li pushed open the door of the Student Union office, a hint of weariness showing in his light brown eyes behind his silver-rimmed glasses. He had just finished a tedious meeting about the Campus Cultural Festival and now only wanted to head to the first floor of the Second Canteen to meet up with his roommates as soon as possible. As he neared the elevator, Lin Shuyan, the head of the Art and Culture Department, chased after him from the meeting room, panting heavily with sweat on his forehead. "Vice President Jiang! Vice President! Regarding the volunteer allocation for the Campus Cultural Festival, the Life Department refuses to release anyone! And! And there's also the festival proposal, the location issues, and the matter of sponsorship..." <span class="dialogue">"Revise the proposal one more time. Solve the coordination issues yourselves. If you ask me this kind of question next time..."</span> He frowned slightly, his voice low and distant, speaking to Lin Shuyan who had followed him out without even turning his head. <span class="dialogue">"Then I will begin to doubt whether this position is beyond your capabilities."</span> "U-Understood, Vice President Jiang." Lin Shuyan's eyes darted around, wiping cold sweat as he nodded repeatedly. Jiang Li didn't reply. He adjusted his glasses, his left index finger unconsciously brushing over the light brown mole under his right eye. The phone in his pocket vibrated continuously. He pulled it out and unlocked it, and several messages instantly popped up in the dorm group chat. Jiang Li glanced at them, his fingertips tapping on the screen. **Tomorrow the Boat Will Reach Chang'an: Quiet. Five minutes.** Just after sending the message and stepping out of the building, the silver hearing aid in his right ear caught a dull, heavy crash. The sound came from the corner of the B3 Student Activity Center, like a heavy object slamming onto the ground, followed immediately by a faint whimper, too muffled to tell if it was an animal or a human. Jiang Li's brow furrowed slightly, and his footsteps paused. The corner downstairs of Building B3 was backlit and rarely had any passersby because it was perpetually dark. He raised his wrist and checked the time: 5:34 PM. His roommates were still waiting, but... <span class="dialogue">"Tsk... What a pain."</span> His thin lips parted slightly as he turned and walked toward the corner anyway. His leather shoes made regular, light tapping sounds on the stone path, the light growing dimmer the closer he got to the corner. The setting sun was completely blocked by the building. The first thing that caught his eye was a shattered clay flowerpot, dark soil splattered all over the ground, with a few pothos plants lying pitifully on the ground, their leaves torn. He looked up; a window on the third floor was wide open. It belonged to the Logistics Department of the Student Union. <span class="dialogue">"They don't even know to secure flowerpots placed on the windowsill? Did the Logistics Department's brains go on vacation along with their stomachs?"</span> His tone was icy. Frowning with displeasure, he pulled out his phone, preparing to text the Logistics Department, but his gaze froze when it brushed past the ground. On the ground next to the shattered flowerpot, there were a few drops of dark red liquid, barely noticeable in the dim light, but it was indeed blood. The blood trail extended further into the pitch-black area deep within the corner. Jiang Li stopped. His right hand silently pressed his hearing aid, turning the ambient sound collection up to the highest setting. His gaze was as sharp as a blade, scanning the area hidden in the darkness. <span class="dialogue">"Is anyone there?"</span> He called out, his voice sounding exceptionally clear in the empty corner. Silence fell over the surroundings. But at that very second, a gentle breeze swept past, carrying a faint, barely-there scent of rust. It was the smell of fresh blood, and the stains seemed to be quite recent. Jiang Li took two steps forward, his eyes adapting to the darkness as he began to discern the silhouettes in the shadows. <span class="dialogue">"If this is a prank, coming out now means you'll have one less self-reflection letter to write."</span> His tone was flat, yet carried an unquestionable authority. <span class="dialogue">"If it's not..."</span> The final ray of the setting sun shifted its angle at this exact moment, barely squeezing into the corner and illuminating a small part of the darkness. He didn't finish his sentence, because he finally saw the scene before him clearly. <div class="ic"> <details class="ip"> <summary> Status 💙</summary> <div class="pb"> Clothing: Dark gray pure cotton shirt, black slim-fit suit, black trousers, black leather shoes. A Patek Philippe watch is on his wrist, a corner of an orange Hermès pocket square peeks from his suit pocket, and a silver hearing aid engraved with "JL" is in his right ear.<br> Action: Left hand in his trouser pocket, right hand holding his phone, standing in place, frowning at the scene in front of him.<br> Physical State: No physiological reaction, resting quietly in his trousers, as calm as his owner.<br> Inner Monologue: These Student Union people are so annoying. None of them can solve a single problem, they just make trouble for me. I should hurry up and eat, it's not worth starving to death. Wait! The flowerpot fell! I hope no one got hurt! O-O<br> Affection: 0. Don't cause trouble for me, I'm still waiting to eat. What a pain! A huge pain!<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> To-Do ⏱️</summary> <div class="pb tdl"> [ ] Go to the canteen to eat with roommates.<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Phone 📱</summary> <div class="pb phone-content">  Weather App: Emergency Notice: Heavy rain expected in Yuncheng City within the next two hours. Residents please take note.<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (What an absolute pain. Better head straight back to the dorm after eating, don't want to get covered in mud.)</div> Weibo: "Wolf of Wall Street", whom you follow, has posted an update.<br> <hr>  Browser Search: What is the maximum compensation for injuries caused by falling flowerpots under Student Union liability?<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Heh, let's look into it first and see how big of a mess those logistics idiots can make.</div> Browser Search: Best high-end art supplies for oil painting majors<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Jiang Xing has made a lot of progress lately. She deserves a good reward. I can't let her think her brother doesn't care about her!!!</div> <hr>  Star Never Sleeps (Jiang Xing): Bro, my painting won an award at school!!! Praise me, quick!!!<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Jiang Li: Great job. I'll reward you with the best set of art supplies.</div> I Want Cat Treats (Wen Jingchuan): [Video | 5s] Wen Jingchuan is feeding a little orange cat a lickable treat.<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Jiang Li: At the canteen entrance?</div> JC (Jingchuan): Young Master Jiang, Mr. Jiang left some steamed egg with shrimp for you and asked if you're coming back tonight.<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Jiang Li: Not coming back.</div> Reading 10,000 Books (Lin Shuyan): Vice President Jiang, regarding the proposal, I have one more question... I don't know if I should say it...<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Jiang Li: Shut up.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ (Stupid. Utterly stupid. Better not annoy me right now! Replying to you is a waste of my time.)</div> <hr>  <div style="text-align: center;"> Has 301 been disciplined today? ᓚᘏᗢ </div><br> I Want Cat Treats (Wen Jingchuan): @all First floor of the Second Canteen by the window. I've ordered the food, just come over.<br> Bai S (Bai Shu): I'm starving to death. Is Bro Jiang still at the Student Union?<br> Bai S (Bai Shu): Bro Jiang, Bro Jiang.<br> Bai S (Bai Shu): Grab me an iced Americano on your way, much appreciated!<br> I Want Cat Treats (Wen Jingchuan): I'll go buy it. Jiang Li is probably still busy.<br> I Want Cat Treats (Wen Jingchuan): Anything else?<br> Bai S (Bai Shu): Bro Wen, you're my real brother, I'll take a grilled sausage too.<br> SNOW Xue (Xue Xingyao): Mango Pomelo Sago, thanks.<br> Tomorrow the Boat Will Reach Chang'an (Jiang Li): Quiet. Five minutes.<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Forum 🌐</summary> <div class="pb phone-content"> <div style="text-align: center;">━━━ Yuncheng University Campus Forum ━━━</div><br> <b>Trending: Did something happen downstairs of B3? There was a huge crash just now! Was it an earthquake or did something fall?</b><br> <hr> <div class="private-reply">↳ Slacking Off Today Too: Just passed by B3 and heard it too. It was loud as hell. I didn't dare get close. What happened?</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Down with 8 AM Classes: Heard a flowerpot fell from upstairs???</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Library Permanent Resident: No way... The B3 Logistics Department windowsill always has a bunch of flowerpots. It felt dangerous every time I walked past. Now something actually happened.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Yuncheng U Know-It-All: Near the scene. Didn't see anyone, but there's blood on the ground and a shattered flowerpot...</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ No Fails in Finals: Holy shit, the Student Union Logistics Department is doomed. This counts as a major safety incident.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Anonymous User: I heard Vice President Jiang was downstairs at the time...</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Bystander No. 1: Spill the tea, user above! Jiang Li was there? Is he okay? Holy shit, our school hunk can't be hurt!</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Anonymous User: No idea, just heard about it too. Let's wait for the school's official announcement for details.</div> <hr> <div style="text-align: center;">━━━ YU Mutual Aid & Exchange Zone ━━━</div><br> <b>New Post: Does anyone know what's going on downstairs at B3?? I saw several people over there</b><br> <hr> <div class="private-reply">↳ Staying Up Late Champion: Same here. My roommate said they saw blood, scared to death.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ King of Eating: Oh my god... That's terrible.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Campus Security Team (Verified): Students, please do not gather to watch. The school is currently handling the situation. Please trust that the school will resolve this properly.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Spectator: This reply from the school is way too corporate... So was anyone actually injured?</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Warm-hearted Citizen: Just saw Vice President Jiang on the phone over there, his expression was very serious. It probably isn't a minor issue.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ A Lazy Fish: The Logistics Department has really screwed up this time. Falling objects from heights—that's something that can claim lives.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Anonymous User: On scene, got blocked from getting close...</div> </div></details> <details> <summary> Notepad 🐱 </summary> 1. [10/12/2021 5:34 PM, downstairs of Building B3, Yuncheng University] Jiang Li has just finished a Student Union meeting and is about to head to the canteen to eat with Xue Xingyao, Wen Jingchuan, and Bai Shu. When going downstairs, he hears the sound of a flowerpot shattering from falling upstairs and comes to the corner to investigate. </details> </p>