Chapter 21

Shi Jian performed on the spot, shedding tears in one second. Previously, during the shift change assessment, the teacher asked the male streamer to cry within ten seconds, and Shi Jian secretly hoped to be cued, but the teacher changed her topic.

Shi Jian: The chance to show off, here it is!

Shi Jian’s crying was especially beautiful and deliberate, with a runny nose and tears streaming down; or like Xiao Huagui, who would pout and sob while holding her head, that’s not how a beauty cries. Her tears fell drop by drop, as if meticulously controlled in size.

Like pearls.

Her teammate was very supportive. Tang Tian couldn’t fall behind and quickly joined the complaint brigade, pointing at the table that the school doctor had initially destroyed to show off.

“Exactly, exactly, so scary. Director, look, the table is broken too!”

The school doctor was dumbfounded: How come the person who just recently threw high heels at her is now crying?

The school doctor really wanted to throw back Shi Jian’s previous evaluation at her: “Disgusting!”

Pretending to be so weak, but when I was slapping you, you had quite the strength.

The head of discipline fell silent facing Shi Jian’s party’s complaints. He never expected the person they were after was actually a colleague.

And this scene was damn familiar!

Even the complainers looked like clones of each other.

Shi Jian felt the gaze the head of discipline cast her way, and she shed a few more pearl-like tears.

Xishi holding her heart jpg.

Head of discipline: “...”

...

【Hahahahaha.】

【Upstairs, you’re disturbing my eyes!】

【How can this be so entertaining? The streamer is so dramatic.】

【I’m a firm supporter of the streamer, always empathizing with their situation, but honestly right now I want to light a candle for the school doctor. She seems pretty miserable—being held down by Shi Jian and the others, dragged around, running circles, and now accused of destroying school property.】

【Who said streamers are dumb beauties? This is clearly super clever. Saying the school doctor turned into a monster, the head of discipline definitely wouldn’t come; saying she damaged public property got the head of discipline here.】

【Shi Jian: Exactly, I’m fishing with law enforcement.】

【Shi Jian: Even the villain complains first. (dog head emoji)】

【What villain complaining first? That’s clearly striking first. And which of our streamer’s words isn’t true? (dog head emoji)】

【Bullying the honest school doctor, mouth is slow, huh? (dog head emoji)】

Old fans felt the head of discipline was clearly Tang’s butler number two! The new victim ghost, the great scapegoat is in position.

The barrage was extremely lively.

The head of discipline gradually came back to his senses.

Meanwhile, the school doctor had already reverted from her abnormal state to a normal human form, but looked bruised and battered, with hardly any unscathed spot on her face or body. Any wound picked would be more serious than Shi Jian’s nearly healed one... No, now healed wounds were more severe.

The head of discipline silently muttered to his colleague in his heart: You’ve suffered.He said, "Shi Jian, don’t be afraid. As long as the teacher is here, no innocent student will be harmed!"

"Go back to your classrooms first; class will start soon. I’ll handle this here."

Shi Jian and Tang Tian exchanged glances, both knowing they had escaped again.

They avoided being chased by the school doctor wielding a ten-meter-long surgical knife.

Xiao Huagui had already reassembled her body and stuck close to Shi Jian.

However, just as Shi Jian was slipping away, the head of discipline’s voice echoed faintly, "I will thoroughly investigate the real situation."

Meaning this matter wasn’t over yet.

Of course, no one paid him any attention at the moment.

...

"Hah—"

"That was way too dangerous."

After everyone escaped the infirmary, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Tang Tian couldn’t help but exclaim.

Xiao Huagui held up Shi Jian’s broken Barbie pink high heel proudly, showing off, "Sister, look, I brought it out for you."

Just ask if she’s awesome!

Earlier, Shi Jian had smashed the school doctor with the broken high heel, and before they ran out, Xiao Huagui had specially picked the shoe back up.

Shi Jian didn’t hesitate to praise, "Our Xiao Huagui is the best."

Xiao Huagui blushed and twisted shyly like a twisted pretzel, "Just pretty good, though." But after she said it, she felt something was off.

Damn! She felt more and more like a dog—like a dog that picked something up waiting for its owner’s praise.

After praising, Shi Jian took the Barbie pink high heel from Xiao Huagui’s hand. Her feelings about the thing were still complicated.

When Shi Jian first got the Barbie pink high heel, her mentality exploded facing such an ugly thing. To her, this ugly thing should never see the light of day, but after the infirmary escape, Shi Jian realized the Barbie pink high heel might actually be quite useful?

Tang Tian came over too, "Even though it’s broken, I don’t know if it can be restored. But growth items are still pretty strong."

Although the cheap, peeling, and constantly offline Barbie pink high heel screamed unreliable, it didn’t look like a powerful item at all.

Shi Jian had just shared the heel’s information with Tang Tian. Streamers, once permitted, can check each other’s item info.

Shi Jian said, "We’ll see." Taking it one step at a time.

She put the high heel away again.

Tang Tian also generously shared her item—

It was a folder.

This was what surrounded the school doctor with countless folders and slowed her down for three seconds. The item’s name was [Boss’s Blessing], meaning that using it would come with countless tasks—overtime assigned by the boss was a ‘blessing.’

Of course, this item wasn’t too overpowered; the biggest issue was its cooldown timer, making it suitable for key moments.

Tang Tian scratched her head, "I don’t even know why I got this item. Maybe because I’m a corporate slave?"After a team battle, everyone’s feelings clearly warmed up a lot, and their tacit understanding improved. However, the school didn’t intend to let the streamers have it easy.

After attending a few classes, Shi Jian received a notice.

“This afternoon is a scheduled holiday. Everyone must continue studying at home without slackening, got it?”

The classmates answered in unison, “Got it!”

The teacher added, “By the way, a reminder: you must leave the school before 7 p.m. The school gate will close after 7, and security will check.”

Shi Jian: ???

Aren’t they in the campus dungeon? Why the sudden order to leave school?

And judging by this, if they don’t leave before 7, something bad will probably happen—most likely triggering a death condition.

Shi Jian asked the classmate next to her, “Why suddenly require students to leave school?”

The classmate, surprised to be asked by such a beauty, still looked puzzled, “It’s a holiday.”

“Qingshan No.1 High School gives a break once a month in the middle of the month. But the break is very short—just one night, and students have to return early the next day…”

That made sense—going home for a short break once a month is harsh but understandable. Students have families, after all.

But Shi Jian didn’t want this sudden holiday at all. She wasn’t prepared for it.

In the Rose Castle dungeon, they’d been inside the castle the whole time. Shi Jian didn’t even know where home was. Wait, in this dungeon’s setting, did she even have a home?

Just as Shi Jian thought about this, a note suddenly appeared in her hand—a white paper with red writing:

Name: Shi Jian

Home address: Building 4, Apartment 404, Xingfu Community.

Shi Jian: “…”

Good grief, the home address just showed up, and no matter how she looked at the numbers, they felt unlucky.

...

Shi Jian clenched the note and rushed out of the classroom. Right outside, she saw Tang Tian looking flustered, also holding a note, apparently looking for her.

Shi Jian quickly asked, “Does the note say home address?”

Tang Tian understood and bitterly replied, “Yeah…”

“You got the notice too? Need to leave school and go home today, and must leave before 7?”

They exchanged info and concluded their situations were basically the same.

Other streamers were obviously panicked too. One by one, they gathered around Shi Jian and Tang Tian. They all suddenly had a “home” — a “home” they didn’t want to return to.

“Nothing good will come of this. I don’t want to go back. My parents must be monsters, right? I’d rather stay at Qingshan No.1 High.”

One streamer crumpled the note, looking like she wanted to destroy it.

It was ironic. Before, everyone thought Qingshan No.1 High was seriously twisted—if they didn’t follow the rules and improve their grades, their lives would be in danger. But now, faced with the unknown “home,” Qingshan No.1 High seemed much safer.

At least on campus, they could leave some trace and were among their own kind. Going “home” meant facing monsters alone.Another streamer said, "Aren’t you just stating the obvious?" referring to the parents being monsters.

“But can you stay at school?”

“Don’t you remember the rule that you must leave before 7? Security will check.”

The streamers fell silent, but the situation was even worse for Shi Jian and the others.

Because while everyone was heatedly discussing, the head teacher suddenly appeared and kindly called out to Shi Jian, adding fuel to the fire.

“The transfer notice has already been sent to parents. There is a transfer form that needs a parent’s signature, which must be handed in when you return to school tomorrow.”

Shi Jian, Tang Tian, and the streamer who successfully transferred to the PE class using a prop all received the transfer notice.

Not only did they have to go home, but they also needed a parent's signature. The school had already informed the "parents" about their transfer.

Shi Jian’s expression management was still excellent, but inside she was numb—just kill her already.

Qingshan No.1 High School was so obsessed with students’ grades, to a sick, twisted degree. The parents weren’t any better—they wanted their children to succeed, but would any parent willingly let their child transfer to the arts or PE class?

Before, when Shi Jian successfully transferred, the other streamers who could only take cultural classes were extremely envious. Now, they only felt sympathy.

Although going “home” was dangerous for everyone, having Shi Jian and the others as a comparison made it feel less unbearable.

Control group: Shi Jian, Tang Tian, “...”

Who would have thought even transferring classes would become a trap?

【Damn! This is such a trap!】

【Seriously, I was happy when the streamer transferred successfully before, but now what is this?】

【Though it’s a trap for streamers, the school notifying parents sounds real. Though the streamers definitely don’t want this kind of reality.】

【I strongly suspect the head teacher already holds a grudge against Shi Jian. When he said “see you tomorrow,” his expression clearly meant “go die today.”】

【So tense!】

...

“Good luck.”

“Hopefully tomorrow we can still stand at the school gate in one piece.”

Shi Jian and Tang Tian lingered for a while and left school just before 7 p.m., saying their goodbyes. Their homes were in completely different directions, so they weren’t going together.

Streamers were easy to spot compared to regular students. Most students went home happily for the holiday, but the streamers looked utterly miserable.

As Shi Jian headed toward Xingfu Community, she glanced back at the school. The gate was already closed. Thick black fog hovered over the campus, and the once-kind security guards had transformed.

Their bodies were elongated, over two meters tall, moving quickly toward the inside of the campus. They were probably the inspectors the teacher mentioned who check if anyone stayed behind.

Perhaps sensing Shi Jian’s gaze, the last security guard suddenly turned his head.

Shi Jian: “...” She quickly looked away, trying to act casual but actually sped up.

Xingfu Community wasn’t far from school—practically a school district housing area. The streets looked no different from those in economically developed cities, with shops and malls everywhere.

This time Shi Jian didn’t procrastinate until the last moment to go home. First, she didn’t know if there would be danger on the way; second, she had to face the so-called parents sooner or later. Dragging it out would look bad to the livestream audience.The latter, Shi Jian would never allow, even if it meant death!

...

“Shi Jian is back from school.”

“This kid is getting more and more beautiful. I heard she’s still a top student at Qingshan No.1 High School.”

“Xiu Xiang really endured a lot. She raised Shi Jian alone, acting as both father and mother. It wasn’t easy at all. She even moved to our neighborhood for the sake of her child’s education... A kid with good grades and prospects is better than anything.”

Shi Jian wasn’t sure whether to praise this app or not. Not only did it assign “homes” to the streamers, but even the conversations with the elderly on the way home were unusually realistic.

From the elderly men’s talk, Shi Jian understood this family better—

A woman raising a child alone without a husband, who even spent a fortune to move into a school district home for the child’s education.

It was very tough.

But the more she thought about it, the more Shi Jian felt that transferring classes was like dancing on a grave.

Although the rent in Xingfu Community was expensive, it was an old community without elevators. Shi Jian climbed step by step up to the fourth floor. While climbing, she wondered how to open the door—should she knock or call out? Maybe she’d have to call out “Mom” to a strange face.

Shi Jian hoped this mother would at least look like a skeleton, and not be as disgusting as the crazed school doctor. As a professional and disciplined actor, she could say it—but the latter required stronger psychological preparation.

But this worry was unnecessary, because the door to 404 was open—

From outside, she could directly see the living room. The place was small but warmly decorated. The doormat at the door was bright red with the words “Safe Entry and Exit.” Inside, she heard someone humming—probably in the kitchen—along with the sounds of cooking.

Shi Jian could already smell the rich aroma of food.

The whole scene was full of everyday human life, like countless ordinary but warm moments. Shi Jian was momentarily stunned—the scene was nothing like what she imagined.

The person in the kitchen heard footsteps and gently called out,

“Baby, you’re home! Are you tired? Mom made fish soup for you. It’ll be ready soon. Did you miss Mom?”

A limp tentacle pushed open the kitchen door. Countless suckered tentacles covered the kitchen tiles, filling the small kitchen entirely.

The woman cooking wasn’t young anymore, but a faint trace of youthful beauty could still be seen on her face. She turned to Shi Jian with a smiling face, even showing dimples—but Shi Jian felt no warmth at all.

Only coldness.

Her upper body was human-shaped, but below was all tentacles—what on earth was this thing?!

Compared to this, the school doctor wasn’t much better looking.

Shi Jian, “...”

If she hadn’t kept reminding herself she was still live-streaming, and that she didn’t fear being torn to pieces, wanting to keep her beauty in this world, she would have fainted right there.

Shi Jian was ready to take out the broken high heel, but the other party showed no sign of attacking or harming her. Instead, she looked puzzled, as if wondering why her daughter didn’t respond, tilting her head slightly.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

Shi Jian acted purely on instinct and shook her head, “Nothing.”

What followed felt like everything sped up. Shi Jian didn’t even know how she ended up sitting at the dining table, watching the so-called mother put on a live show.

One tentacle was scooping rice from the rice cooker with a spatula, another held a bowl, and several tentacles were at the water dispenser a few meters away fetching water... Tentacles flew everywhere at once.“Oh no, the fish soup I stewed should be ready.”

The monster mom, who had been effortlessly putting on a show, suddenly seemed to remember something and her expression changed.

Shi Jian still remembered her identity as a daughter, and she wasn’t very interested in the performance, so she stood up, “I’ll go serve it.”

A tentacle pressed down on her shoulder, pushing Shi Jian back into her chair, clearly making arrangements.

The other party teased with a smile, “No need for you.”

“Let Mom do it. You’ve worked hard at school and have lost weight. Just rest well today. I know my daughter is filial.”

After saying that, two tentacles rushed into the kitchen and quickly brought out the steaming hot fish soup, placing it on the table.

Shi Jian, “...”

It turned out she was right not to try to run away immediately. Just from how far those tentacles could reach, even if she ran, she’d be caught.

If her high heel hadn’t broken, she might have had a slight chance to escape, but now it was pointless.

Because of her overwhelming fear, Shi Jian’s mind started to wander. She thought the tentacles were ugly, but they really were efficient at doing things.

“Come eat the dishes, drink the fish soup... Why aren’t you eating? Is it that Mom’s cooking doesn’t suit your taste?”

The monster mom kept nagging as she tried to coax her to eat. Only then did she move the spoon, tasting the fish soup herself. “Not salty, very tasty, just the way you like it.”

Shi Jian didn’t dare eat anything. Besides, the director had clearly mentioned when they left school that the transfer had been told to the parents.

Why hadn’t this person mentioned a single word?

Shi Jian had a strong feeling that the four dishes and one soup in front of her were actually a “headless dish” trap.

How could she eat in such a tense and oppressive environment? Even if by chance the monster mom hadn’t gotten the transfer notice, Shi Jian couldn’t avoid the showdown today because she had to sign.

Tomorrow, she had to bring the consent form with the parent’s signature back to school.

So Shi Jian went straight to the point, “...Mom, you know that I transferred from the academic class to the art class, right?”

“I think, since I’ve grown up like this, I shouldn’t waste it—I should be standing in front of the screen.”

Shi Jian held her breath. After she said this, the monster mom clearly changed. The tentacles, which had been quietly resting on the ground except when working, suddenly started moving wildly, looking very restless.

The viewers in Shi Jian’s livestream were nearly scared out of their minds.

[“Ahhhhh, so much for gentleness being real, it’s about to explode.”]

However, the monster mom just waved the tentacles and nodded at Shi Jian’s face, “Mm, I already know.”

Shi Jian: ? Just “know”? No other reaction?

Shouldn’t she have started beating or torturing her inhumanly?

“Mom knows that baby is a hardworking and strong-willed child. Transferring from the academic class to the art class must have been a well-thought-out decision. My baby really is beautiful and will definitely become a big star.”

Neither Shi Jian nor the livestream audience expected Mom to say this.

Shi Jian was quiet for a moment, then couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you angry? I’m not studying well or following the path you expected.” In this world where study and grades are everything to students.

Monster mom said, “Not angry. I know you’ve already tried very hard.”Shi Jian: Actually, I’m not that hardworking, I even failed math.

Monster mom: “To Mom, you’re more important than grades…” She seemed to think of something, “So Mom can enjoy the good life following her famous daughter in the future, right?”

She had no doubt that her daughter would become a big star and even began optimistically discussing the future.

Shi Jian knew she should go along with her words since things had gone unexpectedly smoothly so far, but she didn’t know why—she wanted to tell the truth.

“Probably not.” It was cruel, but it was the truth, because she wouldn’t stay in this scenario.

Monster mom was stunned for a moment, but quickly smiled, “It’s okay, as long as my daughter is doing well, that’s enough.”

Shi Jian had expected to face a second deadly struggle at “home,” but the monster mom promptly signed her name on the transfer notice.

In the early morning, Shi Jian was sleeping in “her” bedroom when she heard the door open.

Weak light came in, casting countless clawing tentacle shadows on the curtains.

Sure enough, monster mom came at night.

[“Ahhhhh, so she wants to catch the streamer off guard and take her out at night?”]

[“I was careless—I thought this monster mom was really nice. Not afraid of scary ghosts, but scared of cunning ghosts!”]

[“I remember this streamer sleeps very well, but this situation is really not for sleeping, get up now!”]

Shi Jian’s heart wasn’t that brave. How could she sleep here? Her eyes were closed, but her body was tense.

Although she looked defenseless asleep, under the blanket her hands held all kinds of defensive weapons—the relatively intact high heel and a knife she had taken from the kitchen.

Though Shi Jian felt they might not help much, and maybe resisting was no better than just lying down and waiting to die.

No imagined harm came. Shi Jian felt the monster mom stand by her for a while, her tentacles touched the bed and gently tucked the blanket around Shi Jian.

Then the tentacles softly and rhythmically patted Shi Jian’s shoulder, like a loving and worried mother sneaking a look at her child sleeping peacefully at night, seeing how cute she (he) was, unable to resist the childhood gesture of soothing.

Putting her to sleep.

That face changed countless times in just a few minutes. The livestream audience all saw her longing for food, which was finally forcibly suppressed.

This one can’t eat—that’s her baby.