He was a disabled military officer who doted on his research work in the Northwest.

Everyone surrounded her, exclaiming in admiration.

"Comrade Shen Yao is amazing!"

She looked down at the bracelet on her wrist, and felt a warmth emanating from it, as if it were responding to her.

The screen shattered.

……

Shen Yao suddenly opened her eyes.

She was drenched in sweat, and her high fever seemed to have subsided a bit, but her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest.

She sat up, her hands trembling as she reached for her wrists—

empty.

There was nothing there.

She was panting heavily.

That wasn't a dream.

That's another possibility. Another path.

The path that should have been hers.

That bracelet wasn't an ordinary jade bracelet. It was the key to the summit!

Her mind began to race as she recalled the events.

When Shen Tang was forced to marry in place of Mu Qinghan, she knew that Mu Qinghan was disabled. Why did she agree so readily? She even signed a letter of severance with the Shen family. How could a girl from the countryside have such confidence?

Moreover, after going to the military compound, this girl who had never been to school not only knew how to grow vegetables, but also knew how to make medicine and treat illnesses.

Are those incredible abilities really her own?

Or was the bracelet given to her?

Shen Yao's fingers slowly tightened around the bed sheet.

It's a bracelet.

It must be a bracelet.

Without the bracelet, Shen Tang is nothing.

That bracelet was supposed to be a keepsake for the Shen family. It was supposed to be hers.

If the bracelet were on her wrist—

If she was the one wearing the bracelet—

She can do it too.

She can have everything.

Shen Yao got out of bed.

Her fever hadn't completely subsided, but her eyes were shining brightly.

She finally learned Shen Tang's secret, and she was determined to get the bracelet.

……

The following days.

Shen Yao started going to school.

Although her reputation was ruined and no one paid any attention to her, she didn't care. As long as she got the bracelet, everything would be within her grasp.

I arrive and leave on time every day. During class, I sit quietly in the corner and don't talk to anyone.

Her attention was focused on only one person.

She observed everything about Shen Tang: what time she arrived at school in the morning, whether she went to the washroom during breaks, where she ate lunch, and what time she left in the afternoon.

And when the bracelet would leave her wrist. But she found: almost never.

Shen Tang wore that bracelet as if it were an extension of her hand. She wore it when washing her face. She wore it while eating. She wore it while writing. Even when running in PE class, she would only pull her sleeve down to cover it, never taking it off.

Shen Yao gritted her teeth.

She's not in a hurry.

Even tigers have their moments of weakness, and she didn't believe Shen Tang would ever fail to take it off.

……

On the other side, Shen Tang was unaware of Shen Yao's thoughts. She was focused on the progress of the binding every day. She sat in the classroom, her consciousness sinking into the space.

[Day 5 of binding, progress 34%.]

There were more water droplets at the spring's eye than yesterday, turning from one or two drops into a thin line.

The seedling has grown its fifth leaf.

She exited the space and glanced at the bracelet on her wrist.

Nine more days are needed.

Nine days later—the space will be fully restored. Aquaculture functions will be unlocked, and even geological exploration can be initiated.

There's hope for Professor Lu's sample.

She took a deep breath.

Nine days.

No mistakes can be made.

……

Binding progress: Day 8. Progress: 58%.

During break time.

Gu Bei came in through the back door, carrying two meat buns in his hand.

"Here's one for you. My mom made it with mutton filling. It smells so good you could bite your tongue." He said, handing the bun to Shen Tang.

"Thanks." Shen Tang took it and took a bite. "It's really delicious."

"Right? When have I ever lied to you?" Gu Bei leaned against the table next to her, chewing on a steamed bun, his eyes darting around. "Do you know that Shen Yao has been staring at you a lot lately?"

Huh? Shen Yao? Shen Tang paused for a moment.

"She comes straight to our classroom door as soon as class is over, her eyes constantly glancing this way," Gu Bei said in a low voice. "Last time they stole the test papers and it was so embarrassing, and then she brought your parents to cause trouble at the compound gate and made a fool of herself. Isn't she still up to something and trying to get revenge on you? Anyway, you'd better be careful lately."

"Okay, I understand. Thank you for reminding me." Shen Tang nodded.

Gu Bei comforted him, "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye out for you and I'll never let someone like that bully our class."

……

Time slowly passed, and it was the 11th day of the binding. The progress was already 79%.

Shen Tang kept a close eye on Shen Yao's actions.

Shen Yao didn't do anything. Just like Gu Bei said, she just wandered around the classroom door for no reason, and no one knew what she was doing.

Shen Yao was observing, and she wasn't entirely without results; she had already figured out Shen Tang's habits—

The last period every Tuesday afternoon is physical education class. Before PE class, Shen Tang would take off her coat and put it on her seat in the classroom, but she would still wear the bracelet on her wrist.

But she noticed that every Thursday at noon, Shen Tang would go to the infirmary to help the school doctor organize medicines. Sometimes she needed to wash and disinfect her hands—that was the only time she might take off her bracelet.

Although usually people just push the bracelet up a little and don't take it off.

Shen Yao waited for eleven days.

Not even once.

But it's okay, just once.

She only needs one chance to get the jade bracelet, and then Shen Tang will be finished.

……

Binding progress: Day 13. Progress: 98%.

The last day of system binding.

Shen Tang sat in the classroom, seemingly listening to the lecture, but her heart was actually beating half a beat faster than usual.

98%.

Based on the timing, the binding was completed around this time, almost when school was about to end.

The last class of the afternoon.

Physical education class.

Shen Tang jogged two laps around the playground with the team and worked up a light sweat.

Free time after the run.

She returned to the classroom to pack her things—

"Shen Tang!"

A girl from Class 1 ran over, looking a little flustered: "Can you help me? I cut my hand on a wire—"

Shen Tang glanced at it: there was a cut on the back of the girl's hand, not deep, but bleeding.

"Let's go to the infirmary."

"I just went there. The door was open, but the school doctor wasn't there. It seems like he had to leave because of a family emergency."

Shen Tang nodded: "Okay, then I'll take a look for you."

She zipped up her backpack, preparing to go to the school clinic with the girl. The bracelet on her wrist touched the backpack zipper and made a "ding" sound.

She paused.

When bandaging, the bracelet can be in the way, especially when wrapping gauze, which requires dexterity with both hands. Moreover, wearing a bracelet does not conform to aseptic procedures.

Shen Tang hesitated for a second.

I took off the bracelet, felt that my pants didn't have any pockets, so I put them in the left pocket of my coat and felt them again.

He folded the coat and stuffed it into the drawer. "Gu Bei, can you keep an eye on my clothes?"

Gu Bei readily agreed: "Okay, go ahead and get busy."

"Let's go." She followed the injured girl toward the infirmary.

……

Shen Yao's eyes lit up outside the classroom; she had seen it!

Shen Tang removed the bracelet from her wrist and put it in her coat pocket.

The coat is in the drawer.

There were still five or six students packing up their things in the classroom.

Shen Yao did not move immediately.

She is waiting.

After everyone leaves.

One minute. Two minutes.

Students gradually left the house with their schoolbags on their backs.

three minutes.

Only Gu Bei remained in the classroom, chatting with his deskmate.

The two seemed to be telling a joke, laughing so hard they were doubled over.

After waiting a while longer, Gu Bei smiled and patted his deskmate on the shoulder: "Alright, alright, you've been studying all day, your brain is practically full. Come on, let's go play some ball on the playground."

The two stood up, slung their backpacks over their shoulders, and walked towards the door.

As I passed Shen Tang's seat—

His steps faltered almost imperceptibly.

He glanced at the coat in the drawer out of the corner of his eye, then swept his gaze across the hallway.