Calm before the storm

Operation Brief Case started the very next day. But, for a week there was no sign of the thief. Perhaps the patrols had scared him away, or maybe he was just biding his time. Whatever his intentions, the girls had a week of peace and unmolested underpants.

The patrols would start every evening at seven. Three or four girls, under the leadership of An Jing, would walk around the perimeter of the dorm, wearing their Leizu designer hoodies, while keeping an eye out for the thief and other malcontents, such as the occupants of the boys' dorm who would come around to watch the spectacle and tease the girls.

The drone was an ever-present but mostly invisible partner. It was operated by XiaoXiao and her team from a ground-floor room. Due to its infrared cameras and its whisper-quiet engines, it could see and track anything it set its gaze upon. Until now it had mostly captured footage of small rodents scurrying around, busy with their own lives.

Strictly at nine, the food trucks would arrive. Chen Yi—who had grown slightly more plump during the week—and her team would help unload them and distribute the food cooked by some of the best chefs in the world. The girls made a point of eating the luxurious meal in full view of the boys, and it had the desired effect of driving their opponents into jealous despair.

After dinner, the second group of girls would take over the patrol and carry on the same routine until eleven. An Jing would spend an hour with each patrol team and watched over the dorm alone from eleven to midnight.

But the real stars of the show were Professor Li Wei and his wife, An Mei.

Li Wei did not interfere with An Jing's plans, but he took his job as faculty mentor quite seriously. He would arrive every evening at seven and stay until eleven in one of the downstairs rooms. He would even attend the patrol meetings, mostly as moral support. And always accompanying him would be his dear wife, An Mei, who just wanted to keep him company during the lonely nights.

People around the campus had seen An Mei in person many times; she often came there to meet Li Wei or hang out with him. But the dorm patrol gave the girls a unique opportunity to get autographs from the famous novelist. On the first day of patrol, An Mei's fans had eagerly crowded her and Li Wei with their first edition copies of Blossoms in Rain, until An Jing made them all stand in a line and get them signed one by one.

The quiet routine of the couple became somewhat of a minor legend around the dorm. An Mei and Li Wei would spend most of their time together in the room, both working on their respective projects while snuggling against each other. They would have their dinners together, often picking what their partner liked so that they could share it with each other.

Their post-dinner walks were the best part. The girls looking down from the balcony would swoon whenever An Mei tightened Li Wei's scarf to keep him warm, and Li Wei made sure that An Mei's woolen beanie covered her ears. Then they would walk hand in hand, with An Mei usually leaning against Li Wei, happily engulfed in their own world of private conversation and inside jokes.

But this peaceful Eden filled with love, warmth, and good food would not last. A wild animal might turn tail and run from the campfire, but when the campers are dozy after a full belly and pleasant company, its primal urges will take over, and it will come seeking its prey.