The House Rules of a Strong-Willed Mother

1. Going Home

When Lin Xiaowei dragged her suitcase back home, it was already getting dark.

Twenty years old, on the first day of summer vacation returning home, it should have been relaxing. As soon as the door opened, the light in the living room spread softly, yet her heart suddenly tightened.

Mom, Su Wan, sat on the single sofa. Her beige loungewear wrapped around her full yet well-proportioned figure, and her hair was pinned up high. In her early forties, she was very well-maintained, and her brows and eyes carried an authority that never needed to be raised. On the coffee table, a smooth wooden ruler and a folded wide leather belt lay side by side, like two pieces of meticulously prepared instruments of punishment.

"I'm back." The voice wasn't loud, like ice water being poured in. "Leave your luggage in the entryway first, then come over."

Xiaowei swallowed, leaned the suitcase against the wall, and took small steps to the sofa, standing properly with her head down. As soon as she entered this door, her knees weakened first.

"Take off your jeans and underwear together. Bend over, and place your hands on the armrest of the sofa."

Her face burned with a "swipe." Whether she was an adult or not, it made no difference here. Her fingers trembled as she unbuttoned her pants, pulling down her jeans and white cotton underwear down to her ankles, revealing her round, fair, yet untanned buttocks. Then she bent down, braced herself on the armrests, raised her buttocks high, fully exposed to the lights and her mother's gaze.

Su Wan stood up and walked behind her. She first gently patted the two soft pieces of flesh with her palm, as if inspecting the goods.

"Do you remember the rules when you came back? Have you been slacking off outside?"

"R-remember... No slacking." Xiaowei's voice trembled. She knew clearly in her heart that whether to slack off or not was never up to her.

Mom didn't ask anymore and went straight to action.

The palm was raised high and slapped hard on the left buttock.

"Crack!"

"Ah——!" The body shuddered violently, a cry of pain escaping.

"Count. From the beginning."

"Whack!" Another one, landing on the right.

"One... two..."

The palms were heavy and steady, each strike solid and loud. The fair, tender skin quickly became covered with red marks, swelling up with a burning heat. Tears welled up, the voice tinged with sobs, counting one by one, and the legs began to weaken.

After hitting twentieth, Su Wan finally stopped. She had her daughter stand up, facing the corner, her underwear still down to her ankles, hands on her head, her swollen buttocks facing out.

“Stand for twenty minutes. Think carefully about why you got hit.”

Xiaowei stood properly, crying. Shame burned more fiercely than pain.

The sound of keys came from the entrance. Dad, Lin Hao, returned from work.

As soon as he walked in, he saw his daughter standing with her lower body bare as punishment. His expression changed slightly, but he said nothing and just looked down to change his shoes. In this family, seeing something does not mean you can speak.

Su Wan turned her head, her voice calm, carrying a chill:

"You come over too. The rules of the house, as a dad, are you following them properly? Or do you also need mom to give you another lesson?"

Lin Hao sighed. He walked over to the sofa. He didn't argue. Arguing would only make the punishment worse.

"Take off your pants and bend over."

He unfastened his belt, took off his dress pants and underwear, revealing his strong male buttocks, bent down to support himself on the other side of the sofa, standing side by side with his daughter. One had just walked in, the other had just finished work, both in the same position.

Su Wan picked up the wide leather belt, folded it in half, and made a mock swing in the air, the sound of cutting through the air sharp and short.

"Today, you and your daughter will be punished together. You are always busy with work and neglect your family, like a disobedient big boy. I need to correct you."

A belt striking the flesh sounds louder than a palm and hurts more than a palm.

"Pop! Pop! Pop!"

Lin Hao gritted his teeth, gave a muffled groan, and sweat quickly appeared on his forehead. Su Wan wouldn't allow him to hide, nor would she allow him to look back at their daughter.

"Count. Fifteen down."

“One... two... three...”

Every strike landed on the same spot. Soon, the redness and swelling overlapped, just as unsightly as the two spots on his daughter's skin. After finishing, Su Wan had him also stand against the wall, hands on his head, facing the wall.

Father and daughter side by side. Two red, swollen buttocks were shocking under the light. No one spoke. Shame filled the air.

Su Wan sat back on the sofa and watched slowly. After watching enough, she finally stood up, walked to her daughter's back first, and gently ran her fingers over the burning swollen flesh. Xiao Wei inhaled sharply in pain, her body trembling.

“Does it still hurt?” The voice was gentle to the point of cruelty. “Remember this pain, and you can remember to obey.”

She walked over to Lin Hao again and pressed hard on the swelling in the same way. Lin Hao groaned muffledly.

"You two, remember this— in this house, Mom is the one who makes the decisions."

Twenty minutes to go. Su Wan glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Xiaowei, go to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Only a single apron is allowed, and the lower part is still naked. Lin Hao, kneel at my feet, blush your butt and massage my calves. ”

The apron strings were tied tightly around the waist, and the fabric at the back couldn't cover the swelling. Xiaowei was chopping vegetables in the kitchen, and when the range hood was turned on, the heat traced the handprints on her butt. In the living room, Lin Hao was kneeling, pressing his hands on his mom's calves, his knuckles turning white. Su Wan was scrolling through her phone, occasionally tapping his shoulders with her toes to indicate the amount of pressure.

At dinner, the three sat around the table. Xiaowei and Lin Hao were both restless, their burning hot bottoms making every shift feel like a punishment. Su Wan ate gracefully, occasionally tapping the table with her chopsticks:

Sit up straight.

The two immediately straightened their waists. Straightening up, their sit bones pressed even harder.

After eating, Su Wan called them to the front.

"During summer vacation, family rules inspections will be conducted every weekend. Anyone who dares to slack off will have to do double. Xiaowei, starting tomorrow, come over every morning to greet me. Lin Hao, you must come home on time after work and also call me to report."

She paused, her voice lowering, leaving even less room for resistance:

"Now, both of you come over, kneel, and kiss my feet. Then go shower and check each other's butt marks. If anyone goes easy on them, we'll have another round tonight." ”

Xiaowei and Lin Hao exchanged a glance. Humiliation, helplessness, and the obedience they were already accustomed to.

They knelt down at the same time, lowered their heads, and their lips touched Su Wan's instep. Left foot, right foot. Su Wan looked at her husband and daughter kneeling in front of her, their redness and swelling still clearly visible, and then smiled satisfactorily.

This family has always had only one rule.

Mom's rules.

2. Bath Inspection

After kissing their feet, Su Wan did not let them check each other.

She glanced at Lin Hao, as if she had just taken back the casual remark she made earlier.

"You don't need to participate in your daughter's checkup. Kneel in the corner, hold your head with both hands, and your butt facing outward. If you dare to move, you'll be punished." ”

Lin Hao responded softly. He was still naked, the red, swollen marks from the belt clearly visible under the light. He knelt straight, his forehead against the wall, not daring to look up or ask what would be done in the bathroom.

Su Wan grabbed Xiao Wei's wrist. The apron was still tied around her waist, and the back couldn't cover the swelling.

"Xiaowei, go take a bath with mommy."

Xiaowei's heart sank. The 'bathing' in this family was never really about bathing.

Once the bathroom door was closed and the hot water turned on, steam quickly filled the room. Su Wan didn't undress herself, only rolled up her sleeves to her elbows, and sat on the toilet lid, like a strict mother bathing a misbehaving child.

"Take off all your clothes and stand in front of me."

The apron fell first, revealing her beaten red-hot butt. Top, bra, one by one. She stood naked, trying to cover her chest and below, but was stared at by her mother.

"Hands behind your back. Legs a little apart."

Xiaowei followed the instructions. Her cheeks felt hot. The mirror was fogged with steam, but her skin was even more sensitive.

Su Wan first checked the palm print on the buttocks. When she pressed with her fingers, the force varied between light and heavy, and each press made Xiaowei inhale sharply.

"Well done. The color is very even." It's like commenting on a painting, 'Does it hurt?'

"It hurts... Mom, be gentle..."

"It should hurt." The finger went down, sliding over the tailbone, probing between the two parts. "Spread your legs wider. Let mommy check down there."

Tears welled up. She still spread her legs wider. Su Wan used her thumb and forefinger to separate the labia, exposing the pink interior.

"Already wet." The voice carried a hint of laughter, colder, "Just spanked and already dripping? Do you often touch yourself in college? Be honest."

"N-No... I was just... just beaten..."

"Hmph." Fingers parted each fold, as if looking for evidence, "It's still very pink here. It seems no one touched it at school."

Then, go further in and lightly touch that thin membrane.

Xiaowei's whole body stiffened.

"It's okay. The hymen is still intact." Very lightly, with a sense of possession, 'Mama's precious daughter, still kept so complete. Very good.'

I pressed with my fingertip, it didn't break, just testing. My legs were shaking violently, and tears finally fell.

"Don't cry. You're already twenty years old, yet you still let Mom check here, like a child. Is it because you know—this belongs to Mom? No one is allowed to touch it, only Mom has the right to check."

Xiaowei cried so hard that she couldn't speak, she could only nod.

The finger didn't pull away, moving slowly back and forth between the labia, occasionally deliberately touching the most sensitive spot. Xiaowei pressed her legs together and was immediately scolded:

"Don't pinch. Open it. Let mommy take a clear look."

The examination lasted a long time. Su Wan asked her to turn around, bend over, and spread her buttocks with her hands, so she could look again from behind.

"It's clean here too. Every time you come home, you have to check it again. If it ever breaks one day... you know the consequences."

"I... I promise... Mom..."

Only then did [he] pull [his] hand out and wash her with warm water. Wash her hair, wash her body, pausing a bit longer at sensitive areas. The movements were gentle, yet controlled without a hint of slack.

After washing, she wasn't allowed to dress immediately. Su Wan made her stand in the center of the bathroom, hands on her head, facing a wiped mirror.

"Look at yourself in the mirror." The voice was close to my ear, 'Your red, swollen bottom, your examined private parts, your face crying like a little kitten. This is what you look like when you get home.'

Xiaowei looked at herself in the mirror, shame almost overwhelming her.

"Your hymen is still intact, that's good. Remember—when it breaks, how it breaks, it is decided by your mother. Not you, and not anyone else."

When leaving the bathroom, she was only allowed to wrap a towel around herself, her butt still exposed. In the living room, Lin Hao was still kneeling in the corner. He had heard the sound of water, had heard his daughter suppressing her cries, and did not dare to look up.

Su Wan looked at her kneeling husband, then at her trembling daughter, and only then was satisfied.

"That's it for tonight. Xiaowei, go back to your room and kneel in reflection for an hour before sleeping. Lin Hao, continue kneeling until I allow you to get up."

She gave her daughter one last look, her voice so gentle it was almost cruel:

"Tomorrow morning, Mom will check again. Including inside."

"Y-Yes... Mom."

The bathroom door was firmly shut behind me. Like a verdict.

3. Breakfast

The next morning, Xiaowei went to pay her respects first.

Her buttocks were still swollen, and it hurt whenever the fabric brushed against them. She knelt at her mother's door, her forehead almost touching the floor.

"Good morning, Mom."

Su Wan was already awake. Her loungewear was neat, and her hair was perfectly pinned up. She glanced at her daughter, as if checking an item left overnight.

"Come in. Take off your clothes. Spread your legs."

The curtains were not fully drawn, yet the morning light was enough to see everything clearly. Su Wan sat on the edge of the bed, skillfully parting her labia with her fingers, reaching for that thin membrane.

"Still here." The voice was faint. "Very good. You didn’t move around last night."

The check was faster than last night, yet not light at all. When the fingertip pressed the most sensitive spot, Xiaowei's leg trembled, and she was immediately glared at.

"Don't pinch. Mom said if you're checking inside, just check inside."

After confirming, he pulled his fingers out and casually wiped them on her thigh. Su Wan then moved behind her and pressed on the palm marks that hadn't faded yet. Xiao Wei gasped in pain.

"The color is still there. It hurts more when you sit down. Just enough to remind you when you're eating."

"Go to the restaurant. Not allowed to wear it."

Xiaowei walked out naked. The living room light was already on. Lin Hao sat on one side of the dining table, still not wearing anything below the waist, the belt mark turned purple. He lowered his head to drink the porridge, saw his daughter, his eyes flickered for a moment, then immediately returned to the bowl.

Breakfast is laid out: millet porridge, steamed eggs, a few slices of whole wheat bread. Su Wan sits at the main seat, holding the soy milk steadily.

"Sit properly. Don't expose your red bottom, it would be so embarrassing if Daddy sees it."

Xiaowei pressed her legs together and sat up straight. When her sit bones pressed on the swollen area, she bit her lip, staying silent.

After being hungry all night, the porridge smelled very fragrant. She served herself a bowl, and her chopsticks reached for the steamed egg again.

Su Wan's chopsticks tapped on the rim of the bowl, making a crisp sound.

"Eating this much?" The tone was like talking about the weather. "Just got inspected last night, and today you already want to act like a shameless fat pig bitch?"

Xiaowei's hand froze in midair. Her face burned. She put the steamed egg back and left only half a bowl of porridge, sipping it slowly. Tears fell into the bowl.

Su Wan continued to drink soy milk as usual.

"Slow down. Fat pigs that eat too fast will get even fatter. Mom doesn't want to raise a fat and shameless sow at home."

Lin Hao's hand holding the spoon trembled slightly, and he didn't dare to lift his head.

Halfway through eating, Xiaowei remembered an unread message. A boy was asking about homework. She instinctively spoke:

"Mom... a boy asked..."

Before finishing her words, Su Wan's gaze turned cold. She gently put down the cup of soy milk.

"Talking to boys? Do you want to be a shameless bus again?"

Xiaowei shivered all over.

"A guy talks to you a few more words, and you act like you're easy to get. Shameless bus, your butt hasn't even healed from being sore, and you already want others to line up to get on?"

Tears fell in big drops. The porridge spoon clinked on the table.

"I-I'm sorry, Mom... I just..."

"'Just what?' Calm to the point of being terrifying, 'Just want more people to know that you're still intact down there? Or want others to fuck you until you're destroyed, and then come back for mom to check?'

Lin Hao finally couldn't hold back, his voice very low: 'Wan…'

Su Wan didn't even look at him.

"Finish the porridge. Then go to the living room and kneel, facing the wall, hands on your head. Kneel until I allow you to get up."

Xiaowei nodded in tears and finished the remaining porridge. Her movements were awkward. She walked naked to the living room and knelt where her father had knelt last night, her swollen buttocks facing outward, her hands covering her head. Her knees went numb quickly; she didn't dare change her position or look back.

Su Wan was not flustered. She finished her breakfast, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and then walked to her daughter's side.

"This is how it usually is." It sounded like he was speaking to Lin Hao, but also like he was reminding his daughter, 'If she eats a bit more, I'll call her a fat pig bitch; if she talks a few more words to boys, I'll say she's a bus. It's not because I'm evil, it's because she needs to remember—she is mine. Her body, her mouth, and below, are all controlled by me.'

She paused, her voice softer, yet harsher:

"When she really turns into a bus... Mom will personally beat her until she can't get out of bed, and then let those boys line up to ride."

Lin Hao knelt beside the dining table, his body trembling slightly. Xiao Wei knelt, tears falling onto the floor, not daring to let out a sound.

"Today during the day, you will stay at home kneeling and reflecting. Tonight I will check again, including inside. If I find that you secretly cry, or move around… tomorrow I will use the belt to hit your private parts."

After speaking, she returned to the study, as if nothing had happened.

In the living room, only the kneeling father and daughter remained, along with the humiliation that had become commonplace in the air.

4. Service

The daytime is very long.

Xiaowei knelt, her knees going from numbness to dull pain. She didn't dare cry, nor did she dare change her position. That morning's threat still weighed on her back — secretly cry, or move around, and tomorrow you'll be whipped with a belt. She swallowed back her tears, not even daring to shake her shoulders.

Lin Hao was never allowed to put on pants and was later sent to the restaurant area to continue kneeling. She was the only one left in the living room, red and swollen, facing the wall. The clock on the wall moved slowly. Sunlight shifted from the gap in the curtains to the floor, and then moved away. The spot under her knees was soaked with sweat and felt cold.

At eight o'clock in the evening, the study door opened.

Su Wan changed into an off-white silk robe, wearing nothing underneath, her hair draped over her shoulders. She sat down on the single sofa. A low stool and a basin of warm water had already been placed in front of the sofa.

"Come here."

Xiaowei crawled along the wall. Her knees could hardly bear her weight. Lin Hao also crawled over from the dining room, his belt marks turning purple.

Su Wan first looked at her daughter.

"Legs apart. I said I would check tonight."

Separate the labia with your fingers and reach that layer of membrane. Quickly, but not lightly.

"Still there. Didn't move around during the day. Very good."

Pressing the swollen buttocks with the pads of his fingers. Xiaowei inhaled. Having knelt all day, that area was even hotter and more sensitive. She bit her lip, making no sound.

"Start now. Xiaowei washes feet and below. Lin Hao washes underwear and socks. After washing, massage."

It's like arranging dinner.

Xiaowei picked up her mother's foot, with warm water soaking the toes, the soles, and the heels. She lowered her head, as if serving something she must not mishandle. Every gap between the toes was wrapped with a towel, wiped, and then soaked again. Su Wan leaned against the sofa and suddenly spoke:

"Wash more carefully. A fat pig bitch can't even wash her feet properly, and you still want to please mom?"

Xiaowei applied more force with her hand. After finishing with one, the other reached over. The hem of the bathrobe was lifted, exposing her lower body and buttocks.

"Now wash the crotch and the anus."

Her ears burned. She wiped her labia with warm water and a towel. It was already wet, carrying the scent of her body and sweat. The smell clung to her knuckles; she wanted to pull back her hand but didn't dare.

"Use your fingers. Wash inside thoroughly too. Fat pig bitch is meant to do this kind of thing anyway."

Press the index and middle fingers together, probe in, and scrape slowly. Su Wan sighed, her voice still sharp:

"Stick it in deeper. Do you wash boys like this too? Shameless bus, go back and wash your mother, do you feel embarrassed?"

Tears fell into the basin. I didn't dare to stop. I pulled out my finger and wiped it with a clean towel.

Su Wan leaned her body forward and spread her buttocks herself.

"Also wash the anus."

Xiaowei folded the towel neatly and wiped in circles, circle by circle. Firm, pink, slightly contracting.

"Wash it clean. If I smell any scent tomorrow morning, I'll use your tongue to lick it again."

After drying, she lowered her head and took the toes in her mouth, cleaning them with her tongue. This had been trained long ago.

Beside him, Lin Hao knelt in front of a basin, scrubbing underwear and stockings. He held the crotch of the underwear up to the light to check for stains, and if there were any, he rubbed them with his knuckles. Laundry detergent, clean water, wring dry, hang them up. He washed the stockings one by one, never two at a time. His movements were skilled, his head very low, and he didn't dare to stop even when water splashed onto his legs.

After washing, he climbed behind the sofa to massage the shoulders. Xiaowei knelt in front to massage the calves and feet.

Su Wan closed her eyes.

"Press harder. Lin Hao, you press like a useless man. Xiao Wei, you fat pig bitch, you press quite hard though. Afraid Mom will scold you again?"

She opened her eyes and looked at her daughter.

"Open your mouth."

Lift your chin with your toes.

"You knelt for several hours during the day, does your butt still hurt? If it hurts, that's good. From now on, this will be the routine every night. Whoever dares to slack off or do poorly—"

The voice is colder.

"Just sleep on the living room floor, kneeling with your butt up until dawn."

"Yes, Mom."

"Y-yes... darling." Lin Hao's voice was even lower.

The two dared not look up. Xiaowei's mouth still held the toes, her tongue daring not to stop. Lin Hao's hand continued pressing, the force immediately becoming a bit stronger.

In the living room, there was only the sound of warm water, the rustle of fabric, and the occasional sigh of Mom. Su Wan leaned back on the sofa, enjoying the hands of the two people, as if this night was meant to be like this.

5. Dormitory

There is still a taste on my fingers.

Xiaowei kept her head down, still holding the toe in her mouth, appearing obedient. But in her mind, it was like two knives cutting.

She learned to be just like her mother. Calm, harsh, needing to be in control. But that was all just the shell. Inside, she had long been trampled — accustomed to kneeling, used to being scolded, accustomed to treating humiliation as air.

She hates.

Never loved. Never been nostalgic. Afraid, hateful, and already accustomed to being enslaved. It's been like this since she could remember. Taking an extra piece of food at the dining table meant being a shameless fat pig bitch; speaking a few more words to male classmates meant being a shameless bus. At the slightest displeasure, she would be hit, scolded, and stripped of dignity. She learned to use the same tone to trample on others, to hide her shattered inner core.

The summer vacation is still long. That kind of night will repeat. She kneels, swallowing back her hatred.

On the first day of school, she dragged her suitcase out the door. Su Wan only said at the doorway:

"Remember your identity. You are not allowed to go home during the semester. Wait until the winter break to come back for inspection."

She did not look back.

"Yes."

The high-speed train ride took more than six hours. Outside the window, the city turned into fields, and then into another city. She sat up straight, not crying the entire way. She wouldn't set foot through that door again for the whole semester.

In the dormitory, she changed into a white shirt and black trousers. The eyes and eyebrows in the mirror had already turned cold, as if inherited from her mother.

There were three roommates, all of whom enrolled together that year. Chen Rou was gentle in nature, Liu Yue spoke timidly, and He Miao was short with a quiet voice.

"Mopped the floor." She sat on the top bunk, her voice not loud, 'I've said it three times and it's still not clean? Chen Rou, are your hands so weak you can't even hold the mop steady?'

The three people immediately lowered their heads to pick up the mops.

At 10:30 in the evening, she locked the door.

"After lights out, everyone puts the underwear and socks they wore today by my bedside. I want to check."

No one dares to oppose.

She leaned against the headboard, her gaze resembling Su Wan’s by about eighty percent.

"One at a time. Let's start with you." She pointed at He Miao, "Take it off. Don't walk—come over crawling."

He Miao was stunned. Xiaowei glanced at her. She had no choice but to go down on her hands and knees and crawl to the center of the dormitory. Her underwear had slipped down to her ankles, and when she tried to cover herself with her hands, she was stared at.

"Hands behind your back. Legs apart. Who are you showing your tucked tail to, little bitch?"

She walked down and looked around. Her voice was calm, carrying the sharpness she brought from home:

"Washed so unclearly. The stool is so short, can't you reach under yourself?"

After checking, she pointed by the bedside:

"Lie down properly. Knees and elbows on the ground, back flat. Tonight, you are the stool."

He Miao cried and lay down. Xiaowei placed her bare feet on her back, as if placing them on a real low stool, then lifted her chin to look at the other two.

"Liu Yue. Bring over the underwear."

Liu Yue's legs had already gone weak. When handed over, her waist gave way, she almost knelt down, and her spine felt like it had no bones.

"Spineless, can't even stand straight." Speaker, repeat what I said. ”

Liu Yue's lips trembled: 'Take it off... crawl over... check...'

"Complete. Speak."

"He Miao is a little bitch, a short stool. I am soft-boned, an echo."

"One more time."

She could only recite as instructed. Chen Rou's leg trembled beside her, while Xiaowei didn't even look at her, just shifted her foot to a different spot on He Miao's back.

Xiaowei sat back on the upper bunk, her lips cold. The memory of the handprints on the lower bed had faded, yet she still kept her back very straight. Her foot was still pressing on He Miao's back.

At home, she is the daughter who kneels to wash the anus and is called a fat pig bitch. Here, she is the one giving orders.

No one knows that every time she uses those words, she is cutting herself inside.

I hate you. I hate that you made me like this.

She also knew that she could no longer do without this feeling. Being stepped on, or stepping on others, was all familiar. Only the school was very far away. For the entire semester, there was no need to go home.

She can temporarily wear this mask, pretending to be the mother, rather than the kneeling daughter.

The light was turned off. He Miao only dared to climb back into her bed after pulling her feet back. Her roommate didn't dare to make a sound. She stared at the ceiling, her knees unconsciously pressed together under the blanket, as if still kneeling on that cold patch of floor. She spoke in a whisper that no one could hear:

...I hate you.

Then force yourself to sleep.

Winter vacation will come again. That home, that woman, those rules that make her kneel, are all waiting.

She can't escape.

6. Monastery Rules

The next morning, the three roommates woke up first. Xiaowei hadn't gotten out of bed yet, but she had already spoken.

"Wash my socks. Underwear too. If it's not clean, check again tonight. Liu Yue, repeat."

Liu Yue immediately responded, 'Wash the socks. Underwear too. If they're not clean, check them again tonight.'

"He's quick to echo others. Spineless, go fetch some water. Keep your back straight; if it collapses, start over. Chen Rou, get the basin."

Liu Yue went to fetch water, her waist went weak, but she straightened herself again. Chen Rou's hands and feet were trembling as she went to get a basin. He Miao had already crawled to the edge of the bed, on her knees and elbows. Xiao Wei stepped on her back, like stepping on a real low stool, and only then looked down at them washing the clothes.

"Little bitch, bring the sock. Don't touch it with your hands."

He Miao bit the sock tube with her teeth and crawled two steps on her knees. Her heels pressed down on her back. She had just been publicly inspected yesterday, and the roots of her legs still remembered that burning feeling of being stared at.

Xiaowei's voice was not loud:

"What's taking so long? The short stool isn't stable, ten more tonight."

The water in the basin quickly became muddy. He Miao wrung out her underwear and hung it up. Chen Rou knelt and mopped the floor; when the mop passed under the upper bunk, Xiao Wei stretched her other foot down and stepped on the mop.

"This way. Let's go again. Your hands are so weak, you can't even hold down the mop?"

She changed her clothes and went out. In the corridor, her back was very straight. He Miao didn't dare to relax her back from the kneeling position until the door was closed.

When she came back in the evening, the dormitory had already been cleaned. She tapped the floor with her toes, as if inspecting it.

"It's okay. Come over. He Miao, lie down properly."

He Miao crawled to her feet, on his hands and knees. As Xiao Wei sat down, she placed both feet on that scalding back.

"Turn around. Take off your pants. Bend over—no, just this position. Even when getting spanked on a low stool, you still have to use a cushion."

He Miao cried as he pulled down his pants. His buttocks faced the light. Xiaowei raised her hand and slapped the left side.

"Slap."

"Count. Ten times. Dodge once, start over. Little bitch, report the count."

"One... two..."

Hit, hit, not hard enough to be unable to get out of bed, but enough to turn red. He Miao's counting trembles, but her back does not dare to collapse. After finishing, not allowed to get up.

"Put it under. Think about why it doesn't get clean."

Then it was Chen Rou's turn. At noon, she served herself an extra half spoonful of rice, which Xiaowei saw.

"Eating this much? Shameless fat pig bitch. Kneel for dinner and drink porridge. The chair is not worthy of you."

Chen Rou nodded, tears falling on her collar. Later, she indeed knelt by the bedside, holding half a bowl of porridge, swallowing it bite by bite.

Liu Yue talked to the boy in the neighboring dorm today. Xiaowei opened her phone and took a look at the chat.

"Talking to boys?" The tone was like talking about the weather. "The echo normally just echoes, and now she opens her mouth when she sees a guy? Spineless, wanting to be a shameless bus again?"

"I didn't... I was really just asking about the homework..."

"Shut up. The echo has no sentences of its own. Repeat: I am a bus."

刘悦哭着，腰又塌下去：“我是……公交车。”

"Again. Stand up straight—if you can't stand straight, then say it on your knees."

She knelt down and repeated those four words again. Xiaowei had her undress, spread her legs, and put her hands behind her back. During the examination, her spine remained soft, as if she truly had no bones.

At ten thirty, the door was locked. Inspections had become routine. He Miao was still standing on tiptoe, her buttocks red. Chen Rou held an empty bowl, kneeling and afraid to get up. Liu Yue, naked from the waist down, handed her the socks. Xiao Wei took them under the light to smell, then threw them back.

"Tonight is lucky. If there’s news from a boy tomorrow, the echo device will have its mouth covered with these socks, only allowed to repeat what I say."

Xiaowei leaned against the head of the bed, her eyes cold. Her foot tapped on Hemiao's back.

"From today onwards, do this every day. Whoever dares to tell outsiders——Liu Yue, repeat it."

Liu Yue felt her throat tighten: 'From today on, every day like this. Whoever dares to tell outsiders—'

"Before moving out, I’ll first teach her how to behave as a person."

"Before moving out, I’ll first teach her how to behave as a person."

Before the light was turned off, she still used He Miao as a stool. If the pressure was too light, she would grind her shoulder with her heel.

"Heavier. The little bitch is lying all loose and sloppy. The short stool should be knelt on here. If it sags any further, you'll be kneeling to sleep tonight."

He Miao's back immediately tensed. Even if it was correct, she didn't praise. Xiao Wei kept her eyes closed, her lips very thin.

Here, she is the one giving orders. She presses hatred into the palm of her hand, strikes others with it, and steps on others' backs. After hitting, the crack remains. Only tonight, no one can hear it.

7. Position

After moving in, she quickly felt it was not enough. Beating, scolding, inspecting—everything was the actions taught by others. The dormitory was not that home. There were no rulers, no formal greetings, and her three roommates didn’t even know where those words came from. What she wanted were rules she made herself.

On a weekend afternoon, the hallway was quiet. She locked the door, and dragged the chair to the middle of the room.

"From today onwards, you three will have positions. It's not as simple as taking turns mopping the floor. Liu Yue, before you repeat my next sentence, no one is allowed to move."

Liu Yue stood by the door, her spine already beginning to collapse. She straightened herself up again.

Xiaowei looked at Hemiao.

"You, furniture. If a stool is needed, kneel to become a stool; if a table is needed, straighten your back. Little bitch, crawl when going out; if you open the door with your hand, start over. Go, lie down in front of the chair."

He Miao crawled over, on his knees and elbows. Xiao Wei placed two thick professional books and a pen on her back, opened her notebook, and actually wrote two lines of words. The handwriting swayed slightly with her breathing.

"What are you shaking for? The table won't breathe for the owner to see."

He Miao held back her anger. The book on her back still slipped an inch. Xiaowei pulled the pen cap out and tapped her shoulder with it—light, but accurate.

"If it slips again, hold the book with your teeth. A low stool that can't even stay flat is only good for holding with your teeth."

Then she looked at Liu Yue.

"You, throat. I only speak to you. Pass on my words to them exactly as I say. If you misquote a single word, the punishment falls on you. Weakling, first clamp these two dictionaries at the small of your back and stand straight. If they fall off once, start over and repeat all the rules for today from the beginning."

Liu Yue stuffed the dictionary into her waistband, the edges of the paper pressing against her flesh. She didn't dare to slouch. Xiao Wei said casually:

"He Miao, turn half a circle, face the window."

Liu Yue immediately said to He Miao's back: 'He Miao, turn half a circle, face the window.'

He Miao crawled around. The book slipped again. Xiao Wei didn’t look at her, only asked Liu Yue:

"Did I ask you to explain?"

"No."

"For the extra characters in the echo, lick the floor clean with your tongue tonight. Now, report the time. Report it every five minutes. If you report it wrong, whether the dictionary falls or not is on you."

Liu Yue stared at her phone: 'Two seventeen.' Her voice was tight, as if truly hollowed out, leaving only an echo.

Finally, it was Chen Rou. She stood by the sink, twisting the corner of her clothes with her fingers. Even before she was called on, her eyes were already red.

"Your hand is soft. Tonight we won't practice the mouth, we'll practice the hand." Xiaowei took the hanger apart, placing the metal hook into Chen Rou's palm. "Spank He Miao. Spank the part of her back where I wrote. Lighter doesn't count. If you can't bring yourself to do it, just let Liu Yue keep yelling until you do."

Chen Rou shook her head: 'I... I can't hit...'}

"Liu Yue."

The dictionary at Liu Yue's waist rang: 'Chen Rou, pull He Miao. It doesn't count if it's too light.'

Chen Rou's hand trembled. The hanger fell down, like dusting off. He Miao snorted, but her back didn’t collapse. Xiao Wei walked over, grabbed Chen Rou's wrist, and helped her strike a second time. This time it landed on flesh, making a sound. He Miao's elbow slid away and then pushed back, and finally the book fell to the ground.

"Now that's more like it." Xiaowei let go, her voice still low. "Remember the strength. Next time, if I don't feel like doing it myself, it'll be you. If your hand is too soft, start by hitting yourself until it's hard enough."

Chen Rou cried out. Xiaowei ignored her. She stacked the fallen books back onto He Miao's back, sat back in her chair, and put her feet on He Miao's calves as a second low stool. She opened her notebook and continued writing. Liu Yue reported the time from the doorway. Chen Rou held onto the clothes hanger, standing in place, as if nailed there.

After finishing a page, Xiaowei put the cap on her pen.

"Positions are fixed. He Miao is furniture and dog, Liu Yue is the mouth, Chen Rou is the hands. How the classroom is arranged, I don't care. Once you enter this door, follow this. Whoever takes their position out of the dormitory—"

She glanced at Liu Yue.

Liu Yue responded quickly: 'Who took the position out of the dorm——'

"Then let the other two deal with her according to their positions."

"Then let the other two deal with her according to their positions."

He Miao's back was trembling. The dictionary made a creaking sound behind Liu Yue's waist. The clothes hanger in Chen Rou's hand was as heavy as iron.

Xiaowei listened to these three sounds, and it was actually quieter and clearer than when she imitated those old words. This was written by her. Not copied.

She moved her foot to a different position on He Miao's leg, as if changing the way she was sitting.

"Continue. Report the time."

"Two twenty-two."

"Pass it: Hold the table for another fifteen minutes."

Liu Yue said to He Miao: 'The table, hold on for another fifteen minutes.'

He Miao couldn't respond. Furniture has no mouth. She just lifted her back another inch.

8. See through

The third week of school.

The morning in the dorm still followed its routine. He Miao knelt like a short stool, Liu Yue stared at her phone to check the time, Chen Rou held the hanger until her hands sweated. Xiao Wei rested her foot on that part of her back, her voice not loud:

"Whoever loosens first will undergo an extra check tonight. Liu Yue, repeat it."

"Whoever gives up first will get an extra test tonight."

She changed her clothes and went out. Her back was very straight in the hallway. Once the door closed, the shell was tightly sealed.

The group agreed to meet at the long table by the window in the library. The boy opposite was called Lin Yu, a first-year high school student, leading this group. He spoke little and had a quiet gaze.

Xiaowei opened her notebook, speaking in a familiar tone that left no room for negotiation:

"Follow the plan I mentioned yesterday. You handle the data, and you write the review. Send it to me before midnight tonight."

Some people nodded. Someone glanced at Lin Yu. He didn't respond, he just twirled his pen halfway around. The discussion proceeded at her pace. Her sentences just fell onto the table like that.

When the event ended, others left first. He put the cap back on his pen, speaking just loudly enough for her to hear:

"8 PM, third-floor study room. Bring your computer."

Not asking. Xiaowei wanted to say that she had plans tonight. What came out, however, was:

"...Okay."

It was two minutes to eight. She stood at the stair landing on the third floor, her hand pausing briefly on the doorknob. She pushed it open. The light was white. Lin Yu was already sitting by the window. The chair across from him was pulled out, as if it had been reserved for her all along. A handwritten list was pushed in front of her. Three items, the order clear. The areas she had marked for others in the afternoon had all been narrowed down here.

She hadn't even sat down yet, but she already wanted to take back the set from noon:

"I will arrange this part myself. You just give me the overall one."

Lin Yu didn't argue. He didn't smile either. He just pushed the list forward by half an inch and tapped his fingertip on the first item.

"Sit. Phone on do not disturb. Follow the order. Show me when the second item is done."

Xiaowei looked at that finger. The oppressive words in the dorm reached the tip of her tongue, but when faced with him, she couldn’t use them. She sat down and turned on Do Not Disturb. When the screen went dark, her finger froze. The document still opened according to the first entry. She highlighted the summary according to the section he had marked.

Halfway through, she typed on the keyboard very quickly, as if trying to prove that she could divide, catch up, and overpower this sheet of paper. Lin Yu didn’t lift his eyes, and only said:

"Slow down. Finish reading before writing."

She slowed down. She could even hear the keyboard getting lighter.

After finishing the second one, she turned the screen around. He glanced at it twice:

"Replace this one. Use the one I marked. Don't add a third paragraph yourself."

She changed. She didn't ask why. After finishing the third task, she instinctively wanted to start planning for tomorrow—who would write the introduction, who would collect the data. Lin Yu closed the folder, the clip pressing down on the page she had just finished writing.

"Send it to me. Go back to sleep. You don’t need to handle the group matters tomorrow."

“Okay.”

This word felt lighter than the kind she used at the long table at noon. He didn't ask her to say it again, pulled the chair back, and let her go first.

When returning to the dormitory, He Miao was already lying under the bed. Liu Yue reported the time. Chen Rou held the bowl of porridge in her hands, not yet steady in her kneeling. Xiao Wei put her feet back, her voice still cold:

"Position. Whoever asks me where I went first, will get an extra inspection tonight."

After the lights went out, she stared at the bed slats above. She couldn't understand why she hadn't pushed back. She could handle three people in their positions. With a list, she would complete it in order.

He was very quiet when he looked at her. It wasn't like he was listening to her instructions, more like he was watching to see if she would follow through with the next step.

She did as she was told.

From that day on, she remained the one giving orders in the dormitory. Sitting alone with him, she would lean back into the chair, waiting for him to speak.

She can, just be a bit more obedient.

9. Girlfriend

The group assignment has been submitted. In mid-October, the third floor still has those two seats.

During this month, Lin Yu took on the small, burdensome matters in her life one by one. On the day she bought practice exercises, she stood in front of the bookstore shelves for a long time, with two books having almost identical contents. Her phone buzzed; it was a link from him with only one line: 'This one.' She put the other book back and ordered it on the spot. The review schedule was also marked by him, indicating from which chapter to start and on which days to practice dictation, and she adjusted her calendar accordingly. Only after making the changes did she realize she hadn't asked why.

In the dormitory, she was still giving orders according to her role. One night, Liu Yue repeated a part half a beat late; her voice went cold, and she shoved the dictionary back into that soft waist. The phone lit up on the table. Tonight at eight, third floor. Do not disturb. I’ll wait for you.

She left. She didn't explain why she got angry. Lin Yu pushed a cup of warm water over, with the usual three items on the list. After finishing, he said to go back and sleep. She said okay.

Outsiders only thought that the senior students were leading the group. She herself couldn't say exactly when that boundary disappeared.

On Friday night, the study room was left with only them. The lights were white. Xiaowei closed the last page, but did not get up. She watched his hand put away the pen, her lips moved slightly, and then she spoke. For the first time, she asked for it herself:

"I... kind of want you to keep arranging me like this."

Lin Yu's hand paused. He didn't respond immediately. He zipped up his pencil case, walked around the table, and sat on the chair next to her. His palm faced up, resting in front of her.

"Give me the handle."

She hardly hesitated. Her fingers went up. His fingertip pressed on the back of her hand, as if confirming that this hand would stay here.

"From today on, be my girlfriend."

It wasn't a question. Xiaowei's heart skipped a beat. She looked up. There was no probing there, nor was there any request for her to explain what kind of person she was. It was just the same arrangement: sit, no disturbance, follow the order.

She nodded.

“Okay.”

His other hand came over, still pressing only on the back of the hand. Nothing else was added.

"Leave the tiring work to me. You don't have to share it with anyone else when you're with me."

“Okay.”

They walked together to the bottom of her dormitory building. The wind blew the phoenix tree leaves across the steps. Before parting, he called out to her.

"Send a message every night before bed. What you did today, where you feel uncomfortable, what you want me to arrange for tomorrow. You can also ask about clothes."

Her throat tightened, yet she still answered:

I will.

"Go."

Go upstairs. He Miao was already lying down. Liu Yue called out the time. Chen Rou was kneeling. Xiao Wei put her feet back, her voice still cold:

"Position. Whoever asks me where I went first, will get an extra inspection tonight."

Before the light went out, she curled up in the top bunk and sent it as he said. She did her homework today. No discomfort. Tomorrow's clothes—she stopped typing here, deleted that sentence, and typed again: What to wear tomorrow, you decide.

Reply quickly. White shirt, black long pants. Don't think about anything else. Reply when you arrive.

She typed two characters. Only after sending them did she let Liu Yue turn off the light.

The next morning, she changed into the white shirt and black trousers he had specified. Her eyebrows and eyes still looked cold in the mirror. He Miao was already kneeling like a short stool. She put her foot on him and spoke in a low voice:

"Post. Whoever asks me first about how to change clothes will get extra inspection tonight."

Liu Yue repeats. Chen Rou goes to get a basin. No one knows the message by the pillow. The phone vibrates again when going downstairs. Noon, twelve o'clock, the first canteen by the window. Do not disturb. I am waiting for you.

She put the phone into her pocket. The corridor was still straight. The shell was still in this room. On his side, she was just waiting for the next arrangement.