Chapter 2Reborn to Send My Roommate to Prison

Later, whispers began in the dorm group chats. "Who took my takeout?" every now and then. "My package went missing, has anyone seen it?" I didn't know it then, but the thief was living right beside me.

When our homeroom teacher asked if anyone's takeout had gone missing, Lily threatened me. She said if I dared to expose her, she'd claim I was her accomplice, dragging me down with her. The ridiculous part was, I actually listened to her then. I agreed to keep her secret. But this time, I’d make sure she got a truly "free meal" – courtesy of the justice system.

I’d just returned to the dorm to find Lily coming in, laden with four or five takeout bags. My gaze fixated on her bags. Lily, noticing my stare, eyed me warily. "Don't even think about it. I'm not sharing. Stop looking."

I plastered on a fawning smile. "Oh, what did you order? It smells amazing! How much was it? Can I see the receipt?"

Lily hugged her bags tightly. "None of your business what I eat! Order your own food on the app, hmph."

"I just meant you're eating so deliciously," I countered. Lily smirked triumphantly. "Of course. You, a poor scholarship student, could never afford such fancy food. Don't even dream about it."

I spotted a takeout slip on her desk and snatched it. The name on it was Bethany Chase. I shouted, "This receipt says Bethany Chase's name, doesn't it?!"

Lily snatched the slip back with a jerk. "What are you looking at? My friend ordered this for me. Don't be so dramatic."

I narrowed my eyes at the faint blush on Lily's ear tips—her tell-tale sign of guilt. Bethany Chase was infamous in the Chemistry department for her explosive temper. Just last week, she'd verbally flayed a classmate for two hours straight in the hallway for using her laundry detergent without permission.

I pulled out my phone, pretending to go get hot water, but actually hid around the corridor corner and started recording. "Where's my eel rice?!" Ten minutes later, Bethany's furious roar echoed from downstairs. She started bombarding the dorm group chat, accusing some "inhuman creature" of stealing her takeout. Seeing no one respond, she stomped towards the dorm supervisor's room, ready to demand action.

At that moment, I strategically poked my head out from the water station, phone in hand. "I think I just saw someone carrying a bag with a neon Japanese restaurant logo. They went to the left side of the dorms, but I didn't get a good look at their face." Bethany immediately set out to knock on every dorm room door, but many chose not to open. She decided to simply sit by the trash cans and wait.

I returned to the dorm to find Lily had finished her meal. "Lily," I said, "even though I can't afford such food, can I help you throw away the trash? Just to smell the aroma?"

Lily looked at me condescendingly. "Fine, fine. I know someone like you will never eat such high-class food in your life. I'll be merciful and let you throw it away."

I took her takeout bag and walked towards the trash cans. Bethany, who was guarding them, immediately spotted the bag in my hand and rushed towards me. "So, it was you all along! You thief! And you're playing the victim! I'm going to expose you, just you wait!" Bethany yelled.

"If it were me," I said calmly, "would I have pointed you in that direction?"

Bethany rolled her eyes. "Who knows what you were thinking at the time? I don't care. Either replace it with an identical meal right now, or pay ten times the price of this meal."

I calmly replied, "Wait until you see this video." I pulled out my phone and handed her the video I had recorded from the hallway corner. Her face went from disbelief to absolute fury. Knowing Lily was a famous rich girl in our department, Bethany immediately wanted to confront Lily with the video. I quickly stopped her, saying conspiratorially, "If you go now, do you have any other evidence besides this video?"

Bethany retorted, "This video is enough! I'll tear her mouth to shreds!"

I gave her a stern look and analyzed. "Think about it: Lily usually presents herself as generous. Who would believe she steals takeout? It's just this one time, but where there's one, there's two. We just need to wait and see."

Bethany scoffed. "Easy for you to say. Are we just going to skip class and sit here watching the building all day?"

I looked at Bethany, my voice firm. "Actually, from what I've observed these past few days, she's no longer satisfied with just stealing takeout. Her desk is covered in designer bags and jewelry. Remember? She's on a scholarship, just like me."

Bethany's eyes widened in realization. "Now that you mention it, I remember! At the beginning of the semester, she looked like a country bumpkin!"

I continued, "Right now, she'd only get a verbal warning or be socially ostracized in the dorm chat. That's not a real punishment. So, listen to me..."

Bethany's face lit up. "Okay! That's a good idea! But... what's your beef with her? You're so ruthless!"

I looked at Bethany. "You'll find out later."