Chapter 27

September rolled around, and school started before long.

Everything had been going smoothly for Qi Jing—until he was handed a key.

It was to a school district house.

“If it’s about dorms…”

He wanted to refuse, but the other man just said calmly over the dinner table, “What if you don’t sleep well?”

Qi Jing didn’t think he was that delicate.

But he agreed anyway.

The two of them tacitly avoided any mention of the hotel, one innocently oblivious, the other harboring ulterior thoughts.

Neither took another step forward.

Their reasons were different, that was all.

Later, Qi Jing even asked 996 about it. Did goldfinches really earn that much?

The money he had on hand now was several times his tuition.

【Totally normal, Little Jing.】

996 replied philosophically: 【My advice? Rake it in while you can. Once we deal with the protagonist, I’ll whisk you off to Harbor City.】

Qi Jing pursed his lips. Fair enough—after all, Bo Chengyan had made it clear he didn’t like him that way.

He was too young.

With that in mind, he went and measured his height.

One point seven nine meters.

Qi Jing’s mood lifted instantly. He’d grown two more centimeters.

If university went smoothly, he could hit one point eight.

The teenager nursed his aspirations, then stepped onto the scale, watching the numbers anxiously.

The red digital display flickered before settling at fifty-nine kilograms.

“Too light.”

A steady voice sounded from behind him. Before Qi Jing could turn, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist and lifted him down.

“Dorming is fine, but if you get too skinny, you still have to come back.”

The teenager looked up, frowning slightly.

Bo Chengyan gazed down at him, calm as ever. “Auntie will miss you.”

Qi Jing blinked in realization and said earnestly, “Then I’ll come back every weekend.”

“Mm.”

“Good boy.”

The paleontology dorm was in the south district. It wasn’t some century-old building, but it was rundown enough.

By the time Qi Jing finished unpacking, three hours had passed. He’d forgotten to eat, and just then, his phone rang.

The teenager sat on his chair and picked up.

“Have you eaten?”

Qi Jing felt inexplicably guilty, but he figured he’d grown up enough to fib. “Yeah, I have.”

He’d head to the cafeteria later.

There was a pause on the other end.

Then: “That’s a shame, then. Auntie made your lunch. Looks like it’ll go to waste.”

Qi Jing panicked. “No, no—don’t!”

“Come to the south gate.”

The south gate was the side entrance closest to Building A. Qi Jing dashed out of the dorm and spotted the car waiting outside. He swiped his card and hurried over.

The security guard clicked his tongue in admiration, chatting idly that it had to be some school bigwig’s ride.

So flashy.

The teenager in his white T-shirt yanked open the car door and hopped in.

“…”

“…”

The Maybach’s back seat was spacious, with a fold-down tray table holding a lunchbox.

Sugar-vinegar ribs, stir-fried green beans, dry-fried tofu… plus a small box of honeydew melon and a bowl of multigrain rice.

Bo Chengyan seemed to have come straight from the office without changing—full suit and tie, shirt collar slightly undone.

“Eaten?”

Qi Jing had barely settled in when he dropped his gaze and admitted, “Actually… no.”

“I didn’t want to trouble you.”

A subtle warmth spread between them.

“You can trouble me.”

The teenager froze for a moment.

Bo Chengyan added by way of explanation, “Strangers can’t be troubled lightly—you have to repay them.”

“But Little Jing, am I a stranger?”

Qi Jing’s eyes darted away. He picked up his chopsticks and snagged a piece of rib, his ears turning pink.

“No.”

He’s my sugar daddy, he thought.

Just then, 996 materialized out of nowhere and nestled in Qi Jing’s lap.

【I couldn’t find that top guy. Did he pick the wrong one?】

The blue slime looked utterly dejected, but then it spotted the fragrant food and instinctively opened its mouth.

Qi Jing promptly clapped a hand over it.

About half an hour later, Qi Jing was finally released, a box of fresh-cut fruit in his pale hand.

“Bye-bye.”

The teenager stood outside as the Maybach drove off, shielding his eyes against the blazing sun.

Qi Jing jogged back to the dorm and found most of his roommates already there. Thanks to his high school-honed social skills, he quickly exchanged contacts and started warming up to them.

It wasn’t until their evening chit-chat that he asked, “Sorry, but do any of you know Ruan Heng from the Big Data Institute?”

Roommate A studied economics, B biology, and C big data.

And according to 996, Ruan Heng was in that major.

“Ruan Heng? Didn’t you see the bulletin board out front at Qiuhua? He’s the one behind that event proposal.”

Roommate C glanced over from his computer, curious. “How do you know my upperclassman? He’s a senior now, right? I’ve heard he’s amazing, but we haven’t met.”

“What do you need him for?”

The guy narrowed his eyes.

Qi Jing didn’t pick up on the subtle scrutiny. He just pulled out the bag he’d prepared. “He lent me a shirt once when mine got dirty. I want to give it back.”

“Oh, gotcha. Swing by the institute in a few days. That project on the board should be wrapping up soon.”

“Cool, thanks.”

996 hovered over his desk in utter confusion. 【You could’ve just asked me. I can pinpoint him for you.】

Qi Jing drew his desk curtain and shook his head, replying in his mind: 【No, you can help, but I can’t skip the normal steps of life.】

【With the karst cave last time, I could’ve called the cops first, then had you track the place. That way, we wouldn’t have wasted public resources later.】

Qi Jing was good at learning from experience. After all, he lived here—he was independent, and he couldn’t rely on 996 too much.

It didn’t seem all that reliable anyway.

996: 【…】

The system got scooped up upside down, a few scattered snacks tumbling out. It had devoured all the midday honeydew.

Just then, a roommate called from outside, “Little Jing? Heading to wash up?”

Qi Jing answered and went.

Meanwhile.

Bo Chengyan hadn’t gotten any calls or messages.

He just stared at the red dot on his phone.

“What’s with that wristband? Never seen it before,” a roommate asked curiously.

Qi Jing blinked. “Just a health tracker.”

“Oh, yeah. But I haven’t seen that brand…”

Roommate C dropped it after that, though it looked familiar. He shrugged. “Pretty healthy-looking, huh.”

Must’ve been a trick of the eye.

That wristband looked just like the one S put on M in that movie…

The guy seemed to think his heart was acting up and slapped his own face twice. The motion was so bizarre that Qi Jing just stared.

“Ah, mouth was itchy.”

Even more bizarre.

Roommate C despaired a little.

~~~

Lin Se had been bored out of his mind these past few days. The kid was off at university now, and Bo Chengyan wasn’t dropping by every other day with puberty questions anymore.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Ha.

Wise men don’t fall in love, but they love watching from the sidelines.

Of course he’d heard about Qi Jing’s university gift being group shares. Surprising? Not really.

Bored, he headed upstairs. Bo Chengyan was indeed working away, looking steady as ever. He glanced up. “Something you need?”

Lin Se shoved his hands in his pockets and plopped down opposite. “Has he called you?”

“…”

“They say kids in college forget home quick. Way more fun out there.”

“You that idle?”

Lin Se quit bullshitting and propped his chin on his hand, serious now. “Just remembered something. Didn’t you consult me once about hearing Little Jing’s thoughts?”

…

Big Data Research Center.

Qi Jing glanced up at the sign, confirming he had the right place. His waist still ached a bit.

He frowned.

The dorm bed was too small and rock-hard.

Plus mosquitoes everywhere—at least ten bites all over, three visible on his exposed arms.

And he hadn’t slept well either.

Roommate A snored, B hated airing out the room so it reeked, and C gamed all night.

Qi Jing was thoroughly wilted.

Still, he hadn’t gone to the nearby school district house. Maybe to prove something, or maybe a belated rebel phase.

996 perched on his shoulder. 【Got it. Second floor, five meters straight ahead.】

Qi Jing headed up, no hitches, asking directions a couple times until he reached the meeting room door.

But it was empty. Everyone gone.

The teenager stood there, stunned.

“Looking for me?” Someone tapped his shoulder. Qi Jing turned to see Ruan Heng, a bit taller, with cool-toned features.

They locked eyes for a few seconds.

“Ah, yeah. I don’t know if you remember—”

“I do.”

Ruan Heng raised an eyebrow slightly. How could he forget someone so handsome? He’d only been in the building for a few minutes before photos of him started popping up in the group chat.

“Come over here and talk.”

The young man gestured for him to follow.

About ten minutes later.

Qi Jing handed over the two bags. One contained the borrowed shirt, and the other held a new one in the same size.

“Thanks for lending me your clothes that day.”

Ruan Heng frowned. “Is that all?”

Qi Jing didn’t really have any elaborate plan. He just figured he needed to establish some kind of social connection first. As for identifying the “protagonist” later, he could play it by ear.

After all, the trope was too slapdash. A one-night stand turning into the protagonist?

That was way too convenient.

Bo Chengyan was Ling Yue’s CEO.

But the other one…

From a professional standpoint, it wasn’t fair to Ruan Heng.

He didn’t want things to go down like that.

“And… I’m sorry.”

Qi Jing thought for a moment, then said it earnestly before bowing slightly.

Ruan Heng narrowed his eyes a fraction. “Why?”

“Did you drug me?” The other man cut straight to the chase.

“No.”

Qi Jing’s face flushed crimson. He shook his head frantically, stumbling over his words. “If it wasn’t for my clothes… you wouldn’t have had to come upstairs at all.”

Ruan Heng had already figured that much out at the time. The excuse didn’t hold water.

The one who’d drugged him was probably Xiao Cui and his side piece. They’d deliberately dirtied this young man’s clothes to target the elegantly dressed adult.

Climbing into bed to seduce him? Up to no good?

Some shady business, anyway.

And he’d been the unlucky one caught in the crossfire.

Ruan Heng had later cornered the restaurant manager and gotten some compensation, which barely cooled his temper. At least it covered the exorbitant price of that duck.

But…

What did any of that have to do with the young man in front of him?

He’d come to apologize?

“You did screw me over.”

996 was stunned. What was up with this protagonist?

Qi Jing hung his head, fiddling with his fingers. Just as he opened his mouth, the other man asked again:

“That man—is he your… boyfriend?”

Ruan Heng watched the other’s reaction closely. First came a blank stare, then bewilderment, before he finally replied, “Not really…”

A vague answer.

“Does he keep you?”

Straight to the jugular.

Qi Jing’s face paled. He sat there across from him, looking fragile and unresponsive.

But no response was a response in itself.

Ruan Heng rubbed his fingertip, as if struck by an amusing idea. “Tell you what—come shopping with me, and I’ll forgive you.”

The shopping spot was the GAY Bar.

Strobe lights flashed chaotically inside, nearly blinding. The performers on stage wore bizarre outfits, exposing vast swaths of skin as they writhed.

Qi Jing stood out in his loose white T-shirt, though he was oblivious to it, feeling only anxiety.

996 kept scanning but detected no out-of-character behavior from the protagonist. It was baffling.

【What did he bring you here for?】

996 hadn’t wanted Qi Jing to go with him, but the young man insisted it might lead to finding the “protagonist.” So it relented.

Ruan Heng led him to the bar and ordered a drink. “Do you like him?”

Qi Jing bit his lip, hesitating far too long.

“That means you do.” The man opposite answered for him.

The young man looked up at him in a panic.

But the young man merely said mildly, “No big deal. At least your sugar daddy’s handsome and loaded.”

Qi Jing’s heart pounded. He didn’t notice the numbers on his smart wristband climbing.

“Guys like that? You gotta keep a tight leash on them. Don’t let any shady types climb all over him…”

The place was deafeningly noisy. Qi Jing had no clue what the other man was up to and felt utterly lost.

Until Ruan Heng handed him a glass of red wine. “Do this—drink it, and we’re square.”

Qi Jing looked up, his eyes clear and innocent.

The thumping music set his blood racing.

“Bottom line: I’m just a regular guy. That drugging nonsense wouldn’t have happened to me if it weren’t for you big shots’ drama. I got dragged into it for no reason.”

Qi Jing tensed up. “I’m sorry…”

996 had never seen so much booze. Unable to resist, it floated over to the bartender for a tiny sip.

Its form jolted like it’d been electrocuted.

“Let me ask again: you like your sugar daddy, right?”

Qi Jing had never been grilled so bluntly. His upbringing in this world had been gentle—people around him always coaxed him patiently, full of care.

But this was the real world…

“I’ll drink.”

Amid the pulsing music, Qi Jing grabbed the glass and downed it in one go. Desperate, he gulped for air, chest heaving.

His vision blurred.

“Your first time drinking?”

Ruan Heng’s brow furrowed slightly, but he reached out, took Qi Jing’s wrist, and glanced at the vibrating alert.

The young man arched a brow, not surprised at all.

“Here’s the thing: it has a bit of an aphrodisiac, and this is Deer Blood Wine.”

Qi Jing’s watery eyes flickered.

Ruan Heng said gently, “Call it even that way. Make sense?”

“Mm, but I didn’t really harm you. Didn’t you like him already anyway?”

“It’s harmless. Relax.”

Qi Jing felt numb all over. He’d never expected this twist.

His skin flushed hot, but he couldn’t feel the smart wristband vibrating anymore.

Just dizzy.

A flash of blue in his peripheral vision…

“996.”

Ruan Heng frowned. “Huh? Drunk already? What’re you mumbling?”

The music blared in his ears.

“Little Ruan? Not mixing drinks tonight? Fancy guest—who’s this?”

“A friend. But I’ve gotta head out.”

“Watch him for me. Don’t let any randos touch him…”

Before leaving, Ruan Heng paused, took back his old shirt, and left the new one behind.

The young man glanced casually at Qi Jing and told his colleague, “Someone named Bo will probably show up for him later. Just let him take him.”

The colleague didn’t look up. “Got it!”

“Later.”

Scan data from minutes ago:

【Name: Ruan Heng.】

【Age: 22.】

【Personality: Holds a grudge.】