Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Dream

“The President isn’t here. Do you have documents that need processing? Just give them to me.”

After welcoming them in, Liang Tingxuan reached out, his large eyes blinking as he spoke with casual assurance.

He’d dyed his hair a flamboyant red, and when he smiled, his eyes curved into crescent moons, a faint dimple appearing on his left cheek—a picture of youthful vitality.

“Certainly, Vice President,” Qi Yuan replied, handing over the documents with a slight bow, his demeanor somewhat nervous.

As Liang Tingxuan took the files, he glanced at the man before him, finding him vaguely familiar. His memory was usually sharp; if the face seemed familiar, they must have met somewhere before.

“Zhuo Ming, you’re the replacement?” Liang Tingxuan asked, pulling a lollipop from his pocket, tearing open the wrapper, and popping it into his mouth.

“That’s right. He’s quite capable,” Zhuo Ming replied with a smile. He wasn’t particularly handsome, but his features conveyed an honest and trustworthy air. He was quite content with his appearance; an honest-looking man would never be the first suspect in any situation.

“Oh, good,” Liang Tingxuan said. “He looks quite similar to you.”

“Why does your Arts Department keep hiring the same type of manager? How dull.”

He sat back in his chair, documents spread across the desk, propping his chin with his hand as he grumbled under his breath.

Zhuo Ming’s smile froze.

Qi Yuan: “………”

As expected, trash talks trash. How come I never heard about him having face blindness in my past life?

Zhuo Ming knew this guy was a flake and didn’t want to waste time arguing. “You’re joking, right? Brother Chen, the former Arts Department head who just graduated, was quite handsome.”

Zhuo Ming knew he was insinuating that all Arts Department heads looked like earnest, honest types. But does he ever stop to think why we’re like that? If we weren’t from impoverished backgrounds, would we really be so cautious?

At the end of the day, they were forced into it. Who wouldn’t want a life of freedom and spontaneity? Who wouldn’t want to live carefree?

Qi Yuan was starting to get a headache. He’d initially thought Liang Tingxuan’s personality would be the same as his memories from the past life. Now he realized it was all an act—one persona for outsiders, another for those close to him.

Still, even after this revelation, Qi Yuan couldn’t bring himself to think ill of Liang Tingxuan. At least the care he’d shown him in their past life hadn’t been fake.

Liang Tingxuan read through the documents quickly, finishing in just a few minutes. He pulled out He Zhou’s name seal from a drawer, stamped it, and slid the papers forward.

Qi Yuan had a good impression of the Arts Department. Unlike other departments filled with scheming minds, he preferred the comfort of working with people who had no hidden agendas.

“The President won’t be back until right before the freshmen welcome party, so I’m handling all Student Council affairs. Just come to me directly.”

Zhuo Ming: “Alright, got it.”

Qi Yuan stepped forward. Just as his hand touched the document, Liang Tingxuan, sitting across the desk, slipped a lollipop into his palm. Qi Yuan looked up, meeting Liang Tingxuan’s gaze. The other man winked at him, mouthing the words, “My favorite flavor.”

The exchange happened so quickly, and Qi Yuan’s body blocked Zhuo Ming’s view, so the latter remained oblivious.

“Then Vice President, we’ll be going now. There’s still a mountain of work waiting for us in the department,” Zhuo Ming said, walking toward the door.

Clutching the lollipop as if it were a hot potato, Qi Yuan unconsciously tucked it into his pocket. He pursed his lips, offered no response, and followed Zhuo Ming out.

After they left the office, Qi Yuan glanced back at the tightly closed door, a faint sense of foreboding settling in his heart.

The Arts Department had its own dedicated work area.

Qi Yuan was diligently working at his desk. Known for his good temper and patience, he quickly mastered any task assigned to him and completed it efficiently without slacking off. His positive impression among colleagues fostered harmonious relationships.

“I’m so tired!” a big guy exclaimed loudly.

“There’s no end to this work!” a pretty girl chimed in from across the room.

Once the ice was broken, others joined the chorus.

“Aren’t college years supposed to be fun? How did I end up living the life of a corporate slave so quickly?”

“Same here, same here.”

“Our Arts Department really gets the short end of the stick. We do all the dirty work while the other departments sit back and act like bosses. We can only watch—it’s so unfair.”

“Tell me about it!”

“At the root of this whole mess is our status as scholarship students.”

A sudden silence fell over the room.

Qi Yuan tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. He didn’t want to get involved. Walls have ears, after all, and people are always held accountable for what they say. To avoid unnecessary trouble, it was best to watch his words from the start.

Creak.

The door opened, and Zhuo Ming walked in, looking utterly exhausted.

He glanced around the room, puzzled by the unusual quiet. Usually, they were all arguing like cats and dogs.

Too tired to ask, Zhuo Ming cut straight to the point, outlining their plans for the evening.

“Everyone’s worked so hard today. We’re going to eat on the third floor of the cafeteria tonight, and the department will cover the expenses.”

The big guy leaped to his feet. “Really? Long live the Boss!”

“We’re actually going to the third floor! Long live the Boss!”

“The third floor! I wonder if we’ll see one of the F4. They’re so handsome, rich, and cool!”

“Remember, never call them the F4 to their faces! They hate that!”

“Huh? Why’s that?”

“F4 is just a nickname the forum people secretly gave them. It refers to the young masters and young ladies from Weilika’s four most prestigious families. But they all hate it when they find out. They think it’s childish and stupid, like we have nothing better to do. So, whatever you do, don’t say it to them directly!”

“Got it! Thanks, Senior Sister! I understand now!”

The third floor of the academy cafeteria was reserved for privileged students. The food there wasn’t just delicious; it was also beautifully presented. Its only drawback was its high price—apart from that, it was perfect.

Qi Yuan ate quietly, head down. He ate while others chatted, and when someone struck up a conversation with him, he’d eat while talking.

Everyone had classes the next day, followed by work in the Arts Department. Combined with today’s fatigue, they dispersed soon after finishing their meal, each returning to their own dorms.

Qi Yuan walked back with the big guy, as they lived in the same dormitory building.

The big guy, named Hu Xiang, was cheerful and outgoing. As they walked, he patted his bulging belly, looking thoroughly satisfied.

He was also a freshman, having joined the Arts Department with Qi Yuan.

Hu Xiang’s eyes darted around, and he hesitated before finally asking, “Qi Yuan, how’s your roommate?”

“I don’t have a roommate,” Qi Yuan replied. “The school assigned one, but he never moved in.”

“Lucky you,” Hu Xiang said enviously.

“My roommate is kind of… gloomy. All he does is stay in the dorm playing computer games, except when he has class. His name is Tang Yu, I think. When we first moved in, I tried to get along with him and strike up a conversation, but he completely ignored me. If I said more than a few words, he’d glare at me like he wanted to kill me. I swear, if I said another word, he’d have snapped.”

“Even worse, he’d wake me up in the middle of the night just to complain about my snoring!”

“Sigh, it’s better to have no roommate at all, right, Qi Yuan?”

Qi Yuan nodded. “It’s definitely more peaceful and carefree without a roommate.”

Hu Xiang looked like his heart had turned to ashes, even the delicious food couldn’t cheer him up.

By now, it was completely dark, and the streetlights illuminated their path as they walked back to the dorm, chatting idly.

“Qi Yuan, you’re a good guy,” Hu Xiang said solemnly as they parted ways.

“Since we started school, you’re the only one who hasn’t minded how much I talk. You’re a true friend! If you ever need anything, just ask! If I can help, I will!” He thumped his chest, pledging his support.

Qi Yuan hadn’t expected such a heartfelt declaration. The pressures of Weilika Academy must have finally cracked him, he thought.

He wouldn’t be foolish enough to reject someone’s genuine kindness.

“Sure thing, I’ll definitely come to you if I need anything, Hu-ge.”

Hu Xiang was a few months older than Qi Yuan, so calling him “Hu-ge” (Brother Hu) felt natural.

After seeing him off, Qi Yuan returned to the dorm. He was exhausted, but he forced himself to take a shower. As he lay in bed, nearly asleep, he suddenly remembered he hadn’t set an alarm. He fumbled for his phone on the nightstand, squinted at the screen to set the alarm, then placed the phone back down, finally feeling at ease enough to drift off to sleep.

Qi Yuan opened his eyes to pitch darkness and removed his eye mask.

He found himself on an airplane, and it was already descending.

A few minutes later, luggage in hand, Qi Yuan stood at the airport exit, a bewildered expression on his face.

He switched on his phone, and a call came through the moment it powered up.

It was Hu Xiang.

Qi Yuan answered.

“Yuan-ge! Where are you? I’m at the airport entrance.”

The other man’s tone was casual and practiced, as if he’d done airport pickups many times before.

“I’m right here at the airport entrance,” Qi Yuan replied, his gaze sweeping the area. After a few minutes, he finally spotted the big guy—identical to his real-world counterpart, perhaps even a bit fatter.

He stowed his luggage in the trunk, got into the car, buckled his seatbelt, and the car started moving.

They drove in silence for a while.

Hu Xiang: “Qi-ge, you’ve already graduated overseas. Are you planning to stay in China this time? Or will you do what you usually do—stay here for a few days and then head back abroad?”

Qi Yuan fell silent. How could he possibly know what his dream self intended?

But if Qi Meng were here in China, there’s no way I’d settle down abroad.

He avoided giving a direct answer, saying vaguely, “I might stay in the country. Nothing’s certain yet.”

Hu Xiang replied, “The job market here is pretty good these days.”

“Oh, right, Brother Zhuo wants to host a welcome-back dinner for you. He’s invited some mutual friends to Lan Xun. Qi Yuan, are you in?”

“Brother Zhuo said since you’ve been studying abroad for years, it’s rare for us all to get together. He thought we should take advantage of the opportunity while everyone’s free.”

Qi Yuan cracked his knuckles and agreed, “Alright.”

Lan Xun was an exclusive bar catering to the wealthy. Everything inside was expensive, and privacy was paramount. It had a formidable reputation; when it first opened, some foolhardy troublemakers tried to cause a scene, but their actions led to dire consequences. After that cautionary example, no one dared cross it.

By the time they arrived at Lan Xun, it was already late, and the entrance lights were glowing.

Inside, Hu Xiang gave the staff the name of their private room.

The staff member smiled and gestured for them to follow, leading the way.

As Qi Yuan followed the staff member, he didn’t notice someone nearby staring at him in shock.