Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: You Qinghe

“This little master has brought Brother Qi! Bow down and greet us!” Hu Xiang burst through the door, shouting loudly with a grin.

“Shut up, you fatso. Who wants a welcome from you?”

“Yeah, you’re blocking the main character! Move aside!”

“You’re always the most eager to join in. Come on in and sit down.”

The room was already bustling with people, all teasing Hu Xiang good-naturedly.

Qi Yuan scanned the crowd, recognizing some faces but not others. Most were former members of the Arts Department from their university days.

They looked more mature now, clearly working adults. Unlike the dream version of himself who had studied abroad, most had gone straight into the workforce after graduation.

“Where’s Brother Zhuo?” Hu Xiang asked, settling into a seat and looking around.

“He ran into a company leader and had to go greet him. After all, he’s a minor manager, so he has to be at all the meetings. If he didn’t acknowledge the boss and the boss recognized him later, the petty ones might give him a hard time.”

Someone explained.

A collective sigh rippled through the room. They all understood the pressure of navigating workplace politics.

Hu Xiang scratched his head. “Understood, understood.”

Then he sighed, “Brother Zhuo’s definitely the highest-earner among us. Can’t even be jealous—he’s earned every penny through hard work.”

After that, they steered clear of work talk. Today was for fun, not for dragging down the mood with depressing topics.

“Brother Qi, I heard from Brother Zhuo that you’re staying in China this time. Is that true?”

“China’s doing great now, Brother Qi. With your skills, you’re sure to make a big splash!”

“It shouldn’t take you long to climb to Brother Zhuo’s position.”

They shifted the conversation to Qi Yuan, and the atmosphere heated up again.

Qi Yuan picked up the glass of wine that had already been poured for him and took a sip. He didn’t recognize the type—it was harsh and unpleasant.

He set the glass down, pushed it away slightly, and replied, “I’m considering it, but I haven’t made up my mind yet.”

“There’s a lot to think about. I just got back, so there’s no rush. I’ll take it one step at a time.”

The others nodded in agreement. It was important to weigh all the factors carefully, after all, since it concerned his future.

Before Qi Yuan could finish speaking, a voice rang out from the doorway:

“Kids! I’m back!”

Zhuo Ming stumbled in, his ears flushed red and his steps unsteady, clearly quite drunk.

Qi Yuan quickly got up to support him, helping him sit down with a worried expression.

Zhuo Ming had barely sat down when he rubbed his temples in discomfort. He desperately wanted to unleash a drunken tirade against the leaders who had pressured him to drink, but he held back. After all, he had organized this gathering; he couldn’t spoil the mood. Everyone was supposed to have a good time.

Hu Xiang frowned. “How much did they make you drink?”

He then exploded in anger, “Damn it, those bastards! They were deliberately harassing you, weren’t they? Knowing you were here having fun with friends, they still forced you to drink so much!”

Hearing this, everyone grew indignant. Zhuo Ming’s glazed eyes confirmed he had indeed drunk far too much. Knowing he had the highest alcohol tolerance among them, they understood the implications of him returning drunk from a work outing.

“Fuck! Those assholes are inhumane! Brother Zhuo has poured his heart and soul into this company, and they know it! Treating him like this? A bunch of freeloading scumbags! They’ll go bankrupt sooner or later!”

“This is going too far!”

“Ugh, I’m about to explode with anger! I want to beat the shit out of them, consequences be damned! They’re absolute garbage!”

“How can they be so utterly shameless? Harassing their own employees? How low can you go? The scum of the earth!”

After the tsukkomi, concern took over.

Most of them were from impoverished backgrounds. During their academy days, they had supported each other through graduation. Even after entering society, they continued to care for one another, tackling problems together. Their bond had long transcended mere friendship, taking on the warmth of familial ties.

“Brother Zhuo, Brother Zhuo, have some water.”

“Why don’t you close your eyes and rest for a bit?”

“I ordered some hangover soup. Don’t fall asleep yet—you’ll get a headache if we wake you up later to drink it.”

Originally in the center of the group, Qi Yuan found himself squeezed to the corner, along with Hu Xiang. Both were completely shut out of the bustle. They exchanged glances and shared helpless smiles.

Hu Xiang: “Brother Qi, why don’t you start your own business? I’ll follow you.”

Qi Yuan: “………” Unbelievable.

Do I look like some entrepreneurial prodigy?

What a suggestion.

“Starting a business isn’t that easy. I have no connections and no resources.”

He offered a relatively gentle refusal.

“True. It’s not easy to become a self-made millionaire.”

“I’m not cut out for business either. Last month, I invested hoping to at least break even, but that scoundrel betrayed my trust and ran off with the cash. Luckily, it wasn’t a huge sum—about a hundred thousand—but it still stings. That was my hard-earned money.”

Qi Yuan patted Hu Xiang on the shoulder, recalling an old joke: “Cheer up. You may have lost a hundred thousand, but at least you gained a valuable lesson.”

Hu Xiang didn’t get it at first. When it finally clicked, he exclaimed, “Damn, Brother Qi! You’ve gotten corrupted overseas!”

He said this with a perfectly straight face.

After exchanging a few more jabs, and realizing they weren’t really needed here, Hu Xiang suggested, “Wanna grab a smoke? I got a pack of premium cigarettes, the kind that costs hundreds of yuan. We should try them together—I haven’t even opened the pack yet. You’re in luck, Brother Qi.”

He gestured toward the outside.

Qi Yuan didn’t smoke in real life, but judging by Hu Xiang’s demeanor in this dream, it seemed his dream self probably did. He didn’t want to act out of character just yet, so he agreed.

He nodded. “Sure, I’m curious to see what makes those hundred-dollar cigarettes different from the cheaper ones.”

Smoking was strictly prohibited in the bar, except in two designated areas: private booths and a smoking area.

Since their group included non-smokers and even a pregnant woman, smoking in the booth was inappropriate. Qi Yuan and Hu Xiang decided to head to the bar’s designated smoking area instead.

The smoking area was a short walk from the booth, just a few minutes away.

It was a large open-air balcony where several people were puffing away in separate corners, each minding their own business.

Qi Yuan leaned against the wall, watching Hu Xiang tear open a pack of cigarettes, pull one out, and hand it over. He took it, and as soon as he held it between his fingers, Hu Xiang lit it for him with a lighter.

“Thanks.”

He mimicked the way he’d seen smokers do it, taking a drag and exhaling.

He couldn’t taste anything special. Qi Yuan felt like smoking was a complete waste.

White smoke obscured his brows and eyes. Before he could take a second puff, a figure suddenly rushed over and grabbed his hand.

“Qi Yuan?”

Qi Yuan didn’t respond, merely leaning against the wall, his free hand flicking ash off the cigarette.

His lowered eyes held an air of nonchalance.

“What’s up?”

He neither confirmed nor denied it.

As the smoke cleared, Qi Yuan recognized the person before him. It seemed to be Xu Yu, You Qinghe’s lackey.

“Xu Yu?” Qi Yuan asked, puzzled.

Xu Yu immediately grinned, whether at seeing Qi Yuan, at Qi Yuan remembering him, or both.

“It’s me.”

He released Qi Yuan’s wrist.

Never one to waste, Qi Yuan raised his hand to his lips, took a drag, and exhaled the smoke toward Xu Yu.

A slight smirk curled his lips. “Something you need?”

“Aren’t we old classmates? And you’ve been abroad for years. It’s rare to run into you like this—we should catch up properly.”

Xu Yu stared at the face that haunted his dreams, the face that had him hopelessly smitten.

Yet he dared not act rashly. Such was the nature of overwhelming affection: only daring to gaze from afar. Gripping Qi Yuan’s wrist earlier had been a reckless impulse; he wouldn’t dare any further indiscretion.

Qi Yuan frowned. Whether in reality or dreams, they’d never been close, had they?

Otherwise, the talkative big guy wouldn’t be playing dead right now; he’d have already barged in to join the fray.

“Oh, by the way, Brother You is in Booth 01. Do you want to meet him?” Xu Yu asked.

If I’m not mistaken, is he trying to introduce me to You Qinghe? Qi Yuan thought.

He hadn’t expected Xu Yu to be so considerate.

“Thanks for the offer, but no need.”

Xu Yu’s attitude was off. This dream version of himself probably hadn’t dated You Qinghe.

“I have other business. I’ll be leaving now.”

He stubbed out his cigarette and left with Hu Xiang.

Once Xu Yu was out of sight, Hu Xiang patted his chest, gazing at Qi Yuan with admiration.

“Damn, Brother Qi, you’re incredible!”

“Xu Yu is Young Master You’s right-hand man! Rejecting him so directly—I’m truly impressed!”

Qi Yuan didn’t bother calling out Hu Xiang’s earlier act. Annoyed by his flattery and finding the conversation tedious, he waved his hand dismissively.

“Head back to the booth first. I need to use the restroom.”

With that, he strode away, leaving Hu Xiang utterly baffled.

“Wait… doesn’t the booth have its own restroom?” Hu Xiang muttered, puzzled as he returned to the booth.

Qi Yuan buzzed around like a headless fly, desperately searching for the key to end this dream.

He had a hunch the bar was a clue, but it was too generic, and he couldn’t figure it out.

Just then, his phone vibrated a few times.

Qi Yuan opened it to check. It was a message.

Boyfriend: Remember to come find me, baby.

Boyfriend: Are you at Lan Xun yet? I’m feeling a bit dizzy, baby.

Boyfriend: I’m waiting patiently for you. You’ll have to reward me properly.

These were the only three messages in the chat history; the previous ones must have been cleared.

So, to escape this dream, I need to find the account owner at the hotel. Is that also my boyfriend in this dream?

He immediately tried calling the number. As each second ticked by, no one answered. He gave up on the idea of calling for answers.

As expected, it wouldn’t be that simple, he thought.

“Baby?”

The word made Qi Yuan think of You Qinghe, who always called him “Baby.” Could it be him?

He remembered Xu Yu saying You Qinghe was in VIP Room 01.

Qi Yuan strode toward Room 01. Just as he reached the door and was about to push it open, it swung inward, revealing an exceptionally tall figure. Qi Yuan had to crane his neck to see who it was.

You Qinghe stood there, wearing an impeccably tailored shirt with the collar unbuttoned, exposing his collarbones. His dark hair was slicked back, revealing a full forehead, and his face had lost some of the youthful plumpness, making his features more sharply defined.

He exuded a wild, untamed aura, his lips curving into a rakish, carefree smile.

“You Qinghe.”

Initially, Qi Yuan assumed another fool had come to his door, and he was about to bark an order to leave without even looking at the person. But when he heard his name called, he froze.

You Qinghe swallowed unconsciously, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

“Babe… Qi Yuan, you’re finally back.”

Sensing something off about his words, Qi Yuan abandoned any pretense of probing and cut straight to the chase. “You Qinghe, are you my boyfriend?”

The moment the question hung in the air, You Qinghe answered without hesitation: “I am!”