Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: The Inferno Unfolds

Beneath his glasses, You Yuanxiu’s pupils trembled as he stared in disbelief at the mole—one he would never forget for the rest of his life.

Location.

Color.

Size.

It was identical to the one on his lover Xu Yuan’s wrist.

If the voice could be dismissed as coincidence, what about a mole with the same location, color, and size?

Could this also be a lie?

You Yuanxiu had to accept the most improbable conclusion, even if neither he nor his younger brother, You Qinghe, could bear it.

To be honest, he had never been toyed with like this before. No one had ever dared to manipulate him so brazenly. This was a first.

The bloody reality lay bare before him; he couldn’t turn a blind eye.

Though he was already convinced that his brother’s boyfriend, Qi Yuan, was Xu Yuan, he needed further confirmation. A mere suspicion, no matter how strong, was insufficient to warrant action.

He maintained his composure, acting as if nothing had happened, as if he knew nothing at all.

Only the blood-streaked nail marks digging into his palms betrayed his inner turmoil—a glimpse of his hidden madness and predatory nature.

This was far from normal.

You Yuanxiu’s rationality bordered on the excessive. His emotions were unnervingly stable; even when he lost control, he typically regained his composure within a minute. This likely stemmed from the rigorous education he had received since childhood.

A qualified heir must learn to suppress their emotions, ensuring reason always triumphs over passion. Only then can they avoid acting against the company’s interests due to personal feelings.

Under the You Family’s rigorous doctrine, You Yuanxiu had excelled. He had even succeeded in overthrowing his father, You Shu, by leveraging absolute rationality and masterful scheming.

He had climbed into the cage the You Family had forged, locked himself inside, and threw away the key.

You Yuanxiu had once believed his life would remain like this forever.

But a singular exception had emerged, catching him completely off guard.

He had been willing to sacrifice everything for love. Yet the very person for whom he would willingly surrender everything had betrayed him.

His lover had returned to the Family Banquet with his younger brother, You Qinghe, showing not a trace of guilt—as if their past together had never existed, as if their shared history had been a mere fabrication.

Cracks appeared in the protective shell of reason he had so carefully constructed, growing steadily larger with each passing moment. Soon, it threatened to shatter entirely.

An indescribable mix of emotions churned within him—jealousy and resentment toward his lover’s ultimate choice of his brother.

You Yuanxiu abruptly averted his gaze, acutely aware that his stare at Qi Yuan was growing increasingly naked. He feared being discovered, especially arousing Qi Yuan’s suspicions. Until he had solid evidence, he couldn’t afford to betray his composure.

Stirring up the grass would only alert the snake.

The villa’s interior exuded understated luxury, its decor pleasing to the eye. Though Qi Yuan couldn’t discern the exact value of its furnishings, he knew they must be exorbitant.

He dared not touch anything in this unfamiliar place. Not only would it be impolite, but he might easily damage something. It was best to simply observe.

Around the long dining table sat a group of people, each dressed in lavish attire and wearing cold, impassive expressions. There was none of the cheerful chatter typical of family banquets; only oppressive silence.

They were silently resisting someone of a lower social standing: Qi Yuan himself.

But as members of the collateral branches, they had no authority to interfere with the affairs of the Main Branch’s two young masters.

In the past, when someone had dared to meddle in You Qinghe’s affairs at a family banquet, the table had been overturned, the gathering had ended in acrimony, and the meddler had been sent abroad under a fabricated pretext by Eldest Young Master You Yuanxiu to develop overseas markets, likely never to return.

Since then, everyone had learned to turn a blind eye, to look but not see.

This time, however, Young Master You Qinghe’s actions had truly crossed the line.

Not only had he brought a fatherless, motherless, lowborn commoner to the family banquet, but he had also defied his father to defend this outsider. How could a stranger ever compare to one’s own father? It was utterly improper.

Yet no one dared to voice their disapproval, fearing a repeat of the past incident. Though they remained silent, they couldn’t muster even a pretense of warmth toward Qi Yuan.

Everyone wore a deathly expression, their faces blank and silent.

The dishes were quickly served.

Across the table sat You Shu, the former Patriarch, his expression equally dark, especially when he saw his youngest son fussing over Qi Yuan, who seemed like the reincarnation of a fox spirit. His face darkened further.

He wanted to say something, but when he saw the gauze-covered wound on his son’s forehead, he ultimately remained silent.

Before anyone could pick up their chopsticks, You Qinghe stood up, his gaze softening as he looked at Qi Yuan standing beside him.

“I’d like to introduce you all,” he said.

“This is my beloved, Qi Yuan.”

“He’s the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. We’ll be getting married soon, and I expect to see all of you at the wedding after the invitations are sent.”

“I don’t want to have to visit each family individually to invite you personally. I trust you all understand my meaning?”

The veiled threat in his words was clear to everyone.

Though they desperately didn’t want to attend, refusing You Qinghe’s request would likely result in dire consequences.

None of those present were complete fools; they all nodded in agreement to attend.

No one noticed the man sitting at the head of the table, his hand gripping his glass so tightly it seemed on the verge of shattering.

If Qi Yuan truly was Xu Yuan…

You Yuanxiu would never allow them to marry.

He thinks he can get rid of me? Not a chance.

Qi Yuan, one of the parties involved, was so embarrassed his toes were curling into the ground. Yet he forced a smile, vowing to strangle whoever had woven this absurd Dreamscape once he found them.

Or maybe I’ll just toss them into their own ridiculous Dreamscape, he thought. Life’s already got enough melodrama. Why can’t my dreams be a little more lighthearted?

You Qinghe’s “introduction” was just a formality. After this charade ended, everyone would have to plaster on smiles, whether they felt like it or not. They knew the Young Master’s word was law; barring any unforeseen catastrophes, these two were destined to marry.

This inevitability was now clear to everyone. Qi Yuan was practically a permanent fixture as You Qinghe’s future partner.

Initially, they’d dared to give him the cold shoulder, buoyed by a sense of fortunate distance. But those days were over. Now, anyone who frowned would either face Qi Yuan’s complaints or the wrath of You Qinghe, who was utterly besotted.

The atmosphere instantly thawed into forced cheerfulness. Their performances were equally contrived and awkward, a competition of who could be the most fake, the most exaggerated, and the most cringeworthy.

This world is truly mad, Qi Yuan thought, watching them. There isn’t a normal person among them.

He ate his exquisitely prepared meal without tasting it, completely unaware that the identity he was trying to conceal had already been effortlessly deduced by someone who shouldn’t have known, thanks to a few tiny, overlooked details.

If Qi Yuan had known then that You Yuanxiu had already figured him out, based solely on his voice and a mole on his wrist…

He would have screamed, Pervert!

And he would have wondered if the man was cheating somehow. Who the hell could pull off something so absurd?

The Family Banquet was drawing to a close, but You Yuanxiu remained determined to uncover the truth he suspected.

He had summoned his mother, Tan Qingdai, who had divorced his father, You Shu. Using the excuse of his younger brother You Qinghe bringing his companion to the banquet, he maneuvered his mother into talking with You Qinghe, creating an opportunity to confirm his suspicions.

What’s the most effective way to test this?

He already had a plan, and now he merely needed to wait for the right moment.

How utterly fascinating, isn’t it?

Standing in a corner, You Yuanxiu watched the two figures holding hands with a chilling intensity.

Even after seeing his mother call You Qinghe away, he remained motionless.

He waited a while longer before pulling out his phone and opening the pinned “Sweetheart” account.

You Yuanxiu: Sweetheart, are you finished with your work?

The message had barely been sent when he clearly observed Qi Yuan, who was leaning against the wall by the door waiting for You Qinghe, show no reaction whatsoever.

The smile froze on You Yuanxiu’s face.

He sent another message.

You Yuanxiu: Sweetheart, are you still busy?

At that moment, You Yuanxiu had no idea that after Qi Yuan discovered he was You Yuanxiu’s online lover, he had not only silenced his phone but also set You Yuanxiu’s account to “Do Not Disturb.”

You Yuanxiu had considered having his subordinates trace the account to uncover the user’s identity, but he refrained from doing so until the very last moment. When he and Xu Yuan (Qi Yuan) had formalized their relationship, Qi Yuan had made it unequivocally clear: under no circumstances should Yuanxiu resort to such methods without his express permission, or they would break up immediately.

You Yuanxiu dared not gamble. He couldn’t risk losing his lover, knowing he couldn’t bear the consequences of failure.

You Yuanxiu couldn’t decide whether to feel relieved that his younger brother’s boyfriend wasn’t his online sweetheart or regretful that it wasn’t.

It was merely a coincidence.

In the end, he had simply overthought and become paranoid.

It was his fault. He had been about to leave to instruct his assistant to add another one percent to the draft equity agreement when Qi Yuan, likely bored of waiting, pulled out his phone. His expression twisted with inner conflict as he stared at the screen.

Moments later, You Yuanxiu’s phone vibrated.

His hand trembled slightly.

Xu Yuan (Qi Yuan): Still busy.

You Yuanxiu: Sweetheart, is it a tough assignment? Do you need my help?

As soon as he sent the message, he immediately turned his gaze to Qi Yuan, meticulously observing every one of his movements.

Xu Yuan (Qi Yuan): No need to trouble yourself. It’s a small matter; I can handle it myself.

You Yuanxiu chuckled, tapped his finger, and initiated a voice call.

It was rejected.

He called again.

Qi Yuan startled so badly he nearly dropped his phone, frowning as he hastily rejected the call.

Xu Yuan (Qi Yuan): You Yuanxiu! I said I’m busy!

Ignoring the rejection, You Yuanxiu persisted, calling again immediately.

Exasperated, Qi Yuan glanced around to ensure no one was nearby. He couldn’t block You Yuanxiu’s number, so he reluctantly answered when another call came through. His tone was sharp: “You Yuanxiu! What do you want?”

There was no response, only silence.

After an agonizing pause, Qi Yuan’s patience finally snapped. Before he could hang up, a voice from behind nearly scared him half to death.

“Got you, sweetheart.”