Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: If Only

“Go inside first. Don’t worry,” the man said, turning to Qi Yuan. “Leave this to me.”

Turning back, he met You Qinghe’s gaze. The two men were roughly the same height, but the man exuded a maturity that went beyond mere age. This was partly because You Qinghe had been excluded from the family’s core business. While he received related education, it paled in comparison to the rigorous training demanded of the family heir, leaving him somewhat pampered and unrestrained.

The man, on the other hand, was clearly a family heir who had undergone rigorous training from childhood. He had already successfully inherited the family’s business and held power for years. Such individuals, initially characterized by decisive ruthlessness, mellow over time, their edges softened by experience. They appear far more approachable than their younger, more ruthless selves.

But appearances can be deceiving. Though the man’s temperament had mellowed, his underlying steeliness and absolute self-assurance remained unshaken. His transformation didn’t diminish these inherent traits.

He didn’t want Qi Yuan involved further; his presence would only escalate the situation beyond control.

During the days he’d been without Qi Yuan, he had reflected deeply, acknowledging his own overconfidence—his belief that he could control everything—had blinded him to life’s inherent uncertainties.

This had led to consequences he could barely bear, but since he was the cause, he had to face them.

It was like his runaway lover going live online, dating the top five donors—including himself—a situation colloquially known as “playing five ships at once.”

When he first found out, it was impossible not to be shocked.

But breaking up with his lover over this was even more impossible. So, it seemed his only option was to do everything in his power to win him back.

Qi Yuan paused briefly, his gaze lingering on You Qinghe, before ultimately heeding the man’s words and entering the room.

Then he pressed his ear to the wall, eavesdropping. He couldn’t just ignore this completely; he mainly wanted to see what tactics these two privileged scions would use to eliminate each other.

“Who are you?”

You Qinghe watched Qi Yuan retreat into the room without stopping him. Deep down, he didn’t want Qi Yuan to see his impulsive side.

His gaze shifted, now wary as he sized up the man whose aura rivaled that of his own elder brother, You Yuanxiu.

“Jiang Family. Jiang Wang.”

“You can’t beat me. You’d better go home while you still can.”

Jiang Wang’s voice was calm, as if stating a simple fact.

Upon hearing the Jiang Family mentioned, You Qinghe’s agitated emotions suddenly calmed.

Or perhaps it was more like a forced composure after being doused with a bucket of cold water.

The Jiang Family? It’s actually the Jiang Family?

Qi Yuan, hidden behind the wall, was quite surprised.

Although the Jiang Family was another Top Tier clan, their lineage was remarkably prolific. Patriarch Jiang’s wife alone had borne him five children from the Main Branch, and the number of illegitimate children was countless, with new ones constantly emerging.

The current patriarch, Jiang Wang, was one such illegitimate child who had unexpectedly risen to prominence. His mother was the daughter of a foreign gang boss.

Despite his illegitimate status, his mother’s background and his own exceptional abilities allowed him to defeat his many brothers and seize the position of Jiang Family Patriarch.

Qi Yuan had only heard rumors about Jiang Wang and knew little about him, not even what he looked like. However, the stories of Jiang Wang’s rise to power were undeniably dangerous, so Qi Yuan had paid some attention.

“Qi Yuan and I have been together for a long time. We had a minor disagreement recently.”

Jiang Wang’s words hung in the air, leaving ample room for speculation.

He preferred not to resort to forceful measures unless absolutely necessary. The You and Jiang families still maintained collaborative ties, with many projects signed this year yet to be completed.

If this incident were to sever relations between the two families, causing the projects to collapse midway, the financial losses would be significant, to say nothing of the devastating blow to the project’s lower-level staff who relied on these jobs to support their families.

While Jiang Wang never hesitated to strike ruthlessly against his adversaries, he always tempered his actions when dealing with hardworking, middle- and lower-class individuals striving to earn a living and support their families.

You Qinghe fell silent, deep in thought.

From any angle, it seemed he stood no chance. They had shared years of friendship, while he had only known Qi Yuan for a few months. Moreover, Qi Yuan’s demeanor toward Jiang Wang earlier…

Without a doubt, he couldn’t compete.

Perhaps…

He could find another way.

“What if…”

“What if I simply disappeared from your sight?”

You Qinghe turned his face away after speaking.

Jiang Wang: “………”

Huh?

Qi Yuan: “………”

Hm?

Jiang Wang stared at You Qinghe in disbelief.

“So, you’re saying you want to be the other man?”

You Qinghe had already thrown caution to the wind. “Other man sounds so derogatory. We’re all Qi Yuan’s boyfriends here.”

Now it was Jiang Wang’s turn to fall silent.

This You Family brat… is he out of his mind?

Qi Yuan himself was dumbfounded by You Qinghe’s earth-shattering declaration. He had to ask himself again: Is this even reasonable?

No, wait… how desperate must he be for You Qinghe to think he needs two boyfriends?

Wait a minute, he remembers now… he actually has five boyfriends…

What a goddamn nightmare this is.

Pfft.

A burst of laughter erupted from outside the door.

Yang Huaiyuan pushed the door open, with He Zhou right behind him.

Now, only Cheng Xinyi was missing. With all the key players of this dreamscape present, the stage was set.

Qi Yuan peeked cautiously through the crack, observing the four men standing outside like pillars around a cauldron. Despite having done nothing wrong, his heart raced with guilt.

He’s dying of embarrassment. If this weren’t the fifth floor, but something lower, he’d seriously consider jumping off the balcony right now.

“Yang Huaiyuan? He Zhou? What are you two doing here?” You Qinghe asked, his voice tinged with confusion.

Yang Huaiyuan smiled gently. “We came to see Qi Yuan.”

“And to join you all,” He Zhou added with a nod. The two had met downstairs and decided to come up together.

You Qinghe said earnestly, “Two is already a tight fit.”

He Zhou chuckled, whether at You Qinghe’s joke or to impress Qi Yuan, it was hard to tell. His eyes, however, remained bottomlessly dark as he suggested, “Shouldn’t we hear Qi Yuan’s opinion? After all, it’s his decision.”

All four pairs of eyes immediately turned to Qi Yuan, who had just emerged from the room.

Qi Yuan: “………”

What opinion could I possibly have? What say do I even get in this?

Jiang Wang, unwilling to prolong the entanglement—primarily because he feared Qi Yuan might choose someone else—decided to seize the initiative. He extended his hand toward Qi Yuan.

“Qi Yuan, come home with me.”

Qi Yuan: “Mm.”

He reached out and grasped Jiang Wang’s hand.

The moment the other three noticed their intertwined hands, the Dreamscape began to crumble. Their crestfallen expressions burned deeply into Qi Yuan’s memory.

Yet when he recalled the final scene, he noticed something strange about He Zhou’s expression.

Wait… that emotion doesn’t match!

While He Zhou’s expression mirrored the desolation of You Qinghe and Yang Huaiyuan, his eyes remained unnervingly calm.

Qi Yuan blinked.

Staring at the dormitory ceiling, he couldn’t fathom He Zhou’s composure, nor did he feel inclined to pursue the matter further.

It’s all in the past now.

A few days later, at the Arts Department meeting, Zhuo Ming announced that this year’s department activity would be a mountain hike. The mountain housed a highly efficacious temple, but the climb was notoriously challenging.

“Sign up if you want to go. No pressure if you’d rather not.”

Hu Xiang immediately raised his hand. “If it was just hiking, I wouldn’t bother. But since Brother Zhuo mentioned that highly efficacious temple, I’ve got to see what all the fuss is about.”

Qi Yuan hesitated. Hiking—such strenuous physical labor—wasn’t really his thing. But Hu Xiang was right: a temple with such a reputation deserved a visit. He raised his hand as well.

When the final headcount came in, everyone had signed up. When asked why, the answer was always the same: the temple.

“I hate hiking, but I’m just really into temples.”

“I’ve never been to a temple before. I want to pray for my family’s well-being. If they have protective amulets, even better.”

“Of course I’m going! Lately, it’s been nothing but school and home—the same old routine. This is a rare chance to get out, and it’s all expenses paid! Sure, the hike will be tough, but knowing that a highly efficacious temple awaits makes it worth the effort.”

When it was finally Qi Yuan’s turn, Hu Xiang asked him.

“Qi Yuan, what about you?” Hu Xiang asked. “What’s your reason for wanting to go?”

Qi Yuan finished packing, looked up, and said, “I want to ask for blessings.”

To ensure a peaceful life for himself and his Little Sister.

And to end this absurd Dreamscape.

From the very beginning, he had never wanted to be involved with them.

He’d come to realize that unscientific matters must be addressed with scientific methods.

Having made his decision, he prepared meticulously. Based on the strategy guide, he bought a set of mountaineering gear. The money felt like throwing stones into a pond—after this climb, he likely wouldn’t have another chance to use it. But for safety’s sake, he had no choice.

On the day of the hike, everyone gathered, fully equipped and ready to go.

As the department was sponsoring the outing, Zhuo Ming generously chartered a bus to transport the entire group.

The bus arrived at the school gate, and the group boarded in an orderly fashion.

Qi Yuan found a window seat, and Hu Xiang settled in beside him.

As the bus began to move, Hu Xiang leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, “Qi Yuan, do you know what the other departments are saying about us?”

Qi Yuan had heard rumors. “That we’re shirking hard work?”

Yao Yu had mentioned it at the coffee shop, but he hadn’t paid much attention.

“So you already knew,” Hu Xiang said, deflated. “I thought I was the only one who knew.”

Qi Yuan burst his bubble. “Plenty of people in the school know. They just don’t talk about it on the forum—it’s all whispers behind closed doors.”

“At least half the people on this bus know.”

“And honestly, they have a point. Nameless Mountain is notoriously difficult to climb. To those who don’t believe in the supernatural, we are shirking hard work.”

“It’s just a matter of perspective. They didn’t say anything too harsh.”

To Qi Yuan, these words hardly stung. He’d heard far worse—vile, ear-splitting insults that made his skin crawl.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Even now, Qi Yuan could vividly recall the torrent of abuse he’d endured in his previous life, like a dog drenched in blood.

Hu Xiang: “Alright, Brother Qi, you make a good point. I’ll take your advice.”

He was now subdued.

The bus ride took several hours, arriving in the late afternoon. Their plan was to wake up early the next morning to climb the mountain, with no intention of hiking at night.

Zhuo Ming had booked a guesthouse at the foot of the mountain in advance. After all, it was the school’s money, and Vice President Liang Tingxuan had approved a generous budget—more than enough for everyone to stay in comfortable accommodations with plenty to spare.

Since the remaining funds wouldn’t be distributed to the members anyway, they might as well enjoy the trip to the fullest.

The guesthouse featured hot springs, with each room boasting its own private, small onsen pool. Given the modern emphasis on privacy, Zhuo Ming had booked a separate room for each member, essentially renting out the entire guesthouse.

Close friends naturally soak together; the small hot spring pool can comfortably accommodate two people.

It all comes down to personal preference.

Qi Yuan chose to soak alone, while Hu Xiang went around inviting others, hoping someone would join him.

He was a little scared to be alone.

When he invited Qi Yuan, Qi Yuan rejected him without the slightest hesitation.

He also told him to “keep at it.”

Qi Yuan casually grabbed a room key from Zhuo Ming and headed to the room number on the keycard.

The foot of the mountain was bustling.

Apparently, there was a fireworks display planned for tonight, drawing a large crowd of people—food vendors, spectators, and revelers alike.

Zhuo Ming hadn’t arranged dinner; he’d initially intended to, but everyone wanted to join the festivities.

Two entire streets were lined with snacks, including many local delicacies they hadn’t tried before, and everyone wanted to save room to sample them all.

After climbing the mountain tomorrow, they’d be too exhausted to forage for food, so they’d let Zhuo Ming arrange meals then.

They’d be staying another night at the foot of the mountain tomorrow. Zhuo Ming had heard that hot springs could help alleviate muscle soreness after hiking, which was why he’d specifically chosen a hot spring inn.

To be fair, this hot spring inn was quite sought-after. Qi Yuan had to pull a lot of strings and tap into his network to secure it.

It was a bit of a hassle, sure, but seeing the members’ contented, joyful faces made it all worthwhile.

The inn’s rooms weren’t particularly large, but each came with a small courtyard featuring a steaming hot spring.

Qi Yuan set down his backpack and shrugged off his coat.

He walked over to the hot spring and tested the water temperature. Just right, comfortably warm.

Qi Yuan decided to head out for a bit first, then return to soak in the hot spring later.

On the bus ride here, he’d spotted a street lined with stalls selling all sorts of things—food, trinkets, you name it.

He wanted to check out the trinkets. Qi Meng still only had a few hair clips, and every time he saw her treasure them so, he’d tell her, “We’ve got money now, why not pick out something you like?”

But that stubborn Qi Meng flat-out refused to even go inside a shop.

Left with no choice, Qi Yuan would have to look for something nice himself and surprise her with a little gift when he got back.

Wearing just a short-sleeved shirt and carrying his phone, he stepped out.

Late afternoon, with twilight approaching, half the sun had already dipped below the horizon.

A cool breeze carried a chill.

Qi Yuan had barely stepped out the door.

Jiang Wang appeared at the inn’s entrance, accompanied by several friends for a hike.

He’d been having a strange dream lately.

In it, he was with a man named Qi Yuan, and he could still vividly recall the details of their interactions.

Yet Jiang Wang could never see Qi Yuan’s face—or rather, he always forgot it upon waking. His subconscious insisted that Qi Yuan had a face in the dream.

When Jiang Wang shared this with his friends, they dramatically congratulated him, declaring he was being haunted by a ghost, most likely a jinxed romantic encounter.

One of them mentioned a particularly efficacious temple not far away, though reaching it required a difficult mountain climb. “Want to give it a shot?” they asked.

Jiang Wang considered it for a moment.

He decided to go. But if there truly was a ghost, he wasn’t interested in exorcising it. He wanted to capture it—specifically, a ghost named Qi Yuan.