Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: The Encounter

The foot of the mountain was crowded and noisy, yet vibrant with the warmth of human life.

Qi Yuan grabbed a quick bite to eat before browsing the stalls selling trinkets.

These small accessories were surprisingly affordable, mostly priced between ten and twenty yuan, with the most expensive topping out at around thirty yuan—well within Qi Yuan’s budget.

He had initially assumed that stalls and shops at the base of a nameless mountain, much like tourist traps, would be overpriced. It seemed his preconceptions had been wrong.

Qi Yuan took his time selecting items, each one he considered seemed perfect for his little sister.

Several people had already lingered at the stall, trying on the jewelry with keen interest.

“Big Sister, your accessories are so pretty and surprisingly affordable!”

The stall owner, a middle-aged woman with a round face and smiling eyes, radiated warmth and approachability.

“Under the temple’s watchful gaze, I couldn’t bring myself to be greedy,” she replied.

“A few years ago, my daughter fell seriously ill. We took her to countless hospitals, but the doctors all said there was no cure. My husband and I had lost all hope. Then a relative told us about this miraculous temple. Desperate, we decided to try anything and came here to pray for the temple’s deities to bless our child.”

“And you know what? Just half a month after coming down from the mountain, my daughter’s condition had improved by more than half! That’s why I believe there are deities watching us from just three feet above our heads. As long as we don’t do anything to wrong our conscience.”

She recounted her ordeal with a smile, her face radiant with the relief of a narrow escape. When she finished, her gaze lifted to the towering mountain, her eyes brimming with reverence.

So that’s how it is.

Qi Yuan lowered his head. No wonder the goods sold at the foot of the mountain were priced similarly to those outside.

Faith truly is a miraculous thing.

Too bad I don’t have any.

There was still some time before the fireworks began, and the crowd at the foot of the mountain continued to swell.

Qi Yuan had already chosen a small trinket for Qi Meng and was about to ask the vendor the price when someone accidentally bumped into him, knocking the item to the ground.

He crouched down to pick it up.

Just as he was straightening up, an elbow slammed into his face.

His glasses absorbed most of the impact, but the force shattered the lenses, which popped out with cracks spiderwebbing across the glass.

“Hiss,” Qi Yuan hissed, falling back on his bottom.

He pressed his throbbing forehead, where the elbow had struck. It still hurt.

“I’m so sorry!”

The young man who had bumped into Qi Yuan frantically helped him up. Seeing the shattered glasses on the ground, he picked them up, tears welling in his eyes.

“Are you okay?” he asked anxiously. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you had crouched down behind me.”

“I’ll cover all your losses. Did you hurt your eye? Should we go to the hospital?”

Qi Yuan rubbed his eye. “It’s fine. No eye injury, no need for a hospital.”

Flustered, the young man handed over the broken glasses. “How much were these? I can transfer you the money right now!”

Qi Yuan looked up at him—a clean-cut young man, dressed in trendy clothes, about his height.

“Four hundred yuan will do.”

Qi Yuan had only gotten these glasses a few months ago. The original price was over five hundred yuan, but they were discounted to just over four hundred, saving him a hundred. Since they’d been used for a few months, he didn’t expect the full price.

The young man breathed a sigh of relief.

He had come here with his big brother and some of his brother’s friends.

I just wanted to take a break and clear my head. But I’ve already caused trouble as soon as I got here. What rotten luck! At least the guy’s okay, and I only have to pay 400 yuan. If I’d had to take him for a checkup, it would have cost at least 10,000. And if he’d been greedy, I’d need another 10,000 on top of that.

Qi Yuan opened his phone to display the QR code for mobile payment and held it out.

The other man immediately scanned the code and transferred 400 yuan. With the matter settled, one hurried off, wanting to avoid further entanglement, while the other simply wanted to avoid the hassle of dealing with a stranger.

As they brushed past each other, Qi Yuan glanced up, turning his head slightly to look to the side.

In that fleeting moment, their eyes met briefly before quickly parting ways.

The young man suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He was still holding the broken glasses; Qi Yuan hadn’t taken them earlier.

He turned back, intending to return the glasses, but amidst the sea of people, he couldn’t find Qi Yuan’s figure anywhere.

Hidden behind a crepe stall, Qi Yuan cheerfully completed his purchase, carrying a bag of trinkets—he’d bought one of almost everything he thought Qi Meng would like.

Despite the unexpected mishap, the outcome had been satisfactory.

He’d originally planned to go straight home after shopping, but after overhearing passersby, he decided to postpone his return.

“They’re going to set off fireworks!”

“I can’t believe they got permission to set off fireworks here. They’re still banned in the city.”

“It’s the same in the countryside. Officially banned, but everyone sneaks some off during Lunar New Year. As long as you’re not too blatant about it, no one will bother you.”

“I’m so jealous! It’s been years since I last set off fireworks. It doesn’t feel like New Year at all anymore.”

Firecrackers, after all, were terribly damaging to the environment. Qi Yuan understood the ban, but Lunar New Year without them just didn’t feel like the Lunar New Year anymore; it was no different from any other holiday.

He shook his head, trying not to dwell on it. Life goes on, no matter what.

People gathered in a large open space.

Having arrived late, Qi Yuan found himself at the back of the crowd.

The countdown began:

Five…

Four…

Three…

Two…

One…

Boom!

Brilliant fireworks exploded across the night sky.

So beautiful… Qi Yuan thought in awe.

The crowd gasped, snapped photos, and recorded videos.

He also filmed a short clip and snapped a few pictures. After watching for a while longer, he turned to leave.

It’ll be a nightmare when this ends and everyone tries to leave at once. Better to beat the rush.

As he returned to the entrance of his guesthouse, Qi Yuan unexpectedly ran into the young man who had broken his glasses.

The young man was equally surprised to find they were staying at the same guesthouse.

“Hello, I’m Hao Yizhi,” Hao Yizhi said first, his eyes crinkling into a smile, his surprise and delight impossible to conceal.

As the saying goes, “You don’t slap a smiling face.” Besides, Qi Yuan had a good impression of him—Hao Yizhi had taken responsibility for his actions and seemed like a decent person.

“Hello, I’m Qi Yuan,” Qi Yuan nodded in acknowledgment.

Unbeknownst to him, two men had approached from behind. One of them froze mid-step, staring at Qi Yuan with a complex expression.

The other man, realizing what he’d just heard, also stopped in his tracks.

Did a cursed peach blossom spirit just manifest? Or did a ghost come back to life?

Could the people in the Dreamscape be real after all?

He stroked his chin, lost in thought.

Sensing the gaze behind him, Qi Yuan turned around.

For a moment, he was the one who looked like he’d seen a ghost.

But thankfully, the acting skills he’d honed in the Dreamscape saved him.

He nodded at Jiang Wang with the aloofness of a stranger, a perfunctory greeting.

Jiang Wang restrained himself and asked, “Your name is Qi Yuan?”

Puzzled, Qi Yuan replied, “Yes. Is there a problem?”

“No reason,” Jiang Wang said, “it just sounds familiar.”

He decided to observe cautiously before making any rash moves.

The moment he saw Qi Yuan, Jiang Wang knew: this was the Qi Yuan from the Dreamscape.

In that instant, all the blurred memories of Qi Yuan’s face from the Dreamscape suddenly snapped into sharp clarity.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

It seems Hao Zhuang was right—this temple really is efficacious. I haven’t even climbed up yet, and I’ve already encountered Qi Yuan, the one I’ve been longing to see.

Qi Yuan felt a chill under Jiang Wang’s intense gaze.

He mumbled, “I should go now,” and hurried into the guesthouse without looking back, quickening his pace.

Something felt off, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

It wasn’t until he was soaking in the hot spring in his room that the realization struck him.

Why would Jiang Wang ask if my name is Qi Yuan?

That was very strange.

Without a guess, it’s impossible to know. A sense of foreboding rose in his heart.

Could this be connected to the Dreamscape?

Does Jiang Wang possess memories from the Dreamscape?

Qi Yuan felt a strong sense of conviction that this was the case.

Perhaps my acting is too convincing. Jiang Wang believes I truly have no memories from the Dreamscape, which is precisely what alerted me to his suspicions.

Having pieced together this realization, Qi Yuan found himself trapped. He had no choice but to feign ignorance, maintaining the pretense of not knowing Jiang Wang while carefully avoiding arousing further suspicion.

Can the Dreamscape truly influence reality?

He thought of You Qinghe and the others, his head throbbing. Could they also have memories from the Dreamscape?

To be honest, this was no fun at all.

Even soaking in the steaming hot spring, Qi Yuan felt bone-chillingly cold. He couldn’t even tell if the sweat trickling down his forehead was from the heat or cold sweat from fear.

After dismissing Hao Yizhi, Hao Zhuang sat down across from Jiang Wang.

“Is it him?” he asked.

Jiang Wang nodded calmly.

Hao Zhuang’s curiosity flared. “What’s your next move?”

He knew his friend’s insatiable need for control and his ruthless pursuit of anything he desired.

Watching his friend, who had always prioritized work and seemed immune to earthly passions, suddenly fall for a complete stranger through a mere dream—it was as if he’d been possessed.

He’d assumed it was just a dream, but to discover the person actually existed and had crossed paths with Jiang Wang by chance… it was hard not to suspect foul play. How could things align so perfectly?

Could someone truly manipulate dreams like this? Hao Zhuang couldn’t wrap his head around it, and the effort was giving him a headache.

“I’ll let things take their course,” Jiang Wang replied.

“Oh,” Hao Zhuang said, understanding. He doesn’t want to scare him off.

Jiang Wang rose and walked into the courtyard.

“Now that I know who he is and that he’s real, there’s no rush.”

“I don’t want to force him. Rather than force him to be with me, I’d rather have him fall in love with me.”

Jiang Wang was undeniably confident.

Having held a high position for so long, how could he have possibly defeated all those who opposed him, competed for power, and even elevated the industries he had already taken over to new heights if he lacked self-assurance?

But he hadn’t considered that matters of the heart were different from matters of business.

Behind Jiang Wang, Hao Zhuang, his close friend, offered no response.

Hao Zhuang really didn’t want to discourage Jiang Wang.

He had a keen eye for people, and it was clear that Qi Yuan was aloof and showed no interest in Jiang Wang whatsoever.

If Qi Yuan had shown even a hint of admiration upon seeing Jiang Wang’s face, Hao Zhuang would have thought there was a chance for them to end up together.

But there was none!

This meant Jiang Wang’s plans and subsequent actions were destined to suffer a major blow.

Hao Zhuang knew this, but he couldn’t say it.

Trying to discourage someone when they’re already head over heels would only make them dislike him, achieving nothing.

It was better to wait for Jiang Wang to discover the truth himself.

Friendship is a delicate thing; it’s best not to meddle carelessly in matters of the heart.

That night, after a long soak in the hot spring, Qi Yuan felt refreshed in body and spirit.

Lying in bed, he found it difficult to fall asleep. Perhaps it was the hot spring’s lingering effects, but Jiang Wang’s anxiety weighed more heavily on his mind. He forced himself to sleep, knowing he had to wake up early for a mountain hike. He needed to conserve his energy.

Qi Yuan worked hard to clear his mind. After half an hour of restless effort, he finally drifted off to sleep.

Having been long absent from the Dreamscape, Qi Yuan felt a disorienting sense of unfamiliarity upon returning.

Standing before the dining table, he felt a sense of unreality wash over him.

“My deepest condolences,” someone said, approaching to comfort him.

Huh? Qi Yuan thought he must have misheard.

The person continued, “Qi Yuan, I know you’re heartbroken by his passing, but you must take care of yourself. Your health comes first.”

He looked up.

It was Yang Huaiyuan.

Yang Huaiyuan’s eyes were filled with concern and tenderness. He longed to gently stroke the pale cheek of his beloved, his fingers twitching involuntarily, but he forcefully suppressed the urge.

Not yet.

He had once believed his chance was lost, but now that the man was gone, leaving Qi Yuan utterly alone, Yang Huaiyuan knew his opportunity had arrived. Not out of schadenfreude, of course. He simply adored Qi Yuan, a love he had kept hidden behind the facade of friendship and brotherhood until the moment of the man’s death. How could he possibly restrain himself any longer?

“Thank you for your concern,” Qi Yuan replied, though he didn’t know who had died. Judging by Yang Huaiyuan’s expression and words, it must have been someone close to him. Could it be the boyfriend from this Dreamscape?