Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: One After Another

So, who died?

Qi Yuan forced a strained smile. “I’m sorry, Huaiyuan, I need to rest for a bit.”

His meaning was clear.

Yang Huaiyuan understood instantly, his worry almost overflowing, but he obediently left the room.

“Then… call me if you need anything.”

“Mm, okay. I will,” Qi Yuan replied.

He watched Yang Huaiyuan’s retreating figure until the door clicked shut.

Only then did Qi Yuan have time to observe his surroundings.

I’m in a hospital, aren’t I?

It was a remarkably luxurious private room.

He’d never stayed in such a spacious and exquisitely furnished room before.

This must cost a fortune. It was a completely new experience.

This is one of the perks of being in a Dreamscape.

Qi Yuan lay back down, his body feeling utterly exhausted and weak, drained of all strength.

Is this because the Dreamscape version of me was overwhelmed with grief?

He couldn’t be sure, feeling utterly lost.

After resting briefly, Qi Yuan forced himself to get up and search for anything useful—a phone, for example.

He turned the room upside down, checking every possible hiding spot, but found nothing. Why isn’t there a phone?

He couldn’t understand.

The ordeal had left Qi Yuan’s already frail body exhausted. He hurried back to bed, collapsing onto the mattress.

Once again, he felt his Great-Grandma calling him.

He dared not move again, fearing he might be taken away with her.

Qi Yuan didn’t yet know if dying in the Dreamscape would affect his real-world self. Until he was certain, it was best to tread carefully—to avoid death if possible.

Soon after, as he lay resting with his eyes closed, the hospital room door creaked open, and someone entered.

Qi Yuan opened his eyes to meet a pair of bloodshot eyes.

You Qinghe’s hair was disheveled, as if he had rushed here the moment he heard the news.

His heart eased when he saw Qi Yuan safe and unharmed.

Then, as if struck by a thought, he sat down beside the bed and asked, his voice strained, “Qi Yuan… do you really love him that much?”

“So much that you ended up in the hospital for him?”

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t abandon me if I behaved?”

“I’ve been behaving perfectly. I haven’t even shown my face to him since you two got together.”

“Why… why? Even though I’ve been so obedient, you’re still abandoning me?”

Qi Yuan’s vision swam as he listened.

You Qinghe clasped Qi Yuan’s icy hand, attempting to transfer the warmth from her own palm. She hoped to thaw out this unreliable Qi Yuan.

Qi Yuan didn’t pull away. He knew that withdrawing his hand would only pour fuel on the flames of You Qinghe’s already fragile sense of security, potentially provoking her into some uncontrollable action.

His current weakened state couldn’t withstand any further stress, so he opted for a calm verbal approach to soothe her.

“I never intended to abandon you. My hospitalization was an accident.”

Qi Yuan knew himself to be a rational person. Even if someone close to him died, he wouldn’t resort to suicidal despair or endanger his own well-being.

The “him” in the Dreamscape was still him. Therefore, his hospitalization must have been due to an unforeseen accident.

“You Qinghe, don’t you understand me at all?”

“No matter what happens, I would never intentionally put myself in harm’s way—unless it’s an unavoidable accident.”

You Qinghe visibly froze, the impulse-driven frenzy in her mind calming as reason regained its foothold.

That’s right.

Qi Yuan cared most deeply for his beloved little sister, Qi Meng. How could he possibly abandon her?

Even though she realized she’d misunderstood, You Qinghe’s thick skin showed no embarrassment.

“Baby, I’m sorry. I was too impulsive and misunderstood you. I promise it won’t happen again.”

She apologized sincerely.

Qi Yuan didn’t blame You Qinghe. You Qinghe had always been a scatterbrained person, capable of any absurdity. It was impossible to judge him by normal standards.

This was his hard-earned wisdom.

“Mm, I’m not blaming you,” Qi Yuan said, patting You Qinghe’s head as he pulled his hand away.

“I want to rest now, You Qinghe. Go back.”

Qi Yuan dismissed him, genuinely lacking the energy to deal with him any longer.

You Qinghe didn’t want to leave, but seeing Qi Yuan’s exhausted expression, he knew that staying would only disrupt Qi Yuan’s rest. Besides, he’d promised to be obedient, so he left quietly, without a word of protest.

Once he confirmed You Qinghe was gone, Qi Yuan settled down to sleep, his thoughts drifting further and further away.

When he woke again, it was already dark.

His blurry vision gradually cleared.

The scene before him nearly scared him to death.

The room was eerily silent.

Beside him sat He Zhou, using his long, slender fingers to peel an apple with a gleaming fruit knife. The peel hung in a long, unbroken strand, as if it had been removed from end to end without a single break.

As if sensing Qi Yuan’s awakening, He Zhou raised his gaze and met Qi Yuan’s eyes. His voice was flat as he asked, “Are you hungry?”

Qi Yuan’s heart, which had been pounding wildly from the initial shock, slowed down slightly. He touched his stomach and realized he was indeed a little hungry.

He nodded. “A little hungry.”

He Zhou’s hands moved faster now. He finished peeling the apple, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and arranged them on a freshly washed plate.

“Eat some apple to tide you over for now.”

“I asked the housekeeper to prepare some of your favorite dishes. Wait a moment, and I’ll heat them up for you.”

With that, he tucked the plate of apple into Qi Yuan’s arms, picked up the insulated food container from the side, and walked over to the microwave to warm up the meal.

Qi Yuan bit into the apple. It was sweet and juicy. He wasn’t picky about fruit—he liked most of them, except for durian.

As the microwave whirred, the savory aroma of the food quickly filled the air. Qi Yuan swallowed hard, his mouth watering.

He Zhou lowered the bed tray and placed the warmed-up dishes on it. Settling into his chair, he watched Qi Yuan eat with evident satisfaction.

A hint of amusement flickered across He Zhou’s face. “Is it good?”

Qi Yuan nodded vigorously. “Delicious!”

“It’s exactly the flavor I like—just a bit bland.”

Hearing Qi Yuan’s response, He Zhou chuckled wryly. “You’re still a patient, you know. Have you forgotten you were hospitalized for food poisoning?”

“After the stomach lavage, eat sparingly. It’s best to avoid spicy and stimulating foods.”

His dark, hazy eyes brightened slightly as he finished speaking.

Food poisoning?

Qi Yuan finally understood why he was in the hospital.

Could it be that after cooking, I tried a taste and ended up poisoned? he wondered.

Qi Yuan: “………”

His lips twitched. Could that actually be the case?

The hospital room was brightly lit.

After Qi Yuan finished eating, He Zhou cleaned up, showing no outward emotion.

Having long since successfully inherited the He Family, He Zhou had cultivated unparalleled intelligence networks over the years.

The man they had presumed dead—a survivor of the plane crash—had defied fate, and had been found. Yet no one had told Qi Yuan.

That man had apparently lost his memory and was currently on his way back.

The Jiang Family had always disapproved of their Patriarch’s lover’s humble origins, but the Patriarch had stubbornly insisted, leaving them powerless to object.

Fortunately, now that the Patriarch had amnesia and no longer remembered his lover,

the other faction equally wanted to keep Qi Yuan in the dark about Jiang Wang being alive and on his way home.

Both sides had clear objectives and had secretly reached a cooperative agreement. All they needed to do was keep the two apart—ideally preventing them from ever meeting—and their opportunity would arise.