Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Second Dream

As expected, Qi Yuan stiffly turned his head to see You Qinghe grinning at him, his white teeth gleaming.

This was the first time You Qinghe had ever seen Qi Yuan look so dazed, and he found it both amusing and unexpectedly endearing.

Under the desk, he reached out with his large hand and clasped Qi Yuan’s hand, interlacing their fingers.

The warmth jolted Qi Yuan awake. He tried to pull away, but You Qinghe didn’t give him a chance. You Qinghe’s grip was astonishingly strong, and the heat radiating from his palm felt almost scalding.

For some reason, Qi Yuan could almost feel the heat radiating from You Qinghe’s body, like a burning flame.

This abundance of vitality stirred envy in Qi Yuan. His hands and feet were always icy cold.

No, this isn’t the time to think about this.

His expression darkened, and he hissed through gritted teeth, “Let go!”

Even in a dream, he wouldn’t allow himself to daydream during class.

Qi Yuan had always firmly believed that knowledge changes destiny—unless you die young. He’d added that last part based on his experiences in his previous life.

You Qinghe’s skin was slightly darker than Qi Yuan’s. But that was mainly because Qi Yuan’s complexion was exceptionally pale, a cool, white tone inherited from his deceased parents. Combined with his habit of staying indoors, some areas of his skin were so translucent that the blue veins beneath were clearly visible.

Qi Yuan’s hands, though not small in themselves, looked distinctly smaller when placed atop You Qinghe’s.

Sensing the warning in Qi Yuan’s lowered voice, You Qinghe wondered, Is he angry?

He immediately released his grip. He didn’t dare risk testing whether his baby was genuinely upset.

You Qinghe knew Qi Yuan needed to focus on his studies and had warned him before they started dating: Don’t interrupt my classes, or we’re over.

You Qinghe had naturally agreed. Such an easy condition was a breeze for him. Even now, he marveled at how kind his baby was.

Though he had retrieved his hand as requested, Qi Yuan remained displeased.

In the previous dream, a cheek kiss had been the key to leaving. What about this dream? How do I escape?

Unable to figure it out, Qi Yuan felt a surge of irritation. He forced himself to calm down, reminding himself not to act rashly, or he’d likely end up in the same loop as before. Just go through the motions, he thought. It’s just a dream anyway—like a dead pig impervious to boiling water.

He sat up straight, leaning slightly away from You Qinghe to avoid the burning gaze beside him. To ignore the burning stare, Qi Yuan focused on his textbook, burying himself in study.

Study time always passed quickly, and before he knew it, the bell rang, signaling the end of class.

Before Qi Yuan could even reach for his books, the person beside him had already scooped them up, zipped them into his bag, and slung it over his shoulder. He then took Qi Yuan’s hand, tugged him to his feet, and led him out of the classroom.

The others in the room seemed accustomed to this, but Qi Yuan couldn’t bring himself to accept it so easily. He pursed his lips, his gaze darting away. I really want to die.

Only then did he realize he wasn’t wearing his glasses, and his bangs had been trimmed shorter and thinned out. He was mildly nearsighted, and without his glasses, distant objects would typically appear blurry. Yet now, his vision felt perfect—clear, focused, without even a hint of astigmatism.

Could dreams actually correct real-world imperfections?

He reached up to brush his bangs aside. He hadn’t noticed how comfortable he’d been with them before, but now that he was aware of the change, they felt alien.

As they walked side-by-side out of the classroom, You Qinghe casually remarked, “Your bangs seem a bit long. Are they getting in your eyes?”

“I’ll take you for a trim after the competition.”

Qi Yuan declined. “No need, they’re fine as they are.”

“Alright,” You Qinghe replied, showing no reaction to the rejection, though his grip on Qi Yuan’s hand tightened slightly.

Why is Baby acting so cold toward me all of a sudden? Is he really angry?

He tilted his head to observe Qi Yuan’s expression.

The slender young man had filled out a bit under his care, his face now slightly rounder than before.

His downcast eyes were furrowed, his teeth biting his lower lip—a clear sign that he was deep in thought and wanted to speak, but was holding back.

You Qinghe confirmed it: Baby was indeed angry.

He dared not let Baby stew alone in his thoughts. He was certain that if left unchecked, Baby would break up with him tomorrow.

After taking the elevator downstairs, they retreated to a corner hidden from view.

You Qinghe pulled Qi Yuan into his arms, whispering softly, “Baby, don’t be mad, okay~?”

“It was my fault during class. I shouldn’t have disturbed you. I promise it won’t happen again. Please forgive me just this once, okay~?”

He then pressed Qi Yuan’s palm against his cheek and nuzzled it, like a large dog seeking his master’s forgiveness.

Soft strands of hair brushed across the back of Qi Yuan’s hand, sending a faint tickle through his heart.

Too gentle.

Unbelievably gentle.

This was nothing like the You Qinghe he knew—it was as if he were a completely different person, almost like a fake.

Realizing this, Qi Yuan decided to just treat it like a game he was playing, since it was all a dream anyway.

He hypnotized himself, telling himself it was all fake, not to get too emotional.

Regaining his composure, he said, “I forgive you.”

Hearing the response, You Qinghe double-checked Qi Yuan’s expression before finally relaxing.

His luminous eyes held only Qi Yuan, radiating both intense focus and heartfelt devotion.

He kissed the baby’s palm, his gaze never leaving the hand’s owner, the tenderness laced with seductive intent.

Qi Yuan startled.

As You Qinghe leaned in to kiss him, Qi Yuan swiftly and decisively pinched his lips between two fingers.

No kissing on the lips, okay?

Qi Yuan manually rejected the advance.

His mind raced, and under You Qinghe’s confused gaze, he explained, “Not outside.”

As if inside would be any different. Ridiculous.

“Alright,” You Qinghe said, sounding somewhat disappointed. But seeing the baby’s bashful expression, his disappointment quickly dissipated.

A faint blush rose on Qi Yuan’s cheeks. He wanted to clarify that the flush wasn’t from embarrassment, but rather from urgency and fear.

The sky hung heavy and gray, as if rain were imminent.

By the time they reached the gymnasium, it was already packed, with every seat taken and many people standing.

You Qinghe led Qi Yuan to the front row, where an empty seat awaited him—likely reserved for him, if he wasn’t mistaken.

He wasn’t wrong. You Qinghe pressed him into the seat.

“You know the drill,” You Qinghe said. “I need to change for the match. Wait for me to bring you back a championship trophy.”

Qi Yuan nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

You Qinghe couldn’t resist his baby’s obedient look. He patted Qi Yuan’s head affectionately before reluctantly leaving.

Watching his receding figure, Qi Yuan slumped against the backrest, exhausted despite doing nothing strenuous. The whole ordeal had left him feeling as drained as a day spent mountain climbing.

“Qi Yuan, want me to get your boyfriend a bottle of water?”

He turned to see Yao Yu speaking. She still wore her glasses, but her demeanor was more poised, lacking her previous awkwardness. She seemed quite familiar with him.

Qi Yuan: “………”

Though he loathed admitting You Qinghe was his boyfriend, he had no choice but to play along.

“Sure, get it.”

In the real world, he’d never buy it, but in this dream, where money was meaningless anyway, why not?

He scanned the QR code to pay, took his water, and watched Yao Yu head off to promote her sales elsewhere.

Qi Yuan sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation, only then noticing the long string of zeros after his balance.

!!!

Damn it!

How could my dream self be so rich?!

What a waste, such a waste!

The thought that he couldn’t take this money with him when he woke up made Qi Yuan feel deeply regretful.

Just as he was wallowing in his disappointment, two teams emerged. Judging by their uniforms, it was definitely a basketball game.

You Qinghe, tall and striking in his red jersey, stood out in the crowd. A carefree smile played on his lips, radiating arrogance and pride. This was the You Qinghe Qi Yuan remembered.

The red team consisted mostly of familiar faces—You Qinghe’s lackeys, each one a carbon copy of their boss: swaggering, brash, and full of themselves.

On the other side…

???

How could it be him?

He Zhou, the student council president of Weilika Academy.

Isn’t he the type to avoid these kinds of events?

Why is he wearing a blue jersey and playing against You Qinghe?

Qi Yuan stared in confusion, oblivious to You Qinghe’s dark gaze tracking his line of sight toward the scheming bastard trying to steal his man.

Misinterpreting Qi Yuan’s attention, You Qinghe’s eyes darkened. Gritting his teeth, he stormed over to Qi Yuan, blocking his view with his body.

Then, in a pitiful tone, he whined, “Baby, look at me instead, okay~?”