Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Dream Love Variety Show 6

Cheng Huan was the first to return. After changing his shoes, he collapsed onto the sofa, clearly exhausted.

“Want some coffee?” Qi Yuan asked. Though he didn’t enjoy coffee himself, he offered to make it by hand using the espresso machine.

“Yes, please,” Cheng Huan replied. “Thank you, Qi Yuan.”

“No problem,” Qi Yuan said. “Do you prefer it sweeter or stronger?”

Cheng Huan wasn’t picky about coffee; he could drink almost any kind. “Just make it however you like, Qi Yuan,” he said, his voice softening slightly as he gazed at Qi Yuan with anticipation.

“Alright,” Qi Yuan agreed.

Naturally, Qi Yuan didn’t want to disappoint someone’s expectations. He reached for the espresso machine’s metal casing, a familiar yet foreign sensation washing over him.

Rolling up his sleeves, he focused intently on brewing the coffee, completely absorbed in the task.

He didn’t even notice the villa door opening or the soft footsteps approaching the kitchen.

Soon, the distinctive aroma of coffee filled the air.

“Could I have a cup too?”

Cyril, the blond man, stood smiling warmly, his gaze fixed on Qi Yuan.

The sudden voice startled Qi Yuan, though not enough to truly frighten him. He turned to look at Cyril.

There was no reason to refuse.

“Sure, but this is Qi Yuan’s homemade blend,” he said. “It might not be to your taste.”

Qi Yuan didn’t offer any guarantees that Cyril would like his coffee. He saw no need; promising beforehand would feel like pressuring him. Someone with a thin face would feel compelled to drink it even if they didn’t enjoy it.

Though Cyril didn’t seem like the type to have a thin face, Qi Yuan still preferred not to put him in that position.

Since he was nearly finished anyway, Qi Yuan handed Cyril a freshly brewed cup within minutes.

Cyril’s fingers brushed lightly against Qi Yuan’s as he took the cup.

Qi Yuan’s hand stiffened momentarily, then quickly relaxed back to normal.

The coffee was made with milk and wasn’t too hot, prepared to Qi Yuan’s usual taste—a foolproof recipe he’d perfected over time. Rather than experimenting with unfamiliar blends, he opted for his most reliable, consistent, and quick-to-make brew.

Cyril took a sip.

His preference was for pure black coffee, rarely drinking sweetened varieties. Yet, because this cup had been personally prepared by Qi Yuan, his body reacted with unexpected pleasure, his acceptance of the normally undesirable flavor soaring.

“Delicious,” Cyril praised sincerely, his tone genuine.

“Good to hear,” Qi Yuan replied. “I’ll make sure to save you a cup next time.”

It was rare for someone to compliment his coffee-making skills, and Qi Yuan was naturally pleased, though he kept his emotions hidden. Still, the contented curve of his eyes betrayed his inner joy.

So easily pleased.

Cyril rubbed his fingers along the rim of his cup. For a fleeting moment, an uncontrollable surge of possessiveness and longing rose in his harmless purple eyes. Fearing the others might notice, he lowered his gaze to the coffee.

“I’m heading out first. Cheng Huan’s still waiting for his coffee.” Qi Yuan picked up a cup and walked out of the kitchen.

“Thanks! It smells amazing!” Cheng Huan, who had been sprawled on the sofa, suddenly sat up, looking noticeably more alert.

The aroma of the coffee deepened his affection for Qi Yuan. To him, Qi Yuan was the embodiment of his ideal type, both in appearance and personality. Every move Qi Yuan made set his heart racing.

Taking the cup, Cheng Huan sipped the coffee. It was exactly to his liking—not too sweet, not too bitter, perfectly balanced. He drank while stealing glances at Qi Yuan. The more he looked, the more satisfied he became.

He wanted to say something, but just then, someone else returned. Cyril, still in the kitchen, emerged with his coffee cup and stood at a distance, staring intently at Qi Yuan.

Cheng Xinyi walked in and immediately caught the scent of coffee. Before she could ask, Qi Yuan pressed a cup into her hands. He couldn’t show favoritism, so he’d made a cup for everyone.

“I made it, Cheng Xinyi. Try it and let me know what you think?”

Qi Yuan stood before him, tilting his head slightly upward to meet his gaze. When he didn’t drink, he nudged his head, urging him to take a sip.

He smiled and took a sip.

“Mmm…”

He pretended to ponder, teasing Qi Yuan.

Having likely never teased anyone before, Qi Yuan easily saw through Cheng Xinyi’s mischievous intent.

Refusing to indulge him, Qi Yuan turned to leave, intending to seek praise from Cheng Huan instead.

Now it was Cheng Xinyi’s turn to panic.

He frantically grabbed Qi Yuan’s wrist, his voice growing urgent.

“It’s delicious! Better than any coffee I’ve ever had!”

As if afraid Qi Yuan might think he was lying, he quickly added, “I mean it! Every word!”

Though Qi Yuan found Cheng Xinyi’s words somewhat exaggerated, they still lifted his spirits. Besides, he hadn’t been angry in the first place—he’d merely been teasing him back. He hadn’t expected such a strong reaction.

“I believe you.”

He gently withdrew his hand.

“Since you like it so much, I’ll save you a cup next time I make coffee.”

Qi Yuan patted Cheng Xinyi on the shoulder and headed to the kitchen to bring over the remaining cups of coffee. He planned to hand one to each person as they returned.

“Okay…” Cheng Xinyi replied.

He watched Qi Yuan’s retreating figure, his heart pounding so hard he could barely stand it.

But he was used to suppressing his emotions, so his expression remained calm. He silently found a seat, cradled the warm coffee cup in both hands, and felt the heat seep into his palms.

Cyril, who had been observing closely, found Qi Yuan’s words eerily familiar—almost identical to something he’d said to him recently. He recalled a term he’d learned from his subordinates earlier: “balance master.” It struck him as the perfect description for Qi Yuan.

After finishing his coffee, Cyril followed Qi Yuan into the kitchen and rinsed his cup clean.

As each person entered, Qi Yuan enthusiastically offered them a cup of coffee.

Having served everyone, he didn’t say another word. Instead, he began cleaning up the coffee machine he hadn’t had time to tidy earlier.

Just as he finished, Gu Yuzhu returned to the villa, carrying groceries.

Qi Yuan immediately busied himself again, starting to prepare the ingredients for dinner.

The others were just as busy as on the first day, though the head chef had changed.

Wow, compared to the bloodbath next door, Dream Love is almost unnervingly harmonious.

Here’s a funny but fitting analogy: the other show is a chaotic hotpot, while Dream Love is a one-way street. Completely different dynamics.

That’s spot-on…

They genuinely adore Qi Yuan, but they’re so restrained. The upbringing of top-tier Alphas and Omegas is truly impressive. On the other show, they were practically making out right from the start—it’s developing way too fast and feels so fake.

Don’t drag other shows, you’ll start a fan war.

Exactly! Let’s focus on Dream Love and not worry about the others.

Dream Love is my ultimate dinner show! Since yesterday’s premiere, I’ve been eating two extra bowls of rice every night.

Confirmed: you’re a gluttonous girl, upstairs!

Hehe, who can blame me? The dishes Qin Ke and Gu Yuzhu make look and smell absolutely divine! I get hungry without even realizing it and just… add more rice.

After finishing dinner and clearing the table, there was still plenty of time left.

Following the Production Team’s instructions, they played a game to determine who would go on dates with whom tomorrow.

At that moment, everyone except Qi Yuan became fiercely competitive.

Only the winners get to date their crushes. How can we hold back now?

Cheng Huan received the task card from a staff member.

The game was called “I Have, You Haven’t.”

Here were the rules: Everyone starts with ten fingers. Each player takes turns stating something they’ve done that no one else has. If someone else has done it, you haven’t, you fold down a finger. The first to lose all ten fingers is eliminated. The game continues until only one person remains.

Then, in reverse order of elimination, the players choose their date partners. The last eliminated player gets first pick.

Though the game was simple, it was perfect for a group of people who had only met the day before.

The group settled into the sofa area. After understanding the rules, Cheng Huan volunteered to go first.

“I’m an Omega,” he declared.

As soon as he said this, all six participants, including Qi Yuan, folded down a finger.

This also gave Qi Yuan an idea of what to say when his turn came.

Next was Gu Yuzhu, who confidently announced, “I underwent a secondary differentiation into an Omega.”

This was true. Besides Gu Yuzhu, who had been a Beta before his secondary differentiation, only Qi Yuan was originally a Beta. The others had all differentiated into their current genders in a single instance.

Consequently, everyone except Gu Yuzhu folded down a finger.

When Qi Yuan’s turn came, he simply stated, “I’m a Beta.”

Then, with a mischievous grin, he watched as they all folded down another finger.

The competition was fierce. The Alphas had already folded down three fingers each, and at this rate, they were certain to be the first group eliminated.