Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 54

Chapter 54: The Invitation

He moved his lips, wanting to argue, but found himself unable to refute the truth. The other party had already thrown the facts in his face, making any defense sound ridiculous.

He regretted taking this job for a few hundred thousand yuan.

Jiang Wang possessed exceptional looks and an extraordinary aura. His deep blue eyes were particularly striking, and his tall, slender physique, combined with his other striking features, naturally drew the attention of the surrounding crowd.

They couldn’t help but praise him.

“So handsome! He could easily become a star with looks like that.”

“This whole situation is mind-blowing. But the guy really is breathtakingly good-looking—almost unfairly so.”

“He must be mixed-race. No wonder his features are so impossibly refined.”

“That handsome man’s car is no joke either. Look at the brand and model—tsk tsk tsk—it’s crazy expensive. No wonder people try to stage accidents. Even I’m tempted! I don’t even want money, just a chance to touch it!”

Qi Yuan and the other two blended into the crowd, inconspicuous.

He had initially hoped Jiang Wang wouldn’t notice him, even going so far as to use Xia Jiqing’s body to partially shield himself. Having already speculated about the nature of the Dreamscape, he couldn’t be certain Jiang Wang had no memory of its events.

Qi Yuan couldn’t bear the thought of their entanglement spilling into reality. He felt his psychological threshold for what he could tolerate had already plummeted. In the Dreamscape, he could go along with all sorts of absurd developments because no one would ever know. But reality was different.

If he became entangled with them in real life, he would surely lose his mind. For Qi Yuan, avoiding them at all costs was paramount.

He had considered simply taking Qi Meng and Xia Jiqing and leaving, but that would have drawn too much attention—a risk he couldn’t afford.

Moreover, Qi Yuan harbored a deep-seated wariness toward Jiang Wang. The man was too clever, forcing Qi Yuan to remain constantly vigilant.

In the end, the battered man on the ground was taken away by an ambulance.

Jiang Wang, who had stepped out of his car, remained outside, making a phone call, seemingly with no intention of getting back in.

The onlookers, their curiosity satisfied, began to disperse.

Qi Yuan, attempting to slip away unnoticed with Qi Meng and Xia Jiqing, was abruptly stopped.

It was Jiang Wang’s assistant, Lin Yuan.

“Sir,” Lin Yuan said respectfully, “Mr. Jiang requests your presence.”

Qi Yuan understood the futility of a commoner challenging a powerful dragon. He had no choice but to comply.

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But he didn’t want to involve Qi Meng and Xia Jiqing in this.

So, Qi Yuan transferred some money to Qi Meng, telling her to take Xia Jiqing out for dinner. He said he had urgent business to attend to and would return later that evening.

Xia Jiqing didn’t understand why Qi Yuan, who clearly didn’t want to go, was forcing himself to handle the situation alone.

But before he could voice his question, Qi Meng dragged him away.

He turned back to look until they were out of sight.

“Why?”

Qi Meng glanced at him sideways, understanding his unspoken question.

“We clearly can’t afford to offend the owner of that car. Besides, my brother seems to know them. Chances are, they’re not someone you want to cross. He doesn’t want to drag us into this, so he told us to leave first.”

Qi Meng stroked her chin, musing to herself. Since going to Weilika for school, Big Brother has made quite a few connections with the wealthy and powerful. While these connections will be helpful when he graduates and starts working, I still worry about how exhausting it must be for him to maintain so many relationships.

She’d heard that rich people could be fickle, switching from friendly banter to ruining your reputation in the blink of an eye.

If I become strong enough, will Qi Yuan stop forcing himself to smile and ingratiate himself with others?

Xia Jiqing asked Qi Meng earnestly, the dangerous glint in his eyes startling her.

“Of course,” Qi Meng replied with a smile, betraying no sign of her inner turmoil. She naturally supported anyone who wanted to protect her big brother.

“If we become strong enough, Big Brother won’t have to be so cautious, always worrying about us.”

She harbored ambitions of her own, and she hoped that the person her big brother had so kindly brought back also possessed similar aspirations.

Qi Meng’s voice remained even, yet her words struck Xia Jiqing’s mind like a thunderclap, instantly igniting his thoughts.

Her words held irresistible allure for Xia Jiqing—or perhaps she had deliberately used them to tempt him. As an outsider, how could she possibly be unaware of the true nature of Xia Jiqing’s feelings for her brother?

Only her clueless brother, treating him like a younger sibling, failed to see through the charade.

A wolf in sheep’s clothing, she thought.

But easily manipulated.

Qi Meng maintained her innocent facade perfectly, as if her earlier words had simply slipped out unintentionally.

Intelligent people always suspect the words of their peers, but subconsciously, while they might not fully trust the words of someone simple or intellectually limited, their suspicion diminishes.

Qi Meng sought precisely this advantage—the aura of innocence—rather than being seen as a cunning manipulator who inspires constant suspicion and fear.

Qi Yuan sat in the car, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles. His gaze, laced with puzzlement, seemed to ask why Mr. Jiang had invited him—a man he had only met twice in real life—into his car.

His acting skills were now honed to perfection, leaving no room for criticism.

“Mr. Jiang,” he began, feigning a carefully constructed composure, “may I ask why you’ve sought me out?”

Jiang Wang fixed him with a steady gaze, fully aware of Qi Yuan’s desperate attempts to avoid him. Without a forceful approach, he knew the younger man would have fled long ago.

Since their first encounter during the mountain hike, when they exchanged contact information, Jiang Wang had repeatedly tried to invite Qi Yuan for meals, tea, or outings—all of which were politely declined. Though his patience was considerable, even he was beginning to fray.

Jiang Wang couldn’t understand why Qi Yuan remained so wary. He had followed Hao Zhuang’s advice to the letter, maintaining a gentle demeanor and avoiding any hint of aggression. Yet Qi Yuan continued to avoid him like the plague.

A flicker of irritation crossed Jiang Wang’s features, but he couldn’t bring himself to blame Qi Yuan. Instead, he questioned his own approach, wondering if he had overlooked some crucial detail.

Now, however, he finally understood. Qi Yuan simply didn’t want any association with him, his deep-seated aversion being the primary reason for his persistent avoidance.

But Jiang Wang would never let Qi Yuan have his way.

If rejection was Qi Yuan’s game, Jiang Wang would play it harder. Since gentle methods had failed, he’d force the issue. If Qi Yuan avoided him, Jiang Wang would simply appear more often, gradually infiltrating his life. Once Qi Yuan grew accustomed to his presence, the rejection would fade.

Time? Jiang Wang had plenty. Like grinding tofu, he’d simply bide his time.

Qi Yuan sighed inwardly, resigned but still mouthing polite words.

“Mr. Jiang, thank you for the invitation.”

After some thought, Qi Yuan realized Jiang Wang’s recent assertiveness likely stemmed from his repeated refusals. Not daring to truly offend Jiang Wang, he’d always offered reasons for his rejections, though he could easily have made time for these encounters.

Yet he’d consistently refused, believing he needed to deny Jiang Wang any chance to get close. Otherwise, the invitations would only escalate.

He’d miscalculated badly. The rules for dealing with the powerful weren’t the same as those for ordinary people.

If only I’d agreed once back at the Academy, he lamented inwardly.

What’s so hard about stringing someone along?

To be honest, he was quite familiar with the tactic, albeit forced upon him by the Dreamscape. Yet when it came to putting it into practice, his conscience had grown numb; he no longer felt the same shame he once had.

Qi Yuan explained his earlier behavior with a smile, understanding the principle of “a slap followed by a sweet date.”

“I sincerely apologize, Mr. Jiang. My studies at the Academy and my departmental work have been quite demanding, which is why I had to decline your invitations so many times. I’m truly delighted to have this chance to dine with you. Please allow me to treat you this time, as compensation for repeatedly turning you down.”

What I mean is, I wasn’t deliberately rejecting you. Subconsciously, I wanted to accept, but I was simply too busy.

He wasn’t afraid of scrutiny, because he genuinely was busy, and he had indeed been in the department during each rejection, leaving no incriminating evidence.

Admiration flashed in Jiang Wang’s eyes.

“No need. I invited you for the ride, so it’s only right that I treat you. If you’d like to make up for it, there’s always next time.”

Jiang Wang’s demeanor had noticeably softened. He appreciated Qi Yuan’s cleverness, even knowing he was being flattered to appease him. He couldn’t help but feel pleased, and his lingering irritation began to dissipate.

Qi Yuan: “Then it’s settled—I’ll treat you next time we meet.”

He had anticipated this response, but Qi Yuan wasn’t particularly bothered. One meal was the same as two.

For now, the important thing was to keep Jiang Wang placated.