Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 82

Chapter 82: First Target

“Is something urgent?” Qi Meng asked, answering the phone.

Her secretary replied, “CEO Qi, CEO He sent an invitation to his birthday banquet. It’s tomorrow evening at 7 PM.”

Qi Meng paused, a whirlwind of thoughts racing through her mind. Ultimately, she agreed.

“Alright, clear my schedule for tomorrow.”

Ever since her brother disappeared, He Zhou had been one of the people who had taken special care of her.

Moreover, her company had flourished, avoiding any major setbacks, thanks in large part to He Zhou’s patronage and resources.

Although she knew his kindness stemmed from her brother, she suspected He Zhou would likely treat her generously regardless of her attitude.

Yet Qi Meng had no desire to tarnish her brother’s image in his eyes—or, perhaps more accurately, to compromise his affection.

Thus, for the past decade, she had treated He Zhou like a living fortune god, maintaining an attitude of utmost respect and never overstepping boundaries.

He seemed to have sensed her intentions, gradually reducing their meetings. However, the resources and protection he provided hadn’t diminished correspondingly; on the contrary, they had only increased over time.

Qi Meng accepted them all without hesitation, devouring every morsel offered. As the saying goes, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. After all, every penny she earned would eventually be invested in the search for her brother.

She hung up the phone.

Staring straight ahead.

“Big Brother, do you want to attend the He Family’s birthday banquet?”

Qi Yuan paused, taken aback.

He knew this was an excellent opportunity to get close to He Zhou, but the crowded banquet hall, with its many prying eyes, would inevitably lead to encounters with people outside his target—something he wanted to avoid.

“Let me think about it,” he said.

Qi Meng didn’t press him. The banquet wasn’t until tomorrow night anyway, giving him plenty of time to decide.

Pure white snowflakes drifted against the car window—another heavy snowfall.

They arrived at Qi Meng’s apartment, a spacious single-story flat. The sparse furnishings gave it a cold, impersonal feel—more like a temporary residence than a home.

As soon as they stepped inside, Qi Meng said, “There are dumplings in the fridge. I’ll cook some for you.”

“Sounds good,” Qi Yuan replied.

They took off their shoes, turned on the heater, and Qi Meng headed straight to the kitchen.

Qi Yuan was indeed still hungry and didn’t refuse.

Sitting on the sofa, he found himself reflecting on the fact that he’d never imagined seeing Qi Meng’s future self in the Dreamscape.

In his eyes, she had always been the little girl he’d personally raised—a girl who would always remain young in his heart.

Throughout the silent drive, he had been contemplating how much pain he would cause if he vanished from the Dreamscape.

He also wondered how Qi Meng would cope if he died in a car accident again, as he had in their past life, when she was still a student.

After all, at least in the Dreamscape, Qi Meng had someone to look after her. But in their previous life, it had been different. In their previous life, they had been utterly alone, with no one to turn to, and everyone around them had treated them as a burden.

Qi Yuan couldn’t help but overthink, his thoughts tangled like a ball of knotted thread, precious yet frustratingly difficult to untangle.

Boiling the dumplings didn’t take long—just over ten minutes.

The two of them sat in chairs, each holding a steaming bowl of dumplings.

It had been a long time since Qi Meng had shared a meal with her big brother in the same room.

Halfway through her meal, she looked across at Qi Yuan, a dazed expression on her face.

It was as if her big brother had never disappeared at all, as if the past decade of waiting had been an illusion.

Yet the reflection in the glass tabletop revealed the traces of time etched on their faces.

She paused, mechanically chewing the remaining dumplings as if they were tasteless wax.

Looking at her empty bowl, she suddenly remembered that violently deranged man. If he ever found out about her big brother’s return, he might do something drastic.

Qi Meng frowned.

“Big Brother, do you still remember Xia Jiqing?”

Qi Yuan nodded, stuffing the last dumpling into his mouth.

He hadn’t lost his memory, of course he remembered.

“What about Xia Jiqing? What happened to him?”

Though he hadn’t paid much attention to Xia Jiqing, he knew the man was capable and likely destined for great things.

In reality, it was all just an investment, aimed at cultivating future connections.

Whether in the Dreamscape or reality, Qi Meng and himself were all that truly mattered.

Everyone else was merely a tool to help him climb higher, Xia Jiqing among them.

Qi Meng didn’t know how to react. She sighed inwardly, remembering how, after her brother’s disappearance, Xia Jiqing had resolutely taken responsibility, caring for her while she was still in school and relentlessly searching for her brother, embarking on a path of no return.

Ultimately, the lion’s share of the reasons for Xia Jiqing’s current predicament lay with her and her brother.

Others might criticize Xia Jiqing, but Qi Meng couldn’t bring herself to do so.

Even so, she had to warn Qi Yuan to prepare himself.

“He’s become… complicated.”

“Big Brother, you need to be careful around him. It’s best if he doesn’t know you’ve returned.”

“Everyone calls him Crazy Xia, and it’s no joke. Xia Jiqing really has gone a bit mad these days—ruthless, cruel, and willing to do anything to get what he wants.”

“I’m afraid if he finds out you’re back, Big Brother, he’ll definitely make a move.”

Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow. The air conditioning was working well; the room had already warmed up. He took off his coat and tossed it over the chair beside him.

“Make a move?”

“What, is he going to tie me up?”

Qi Meng: “Maybe. I honestly think Xia Jiqing is capable of anything now.”

Qi Yuan: “………”

Ah, jeez…

Well, I guess I’ll just have to keep my distance.

I never imagined my disappearance in the Dreamscape would have such a profound impact on Xia Jiqing.

Ten years… he’s gone from innocent to a tyrant.

I don’t want to be tied up. The very thought makes me uneasy.

Since I can’t beat him and don’t want to join him, I’ll just stay out of his way. Humans are resourceful; I’m sure I can figure something out. Right now, Qi Yuan had no other options.

The next day, Qi Meng had to leave early for her styling appointment.

She glanced at Qi Yuan, who was sprawled on the sofa, and asked, “Big Brother, are you sure you don’t want to come with me to the He Family’s birthday banquet?”

Qi Yuan waved his hand dismissively. “Absolutely certain. I’ve made up my mind.”

“You go on ahead. Be careful out there, and I’ll be waiting for you when you get back.”

Qi Meng genuinely wanted her brother to join her, but she knew he must have his reasons. Not wanting to pressure him, she slipped on her shoes and headed out.

No sooner had she left than Qi Yuan got dressed, preparing to leave as well.

He hadn’t mentioned his plans to Qi Meng.

Ultimately, his decision to skip the banquet stemmed from his desire to avoid crowds and prying eyes. There was no need to take unnecessary risks; playing it safe was the best course of action.

Last night, after much deliberation, he had finally identified his first point of contact—the person he would probe for answers:

You Yuanxiu, the head of the You Family.

He chose You Yuanxiu because of his relatively stable temperament. Among the others, You was the most approachable, reasonable, and, crucially, someone who could understand logical arguments. Moreover, if You Yuanxiu turned out not to be the key to his escape, Qi Yuan could easily withdraw by offering vague excuses.

A crucial factor was that You Yuanxiu hadn’t attended the He Family’s birthday banquet. Instead, he had sent You Qinghe as the You Family’s representative.

After questioning Qi Meng extensively, Qi Yuan realized he was both fortunate and fortunate: the first person he’d planned to probe had conveniently skipped the banquet.

Learning of You Yuanxiu’s whereabouts, he set off for a hotel owned by the You Family, determined to stage another “chance” encounter.

Yes, just like yesterday’s “chance” meeting with Qi Meng, he decided to engineer another one with You Yuanxiu.

The weather was better today than yesterday—no snow, with the sun peeking through the clouds—but it was still cold.

He took the bus. Qi Meng hadn’t left him any cash, and while his newly purchased phone had funds, it was linked to her card. He didn’t want her to know he’d gone out, so he refrained from using it.

After getting off the bus, Qi Yuan walked to a spot near the hotel and began his stakeout, waiting like a hunter for his prey.

Half an hour passed.

Just as he was idly playing with the snow still clinging to roadside trees, his target finally arrived.

Unaware, he continued playing in the snow.

As the black car passed, Qi Yuan seemed to sense something. He turned his head and glanced up at the vehicle, now pulling ahead, and the license plate looked vaguely familiar.

Only after the car had driven some distance did he realize: That was You Yuanxiu’s car!

He hurried forward, quickening his pace without slowing, but by the time he reached the hotel, You Yuanxiu had already gone inside.

Qi Yuan felt a slight pang of disappointment, but nothing overwhelming.

If we didn’t meet, it simply means we’re not meant to be.

Yet having come all this way, he couldn’t bring himself to give up so easily. It felt like a waste.

He bit his lip.

If orchestrating a chance encounter isn’t working, then it’s time for a direct strike.

Qi Yuan walked a short distance from the hotel and asked a kind stranger to borrow their phone, using the excuse that he’d forgotten his own. He dialed You Yuanxiu’s private number—he remembered You Yuanxiu’s personal number, as well as You Qinghe’s, He Zhou’s, and several others’.

His acting had improved considerably. After dialing and waiting for a minute, You Yuanxiu answered the call.

Qi Yuan’s brow furrowed slightly, and a hint of helplessness crept into his voice.

“Is this You Yuanxiu?” he asked.

A pause, then a reply: “Yes, it’s me.”

Qi Yuan: “I’m so sorry to bother you, but I’m terrified.”

“I don’t know why, but in the blink of an eye, I’ve somehow jumped ten years into the future.”

“Everything around me is completely unfamiliar…”

You Yuanxiu: “Wait!”

Qi Yuan’s words were abruptly cut off.

You Yuanxiu recognized Qi Yuan’s voice—the voice of the man he had yearned for day and night. How could he ever forget it?

He had no idea why someone who had been missing for ten years would suddenly reappear and call him.

None of that mattered now. All he cared about was knowing where Qi Yuan was.

Moreover, You Yuanxiu could hear the fear and helplessness in Qi Yuan’s voice. His heart clenched with worry, but even in his anxiety, he remembered to reassure Qi Yuan first.

You Yuanxiu: “Qi Yuan, don’t panic.”

“Stay calm.”

“First, tell me where you are. I’ll come get you right away.”