Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Jiang Wang

Qi Yuan woke up to find it was already morning.

He had just finished washing up when breakfast arrived.

It was the same butler from yesterday. Qi Yuan accepted the tray at the door, a little puzzled that such a simple task was being handled by the butler himself. Strange as it seemed, he didn’t dwell on it.

“Thank you,” he said.

The breakfast tray held a bowl of congee with preserved egg and lean pork, a fried egg, and a crispy youtiao.

All of Qi Yuan’s favorite foods.

With such a perfectly tailored meal, Qi Yuan immediately knew that Qi Meng had shared his preferences with the butler.

He couldn’t help but smile.

He was touched by Qi Meng’s thoughtfulness and mused that the Dreamscape version of her had truly matured. Unlike the Qi Meng in reality, who still relied on him, this version was now taking care of him.

As a man with a fatherly mindset, he gained a clearer understanding of the ten years that had passed in this Dreamscape.

After delivering the breakfast, the butler lingered, asking with a genial smile, “Mr. Qi, would you happen to be free for lunch today?”

“The Patriarch would like to invite you to lunch. What do you say?”

Qi Yuan paused in feigned surprise, then pretended to consider the offer. Though it was exactly what he wanted, he still had to play the part.

“I’m available. If the Patriarch invites me, I naturally accept. Please have the butler inform me when the time comes.”

His smiling eyes held a hollow mirth. It seemed Jiang Wang still didn’t know he had returned. So, what reason could Jiang Wang have for inviting him to lunch? Did it have something to do with Qi Meng? He had a vague suspicion but couldn’t confirm it yet.

“No trouble at all, Mr. Qi,” the butler replied. “Since you’ve accepted, I’ll go prepare immediately. I won’t disturb your meal any longer.”

“Mm, take care.”

Qi Yuan watched the butler depart.

He closed the door, turned, and resumed eating breakfast.

Things are proceeding as planned. I just hope there are no unexpected complications and that I can get through this smoothly.

Time always slips by quickly. Before he knew it, half the morning had vanished.

The room was air-conditioned, a bit stuffy, but still far more comfortable than the sweltering heat outside.

The wall clock ticked rhythmically, its steady tick-tock echoing sharply in the otherwise silent room.

Qi Yuan waited patiently. To show how much he valued this meeting, he had taken special care to dress well, which, given his wardrobe, had been quite a challenge. After agonizing over his options, he finally video-called Qi Meng to get her opinion and make a final decision.

He had to admit, women really had a better sense of style. While the outfit didn’t drastically change his appearance, it noticeably improved his overall aura.

Just as he was ready, a knock sounded at the door.

The Estate’s scenery was breathtaking.

Yesterday, Qi Yuan hadn’t had time to fully appreciate it, but now he had the chance, albeit briefly. He could only steal a quick glance.

The stone-paved path to the rear garden had been cleared of snow.

The surrounding architecture had an antique feel, exuding an old-world charm.

The trees had shed all their leaves, awaiting spring’s return to sprout anew.

This time, the guide wasn’t the Butler, but a young man who bore a striking resemblance to him upon closer inspection.

“Mr. Qi, you look quite young. Sharing Miss Qi’s surname, are you relatives?” the youth asked, his face still carrying the freshness of recent adulthood. His emotions were barely concealed as he gazed at Qi Yuan with clear, guileless eyes.

His father had mentioned investigating Mr. Qi and finding his sudden appearance puzzling. Records showed no trace of him until a few days prior—an anomaly in a world saturated with surveillance. A person’s existence shouldn’t vanish into a blank slate for so long.

Curiosity piqued, and with his father occupied, the young man volunteered to escort Mr. Qi to the rear garden.

In his impetuous youth, unable to suppress his thoughts, he blurted out his questions the moment he faced the subject.

Qi Yuan found the blatant probing rather exasperating, yet he still answered the question.

“Yes, we’re related.”

How could siblings not be relatives?

“No wonder,” the man remarked. “Mr. Qi and Miss Qi look quite similar.”

Only after saying this did he realize he had overstepped. A look of apology crossed his face. “I’m sorry, Mr. Qi. I spoke out of turn.”

Inquiring about a guest’s personal matters was strictly forbidden on the estate. Yet here he was, having done just that. If the Patriarch found out, his father would surely suffer the consequences. His shoulders slumped in dejection.

Seeing his distress, Qi Yuan reassured him, “It’s fine. Just keep showing me the way.”

Qi Yuan’s meaning was clear: he wouldn’t pursue the matter. Having worked as a temporary waiter in a high-end restaurant, he understood the rules well. In his view, the regulations were similar regardless of the type of establishment, and he didn’t consider this a serious offense.

As the man looked up, meeting his gaze, Qi Yuan winked reassuringly.

Fang Zhuo breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Mr. Qi.”

“My name is Fang Zhuo. You can call me Xiao Fang. Feel free to reach out if you need anything.”

Qi Yuan smiled. “Alright, Xiao Fang.”

The journey was uneventful.

A private dining room was located in the backyard.

When Qi Yuan arrived, Jiang Wang hadn’t yet appeared. A massive painting hung on the wall.

It depicted a sea of flowers, with a lone figure facing away in the center. The atmosphere was striking, but its deeper meaning remained elusive.

Qi Yuan had no artistic sensibilities whatsoever. He could only discern between “pretty” and “not pretty,” unable to grasp deeper symbolism.

He had been standing there for only a moment when unmistakable footsteps approached from behind.

Without turning, he continued to gaze up at the painting, maintaining his posture.

It wasn’t until the person stood beside him that he finally turned his head. But the other man didn’t look at him.

Jiang Wang was lightly dressed; with the air conditioning running, he wore only a thin cardigan draped over his shoulders, loose strands of hair falling across his forehead.

He didn’t speak, instead staring at the painting with a wistful gaze, as if the figure within were someone deeply important to him.

Since Jiang Wang hadn’t acknowledged him, Qi Yuan refrained from speaking first. He wanted to wait for Jiang Wang to notice him on his own—he believed that would make it a genuine surprise.

He waited several minutes—minutes that stretched out interminably—until Qi Yuan felt an urge to interrupt Jiang Wang’s immersive contemplation. But he resisted, waiting until Jiang Wang finally turned his head.

“Long time no see.”

“Mr. Jiang.”

His eyes curved into crescent moons, shimmering like starlight, illuminating the darkness that had settled in Jiang Wang’s heart.

At that moment, Jiang Wang couldn’t articulate his thoughts.

Heaven seems to be playing a cruel joke on me.

Both the loss from before and this unexpected reunion felt like divine mockery.

He should have realized it sooner. The fact that Qi Meng had personally called to arrange his stay at the Estate and reminded Butler Fang of his preferences should have been the answer all along.

But he had ignored it, dismissed it.

“Long time no see,” Jiang Wang replied.

His ocean-blue eyes were now veiled with a misty haze, tears swirling in the rims, on the verge of spilling.

His reddened eyes stood out against his pale face, making him look pitiful.

Like You Yuanxiu, he had grown noticeably thinner. The only difference was the hint of melancholy that now lingered in Jiang Wang’s gaze.

Only now, remembering their past interactions, did Qi Yuan truly understand the profound impact his departure had had on them.

Yet Jiang Wang’s expression suddenly shifted to one of disbelief, as if Qi Yuan were a figment of his imagination.

Jiang Wang had hallucinated Qi Yuan’s return countless times. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to believe it; he wanted to believe it too much, and the crushing weight of those hopes had made him unable to bear the pain of the illusions vanishing again.

This time, he couldn’t help but dismiss the Qi Yuan standing before him as another figment of his imagination.

He didn’t even dare reach out to touch him, afraid that the moment his fingers made contact, Qi Yuan would shatter like a reflection in water.

Better to just look, at least he could gaze at him for a while longer.

Sensing Jiang Wang’s strange behavior, Qi Yuan felt compelled to prove his reality. He stepped closer and cupped Jiang Wang’s face in his hands.

“Do you feel it?” he asked. “My warmth.”

“Jiang Wang, I’m not an illusion.”

Jiang Wang’s Adam’s apple bobbed as his body stiffened, his expression utterly fragile. He rubbed his cheek against Qi Yuan’s hand and whispered, “I feel it.”

“It’s warm… Qi Yuan, I… I finally got you back…”

Then, he bent down and wrapped his arms tightly around Qi Yuan, hugging him fiercely.

Only now did Jiang Wang truly believe Qi Yuan had returned, not an illusion. No longer the phantom from before, the one that vanished at the slightest touch.