Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Qi Yuan’s First Dream with Yang Huaiyuan

Can you dream during a nap?

Standing in the heart of the bustling snack street, Qi Yuan scratched his head in confusion.

It was late afternoon, the setting sun painting the sky in fiery hues, and the snack street was at its peak liveliness.

The crowd surged around him, and within minutes, passersby were calling out, “Excuse me, please move aside.”

Feeling disoriented, Qi Yuan stepped aside as his phone began to vibrate in his pocket.

He pulled it out and saw an incoming call. The contact name read: [Heart] Boyfriend [Heart].

You Qinghe?

Qi Yuan answered the call and held it to his ear. Despite the street’s cacophony, he could still hear clearly.

“Qi Yuan… where are you?”

“How did you just vanish… after I turned around?”

It was definitely a man’s voice, but it didn’t sound like You Qinghe’s.

Familiar, yet he couldn’t place it.

“I’m at…”

Qi Yuan hesitated, unsure how to answer. He glanced at the stall in front of him.

“I’m at Old Man Wang’s jianbing guozi stand. Can you find me there?”

“Stay there and wait for me,” the voice replied. “Don’t move.”

Qi Yuan obediently stayed put by the roadside, kicking a small pebble to pass the time.

A few minutes later, a voice called out from behind him, “Found you.”

He turned around.

Yang Huaiyuan?

Yang Huaiyuan looked much more mature than he had in the classroom earlier that day, almost like the Yang Huaiyuan Qi Yuan remembered from his previous life, after a year of working at the company.

Qi Yuan gazed at the man before him. His features were well-proportioned, and a faint air of detachment lingered between his brows. His demeanor was refined and scholarly, his frame tall and slender. Dressed casually, he held two ice cream cones—one strawberry, one vanilla.

“It’s melting a bit,” Yang Huaiyuan said, stepping forward and handing the strawberry cone to Qi Yuan.

“Thanks,” Qi Yuan replied, accepting the cone and licking it. He had to admit, it was melting.

“Want anything else to eat?” Yang Huaiyuan asked, scooping vanilla ice cream into his mouth with a spoon, in contrast to Qi Yuan’s direct licking.

Qi Yuan shook his head. “No, that’s all.” Truthfully, he wasn’t even interested in the ice cream; he just didn’t want to waste it, since it had already been given to him. He recognized the brand—quite expensive, costing several dozen yuan per cone—and admitted that it did taste noticeably better than cheaper alternatives.

“Qi Yuan, you stopped me halfway just for an ice cream?” Yang Huaiyuan asked calmly, his voice devoid of emotion, though tinged with puzzlement.

The two walked side by side out of the snack street.

“Why not?” Qi Yuan replied, finishing the ice cream in a few quick bites, leaving only a small corner at the end.

In his dream, Qi Yuan felt more fearless than he did in reality, sensing Yang Huaiyuan’s indulgence and wanting to test the boundaries of his patience.

To be honest, he had only just gotten used to You Qing being his girlfriend when now Yang Huaiyuan was suddenly his boyfriend. The thought felt rather awkward.

“Of course you can, Qi Yuan,” Yang Huaiyuan said, his eyes softening slightly. He had always felt Qi Yuan maintained too much reserve around him, even in their relationship. It was rare for Qi Yuan to let loose, and it would be a lie to say he wasn’t pleased.

“Whatever you want to do, I’ll be there with you.”

He finished speaking just as Qi Yuan finished his ice cream.

Too cold for my teeth, Qi Yuan thought, but this strawberry flavor is surprisingly good.

Qi Yuan glanced at Yang Huaiyuan’s ice cream, barely half-eaten. Shouldn’t he be busy? After all, he manages a major corporation.

“Aren’t you supposed to be busy?”

Yang Huaiyuan tossed his ice cream aside, pulled a pack of wet wipes from his pocket, and extracted two sheets.

He took Qi Yuan’s hand, wiping the melted ice cream off his sticky fingers one by one.

My hands look better in this dream, Qi Yuan thought. In reality, all the part-time jobs have made them rough. I wonder how they keep them so soft and fair here.

“No matter how busy I am, you’ll always be my priority.”

Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow.

Seeing Yang Huaiyuan’s serious demeanor, Qi Yuan couldn’t resist teasing him.

He muttered under his breath, “But I heard someone say, ‘A man’s words are as deceitful as a ghost.'”

He wouldn’t dare say this to You Qinghe, because Qi Yuan knew if he did, You Qinghe would definitely kiss him. He had no desire to be kissed by You Qinghe—after all, the man was such a jerk, chasing him half to death and sending people to guard the artificial lake to capture him.

Yang Huaiyuan: “So Qi Yuan’s just a little liar.”

Qi Yuan’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the man trying to turn the tables on him.

“Me, a liar?”

After wiping Qi Yuan’s hands clean, Yang Huaiyuan tossed the tissue and intertwined their fingers.

“Yup.”

Yang Huaiyuan’s tone was light and cheerful.

Qi Yuan saw the corner of his mouth twitch upward and could swear he was smiling.

The wet wipe contained alcohol, leaving a fleeting coolness on his skin.

Qi Yuan felt irritated at his failed attempt to trick Yang Huaiyuan—he’d tried to swindle him, but the man’s mind worked too quickly.

“Want to go for a walk?”

“I think there’s a park nearby. The environment should be decent.”

He changed the subject abruptly.

“Mm-hmm.”

Qi Yuan couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. The ice cream had made his teeth ache, and he didn’t feel like talking.

The park, newly built, was indeed quite pleasant. After strolling for a while, dusk had already fallen.

The evening wind was strong. In Qi Yuan’s dream, his hair had grown long, the ends tied in a small braid that hung down to his forehead, the loose strands whipping wildly in the wind.

His handsome face, usually pale, now held a hint of color, giving him a livelier appearance.

Yang Huaiyuan gently brushed the loose strands from Qi Yuan’s forehead behind his ear. “Let’s go back now,” he said softly.

Halfway back on the drive, the road, which shouldn’t have been congested, suddenly backed up into a long queue of cars. It was unclear whether there had been an accident ahead.

“Qi Yuan, did you have a good day today?”

Their hands remained clasped tightly.

Yang Huaiyuan gazed into Qi Yuan’s eyes with his remarkably clear eyes.

“I had a wonderful day. What about you?” Qi Yuan replied earnestly, sensing this might be the moment to end the dream.

“As long as you’re by my side, I’m happy every moment,” Yang Huaiyuan murmured, lowering his head to rest lightly on Qi Yuan’s shoulder, careful not to put his full weight on him.

With those words, the dream began to dissolve.

Dormitory.

The curtains were drawn tight, but because they were thin rather than heavy, their pale color did little to block the light.

Qi Yuan lay on his bed, raising his hand. Lingering warmth from Yang Huaiyuan still clung to it.

So real.

Yet he knew it was all a lie.

Sleep had fled, and there was still some time before afternoon classes.

Qi Yuan sat up, moved to his desk, and opened the textbook for his major course, which he had received the day before. He began reviewing the material, recreating the notes he had taken on it in his previous life.

His memory was excellent, and the notes were transcribed in no time.

After checking the time, he stood up, grabbed his book and notes, and set off.