Our Entire Family Has Secrets [Transmigrated] - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Yuan Bozhu had moments of astonishment.

This moment counted as one.

He had just imagined many scenarios and matched each one with an appropriate way to deal with different emergencies.

But none of them came in handy.

The anticipated crisis simply did not exist.

In front of him, in the serene restroom with a gentle breeze blowing in through the huge ventilation window, there was only one person and one cat.

The campus heartthrob who should have been eating in the cafeteria was now sitting in a panic on the ground.

From the perspective of Yuan Bozhu, one could see his tightly clenched jawline, trembling shoulders, and ears turning red from nervousness.

Before today, Yuan Bozhu’s impression of Lin Shuanghuai came from hearsay, distant observations during various speeches as an audience member, and countless unrelated encounters.

The most notable impression was that Lin Shuanghuai always seemed to be smiling, never seen to be cold to anyone in any situation, nor seen to be troubled by anything.

Take a typical incident, for example, during a school gala, when an emergency occurred on stage with the ceiling lights visibly loosening, causing the entire beam’s wires to drop halfway.

Actors scattered, students screamed and stood up, and there was almost a stampede in the safety corridor —

At that moment, Lin Shuanghuai, as the host, immediately stepped forward to save the situation.

He calmly picked up the microphone near the danger zone and directed everyone to evacuate in an orderly manner.

Throughout, Lin Shuanghuai ‘s voice remained steady and gentle, calming the panicked students.

Gradually, they realized that perhaps things weren’t so severe.

If even the host could still speak, it meant it wasn’t a matter of life and death. So, the tense atmosphere gradually eased, and eventually, everyone was successfully evacuated, with Lin Shuanghuai staying on site with the teachers, waiting for the staff’s inspection and comforting the students.

After that incident, Lin Shuanghuai seemed to become a beacon of stability, bringing reassurance to any event he was part of, both for teachers and students.

Not only that, Lin Shuanghuai’s excellence was evident in various details.

For example, even for boring tasks like speeches under the national flag, he would rehearse to the point of being off-script before going on stage.

For instance, when anonymous alumni on the school forum spread rumors and insults about him being a sea king behind his back, he would openly reply with his real name:

“[I think you have a misunderstanding about me. Shall we find time to talk?]”.

A person wrapped in seamless perfection.

Yuan Bo Zhu thinks so.

But now, Lin Shuanghuai’s image had changed somewhat.

The carefully crafted expression had crumbled, the praised composure and calmness were nowhere to be seen, only panic and fear remained.

And the object of Lin Shuanghuai’s fear was a cat stepping on him.

A big orange cat.

Next to Lin Shuanghuai lay a wet school jacket, with him only wearing a thin short-sleeved shirt, revealing his usually tightly wrapped arms.

Aside from his skin being unnaturally pale, the sporadic bruises and the conspicuous scabs waiting to heal were very noticeable.

After peeling away the seamless outer shell, an imperfect interior was revealed.

The original parking lot didn’t want to pry, it was just a subconscious thought.

The overly fat large orange cat lay on Lin Shuanghuai ‘s fluctuating chest, its fluffy round head rubbing against his slender white neck, one bounce after another.

Lin Shuanghuai raised his angular and gaunt chin high, holding his breath as if facing death, his whole body showing a desperate struggle.

Yuan Bozhu couldn’t understand this scene.

 

Some people fear dogs, which is understandable. Because some dogs are very aggressive, and larger breeds are particularly difficult to defend against.

But cats are different. Even though there is a possibility of them causing harm, due to their size limitations, humans can always resist.

Moreover, it didn’t seem like the cat wanted to harm Lin Shuanghuai.

But Lin Shuanghuai felt like the cat had him by the throat and believed he was about to die.

A bizarre scene.

The faucet in the sink dripped water evenly and slowly, adding a sense of gravity to this eerie scene.

Drip, drip, drip.

Has the time finally come for cats to rule the world?

Yuan Bozhu had this nonsensical thought.

“Go away…”

Lin Shuanghuai scolded the cat, his voice trembling badly.

Although it was clear he was trying hard, his intimidation was very limited.

Not only was big orange cat not deterred, but he also let out a long meow, then continued to rub against Lin Shuanghuai.

“Don’t……”

Lin Shuanghuai still stiffened his neck, even making the second syllable was difficult.

Cold sweat dampened his hair, and even a drop fell to the ground, the situation appearing very urgent.

Yuan Bozhu inexplicably remembered the sparrows they confronted on the tree for ten minutes that day while doing their chores.

When facing cats, they both had an instinctual fear, their bodies displaying unnatural stiffness.

But Lin Shuanghuai was human and couldn’t pose any danger due to his size.

Yuan Bozhu stood at the door.

He wants to leave.

He didn’t think this situation was worth his intervention.

Besides, dealing with the most popular person in the school would cost him too much.

But when he wanted to turn around, it was already too late.

“Cl-classmate…!”

Lin Shuanghuai noticed him.

A weak and urgent voice asked for his help: “Help me, please, I… I’m allergic to cats.”

You could tell this was Lin Shuanghuai ‘s last bit of strength.

Since he had been noticed, it wouldn’t be appropriate to leave anymore.

Yuan Bozhu glanced at Lin Shuanghuai and finally walked over before Lin Shuanghuai ran out of breath.

“Allergic to cats” is a pretty lame excuse, and no one should be that scared of being allergic to cats.

But Yuan Bozhu didn’t care about the source of Lin Shuanghuai’s fear.

He just happened to pass by and help out, nothing else.

Chasing cats was probably one of Yuan Bozhu’s most skilled tasks.

He never sought the affection of any animals.

Especially those furry, small-bodied, and round animals.

Whenever he tried to approach, these little creatures could always sense the immense aura of oppression emanating from Yuan Bozhu’s body—

That was the death aura of countless demons Yuan Bozhu had slain in the past.

After eliminating the calamities that harmed humanity, the merits of the cultivators would be absorbed into their primordial spirits, an important “indicator” for ascension.

But because Yuan Bozhu ultimately failed to ascend, the demonic spirits he carried were not transcended, eventually becoming aggressive soul energies suppressed by Yuan Bozhu’s cultivation.

These soul energies were not of much use and couldn’t do anything else, usually just scaring small animals.

Creatures like humans, who didn’t rely on instincts to survive, were unable to feel them.

Sure enough, as soon as Yuan Bozhu passed by, the big orange cat stopped sucking on Lin Shuanghuai.

“Meow!” cat shouted loudly.

Yuan Bozhu saw that it seemed spirited, not scared away immediately, maybe it was just a strong-willed cat.

But after feeling threatened, big orange cat unconsciously extended its sharp claws and suddenly grabbed Lin Shuanghuai ‘s shoulder.

With that, Lin Shuanghuai endured without making a sound, but his expression showed intense pain.

Yuan Bozhu bent down, preparing to lift big orange cat away.

“Meow!!”

Back off!!

Yuan Bozhu was afraid that directly picking it up would cause stress to the cat, potentially injuring Lin Shuanghuai, so he whispered, “Let go.”

He tried to keep his voice as soft as possible, not wanting to scare the cat.

However, because Yuan Bozhu naturally had a deep voice and tended to speak concisely, it might give people the illusion that he wasn’t to be questioned,

Like giving a command.

Coupled with the faint spiritual pressure emanating from him, the big orange cat immediately wilted.

Moreover…

Understanding human speech again had a significant impact on it.

Terrified, it arched its back and jumped onto the windowsill.

“Meow meow meow meow meow!” It grumbled for a while, then turned and jumped onto a branch.

“Phew…”

Lin Shuanghuai had just held his breath until his cheeks were red; now he could finally breathe.

Yuan Bozhu watched as the cat safely climbed down from the tree, then looked at Lin Shuanghuai on the ground.

Lin Shuanghuai breathed a sigh of relief and hastily stood up.

His slightly long hair was damp with sweat, sticking messily to his forehead. His reddened eyes were partially concealed by thick eyelashes, looking somewhat unsettled.

 

Regardless, Lin Shuanghuai ‘s reaction was too exaggerated.

Someone who didn’t know might think he had just fought a vicious dog for three hundred rounds and was seriously injured.

“Sorry for the trouble,”

Lin Shuanghuai, who had regained his composure, had already restored his usual elegance.

He brushed off the dust from his pants, and when he stood up straight again, all traces of his recent embarrassment and awkwardness were gone.

Yuan Bozhu watched him and found Lin Shuanghuai to be quite astonishing in this regard—

His control over the smile was extremely precise, identical every time, no matter the occasion.

“Classmate, which class are you in? I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. If you have the chance, let me treat you to a meal. I’m really grateful to you.”

“Promises that start with “if you have the chance” usually mean “there will never be a chance.”

Of course, Yuan Bozhu didn’t take these words to heart.

“No need,” Yuan Bozhu replied indifferently.

“I’m not making excuses; I really want to treat you to dinner.” Lin Shuanghuai’s eyes were round and bright, his smile was bright and his teeth were bright, and his voice was clear and hearty.

“After all, if it weren’t for your help, I would have almost died from the cat’s claws just now. You saved my life.”

A lighthearted joke.

Another person might find Lin Shuanghuai humorous and laugh along, lightening the mood and making friends

But Yuan Bo Zhu didn’t laugh.

He didn’t find it particularly funny and explained, “Cats can’t kill people.”

“…”

Lin Shuanghuai blinked. “Well, that’s true, haha. I overreacted,”

Yuan Bozhu felt impressed by him again.

This person seemed to be able to chat with anyone.

“Really not joining me for a meal?”

Lin Shuanghuai tilted his head, his curled eyelashes trembling slightly with the blink of his eyes.

“No,”

Yuan Bozhu instinctively replied.

But then he felt he might be too indifferent, making it seem like he was rejecting Lin Shuanghuai, so he added, “It’s just a small gesture.”

Yuan Bozhu didn’t want to show any special emotions toward anyone. Liking or disliking someone only brought unnecessary social interactions; friends and enemies both created unnecessary complications.

He and Lin Shuanghuai were just strangers.

Strangers exchange a few words casually and then part ways.

“Alright,”

Evidently, Lin Shuanghuai wasn’t insistent on treating Yuan Bozhu to a meal either.

He was just accustomed to being thorough and always wanted to take care of everyone’s emotions, not wanting to leave a bad impression on anyone.

“Then we’ll talk about it next time.”

This time it was indeed an excuse. Lin Shuanghuai also casually asked, “Do you need to use the restroom?”

“No, thanks.”

“So, you just happened to pass by here? What a coincidence! If you hadn’t come over, I wouldn’t have known what to do. I’m particularly afraid of cats, haha.”

“Is that so.”

“…Hmm.”

There was a moment of awkward silence.

It’s rare to encounter someone even Lin Shuanghuai couldn’t engage in conversation with.

Lin Shuanghuai had never encountered this type of person before.

He didn’t seem to have any grievances with him, he just simply didn’t want to talk to him, as if he couldn’t wait to blurt out each word individually.

He didn’t want to make things dull, so he rubbed his elbow, which had just hit the ground and hurt, and smiled, saying,

“Well, in that case, I won’t delay you any longer, so I’ll bid—

” Halfway through, Lin Shuang suddenly froze.

He looked down at his hand, and his face went pale.

Then, subconsciously, he hugged his own arm.

But it was futile.

The secret he wanted to hide had long been exposed.

Yuan Bozhu pretended not to see the change in his complexion and turned to leave.

“Cl-Classmate!” Lin Shuanghuai called out from behind.

Yuan Bozhu ignored him.

He had a strong sixth sense that whatever Lin Shuanghuai was about to say would be troublesome.

For Yuan Bozhu, this situation itself was rare.

He had been studying at Qiancheng No. 1 Middle School for more than two years and had never encountered such a coincidental occurrence:

He had escaped from the cafeteria just to avoid the commotion caused by Lin Shuanghuai.

But unexpectedly, he ran into Lin Shuanghuai himself.

He didn’t like coincidences that happened outside of his expectations.

Lin Shuanghuai was the antithesis of low-key, and Yuan Bozhu avoided him.

But Yuan Bozhu walked fast, and Lin Shuanghuai chased even faster.

Seeing that he was about to walk out of the door, Lin Shuang simply grabbed his hand.

Yuan Bozhu instinctively wanted to shake it off but barely restrained himself.

Otherwise, if he exerted force, he might have thrown Lin Shuanghuai against the wall.

“Wait!”

Lin Shuanghuai ‘s voice sounded a bit urgent.

While talking, he took big strides to stand in front of Yuan Bozhu and casually closed the door to the restroom behind him.

Lin Shuanghuai first adjusted his slightly open collar and covered up the still-healing wound that hadn’t fully recovered.

Then, facing Yuan Bozhu, he suppressed the panic from a moment ago and forged another friendly smile:

“Classmate, you shouldn’t have any misunderstanding, right?”

Yuan Bozhu expressed his confusion with a slight frown.

“You saw the injuries on my body, right?”

Lin Shuanghuai brought up the topic directly. Yuan Bozhu looked at him. “Yes.”

There was no need to deny it, because Lin Shuanghuai ‘s skin was very fair, and the injuries showed various degrees of bruising, making them particularly eye-catching.

If Lin Shuanghuai stopped him to warn him not to spread the matter, Yuan Bozhu understood, but he felt it was unnecessary.

Because why Lin Shuanghuai got injured and who did it, Yuan Bozhu had no interest in finding out.

“…It’s special effects makeup.”

No threats, no warnings.

Lin Shuanghuai gave him a big, brilliant smile.

Yuan Bozhu was stunned for a moment.

“I’m afraid you might misunderstand, so let me explain. This isn’t an injury. It’s special effects makeup that I had a classmate help me with.”

Lin Shuanghuai lied without batting an eye, controlling even the frequency of his blinks.

He began to explain something that Yuan Bo Zhu didn’t care about.

“Wasn’t the freshman welcoming party postponed to next week? I have to perform on stage… a skit. So, I had them help me with the makeup beforehand. How about it, doesn’t it look real? You were startled just now, weren’t you?”

To enhance his credibility, Lin Shuanghuai gritted his teeth and rubbed the bruise on his arm, smiling to prove that it didn’t hurt at all.

“Although it looks scary, it’s actually waterproof paint. I was just trying to wash off this makeup earlier, but couldn’t get it off after trying for a while. I might need to use their makeup remover.”

He spoke very earnestly, acting very convincingly.

But Yuan Bozhu found it strange.

Lin Shuanghuai’s explanation was full of loopholes.

If it were anyone else, they would surely be surprised and exclaim, “Wow, that’s special effects makeup!” and then run over to admire it.

But once touched, there would be no doubt about the deception.

His injury couldn’t withstand close scrutiny.

Yuan Bozhu guessed that Lin Shuanghuai probably thought he was a fool.

So foolish that he wouldn’t even say, “Really? I don’t believe it.”

Because he never showed any signs of belief, Lin Shuanghuai’s smile was beginning to stiffen.

“You’ve never seen this kind of special effects makeup before, have you?

Isn’t it very… real?” Lin Shuanghuai’s actions of rubbing the bruise became more and more forceful, and the once clear and bright eyes gradually became cloudy.

Suddenly, Yuan Bozhu had the feeling that if he didn’t nod, Lin Shuanghuai would cry.

Actually, upon careful consideration, Yuan Bozhu realized that there were many people who thought he was foolish.

Yuan Qifeng, Yuan Wanjiao, even his parents often fooled him as if he were a fool.

Pretending to believe in a lie full of holes was something he was good at.

Because it could avoid a lot of trouble.

So, before Lin Shuanghuai rubbed his bruise into a serious injury, Yuan Bozhu finally nodded.

He looked at the fake “special effects makeup” and said:

“Yeah, very real.”

 

Author’s note:

“Your Uncle Befuddles His Father”