Chapter 20: Not People of the Same Path

"You..."

The two's conversation was interrupted by a sudden voice: "Qi Yu! I'm here!"

Ming Tan walked over with rapid strides. The moment he saw Ling Wu, a flash of disgust crossed his eyes. He shoved the person aside and, pulling on Qi Yu, asked, "Are you alright?"

【The protagonist shou and the Cannon Fodder male supporting character have run into each other.】

【Actually, Qi Yu still likes the male supporting character here, right? But Ling Wu later courts death and frantically causes trouble for Ming Tan, so Qi Yu stops liking him.】

【The later-stage Ming Tan is a 'white moonlight' level existence.】

Then he pointed at Ling Wu and asked, "Why is he here!"

Qi Yu: "Don't push him!"

"He is the one who came to save me."

Ling Wu could sense the malice Ming Tan held toward him. He tilted his porcelain-white chin toward Qi Yu and said his goodbyes: "Since your friend is here, I won't disturb you two anymore."

Qi Yu took a half-step forward and reached out to grab Ling Wu's wrist, wanting to keep him, but was forcibly blocked by Ming Tan.

He could only watch as Ling Wu exited the equipment room, leaving behind only a handsome back view.

Ming Tan pointed at Ling Wu's retreating back and said aggressively, "Qi Yu, don't be stupid!"

"How could he possibly have come to save you? Do you think he's some kind of good person? How could noble young masters like them ever care about our lives?"

"Maybe the fact that you were locked in the equipment room was something he directed and acted out himself, just to watch you thank him like a clown."

Qi Yu's gaze turned cold: "He said it wasn't him, and I believe him."

"You believe whatever he says? Qi Yu, I didn't realize before that you were so easy to fool." Ming Tan pulled open his collar and, staring at the cigarette burn on his collarbone, questioned: "Have you forgotten how he treated you before?"

"This scar will stay with you for your whole life!"

A whole life?

It was unknown which word Ming Tan said that secretly stirred up the turbulence in his heart.

Qi Yu: "Ming Tan, I know you're concerned about me, but this really wasn't done by Ling Wu; it was Jiang Shun and that group of people holding a grudge."

Ming Tan sneered: "It wasn't him?"

"Then how do you explain the fact that he knew you were locked in the equipment room and specifically rushed over to save you!"

Qi Yu fell silent.

He was also curious about that point.

Ming Tan had just transmigrated into this comic book world. As the protagonist shou, he was destined to have emotional entanglements with the F4 of Sike Academy, but the one he liked most was still the villain in the comic, Qi Yu.

Twenty years ago, the Empire experienced a rebellion, the imperial power was hollowed out by aristocratic families, and the glory of the royal family fell from that point on. Since then, the Empire's lifeline has been held by the four great aristocratic families.

Only Ming Tan knew that during the coup, the Crown Prince had been secretly sent out of the Imperial Capital by a Duke and left among the commoners, while the Imperial Army, which served only the royal family, had been biding its time, secretly smuggling arms, developing weapons, and stockpiling military power, waiting only to retrieve the Crown Prince and restore the Empire.

And Qi Yu was precisely that Crown Prince who had been left outside.

In the future, Qi Yu would experience a series of suppressions and humiliations at Sike Academy and gradually turn dark, while Ming Tan would be the one to redeem him.

For instance, regarding the matter in the equipment room, this plot point was supposed to be Ming Tan saving Qi Yu, after which the two would support each other in the Academy due to their status as Special Students, eventually becoming Qi Yu's 'white moonlight'.

But Ming Tan never expected that when he rushed over, someone else would have gotten there first.

And that person was the Cannon Fodder male supporting character from the comic who had little screen time and nothing but beauty.

Ming Tan was furious.

He was the protagonist in the comic; this world should revolve around him!

Ming Tan would not allow others to snatch away the credit that should have been his.

Thinking of this, his contempt for Ling Wu deepened.

Seeing that Qi Yu didn't speak, Ming Tan assumed he had acquiesced and said earnestly: "Qi Yu, stay away from him, okay? He will only do things to hurt you. Even if it wasn't him this time, what about before?"

"You are not people of the same path."

Not people of the same path...

Qi Yu lowered his head and smiled self-deprecatingly. He was just an ordinary person in the Slums who had to worry about his three meals a day, while Ling Wu stood at the very pinnacle of the entire Empire's pyramid.

Countless people would follow one after another if he just beckoned.

What did he count for?

Probably nothing at all.

Ming Tan looked at the surprised and lost expression on his face, patted his back gently, and comforted him: "Qi Yu, only with me—we are the ones on the same path."

"I will always stay by your side."

What if the moon could fall into the clouds?

Then could he, relying on his own sordid selfish desires, fearlessly embrace the moon's coldness into his arms?

Qi Yu did not realize how dangerous such thoughts were; his emotions had already begun to be led by Ling Wu.

That person's every move, every glance and smile, and even a single look, could shake his heart.

He stroked the cigarette burn on his collarbone and was actually starting to feel a bit fortunate. A whole life... this scar would be on his body for a whole life, and it was also one of the few things of Ling Wu's that he could keep.

Ming Tan tempted him step by step: "Hate him."

"We are naturally in opposition to people like them."

Qi Yu mumbled, not hearing his words at all, a trace of imperceptible sadness flashing across his eyes: "Mm."

Ming Tan thought he had listened, felt relieved in his heart, and a smile appeared on his face.

He believed that Qi Yu would slowly start to like him, including Jin Shaoyu and the others. Everyone in the comic world existed to serve him. Once he gained the affection of these heaven-favored children, he could easily cross the class divide and become the one surrounded by stars.

Ling Wu returned to the student apartment, and not a moment later, he received a message from Yin Huaiyu:

-Yu: Brother, do you still remember the coat I lent you last time?

Only then did Ling Wu remember this matter. He took that dry-cleaned suit jacket down from the rack.

-05: Sorry, I forgot. Do you need it now? I'll bring it down and return it to you.

Less than two days had passed since the incident at the restaurant, and Ling Wu was intentionally trying to avoid Yin Huaiyu; just as he was about to find an excuse to have someone else deliver the clothes to Jingwan for him, Yin Huaiyu's message popped up:

-Yu: Returning property to its original owner, isn't it more sincere to return it in person?

-Yu: I am waiting for you downstairs at your apartment building.

This had completely blocked off his path of retreat.

Ling Wu edited a message and sent it:

-05: Coming.

Outside the student apartment, because of the arrival of a prominent figure like Yin Huaiyu, it was crowded with men and women holding up their phones and swooning.

He wore a loose black jacket, and a cross earring still hung from his beautiful earlobe; the wind blew across his three-dimensional, bewitchingly handsome face, and his aura was extraordinary.

"Young Master Yin, look at me! Look at me!"

"So handsome!"

A boy with delicate features walked up to him with a blushing face, holding a pink envelope in both hands, bowing and raising it above his head to hand it to him:

"Young Master Yin, can... can you accept the love letter I wrote?"

Yin Huaiyu's amorous peach-blossom eyes swept over the boy, a trace of imperceptible mockery flashing in the depths of his eyes, and he took the love letter: "Classmate, I understand your feelings."

He turned his head and saw that figure waiting for a long time at the end of the path; the wind blew Ling Wu's hair into a disheveled state, and his skin was extremely fair, making him particularly eye-catching as he passed through the crowd.

Yin Huaiyu tossed the love letter into a trash can in front of everyone, his thin lips curled slightly, and he walked past the crowd to Ling Wu, taking the item from his hand: "You finally came."