After Helping the Protagonist Escape From a Madman, I Became His Target [Transmigration Novel] - Chapter 13

Upon returning to the school, the four students were immediately picked up by their parents and suspended for a day as a warning.

Shen Luyang, on the other hand, became the poster boy for “acting bravely for a just cause.” He received a flood of praise from the school leadership, who even mentioned that there would be a formal commendation ceremony and a serious lecture on the incident the following week.

The only thing Shen Luyang actually cared about was his paycheck. After circling several veteran leaders and asking about a potential bonus, he found that their responses were all masterfully vague. He let out a sigh. It seemed there was no hope for extra cash.

Even a teacher of the people has to eat.

Just as he reached the entrance of the science department office, he bumped into Shi Fan. Seeing him, Shi Fan offered a gentle smile. “Teacher Shen, you aren’t hurt, are you?”

Shen Luyang greeted him warmly. “Not at all. They’re just students. Are you just finishing class, Teacher Shi?”

“Yes,” Shi Fan replied. “Just coming out for some air.”

Shi Fan had a classically elegant appearance with refined, delicate features. He was tall and thin with a clean, refreshing aura. The kind of look that seemed gentle and entirely non-threatening. Most of the time, he quietly prepared his lessons alone, only occasionally joining in on conversations.

Perhaps because of the “fanfiction filter” in his head, Shen Luyang found him incredibly pitiful. He was handsome but looked so frail—truly the textbook definition of someone destined to be bullied. Even if this original version of the story didn’t have a deranged psychopath, the “scumbag” the system mentioned was likely more than enough trouble.

Shen Luyang sighed internally. Can’t the world be a little kinder to beautiful people?

He pushed the door open to let the other man in first, and Shi Fan whispered a soft “thank you.”

Since classes were currently in session, the office was empty except for the biology teacher, Jiang Nuanyu, and Xie Weihan in his usual corner.

After greeting Jiang Nuanyu, Shen Luyang trotted over to Xie Weihan’s desk, lowering his voice with a look of genuine regret. “Teacher Xie, I brought you some soy milk, but it’s gone cold.”

Xie Weihan started with a polite “It’s no matter,” but then his gaze shifted to Shen Luyang’s hand, his brow furrowing slightly. “Are you injured?”

Shen Luyang looked down, only to realize he had badly scraped the skin on the knuckles of his right hand. He had been in such a rush to get back that he hadn’t noticed. There was even a small smear of blood on his tracksuit jacket; the blood on his hand had already dried into dark red patches that looked a bit daunting.

“I probably grazed it while blocking. It doesn’t hurt,” Shen Luyang said dismissively. Recalling Director Zhu’s anger, he asked, “Teacher Xie, do you know much about the vocational school next door? Director Zhu seemed pretty furious. Will Peng Jun and the others face a serious penalty?”

Xie Weihan tapped the desktop lightly, and Shen Luyang understood the cue instantly.

He pulled up a chair and sat next to him with an expectant look, ready for some campus lore. However, Xie Weihan didn’t speak immediately. Instead, he reached into a drawer and pulled out a bottle of iodine and a pack of cotton swabs.

Shen Luyang froze for a moment, then realized the man intended to treat his wound, so he rested his hand on the desk next to Xie Weihan. Being a grown man, he felt a bit embarrassed by such attention for a minor scratch. “You don’t need to be so careful. It really doesn’t hurt.”

Xie Weihan lightened his touch and said softly, “The vocational school next door has very lax management. There are frequent security issues.”

Shen Luyang nodded. Back when he was a student, the neighboring vocational schools were always used as classic negative examples by the teachers. It was a bit of a stereotype, but certain incidents tended to reinforce it.

“A few years ago, there was a violent brawl where over a dozen students were rushed to the ICU; four didn’t make it. The school was put under rectification for half a year. In April of this year, a dispute in an Alpha dormitory led to a student being pushed down the stairs; he was declared brain dead. Last Monday, a student got into a conflict with the cafeteria staff and attacked them with a knife. He was caught after three days on the run. It made the news.”

With those three examples, Shen Luyang could already feel the heavy atmosphere of that school.

Xie Weihan peeled open a Band-Aid and applied it to his hand with incredible gentleness. “Is there anything else you want to know?”

Shen Luyang scratched his head. “This could go either way. Judging by Director Zhu’s reaction, those kids are probably getting a demerit.”

“Most likely,” Xie Weihan said, using a swab to clean the remaining blood from the back of his hand. “But it isn’t a dead end. The school usually gives them a chance to write a self-reflection and clear it during their senior year.”

In other words, as long as it wasn’t a catastrophic mistake, the school would give them a chance to reform. Shen Luyang felt relieved.

*******

Time slipped by until Sunday.

The sophomore schedule was grueling, and Shen Luyang had even worked on Saturday. After a week of nonstop mental exertion, he finally had some downtime and slept until 11:00 AM. When he woke up, he was still groggy; seeing a message from Xie Weihan felt almost like a hallucination.

[Teacher Xie: Are you free tonight, Teacher Shen?]

Oh God, what an ambiguous sentence.

Freshly awake and with a head full of romantic scenarios, Shen Luyang typed back:

[Teacher Shen: I am.]

[Teacher Shen: Is it your rut? I’ll be there right away.]

Xie Weihan must have been looking at his phone, because the reply was fast.

[Teacher Xie: I’d like to treat you to dinner.]

[Teacher Xie: At my home.]

Shen Luyang rubbed his nose. Seeing nothing wrong with the invitation, he replied:

[Teacher Shen: No problem.]

After confirming the time and place, he got up to brush his teeth and wash his face, ordering some takeout in the meantime.

“Maybe… I should get a haircut?” he wondered aloud.

[Luyang, you could also get it dyed or permed. Shave your face, put on a mask, get a facial…]

Shen Luyang: I’m going for dinner, not a blind date.

[Then you don’t need any of that. As long as you show up, Teacher Xie will be perfectly satisfied.]

Shen Luyang felt the system was becoming increasingly cryptic lately. He opened his closet and sifted through the flamboyant mess of clothes. “There isn’t much I can actually wear… I’ve been so busy this week I haven’t even had time to see what—wait, a thong? The original owner was this wild?”

[Friendly reminder: The original Shen Luyang was into Alphas~]

Shen Luyang’s mouth twitched. “That’s a thing? What was his private life like? Where did he hang out? How many people know? I’m a teacher now; I can’t let this stuff ruin my career.”

[Relax, Luyang. He was terrified of his dad breaking his legs, so he only played around at home in secret. No one knows.]

With a look of disgust, Shen Luyang used two fingers to pick up the bright red underwear and toss it on the floor. He decided to clear out the closet once and for all. He sorted things into piles: clothes that were wearable but too flashy went into a donation box; anything “adults-only” like the thong went straight into the trash.

Once he was done, the closet was practically empty.

After eating, he saw he still had time. Checking his credit card balance, he took a bus to the nearest mall. He had to; the weather was getting colder, and every warm item in that closet was more ostentatious than the last. He couldn’t go to school looking like a clown. It wasn’t fitting for a teacher.

Despite being technically a millionaire now, Shen Luyang was a frugal soul. He only stepped into stores that had a “Sale” sign out front. His only criteria for clothes were “comfortable” and “simple.” Trends and fashion were not in his vocabulary.

While he was trying things on, a sales assistant came over to make recommendations. He picked out a few items in muted, simple colors. His natural look was crisp and sunny; he could pull off bright colors, but he wasn’t the type to layer five different shades at once. With his face, flashy clothes would turn him into a “social butterfly” just like the original owner.

He spent nearly an hour buying a full set of clothes for every season. He was very satisfied; he wouldn’t have to shop again for the next two years.

However, when the cashier piled everything in front of him, he realized he should have driven. He was going to have to take a taxi back. The cashier helpfully informed him that he could get free home delivery if he spent a bit more, or he could become a Gold Member for a fee to get the same perk. Shen Luyang calculated the cost of a taxi versus a membership and politely declined.

On the taxi ride home, the system chimed in.

[Luyang, you’re very rich now. There’s no need to be this stingy.]

Shen Luyang looked at the time; he was still on schedule. He put on a profound face. Tongtong, do you have any idea how hard it is to get a wife these days?

[Huh?]

Shen Luyang: What if my future wife likes supercars, villas, and private jets? If I spend all the money now, what am I going to use to buy those things for her?

[So, would she love you for your money or for who you are?]

Shen Luyang: You think I’d marry someone who doesn’t love me? Am I that stupid?

[Luyang, I think… yes.]

*******

When he got home, he unpacked all his new clothes, organized the closet, and took a shower. He picked out a clean, simple outfit.

Because he had misjudged the time, he actually ended up having to drive to Xie Weihan’s place. On the way, he estimated the distance and realized Xie Weihan lived even further from the school than he did. Considering the man arrived so early every morning, he suspected Teacher Xie didn’t sleep at all.

[S-class Alphas have unstable mental states. Insomnia, mania, paranoia, violent tendencies, and a lack of security… these are common. Teacher Xie is no exception.]

Shen Luyang pressed the elevator button. Perhaps because Xie Weihan usually seemed so “normal” and “composed,” everyone around him, including Shen Luyang, tended to forget the fact that he was an emotionally volatile S-class Alpha. To have such a high level of self-control was practically record-breaking.

The door opened with a click. Xie Weihan stood there, dressed in comfortable black loungewear. Shen Luyang lifted the black tea he had brought as a gift, a wide smile breaking across his face. “Good evening, Teacher Xie!”

Xie Weihan let out a soft laugh and stepped aside. “Good evening to you too. Please, come in.”

Shen Luyang’s own place was a spacious 200-square-meter apartment, but Xie Weihan’s home appeared even larger. The decor followed a minimalist European style. It was incredibly soothing to look at.

Xie Weihan poured him a glass of fruit tea. Shen Luyang took a sip; it was sweet but refreshing.

“Are you hungry, Luyang?” Xie Weihan placed a fruit platter in front of him.

“I’m okay,” Shen Luyang said, cradling the tea as he sank into the sofa, rubbing his temples. “Teacher Xie, please just call me Shen Luyang. Calling me “Teacher Shen” on a Sunday makes me feel like I’m still working. It’s too painful.”

Xie Weihan held his own cup with one hand and sat comfortably beside him. Under the cool light, his features looked strikingly beautiful—almost aloof—yet his eyes remained soft. He seemed like someone shrouded in mist, both contradictory and very real.

“Shen Luyang,” he murmured, as if tasting the syllables of the name. After a moment, a smile played on his lips as he called out teasingly, “Luyang?”

Shen Luyang had been called “Luyang” his entire life, even the system called him that, but hearing those two simple words come out of Xie Weihan’s mouth made his ears feel inexplicably hot.

Scratching his ear, he said instinctively, “Well, I can’t just keep calling you ‘Teacher Xie’ either. It sounds too distant.”

Xie Weihan took a sip of his tea; his pale fingertips warmed into a slight pink hue. His deep eyes looked at him with indulgence. “What would you like to call me?”

Shen Luyang grit his teeth, biting back the word “Han-han.” Calling him “Weihan” felt strange, and the full name “Xie Weihan” felt too formal. Damn, this is hard. He regretted bringing up the name change; “Teacher Xie” was actually the easiest to say.

“Haven’t decided yet?” Xie Weihan’s lips curved upward as his finger brushed the rim of his cup. “If you’re used to ‘Teacher Xie,’ there’s really no need to change it, is there?”

Shen Luyang felt incredibly grateful. “Exactly!”

Talking to Teacher Xie was wonderful. You never had to worry about being put on the spot.

Xie Weihan simply smiled and said nothing.

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