After Helping the Protagonist Escape From a Madman, I Became His Target [Transmigration Novel] - Chapter 2

The air hung heavy and silent for several seconds while a drop of sweat rolled down Shen Luyang’s temple.

Facing a matter of life and death, he knew he was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t. Without much time to hesitate, he summoned every ounce of courage and asked point-blank, “Teacher Xie, want to grab dinner together?”

[Luyang, tell me the truth: were you a ‘forever alone’ virgin in your past life?]

“Hmm?” As if he hadn’t expected such a proposal, Xie Weihan’s gaze drifted over lazily, lingering on him with a slow, leisurely sweep.

It felt like being licked by the flickering tongue of a venomous snake; cold, dark, and predatory.

Shen Luyang’s body stiffened for a second, but his indomitable spirit as a devotee of beauty allowed him to recover quickly. If he had to die, he might as well die admiring a masterpiece. Looking at Teacher Xie’s face, he felt that “fear” was almost an insult to such aesthetics.

As he adjusted to his new reality, the memories belonging to the original “Shen Luyang” fully integrated into his mind. He recalled that both he and Xie Weihan were scheduled for self-study supervision that evening.

He pointed toward the door, sounding both brave and sincere. “I have a self-study block tonight too. We can head back to the classrooms together after we eat. What do you say, Teacher Xie?”

He finished with a radiant, sun-drenched smile, looking very much like a flourishing sunflower.

The System couldn’t help but sigh. [Thank God I found a host with a heart as big as yours, Luyang.]

Whether by the System’s design or mere coincidence, the character in the book looked exactly like Shen Luyang himself. He was a 1.82-meter-tall, handsome guy with striking features and a naturally cheerful expression. To put it another way, he had a “kind face.”

He was the type who made friends wherever he went. In university, he had even earned a reputation for being attractive to everyone regardless of gender. Even the director of his orphanage used to say, “Whenever this child smiles, my whole world brightens up.”

Xie Weihan’s interest seemed to be piqued.

He curled his lips into a pleasant, harmless smile that smoothed out his sharp, beautiful features. His voice was like a rich cello—deep and captivating. “Of course. I’m quite flattered by Teacher Shen’s first earnest invitation.”

The underlying implication was that they weren’t nearly close enough for such a casual dinner invite, yet he was being polite enough to accept despite the awkwardness.

Shen Luyang felt a twinge of shame upon deciphering the subtext, but he was also moved. Teacher Xie is truly such an understanding person. I must complete the mission and ensure we both gain our freedom as soon as possible.

Xie Weihan set down his pen. His long, well-defined fingers shifted items on the desk until everything was perfectly aligned. Even the two small cacti at the corner of the desk were positioned with mathematical precision. Watching this brought Shen Luyang a wave of obsessive-compulsive relief.

On the way, hoping to make the most of this meal, Shen Luyang questioned the System in his mind.

Tongtong, what does Teacher Xie like to eat?

[That’s a secret~]

Then what about food allergies or dislikes?

[Still a secret~]

Shen Luyang’s mouth twitched. Fine.

[Don’t try to take shortcuts, Luyang. You need to learn about him with your heart and use your own charm to attract Teacher Xie~]

Shen Luyang didn’t quite follow that. He was just a male NPC on a mission; why on earth would he need to “attract” another male character? He tossed the thought aside.

It was currently the end of classes, and the science department office was on the fourth floor. The hallways were filled with the incessant chatter of students. Searching his memories, Shen Luyang realized he was a teacher with a low profile among the students. Like Shi Fan, he had only been at the school for two weeks, so it was normal for no one to greet him.

However… why did the students suddenly fall silent and scramble away the moment they saw Teacher Xie? Is this really the original version of the story?

[Because the timeline of Mourning Love Plus is affecting the students too. They don’t know why, but they instinctively feel that Teacher Xie is terrifying—a real villain!]

Looking at Xie Weihan’s nonchalant, exceptionally handsome profile, Shen Luyang suddenly felt the man was truly innocent. He hadn’t actually done anything psychotic yet, but he was already suffering the consequences of a reputation he hadn’t earned.

Lanjiang Fifth High School was an institution that sought the best of everything except, perhaps, the quality of its students.

Faculty and students ate in the same cafeteria, which spanned four floors. The higher the floor, the more expensive the food. The fourth floor resembled a high-end mall’s food court, featuring various regional specialties and even a luxury hotpot chain. Though prices were high, teachers received a forty-percent discount.

To Shen Luyang, this was the pinnacle of human-centric design. If he remembered correctly, his bank account balance was currently down to three digits.

Clutching his discount card, he went through a painful internal struggle before deciding to treat Teacher Xie to a proper meal. First, it was a thank-you for the company that helped him complete his mission; second, he needed to build a rapport.

Based on his years of reading experience, a transmigrator without status, background, or a “cheat code” couldn’t exactly play the hero. The best path was to find a powerful person and stick to them. In this entire book, Teacher Xie was undoubtedly the most powerful figure available.

They headed straight to the fourth floor.

Throughout the walk, Xie Weihan maintained an easygoing “whatever you prefer” attitude. Dressed casually like a student and wearing a languid, detached expression, he seemed largely indifferent to his surroundings. It was difficult to imagine just how wealthy and influential he actually was.

Passing a Sichuan restaurant, Shen Luyang stopped. “Teacher Xie, do you eat spicy food?”

A glint flashed in Xie Weihan’s eyes as his gaze landed on Shen Luyang’s face. “I can,” he replied pleasantly.

After handing over his card, Shen Luyang found a table tucked away in the back. The restaurant wasn’t crowded. While waiting for the food, he decided to start getting to know each other to kickstart his “leg-clinging” plan. Communication, after all, was the best bridge.

Shen Luyang looked up, meeting Xie Weihan’s dark, ink-like eyes, and blurted out, “Teacher Xie, how old are you this year?”

[Luyang, I’ve truly never met anyone worse at small talk than you~]

Xie Weihan picked up a glass of water and took a sip. His brow quirked at the question, and his gaze held a mix of tolerance and amusement, as if he were looking at a lovable idiot. “Twenty-seven. And you, Teacher Shen?”

[This big villain… he knows everything about your profile already, yet he still asks.]

“Twenty-four. I just graduated this year.” Shen Luyang ignored the System’s commentary. His eyes involuntarily followed the other man’s movements as he spoke without thinking. “Teacher Xie, your eyes are exceptionally beautiful.”

Xie Weihan seemed interested in the blunt compliment and responded with an even more direct question: “You like them very much?”

Shen Luyang blinked and nodded vacantly. “I do. I’ve liked them since…”

[Wake up! Luyang! He’s using pheromones to hypnotize you! My god, he’s seducing you during the very first meal!]

The System’s roar made Shen Luyang shudder as if waking from a dream. The scene remained the same, but the words he had just spoken felt blurred, as if seen through frosted glass.

With the help of the System’s intervention, Shen Luyang regained some clarity, and he was internally shaken. Wait, there are magical attacks too? Are S-class Alphas even human?!

[They are. But there are fewer than three S-class Alphas in the country, and you were lucky enough to run into one of them.]

Taking in his dazed state, the smile on Xie Weihan’s lips deepened. “What are you thinking about?”

“Sorry,” Shen Luyang said, giving his head a light shake. His thoughts scattered as soon as they gathered. His throat felt dry, the back of his neck was itchy, and his nose felt hot. He followed his intuition and asked, “Teacher Xie, what did you just say?”

Xie Weihan replied, “I said, thank you for the compliment.”

Still dazed, Shen Luyang nodded and slapped the table with a sudden burst of bravado. “Hey, no need to be so polite with me! We’re like brothers…”

Only after Shen Luyang had almost finished pouring his heart out did the System leisurely speak up.

[Oh, I forgot, dear. The previous ‘Shen Luyang’ was allergic to chili. He was just sent to the hospital for it last week.]

[It’s lucky you’re such a little flirt and never forget to swoon over a pretty face, otherwise you would have been interrogated. That was close.]

[Friendly Tip: An S-class Alpha can use mental suppression to induce you to speak your true thoughts—it’s like being a human truth serum. This effect is most prominent on Alphas and Omegas, and slightly less so on Betas. Luyang, be careful not to fall for it again.]

Good grief, that’s not exactly something I can avoid just by being careful.

Wait, chili allergy?

Shen Luyang looked at the plate of spicy crawfish on the table. They were bright red and looked delicious. He turned to look at Xie Weihan, his body going stiff.

Buddha, Bodhisattva… please let someone tell me that Xie Weihan doesn’t know about the allergy.

The other man looked back at him with a composed expression, as if nothing had happened. He curled his lips into a smile. “Is something troubling you, Teacher Shen?”

“?”

“Your complexion looks terrible.” Xie Weihan rested his chin on his hand, looking as languid as a satisfied snake. His dark eyes shimmered, and the warm glow from the overhead lamp gave him a semblance of vitality.

Shen Luyang forced a smile. His first step toward building a relationship had resulted in a faceplant. He’s going to think I’m some kind of corporate spy or a scout from another school. He felt like an actor with terrible skills who would be killed off by the third episode.

Xie Weihan’s fingers tapped rhythmically on the table. The sound was like an incantation, drumming against Shen Luyang’s thick but currently missing nerves.

Shen Luyang steeled himself and decided to lean into the situation. He nodded solemnly, his face filled with worry. Due to his recent slip-up, his distressed expression looked quite genuine. “I won’t lie to you, Teacher Xie… I’ve run into a bit of a difficulty.”

“Oh?”

Like a concerned colleague, Xie Weihan poured him a cold drink, looking intrigued. “Is it something you can share?”

“Uh…”

Shen Luyang’s brain whirled frantically before he squeezed out a sentence: “I have a friend…”

[Oh boy, is this ‘friend’ actually yourself?]

Seeing Xie Weihan’s serious expression, Shen Luyang pushed forward. “Well, he also has a friend.”

[And I bet you’re talking about yourself and Teacher Xie, aren’t you?]

******

Xie Weihan’s eyes shifted slightly. He nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

Ignoring the System, Shen Luyang took a heavy gulp of the water Xie Weihan had poured and began his difficult confession. “That friend of his… he’s a bit of an outcast.”

Xie Weihan asked, “Introverted?”

“Not exactly,” Shen Luyang said, stealing glances at Xie Weihan while carefully choosing his words, his hands gesturing habitually. “How should I put it? His—I mean, his friend’s personality is a bit… extreme.”

“If he wants something, he’ll use any means to get it, whether those means are legal or not. My friend is worried that one day he’ll actually… commit a crime. He came to ask me if there’s any solution.”

To make it sound more plausible, Shen Luyang added, “Since I’m a teacher, he thinks I’m reliable.”

Xie Weihan ate slowly and deliberately. After a moment, he spoke.

“Your friend’s,” he paused subtly, the corner of his mouth twitching, “friend… is the thing he wants a person?”

Shen Luyang’s heart skipped a beat. Xie Weihan’s casual dress and youthful looks often made him forget he wasn’t just a fellow university student. Only when looking into those ink-like eyes and being captured by the danger and mystery within like a field mouse being strangled. Did one realize the truth. There was no student here; before him sat a dangerous Alpha who could easily see through a person’s heart.

Shen Luyang gave him a thumbs-up. “It is indeed a person. I can’t believe you guessed that! You really are Teacher Xie, the ‘Outstanding Teacher’ award winner every year!”

“Teacher Shen.” Xie Weihan unhurriedly put on disposable gloves and easily peeled away a crawfish shell to reveal the tender meat inside. His movements were poised, with only a tiny bit of sauce staining the fingertips of his gloves.

Shen Luyang: “Hmm?”

“Has anyone ever told you…” He paused briefly and gave Shen Luyang a polite, melodic smile. “That you’re quite terrible at flattery?”

Shen Luyang: “…”

This life is impossible to live.

This man is impossible to please.

Having had his fill of Shen Luyang’s expression, Xie Weihan pulled the conversation back to the topic. “Has your friend’s friend seen a psychiatrist?”

Teacher Xie, can you please stop pausing every time you say ‘friend’? It’s very awkward.

Shen Luyang hadn’t read the original book, and the System wasn’t responding—likely because it couldn’t reveal original content. He could only make things up based on what he knew of Xie Weihan. “He hasn’t. Even though his behavior is extreme and has caused a lot of harm to the person he likes, he thinks he’s perfectly fine.”

“I see.”

Xie Weihan nodded. He peeled exactly eight crawfish with exquisite precision, arranged them neatly on a plate, and pushed them toward Shen Luyang.

“Such behavior is quite excessive,” he said, looking into Shen Luyang’s expectant eyes. He smiled tenderly and uttered a few words with a light, airy tone: “Find a way to dispose of him.”

Shen Luyang was stunned by those last four words. It took him a long while before he managed to stammer out, “…Is there no saving him?”

“How would you like to save him, Teacher Shen?” Xie Weihan removed his gloves and placed them on a side tray, seemingly having no intention of eating the crawfish himself.

He took a sip of tea and said calmly, “What is the point of such a dangerous person existing to you?”

Shen Luyang, who had been raised under a strict legal education, looked blankly at him. “He’s a person.”

A person needs to be judged by the law. Extreme freedom is just another form of imprisonment…

Xie Weihan rested his chin on his hand and looked at him with a smiling, indulgent gaze. He spoke slowly, emphasizing every syllable: “He could also be a devil.”

One who lurks in the shadows, concealing sharp claws and appearing docile and harmless, only because he hasn’t yet encountered a delectable prey.

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