After the Heartthrob Took the Cannon Fodder Script [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 22

“It’s fine.” Since they were both guys, Juezhou didn’t act bashful.

He really didn’t want to keep wearing the clothes he had on, so he asked, “Where is Xie Wenchen’s wardrobe?”

The youth replied, “Right here.”

Juezhou couldn’t tell if it was just his imagination, but he felt this junior’s attitude toward him had become much more enthusiastic. The boy even introduced himself—his name was Bai Ye, and he had just turned eighteen this year.

While rummaging through someone else’s wardrobe was technically unethical, it perfectly suited Juezhou’s role as a malicious, brainless canon fodder.

This blatant disrespect for privacy clearly fell within the scope of “oppression value” calculations. While Juezhou apologized to Xie Wenchen in his heart, he listened with delight as the system broadcasted the protagonist bottom’s oppression values climbing higher and higher.

Even though Xie Wenchen wasn’t present, the act of disrespecting his personal space still counted.

To an outsider, however, this scene suggested that he and Xie Wenchen were so incredibly close that he could sift through his belongings without even asking.

Bai Ye stood to the side and asked, “Are you and Xie Wenchen on very good terms, Senior?”

“Not really,” Juezhou replied after a moment’s thought. He pulled a dark T-shirt from the cabinet and pulled it over his head.

Xie Wenchen’s clothes were a size larger than his, leaving the fabric loose and draped around his collarbones.

Suddenly remembering something, Juezhou looked up at Bai Ye. “I didn’t say anything nonsensical while I was drunk last night, did I?”

Bai Ye’s expression was complicated. “…You kept holding onto Xie Wenchen and calling him ‘wife.'”

Juezhou: ??!

How am I still alive?!

In his momentary daze, Juezhou didn’t notice the hem of his shirt catch on a hook in the wardrobe. As he tried to walk away, he was jerked back, nearly tearing the fabric.

“Do you need help, Senior?” Bai Ye asked.

Before Juezhou could nod, Bai Ye had already approached, leaving barely a finger’s width of space between them.

Bai Ye was much taller than Juezhou. From Juezhou’s perspective, he could only see the sharp line of the boy’s jaw and his pale red lips. Basketballs and various sports equipment were hanging by Bai Ye’s bed, indicating he exercised often; yet, he didn’t have the sweaty odor typical of many boys. He only smelled of fresh, crisp body wash.

Click. The iron hook was detached.

They were too close.

To avoid physical contact, Juezhou hastily shrank back. His head hit the wardrobe with a thud, and he let out a pained “hiss.” Bai Ye quickly apologized, his gaze dropping to Juezhou’s eyes, which were now shimmering with a thin layer of mist.

The dormitory door happened to open again at that exact moment. The person entering was met with the sight of Juezhou seemingly pinned against the wardrobe.

“Mr. Juezhou,” Xie Wenchen called out softly.

Bai Ye seemed to snap out of it, taking a step back and apologetically bowing to Juezhou.

Juezhou rubbed the back of his head and tilted his chin toward Xie Wenchen.

Xie Wenchen placed the breakfast he had bought on the table and opened the window to let some air in.

Juezhou didn’t stand on ceremony. He took the only chair at the desk and scrolled through his unread messages one by one while eating.

Mo Guan had sent him over a dozen messages. At the top was a check-in asking if Juezhou had made it home safely, but the later messages were full of exclamation marks:

[Holy crap, crap, crap!!]

[A freshman girl live-streamed your entire piano performance!!]

Terrified, Juezhou quickly opened the Star-Net only to find that “First Academy School Anniversary” was ranked 38th on the trending list.

The top “Hot” post didn’t even feature the video of him playing the piano; instead, it was a photo of him drenched in water.

The photo seemed to have been color-graded. The spots where the water made the fabric translucent and revealed his skin were particularly eye-catching, and the soaked shirt perfectly traced the curve of his waist.

Juezhou: …He suddenly didn’t want to open the comment section to see what people were saying.

However, aside from becoming inexplicably famous online again, Juezhou received good news—his mentor sent a notification recommending him for a world-renowned painting competition.

This competition carried immense weight in the art world; almost everyone studying fine arts knew about it. The screening process was notoriously strict, and Juezhou hadn’t felt his skills were polished enough to enter before.

His mentor had reviewed the assignments Juezhou submitted last month and told him with satisfaction: You finally have the level required to compete.

If Xie Wenchen hadn’t been right there, Juezhou would have been excited enough to run two laps around the sports field.

But before that, his mentor noted that Juezhou needed to make up for the professional theory classes he had missed.

Having been caught skipping class, Juezhou felt guilty. “…Okay.”

The breakfast Xie Wenchen bought was delicious. Juezhou gulped down a large mouthful of yogurt. Before he could even speak, Xie Wenchen proactively came over to clear the table.

Has he already gotten used to being bullied by me? Juezhou wondered.

This wasn’t exactly good for Juezhou’s current situation. After all, he needed Xie Wenchen to feel negative emotions to gain oppression values.

The system processed the data and suggested: [Host, there is still one task you haven’t done. Should we start now?]

It took Juezhou a moment to remember.

The new mission required him to humiliate Xie Wenchen in front of his roommate.

…Sigh, what a headache.

Bai Ye was sitting with his side to Juezhou. He had already put on his headphones to study, staring intently at his book.

Juezhou reached out and pinched the soft flesh of Xie Wenchen’s chin. The slender youth didn’t have much fat, but his skin felt incredibly soft to the touch.

The mission notification didn’t trigger; Xie Wenchen didn’t have enough negative emotional fluctuations. He needed to be bullied harder.

“My waist hurts,” Juezhou said.

Xie Wenchen understood his meaning immediately. After a few seconds of hesitation, he began to gently massage Juezhou’s waist through his clothes.

At first, it was actually quite comfortable.

But as the temperature of Xie Wenchen’s palms rose, the sensation changed.

Juezhou licked a white yogurt stain off his lip and looked toward Bai Ye with watery eyes.

Sensing something, Bai Ye looked up and met Juezhou’s gaze.

To facilitate the massage, Xie Wenchen was leaning over. From an outsider’s perspective, it looked as if he was pulling Juezhou into his embrace.

Mindful of his mission, Juezhou kept his back straight and stared at Bai Ye, trying his best to maintain the image of a fearless bully humiliating someone. However, his physiological reactions were hard to suppress.

—In the eyes of an outsider, Juezhou was being “bullied” to the point where the tips of his ears were flushed a faint pink, looking as though he had just been kissed countless times. Even while clinging to Xie Wenchen, his eyes were fixed on another man.

Bai Ye only stared for a second before looking away as if he had been burned. He pressed his headphones tighter, his grip on his pen so firm that his knuckles turned white.

Xie Wenchen increased the pressure of his grip, then stopped.

Juezhou assumed he found it embarrassing to be ordered around in front of his roommate. “What’s wrong?”

“What is Mr. Juezhou looking at?” Xie Wenchen asked in a low voice.

Juezhou’s gaze shifted back to him.

“I will be better than him,” Xie Wenchen said expressionlessly, his voice deepening.

System: [Ding—Mission complete. Oppression value rewards have been credited.]

Juezhou blinked slowly, his lashes damp with a thin mist. He realized belatedly that the “him” Xie Wenchen mentioned was Bai Ye.

Hearing Xie Wenchen’s cold tone, Juezhou almost thought the guy was competing for favor.

After a few seconds of dull thinking, Juezhou finally reacted and said to the system: Oh, is Xie Wenchen afraid I’ll go after his roommate, so he’s trying to keep my attention on himself?

In the system’s eyes, Juezhou was the best host in the world. Even when playing a canon fodder, his “badness” was more vibrant than anyone else’s. So, it believed Juezhou’s deduction and set off a celebratory firework in his mind.

Juezhou rested his chin on his hand: In his eyes, I’m probably some old pervert who loves fresh young boys and will fall for Bai Ye at first sight. Tsk… I hope he doesn’t think I’m going to make Bai Ye my sugar baby.

By Bai Ye’s bed sat a gaming chair identical to Zhou Chenyu’s—a luxury item that indicated Bai Ye was someone Juezhou couldn’t afford to “sponsor.”

System: [I suggest the host lean into Xie Wenchen’s suspicion to make his hatred for you rise to the next level.]

That made sense.

Juezhou felt suffocated just imagining Xie Wenchen’s perspective: The bad man who forced me to be his sugar baby and harasses me every day is now eyeing my roommate and wants to lay hands on him too.

Simply villainous.

Aside from doing missions, Juezhou didn’t want to actually kidnap any boys, but letting Xie Wenchen misunderstand to boost oppression values was a good plan.

“That depends on your performance,” Juezhou said, poking Xie Wenchen’s cheek.

Xie Wenchen turned his face slightly as if hiding a look of revulsion.

“Starting today, you have to accompany me to class every day.” Without waiting for Xie Wenchen’s consent, Juezhou forwarded his class schedule to him.

Xie Wenchen wasn’t a student of the First Academy. If he had to accompany Juezhou, he would have to wake up early every day and would miss his own classes.

Following this latest humiliation, Xie Wenchen seemed to understand his “status” even more clearly. He pursed his lips and nodded. When Juezhou showed signs of leaving, he even proactively said, “Mr. Juezhou, let me see you out.”

On the way back, Juezhou didn’t give up on grinding for oppression values. After walking just a few steps, he demanded that Xie Wenchen buy him ice cream.

Autumn was ending, and the weather would soon turn cold, making it impossible to eat ice cream. Juezhou had a weak constitution and caught colds easily; when Jiang Henian was around, he would never have allowed Juezhou to eat such things in this weather.

The only place selling ice cream was at the school gate. Juezhou stingily didn’t give Xie Wenchen any money, so Xie Wenchen used his own money to buy Juezhou’s favorite chocolate flavor.

The two of them boarded the train together.

Juezhou had a bad habit when eating ice cream: he liked to lick it all the way around first, making the scoop smooth and wet with saliva before eating it slowly. Jiang Henian had seen him eat like this a few times and frowned, telling him to change the habit. Juezhou would agree on the surface but continue eating that way in secret.

Xie Wenchen had bought a large portion. The ice cream scoop was wider than Juezhou’s mouth, so Juezhou couldn’t take a full bite. The tip of his tender red tongue was so cold he had to huff for air.

Noticing Xie Wenchen watching him, Juezhou raised an eyebrow. “You want some too?”