After Transmigrating as a Man-Eater Omega, I Got the Protagonist Shou - Chapter 8

Qi Yan opened the paper bag, and the aroma of butter and toasted bread wafted out instantly. Qiao Xingyin rested his chin on his hand, his gaze meticulously tracing Qi Yan’s current appearance.

Qi Yan’s eating manner was quiet and earnest. The youth’s slender fingertips held the paper bag, and his thick eyelashes flickered slightly. As if startled by the sudden warmth on the tip of his tongue, his Adam’s apple rolled up and down with each swallow.

Qiao Xingyin was suddenly reminded of the stray cat, A-Yan. The first time the cat tasted canned food, he had chewed in the same way: wary yet precious, taking small bites.

“Is it good?” Qiao Xingyin asked.

Qi Yan nodded, though a small crumb still clung to the corner of his mouth.

“Eat more; you’re too thin.”

As Qiao Xingyin watched Qi Yan’s lowered eyes, a strange sense of satisfaction welled up in his chest. He suddenly wanted to see this person eat every day. He wanted to see the subtle changes in his expression when tasting different foods; he wanted to see the tip of his nose turn slightly red from the rising steam.

Perhaps he could start the feeding routine with next Monday’s breakfast. Even Qiao Xingyin felt these thoughts were somewhat groundless. It was like raising a kitten; seeing how adorable it is, one always thinks of buying it all sorts of snacks. He wondered if he was a potential “Best Chinese Bestie.” A sucker for a handsome face, indeed.

“But you should not eat too fast; it is bad for your stomach,” Qiao Xingyin said. “How about coming to my house next time? The food I cook is hot. It is better than using a microwave.”

Qi Yan, however, realized something. “You have not had dinner yet.”

“Is this your way of caring about me?” Qiao Xingyin asked. “I can eat as soon as I get home. On the other hand, you look like someone who does not know how to eat properly.”

Qi Yan said sternly, “Then go home right now.”

Qiao Xingyin replied playfully, “What, are you kicking me out already?”

Qi Yan remained silent.

Qiao Xingyin said lazily, “I am not leaving.”

Time flew by, and soon it was time to clock out. Qi Yan lowered his eyelashes. He had to go back again, back to that cold, icy home. In truth, he had never liked that home, but over a long period, he had grown numb to it. Now, a strong sense of resistance surfaced once more.

Qiao Xingyin turned his head to look at Qi Yan. “Which direction is your house? Is it near the convenience store?”

“It is on Xijiang Road.”

“That far?” Qiao Xingyin frowned. “Since you work at the convenience store, I thought you lived nearby.”

“I used to live close to where I work,” Qi Yan stated calmly. “Later, debt collectors found the door, so I moved.”

Qi Haisheng was a gambling addict and had accumulated a mountain of debt. Debtors did not subscribe to the logic that a son should not pay for his father’s debts. The half-year’s salary Qi Yan had earned through hard part-time work, which was originally intended for his tuition for the second half of the year, had all been taken by the debt collectors.

Qiao Xingyin felt his heart ache for him again. Both were seventeen-year-old boys; why was Qi Yan’s life so difficult? Even if the protagonist of the novel had a “counter-attack” script, when the “suppression” part of that narrative—the hardship before the rise—actually manifested in a real person, he could not help but wonder why fate played such jokes.

Qiao Xingyin had originally thought of finding a chance to go home with Qi Yan after school. Now, it seemed the difficulty of achieving that might be high, as their homes were not in the same direction.

After Qiao Xingyin returned home, he searched online for the official website of Xingyu Coffee. At the very bottom of the browser page, he found the complaint email address. He earnestly drafted a document, stating the cause and process of the incident, and inserted the recorded video as an attachment.

He also wrote that if the management could not handle the matter properly, he would make it public online to let public opinion pressure them. Surely the brand would not want negative news appearing on the internet. The reason Qiao Xingyin did not disclose it directly online was to avoid Qi Yan being pushed into the eye of the storm. To increase his leverage, he lied and claimed he was a media blogger with hundreds of thousands of followers, adding that he did not wish to wait too long.

His tone was formal and serious; one could not tell at all that it came from a minor. After sending the email, Qiao Xingyin indeed received a reply within twenty-four hours. The brand claimed they would focus their efforts on handling the matter.

On Monday, Qiao Xingyin woke up very early to officially launch his breakfast feeding plan. He held an insulated bag in his arms, a soft tuft of hair sticking up from the top of his head. When he saw Qi Yan, Qiao Xingyin’s eyes lit up, and he handed the bento box to him. Inside the box were four golden buns neatly arranged. Their surfaces were brushed with a layer of honey, emitting a milky fragrance.

“Qi Yan, the kind of buns you eat are actually not healthy; they have too many preservatives. I baked these myself, and they are very delicious too,” Qiao Xingyin said. “Quick, try one.”

Actually, he had struggled with what to make for Qi Yan. Since he did not know Qi Yan’s tastes and remembered that he most frequently ate bread, he decided to make bread. What he did not know was that Qi Yan usually ate packaged bread not because he liked it, but because of the employee discount at the convenience store. Qi Haisheng had instructed him not to use the kitchen in the early morning, as it would disturb his sleep.

Qi Yan looked up. “What time did you get up?”

“Six-thirty.”

As Qiao Xingyin answered, the tuft of hair on his head trembled. Qi Yan’s brow furrowed slightly. “Do not make them anymore.”

Qiao Xingyin was slightly stunned. “What?”

Qi Yan said in a low voice, “Sleep a bit more.”

“Do you think everyone stays up as late as you do? I sleep very early; I am very health-conscious.” Realizing Qi Yan was caring for him again, Qiao Xingyin felt cheerful. “Speaking of which, you should go to bed earlier too.”

Qi Yan opened his mouth as if to speak but stopped.

“Alright, we have a dictation test this morning. I am going back to class to review.” Qiao Xingyin crinkled his eyes with a smile. “I will come find you for lunch.”

Qiao Xingyin left immediately after speaking, completely ignoring Qi Yan’s request and not taking his refusal seriously. Qi Yan pursed his lips and watched Qiao Xingyin leave before returning to his seat. The buns in the box were fluffy and full, completely different from the shriveled, packaged bread from the convenience store.

After Qiao Xingyin had only walked a few steps, a tall boy from Class 1 stepped out and blocked his path. It was Chen Ming, the one who had targeted Qi Yan on the court during PE class. However, Qiao Xingyin did not recognize him.

“Classmate?” The other boy looked him up and down with a haughty attitude.

Qiao Xingyin stopped. “What is it?”

Chen Ming did not beat around the bush and got straight to the point. “You were just looking for Qi Yan. Why?”

Qiao Xingyin asked back, “Can I not come look for him?”

“It is a bit strange for you to look for him,” Chen Ming sneered. “Because in our view, someone like Qi Yan does not deserve to have friends.”

Qiao Xingyin’s attitude suddenly turned cold. “Is that so?”

“He is a lonely and cold person. Do you know his father is mentally ill?”

Chen Ming’s line of questioning was exactly like Wen Ke’s. The difference was that his tone was more acerbic and his malice was more obvious.

Qiao Xingyin said coldly, “What does that have to do with him?”

Chen Ming looked at him as if he were absurd. “Do you not have any common sense? Mental illness is hereditary.”

Qiao Xingyin gave a short response. “The matter of his father killing someone: did you see it with your own eyes?”

Chen Ming sneered. “So, you do know about it. I thought you did not.”

Qiao Xingyin stared at him unblinkingly. “You have not answered my question.”

“Everyone says so.” Chen Ming was provoked by his attitude, his voice rising a few notches. “Does it need to be seen with my own eyes? I am not a reporter writing a news story.”

Qiao Xingyin replied, “If there is no evidence, why should you expect me to believe you? Even if his father killed someone, it was not Qi Yan who did it. And I do not think that kind of person is fit to be a father. By the same logic, the things you say about Qi Yan are also without evidence, so I do not believe any of it.”

The other boy’s face instantly turned ugly. He threw out several sentences in a row. “Suit yourself. I gave you a kind warning; if you will not show gratitude, then go ahead and be stubborn. If you want to persist, I will not stop you. But you will definitely pay the price for your choice.”

Qiao Xingyin laughed from anger. “I will pay the price for my choice? Why do you not just say you are God? Can you foresee the future too?”

Qiao Xingyin took a step forward, forcing the other to look up at him. Even though he was an Omega, he displayed an astonishing aura at this moment. “You are one of the people bullying Qi Yan, are you not?”

Chen Ming’s expression changed abruptly.

“How insecure must you be at your core to need to find a sense of superiority by bullying others?” Qiao Xingyin said. “I think you will be the one paying the price for your actions.”

Qiao Xingyin turned to leave, then looked back to cast one last remark: “Qi Yan does not deserve to have friends? Similarly, you do not deserve to speak to me.”

The scene fell into a dead silence. Qiao Xingyin walked away expressionlessly, but his fingertips could not stop trembling. He finally understood why Qi Yan was always alone. It turned out that everyone who tried to get close to him would receive such warnings and be surrounded by such malice.

Under Chen Ming’s deliberate spreading, rumors quickly circulated through Class 1.

“Is there something wrong with that new Omega? He actually thinks Qi Yan is good? He even wants to be friends with him? What kind of judgment is that?”

“He is from the regular classes. How smart could he be?”

“I was going to get to know him, but now it seems there is no need. It would be totally beneath me.”

These discussions eventually reached Qiao Xingyin’s ears, but they did not affect him. During the break, Qiao Xingyin leaned against the railing to memorize vocabulary. A soft, gentle female voice suddenly sounded behind him.

“Excuse me…”

Qiao Xingyin turned around at the sound. He saw an Omega girl with her hair in a bun standing not far away, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her school uniform.

“Hello, Qiao Xingyin. I am Wen Yang from Class 1. Sorry to disturb you.”

Qiao Xingyin replied, “Hello. Is something the matter?”

“Yes.” Wen Yang took a deep breath as if gathering immense courage. “I came to find you to say that Qi Yan is not bad at all like they say. It is just that they intentionally marginalize him. I think Qi Yan is an excellent guy. His grades are good, he is handsome; he is just a bit cold.”

She drifted into a memory. “But he helped me. That day, I lost the tuition and fees my mother gave me. Qi Yan took the initiative to pay for me, so I escaped punishment from my mother. Clearly, his family situation is not great either. He helped me when I was in trouble, yet I was unable to stand up and speak for him, nor did I dare to become his friend. Now that I see he has a new friend, I am really happy. Even though I am selfish and cowardly, I still want to ask you: please do not leave him just because you are affected by the rumors. This is the first time Qi Yan has had a friend; he must care about you very much.”

When saying these things, Wen Yang’s tone was extremely sincere.

“Thank you for coming to find me and telling me this,” Qiao Xingyin said warmly and firmly. “I will not leave him. Since I said we are friends, it is for a lifetime.”

Wen Yang’s eyes widened slightly; she had not expected to receive such a swift and certain answer. Qiao Xingyin, however, fell into deep thought. In Class 1, were there more people like Wen Yang who thought Qi Yan was a good person? It was just that they lacked the courage and could not stand by his side against the gossip and slander. If that malice could be eliminated, Qi Yan would probably be liked by many people.

At two in the morning, Qi Yan lay flat on his single bed, staring at the ceiling with his thin lips pressed tightly together. He turned over, and the bed frame made an overburdened creaking sound. Having worked until late at night, his body was exhausted, yet he tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Those sharp, biting discussions had also found their way into his ears. He was afraid the rumors would affect Qiao Xingyin. This thought was like a soft thorn, pricking the most vulnerable part of his heart, aching dully with every heartbeat.

Qi Yan reached out to find his phone by the pillow; the screen lit up. He made a difficult decision. He wanted to draw a clear line with Qiao Xingyin as soon as possible. In any case, they had not known each other for long; he could cut his losses in time. Besides, a person as radiant as Qiao Xingyin would always meet better friends or even lovers. He would not be like Qi Yan, dragging debts behind him and weighed down by rumors. He was meant to enjoy thousands of forms of affection.

Qi Yan closed his eyes. If they continued to be friends, such a wonderful youth would be pointed at in the corridors, maliciously speculated about on the forums, and subjected to baseless attacks because of him.

However, he hesitated for a long time to open the chat box. The phone screen dimmed, and the room fell back into darkness. Qi Yan stiffly unlocked the screen. The screen lit up and went out, then went out and lit up again. Just as he had typed a line of words into the chat box, the image of the youth’s warm and stubborn smile appeared in Qi Yan’s mind. It caused a dull, knife-like pain in his chest, making even breathing difficult.

Qi Yan finally locked the screen and threw the phone to the foot of the bed with a muffled thud.

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