After Transmigrating Into a Book, I Was Hooked by the Protagonist Gong - Chapter 3

The thread about Bai Yuenian and Tang Yu on the Shishi High School forum had been bumped to the top of the trending page yet again.

It all started when someone snapped a photo of Bai Yuenian.

In the picture, Bai Yuenian was climbing the stairs, casually carrying a stack of homework notebooks in one hand.

His tall, lean physique was an absolute head-turner, and the movement of his stride exposed a glimpse of his sharply defined, clean-cut ankle.

[428L] Just an Irrelevant Passerby: “This shot is way too clear! Snurfing on those seductive bedroom eyes and that tear mole from the front row. It’s Lord Yue! My thirst levels are officially off the charts.”

[429L] Passerby +1: “And look at Lord Yue’s legs! Some people wear school uniform pants and manage to show ankle. When I wear them, I have to hem them. That right there is the brutal reality of the difference between 6’1″ and 5’2″!”

[430L] Passerby +2: “Speaking of pants… does anyone else think Lord Yue’s uniform looks a little off today?”

[431L] Passerby +3: “To the person above, you just reminded me look at the color. Lord Yue’s normal uniform looks like it’s been soaked in industrial bleach; it’s a completely brighter shade of white than ours and looks brand new. But the color of the jacket and pants in this photo… Long story short, that is definitely not Lord Yue’s own uniform.”

[433L] Passerby +4: “Hypothesis completely confirmed! Absolutely mind-blowing. I just saw Tang Yu, and he has that ultra-white uniform jacket tied around his waist. They must have swapped clothes.”

[434L] Passerby +5: “Oh wow! Spicy. What kind of situation leads to swapping clothes? My mind has already written a 10,000-word fanfic of pure, unadulterated NSFW content.”

[435L] Passerby +6: “To the person above, write it out and DM me. insert_blushing_pervert_emoji.jpg”

[436L] TangTang Is the Sweetest Baby: “Ahem! Watch the ratings, people, my baby is still a minor! But seriously though… does this mean the two of them have made up?”

[437L] Passerby +7: “But I literally heard today that Tang Yu wanted to cut ties with Bai Yuenian completely!”

[438L] Passerby +8: “Holy crap! Is Tang Yu actually embarking on his playboy arc?”

Meanwhile, the “playboy” in question none other than Tang Yu was currently sitting in the homeroom teacher’s office, trying to negotiate a class transfer.

His homeroom teacher, Ms. Zhou, was a slightly plump woman with a classic, comforting face. At first glance, she didn’t stand out much, but she possessed an undeniable charm that grew on you the longer you looked.

Today, she wore a professional black pencil skirt and suit jacket, her hair tied back in a simple low ponytail. Having trailed the dean through several open observation classes earlier, she had been fighting off wave after wave of exhaustion. Now, however, she was wide awake.

Adjusting her glasses which looked about five millimeters thick she stared at Tang Yu in sheer disbelief. “You want to transfer classes?”

Tang Yu rubbed his palms together nervously. “Yes. I feel like with my grades, I really don’t deserve to be in Class 1. Class 13 is where I truly belong.”

Ms. Zhou looked at him. “So you finally feel the gap? It’s good that you’ve gained this self-awareness, but Class 1 still has the best learning environment.”

She paused, feeling as though Tang Yu’s words were a direct challenge to her entire professional career. Adopting a deeply earnest, maternal tone, she said, “Besides, I believe I have the ability to pull your grades up. By asking for a transfer, are you saying you don’t trust me? I may teach Chinese, but I am your homeroom teacher and I’m here all day. You can come to me with foundational questions for any subject. It’s very convenient.”

Tang Yu: “…”

Right. How could he have forgotten?

In the novel, the homeroom teacher of Class 1 was Zhou Fangmin. At just over thirty years old, she had already been promoted to a senior tier-one provincial teacher a tirelessly dedicated educator who gave everything for her students.

The students of Class 1 affectionately called her “Big Sister Min,” and they interacted more like friends than teacher and pupil.

Even in his real, past life, the homeroom teacher of Class 1 had been a woman just like her. Tang Yu remembered hearing the kids from Class 13 gossiping during his freshman year.

“I’m seriously so done. I just went to Mr. Cai’s office to hand in some forms, and you will not believe what he was saying.” —”What?” —”He was totally throwing shade at the Class 1 teacher. He said, ‘Must be nice being a female teacher! Especially a female Chinese teacher. Barely have to lift a finger, take maternity leave, and the paycheck keeps rolling in anyway. Class 1 went a whole week without a Chinese lesson and they still ranked first. Unlike us, working ourselves to the bone just to babysit a pile of mud that can’t stick to the wall.’ ”

The passive-aggression had been off the charts. And who was the “mud”? He was talking about the dead-last students of Class 13, of course.

Ms. Zhou unscrewed her thermos, taking a sip of water to soothe her throat, preparing to launch into another speech.

Taking advantage of the brief pause, Tang Yu couldn’t help but ask, “Teacher… do you have children?”

Tang Yu’s social circle had always been tiny. At school, his life revolved strictly around three points: the academic building, the cafeteria, and… scaling the wall to skip class.

Logically, he should have at least recognized the teachers in his own grade, even if he didn’t know them personally. But thanks to his habit of zoning out in class, he couldn’t even match the Class 13 teachers to the subjects they taught, let alone the mythical faculty of Class 1.

Startled by the question, Zhou Fangmin blinked, her expression softening into a warm smile. “I do! My daughter is six months old.”

The fictional world was aligning perfectly with his real past reality yet again. Tang Yu felt a wave of vertigo, wondering if he was losing his mind or failing to differentiate reality from the pages of a book.

But the next twist knocked him back even further. Zhou Fangmin brought the conversation right back to the point. “Furthermore, if you want to transfer, you have to get the consent of Bai Yuenian’s parents.”

“What?!” This time, it was Tang Yu’s turn to gasp in shock.

“Your family situation…” Zhou Fangmin chose her words carefully, deciding to keep it brief. “After that incident, didn’t Bai Yuenian’s parents become your temporary legal guardians? Aren’t you two childhood sweethearts who grew up together?”

She offered an alternative. “If you don’t want to involve them, that’s fine. We can also process the transfer if you bring your biological mother here.”

“…”

That was even less of an option!

Tang Yu’s exit from the office was messy and hurried.

Before he could cross the threshold, Ms. Zhou called out one last piece of advice. “Did you want to transfer because you had a fight with Yuenian? Honestly, it’s completely normal for kids your age to hit a rough patch. Just sit down and have a good talk, and you two can live in perfect marital bl—”

Shoot! Almost got brainwashed by the rumors online.

Catching the wide-eyed, stunned look in Tang Yu’s clear dark eyes, she cut herself off instantly and executed a tactical retreat by taking another sip of water. and you can continue to be as close as brothers!”

Tang Yu: “…”

He realized this novel world seemed to possess a bizarre, inescapable buff where everyone automatically assumed he and Bai Yuenian were a couple.

Granted, if it were the original owner of this body, it wouldn’t be weird the novel was, after all, a sweet slice of life romance, and the original couple used to flaunt their affection constantly. But as far as he knew, before turning eighteen, the two main leads were just close childhood friends who hadn’t actually dated yet. It was just the shipping obsessed classmates making a big deal out of it.

But now that Tang Yu had taken over, he absolutely could not stand being constantly packaged and tied to another guy he barely even knew.

The transfer plan was a total bust. He couldn’t possibly ask Bai Yuenian’s parents to help him switch out of their son’s class, and as for his biological mother… that was completely out of the question.

The backstory was pure, unadulterated soap opera drama: he and a boy named Qin Zhan had been switched at birth.

His biological mother and Qin Zhan’s mother had been best friends who happened to go into labor on the exact same day in the same hospital. His birth mother had originally been a highly prestigious painter who gradually stepped away from her career to focus on family after marriage. His birth father was the patriarch of the wealthy Qin family a massive, complex elite household.

Tang Yu didn’t care for the intricate family politics, but he remembered meeting his biological mother when he was little. Back then, Mrs. Qin had been gentle and graceful. Out of affection for her best friend, she had treated Tang Yu wonderfully.

But later, she changed. She became deeply competitive, constantly comparing Qin Zhan to him.

After Tang Yu’s adoptive parents tragically died in a plane crash, he had lived with the Qin family for a brief period. He had initially assumed Mrs. Qin was honoring her late friend’s final wishes to look after him until he turned eighteen. Because he genuinely liked Auntie Qin as a kid, he had moved in without a second thought.

But she wasn’t the gentle woman he remembered. Her words became sharp and bitter.

Back when Mrs. Qin still had no idea Tang Yu was actually her biological son, she used to complain bitterly to her trusted maids about her wealthy mother-in-law.

“I truly don’t get it. What exactly do I have to do to satisfy her? Just because she said she didn’t like me flaunting myself in public, I gave up my art exhibitions for the Qin family. I even gave birth to a son as brilliant as Qin Zhan. Where exactly does he fall short compared to that Tang Yu? Qin Zhan is at the top of his class and handsome. But Tang Yu? He hasn’t inherited a single ounce of his parents’ intelligence. His grades are absolute garbage, and I hear he constantly skips class and gets into fights.” “And yet, she actually prefers a kid who just arrived at the house… a kid like that? Does she really like Tang Yu more? No! She’s just using him to flex her authority over me as a mother-in-law!”

The Qin estate was massive and full of loose lips; over time, these complaints inevitably made their way to Tang Yu’s ears.

However, Mrs. Qin’s toxic words weren’t the main reason Tang Yu had packed his bags and left. Hearing them had hurt, sure, but not deeply. At most, it just shattered the beautiful childhood illusion he had of her, and his affection for the woman faded into indifference.

When the truth finally came out that he and Qin Zhan had been switched, he viewed the entire revelation like an detached bystander watching a movie. He found Mrs. Qin’s old complaint particularly ironic: “He hasn’t inherited a single ounce of his parents’ intelligence.”

Recalling that line now, Tang Yu almost wanted to laugh. His adoptive parents had been professors at the country’s top university one a chemist, the other an economist. Yet Tang Yu had never shown a lick of interest in their fields; his sole passion was oil painting.

Looking at it now, his status as a “worthless child who possessed none of his parents’ traits” was actually the most biological thing about him he took entirely after her.

No, the real reason Tang Yu had fled the Qin household was Qin Zhan.

After living under the same roof for three months, Tang Yu made an alarming discovery: Qin Zhan… was gay.

And worse? Qin Zhan… liked him.

At first, Qin Zhan had simply helped him ward off a string of admirers. In the real world, Tang Yu actually had a lot of girls chasing him. He had zero intention of dating, and despite his reputation as a “school delinquent,” he wasn’t actually mean. This meant girls confessed to him constantly.

He was terrible at turning people down and completely clueless about handling romantic advances. Qin Zhan stepping in had actually solved a massive headache for him. At the time, Tang Yu thought: Qin Zhan is a legendary wingman.

Later, seeing how abysmal Tang Yu’s grades were, the elderly matriarch of the Qin family couldn’t sit still. She constantly badgered Qin Zhan to tutor him.

Even though Tang Yu loathed studying, he complied; if he threw a tantrum, Qin Zhan would take the fall for it. Besides, tutoring just meant playing mobile games in a different room.

But one evening, he fell asleep facedown on Qin Zhan’s desk.

Sleeping in a strange room meant he wasn’t resting deeply. In his hazy, half-conscious state, he felt a finger gently brush across his cheek. The touch was incredibly light, a fleeting contact so brief it felt like a dream. Then, someone draped a warm blanket over his shoulders.

A few seconds later, a wave of warm breath drifted dangerously close to his face, causing every single hair on Tang Yu’s body to stand on end.

Too close!

What the hell was Qin Zhan doing?!

Tang Yu clenched his fists tightly. He decided right then that if the guy leaned in even a fraction closer, he would slam him into the desk and kick him twice for good measure.

Fortunately, it didn’t come to that.

The person above him merely let out a long, heavy sigh and pulled back. Finally, a helpless, quiet whisper cut through the silence: “What am I supposed to do with you?”

Followed by a soft, murmured confession: “I really… like you so much.”

Tang Yu:  Keyboards flying in his mind.

That single night had scared him out of his wits. Tang Yu had literally packed his blankets and bolted before sunrise.

Fortunately, the version of Qin Zhan in this novel didn’t seem to harbor those kinds of feelings toward him and could actually be of some help.

Just thinking about the whole mess made Tang Yu’s chest tighten with irritation.

Nothing was going his way. There was still one period left on the schedule, but he had absolutely no desire to go back to the classroom. Instead, he headed straight for the eastern wall of Shishi High and scaled it, skipping out on the rest of the day.

In the back alley behind the school sat a shady little internet cafe ironically named “The Workbook.” What a terrible name for a gaming lounge it was practically a personal attack on bad students everywhere.

When he first heard about it freshman year, Tang Yu thought the owner had a screw loose. But over time, he realized the sheer genius behind the branding. It allowed students to drop coded messages right under the noses of their parents or teachers.

“Hey, want to hit up The Workbook later?”

To any adult overhearing, it sounded like a wholesome study group.

The internet cafe wasn’t large, but its location was flawless hidden away yet connected to a network of narrow alleys, making it the perfect escape route if the dean ever launched a surprise raid. Plus, the gaming rigs were top-tier, making the gameplay incredibly smooth.

Tang Yu lost himself in the game, racking up kills for nearly two hours before logging off well after the final school bell had rung.

The May weather in the southern city was as fickle as a toddler’s mood. The morning forecast had promised clear skies, but by 6:00 PM, heavy, dark clouds bruised the sky, and a light drizzle began to fall.

The irritation in Tang Yu’s chest hadn’t faded. He reached into his pocket to pull out a cigarette, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the person next to him covering their nose and mouth with their sleeve.

While the cafe was packed with smokers, his booth was tucked away in a quiet corner where the air was relatively fresh. Deciding to be polite, Tang Yu logged off and headed outside to light up.

He planned to take a shortcut home through the narrow back alley, but just as his long legs took a single step into the darkness, a faint, soft, and distinctly fragile whimper echoed from the shadows.

Tang Yu’s right eyebrow arched. Framed by the curling tendrils of cigarette smoke, his strikingly handsome features took on a sharp, effortlessly rakish edge.

The back alleys of Shishi High were notoriously secluded, making them a prime spot for secret high school romances; he had stumbled across couples making out more than a few times.

Deciding to give them their privacy, Tang Yu spun on his heel, preparing to take the long way around.

But just as he shifted his weight, the sound of tearing fabric and a heavy, thudding impact echoed through the damp air. Then, a harsh male voice spat a nasty curse.

With a flick of his wrist, Tang Yu stubbed out his cigarette against the brick wall. The faint black mark left behind was instantly washed clean by the cascading rain.

He tightened the school jacket tied around his waist, extended his long strides, and walked straight into the alley.

Meanwhile, at the Bai residence.

Bai Yuenian pushed open the heavy front door, stepping inside just in time to find himself face to face with Qin Zhan.

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