After Transmigrating Into a Book, I Was Hooked by the Protagonist Gong - Chapter 5

Bai Yuenian’s voice was barely a whisper, but Wu Jianqi was standing the closest. Overhearing him, Wu Jianqi chimed in offhandedly, “Exactly! Of course they’re both male.”

Surprised to find someone agreeing with his logic, Bai Yuenian’s eyes darkened behind his glasses. “You have a real knack for this. Your chemistry grades are bound to improve.”

“Really?!”

Wu Jianqi’s excitement lasted for all of a second before he stared down at his 60-percent test paper, utterly lost in thought.

Since when did this count as having a knack for chemistry?

The more he chewed on it, the more he realized the cause and effect of their conversation made absolutely no sense. Even if he knew whether the characters in Tom and Jerry were boys or girls, what on earth did that have to do with his aptitude for chemistry?

It felt a lot more like Bai Yuenian was just in a great mood and decided to throw a random compliment his way.

By the time Tang Yu arrived at school, the second period had just ended, and it was time for the morning outdoor exercises.

Downstairs, he crossed paths with the girl he had helped out the day before. She mentioned she had left a cup of milk tea on his desk as a thank-you.

She also told him that she had gone to the police, and today she was here to finalize her school withdrawal. She planned to return to her hometown; her apartment in Nancheng had been put on the market for an urgent sale, hoping the money would help clear a portion of her family’s debt.

After a brief exchange, they went their separate ways one heading out the school gates, the other walking upstairs.

The top-floor office corridor was quiet. Tang Yu was just about to knock on Liu Ziyue’s door when a roaring voice from inside startled him.

Tong Lei! You told me the exact same thing at the end of last semester, but look at your grades now! You’ve almost dropped out of the top one hundred. Is this how a student in Class 2 is supposed to perform?”

If you pull this again during midterms, you’re transferring straight to a regular class.”

I’ve given you enough chances. Have your parents come to school tomorrow.”

Yikes. Someone’s getting chewed out.

Tang Yu leaned lazily against the wall, deciding to wait it out.

Only Director Liu’s voice echoed from the office. Dealt an unresponding, stone-faced student, “Ziyue the Prophet” was clearly frustrated out of his mind, letting out a heavy, dragging sigh.

After a long pause, the silent student finally spoke up. “Director Liu, I don’t have parents anymore.”

Out in the hallway, Tang Yu instinctively straightened up.

“I’m living with my aunt right now. Please don’t… bother her with this.”

Liu Ziyue clearly hadn’t expected that answer. He scratched his head, his tone softening. “No matter what happens, you have to stick to your studies. You may go.”

As the student walked out, his eyes met Tang Yu’s. He instantly darted his gaze away, looking thoroughly spooked.

He wore thick, black-rimmed glasses, his skin was dull and sallow, and a pair of breakouts sat on his chin. Tall, thin, and frail, he looked like a single gust of wind could knock him over.

Catching sight of Tang Yu outside, Liu Ziyue barked, “Tang Yu, get in here!”

He cut straight to the chase. “Where were you after school yesterday?”

Ah, catching me for fighting again. Tang Yu hooked his index finger and tapped the bridge of his nose—a subconscious tell whenever he lied. Forcing a nonchalant shrug, he said, “At home.”

“Liar!” Liu Ziyue slammed a plastic ziplock bag onto the desk, containing a cigarette butt. “Not many kids in this school can afford this brand. I picked this up right off the trash can in the back alley. Keep lying and see if I don’t send this in for a DNA test to see if your spit is on it.”

Tang Yu was genuinely impressed. “Old Liu, I’m seriously starting to question what your actual job is around here.”

Liu Ziyue smirked. “Dealing with you punks? Piece of cake.”

“Don’t change the subject.” He pulled out a second ziplock bag. This time, a pocket knife hit the desk with a sharp metallic clatter. “Look at this. Found it in the alley too. Do you have any idea what this implies?”

Of course he knew. Those three cowards had actually pulled a knife!

Tang Yu figured he must have kicked it out of someone’s hand yesterday, leaving it to drop into the alley where Liu Ziyue later scavenged it.

Liu Ziyue pressed on, “I don’t know exactly what went down yesterday, but you were definitely involved. Tell me, how many fights does this make?” His face grew so stern his scowl lines deepened. Pointing at the evidence on his desk, he lectured, “Skipping class, fighting… Can you put your mind toward something productive for once? What if that knife had actually connected? What then?”

If the knife had connected, at worst, I’d just be on my way to the underworld to reunite with my parents.

Honestly, I should have been down there anyway. If it weren’t for that random pedestrian who threw themselves over me during the car crash, I would have…

Naturally, Tang Yu kept those thoughts to himself. If he muttered a word of it, Liu Ziyue would only lecture him twice as hard.

As Liu Ziyue launched into another classic, endless sermon, Tang Yu’s brain started to buzz with static.

Given yesterday’s situation, how could he have just stood by and done nothing? Even if he had called the cops on the spot, they wouldn’t have made it in time.

Despite his internal protests, Tang Yu kept his mouth shut. He had no intention of explaining the situation to Liu Ziyue; talking too much would compromise the girl’s privacy and reputation. Besides, he knew Liu Ziyue genuinely cared about him.

Tang Yu lowered his head, letting his eyes wander around the room to pass the time.

No matter which world he was in, Liu Ziyue was always this incredibly naggy, capable of talking your ear off.

But back in his original reality, there was a stretch of time when things had been peaceful because Liu Ziyue hadn’t shown up to school at all. With him gone, the boys in Class 13 had been thrilled, skipping classes to play games without anyone chasing them down.

The rumor was that Liu Ziyue had been hospitalized. Some said he was jumped; others claimed he got stabbed by some local thugs, leaving a pool of blood in the school’s back alley…

Wait. Tang Yu’s mind jolted, a sudden spark of electricity snapping through his thoughts.

The back alley? Getting stabbed? The timeline matches up almost perfectly.

Could it really be that much of a coincidence?

In a flash of clarity, he finally understood why Liu Ziyue had meticulously collected that cigarette butt and the knife.

It was out of fear. He was terrified that one of his students would end up hurt.

Tang Yu realized that if he hadn’t answered his messages or shown up today, Liu Ziyue would have taken that knife covered in the fingerprints of those three thugs straight to the police station without a second thought.

He looked up at the middle-aged man before him. Liu Ziyue always looked so strict, his brows permanently knit into a deep furrow. He was on the leaner side, veins visibly popping whenever he exerted force. He couldn’t even catch Tang Yu when chasing him down for skipping class. If he had gone up against three thugs by himself, his chances of winning would have been practically zero even if those three were total weaklings.

Noticing Tang Yu’s drifting focus, Liu Ziyue rapped his knuckles on the desk. “Are you even listening to a word I’m saying? People are made of flesh and bone. You think you’re made of iron and steel, completely bulletproof?”

Tang Yu mumbled under his breath, “Neither are you.”

Liu Ziyue snapped, “What did you say? Are you cursing me under your breath?”

Tang Yu flashed a bright smile. “No way! I was just thinking about how handsome you are. Your image in my heart has suddenly reached monumental, heroic heights. The educational future of Experimental High literally cannot survive without you.”

Though the flattery was laid on thick, Tang Yu’s eyes were bright and clear, making him look incredibly sincere.

“Pfft.”

Liu Ziyue rolled his eyes, but the praise clearly stroked his ego, and his tone softened a fraction. “There’s been a shady crowd loitering around the school area these past few days. You don’t have any bad blood with them, do you?”

Tang Yu replied smoothly, “Nope.”

Liu Ziyue nodded. “Good. Keep your temper in check, and don’t let this happen again.”

Tang Yu nodded submissively. “Understood.”

Faced with a usually rebellious student suddenly being so compliant, Liu Ziyue found himself a bit unaccustomed. Remembering a detail the Class 1 adviser had mentioned earlier, he decided to dangle a carrot. “By the way, I heard you want to transfer to Class 13?”

Tang Yu felt a sudden ray of hope pierce through the clouds.

Liu Ziyue smiled. “As long as you manage to climb up a hundred places in the upcoming midterm exams, you can transfer to whichever class you want. You have my official blessing.”

Tang Yu’s ray of hope instantly died.

Five minutes later, out on the sports field, Tang Yu slotted himself into Class 1’s assembly line.

Catching him out of the corner of his eye, Xie Tianyi quietly shuffled over. “Don’t you usually skip morning exercises?”

Tang Yu sighed, thoroughly defeated. “Old Liu dragged me here.”

Xie Tianyi prodded, “What did he want with you anyway?”

Tang Yu was so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open, let alone chat. “Drop it.”

Fine. Xie Tianyi thought. Guess we’re drifting apart. Can’t even ask my childhood best friend a simple question? Look at him, casting aside the old love for a new flame. See if I ever talk to this player again!

Five seconds later, Xie Tianyi couldn’t help himself. “Holy crap, Tang Yu. How does your hair stay perfectly in place even in this wind? Look at you, so flashy! Did you use hairspray?”

Tang Yu snapped, “Shut up.”

Xie Tianyi snickered, “No, seriously! Look at the shadows on the ground. The wind is crazy today, everyone’s hair is a total mess. Look at Wu Jianqi over there his head literally looks like a dragon fruit, HAHAHA…”

A few nearby classmates burst out laughing.

Standing near the edge of the line, Wu Jianqi whipped around to defend himself. “And you’re so round you look like a kiwi!”

As Xie Tianyi doubled over laughing, Zhou Fangmin came up from behind and smacked the back of his head. “Is something funny? Stand at attention.”

Zhou Fangmin then walked over to Tang Yu. “Fix your uniform. Stop tying it around your waist.”

Tang Yu let out a massive, lazy yawn as he unknotted his jacket.

Suddenly, a realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. The sheer force of the yawn had forced physiological tears to well up in his eyes, leaving a single drop hanging precariously from his lower lashes.

Completely oblivious to how vulnerable and pitiful he looked right now, Tang Yu glanced back at Bai Yuenian.

Alright, good. The guy is still wearing my uniform jacket. Since he didn’t have to worry about that, Tang Yu went right back to standing there, fighting off sleep.

Bai Yuenian froze slightly as his gaze met Tang Yu’s. His attention was instantly captured by the slight redness around Tang Yu’s eyes and the unshed tear.

Why is Tang Yu crying? Did Director Liu say something awful to him just now?

Could it… have something to do with the girl who gave him milk tea during morning self-study?

Director Liu was famously known as the “Puppy Love Crusader,” notorious for cracking down on school romances. Did he catch Tang Yu? Did Director Liu just forcefully break up another young couple, tearing them apart?

Tang Yu is crying… He must be completely heartbroken. He must really, really love that girl.

Bai Yuenian lowered his gaze, his usually stoic, mountain-pine demeanor suddenly clouded by a layer of profound gloom.

Just the thought of it sent a dull, suffocating ache through his chest sour, bitter, and sharp as a needle.

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