Cannon Fodder And The Protagonist Are A Perfect Match [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 10

Xie Jin’s nearsightedness was not severe, but his astigmatism was significant. While it did not affect his vision at close range, the blackboard appeared as a blur of static from the back of the classroom.

As soon as morning study ended, Xu Yansheng pulled Yu Yan to the optical shop at the school gate to get a new pair of glasses. Xu Yansheng picked out the frames and selected the lenses. He even paid the bill; Yu Yan’s only job was the eye exam.

While the lenses were being ground, Xu Yansheng received a phone call. Yu Yan could not hear the details of the conversation, but after Xu Yansheng whispered “Mom” into the receiver and stepped outside, he returned with news that hit Yu Yan like an atomic bomb.

“My mother might look for you soon,” he said. “Just answer whatever she asks.”

Yu Yan froze. “Why does she want to see me?” he asked blankly.

As soon as the question left his lips, a realization dawned on him. His ears turned crimson, and he became flustered. In the original novel, after Xu Yansheng and Li Li made their relationship official, a similar event occurred.

However, Xu Yansheng and Yu Yan were not even together yet.

Xu Yansheng noticed Yu Yan’s wandering thoughts. Instead of correcting him, he played along with the ambiguity. “She probably wants to see the friend who could make me leave the house in the middle of the night,” he said.

With his eyes no longer hidden behind glasses, the emotions within them were clear. Watching Yu Yan’s internal turmoil, Xu Yansheng added mischievously, “After all, I have very few friends.”

Yu Yan believed this completely. Aside from Zhang Yue, he had rarely seen Xu Yansheng speak more than five sentences to any classmate. Knowing this only made Yu Yan feel more delighted.

To make a better impression on Xu Yansheng’s mother, Yu Yan awkwardly suggested that he wanted to get a haircut. Xu Yansheng laughed, but his heart felt light and sweet because Yu Yan cared so much about the meeting.

There was no shortage of barbershops around the school, and they found one just a few steps from the optical shop. There were few customers, and it was soon Yu Yan’s turn. Sitting in the chair, he pinched a lock of long hair from his forehead and spoke to the barber. “Just cut it short. Nothing else.”

“No problem!” the barber replied confidently. He gave Yu Yan a short, textured cut, leaving the hair only six centimeters long.

This was a hairstyle that fully exposed one’s features, and it was notoriously difficult to pull off. However, the young man in the chair passed the test perfectly. His flawless features were so striking that they made the simple haircut look extraordinary.

Standing nearby, Xu Yansheng looked on in awe. He knew Xie Jin was handsome. He had caught a glimpse of his face when Xie Jin was drunk, but he had not realized how much of a difference open eyes could make. It was as if a lifeless, realistic painting had suddenly come to life. He even began to regret letting Xie Jin cut his hair. He felt a sudden urge to keep his treasure hidden from the world.

Through the mirror, Yu Yan noticed Xu Yansheng’s displeasure. For the first time, Yu Yan, who was usually confident in his own appearance, felt a wave of doubt.

Xie Jin’s face was his face in reality. If Xu Yansheng disliked Xie Jin’s face, he disliked Yu Yan’s real face.

The thought broke his heart. The young man’s brow furrowed, and a sharp, intense aura radiated from him. Intimidated by this change in atmosphere, the barber nervously used formal honorifics. “Is there something you are unhappy with, sir?”

Yu Yan snapped out of it. He brushed the stray hairs from his shoulders, thanked the barber, and paid the bill. Xu Yansheng followed closely behind him, his greedy gaze resembling that of a dragon guarding its treasure. But the moment Yu Yan turned around, Xu Yansheng’s expression returned to normal.

As they walked out together, the once-crowded street had grown quiet. The morning sun bathed every corner in a warm glow, and a light breeze rustled the trees. Everything was peaceful. In the midst of this silence, Yu Yan’s voice suddenly rang out, sounding small and vulnerable.

“Do you not like my face?”

Yu Yan stared straight ahead as he spoke. Xu Yansheng looked over and saw only his exquisite profile and the small black mole beneath his eye, shimmering slightly behind his new frames. Xu Yansheng briefly recalled the various meanings associated with teardrop moles, most of which were negative. He did not want anything bad for Yu Yan, so he whispered his admission.

“I like it.”

His voice was so quiet that it was carried away by the wind. When no answer came, Yu Yan’s eyelashes fluttered downward. Seeing this, Xu Yansheng gathered his courage and shouted, “I like it!”

He liked it very much.

His shy shout startled the sparrows in the schoolyard. A blush as beautiful as a sunset quickly spread across Xu Yansheng’s fair cheeks. It was the final touch Yu Yan needed; he instantly came to life. He stared deeply into Xu Yansheng’s darting eyes and replied, “Me too.”

Xu Yansheng’s head spun. It was not like they were confessing their love, he thought. Why would he say “me too”?

The two were so lost in the moment that they failed to notice the time. When the school bell rang, they realized they were still far from the building. By unspoken agreement, they gave up on rushing and walked leisurely back to class.

When they arrived, their homeroom teacher, who also taught mathematics, had just finished explaining a problem. Hearing the request to enter, he looked toward the door, and the entire class followed his gaze. After a moment of stunned silence, the room erupted into chatter.

“Who is that guy next to Xu Yansheng? Is he a new transfer student?”

“If he can make Xu Yansheng late, his family must be very wealthy.”

“That does not matter. He is so handsome!”

The teacher slammed his hand on the table to restore order, but he was also confused. He had not heard anything about a transfer student. He wondered if the boy had used Xu Yansheng’s connections to get in. After all, the new principal had been appointed by Xu Yansheng’s father.

“Xu Yansheng,” the teacher asked tentatively, “who is this person with you?”

Xu Yansheng was displeased by the way everyone was staring at Yu Yan. His voice was cold and expressionless as he answered, “Xie Jin. This is Xie Jin.”

Disbelieving gasps filled the room. The teacher cleared his throat to hide his shock and let them into the room after a brief lecture. Heat followed them as they walked to their seats, and the gossip shifted from transfer students to the nature of their relationship.

Zhang Yue, who had just managed to stop worrying about Yu Yan’s breakfast, felt his anxiety skyrocket again. In a panic, he scribbled a note and tossed it toward Xu Yansheng. His hand shook, and the note landed on Yu Yan’s desk instead.

Yu Yan opened it, puzzled. The messy handwriting read: “Xu Yansheng! You are not actually together with Xie Jin, are you? My second uncle would kill me if he found out!”

Second uncle?

Confused, Yu Yan handed the note to Xu Yansheng. Xu Yansheng calmly wrote a reply and passed it back to Zhang Yue. Zhang Yue felt his heart sink when he read it.

Xu Yansheng’s reply was: “No, but my parents will like Xie Jin.”