Cannon Fodder And The Protagonist Are A Perfect Match [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 5

The moment Xu Yansheng lost his balance, his mind went blank. Fear and confusion seized his heart, but they were quickly dispelled by a broad and powerful embrace.

Feeling the person in his arms instinctively lean on him, Yu Yan quietly released the handrail he had already grabbed. Holding Xu Yansheng tightly, the two of them tumbled down the stairs together.

A heavy, dull thud echoed through the silent corridor, drawing curious students from nearby classrooms to investigate. Upon seeing the two boys, one lying and one kneeling on the ground, people immediately ran to find a teacher. The teacher arrived shortly after and called for an ambulance.

Listening to the sound of the siren below, Sun Hao sat in his classroom with cold hands and feet. He had only wanted to teach Xu Yansheng a small lesson. He had no idea an ambulance would be necessary.

In reality, calling the ambulance was an overreaction. Before they even reached the hospital, Yu Yan woke up inside the vehicle. He felt a headache, fatigue, and a lingering ringing in his ears. However, he showed none of this. He lay calmly on the stretcher and comforted the red-eyed Xu Yansheng beside him. “I am fine,” he said.

Xu Yansheng forced a smile. “I know.” He told himself that everything would be okay.

By the time Yu Yan finished his examinations at the crowded hospital, it was already noon. The teacher who had accompanied them had returned to school, leaving only the limping boy leaning against the corridor wall to wait.

The boy’s melancholy profile looked like a landscape painting of the Jiangnan region shrouded in misty rain, causing passersby to turn their heads. Yu Yan walked forward, disrupting the misty rain in the scene.

Xu Yansheng took the medical report Yu Yan handed him. When he saw the words “mild concussion” in the results section, the corners of his eyes turned red again. He murmured in self-reproach, “If it were not for me, you would not have been injured. I am sorry. I am truly sorry.”

Looking at the boy’s lowered head, Yu Yan suddenly thought of his only pet in the real world. It was a discarded laboratory dog that acted exactly like this whenever it did something wrong. It was pitiful and innocent, making him feel a surge of compassion.

As if comforting a puppy, Yu Yan used his thumb to brush away the tears from the boy’s eyes. He then took the report from the boy’s hands and folded it into a paper airplane as if it were a piece of scrap paper. He tossed it toward a nearby open trash can.

It was a perfect shot. Yu Yan pointed at the paper airplane in the bin and said lightheartedly, “There. The paper airplane has carried away your sadness. Now you can be happy.”

The sensation of the thumb brushing against his eye was distinct. Xu Yansheng froze, feeling as though his sadness really had flown away. He scolded gently, “That was your medical report. What will you do if you need it for a follow-up visit later?”

Yu Yan asked what they should do but remained where he was, showing no intention of picking it up. Xu Yansheng sighed and tried to lean against the wall to retrieve it, but Yu Yan held him back.

Facing Xu Yansheng’s confusion, Yu Yan explained warmly, “The doctor has a digital copy on the computer. Having the paper version makes no difference.”

Xu Yansheng thought for a moment. “That is true.” He wondered why he was the one acting slow-witted when Xie Jin was the one who hit his head.

This dazed state lasted until evening self-study ended. Zhang Yue accompanied him home, and the two of them discussed Xie Jin again on the way. Zhang Yue brought it up first.

“Xie Jin did not come to class this afternoon. Is he seriously injured?” Zhang Yue asked.

“A mild concussion. The teacher gave him three days of leave,” Xu Yansheng replied.

“That is a shame. There will be no surprise tomorrow,” Zhang Yue noted.

“I thought you hated Xie Jin?” Xu Yansheng asked.

“I used to hate him. Now, I am not sure. Maybe he really is a good person,” Zhang Yue said.

“He is. If it were not for him, I would have been the one injured today,” Xu Yansheng agreed.

Zhang Yue grew puzzled. “How did you fall anyway? I remember your balance being quite good. Did spraining your ankle make your brain clumsy too?”

Xu Yansheng was also confused. “I do not know. At that moment, it felt like my foot slipped, as if I had stepped on wet tiles during a snowy day.”

“It did not snow today, and our stairs are not made of tiles,” Zhang Yue remarked.

Xu Yansheng knew that, but the sensation had been unmistakable. He felt that something about the situation was very strange.

Yu Yan knew exactly what was strange, but he did not want Xu Yansheng to know. Three days passed quickly. On his first day back, Yu Yan had just finished the first class after lunch when he was called away by the Dean of Students.

Inside the office, warm yellow sunlight hit the walnut desk but failed to reach the bulky figure standing beside it. Yu Yan entered behind the Dean and froze when he saw the person’s face. Why was Gao Da here?

The usually energetic bully was now covered in bruises. His left leg was in a cast and his right hand held a crutch. Upon seeing Yu Yan, he immediately pointed his free left hand at him and shouted excitedly, “Director Li, he is the one who beat me up!”

The Dean, Li Desheng, had worked at the school for many years and handled many fights. He remained calm, sat at his desk, and took a slow sip of tea. He then asked Yu Yan unhurriedly, “Gao Da says that you dragged him into an alley and beat him up after self-study last Wednesday. Is this true?”

Yu Yan denied it immediately. “No. I do not even know this person. Why would I beat him up?” He wondered if Jin Fei had exposed him.

Gao Da was furious. “You are lying! Someone saw you waiting at the entrance of the teaching building until I came out.”

Yu Yan felt relieved. If they only saw him at the building entrance, it was not Jin Fei. If it was not Jin Fei, no one could prove he was the one who did the beating.

He argued back logically, his momentum almost overwhelming. “First, who is this person you mentioned? Is it possible they are lying? Second, even if I was waiting at the entrance, how do you know I was waiting for you? We have never met before. Why are you so certain? Is someone else telling you to frame me?”

Just as Gao Da was left speechless, a clear female voice came from the doorway. “It is obviously because you like Xu Yansheng. You were unhappy with Gao Da for accidentally injuring Xu Yansheng during basketball, so you waited for a chance for revenge.”

The person walked in with light steps, her low ponytail swaying. It was Wang Shan. She spoke with an air of feigned justice while facing Yu Yan. “I saw you staring at Gao Da with an ill intent in the cafeteria last Wednesday evening. That night, I happened to see you following him suspiciously. Who else could the attacker be but you?”

Gleaning a smile on Li Desheng’s face, Yu Yan knew he would be blamed regardless. However, since he was certain there was no real evidence, he remained stubborn. “I will not admit to something I did not do.”

Perhaps because he seemed so wronged, Li Desheng rejected Wang Shan’s suggestion of a harsh punishment. Instead, he gave Yu Yan a one-week suspension and a ten-thousand-word self-reflection essay.

Outside the office, Wang Shan gave Yu Yan a smug smile. “Xie Jin, are you satisfied with my methods?”

Yu Yan smiled back. “They are mediocre.”

Wang Shan stopped smiling and spoke mockingly. “Let me be a good person and remind you that the first round of mock exams is in half a month. You should prepare well.”

Yu Yan kept his smile. “I will.”

Wang Shan snorted and turned to leave. Gao Da hopped after her on his crutches, his eager voice reaching Yu Yan’s ears. “You promised to have dinner with me if I testified. How about this weekend? Or after the mock exams? I am free whenever.”

Yu Yan did not want to walk with them. By the time he returned to the classroom, the second period was almost over. Xu Yansheng, who had been distracted while guarding the empty seat, asked in a low voice as soon as he saw Yu Yan, “What did the Dean want? Is there anything I can do to help?”

Yu Yan began packing his books and comforted him quietly. “I am fine. I have to stay home for a week for a certain reason. Take care of yourself.”

Xu Yansheng’s first reaction was not about the suspension, but about the duration. A week felt like a very long time. He spoke instinctively, “What should I do if I miss you?”

Yu Yan paused while packing. He tore a piece of paper from his scratch pad, wrote a row of numbers, and handed it to Xu Yansheng with a smile. “Then call me or text me. Do whatever you like.”

Xu Yansheng clutched the paper, his cheeks flushing. He answered softly, “Okay.”

The bell rang, and Yu Yan left through the back door with his heavy backpack. He drew many stares along the way and only found peace once he reached the bike shed. However, he encountered someone even more difficult there.

Seeing a figure sitting on the back seat of his bicycle, Yu Yan stopped in the shade and asked from a distance, “Is my bike comfortable to sit on?”

Jin Fei did not get off. He acted as if he were testing it and then said, “It is not comfortable. It is a bit hard on the backside.”

Yu Yan arched an eyebrow. “If it is not comfortable, then get off.”

Jin Fei did not move. “Why? Is this Xu Yansheng’s private seat?”

Yu Yan was speechless. “I need to use it.”

Jin Fei got off reluctantly. He watched Yu Yan unlock the bike in silence before speaking again. “What happened to you today was not because of me.”

Yu Yan put his backpack in the front basket and hopped onto the seat. He looked up at Jin Fei. “I know. Did you come here just to say that?”

Jin Fei, who had intended to say just that, suddenly had a different thought. “Of course not. I wanted to skip class and happened to run into you.”

Yu Yan acknowledged this and prepared to leave. Jin Fei grabbed the back of the seat and jumped on. “Since I do not know where to go, just take me around for a bit.”

Yu Yan braked and put his feet on the ground. “Get off. I am going home.”

Jin Fei refused. “Then take me to your home.”

Yu Yan hissed, “Are you crazy? We are not even close.”

Jin Fei’s voice unexpectedly broke. “I just went through a breakup. Just have some pity on me.”

Yu Yan turned around in surprise. He saw a grown man crying his eyes out. He felt no sympathy since it was not Xu Yansheng, but out of gratitude for Jin Fei not exposing him, he didn’t push him off.

As they left the school gates, Jin Fei pushed his luck. “Now I have a destination. Take me to Starry Night Bar.”

“The bar is not even open yet. Why are you going there?” Yu Yan asked.

“To find someone,” Jin Fei replied.

Yu Yan understood he was likely looking for an ex-boyfriend, so he pedaled hard to get him to the destination. Once they arrived, Jin Fei got off and even said thank you.

Yu Yan was about to leave when he saw a notice on the bar door: “Security Guards Wanted.” He stopped. Since he was suspended anyway, he might as well earn some money to buy Xu Yansheng a birthday gift.