Cannon Fodder And The Protagonist Are A Perfect Match [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 8

The boy looked dejected, resembling a pitiful puppy. Yu Yan reached out to touch the boy’s eyelashes out of pity, but the boy pulled away before he could.

Xu Yansheng spoke unnaturally. “This is the classroom.”

The four words were brief, but Yu Yan understood the unspoken meaning. This is a classroom, and everyone is watching, so do not touch me.

He withdrew his hand awkwardly, realizing that disappointment could be contagious.

The two of them sat in silence, struggling through the morning classes. On his way to the cafeteria, Yu Yan was stopped once again. It was a familiar voice and a familiar figure: Jin Fei.

Accustomed to this, Yu Yan asked, “What is it now?”

Jin Fei brushed non-existent dust off his school uniform and said with a boastful expression, “Nothing much. I just finished the task you gave me, and I have a surprise for you.”

Yu Yan gave a simple acknowledgment and did not follow up.

Jin Fei could not help but ask, “Are you not even curious about the surprise?”

“Thank you for the offer, but I am not curious,” Yu Yan replied.

Jin Fei did not lose heart and tried to tempt him. “You definitely want to hear it. Hurry up and say you want to hear it.”

Yu Yan, having lost his patience, said in an exaggeratedly calm tone, “Oh, I want to hear it so much. Please tell me quickly.”

Jin Fei beamed with joy and suddenly draped an arm around Yu Yan’s neck, leaning close to his ear to whisper. The warm breath tickled Yu Yan’s ear in an intimate posture. To an ordinary observer, they looked like close friends. To an observer with a different perspective, they looked like an intimate couple.

Xu Yansheng was that observer. His hands clenched instinctively until his veins bulged.

Zhang Yue, who had been following a few steps behind, caught up and saw Xu Yansheng standing still. He asked innocently, “Well? Did you find the keys?”

Xu Yansheng remained silent, his gaze fixed. Zhang Yue finally noticed something was wrong and followed his line of sight. Seeing the two boys with their faces nearly touching, Zhang Yue gasped in shock. “This, that, Xie Jin, and that guy, they”

He had never heard of Xie Jin having friends at school, let alone a friend this close.

Zhang Yue tried to organize his words but failed after several attempts. Finally, he was interrupted by Xu Yansheng’s cold voice. “It has nothing to do with me.”

After saying that, Xu Yansheng turned and left. Zhang Yue called out in a worried tone, “The keys! Did you find the keys? Those are my keys!”

Jin Fei let go of Yu Yan after he finished speaking. Yu Yan turned around with a sense of being watched, but he saw only people hurrying past.

Jin Fei turned around too and asked curiously, “What are you looking at?”

Yu Yan turned back and replied, “Nothing. Is what you just said true?”

Jin Fei grumbled with dissatisfaction, “Of course it is true.”

Yu Yan’s expression grew serious. “Then the person you should tell is Wang Shan, not me.”

Jin Fei froze. “But someone is helping you get revenge on Wang Shan. Are you not happy?”

Yu Yan shook his head. “I am not happy.”

Jin Fei’s joy faded. “Fine. I will have someone write a note to tell Wang Shan about it later.”

Yu Yan nodded. “Thank you.”

Jin Fei’s cheeks turned red. “I am helping Wang Shan. Why are you saying thank you?”

“Then I take it back,” Yu Yan replied.

Jin Fei acted stubbornly. “No, you already said it. You should treat me to a meal as a thank-you gift instead.”

Yu Yan nodded. It was just a meal. However, he did not expect this meal to be used against him. Someone took a photo and sent it to Xu Yansheng.

Xu Yansheng, who was waiting for a locksmith with Zhang Yue, looked at the two people sitting opposite each other on his phone screen. His expression was surprisingly calm. He typed a reply to the unsaved number: “Instead of continuing to target Xie Jin, you should worry about yourself first.”

On the other end, Wang Shan sat in the cafeteria and took another photo of Yu Yan and Jin Fei walking together. She replied: “I just want to tell you that Xie Jin is not a good person.”

Looking at the new photo, Xu Yansheng did not reply. He blocked Wang Shan immediately but then opened another contact. He typed a familiar instruction: “Help me follow someone.”

The other party replied almost instantly: “OK.”

In the cafeteria, the photographed Yu Yan remained unaware. He stood before the shop, debating whether to buy something for Xu Yansheng. After some hesitation, he went inside and came out with a bottle of yogurt and a bag of milk candies.

Jin Fei looked at the pink packaging and laughed. “You cannot possibly like strawberry-flavored things, can you? That is so girly.”

Inside, however, he was screaming that it was cute.

Yu Yan’s expression was somber. “It is for Xu Yansheng. He has been in a bad mood lately, and I do not know why.”

Jin Fei’s heart sank. “Oh.”

When Yu Yan returned to the classroom, it was nearly time for the afternoon break, but Xu Yansheng had not arrived yet. He placed the items in Xu Yansheng’s desk and worked on problems while waiting for his seatmate.

Amid the sounds of the class monitor maintaining order, Xu Yansheng arrived late. The corners of his eyes were red, and there was a hint of moisture on the tips of his hair. Yu Yan glanced out the window. The sky was foggy, but it was not raining.

Xu Yansheng was stunned when he saw the items in his desk. He then forced a smile at Yu Yan as usual. “Thank you.”

Yu Yan replied softly, “You are welcome.”

Just as he thought the conversation had ended, Xu Yansheng’s voice sounded again, slightly raspy. “Is there anything you are lying to me about?”

Yu Yan replied without thinking, “Of course not.”

The faster Yu Yan answered, the less Xu Yansheng believed him. Yet, he seemed comforted. His expression softened, and he gave a slight smile. “I thought so.”

At 8:00 PM on the fifth, the week of overcast weather finally turned into a heavy downpour. A taxi pulled up slowly in front of Starry Night Bar. As soon as Yu Yan opened the door, someone stepped forward to hold an umbrella for him. At the same time, a whisper reached his ear: “Give me some face. That jerk is watching us from behind.”

Yu Yan looked up. Through the heavy curtain of rain, he saw the flashy boy he had met briefly after the mock exams. The boy was leaning against the bronze doors, watching with interest.

Their eyes met, and sparks seemed to fly. Challenged by the other’s disdainful gaze, Yu Yan intimately took the umbrella from Jin Fei’s hand.

Their fingertips touched. In the darkness, a shutter clicked, capturing this intimate moment.

Xu Yansheng looked at the new photo on his phone. Night, heavy rain, and a bar entrance: it was a romantic meeting. He dialed his top contact.

Standing beside Jin Fei, Yu Yan’s phone rang. When he saw the caller was Xu Yansheng, a smile appeared on his lips. He asked softly, “What is it?”

Xu Yansheng’s voice sounded dry, like a traveler in a desert. “I miss you a little. Can you stay with me?”

The gaze from the bar entrance was piercing, and Jin Fei’s breathing beside him was tense. Yu Yan said apologetically, “I am busy with something right now. Can I stay with you in a little while?”

Xu Yansheng pressed on. “What are you busy with? How long will it take?”

Yu Yan spoke honestly. “I am attending a party with someone. It will take about an hour or two.”

Xu Yansheng acted obediently. “Then call me when you are finished. I will wait for you.”

Yu Yan agreed. After hanging up, he stepped under the eaves. He closed the umbrella and smiled at the man who was observing him. “Hello. I am Xie Jin.”

The man smiled back. “Song Ze. Jin Fei’s”

The man intentionally dragged out his voice, making it sound suggestive in the rainy night. Under Yu Yan’s calm gaze, the man finally uttered the last two words. “Good friend.”

Yu Yan acknowledged him and shook the water off the umbrella. He looked at Jin Fei and asked, “Are we going in?”

Jin Fei’s erratic heartbeat was unexpectedly soothed by this question. He replied almost eagerly, “Yes, let us go in now.”

He led Yu Yan past Song Ze and through the noisy bar to a private room. When he pushed the door open, the dozen teenagers inside stopped moving as if a pause button had been pressed.

Finally, someone shouted, “Wow! Brother Jin actually brought a partner!”

The frozen air began to flow again. Feeling the mixture of curious and hostile stares, Yu Yan turned his head uncomfortably. Jin Fei noticed his unease and quietly took his hand, whispering to comfort him, “These are my friends from my previous high school. You sit next to me tonight. Leave everything else to me.”

Yu Yan instinctively wanted to pull away, but after hearing the intense discussion around them, he followed Jin Fei to a two-seater sofa. Their joined hands acted like a beacon in the night, catching everyone’s eyes.

As soon as they sat down, a boy shouted, “Brother Jin, the rule for being late is three drinks. You have not forgotten, have you?”

Jin Fei laughed. “I have not. Come on, fill them up.”

The boy poured six glasses of shochu. Jin Fei frowned. “Why are there six glasses?”

The boy replied matter-of-factly, “Brother Jin’s partner is also a guy, so we should treat everyone equally.”

Jin Fei sighed. “Fine. I will drink for him.”

Yu Yan sat silently and watched Jin Fei finish the six glasses. A girl who liked Jin Fei began to protest. “You are a guy, why are you acting more fragile than a girl?”

Yu Yan smiled slightly. “You can also find a partner who is willing to drink for you.”

Hearing this, Jin Fei felt a burning sensation in his heart. He hurriedly introduced Yu Yan to the non-alcoholic drinks on the table, drawing laughter from the group.

Amid the lively atmosphere, the door opened again. Song Ze appeared with his arm around a beautiful girl with long, straight black hair. For a moment, everyone except Yu Yan looked at Jin Fei, but they only saw him focused on mixing a drink for Yu Yan.

Gasps of surprise filled the room. Yu Yan greeted Song Ze just as he had at the door. “Your partner is very beautiful. She was worth the long wait.”

Hearing Yu Yan’s words, Jin Fei looked up curiously. When he saw the girl’s blushing face, he grumbled, “How did he change again?”

Yu Yan took the glass from his hand and comforted him. “It has nothing to do with us anyway.”

Jin Fei agreed. “That is true.”

But someone else did not think so. Song Ze looked directly at Yu Yan and said suggestively, “A slow fire makes good porridge. Being too hurried usually results in something spoiled.”

Yu Yan, who had been insulted, raised the glass and drank the light blue liquid in one gulp. He said calmly, “As long as someone likes it, it is not spoiled.”

Everything happened too fast. Jin Fei did not even have time to tell Yu Yan that the glass he took was a cocktail, while the pink one on the table was the non-alcoholic drink.

Jin Fei watched as Yu Yan’s face quickly turned red. He thought with uncertainty that no one could get drunk from just one drink, could they?