I Snatched the Overbearing President’s Canary [Transmigration] - Chapter 46

Chapter 46: The Plot

Although he felt Ning Chen had been acting a bit strange, He Shenyu didn’t have the mental capacity to dwell on it.

His entire mind was occupied by the upcoming mountain-climbing plot. During this period, he hadn’t given up; he used every possible means to drop hints or give direct warnings to Ning Chen, but without exception, they were all silenced by the Plot God.

With no other choice, He Shenyu decided to take an indirect approach.

He tried every way imaginable to stop Ning Chen from participating, but the Plot God took a high-level interceptive route.

This activity was initiated by the University President’s personal mandate, requiring every college to participate. This week happened to be the start of Ning Chen’s college. Except for those with objective medical reasons who could provide a doctor’s note for leave, everyone was required to go.

Ning Chen was even the League Branch Secretary, responsible for supervising others’ attendance.

Shenyu truly couldn’t find a way to ask him to skip it.

One could only say the Plot God was far too ruthless…

Left with no alternative, He Shenyu had to devise a different strategy.

Ning Chen didn’t understand He Shenyu’s distress. His only reason for not wanting to go was that the mountain was too far away; they likely wouldn’t make it back to the city in time and would have to stay overnight at the scenic area.

That meant being separated from He Shenyu. He had been living quite freely lately; He Shenyu’s mind wasn’t quite on him and he was often distracted, making him practically unable to refuse any of Ning Chen’s requests.

If it weren’t for the fact that he still possessed a bit of rationality, he would have wanted to confess his feelings to He Shenyu directly.

Though he ultimately suppressed that thought—given their relationship, a proactive confession on his part might lead to a bad outcome.

Ning Chen didn’t dare gamble. His plan was to wait until the contract ended.

“I’m leaving, Shenyu.” Ning Chen gave He Shenyu one last hug and shouldered his backpack.

“Mhm. Go on, have fun.” Shenyu grabbed Ning Chen with concern, saying one last thing: “Remember to stay safe and protect yourself. You are not allowed to get hurt, do you hear me?”

“Okay.” Ning Chen nodded with a smile. “I promise I’ll come back in one piece.”

“Mhm.” Shenyu nodded, seeing him at the door.

Inwardly, he felt terrible. Ning Chen’s promise meant nothing; the Plot God’s massive hand was about to reach for him, and no matter how much He Shenyu said in advance, it was useless.

Shenyu looked down at his watch. Ning Chen had been gone for ten minutes; it was time for him to set out as well.

Indeed, having failed to find a better way, he could only follow along himself to see if he could exert some influence at the critical moment.

At the very least, he was a doctor. If Ning Chen got hurt, immediate treatment might prevent the permanent sequels described in the original novel…

Of course, he didn’t want Ning Chen to get hurt even a little bit.

Ning Chen’s body was perfectly healthy, and he was someone used to physical labor. The way Fu Hengzhan managed to wreck him in the original book was honestly a bit baffling…

Shenyu packed a medical kit and followed Ning Chen out.

He wasn’t actually in a hurry; the school had to gather and travel by bus. Driving his private car would likely be faster than Ning Chen’s group.

However, He Shenyu needed to keep an eye on Ning Chen at all times. The original book only stated the location was “on a mountain slope.” In reality, there were slopes everywhere, and He Shenyu didn’t know the specific spot.

He could only secretly tail them and wait for his chance.

Fortunately, the scenic area was open to the public. Being there alone wouldn’t seem conspicuous as long as Ning Chen didn’t spot him.

Fearing the Plot God would interfere early, he hadn’t told Ning Chen about his plan to follow.

Shenyu got into his car and checked his friend circle.

He clicked into Assistant Fang’s profile; the man was still in a bad mood today, which meant he was likely working a normal shift.

Fu Hengzhan should still be at the company.

In the original novel, Fu Hengzhan only arrived after Ning Chen was injured. He had bribed some teachers at the school specifically to watch over Ning Chen.

However, this time, Fu Hengzhan and Ning Chen had no relationship. Shenyu didn’t know what the Plot God would use to drag Fu Hengzhan here.

He had a premonition that Fu Hengzhan would definitely show up. This was a major turning point in the book where Ning Chen showed his temper for the first time. Therefore, no matter what, the Plot God would make Fu Hengzhan appear to act out the plot.

How would it do it?

Shenyu put away his phone, not looking anymore.

No matter what method it used, He Shenyu had no way to stop Fu Hengzhan. If he got punished and fell ill before even setting out because he tried to block Fu Hengzhan, it would be a case of losing more than he gained.

Shenyu was afraid of a sudden illness like last time. He only had one chance to act, so he had to remain dormant until the most critical moment.

The car started slowly, driving toward the unknown.

Shenyu played a recording of rain sounds, forcibly suppressing the nervous anxiety in his heart.

He didn’t know what the outcome would be; he could only do his best.

After more than three hours of driving, he finally reached the entrance of the scenic area. The scenery here was indeed beautiful, living up to its reputation. Shenyu parked his car, observed where the buses were parked, and went to a nearby shop to buy a drink while he waited.

Today he was wearing a windbreaker he had specifically bought—a very cheap set—and he had a mask ready.

Blending in with the students shouldn’t be hard; he just hoped Ning Chen wouldn’t recognize him prematurely.

He hadn’t experienced this feeling of total uncertainty in a long time—not since the first time he stepped up to a surgical table to help with sutures.

The more nervous he felt, the calmer he became.

His instructors always said he was well-suited to be a doctor.

Shenyu looked out the window and pulled up his mask. Perhaps he was also well-suited to be a villain; this kind of patient waiting was a fundamental skill for an assassin.

Under normal circumstances, He Shenyu considered himself a good person.

But human nature cannot withstand testing. If he had to choose between Ning Chen and Fu Hengzhan, He Shenyu couldn’t guarantee he’d be fair.

If someone had to get hurt, he would choose Fu Hengzhan.

…

“Hey, classmate, which class are you in?”

Shenyu was walking on the far right of the mountain path when a girl carrying a flag beside him asked curiously.

“I’m not from your school,” He Shenyu replied.

He was forced to stay close to them; Ning Chen was in the group right in front of him, about ten meters away. At this distance, he could see Ning Chen from afar without worrying about Ning Chen turning around and spotting him.

There were quite a few people in between, after all.

“Oh, sorry about that. Do you think we’re going too slow? Want to go ahead?” the girl asked again.

Shenyu shook his head. “No, I’m fine at this pace. Don’t mind me.”

“Mhm, okay.” The girl smiled. “Why are you wearing a mask while climbing? Doesn’t it make it hard to breathe?”

Shenyu was equally helpless. “My face is having an allergic reaction, so I’m covering it up.”

He didn’t want to wear it either; it really was hard to breathe.

But Ning Chen was too familiar with him. He was truly afraid Ning Chen would recognize him early. If that happened, his plan would be ruined.

He looked up, tracking Ning Chen in the forward group—conspicuous with his red hat and flag. He felt like complaining: if Ning Chen ever found out the truth, considering this behavior, they’d better be “life-and-death” brothers; Ning Chen would definitely owe him a meal!

The group ahead stopped for some reason. Ning Chen stood on higher ground, looking back, his gaze seemingly landing far off toward He Shenyu’s direction.

Terrified, He Shenyu quickly lowered his head. No way, he couldn’t have, right?

Fortunately, it wasn’t because of him. The lead teacher ahead had called for a rest, so they stopped.

Shenyu sat by the roadside with a group of students, everyone simultaneously pulling out their phones.

While others were scrolling through videos, He Shenyu was scrolling through his friend circle.

Sure enough, the versatile Assistant Fang brought him the latest news: Fu Hengzhan’s company suddenly decided on a team-building event and was coming to this very mountain, Mount Jingwu.

Heh, what a coincidence, Plot God…

Shenyu looked at his phone screen, speechless. Looking at the situation, both protagonists were about to be assembled; the show was about to begin.

However, there was another supporting character in this plot—a girl named Zhao Shi. Shenyu didn’t know what she looked like yet, so he decided to ask the male student next to him: “Excuse me, do you know a girl named Zhao Shi?”

The boy nodded. “Which class are you in? Why are you looking for our monitor? Got a crush on her?”

Shenyu was speechless and gave an awkward smile. “I’m from the neighboring school. My buddy has a crush on her, and I want to help him check her out. Can you point out where she is?”

“Got it, got it. ‘Asking for a friend,'” the boy laughed. “Uh, wait, you really don’t know Zhao Shi? See that handsome guy with the flag over there? The third person to the left directly below him is Zhao Shi.”

Shenyu took a look. Ning Chen seemed to be talking to Zhao Shi. Since one was the monitor and the other the League Secretary, they were likely discussing the next route.

Zhao Shi had her hair in a bun and wore a dark blue windbreaker. She looked very capable—the type of person who clearly had her own opinions.

He looked at her a few more times, wanting to memorize her face.

He glanced up slightly, only to have his eyes meet Ning Chen’s gaze again.

Dammit, why do I feel like Ning Chen recognized me?

Surely not? I’m wrapped up tight.

Even if Ning Chen knew he wasn’t from their class, there were students from other classes sitting around chatting. Ning Chen couldn’t possibly know everyone in the whole college, could he?

Shenyu lowered his head, not daring to look at Ning Chen again, only praying he wouldn’t come over to check. Everything was fine, the plot was about to start…

Assistant Fang’s friend circle was already showing photos of the scenic area. This meant Fu Hengzhan was about to arrive.

The large group rested for a while and then started moving again. After an afternoon of climbing, they were finally nearing the summit.

The atmosphere of the group suddenly became lively. Some were waving flags enthusiastically, some were leading songs, causing nearby tourists to take out their phones to record.

Shenyu followed behind the group, acting like a slacker constantly playing with his phone.

They finally reached the summit. Mount Jingwu wasn’t very high, but the top was very flat with a large area of rock formations. The view was magnificent.

The students who reached the top were taking commemorative photos. Having reached the destination, the teachers stopped maintaining strict order, only emphasizing safety and telling them not to go near the railings.

Shenyu stood in a corner, watching Ning Chen and Zhao Shi out of the corner of his eye. They were a bit far from him, and because the place was packed with people, He Shenyu couldn’t quite squeeze through.

At the cable car exit on the other side, He Shenyu saw the familiar Assistant Fang waiting for someone to come out.

Shenyu grew increasingly nervous. He looked down to check his sneakers. Good, the laces were tied tight.

In the distance, Fu Hengzhan walked out leisurely. A group of people headed to the other side of the observation deck, away from the noisy students.

Shenyu pressed a hand over his heart, which was beating harder and harder, and looked up at the sky.

The sky suddenly filled with dark clouds, obscuring the beautiful sunset.

In the next second, a crack of thunder split the air, followed by a sudden gale. Fine droplets of rain began to fall.

Shenyu turned toward Ning Chen’s direction and started running through the crowd.

“Ah—my flag, it blew away!” Zhao Shi’s voice rang out through the crowd. However, with the sudden weather change, everyone was focused on the sky; the crowd was noisy, and not many noticed.

Ning Chen was very close to her and was one of the first to notice. He ran toward Zhao Shi, shouting, “Zhao Shi, don’t chase it! It’s dangerous over there!”

However, he didn’t reach Zhao Shi in time. The girl was running fast, almost catching up to the flag.

Ning Chen had no choice but to follow her, shouting to a nearby boy, “Go tell the teacher!”

The boy nodded frantically.

Shenyu pushed through the heavy crowd and finally saw Ning Chen’s back. He ran forward at top speed, ripped off his mask, and shouted:

“Ning Chen, stop! Don’t go there!”

Ning Chen whirled around, his gaze freezing for an instant. The wind blew the hat off his head, but he was completely oblivious to it.