The Cannon Fodder Became the Empire's Beloved Omega - Chapter 2

“Yu Ruan?”

A mocking gaze fell upon him as a boy with upturned eyes sneered sarcastically, “You still have the nerve to come back to school? Your skin must be really thick.”

Yu Ruan was very familiar with this boy. His name was He Xin, and he had always been a fervent admirer of Ji Huai, a certified bootlicker. Wherever Ji Huai went, He Xin was sure to follow. Unfortunately, he had recently differentiated into a Beta, at best qualifying as a member of the protagonist’s lackey squad.

Pretending not to hear He Xin’s taunts, Yu Ruan silently made his way to his seat.

Don’t get angry, don’t get angry.

Yu Ruan repeated the mantra to himself: I’ve held on for so long, I can’t let a minor character with about as much screen time as me ruin it all. Besides, he had long since developed a pair of impenetrable ears.

Seeing that Yu Ruan was ignoring him, a flicker of anger flashed in He Xin’s eyes.

He shot up from his chair, strode over to Yu Ruan, raised an eyebrow, and jeered, “It’s only because Ji Huai has a kind heart and doesn’t hold grudges against petty people! Otherwise, would you even have the chance to keep jumping around like this? With such a vicious nature, I wonder how you even grew up, an orphan, right?”

Well, he wasn’t wrong.

The backstory of the villain Yu Ruan had transmigrated into was truly tragic. He had lost his father at a young age, and a few years later, his mother had passed away from illness. By the time Yu Ruan transmigrated into this body, he was so poor he had to rely on neighbors’ charity to survive, all because he refused to go to an orphanage.

It was more than just a “tragic” label it was a full-blown sob story.

At this thought, Yu Ruan couldn’t help but zone out.

Some people transmigrate only to end up worse off than the locals. It’s truly heartbreaking to think about.

To those around him, the exquisitely featured young man lowered his long lashes, biting his red lips slightly. His beautiful sea-blue eyes held a trace of distraction and confusion, evoking an inexplicable pang of sympathy in onlookers.

Wait, no that’s not right!

This is a malicious, evil Alpha, how could anyone feel sorry for him?!

Realizing this, everyone snapped out of it, shaking off the momentary lapse.

Right! Someone as scheming and vicious as Yu Ruan deserved to be punished severely! If they didn’t deal with him now, he would surely cause more trouble in the school later!

The thought of what might happen in the future made everyone’s breath catch.

Heavens, if framing and framing became a daily occurrence, how would they ever survive?!

The surrounding gazes once again turned hostile.

Surrounded by a sea of animosity, Yu Ruan felt remarkably at ease. He kindly pointed out to He Xin and said, “Excuse me, could you make a little room? Class is about to start, and I need to get to my seat.”

His tone was light and cheerful, without a hint of aggression. But to those listening with ill intent, his words instantly sounded provocative.

As the one who had done wrong, not only was he unrepentant, but he even had the audacity to provoke?!

Where did he get the nerve?!

He Xin’s anger flared, his facial muscles twitching as he instinctively raised his arm.

The earlier scene had made He Xin forget that the person before him was an Alpha. After all, this pretty young man looked far too delicate, nothing like the imposing presence expected of an Alpha. And at school, people often secretly mocked Yu Ruan, saying he was as effeminate as an Omega.

In this society, whether Alpha or Omega, both are rare and considered precious existences. However, certain behaviors that are deemed cute and endearing when displayed by an Omega come off as downright disgusting when an Alpha does them.

Had Yu Ruan hit his head and lost his mind?

Was he actually trying to win everyone’s sympathy by imitating Ji Huai’s mannerisms?

He Xin shot him a disgusted look, raising his hand high as if to slap Yu Ruan across the face. “Let it go.”

A hand suddenly appeared, tugging at the corner of He Xin’s clothes. Ji Huai, who had spoken, frowned and cast a light, indifferent glance at Yu Ruan before saying to He Xin, “There’s no need. For someone like him, hitting him would only dirty your hand.”

Abruptly held back, He Xin found his anger stifled and unable to vent, leaving him deeply frustrated. But since it was Ji Huai who had spoken, he had no choice but to swallow his rage. He snorted coldly and said to Yu Ruan, “Consider yourself lucky.”

“Yu Ruan, let me tell you, the school already knows about this and is discussing your punishment! The principal will be here soon to announce the decision. Did you really think you could just keep sitting here?”

He Xin’s tone was dripping with sarcasm.

But Yu Ruan paid no attention to his words, instead casting a grateful glance toward Ji Huai.

Thank heavens! At least the protagonist he’d ended up with wasn’t the violent type!

If he had really taken that slap from He Xin, his delicate Omega face would have swollen up instantly. Getting hit was one thing, but if he actually got injured, he’d have to scrape together money from his already meager living expenses to buy medicine.

A few days ago, Yu Ruan had spent a hefty sum on suppressants, and now he had less than 100 star coins to his name. He truly couldn’t afford any extra expenses.

Feeling grateful, Yu Ruan took his seat.

Not long after he sat down, someone immediately appeared beside him.

The person who approached was Yu Fei, arguably one of the few in the class who got along fairly well with Yu Ruan. He had copied Yu Ruan’s homework a few times, and back-and-forth interactions had forged a superficial friendship between them.

Yu Ruan’s grades were quite good, and as an academic underachiever, Yu Fei admired him greatly, holding Yu Ruan’s homework in particularly high regard.

He whispered, “What’s wrong with these people? So annoying. Your grades are fine, what did you have to gain by pulling a stunt to harm Ji Huai? Just ignore He Xin. He’s just jealous that you’re an Alpha. It’s not like he can compete with Li Hong, so he takes it out on you.”

Li Hong was the main love interest in the original story, while He Xin was, at best, a sidekick. Of course, he couldn’t compare.

Yu Ruan thought to himself.

Still, even if He Xin wasn’t top-tier, he was more than capable of overshadowing cannon fodders like Yu Fei by a mile.

“It’s fine,” Yu Ruan said calmly, stuffing his bag into the desk drawer. “I won’t be staying much longer anyway.”

Hearing this, Yu Fei’s eyes widened in surprise. “No way, are you really just going to take the fall? You weren’t like this before!”

But he quickly deflated. “Then again, who can compete with Ji Huai? The teachers all adore him, and he’s got Young Master Li backing him up. We commoners can’t compare, we just can’t.”

As he spoke, Yu Fei angrily slammed his hand down on the desk.

The desk let out a loud thump, instantly drawing the attention of the entire class.

“What’s going on over there?!”

An angry shout came from outside the classroom, and a short, stout middle-aged man appeared at the door. His hair was thinning, his forehead gleaming, and a badge symbolizing his leadership status was pinned to his chest.

It was the dean of Xinle Academy.

Yu Fei immediately looked embarrassed: “It’s nothing, nothing. I was just acting crazy.”

The dean glared at him fiercely, pulled out a white handkerchief, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Then, he cautiously stepped aside: “Professor Ye, please, please!”

Only then did everyone notice that there was another person outside the classroom.

A man a head taller than the dean stood calmly, and upon hearing this, he strode into the room. He walked unhurriedly to the podium, his gaze meeting Yu Ruan’s.

Yu Ruan couldn’t be sure if it was his imagination, but he felt that Ye Yizhou seemed to smile faintly at him.

Yu Ruan immediately lowered his head, trying to distance himself from the other.

This was the critical moment when the protagonist was about to put him in his place, he couldn’t drag an innocent person into this.

Seeing that Yu Ruan didn’t want to acknowledge him, Ye Yizhou didn’t take offense. He pulled out a chair and sat down gracefully, not even sparing a glance at the anxious dean beside him.

The aura of a powerful Alpha emanated from him, instantly suppressing the noisy classroom into silence.

Most of the students present had already undergone differentiation and had become highly sensitive to pheromones. Although Ye Yizhou had deliberately restrained his presence, the faint, elusive scent he emitted still stirred an impulse in these newly differentiated students to submit to him.

The dean cleared his throat and coughed softly. To be honest, even though he was a Beta, standing next to Ye Yizhou made him feel so intimidated that his legs trembled. For a moment, he even experienced a sensation similar to the students’.

If not for his pride, he might have knelt on the spot.

Are elite Alphas from the Capital Star always this terrifying?!

The dean wiped his sweat again, feeling deeply uncomfortable. But then, remembering his purpose for being there, he steeled himself. His facial muscles twitched as he said sharply, “Who is Yu Ruan? Step forward now!”

“It’s me.”

Hearing his name called, Yu Ruan quickly raised his hand to make his presence known.

The dean’s gaze followed the sound, and when he saw Yu Ruan’s face, his expression darkened further. He pointed angrily at Yu Ruan and snapped, “Do you have any idea that the scandal you caused nearly cost our school its eligibility for advancement?! The entire school is suffering because of you have you no shame?!”

Yu Ruan obediently lowered his head and endured the scolding.

“The school had already decided to punish you severely. But,”At this point, the dean’s gaze shifted to Ji Huai, who stood nearby with a subtle expression.” He took a deep breath and continued, “but Student Ji Huai said that your circumstances are difficult and that there were mitigating factors. Expulsion from the school will suffice, he doesn’t wish to pursue further action.”

After saying this, the dean pointed at Yu Ruan, his tone filled with disappointment:

“Someone like you would never amount to anything even if you attended Nebula University! Hurry up and thank Student Ji Huai for giving you this chance!”

Ji Huai shook his head modestly: “I’m sure Yu didn’t mean to cause trouble, teacher. Please forgive him.”

“Look at him, then look at yourself!” Hearing this, the dean grew even angrier. “Hurry up and thank Ji Huai! Do you have any other objections to the school’s punishment?”

Yu Ruan shook his head honestly, his mood soaring: “No!”

“Then grab your things and get out of here!” the dean immediately snapped. “Don’t ever show your face at Xinle Academy again! If I see you on campus one more time, I’ll have you thrown out every single time!!!”

“Oh, okay.”

Yu Ruan nodded eagerly like a chick pecking at rice, swiftly starting to pack his belongings.

God knows how long he had been waiting for this moment!!

Finally, finally!!

After all these years, he was finally free!!!

Yu Ruan was so overjoyed he could have laughed until tears streamed down his face. Happily, he stuffed the items from his desk into his backpack, barely resisting the urge to hum a cheerful tune right then and there to celebrate this long-awaited moment.

Yet in the eyes of those around him, the exceptionally handsome young man appeared to be holding back sorrow, clumsily packing his things. His beautiful sea-blue eyes were misty, dampening his thick lashes and veiling the grievance they held.

It seemed as though at any moment, those gem-like eyes might succumb to the weight and shed tears.

Instantly, everyone’s hearts collectively clenched.

Heavens, wasn’t he an Alpha? How could he evoke more pity than an Omega!

Even Ji Huai, the most cherished student in the entire school, had never made people feel so heart-wrenched!

“Actually, it might not be necessary to go this far.”

Someone couldn’t help but murmur softly.

“Yeah, I heard his family situation is pretty rough. Poor, and his parents died young. Giving him a demerit should be enough. The school rules state that, but they’re really expelling him?”

“After something like this, he probably won’t have another chance to study, right?”

“They say they’re showing mercy, but they really didn’t leave any room for it.”

Whispers spread among the crowd.

Watching the classroom gradually descend into chaos, the dean’s face turned pale with rage. A vein throbbed on his forehead as he pointed at the students, furious:

“Shut up, all of you!!”

He turned his head and snapped at Yu Ruan: “If you have no objections, then hurry up and get out!! How can it take so long to pack such a small amount of stuff?!”

Afraid the dean might change his mind, Yu Ruan immediately replied: “Almost done, I’ll be gone in a second!”

To the onlookers, however, the young man appeared increasingly disheveled, his voice trembling slightly.

It was truly heartbreaking.

Some of the more soft-hearted couldn’t bear to watch any longer, averting their gaze from his packing.

Thinking back, Yu Ruan had never done anything particularly terrible before. Though no one knew how he had become the class enemy, with everyone unanimously disliking him, he was actually quite a decent person.

He always answered questions seriously, helped classmates in need, and was generally considerate.

While this incident was indeed excessive, aside from He Xin, no one had actually witnessed him deliberately framing Ji Huai.

Maybe He Xin, in his eagerness to protect Ji Huai, had simply misjudged the situation?

The thought crossed many minds.

Finally, the dean could no longer tolerate Yu Ruan’s slow pace. He stormed over to Yu Ruan, ready to “help” him pack personally.

At that moment, a low voice suddenly came from the side: “Wait.”

The head teacher trembled again, instinctively turning toward the source of the sound, only to meet a pair of indifferent, emotionless eyes.

“I have an objection to this decision,” the person sitting on the podium said unhurriedly.

He leaned back slightly in his chair, relaxing his posture. Then, narrowing his eyes at the head teacher, he added with a faint smile, “I think you need to discuss more carefully whether Yu Ruan actually engaged in any cheating behavior.”

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