The Cannon Fodder 'Seme' is the Center of Attention Again (Quick Transmigration) - Chapter 10

Hidden within the mountain stream, the teahouse consisted of several simple, rustic thatched cottages. The wooden floors emitted a rhythmic creaking sound with every step. Cushions for kneeling were placed around the tea tables, and wisps of fine smoke rose from the hollowed-out lids of incense burners, dissipating into the air with the breeze and leaving a faint, tranquil fragrance.

Li Qingran sat near the door. Golden sunlight slanted through the windows with raised bamboo blinds, tracing dazzling patterns of light and shadow on his pristine white shirt. He looked up at the man opposite him, his gaze moving slowly down from those dark, deep eyes. He paused for a moment on the pale cheeks before continuing to the man’s moving lips:

“The preliminary plan is like this. If you agree with this proposal, I will have someone follow up on the details. In two days, I can help you leave Su Jingyi. Do you have any other opinions on your end?”

Li Qingran blinked.

Gu Shiyu’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

The teahouse fell into a heavy silence. The very air seemed to congeal, making it impossible to sense the calming fragrance from the incense burner anymore.

Until Li Qingran slowly shook his head. “None.”

Gu Shiyu froze for a moment. The rising steam between them blurred his vision, making him want to lean forward to see Li Qingran’s expression more clearly.

None? Why none?

During those quiet minutes, Gu Shiyu had been waiting for Li Qingran to raise a long list of doubts and concerns. His brain had been spinning at high speed, re-organizing the reasons and rhetoric he had prepared to secure Li Qingran’s trust and cooperation in one go.

Yet, after all that preparation, the other person did not seem to have any intention of asking even a single question.

Li Qingran did not even ask, “Why are you helping me?”

Was it because he was so desperate to leave Su Jingyi that he would grab onto any life-saving straw regardless of who held it? Or was it that he simply did not take this plan, or him as a person, seriously at all?

Gu Shiyu’s fingers, hidden beneath the tea table, tightened instinctively. He took a deep breath and looked back at the Alpha across from him, who was looking down and sipping tea:

“Then I will head back to finalize the details and contact you.”

“Okay.”

“Remember to pack your luggage once you return.”

“Okay.”

“You might still need to deal with Su Jingyi for these next two days.”

“No problem.”

The teahouse fell into silence once again.

Li Qingran slowly rubbed the white jade teacup with his thumb. The pale yellow tea reflected his calm features. A gust of wind blew, drifting a hazy mist toward him. Amidst the shifting light and shadow, his posture appeared even more indifferent and leisurely, like a plume of smoke that could not be touched or caught.

The conversation could have ended there. One person proposed a plan and the other offered unconditional support and cooperation; in any previous business project, this would have been Gu Shiyu’s favorite mode of operation.

After all, he was not a man of many words. He usually detested meaningless bickering over a settled conclusion. It was better to just do it.

But today, perhaps the atmosphere of the teahouse was too relaxing, making him reluctant to leave, or perhaps the Alpha’s attitude was too indifferent, making it impossible to read his mind and feel truly at ease. After a brief silence, Gu Shiyu could not help but speak:

“Do you really have nothing you want to ask?”

“Hmm?” Li Qingran looked up at Gu Shiyu. Seeing the slight furrow in the man’s brow, he instinctively offered a reassuring smile.

“No,” he said softly. “I think your arrangements are very good. I have no objections.”

Gu Shiyu’s frown deepened. “Are you not afraid I might harm you?”

Li Qingran blinked. “Would you?”

The answer he sought became a question thrown back at him. Gu Shiyu was somewhat irritated by the Alpha’s lack of cooperation, but for the sake of the plan’s success, he explained patiently:

“Of course I would not. You should know that the Su and Gu families intend to form a marriage alliance. Among the adult younger generation of both families, Su Jingyi and I have the highest genetic compatibility and are of the right age. Barring any accidents, news of our engagement will appear in the financial news in the near future.”

“While I do not have a strong sense of possessiveness toward my partner, at the very least, we should resolve our external romantic entanglements before we get engaged. It is a matter of respect for the marriage partner and avoids potential scandals later on. You should be able to understand that.”

Li Qingran nodded. “I understand.”

While he did not quite understand why the Protagonist Gong was telling a cannon fodder like him so much, since the man was helping him complete his mission and clock out, he was not going to complain. He would just sit and listen.

Li Qingran lowered his head and took another sip of tea.

Even though, between the two of them, the thirstier one seemed to be Gu Shiyu.

“One more thing.”

After explaining why he chose to help Li Qingran leave, Gu Shiyu watched the youth holding the teacup as he began to look out the window. Gu Shiyu bit his lip.

“To ensure no further errors in the upcoming plan, I need to confirm with you: you do not have any romantic entanglements with any Omega other than Su Jingyi, or Alpha, right?”

Li Qingran turned silently to meet Gu Shiyu’s gaze, his eyes reflecting clear doubt:

“What do you mean by that?”

“Do not misunderstand. I am not making an insinuation about you and Qi Ziyan. I am just confirming. I do not want any other interferers when I send someone to take you away, especially Alphas. You should know that some Alphas are very difficult to deal with,” Gu Shiyu explained.

The reason was sufficient and reasonable, but Li Qingran felt something was slightly off.

[Maybe he is just considering every angle. Host, you are new to missions, so you do not know that Protagonist Gongs like them are very suspicious and cautious. They belong to the type who calculates a hundred steps for every one they take.]

Is that so?

Li Qingran put down his teacup. He pondered for a moment following 888’s explanation, then spoke to Gu Shiyu:

“There was an Omega before, but Su Jingyi sent him abroad. There are no others.”

“Good, I understand.”

Gu Shiyu nodded. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, put it down again, and rubbed the rim of the cup twice with his fingertip before tapping the tea table.

“Are you sure there is no Alpha?”

Li Qingran was speechless.

[Is he not a bit too concerned about Alphas?]

888 also felt it was a bit abnormal, but then again, it was perfectly normal for a Protagonist Gong to be abnormal.

[Maybe he encountered a particularly difficult Alpha before, so he still has a lingering shadow now.]

That was possible.

Li Qingran nodded patiently at Gu Shiyu. “I am sure there are none.”

“Alright, let us leave it at that for today. Rest well for these two days and save your energy. If there are any changes, I will contact you.”

As Gu Shiyu spoke, he let out a long breath, as if a mountain had rolled off his back. He looked much more relaxed than when they first met. He checked the time. “Do you want to eat something? The vegetarian food here is quite good.”

“No, thank you.”

Li Qingran declined. “I still have matters to handle at school.”

It was not strictly necessary since he was leaving soon and would surely change universities, but finishing what one started was a good habit. Gu Shiyu did not say more.

“Alright, I will have the driver take you back.”

“Thank you for the trouble,” Li Qingran said with a polite smile.

The two left the teahouse one after the other, bypassing the koi pond, walking across the pebble path, and finally reaching the gate woven from bamboo.

“We will be in touch if anything comes up.” Gu Shiyu looked at Li Qingran, who nodded and followed the driver to the car.

Just as he was about to open the door, Gu Shiyu’s voice rang out again:

“And”

Li Qingran looked back. The man stood amidst the bamboo shadows. Under the shifting sunlight, his expression was obscure and unreadable.

“If you have any problems, you can contact me directly.”

Li Qingran heard him say.

The fingertip resting on the car door curled imperceptibly. Li Qingran looked at the man, who looked back at him across a line of shadow that seemed to grow like weeds. Gu Shiyu saw the youth blink, then curve his eyes at him:

“Sure.”

Thud!

One door closed, and another opened. Gu Shiyu watched the receding black car until it was completely out of sight before slowly withdrawing his gaze.

A bodyguard who had been standing behind the gate stepped out:

“Young Master, there seem to be some issues on Master Jingyi’s side again.”

Gu Shiyu did not even turn his head. “What issues?”

“The Jiang family of Beicheng. They have been investigating Master Jingyi recently.”

“The Jiang family?” Gu Shiyu searched his memory. “The one currently dealing with the ‘Prince and the Pauper’ scandal?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.”

Oh?!

The bodyguard instinctively looked up. Seeing Gu Shiyu’s calm face, he was confused. Did the Young Master not say he wanted to resolve all romantic disputes of his engagement partner? Why was there no reaction?

The bodyguard, who thought he would get a promotion or a raise by reporting this news, was very disappointed. He wanted to emphasize exactly who was investigating Su Jingyi, but Gu Shiyu’s attention had already shifted:

“How is Qi Ziyan doing?”

“The Heat has passed, but because his pheromones are still unstable, he is still under observation in the hospital.”

“Is that so?” Gu Shiyu lowered his head and thought for three seconds before deciding, “To the hospital.”

The Qi family’s business was in aviation. When the time came to send Li Qingran away, he would need Qi Ziyan’s help to apply for a special flight route.

Gu Shiyu looked out the car window at the sky. It was cloudless. An airplane drew a thin white line across the azure expanse.

Above a magnificent and elegant white building, the plane roared past. A breeze stirred the warm yellow gauze curtains, and the light and shadow in the room raced from the floor to the bedside.

“Mmph!”

A muffled groan came from the middle of the bed. The hanging sheets swayed slightly. In the next second, a blindingly white arm reached out from under the covers.

Then came a face flushed with a lingering heat.

And then, a wet, black uniform with a coarse texture, one that clearly did not fit the Omega on the bed.

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