Who Wants to Be the Affectionate Cannon Fodder?! [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 14

After dinner, Yu Lin immediately dragged Lin He upstairs. His personality differed too much from Lin Zhou’s; staying downstairs would inevitably lead to Mother Lin’s questioning, potentially exposing his flaws.

Fortunately, Lin He had spent many years abroad and had not noticed anything different about his younger brother.

There was a Nintendo Switch in Lin Zhou’s bedroom, bought a long time ago, with quite a few games downloaded. Regardless of whether Lin He was willing or not, Yu Lin forced a controller into his arms and, without a word, started Q-Version Little People Adventure, the game with the highest play count.

Yu Lin usually did not depend much on electronic products. Since arriving in this world, his favorite activities had been training Xie Zhizhang and staring blankly out the window. This was his first time taking an interest in a gaming console.

However, half an hour later, when Lin He was kicked off a cliff for the fifth time due to Yu Lin’s operational errors, the calm expression on his face finally collapsed completely.

Yu Lin shook his wrist and complained, “This console is so hard to use.”

Lin He said, “That does not seem to have anything to do with your inability to tell left from right.”

Yu Lin was sulky and unconvinced: “It’s clearly because you and I have no chemistry.”

Lin He put down the Switch and made a move to get up and leave: “Fine, blame me.”

But just as he moved his leg, Yu Lin grabbed his arm with force and pushed him back down firmly.

“One more round. I won’t kick you this time.”

Lin He glanced at the hand gripping his arm. In his peach-blossom eyes, a light flickered, almost stirring up a storm for a moment before he forcibly suppressed it. He reluctantly raised his hand to brush Yu Lin’s fingers away.

Being held immobile by a Beta with just one hand seemed a bit embarrassing to admit.

But Yu Lin’s hand did not budge; he even gave Lin He’s arm a shake: “Hurry up and promise me.”

Lin He had no choice but to start another round with him, only to be kicked off the cliff again due to Yu Lin’s directional confusion and their complete lack of synergy.

Yu Lin was still making excuses for himself: “The controller! The controller must be too old and unresponsive. I tried my best!”

Lin He: “You should just try your best to accept the fact that you’re a black hole when it comes to gaming.”

Yu Lin still stubbornly wanted to drag him into another round. He had only gotten halfway through his plea when the phone tossed under the bed rang inopportunely, as urgent as a life-summoning curse.

Yu Lin hardly had anyone’s number saved in his phone, let alone friends who would contact him at this hour. He crawled onto the floor curiously to fish it out, and it turned out to be a call from Xie Zhizhang.

Xie Zhizhang had taken a job as a tutor for an elementary student over the winter break. At this hour, he should technically still be working.

Yu Lin frowned in confusion and answered the call under Lin He’s seemingly casual gaze.

Xie Zhizhang’s anxious, sobbing voice came through the receiver: Xie Zhizhang’s grandmother had fallen.

By the time Lin He dropped Yu Lin off at the hospital, Xie Zhizhang’s grandmother had already been sent to the emergency room.

Xie Zhizhang sat in the bustling emergency hall. His gray cotton jacket almost made him blend into the iron chairs. In just over ten minutes, his emotions had unexpectedly calmed down significantly, though his eyes were streaked with blood as he looked at Yu Lin.

He opened his mouth, his voice already mostly hoarse.

Thanks to Lin He’s help, Xie Zhizhang had been spending more time at home over the past few months. With his company, his grandmother’s condition had improved, and she could remember people a little better. Sometimes, when she was home alone, she would walk along the narrow path at the door or soak up the sun by the courtyard.

Xie Zhizhang had come across this a few times and had not thought much of it initially.

He did not expect that today, the elderly woman probably heard the familiar street cries from downstairs and remembered things from the past. She went downstairs alone, but after only a few steps, she fell from the stairs due to blurred vision.

It was a neighbor who heard the noise and went out to check, then called for an ambulance and notified Xie Zhizhang.

Yu Lin stood beside Xie Zhizhang. Listening to his choked and restrained voice, he lightly raised his hand and pressed it on Xie Zhizhang’s head.

But if Xie Zhizhang could have looked up at his eyes right then, he would have found that Yu Lin’s expression held no fluctuation at all, like a perfectly still mask, or a snowman drifting outside the mortal world.

Yu Lin knew he should say something now, or at least express some level of sadness, but his heart was excessively empty. It was as if he were walking on clouds in the high heavens, without the slightest sense of reality, not knowing what reaction to make next.

“What is the situation now?” Lin He’s calm voice woke Yu Lin from his dazed thoughts.

Xie Zhizhang shook his head and said, “The doctor said the situation is not great. The worst-case scenario might be that she wakes up, but for the rest of her days, she will be bedridden and need someone to care for her.”

Yu Lin recalled the original plot of this world.

But he had clearly severed the connection between Xie Zhizhang and Xu Ze’an. Xu Ze’an’s group of friends had not played any pranks on Xie Zhizhang out of malicious curiosity, nor had they locked him in the school at night, delaying his return home.

He thought that by doing this, he could block the grandmother’s misery and change the course of Xie Zhizhang’s life.

But why did this still happen? It even happened more than two months early.

Would Xie Zhizhang’s life return to the track of the original plot?

Dropping out of school for massive medical bills, running around working odd jobs, finally facing the death of his only remaining relative, and then meeting Xu Ze’an again years later, only to be moved by his affectionate yet overbearing pursuit, willingly staying by his side to be possessed and marked.

Then, thinking they were giving their hearts to each other, only to discover he was just one of many lovers. The warmth and security he had managed to build would be shattered. He would suffer through agony and plan an escape, only to complete a “broken mirror joined together” reconciliation under Xu Ze’an’s relentless pestering.

From the moment Yu Lin first read the original story of this world line, he never felt that Xie Zhizhang loved Xu Ze’an much. Although his understanding of “love” was shallow and scarce, he did not think a person like Xie Zhizhang would fall in love with a controlling Alpha.

Xie Zhizhang was a wild weed growing from the mud. He might be cowardly or humble, but the grit in his bones was the greatest driving force behind his survival; otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to toil for a living at eighteen without regret.

Xu Ze’an was not suitable for him.

Yu Lin even suspected whether Xie Zhizhang really fell in love in the end, or if he just became weary of the other’s persistent pursuit and, knowing he could not escape, simply gave up the fight.

Yu Lin asked him, “What do you want to do?”

If Xie Zhizhang were rational enough to think seriously about Yu Lin’s words, he would have found the wording and tone very strange.

But his mind was a mess, and he no longer had the energy to ponder others’ words. He simply followed the keywords and replied: “My family still has a few distant relatives. I just called to tell them about this. I don’t know if I can raise some money.”

“If it’s still not enough, or if the situation is really as the doctor said and she needs constant care, I will,” Xie Zhizhang paused, a look of pain appearing on his face, as if he were engaged in an incredibly difficult internal struggle.

“I will drop out of school. If someone has to be by her side, I don’t want this to happen again.”

Yu Lin stood rooted to the spot, his head lowered, thinking of something.

But Lin He heard the murmurs coming from Yu Lin’s slightly moving lips. He said in a muffled voice: “Has nothing changed after all?”

System 007: “Everyone has their own fate. Perhaps this really is Xie Zhizhang’s destiny, and your destiny is to play the role of the devoted male supporting lead who stays by his side.”

“Is that so?” Yu Lin felt a bit resistant.

He did not like that plot.

Even with Lin He’s existence, which meant he would not necessarily end up bankrupt and living on the streets like in the original plot, he just did not like it.

Lin He turned to glance at the space between Yu Lin’s brows and gave a light sigh.

“There are other ways.” Lin He’s hand landed on top of Yu Lin’s head. The warmth of his palm soothed Yu Lin’s increasingly frantic thoughts, instantly steadying his heart.

“What?” Xie Zhizhang looked up, the light in his eyes flickering.

“The Lin Corporation owns a nursing home. It is not large, but it is fully equipped with professional staff for 24-hour care.” As Lin He spoke, he took out his phone to pull up a document sent by a subordinate a few days ago. “I can apply for you.”

Xie Zhizhang froze, his gaze turning stiffly toward Yu Lin as the light in his eyes dimmed again: “The money.”

Yu Lin thought to himself: It’s a good method, but given Xie Zhizhang’s character, he probably won’t easily accept their charity.

“The money can be considered a loan to you, 100,000 per year.” Lin He looked at the complex expression on Xie Zhizhang’s face and continued impassively, “I know what you’re thinking, but the Lin Corporation has done sponsorships in the past. This is nothing to us; it’s just a small effort.”

“I’ve seen your grades. Dropping out now might solve an immediate crisis, but what about later? The penalty for breaking your contract with Luchuan High School isn’t small; you’d probably be paying it off for a long time. By the time you’ve cleared all your debts, ten years will have passed. A high school diploma, no savings, and then you’ll just repeat the life you’ve had for the last decade?”

Xie Zhizhang lowered his head and rubbed his fingers, his expression wavering.

“University A’s medical department is top-tier in the country. If you have the ability to get in, I can even represent the Lin Corporation to sponsor you through your undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral studies. The price is that you must work for the Lin Corporation for five years at the minimum hourly wage, plus you must pay back all the expenses I lent you.”

Yu Lin felt like he had never heard Lin He say such a long paragraph. He looked at Lin He with a gaze of pure scrutiny.

“If you are willing, I can have someone draft the contract now.”

Xie Zhizhang was silent for a long time. Amidst the sound of the emergency room door opening, he made his decision: “I am willing.”

Lin He gave a nod and turned to make a call. However, Yu Lin, who had been staring intently at Lin He just now, broke the serious atmosphere with a faint remark: “Brother, you’re suddenly acting so much like a Total CEO.”

“Say that again and see what happens?”