Ch 10: How To Be A Good Lackey (QT)

Xi Guanming looked at the worried expression in Shao Ye’s eyes and said to him, “For the next few days, you don’t need to follow Jiang Yan. Focus on recovering.”

Shao Ye was deeply moved, then shook his head and refused. He raised a hand and patted his chest, only to remember halfway through that he was injured there. The pain made him suck in a sharp breath.

Still, he stubbornly said to Xi Guanming, “It’s fine, President. This kind of injury is nothing. I could go run three thousand meters on the track right now and it wouldn’t be a problem.”

Xi Guanming: “……”

Sometimes he really couldn’t help but wonder whether that brain CT result from earlier had been accurate.

“Stop fooling around,” he said.

Shao Ye’s ears twitched. He felt that phrasing sounded a little strange, but the thought only flickered through his mind for a brief moment before he dismissed it. He continued earnestly, appealing both emotionally and logically:

“Si Xu’s methods are too dirty. His lackeys are just as bad, full of nasty tricks. Unlike me and you, President. Jiang Yan definitely isn’t his match.”

Shao Ye felt like his speaking skills were improving more and more. Not only had he thoroughly put Si Xu down, he had also drawn himself closer to the president.

Of course, he truly meant what he said. Now there was also Zong Xingze in the mix. Leaving Jiang Yan alone in the oak grove to face those two beasts was genuinely worrying.

Seeing that Xi Guanming still showed no reaction, Shao Ye pressed on, speaking with even greater sincerity:

“President, even though I believe in your charm and your abilities, I don’t believe in Si Xu’s character. If that despicable guy really takes advantage of the situation, it’ll be too late for you to regret it. You absolutely can’t let your guard down. Don’t give Si Xu even the slightest chance!”

In this battle of love, their president absolutely could not lose!

For a moment, it really wasn’t easy for Xi Guanming to explain things clearly to Shao Ye. If he were to admit he didn’t like Jiang Yan, he would also have to explain why he hadn’t denied it earlier when Shao Ye misunderstood him.

Shao Ye’s dark, bright eyes were filled with urgency, as if he wished he could sprout wings and fly straight to the oak grove.

In the end, Xi Guanming could only say, “Alright, I understand. I’ll have someone else keep an eye on things. You don’t need to worry about it.”

Hearing this, Shao Ye became even more agitated than before. He asked anxiously, “Who? President, who are you sending?”

“I haven’t decided yet. I’ll ask around when I get back and see who has time.”

Shao Ye couldn’t accept the idea of the president’s love being in danger, but he especially couldn’t accept the president assigning what he saw as his job to someone else.

Protecting Jiang Yan might sound dangerous, but the chances of success were actually high. Translated on Hololo novels. One day, when Jiang Yan became the president’s girlfriend, given his current relationship with her, his position beside the president would surely skyrocket.

Now that the president wanted to hand this task to someone else, Shao Ye simply couldn’t accept it. He blinked, looking even more foolish than before, and pleaded:

“President, just leave this to me. I’ve been doing it for a while now, I have experience. Jiang Yan’s already used to me. If you switch people now, she might not adapt.”

Seeing that Xi Guanming remained unmoved, Shao Ye tried again:

“And President, think about it. What if the person you send ends up liking Jiang Yan too? That would be troublesome.”

“You wouldn’t like Jiang Yan?” Xi Guanming asked.

“Huh?” Shao Ye immediately clarified his stance. “How could I? How could I like someone the president likes!”

Xi Guanming’s lips curved slightly upward. Shao Ye was a bit too enthusiastic about protecting Jiang Yan, which he didn’t particularly like, so he said, “Don’t worry about it. This is decided.”

Shao Ye pulled a long face. He still wanted to argue for himself, but Xi Guanming had already reached into his pocket and taken out a key card, handing it to him.

“Take this. Go to my lounge and rest for a while. Once I finish handling student council matters, I’ll come find you.”

A key card…

Shao Ye really wanted to ask whether he was the only one who had one, or if all the “underlings” did.

The question hovered in his throat several times, but in the end he felt it sounded too strange and swallowed it back down.

He took the card, carefully placed it into his bag with his medicine, and asked, “President, can I go with you?”

“Go where?” Xi Guanming asked.

“To your office.”

Xi Guanming nodded. “That’s fine. After all, you’re the victim in this matter.”

Shao Ye happily followed behind Xi Guanming into the office building. After stepping into the elevator, he scratched his head and couldn’t help but say again:

“President, I really think Jiang Yan’s situation should still be left to me. If it were anyone else today, they probably wouldn’t even have been able to escape.”

Xi Guanming glanced at him and said, “In a couple of days, I’ll have something more important for you to do.”

Hearing this, Shao Ye’s eyes lit up instantly, and he stopped dwelling on Jiang Yan entirely.

Outside the office, the students who had surrounded and beaten Shao Ye in the oak grove were lined up neatly in the corridor. Shao Ye counted them. Everyone was there, not a single one missing.

Xi Guanming pushed open the office door and said calmly, “Come in.”

Shao Ye strode in arrogantly behind Xi Guanming, while the others followed silently, all wearing the same defeated expression.

There wasn’t really much to investigate. Xi Guanming already knew the cause and course of events, but procedures still had to be followed. It made him appear more impartial.

They signed their names on paper, and Xi Guanming dismissed them.

None of them knew what punishment awaited them. Translated on Hololo novels. As they left, some even considered clinging to Xi Guanming’s leg and begging, but feared that would only make him more disgusted.

If they had known it would end like this, they would never have agreed to Si Xu’s plan in the first place.

Who could have imagined that Xi Guanming would actually care about Shao Ye’s life?

They could only hope Xi Guanming would show mercy. If they were expelled, their parents might very well break their legs when they got home.

After everything was settled, Xi Guanming took Shao Ye to the lounge. Shao Ye stood at the doorway, still a bit confused. At this hour, he could have gone back to the dormitory, but since the president told him to come, he followed without hesitation.

“Give me your bag. I’ll apply the medicine for you,” Xi Guanming said as he entered.

Shao Ye responded and didn’t hesitate. Before long, he had stripped off his clothes, leaving only a pair of white boxer briefs. Standing by the bed, completely unguarded, he looked at Xi Guanming, still a little foolish, even a bit cute.

“Sit down,” Xi Guanming said.

Shao Ye shook his head. “I’ll dirty the bedsheets.”

For once, Xi Guanming’s usual cleanliness obsession didn’t kick in. He smiled. “It’s fine. We can change them afterward.”

“But…” Shao Ye hesitated.

“Come on. Be good.”

Xi Guanming might not only be a neat freak, he might also have obsessive tendencies. The bedsheets were spread perfectly smooth, without a single crease. But the moment Shao Ye plopped down, not only did the sheets wrinkle into a mess, a few faint bloodstains appeared as well.

Strangely, Xi Guanming didn’t feel much discomfort at the sight. How odd, he thought.

He reached into the bag, took out a pack of cotton swabs, dipped one in iodine, and the moment it touched the wound on Shao Ye’s back, Shao Ye’s shoulders flinched.

Xi Guanming paused and asked, “What’s wrong? Did that hurt?”

Shao Ye said quietly, “No… it just feels a little itchy.”

Xi Guanming pressed the swab back onto the wound and reminded him, “In a couple of days, when your injuries start scabbing over, even if it itches, don’t scratch it. Understand?”

Shao Ye gave a small “oh,” then shifted his waist a little uncomfortably. “It still feels kind of itchy.”

His physique was excellent, his muscles well-defined, broad back and narrow waist. Xi Guanming didn’t hold the swab steady, and it dropped onto the bed, leaving a small yellow stain the size of a fingernail.

Without a word, he picked up another swab and steadied Shao Ye’s shoulder with his other hand. “Don’t move.”

Xi Guanming had just washed his hands, so his fingers were slightly cool, but for Shao Ye, it felt just right. It drew his attention away from the itch on his back. He let out a soft, comfortable breath, like a lazy cat basking in the sun on a rooftop, half-asleep.

Xi Guanming only treated the injuries on his back, leaving the rest for Shao Ye to handle himself later.

Shao Ye sat cross-legged on the bed. His thighs were muscular, his calves long and sleek, full of explosive strength. Against the white sheets, his honey-colored skin looked even more striking, like a tempting dessert.

Xi Guanming washed his hands and came out of the bathroom. Seeing Shao Ye yawning widely, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes, he smiled. “If you’re sleepy, take a nap here first.”

Shao Ye tilted his head back. Sunlight fell into his eyes, reflecting a faint shimmer, bright like some rare and precious gemstone.

“By the way, President,” he asked, “there’s a dance tonight in the South Hall. Are you going?”

“I have something to deal with tonight, so I won’t be going,” Xi Guanming said. “Are you going?”

Shao Ye nodded. “Yeah, I promised I’d go with my roommate.”

“You’re injured. If you go, don’t drink,” Xi Guanming said.

Shao Ye nodded. After thinking for a moment, he turned around and knelt at the edge of the bed, leaning toward Xi Guanming with a conspiratorial look.

“I heard Jiang Yan is going too. President, are you really not going? You could dance with her!”

How did this circle back to Jiang Yan again?

“I’m not going,” Xi Guanming replied. He really did have something to handle at home.

How could he not go?

Shao Ye felt like he was exhausting himself over the president’s love life. Grabbing his hair, he said in distress, “Then I have to figure out a way to stop Si Xu from going too.”

Xi Guanming quietly watched him.

“I’ve got it!” Shao Ye suddenly said, eager to try. “President, what if I put up a sign at the entrance of the hall that says ‘Si Xu and dogs are not allowed in’?”

Xi Guanming sighed. He reached out and lightly tapped Shao Ye on the head. His hair was short and a bit prickly to the touch.

“…Tonight, you’d better not provoke him again.”

---

Author’s note:

【Let’s discuss: who do you think Jiang Yan will end up with? Could that NPC be the Emperor?】

: Seriously? There are still people who believe that?

: What’s wrong with believing it? The NPC hasn’t come out and said he’s not the Emperor. Am I wrong for believing?

: By that logic, the Emperor also hasn’t come out to deny he’s not among the NPCs

: Your logic… I can’t refute it

: Back to the topic, I vote Si Xu. He’s the most entangled with Jiang Yan right now

: By “most entangled,” do you mean she hates him the most?

: Love or hate, you just don’t get it~

: Then I vote the captain. Sunny, cheerful guy

: I’m casting my precious vote for His Highness the most noble prince

: Why is no one voting for the president?! This is outrageous!

: Uh…

: Does the president even like Jiang Yan?

: No idea if he likes Jiang Yan, but he definitely doesn’t like No. 6

: What’s wrong with you? Why bring up No. 6 out of nowhere?

: Fans are triggered because of the “true partner,” just ignore them

: What “true partner”? Are you sick?

: Doesn’t seem like it? From today’s stream, I feel like the president is raising No. 6 like a son

: Wow! That’s a whole new flavor of shipping

: ? What happened in No. 6’s stream? Does this school arc include a family recognition plot now? That’s wild

: Seriously, can’t you tell? The president is just acting. He’s playing No. 6 for fun

: Even the micro-expression analysts said it, the president is definitely going to get back at No. 6 soon

: Pray for No. 6. Hopefully he doesn’t end up with psychological trauma. I actually like watching his stream

: I unconditionally support any “revenge” the president carries out on No. 6 in bed

: I have one condition, let me watch

: So you’ve all gone this far off-topic and no one’s even answering the OP’s question?

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