Ch 9: How To Be A Good Lackey (QT)

Zong Xingze hadn’t even processed what had happened when Si Xu, standing nearby, couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing at that insult.

Zong Xingze turned and glared at him. “What are you laughing at? He didn’t insult you?”

Si Xu: “……”

Wait, does what you just said even make sense? Only people who haven’t been insulted by Shao Ye are allowed to laugh?

No wonder Xi Guanming can walk around all day with that fake smile plastered on his face.

Just like now. That nauseating smile seemed welded onto Xi Guanming’s face as he said, “Si Xu, you’re openly violating school regulations.”

Si Xu snorted. It wasn’t the first or second time he’d broken school rules. So what if he went too far? Would the school really expel him?

He shot back, “Xi Guanming, are you here to fight me?”

Xi Guanming shook his head. “Fighting is prohibited on campus. I will report today’s incident truthfully to the school committee—and to your father.”

Caught off guard by that answer, the provocation on Si Xu’s handsome face faltered for a moment. Then he sneered, “Xi Guanming, what are you, an elementary schooler? All you know how to do is tattle to parents?”

Xi Guanming was completely unfazed. Smiling, he said, “Why would I need anything else? This method works quite well, doesn’t it?”

Si Xu’s mouth twitched. He opened it, only to realize he had no rebuttal.

He nodded, lowering his head as he rolled up his sleeves. “Fine. Since you’re going to tell my dad anyway, I’m getting scolded either way. I might as well beat you up too.”

At least that would make him feel better.

Unhurried, Xi Guanming said, “Si Xu, you should know that on your own, you’re not my opponent. As for the others, they won’t want to make a move against me.”

Those people had beaten Shao Ye, and with Si Xu backing them, the matter might have been brushed aside if no one else intervened. Translated on Hololo novels. But if they laid a hand on Xi Guanming here, things would be completely different. They probably wouldn’t even last until the next day. They’d all be thrown out of Golden Laburnum tonight.

Their parents had spent a fortune to send them here, not to become cannon fodder for rich kids.

Xi Guanming continued, “Jiang Yan might come here shortly. If she sees you doing anything improper, the scene might not look very good.”

“Why would Jiang Yan come here? Xi Guanming, what exactly is your relationship with her?” Si Xu stopped mid-motion, looking up sharply at him.

Zong Xingze quietly pricked up his ears. He wanted to know the answer too.

Xi Guanming replied, “Jiang Yan heard that Shao Ye was injured and was worried, so she wanted to come check on him.”

These past few days, Shao Ye had been constantly around Jiang Yan carrying out Xi Guanming’s “task,” and Jiang Yan hadn’t disliked him, even getting along with him quite well. Now that she knew Si Xu had someone beat Shao Ye, she likely wouldn’t give him a good look at all.

Si Xu immediately turned to the people he brought. “You all leave. Now.”

At this point, getting away cleanly would already be a blessing. But just as they turned and hadn’t even taken two steps, Xi Guanming’s voice came from behind.

“Please head to my office later. The student council will be investigating this matter thoroughly. I hope you’ll cooperate and not make us do unnecessary work.”

When powerful figures clash, it’s the small ones who suffer.

They had never taken Shao Ye seriously when he kept talking about “the president” all day. He looked like an idiot, after all. Who would’ve thought Xi Guanming would actually step in for him? Now that they’d fallen into his hands, things wouldn’t end well. They cast pleading looks at Si Xu. Whether he would help them now was all that mattered.

Si Xu’s face darkened, his voice squeezed through clenched teeth. “Xi Guanming, are you determined to oppose me?”

Xi Guanming smiled. “Where does that come from? I’m simply enforcing school regulations.”

“Enforcing school regulations?” Si Xu let out a dry laugh. “Xi Guanming, you’d better never break the rules in your life.”

One day, he would expose that hypocritical mask.

“Of course,” Xi Guanming replied with a smile.

Then he crouched down in front of Shao Ye. Reaching out, his thumb gently pressed against the cut at the corner of Shao Ye’s lips.

Shao Ye sucked in a sharp breath.

“Sorry, did I hurt you?” Xi Guanming lifted his hand slightly.

Zong Xingze stared at this in astonishment. His cleanliness obsession was gone? Or was he plotting something again? No matter how he looked at it, Xi Guanming didn’t seem like a good person.

“It doesn’t hurt that much,” Shao Ye said. “I just wasn’t prepared. President, want to touch it again?”

As he spoke, he leaned his head closer.

Xi Guanming’s warm fingertip touched his lips again. It felt like a soft, furry tail brushing against his heart. It tickled, not unpleasant, even a little comforting—but somehow still not enough.

As for what exactly felt lacking…

Xi Guanming couldn’t quite tell yet. But that was fine. He had time.

He let out a quiet laugh. His fingertip brushed across the cut again, picking up a trace of blood. Looking down, he asked, “Are you badly hurt?”

By now, Shao Ye had mostly recovered. If those people hadn’t left, he could’ve fought a few more rounds. Translated on Hololo novels. But since his boss was here, he naturally exaggerated to the fullest.

“Very badly hurt, President. I think I’m dying,” he declared with full conviction.

Xi Guanming smiled softly. “I understand. I’ll get justice for you.”

Shao Ye’s eyes lit up. Yes, this was it. After all his efforts, the president was finally going to acknowledge him as his subordinate. That beating hadn’t been in vain.

Encouraged, Shao Ye pressed on, clutching his chest. “President, my chest hurts.”

Xi Guanming nodded. “We’ll have the school doctor examine you carefully when we get back. Don’t worry, the student council will stand up for you.”

To Shao Ye, that sounded no different from the president personally standing up for him.

“My leg feels like it’s about to break too.”

“Mm,” Xi Guanming said, taking note.

“And I hit my butt on a rock just now. That hurts too.”

“So pitiful. We’ll have to check that carefully.”

Si Xu, listening from the side, looked completely unhinged. Xi Guanming was getting more disgusting by the second, acting out a whole performance with someone like Shao Ye.

Zong Xingze also felt something was off about Xi Guanming, but at the moment, Si Xu—gritting his teeth nearby like he was about to have a stroke—looked even more off.

He leaned closer and asked, “Si Xu, what’s wrong with you? Did he hit you so hard you got internal injuries?”

From what he saw in the footage earlier, Si Xu hadn’t even fought. Maybe he joined in later? But it didn’t quite look like it.

Si Xu bared his teeth and said coldly, “I feel like throwing up.”

Zong Xingze gasped. “You’re pregnant?”

Si Xu roared, “Zong Xingze, can you try using your brain for once?!”

As if he hadn’t heard the exchange at all, Xi Guanming simply asked Shao Ye, “Can you still stand?”

Shao Ye glanced at Si Xu and said in a low voice, “Barely.”

“Then get up first. I’ll take you to the school clinic.”

Shao Ye answered and sprang up from the ground in one motion. He brushed the fallen leaves and dirt off himself, then followed Xi Guanming out of the oak grove.

“Didn’t he just say his leg was about to break?” Zong Xingze couldn’t make sense of Shao Ye’s logic at all. He wasn’t even pretending properly, so what was the point of lying?

From the look of his back, it wasn’t just that all four limbs were intact, he was practically striding along at full speed.

Si Xu sneered. “He also said you’re an idiot. Are you?”

Zong Xingze: “……”

Why are you so fired up? Did you swallow gunpowder?

---

In the school clinic, Shao Ye sat on the bed. His upper body was completely bare, mottled with bruises, and several abrasions were still seeping blood.

The school doctor was a balding man in his forties wearing glasses. He had just taken out a box of alcohol wipes from the cabinet. Turning around and seeing Shao Ye, he chuckled. “Nice physique, young man.”

Shao Ye proudly puffed out his chest. Xi Guanming stood by the window, golden sunlight slipping past his shoulder and landing on Shao Ye’s honey-colored skin. Translated on Hololo novels. For some reason, Xi Guanming suddenly felt a bit thirsty. His Adam’s apple bobbed twice, yet his gaze didn’t move away.

The doctor gave Shao Ye a full checkup, including his head. Though his injuries looked serious, they were all superficial. The worst one was a long gash on his back, likely scraped by a stone on the ground, stretching from the middle of his back down to just above his butt, over thirty centimeters long.

The doctor set down the CT film and said, “You’ve got a solid build. Just apply medication daily when you get back. It should all heal within a month, no scars left behind.”

Shao Ye nodded earnestly, looking very well-behaved. After leaving the clinic, Xi Guanming took him to the student council office building, where the students involved in the fight were still waiting for him to handle the matter.

On the way, Xi Guanming asked, “How are you going to apply medicine to your back?”

“I can ask my roommate to help,” Shao Ye replied.

“Alright. Remember it yourself, twice a day. Don’t forget.”

“My memory’s pretty good, President, don’t worry,” Shao Ye said. Then suddenly he realized he had overlooked something. He froze, slapped his forehead, and exclaimed, “Oh no, oh no!”

“What’s wrong?” Xi Guanming turned to ask.

“You said Jiang Yan was going to the grove to find me, but now we’re not there. Won’t she fall right into Si Xu’s hands?”

Xi Guanming smiled faintly and reassured him, “It’s fine. Zong Xingze is still there.”

Shao Ye clenched his fists anxiously. “What good is Zong Xingze being there? Does he like Jiang Yan too?”

Xi Guanming nodded. “Mm, probably.”

“Of course he’s an idiot!” Shao Ye cursed, then quickly urged, “President, let’s hurry back. Maybe we can still make it in time for a hero-saving-the-beauty moment.”

“Not yet. Let’s go back and treat your injuries first.”

Shao Ye looked deeply moved. He almost said that his injuries didn’t matter and his boss’s happiness was more important, but seeing Xi Guanming’s firm attitude, he changed his tone and encouraged him instead:

“It’s fine, it’s fine, missing it this once doesn’t matter. President, I believe in you. You’re the only one who’s truly sincere toward Jiang Yan. Si Xu and Zong Xingze, how could they even compare to you? Unless Jiang Yan’s blind, she’ll definitely choose you in the end!”

Xi Guanming: “……”

Sometimes, that level of faith really isn’t necessary.

---

Author’s note:

【Did No. 6 hire bots to boost his stats? Why are his livestream numbers so high? Wasn’t he at the bottom just a couple days ago? Now he’s almost at number one】

: What’s so strange about that? The other streamers are all doing side quests, only No. 6 is involved in the main storyline

: Correction, involved and changing the main storyline

: Further correction, involved, changing the main storyline, and still alive

: What was up with the president today? Why does it feel like his attitude toward No. 6 is kind of… you know… Is No. 6 manipulating the backend stats or something? Why is the president treating him like that!

: Ship it and you’ll understand?

: ?

: If you’re shipping, please exit left, understood?

: I’m not shipping!!! I’m not!!! I’m a hardcore president fan! There are screenshots on my profile to prove it!

: What’s that supposed to prove? Only fans know who the real partner is

: You—

: lmao

: Someone like the president would never date in school, let alone with a guy. Shipping has rotted your brains

: Even though the president acted a bit strange today, I still feel like he’s planning something big to screw No. 6 over

: I just saw a micro-expression analysis post about the president on the main page, it’s got hundreds of thousands of likes. I think it makes sense Screenshot1.jpg / Screenshot2.jpg / Screenshot3.jpg / Screenshot4.jpg

: That’s way too long

: It sounds reasonable (even though I didn’t read it, but it’s so long it must be right)

: I’m illiterate, can someone translate it for me?

: Basically, the president is going to use No. 6 for something huge, and No. 6 is doomed

: Really?

: Obviously. No. 6 has offended the president so many times. Everyone can see it clearly. Aside from those shippers, who in their right mind would think the president would let him off?

: Don’t worry, if No. 6 graduates smoothly, I’ll eat shit upside down

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