Author Archives: Thandar

“What if Si Xu asks Jiang Yan to dance at the ball?” Shao Ye asked. Since the president told him not to provoke Si Xu, he couldn’t exactly go break Jiang Yan’s legs.

Hm?

Wait.

That didn’t seem like a completely bad idea.

Not to the extreme of breaking her legs, of course, but he could think of a way to keep Jiang Yan from attending tonight’s ball.

Shao Ye quickly got his clever little brain working.

Xi Guanming said, “If they dance, they dance. It’s fine.”

He didn’t think that just because Si Xu invited Jiang Yan, she would necessarily agree. And even if she did, so what? Even if Jiang Yan really became Si Xu’s girlfriend, at most he would lose a minor source of amusement. And now, it seemed he had found something even more entertaining.

One of Shao Ye’s life goals was to become the worm in his boss’s stomach, but clearly he hadn’t cultivated that skill enough. He had no idea what Xi Guanming was actually thinking. He said:

“President, I think your attitude right now is a bit passive. That won’t work. When pursuing love, you have to be bold and take action. You’re too reserved in front of Jiang Yan. She hasn’t even realized you like her. I believe that if you just used even one-tenth of the effort Si Xu puts in, Jiang Yan would definitely choose you.”

“Is that so?” Xi Guanming let out a faint, ambiguous chuckle. Lowering his gaze, he looked Shao Ye over. Translated on Hololo novels. Sunlight fell across his bare back, as if coating it with a layer of sweet honey, making one want to taste it. Only the wound running down the middle was somewhat unsightly.

Xi Guanming pressed his tongue lightly against the roof of his mouth, then asked with a smile, “Shao Ye, you seem quite experienced. How many relationships have you been in?”

“Uh…” Shao Ye gave an awkward laugh. He didn’t dare look at him and lowered his head, lacking confidence. “Not many. Less than five.”

“Less than five means how many?” Xi Guanming pressed.

Why was the president digging into something like this? Shao Ye didn’t want to lie, so he answered in a small, somewhat embarrassed voice, “Zero.”

“That is less than five,” Xi Guanming’s smile deepened slightly. “Alright, you don’t need to worry about this matter anymore. Enjoy the ball.”

He glanced down at his watch, then added, “I need to leave campus for a while. If you’re tired, just sleep here. If you come back late after the ball and the dorm is locked, you can stay here.”

Shao Ye looked up, full of gratitude. “President, you’re so kind.”

Xi Guanming smiled faintly and said nothing more. He put on his coat and left the lounge.

---

A message from home had just come in. The butler said the old master of the Xi family had fallen in the garden that afternoon and had been sent to the hospital, still unconscious. As the eldest grandson, Xi Guanming naturally had to go in person.

Xi Guanming’s parents had been in an arranged marriage. They barely knew each other before the wedding, and afterward, they never developed any real affection. After giving birth to him, they treated him like a burden and went their separate ways, each indulging themselves. In an entire year, the three of them could count the number of times they were together on one hand.

From infancy, Xi Guanming had been left at the family estate. The old master hired two nannies to care for him. One of them had psychological issues and often abused him in secret. Xi Guanming neither cried nor made a fuss. He would simply stare at her with those dark, grape-like eyes, like a puppet. The more she was watched like that, the less control she had over herself. Several times, she nearly drowned him in the bathtub.

Many of the household staff thought the young master was strange, privately wondering if something was wrong with his mind, though none dared say it in front of the old master.

The abuse wasn’t discovered until three years later. The old master was so furious he broke the cane he had used for over twenty years and immediately summoned Xi Guanming’s parents back from abroad that very night, scolding them harshly.

Lying in the hospital bed, Xi Guanming looked coldly at those who came. There was no emotion in his eyes. His mother took one glance and hurried away, saying he was frightening, like a monster. His father, constrained by the old master’s orders, stayed for two hours. One hour was spent flirting with his mistress on the phone, the other complaining about the old master to his drinking companions.

As Xi Guanming grew older and began to understand the rules of the world, he learned to disguise himself, becoming the “good child” everyone spoke of. Even so, his parents still didn’t like him.

His father had countless lovers, many of whom bore him children. Four or five had even been brought to the Xi family to demand money. His mother was slightly more restrained, though she also had many lovers. She gave birth to a pair of twins, whom she cherished dearly, taking them everywhere, holding one in each hand at social gatherings.

Xi Guanming neither envied nor resented them. It was like watching a performance that had nothing to do with him. Only, their script and acting were far too dull. Many times, he felt like helping them spice things up with something more exciting.

A few years later, his parents finally divorced. Yet on their way out, they were involved in a car accident and both died. The scene had been gruesome, their flesh and blood intertwined beyond separation, forcing them to be cremated together.

When alive, they loathed each other, feeling disgusted even after sharing a bed. Translated on Hololo novels. Yet in death, they would lie together forever in this way. The irony amused him. At least it gave the otherwise boring drama a somewhat interesting ending.

At the time, Xi Guanming had just entered middle school. At the funeral, he appeared deeply grief-stricken, like any ordinary child mourning their parents.

In truth, he felt no sadness at all. Nor did he feel joy. It was simply as if two irrelevant strangers had died.

Still, the aftermath provided another entertaining spectacle. After their deaths, those illegitimate children fought over the inheritance, yet in the end, none could even prove they had the right to claim it.

---

The old master’s injuries were not severe. By the time Xi Guanming arrived at the hospital, he had already regained consciousness.

Seeing him, the old man tugged at his lips in a faint smile. “Guanming, you’re here?”

Xi Guanming nodded. “Grandfather, how did you fall?”

The old man seemed in good spirits. “There was a stone underfoot. I didn’t notice and tripped. Forget that—how have things been at school lately?”

“Quite well.”

“You…” The old master began, then didn’t know how to continue. He sighed inwardly. He knew his grandson was emotionally distant, but considering the abuse he suffered as a child and the parents he had, it was already remarkable that he had grown into what he was now.

He had once hoped that attending school and interacting with peers would change his temperament. And indeed, on the surface, he had become more polite and refined. Business partners praised him endlessly.

Yet the old man couldn’t shake a hidden worry. If one day Xi Guanming chose to stop pretending, what kind of things would he do?

“Don’t go too far with anything,” he advised. “That’s enough.”

“I understand, Grandfather.”

“Let’s hope he truly understands.”

“Not dating anyone at school?” Old Master Xi asked, shifting to a lighter topic.

“No.”

The old master smiled. “At your age, you should be dating. No girls chasing after you?”

Xi Guanming shook his head.

“My grandson is this handsome, and not a single girl is after you?” the old master joked. But seeing the exact same smile still on Xi Guanming’s face, he suddenly found it dull. He waved him off. “Alright, Guanming, you can go back. I’ve got plenty of people here. I don’t need you.”

After sending him away, the old master lay alone on the hospital bed, turning his head to look at the towering buildings outside. He couldn’t help but worry when his grandson would finally develop some genuine, human emotion.

---

Night fell deep, a few stars flickering faintly.

Shao Ye slept in Xi Guanming’s lounge. When he woke, he saw a message from his roommate saying the auditorium had been requisitioned. Translated on Hololo novels. They probably wouldn’t be able to attend tonight’s ball. Only the top elites of the school could get in.

Whether he could attend didn’t matter to Shao Ye. As long as Si Xu didn’t go bother Jiang Yan, that was enough. But after asking around, he found out Jiang Yan would be going with her good friend.

Shao Ye couldn’t help but complain. Even someone like him, an utterly ordinary rich guy, couldn’t get in, yet Jiang Yan, a poor student, got an invitation. If Si Xu wasn’t behind this, he wouldn’t believe it even if beaten to death.

He went back to the dorm, grabbed a random outfit from his wardrobe, threw it on, and rushed toward the auditorium.

And, unsurprisingly, he was stopped at the entrance.

Looking at the diligent students guarding the door, Shao Ye lifted his chin. “The president sent me. You’re not letting me in?”

“The president sent you here? For what?” If there was something to do, why wouldn’t the president come himself? And even if he sent someone, it should be someone from the student council.

Shao Ye was completely unreasonable. “Don’t worry about what he sent me here for. If you don’t let me in, you’re basically offending him. Think it through.”

The student rolled his eyes, clearly speechless. Just as he was about to reply, another student ran out from inside and whispered something in his ear. His expression toward Shao Ye immediately shifted from disdain to suspicion. He exchanged a couple of meaningful blinks with his companion, then waved his hand. “Fine, go in.”

Shao Ye lifted his chin with a proud snort and swaggered into the auditorium.

He was wearing a black tailcoat. It wasn’t designer or custom-made, but the fabric was excellent, durable, stain-resistant, and wrinkle-free. In his opinion, all suits should be made of this material. But everyone else thought he looked like an uncouth nouveau riche, pointing at him and snickering.

Shao Ye, however, didn’t realize they were laughing at him at all. What a joke. He was the president’s man now, who would dare point fingers at him?

Perfume lingered in the air, glasses shimmered in the light. Shao Ye searched through the crowd for Jiang Yan, but after a long while, he couldn’t find her. Just as he turned to check the adjacent dining hall, a boy about 175 cm tall walked up to him.

The boy looked somewhat delicate, dressed in a Gothic-style white shirt with layered ruffles under the collar. His features were refined, his skin pale. With a friendly smile, he asked, “Hey, which class are you from? Want to be friends?”

“Sure, I’m in Class 5, second year,” Shao Ye replied readily, immediately pulling out his phone to add him.

The boy turned to get his phone, but in that moment, he failed to hold onto his wine glass. The drink spilled completely onto Shao Ye’s shirt.

Shao Ye looked down at the white shirt soaked in red wine, now clinging tightly to his broad chest muscles. He cursed under his breath, not noticing the boy across from him swallow hard in excitement.

“Ah, sorry, sorry,” the boy quickly set down the glass and reached out. “I’ll help you lick—ah no, I mean, I’ll help you wipe it.”

But before his hand could land on Shao Ye’s chest, it was blocked by a bottle of champagne.

Annoyed, the boy turned his head. “What—ah~”

His initially sharp tone immediately softened into a flattering one upon seeing who it was.

Hearing the voice, Shao Ye looked up. The irritation on his face instantly turned into a bright smile.

“Oh? President, you’re back?”

---

Author’s note:

【Has no one dug into who No. 6 is in real life? No shipping allowed in this thread! No shipping!】

: Of course people have tried, plenty of times, just haven’t figured it out

: That mysterious? What does he do, a spy?

: Probably not that dumb of a spy… right

: If we judge purely by stupidity, maybe just a college student

: We’re just netizens, that comment crossed the line

: I’m just minding my own business online, why did I suddenly get kicked

: I feel attacked, haha! slams bowl on table.jpg

: The most outrageous take I saw was someone saying he’s the emperor’s chief eunuch

: …

: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

: That just hurt my eyes

: Well… uh… I don’t even know what to say

: I seriously think No. 6’s identity isn’t simple. In other streams it’s always the heroine getting splashed, why is it him here? And the president playing hero saving him? What kind of garbage plot is this! And they say he didn’t tweak the backend data? Why did the president stop that guy from groping him? Why did the president get mad? (Don’t say he wasn’t mad, I saw his lips press together before he smiled, that means he was mad!) And the president has severe cleanliness issues, so why let him on the bed, treat his wounds, let him sleep there? The character setting is collapsing! Are they forcing the president into some lovestruck simp too? Completely ruining his image! He’s perfectly normal in other streams! I’m reporting this! I’m reporting this!!!

: I’m speechless… you ship harder than me

: Quickly scoops rice back into bowl.jpg

: OP said no shipping

: But OP is the one posting that…

: Uh…

: Isn’t this just tricking people into shipping

: What a cunning shipper

: I AM NOT A SHIPPER!!!!!!!!

≽^•⩊•^≼

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?

≽^•⩊•^≼

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

≽^•⩊•^≼

Just as Zong Xingze was about to press Xi Guanming further about Jiang Yan, he looked up and saw the faint, relaxed smile on Xi Guanming’s lips freeze in place. It was rare for him to show such an expression, and Zong Xingze immediately grew curious. Leaning in, he asked, “What’s wrong with you? What kind of expression is that?”

The next second, he looked down at the surveillance footage on the screen and let out an impressed “whoa.” “Si Xu finally couldn’t hold back and made a move?”

Seeing that Xi Guanming ignored him completely, Zong Xingze poked his arm twice and asked, “But how did you even find this guy? Someone who dares to openly go against Si Xu, you could count them on one hand in the whole school. Or did you promise him some kind of benefit?”

Adjusting the volume on his earpiece, Xi Guanming asked, “What makes you think he’s mine?”

Zong Xingze snorted with laughter. “Come on, do I even need to ‘figure it out’? The entire school already thinks he belongs to you. Everywhere he goes, all he talks about is you!”

“Have you looked into him?” Xi Guanming asked.

“Why would I bother?” Zong Xingze said. “That night in the gym, when he held two ‘halberd mops’ and dominated everyone, the story spread all over the school. For days, my feed and group chats were full of him.”

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Come on, tell me how you got him on your side. I want a dog like that too. Si Xu is so annoying. I’ve wanted to deal with him for ages,” Zong Xingze complained with a grin. What he didn’t say was that, if necessary, he might even use this opportunity to trip Xi Guanming up.

“He’s not my dog,” Xi Guanming said calmly, lowering his gaze.

Zong Xingze scoffed, unconvinced. “Who are you putting on an act for? Oh right, what happened to that chessboard you left on the table outside? Why’d you stop playing?”

“I put it away,” Xi Guanming replied.

On the monitor, bronze-red leaves from the oak trees blanketed the ground. Shao Ye stood with his chin raised, looking less like someone about to be surrounded and beaten, and more like he was about to take on all of them by himself.

Si Xu didn’t actually intend to go too far. During the summer, he had been scolded at home after racing at Qianren Mountain, and even had his car keys confiscated. Translated on Hololo novels. His mother told him his behavior this semester would determine whether he got them back over winter break. So he didn’t want to make too big of a scene. After all, behind Shao Ye stood Xi Guanming, that hypocrite. Xi Guanming probably wouldn’t care what happened to Shao Ye, but he might use it as an excuse to stir trouble, which would be a headache to deal with.

Arms crossed, Si Xu stared at Shao Ye for a while before asking, “Did Xi Guanming put some kind of spell on you?”

Shao Ye looked at him with disdain. “A spell? You’re superstitious. The president relies on his personal charm.”

Si Xu: “……”

Charm, my ass.

Cursing internally, Si Xu asked again, “So you’re not letting Jiang Yan go?”

Shao Ye tilted his head, puzzled. “Isn’t the one not letting her go you?”

Honestly, wasn’t it Si Xu who chased after Jiang Yan every day? If he hadn’t been constantly trying to engineer chance encounters with her, Shao Ye wouldn’t have had to keep watch around her, cutting into his workout time.

“What I have with Jiang Yan is…” Si Xu started.

What was it, exactly?

He couldn’t say. More precisely, he couldn’t bring himself to say it. In the end, he snapped in frustration, “What exactly did Xi Guanming give you? I’ll give you double. Stay away from Jiang Yan from now on.”

“Not happening. What my boss gives me, you can’t afford,” Shao Ye replied firmly.

“What did he give you?” Si Xu pressed. As far as he knew, Xi Guanming hadn’t given Shao Ye anything at all. At least, not on the surface.

In front of the computer, Xi Guanming leaned back slightly. His narrow eyes half-lidded as he watched Shao Ye on the screen, fingers tapping lightly against the desk, his expression unreadable.

Zong Xingze, unable to hear the audio, grew impatient seeing that no fight had broken out yet. He reached out to grab Xi Guanming’s earpiece. “What are they saying? Let me listen too.”

Xi Guanming glanced at him calmly. Zong Xingze pursed his lips and withdrew his hand. “So stingy.”

On the monitor, beneath the towering oak trees, red leaves drifted in the wind. Warm autumn sunlight filtered through the branches, falling on Shao Ye like a halo of light. His voice rang out, firm and clear:

“A bright future.”

Xi Guanming had not expected that answer at all. He froze for a moment, then raised a hand to his forehead and slowly laughed.

Hearing his laughter, Zong Xingze quickly stepped back toward the wall. “What the hell, don’t laugh like that, it’s kind of scary.”

Across from Shao Ye, Si Xu was utterly speechless.

A bright… what?

What kind of future?

Probably stunned by the answer, he didn’t know what to say. He let out a dry laugh, then the more he thought about those words, the funnier they became, until he burst into loud laughter.

Shao Ye was startled. What was so funny? Had Si Xu gone crazy? Was he going to bite someone?

When Si Xu finally stopped laughing, he straightened up. The realization hit him that trying to negotiate with Shao Ye had been completely idiotic. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand and ordered, “Beat him.”

At last, the group assault officially began.

Watching for a while, Zong Xingze propped his chin on his hand and commented, “This guy’s actually pretty skilled. Unfortunately, the people Si Xu brought aren’t pushovers either. He probably won’t last. Judging by Si Xu’s attitude, your little dog will likely end up in the hospital for months. He won’t be usable anymore. I suggest you find a new one soon.”

Xi Guanming said nothing. His fingers tapped casually on the keyboard, and the screen went black, reflecting only his expressionless face.

Zong Xingze frowned. “Why’d you stop watching?”

Xi Guanming stood up and walked toward the door.

“Hey! Where are you going?” Zong Xingze called.

“To find the most useful underling in the world,” Xi Guanming replied.

“?” Zong Xingze wondered if he had misheard. “What? Are you joking?”

Xi Guanming’s pale lips curved slightly, almost smiling. “You tell me.”

With that, he pushed the door open and walked out without looking back.

Zong Xingze was completely baffled by what he’d just heard. Flicking the strand of hair on his forehead, he hurried after him with a grin. “Calling someone your underling? Did your late-phase teenage cringe finally kick in?”

In the oak grove, Shao Ye was down on one knee.

He couldn’t remember how many punches he had thrown, nor how many he had taken. Translated on Hololo novels. His body was covered in cuts from branches and stones, the corner of his mouth split. He coughed, and a salty, metallic taste surged up his throat.

The people who had surrounded him weren’t in great shape either, but they still had the advantage in numbers. If this kept going, he figured he might as well dig a hole right here and bury himself. At this point, though, whether the fight stopped was no longer up to him.

Heavy breathing rose and fell in the quiet grove. One by one, the others got back on their feet, surrounding him again. Not far away, Si Xu made a gesture, and they paused.

Stepping over the carpet of fallen leaves, Si Xu walked slowly up to Shao Ye and looked down at him with a mocking smile. “I told you already. Xi Guanming doesn’t care about you at all. Look at you now, beaten into this pathetic state. Has he sent anyone to check on you?”

Shao Ye thought to himself, With how intense that fight just was, how was I supposed to notice if anyone came?

And he didn’t believe Si Xu had been paying attention to that either.

Si Xu had been bottling up frustration because of Shao Ye these past days, and now that he’d finally vented it, he recalled the ridiculous things Shao Ye had said earlier and couldn’t help laughing again.

“Xi Guanming can give you a bright future? You know what? That’s the funniest joke I’ve heard all year. Since you made me laugh this much, I’ll tell them to go easy on you later. At least you won’t miss your final exams this semester.”

That really wasn’t necessary.

Si Xu bent down, reaching out as if to lift Shao Ye’s chin and see what kind of despair or fear was written on his face. But then he seemed to recall how dirty Shao Ye was and withdrew his hand midair.

“How could you think Xi Guanming would care whether you live or die? If he cared even a little, he wouldn’t have let you oppose me. What do you even have to go against me? Your muscles? Or that head of yours that probably sloshes if you shake it?”

Shao Ye’s head drooped. He was completely drained, not even in the mood to speak. He almost wished Si Xu had mind-reading abilities, just so he could hear all the insults Shao Ye was hurling at him internally.

“And Xi Guanming… all he does is put on an act. Even Jiang Yan got fooled by him. Dark inside, petty and vengeful, yet always pretending to be some model student. It makes me sick just looking at him.”

“So you understand me that well, do you, Si Xu?”

The moment Si Xu finished speaking, Xi Guanming’s voice drifted in from behind him like a ghost.

Si Xu turned around to see Xi Guanming approaching in a black uniform, and a flicker of surprise crossed his face.

He had assumed Xi Guanming was treating Shao Ye as a disposable pawn. Yet here he was, showing up in person. What was he planning?

Meanwhile, Shao Ye, who had been kneeling there half-dead, suddenly lifted his head at the sound of Xi Guanming’s voice. A strange light burst into his dark eyes.

The miserable, battered lackey had finally seen the one who could back him up.

Xi Guanming walked over and met Shao Ye’s gaze, full of joy and smugness. He paused slightly, and an indescribable sense of pleasure rose in his chest. Somehow, it felt even better than manipulating all those conflicts across the school.

Shao Ye trusted him blindly. Translated on Hololo novels. He didn’t doubt for a second that Xi Guanming would be at a disadvantage here. After meeting his eyes, he immediately complained, “President, they started it this time too.”

Xi Guanming gave a soft “mm.” “I know.”

“How adorable,” Zong Xingze muttered from behind, rubbing his hands together as he said quietly to Xi Guanming, “President, why don’t you give him to me instead?”

Before Xi Guanming could respond, Shao Ye snapped without hesitation, “Idiot.”

…

Author’s note:

[?????? I bet all my coins on No. 6 getting eliminated today. I was just about to win. President, what are you doing?! What are you doing?!]

: Maybe No. 6 still has some value

: This isn’t about value. The president used Si Xu to get rid of No. 6, but at the last moment he changed his mind. Why why why I don’t understand

: What’s there not to understand? The president clearly loves him

: Shipping fans, please exit stage left, thank you

: Other streams are constant chaos. Only No. 6 is different. I still hope he lasts longer

: But honestly… it’s getting harder… when he said “idiot,” my brain short-circuited

: I have to say, impressive. Is No. 6 trying to offend all of Golden Laburnum’s top four? Only the basketball captain is left. The devs should add an achievement for that, with a reward of painless death

: Does No. 6 even know who he just insulted? When I heard that “idiot,” my heart dropped. That’s a prince. Show some respect and call him His Highness Xingze

: Could it be the president actually has feelings for No. 6? I’m not even shipping them, but something about his attitude feels off

: If you’re going to pretend to be neutral, at least hide your profile posts

: Wow, someone just clicked and saw “Gentle President Falls in Love: A Three-Way Drama”

: I think the president definitely has other plans. No. 6 has ruined things for him several times already. Maybe he thinks expelling him now is too easy and wants to torment him more later

: In bed, maybe?

: I’ll say it again, shipping fans, exit stage left!!!

≽^•⩊•^≼

Shao Ye clearly felt that after he spoke, the leather shoe pressing on his chest seemed to push down harder. But before he could figure out what Xi Guanming intended, the pressure suddenly lifted, and the shoe moved away.

Xi Guanming lowered his head and looked at Shao Ye’s slightly dazed eyes, full of apology. “Sorry. I was thinking just now and didn’t watch where I was going. I stepped on you by accident. Does it hurt? Are you alright?”

Shao Ye let out an “oh,” not doubting him in the slightest. He shook his head. “It’s fine. Doesn’t hurt. Even if you stepped harder, it’d be okay.”

“Why would I step harder?” Xi Guanming let out a soft laugh. He bent slightly, his gaze moving down from Shao Ye’s face, taking him in from head to toe. Shao Ye was wearing nothing but a pair of dark blue patterned swim trunks, lying there completely defenseless, unafraid of what others might do to him.

But given how well he fought, with more than a dozen people unable to do anything to him and instead ending up beaten into a mess themselves, he really didn’t need to be afraid.

Xi Guanming’s gaze returned to Shao Ye’s face. Smiling lightly, he asked, “But Shao Ye, why are you lying here? If you want to sleep, you should go back to the dorm. And your mouth… why is it bruised?”

Shao Ye puffed his cheeks. “Just fought a bunch of idiots.”

He’d gone too easy on them earlier. Translated on Hololo novels. If this weren’t school, if his boss hadn’t yet acknowledged him, he would’ve beaten them so badly even their parents wouldn’t recognize them.

Xi Guanming seemed completely unaware of what had just happened. He frowned slightly in disapproval. “Shao Ye, the student council’s lectures haven’t ended yet, have they? Why aren’t you being obedient?”

Shao Ye felt wronged and immediately defended himself. “They attacked first! President, this was self-defense. I can’t just lie there and let them beat me!”

“Oh? That’s true,” Xi Guanming said, his brows relaxing. “Who was bold enough to cause trouble at a time like this?”

“I don’t know them,” Shao Ye said, sounding a little aggrieved.

The smile at Xi Guanming’s lips deepened. “It’s alright. I’ll check the surveillance later and find out who they are.”

“President, once we catch them, how will they be dealt with?”

“According to school regulations.”

According to regulations, it would probably just be a disciplinary record. Shao Ye pouted in disappointment.

“What’s wrong? Do you have other ideas?” Xi Guanming asked.

Shao Ye nodded eagerly. “Can it be worse for them?”

“I’m afraid not. The student council has to follow the rules.”

Just as he thought.

His president was simply too principled, too impartial. Or maybe Shao Ye just wasn’t important enough to him yet. He would have to keep working harder.

He believed in himself. He could do it.

Xi Guanming had no idea what was going through Shao Ye’s mind. The slightly downcast, puppy-like eyes suddenly lit up again, filled with hope for the future.

Straightening, Xi Guanming looked down at Shao Ye, still on the ground. “Can you get up? Do you need me to have someone take you to the infirmary?”

“No, no, I’m fine. Just a bit tired. Wanted to rest for a while.”

Besides, the infirmary was probably busy. The dozen people who had run out earlier were in worse shape than him.

As he spoke, Shao Ye sat up. With the motion, beads of water slid down his honey-colored chest, over his firm abdomen, then disappeared into the waistband of his swim trunks.

Xi Guanming’s gaze was drawn to that drop of water almost against his will. It vanished from sight too soon.

Why did that feel… unfortunate?

Shao Ye noticed his expression shift and followed his gaze downward. Nothing was wrong. He had briefly thought his swim trunks had faded in the water, which would have been embarrassing.

“President?” he called.

Xi Guanming came back to himself. “It’s nothing. But even if you’re tired, you shouldn’t lie here. Go back to your dorm and get some proper rest.”

Shao Ye nodded and stood up, wiping the water from his face. “President, did you come here to swim?”

“No,” Xi Guanming replied. “A student reported that someone had blocked the pool entrance. I happened to be free, so I came to take a look.”

Who was it that beat him to reporting it?!

Shao Ye let out an “oh,” a hint of frustration appearing on his face.

He never hid his emotions well. Happiness or displeasure was always written clearly on his face. But sometimes, even someone as perceptive as Xi Guanming couldn’t quite tell what he was thinking.

“I still have things to take care of,” Xi Guanming said with a smile. “Shao Ye, head back on your own and be careful.”

Shao Ye was about to nod when Xi Guanming suddenly changed his mind. “Actually… it won’t take long. I’ll walk you back.”

Shao Ye didn’t really understand. Translated on Hololo novels. It was broad daylight. What danger could there be? But since the president was offering, there was no way he would refuse.

After quickly changing, Shao Ye left the gym with Xi Guanming. On the way back to the dorm, Xi Guanming received a call. His usually gentle expression darkened for a moment, but in the blink of an eye, he returned to normal.

Shao Ye felt secretly pleased that he had caught that fleeting change. Where else could you find a subordinate as attentive as him?

“What happened, President?” he asked.

Xi Guanming glanced at him and sighed softly. “Si Xu and Jiang Yan have gotten into another conflict. I’m worried.”

Worried? About what?

Si Xu and Jiang Yan both had terrible tempers. It was normal for them to clash. But why was the president so concerned about Jiang Yan? Didn’t he say before that he didn’t like her?

Wait… he never actually said that.

Shao Ye suddenly had a realization. His eyes lit up. “I understand!”

“What do you understand?”

Shao Ye patted his chest and assured him, “Leave it to me. I’ll protect Jiang Yan and make sure Si Xu doesn’t get near her. President, you can rest easy.”

Rest easy?

Hearing this, Xi Guanming almost wanted to laugh. Looking at Shao Ye’s utterly confident expression, he gave a soft “mm” and said with a hint of gratitude, “Then I’ll have to trouble you, Shao Ye.”

Shao Ye didn’t find it troublesome at all. The president was willing to entrust him with something so important, which clearly showed an extraordinary level of trust. He would definitely carry out the task well and not disappoint him.

From now on, Si Xu wouldn’t get anywhere near Jiang Yan.

Shao Ye’s execution was astonishing. He didn’t even bother sleeping and immediately went to chase away the annoying “flies” around Jiang Yan.

As a result, the suffering shifted to Si Xu.

He seriously suspected that he had offended fate this year. One Jiang Yan wasn’t enough, and now this Shao Ye had appeared out of nowhere just to oppose him.

Jiang Yan was one thing, she was a girl, and he had some interest in her, so he was willing to tolerate her again and again. But what was Shao Ye supposed to be? Just because he hadn’t made a move lately, did this guy really think he was someone easy to bully?

Jiang Yan herself didn’t understand why Shao Ye had suddenly started caring about her so much. She had always assumed Shao Ye was on Si Xu’s side. Only now, seeing him fighting Si Xu’s people, did she realize she had misunderstood. Splashing Si Xu with water at Lostin that day had been wrong, but she didn’t regret it at all.

After Si Xu’s people were driven off, Jiang Yan walked up to Shao Ye and asked, “Why are you helping me?”

Shao Ye had already decided that Xi Guanming liked Jiang Yan, so he worked hard to boost his boss’s favorability in front of her. Hearing her question, he immediately replied, “The president told me to.”

Jiang Yan was even more confused. “Xi Guanming? Why?”

Did the student council really have nothing better to do?

“Of course it’s because our president likes you!” Shao Ye declared righteously.

Jiang Yan: “Huh?”

And just like that, rumors that Xi Guanming liked Jiang Yan spread throughout Golden Laburnum. However, since the two barely interacted, most people treated it as a joke and didn’t really believe it.

Still, some people were anxious enough to lose sleep over it.

Early the next morning, Zong Xingze, the most mysterious “little prince” of Golden Laburnum, showed up at Xi Guanming’s office with dark circles under his eyes. He was about to jump onto the desk when he remembered Xi Guanming’s cleanliness habits and awkwardly stepped back instead.

Seeing Xi Guanming ignore him, Zong Xingze pinched his voice and called, “President~”

Xi Guanming lifted his eyelids and gave him a cool, indifferent glance.

“Why are you treating me like this, President? It breaks my heart,” Zong Xingze said, clutching his chest dramatically.

“What do you want?” Xi Guanming asked, his tone cold, nothing like the gentle demeanor he showed in public.

“I heard you like Jiang Yan. That’s not true, right?” Zong Xingze asked cautiously.

Xi Guanming countered, “Why? If I do like her, will you stop liking her?”

“Well… no. If you like her too, then I’ll just have to get rid of you.” Zong Xingze drew a finger across his throat.

Xi Guanming ignored him and opened his laptop.

“Come on, tell me the truth. Do you like Jiang Yan or not?”

Without looking up, Xi Guanming tossed the question back. “What do you think?”

Zong Xingze groaned. “You’re no fun.”

Xi Guanming clicked the mouse twice. The screen displayed surveillance footage from the oak grove north of the artificial lake. Si Xu had brought people to block Shao Ye’s path.

Xi Guanming narrowed his eyes. A smile appeared on his face that made Zong Xingze’s skin crawl.

“I think… it’s quite interesting,” he said.

“What’s interesting about that?” Zong Xingze asked, baffled.

Xi Guanming didn’t answer. In the footage, Si Xu’s voice could be heard as he approached Shao Ye step by step.

“Do you know what mistake you’ve made?”

Shao Ye clearly hadn’t grasped the seriousness of the situation. Rolling his wrists, he said, “What mistake? Beating you until you didn’t know what to do?”

Si Xu’s face darkened like the bottom of a pot. Through clenched teeth, he said, “You’re really a loyal dog to Xi Guanming. Too bad he doesn’t even want you.”

Shao Ye bared a row of white teeth, completely unconcerned. “Trying to drive a wedge between me and my boss? Save it. The bond between me and my boss is something you could never understand. I’m telling you, even if the sky collapses and the seas dry up, my boss would never not want me. He’s super satisfied with me, okay? He’ll never find a better underling than me!”

Inside the surveillance: Si Xu: “…”

Outside the surveillance: Xi Guanming: “…”

…

Author’s note:

[No. 6 is really in danger this time. Let’s wish him a safe journey]

: How is he in danger? Doesn’t he have the president protecting him?

: Wait, you actually believe that? Did you and No. 6 buy your brains together on discount?

: Even the president is stunned. Where does No. 6 get this confidence?

: Is there some hidden plot the show didn’t reveal?

: If there is, it’s so hidden that even the president himself doesn’t know

: The president set up a perfect “kill with a borrowed knife,” and No. 6 not only didn’t notice, he’s charging straight into it

: Si Xu: Help! This guy is a rabid dog! Do I need a vaccine after getting bitten?

: Even the president is speechless

: Si Xu brought some strong people this time. No. 6 probably can’t hold out

: Even if he does, Si Xu will pressure the school to expel him. With No. 6 around, he can’t get close to Jiang Yan at all

: RIP

: I wonder if No. 6 will realize the president’s true nature before the end

: When he finds out the president actually finds him annoying, he’s going to cry little pearls

: I want to see the little pearls! Can we get that livestreamed too?

: Why is the shipping thread screaming again

: They re-edited No. 6’s last line

: What?

: “My boss is super satisfied with me”

: “He’ll never find anyone better than me”

: …

: …

: …

: My silence is deafening

≽^•⩊•^≼

Shao Ye nodded repeatedly, echoing Xi Guanming’s words. “They deliberately caused trouble while you weren’t here, President. That just shows they don’t respect you at all. You have to punish them severely! Oh, and I also saw some student council members involved. They’ll definitely be expelled from the council this time, right?”

Shao Ye felt secretly pleased. This counted as merit, didn’t it? Maybe they could open a small back door for him and let him into the student council. He really wanted to devote himself wholeheartedly to serving the president.

But Xi Guanming said, “That’s not something I can decide alone. It still requires a vote from the school committee.”

Shao Ye blinked, confused. “But didn’t the principal just say you would handle it?”

Xi Guanming smiled. “The principal was just saying that. There’s no way he would actually ignore it. My role is mainly to investigate the cause and process of the incident.”

Shao Ye let out an “oh.” The president really worked hard.

Xi Guanming put away the paper and pen on the desk, then looked up at Shao Ye. “By the way, Shao Ye, why are you here so late?”

Caught off guard, Shao Ye couldn’t answer immediately. He couldn’t exactly say that he had slept too well during evening class, worried he wouldn’t be able to sleep later, so he skipped the rest and went to the gym to burn off energy.

He gave an awkward chuckle, his brain spinning rapidly, but like a fan without blades, it made no wind no matter how fast it turned.

“Uh… well…”

Seeing he couldn’t answer, Xi Guanming asked again, “And why are you dressed like this? Why aren’t you in uniform? Where is it?”

“In the equipment room next door,” Shao Ye said guiltily.

“Don’t do that again,” Xi Guanming said, standing up to leave.

“Yes, President.”

In the dim corridor, the ceiling lights flicked on one after another with each step. Shao Ye followed behind Xi Guanming and asked curiously, “President, why didn’t you answer your phone when I called?”

“I left my phone in the office,” Xi Guanming replied.

“Then I’ll go get it for you.”

“No need. I’ll get it myself. I also need to enter the list into the computer.”

“Then I’ll go with you, President,” Shao Ye said, not missing a single opportunity to ingratiate himself.

“Go with me for what?” Xi Guanming asked.

“It’s already dark outside. The other student council members have probably all gone back to their dorms. I’ll walk you back, and see if there’s anything I can help you with.”

“I’m not—” Xi Guanming started, then for some reason stopped midway. He glanced at Shao Ye and said, “Fine. Do as you like.”

Shao Ye happily followed him to the office. Xi Guanming didn’t actually need his help, so he sat obediently on the sofa outside, holding a cup of water with both hands, eyes wide as he curiously looked around.

So this was where the president worked. He wondered when he would be able to enter here openly.

No, wait, he wasn’t sneaking in today either!

Compared to before, when he could only watch the president from afar, this was already a qualitative leap. As long as he kept working hard, one day he would win the president over, or the president would win him over.

Shao Ye amused himself with this thought for quite a while before turning his attention to Xi Guanming, who was working seriously. Translated on Hololo novels. A laptop sat before him, and his long fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard. The tapping sound filled the room.

The large-scale fight that had barely begun before being suppressed by two mops ultimately had no further consequences beyond disciplinary action for those involved. Those who were to be expelled were expelled, those who were to receive demerits received them. Xi Guanming handled everything within a single morning, showing no leniency. The results were submitted to the school committee and approved immediately.

To prevent such incidents from happening again, the student council organized half a month of ideological lectures, determined to drill compliance with school rules into every student at Golden Laburnum. The old principal sat on the podium, repeating over and over that this was Golden Laburnum Academy, not a championship arena, and before throwing a punch, students should think about their identity, their parents, and their future.

The students below yawned endlessly, some even discussing in group chats how to fight without being caught by the school.

That Friday, an important political figure came to give a speech at Golden Laburnum. The student council had been preparing the welcome ceremony for half a month. Jiang Yan would speak on stage as the student representative.

In the office, Xi Guanming sat in front of his computer, silently watching the surveillance footage on the screen.

The speech went smoothly from start to finish, with no incidents at all. Not long ago, the principal had even sent him a message praising his preparation.

Standing across from him, Shao Ye said proudly, “This morning, when I was running on the field, I saw that guy Zhao He acting suspiciously. So I followed him secretly and found out he planned to make Jiang Yan embarrass herself on stage.”

Even if the president no longer liked Jiang Yan, this event was organized by the student council. Causing trouble here would be like slapping his boss in the face. And Zhao He was one of Si Xu’s people. No matter what, Shao Ye couldn’t let him succeed.

“Luckily I discovered their plan in time and stopped it before it could happen,” Shao Ye said, pausing before adding with flattery, “When I caught him, he was pretty unwilling to accept it and asked what right I had. I said it was you who sent me, President, and he immediately behaved.”

After hearing Shao Ye’s report, and just as the speech in the surveillance footage ended, Xi Guanming reached out and closed the laptop. He picked up the cup beside him, only to find it empty. Shao Ye quickly noticed and immediately took the cup to refill it to the brim.

Xi Guanming accepted the cup but only set it aside. “Shao Ye, you’ve done very well. The student council should commend students like you.”

“Then can I join the student council?” Shao Ye asked eagerly.

Xi Guanming smiled. “Let’s wait a bit. I’ll discuss it with the other student council members.”

Although it still wasn’t a definite answer, it at least gave Shao Ye some hope. From the bottom of his heart, he said, “President, you’re really great.”

Meeting his sincere gaze, the smile on Xi Guanming’s lips deepened. “This is all the result of your own hard work, Shao Ye.”

The little version of Shao Ye inside his heart started dancing on the spot. What was this? This was truly that effort is rewarded. Hard work really did pay off.

With no classes in the afternoon, Xi Guanming was busy in meetings, and Shao Ye had nothing else to do. After eating, he went to the top floor of the gym to swim.

He had just changed into his swim trunks and stepped out of the locker room when someone shared his location in a group chat.

They still hadn’t settled the score with him over what happened that night in the gym.

Putting aside how he had held them in place for over half an hour with two mops, just the fact that he recorded a video and posted it was enough to make him pay.

Even though Shao Ye didn’t have that many contacts on his messaging app, maybe four or five hundred, over three hundred people had liked it. Those people then shared it across various group chats, spreading it from ten to a hundred, until by dawn the next day, everyone at Golden Laburnum knew exactly how they had fought and how they had been subdued. They had completely lost face.

Then there was what happened with Zhao He today. If they didn’t deal with Shao Ye, it would be impossible to vent their anger. This time, they had learned their lesson. They hired someone to disable the surveillance cameras in the area, stationed lookouts at the entrances, and arranged for warnings if anyone approached, ensuring they could escape quickly if needed.

When planning their revenge, someone even suggested grabbing a mop from the restroom. Translated on Hololo novels. But considering that once used, it might not distinguish between friend and foe, they reluctantly abandoned the idea.

After Shao Ye swam two full laps to his heart’s content and returned to the starting point, he saw that the entire pool area had been cleared. More than a dozen boys stood at the edge, glaring at him.

He took off his goggles, glanced at them, and asked, “Looking for a fight?”

“To beat you,” someone replied.

Shao Ye let out a snort. Gripping the pool edge with both hands, he pushed himself up in one motion and landed on the ground. Rolling his wrists, he said, “Then let’s go.”

If he couldn’t win, he’d figure out how to run later. Begging now wouldn’t help anyway.

These people didn’t bother with any rules. The moment he finished speaking, more than a dozen of them rushed forward. They had come here specifically to make him suffer.

But they hadn’t expected that even with so many people, they still couldn’t do much to him. These weren’t amateurs either. Among them were practitioners of Shaolin kung fu, taekwondo, judo, and more. Yet in fighting Shao Ye, they actually found themselves at a disadvantage.

In the end, the fight concluded with all of them fleeing in disarray.

Shao Ye wasn’t in great shape either. There had simply been too many of them. The fight had been exhausting.

Breathing heavily, almost unable to catch his breath, he fell backward onto the marble floor once they were gone, limbs spread wide. Closing his eyes, he planned to take a short nap right there.

Not long after, he heard footsteps approaching. The sound came closer and closer until—

A cold leather shoe stepped onto his chest.

Who the hell is that? Can’t you watch where you’re walking?

Shao Ye cursed inwardly. He exhaled, opened his eyes in annoyance, about to start yelling—only to instantly change expression the moment he saw who it was. The gloomy face that looked like someone owed him millions transformed smoothly into a flattering smile, so seamless even a master of face-changing would admire it.

Shao Ye looked down at the shoe, then back up at Xi Guanming. Xi Guanming was looking toward the pool, and from this angle, Shao Ye could only see the sharp line of his jaw.

In a small voice, he said, “President… you’re stepping on me.”

…

Author’s note:

[Sisters! I think I finally understand the president’s joy]

I used to think the president was crazy. Well, I still do. But this is honestly so fun. Gym fight, cafeteria fight, even the mayor got slapped twice today, and then another brawl. He’s single-handedly turned a campus romance into an action movie.

: That many fights? What happened?

: Didn’t you watch the stream? In the gym fight, the nobles got beaten badly, so they weren’t convinced. They thought the president was favoring the poorer students, so they deliberately caused trouble in the cafeteria and fought again. Then on Friday, when the mayor came and Jiang Yan was giving her speech, a drone dropped eggs. It missed and hit the audience instead, and then another fight broke out

: In stream No. 3, an egg hit the mayor’s head

: Wow, amazing

: I heard the first world was intentionally set as a simple school setting to help the volunteers adapt to Neverland

: “Simple,” sure

: I haven’t watched much, mostly No. 6. I like his chest

: That’s fair. Other than No. 6’s stream, everyone else is fighting

: No. 6 fought today too. Not as big, but still satisfying to watch

: What does No. 6 even do in real life? Why is he so good at fighting

: Ahhh he’s so handsome! I forgive him for being dumb!

: President: I do not forgive

: It all started on that ordinary night. After No. 6 saved Jiang Yan, the gears of fate began to turn…

: Probably won’t turn for long. The president is about to deal with him

: The fact that the president has tolerated him this long is already impressive

: No way he can keep tolerating him. Haven’t you seen even someone as composed as the president can’t keep it up around him anymore? I bet No. 6 is gone within two weeks

: Then why are people in the shipping threads screaming

: No. 6 just got stepped on by the president, why are they so excited

: I don’t even want to know

: Can the camera move down a bit? Where exactly is the president stepping on him?!

: With that tone No. 6 just used… I’m afraid to imagine

: I’m not, hehe

: Alright, now I get why they’re excited

≽^•⩊•^≼

With a mop in each hand, both freshly “baptized” in the toilet, Shao Ye strode back to the dance studio. The door was half-closed. In just that short time, the students inside were already fighting fiercely.

Shao Ye stepped forward and shoved the door open with his chest. Inside was utter chaos. Punches and kicks flew everywhere, groin strikes, sweeping legs, eye gouging, fingers in noses, slaps, hair-pulling. Those with weapons swung them; those without relied on fists and feet. Every underhanded move imaginable was being used. At this point, it wasn’t just the poorer students who had abandoned all decorum. Even the nobles, who usually carried themselves with such arrogance, had completely lost their composure. Tables and chairs flew, crashing loudly. Some had their pants nearly pulled down yet still clamped their teeth onto their opponent’s arm.

Spectacular. Truly spectacular.

Watching the scene, inspiration struck Shao Ye. He brought the two mops together, freed one hand, pulled out his phone, and aimed it at the crowd to record a short video.

Step one to protecting campus peace: post on social media.

Caption: Stop fighting!

After that, Shao Ye put away his phone, gripped the mops tightly, took a deep breath, centered himself, and with the momentum of Zhang Fei at Changban Bridge driving back a million troops, he roared at the fighting students, “All of you, stop!”

His voice rang out like thunder, briefly overpowering the noise.

They all turned to look at him, though their fists and kicks didn’t stop. Seeing Shao Ye standing at the door, they couldn’t help but wonder, who is this guy telling them to stop? Holding two mops like that, did he think they were assault rifles? That if they didn’t listen, he’d just mow them all down?

They turned back and continued fighting.

Lu Yiheng, however, immediately recognized him as the guy who had saved Jiang Yan the night before. Maybe he had even reported him to the school. He signaled to his friends. Forget everyone else, he was going to pin this guy down and beat him senseless to vent his anger.

Four or five people moved toward Shao Ye at the entrance. Under normal circumstances, dealing with them would take some effort. But today was different. Shao Ye felt it was necessary to make them understand, as quickly as possible, who was in charge here.

Looking at them, he slowly raised the mops in his hands. The approaching students hesitated, wondering if this was some strange pre-fight ritual.

Then they heard Shao Ye clear his throat and shout loudly, “Attention, everyone! Attention! These two mops I’m holding were just rinsed in the toilet. When I start swinging them, they won’t have much aim. If any of you want a taste, feel free to keep fighting!”

The few who had been about to step forward froze mid-step. The once-deafening dance studio fell silent in an instant. A large empty space opened up in front of Shao Ye.

Everyone stared at the mops in his hands as if they were looking at a demon. Was he insane? He might as well have brought an assault rifle.

Shao Ye clicked his tongue and walked forward. With every step he took, the students around him stepped back. The crowd parted like the Red Sea, automatically splitting to either side and leaving a wide path for him. No one wanted to provoke him at a time like this. If he went crazy and swung that mop into their face, how were they supposed to show themselves at Golden Laburnum afterward? How would they even get a girlfriend?

Holding the mops, chest out and head high, Shao Ye walked down the path like a victorious general returning from battle.

He stopped in the center of the studio and slowly turned in a circle, as if giving everyone a full display of his weapons, which were only moderately dangerous but highly humiliating. His gaze swept across their faces as he said in a low voice, “Alright, those with Lu Yiheng, stand on the left. Those who aren’t, stand on the right. Don’t even think about running. Anyone who touches the door, I’ll smack them with this mop first. I mean it.”

Such a large-scale brawl would definitely earn major disciplinary punishment. Thinking of running now? Dream on.

Wary of the mops in his hands, no one dared resist. They obediently split into two groups.

Shao Ye nodded in satisfaction, pulled out his phone again, found a good angle, and took a group photo, plus a selfie.

Then he posted again.

Caption: Another day maintaining campus peace 💪💪💪

“Who exactly are you?” a short boy in the crowd asked.

Shao Ye put away his phone, lifted his chin, and said, “Since you’ve sincerely asked, I’ll graciously tell you.”

The others glared at the boy. Why did you even ask?

Shao Ye continued, “To protect the world from devastation, to unite all peoples within our nation, to uphold the evils of truth and love…”

“Cute and charming villain?” someone muttered, recognizing the famous line from Pokémon.

Shao Ye immediately shot back, displeased, “Who’s the villain? Say clearly, who’s the villain?”

Who else could it be?

What kind of “hero” shows up holding something like that?

“My name is Shao Ye, Class Five, second year,” he declared, giving both his name and class. “Anyone have the president’s contact? Give it to me.”

Someone gave him the number, but Xi Guanming didn’t answer. After a moment’s thought, Shao Ye tried contacting the principal, who had left with him.

The principal, upon hearing there was a mass brawl at school, nearly had a heart attack and immediately rushed back with Xi Guanming and the school leadership.

After hanging up, Shao Ye leaned his elbows on the ends of the two mops and looked at the bruised and battered students in front of him, scolding them in frustration, “The president’s not at school for one night and you all go wild? Do you even have any respect for him?”

The crowd fell silent once again. Whether they fought or not had nothing to do with whether the president was on campus. Translated on Hololo novels. Even if Xi Guanming had been there, the fight would still have happened, and probably even more fiercely. Who would have thought they’d run into someone like Shao Ye, such an absolute fool.

Though reason didn’t depend on who spoke louder, at the moment, reason was clearly in the mops he held. No one dared argue. One by one, pale-faced, they listened as Shao Ye rambled on without end.

Normally, Shao Ye wasn’t particularly talkative. But once he started talking about Xi Guanming, he couldn’t stop. He went on and on, not feeling thirsty in the slightest, as if he could keep talking all night.

God above! Why hadn’t the principal come back yet? Even if the principal didn’t come, security should have arrived by now. If they didn’t show up soon, they were really going to be brainwashed.

“…Just look at yourselves. Can’t you give the president a bit less to worry about? When he’s here, you should follow school rules and study properly. When he’s not, you should be even stricter with yourselves! You have to live up to the uniform you’re wearing and the ground you’re standing on!”

Everyone’s eyes glazed over as they listened, half asleep, suffering endlessly. Was he really talking about the president? Shouldn’t that be the principal?

And besides, if he followed discipline so well, why was he here at this hour?

When Xi Guanming arrived with the school leadership, they happened to hear Shao Ye’s speech. Xi Guanming paused slightly, then stepped forward as usual and pushed open the door. Inside, Shao Ye stood in the center of the crowd, wearing his workout tank top and shorts, his exposed arms and legs lined with well-defined muscles. Like a dragon guarding its treasure, he stood protectively over the two mops, his expression passionate, his tone forceful.

Hearing the door, Shao Ye turned around. The moment he saw Xi Guanming, his eyes lit up instantly. “President, you’re here!”

What a bootlicker!

The others cursed him silently.

The principal followed in behind Xi Guanming. Over fifty, with graying hair, his eyes were brimming with emotion. On the way over, he had already learned that the situation had stabilized, so he had only stationed security outside. The students inside, too busy listening to Shao Ye passionately praising Xi Guanming, hadn’t even noticed.

The principal patted Shao Ye on the shoulder. “Shao Ye, right? Very well done, very well done.”

Shao Ye stared at Xi Guanming and said foolishly, “It’s all thanks to the president.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Xi Guanming said truthfully.

“No need to be modest, Guanming. I’ve always trusted your work,” the principal said, pressing a hand to his chest with a sigh. “When I heard there was a group fight on campus, I nearly had a heart attack.”

“The matter has been resolved,” Xi Guanming reassured him. “There’s no need to worry too much.”

“Thankfully it was handled in time,” the principal said, wiping nonexistent sweat from his brow as he glared at the students. Then he turned back to Xi Guanming. “I’ll leave the follow-up to you.”

Xi Guanming acknowledged him. After the principal and the others left, he glanced at the mops lying in the center of the room, then calmly led the dejected students into a cleaner room.

Seated behind a desk, he produced a fountain pen from somewhere and began recording the names, classes, and student IDs of everyone involved. Translated on Hololo novels. When he finished, he said, “It’s late. Go back and rest. Come to my office tomorrow morning.”

As they were about to leave, he added, “I hope no one causes any more trouble tonight.”

For some reason, though his tone was perfectly ordinary, a chill ran down everyone’s spine.

Before long, only Shao Ye and Xi Guanming remained in the room. Xi Guanming set down his pen, raised a hand, and rubbed his forehead without speaking.

Silence spread through the room. Seeing this, Shao Ye hurried to pour a cup of hot water and ran over, holding it out with concern. “President, does your head hurt?”

Xi Guanming lowered his gaze to the list on the paper, still saying nothing.

Shao Ye continued on his own, “They were really too out of line. Causing trouble the moment you’re not here. You should definitely teach them a proper lesson tomorrow, so no one follows their example.”

At last, Xi Guanming lifted his head. He looked carefully at Shao Ye. Under the light, his honey-colored skin appeared smooth and almost glossy. As he leaned forward, the loose black tank top hung open at the chest, revealing sculpted, full muscles beneath.

After a moment, Xi Guanming pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose and let out a soft laugh. “Yes… truly very out of line.”

…

Author’s note:

[Why does the show make us guess who will win in the end? Why not guess who gets eliminated first?]

: No. 6. I’m voting.

: The president’s smile tonight looks so dangerous

: No. 6 in danger danger danger danger

: Don’t know who wins in the end, but at this rate, No. 6 probably won’t last a month

: That was intense just now. Streams 1 through 5 were chaos, people calling ambulances, and No. 6 settled everything with two mops

: To be precise, toilet mops

: Do we even need to guess who gets eliminated first? Just wait. The president is definitely going to play No. 6 like a fiddle. The kind where he gets sold off and still helps count the money

: Really curious what No. 6 does in real life. With that brain, there aren’t many jobs he could handle

: What’s wrong with his brain? If his brain was bad, would he come up with using toilet mops to dominate the whole scene?

: Fair point, can’t argue with that

: Why are there people shipping No. 6 with the president? The president clearly finds him annoying

: Where’s the annoyance! The president totally loves—

: There are actually people shipping them? Where’s the love?

: Love buried deep, hard to express—

: Lmao

: Let them have it. No. 6 is about to get eliminated anyway, what’s wrong with letting them ship a little

≽^•⩊•^≼

Hearing Shao Ye’s evaluation of him, Xi Guanming’s expression did not change much. The faint smile still lingered at the corner of his lips as he asked, “Why not sleep on the bed?”

If he took the bed, where would the president sleep? On the floor? That would be completely backwards!

Shao Ye shook his head. “I’m fine sleeping on the floor.”

“Alright,” Xi Guanming didn’t insist. As he took off his coat, he said, “It’s late. Go to sleep. If you feel uncomfortable, let me know and we can switch.”

After saying that, he reached up and turned off the light. The room fell into darkness. Pale moonlight filtered through the thin curtains, and the shadows of leaves cast onto the opposite wall looked like rabbits with drooping ears.

Lying on the floor, Shao Ye thought about how he was now sleeping in the same room as Xi Guanming. Every cell in his brain seemed to be throwing a party. There was no trace of sleepiness. His eyes were wide and bright. After his thoughts ran wild for a while without tiring, he finally couldn’t hold back and softly called out to the person on the bed, “President?”

“Mm?”

“Do I really have no chance of getting into the student council?”

Xi Guanming had told him earlier he could try again next year, but the problem was that by then Xi Guanming would have already graduated. What would be the point of joining after that? Was he supposed to wholeheartedly serve the student body? As if!

Xi Guanming’s slightly low voice came from above as he patiently explained, “Before next year’s recruitment, if any current members are dismissed for misconduct, the student council will consider recruiting new members.”

“Then can I get in?” Shao Ye asked, full of hope.

“That would still require a collective decision,” Xi Guanming said. “It’s not something I can decide alone. Shao Ye, do your best.”

Shao Ye let out a long sigh. It felt like getting into the student council was hopeless. He had already tried so hard before and still failed the interview. He was telling the truth, there really was something shady going on!

“Don’t overthink it. Sleep. You still have class tomorrow morning. Good night,” Xi Guanming said.

“Good night.”

…

The next morning, as soon as it was light, Shao Ye got up from the floor. But Xi Guanming had woken even earlier and already left. He had left a note by Shao Ye’s pillow, asking him to close the door when he left.

Shao Ye folded up the bedding on the floor and stuffed it into the cabinet, then sprinted all the way back to the dorm. He took a quick shower, changed clothes, rushed to the teaching building, grabbed a piece of bread on the way, and dashed into the classroom just as the bell rang. The entire sequence was smooth and fluid.

His grades had always been at the bottom of the class. He never paid much attention during lessons. Sitting in the back, he yawned at the screen full of equations. He thought with relief that at least being an ordinary member of the student council didn’t require good grades, then immediately remembered he hadn’t even gotten in.

Tragic. Truly tragic.

Shao Ye lay half-dead on his desk for most of the morning. Having eaten only a piece of bread, his stomach had long been growling. As soon as class ended at noon, he rushed to the cafeteria.

On the third floor of Lostine Restaurant, Jiang Yan arrived as promised at table seventeen, the one Shao Ye had reserved. She had no idea what kind of person this “boss” he spoke of would be. After all, in a prestigious academy, a term like “boss” felt strangely out of place.

Since it was daytime and lunchtime, the restaurant was filled with students who had just finished class. Jiang Yan didn’t need to worry like she had the night before. But when she saw the face of the person who arrived, a face both familiar and detestable, anger surged straight to the top of her head.

By the time Shao Ye finished eating and drinking his fill, planning to head upstairs for his favorite mango pudding as dessert, he noticed a crowd of students gathered noisily by the windows on the east side.

Shao Ye enjoyed a good spectacle. He easily pushed through the crowd and saw, at the center, Si Xu, who usually carried himself with arrogance, now sitting with a dark expression. Translated on Hololo novels. His platinum hair was dripping wet, water falling steadily. His white shirt was soaked through, turning semi-transparent, revealing the contours of his muscles beneath.

Shao Ye instinctively compared the two of them. In both size and shape, Si Xu was completely outmatched. He quietly asked a nearby student, “What happened? Did Si Xu fall into the fountain downstairs?”

The student wasn’t sure either. “No idea. I just heard Jiang Yan call him trash, and then suddenly she splashed a glass of water in his face and walked off.”

It had happened too suddenly and was too shocking. By the time everyone reacted, Jiang Yan was already gone.

“Jiang Yan’s temper is awful. No wonder so many people hate her!” someone behind them commented.

“She just snaps out of nowhere. Better stay away from her in the future.”

Shao Ye nodded in agreement. Fortunately, the president hadn’t come today. If Xi Guanming had been splashed instead, his grand plan would have collapsed before it even got started.

“What are you looking at? Get lost!” Si Xu shouted angrily at the crowd, and the onlookers scattered immediately.

Shao Ye rubbed his chin and didn’t linger. There weren’t many classes in the afternoon, so he planned to head to the gym to train his biceps.

When Xi Guanming heard about what had happened at Lostine that noon, he simply smiled faintly and made no comment. He continued processing the documents submitted to him, then forwarded them to the school committee for approval.

Lu Yiheng’s bullying of a fellow student was severe. After unanimous discussion by the committee, he was to be expelled. As for the other four accomplices, they were all given major demerits and placed on probation.

The vice president of the student council looked at the decision and hesitated before asking carefully, “President, isn’t this punishment too harsh? Lu Yiheng didn’t actually cause any real harm to Jiang Yan.”

Without even lifting his head, Xi Guanming continued reviewing the remaining documents. “If you knew what Lu Yiheng intended to do that night, you wouldn’t think so.”

“And the Lu family—”

“If they’re dissatisfied, they can take it up with the school,” Xi Guanming said, pausing slightly as he switched pens. “If they’re willing to publicize the matter.”

The vice president said nothing more. He picked up the documents and was about to leave when Xi Guanming called him back.

“Is there anything else, President?” he asked.

Xi Guanming took out a list and said, “After dismissing these people, there will be vacancies in the student council. This time, try to select students with good academic performance.”

Not long after the semester began, some wealthy students in the council had, under certain influences, used the student council’s name to bully new students. It wasn’t until complaints reached Xi Guanming that they toned it down.

Xi Guanming had not acted immediately, and those people had quietly relaxed, thinking the matter had passed and the president would not pursue it further. They hadn’t expected him to deal with everything all at once today.

With these positions opening up, and the president specifically requesting high-performing students, it was likely that many of them would go to less privileged students.

Following the principle of speaking less and doing more, the vice president replied, “Understood, President. I’ll arrange it.”

“Thank you for your hard work,” Xi Guanming said with a smile.

Not long after the vice president left, Xi Guanming’s phone lit up on the desk. Someone had sent him a message, saying that something significant would happen at the school that night and hoping the student council would stay alert.

Xi Guanming ignored it, flipped the phone face down on the desk, and stood up to leave.

“President, where are you going?”

“I have something to discuss with the principal,” Xi Guanming replied. “I may not be on campus tonight. Continue your patrols as usual.”

At dusk, the orange-red glow of the sunset spread across the sky like luxurious brocade, shifting in layers of light and shadow, dazzling and magnificent.

At present, tensions between commoners and nobles within Golden Laburnum were growing increasingly intense. The school’s harsh punishment of Lu Yiheng had only further fueled this conflict.

When Lu Yiheng first learned he was to be expelled, he didn’t take it seriously at all, assuming it was a joke. After all, he hadn’t actually done anything to Jiang Yan the night before. On what grounds were they expelling him? But soon after, a teacher called him in for a talk. It was real.

Insane. The school had completely lost its mind! Just to protect some poor student, they were treating them like nothing? After discussing it with a few close friends, Lu Yiheng decided to gather more people and make a big scene. If they wanted to expel him, then he might as well fully live up to the charges first.

Of course, they had another consideration. If enough people were involved, the school couldn’t punish everyone. Surely they wouldn’t dare expel all of them?

The poorer students weren’t all pushovers either. They had already felt injustice on Jiang Yan’s behalf. After learning of Lu Yiheng’s plan, they quickly devised their own strategy, deciding to play along and confront them head-on.

All of this had nothing to do with Shao Ye.

During the two evening classes, he slept through one and a half of them. To make sure he wouldn’t be unable to sleep later, he snuck off to the gym to burn off his excess energy. Before long, he was drenched in sweat. Standing in front of the mirror, he raised his arms and admired his strong physique.

In the mirror, the boy wore a black tank top and shorts, the muscles on his arms rising like rolling hills.

Not bad. Shao Ye turned around and looked himself over again. His glutes could probably use a bit more work.

Just then, the dance studio next door, which had been quiet until now, suddenly grew noisy. But it didn’t sound like dancing. Curious, Shao Ye went to take a look. Inside, dozens of people had split into two groups, shouting insults at each other. Some were already clenching their fists, eager to strike. A full-blown brawl seemed moments away.

Shao Ye sucked in a breath. So many people gathered here… were they about to fight? It certainly didn’t look like they were celebrating a birthday.

This could get serious. He should report it to the president immediately.

But earlier in the evening, he had seen the president leave with the principal. He was probably no longer on campus. And even if he could bring him back, it might be too late. Fists and kicks had no eyes. What if the president got hurt?

That would be a problem.

Shao Ye rubbed his chin, his expression turning solemn as he mobilized the few functioning brain cells he had. Translated on Hololo novels. Calling security might help, but if he could turn the situation around himself, save the day at this critical moment, then when the president returned, he would definitely be impressed. Maybe he’d even agree to take him in as a subordinate.

But there were at least thirty or forty people inside. Two fists couldn’t beat four hands, let alone dozens.

So what should he do?

Shao Ye suddenly slapped his forehead.

Got it!

…

Author’s note:

[Discussion: Is the president deliberately escalating the conflict between the two sides?]

: Remove the word “is,” thanks

: He’s already helped the poorer students suppress the nobles several times. Not just suppress, but really crushing them. But the noble kids are directing all their resentment toward the poorer students

: He has a point though. Nobles should have dignity. The trash should be weeded out early instead of left to ruin Golden Laburnum’s atmosphere

: Poor students: the president is a good person

: Nobles: the president is a good person

: He should thank us.jpg

: He even allocated some student council spots to the poorer students because he was worried they were at a disadvantage. Honestly, I’m moved to tears

: No. 6 should be the one crying. The president literally told him last night he doesn’t make the decisions

: The president knew there would be a big fight tonight. Not only did he leave, he even took the school leadership with him

: School leadership: I feel very reassured with you as student council president pat pat

: No. 6 is actually on-site, thank goodness

: This many people in a group fight, what a scene

: I’m already thinking of calling an ambulance for them

: Fight! Fight!

: Is No. 6 going to step in?

: Which side would he even help? He’s technically from the noble class, but he helped Jiang Yan last night. Lu Yiheng’s group probably won’t accept him

: Watch closely, this man is called Old Six, and he’s about to witness an unprecedented brawl

: Old Six peeks, Old Six turns, Old Six retreats

: He didn’t even join in, and he’s already using the bathroom escape?

: Disappointing

: Wait wait wait wait wait, No. 6 is actually going in

: Is he really that bold? How many can he take?

: All of them

: Huh?

: His chest is big, sure, but taking all of them is a bit much

: Did No. 6 turn on cheats? You can cheat in Neverland?

: No, he went to the bathroom and grabbed two mops, rinsed them several times in the toilet, and now the three-year wait is over, the Dragon King returns!

: ???

: ??????

: ????????

≽^•⩊•^≼

Shao Ye first met Xi Guanming two years ago. At that time, Xi Guanming was not yet the student council president, only a student representative giving a speech at the opening ceremony.

That day, he wore a black tailcoat, with a small black bow tie pinned neatly at the collar. Every strand of his hair had been carefully arranged. From head to toe, he radiated refinement and precision.

His speech was witty and humorous, his demeanor gentle. Compared to those arrogant, untouchable top-tier aristocrats, he was almost too approachable. Rumors about his family background varied widely throughout the school, and even now there was no clear answer, but no one dared to underestimate him because of it.

Two years ago, a member of the royal family deliberately went to provoke him. No one knew what happened, but not long after, that same royal spoke of Xi Guanming with nothing but admiration and praise.

There were many wealthy people at Golden Laburnum, but even wealth had its hierarchy. Shao Ye’s family background was decent. His father had originally been a small breakfast stall owner. When Shao Ye was in elementary school, that tall, heavyset man bought a lottery ticket and became rich overnight. Translated on Hololo novels. With guidance from someone influential, he went on to invest in several promising ventures. By the time Shao Ye entered middle school, he had accumulated considerable wealth and opened hundreds of chain restaurants across the country.

But in the eyes of the old aristocratic families, such assets were nothing worth mentioning. To them, Shao Ye, his father, and all those newly rich who had risen within a few decades were nothing more than crude upstarts, unworthy of entering their circle.

Of course, Shao Ye himself had little interest in their circle. It was just that sometimes these idiots were so obnoxious it made him want to slap them twice.

He had gotten into Golden Laburnum through connections his father pulled. When he first transferred in, those people didn’t dare confront him directly, but mocked him behind his back, saying he was all muscle and no brains. Some even went too far, sneaking onto his bed while he slept to feel his chest and check whether his muscles were fake.

Shao Ye: “……”

What was wrong with having big muscles? Had he eaten their food or used their water?

Jealousy. Naked jealousy.

When Shao Ye suddenly woke up, the one touching his chest was so frightened he fell straight off the ladder. Before Shao Ye could break each of his fingers one by one, the guy had already fainted.

In the end, the matter concluded with Shao Ye writing a thousand-word self-criticism, because the one he had scared unconscious happened to be the principal’s nephew.

It was then that Shao Ye realized that if he wanted to live comfortably at Golden Laburnum, he needed to find himself a boss. He would become the most loyal subordinate, and his boss would become his strongest backing. Then he would never need to hold back against those idiots again. If he wanted to break a few fingers, he could break a few fingers.

The first person he chose was Xi Guanming. For that, he even carefully set up an observation period, secretly watching him for a long time.

The more Shao Ye learned about Xi Guanming, the more certain he became that after drifting through half his life, he had finally found the right master.

But—

The master did not care.

For example, at this year’s spring sports meet, Xi Guanming was already the student council president. Rarely, he wore a light gray casual outfit. Members of the student council followed closely behind him, reporting the arrangements for each event. He greeted every student who approached him with a smile, whether they came to apply for funding or admit mistakes.

Shao Ye took first place in the 100-meter race. Turning his head, he searched for Xi Guanming in the crowd. He was seated below the podium, head lowered as he examined the results sheet before him, like an ancient emperor meant to hold dominion over the entire world.

That year, Shao Ye participated in three events and won three gold medals. The medals were awarded by the school’s old administrators, which meant nothing special to him. He simply hung all three around his neck and ran more than twenty laps around Xi Guanming, hoping to attract his attention.

In the end, Xi Guanming did notice him, but seemed to think he was warming up. He gave him an encouraging smile, then took off his coat and continued handling his work.

Shao Ye comforted himself. It didn’t matter. As long as he worked hard enough and found a chance to prove himself to the president, he would recognize his strengths, keep him by his side, and never let him go again.

After lying low for many days, he had finally encountered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Not only had he rescued the president’s beloved, he had also managed to run into the president afterward.

Thanks to Jiang Yan!

Thanks to Lu Yiheng for bullying Jiang Yan!

And thanks to Si Xu for giving Lu Yiheng the reason to bully Jiang Yan!

There was not the slightest trace of annoyance on Xi Guanming’s face at having his plans disrupted. He spoke to Shao Ye as gently as ever. “This student, I admire your courage in standing up for what is right, and I believe the school should commend your actions. As for Lu Yiheng’s bullying of Jiang Yan, I will investigate after I return. If it is confirmed, the student council will represent the school in disciplining him. But I do not understand, why did you ask Jiang Yan to have lunch with me?”

Shao Ye blinked in confusion, then asked as if it were obvious, “Doesn’t the president like Jiang Yan?”

Xi Guanming, however, seemed unaware. “Why would you say that?” he asked.

“That afternoon, behind the gym,” Shao Ye said, “I saw you give Jiang Yan your handkerchief.”

Xi Guanming immediately recalled the moment Shao Ye was referring to. That day, Jiang Yan had just lost her mother’s pendant, and a group project she had spent half a month preparing had been deliberately ruined by her teammates. In her anger, she lashed out at everyone present. After calming down, she regretted it and hid behind the gym, crying alone. Xi Guanming had come across her then, which led to the scene Shao Ye witnessed.

Smiling, Xi Guanming said to him, “If the one crying in front of me had been you, I would have handed you a handkerchief as well.”

Shao Ye did not doubt the truth of his words at all. So the president didn’t actually like Jiang Yan? Had all his efforts tonight been for nothing?

What Shao Ye did not notice was that Xi Guanming had never directly answered whether he liked Jiang Yan.

Filled with grief and indignation, Shao Ye thought that during the sports meet, he shouldn’t have run circles like an idiot. He should have squatted down and cried. Then the president would have come to him on his own.

Xi Guanming watched as Shao Ye suddenly began making exaggerated facial expressions. For a man over one meter eighty tall, it looked rather ridiculous. Xi Guanming asked, “What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to squeeze out tears,” Shao Ye answered honestly. But his tear glands seemed unusually stubborn, and no matter how hard he tried, nothing came out.

After a brief pause, Xi Guanming asked, “Do you want my handkerchief? If you like, you can come to the student council office tomorrow to get one. You know where my office is, don’t you?”

Shao Ye nodded. Of course he knew where it was. He had wandered outside that office countless times. After a moment’s thought, he shamelessly said to Xi Guanming, “President, I want to join the student council.”

Xi Guanming replied, “Student council recruitment ended last week. If you want to join, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until next year.”

Of course Shao Ye knew that this year’s student council recruitment had already ended. Translated on Hololo novels. He had applied as well, but unfortunately failed in the very first round of interviews. At the time, he not only praised himself to the skies, but also sincerely expressed his admiration and respect for the student council president, just short of saying he was willing to be Xi Guanming’s dog. In the end, he was still mercilessly eliminated.

There was definitely something shady going on!

Those people in the student council must have been afraid that if he got in, they wouldn’t get a chance to speak in front of the president anymore!

“Try again next year,” Xi Guanming said, the corner of his lips lifting slightly. After offering encouragement, he remembered to ask Shao Ye’s name. “Student, what’s your name?”

“Shao Ye.”

“Shao Ye? Which ‘Ye’?” he asked.

“The ‘Ye’ from ‘field,’” Shao Ye replied, his eyes bright, his honey-colored chest muscles full and firm, almost gleaming under the moonlight.

Xi Guanming nodded. “Alright, I’ll remember it.”

Jiang Yan really should have come to see this, to see how the president remembered someone’s name. Even though he hadn’t managed to get into the student council through the back door, this still counted as a huge step forward.

“President, I’ll walk you back,” Shao Ye said, puffing out his chest.

Xi Guanming’s gaze lingered briefly on his chest before he softly replied, “No need. The dorms are about to close. You should head back soon.”

Shao Ye obeyed, though he kept turning back repeatedly as he left, like a child going to kindergarten for the first time.

Just that this “child” was a bit oversized.

Xi Guanming waved goodbye to him.

As Shao Ye walked, he thought, why would Xi Guanming come here so late? Could it be he had eaten too much and came out for a walk to digest? He remembered the convenience store outside the dorms sold digestive tablets.

But what if the president wasn’t feeling bloated?

Whatever. Those tablets wouldn’t cause any harm anyway. They could be eaten like hawthorn candy. If he guessed right, wouldn’t the president look at him in a whole new light?

Shao Ye couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Just then, he heard Xi Guanming call from behind him, “Student Shao Ye.”

Shao Ye immediately stopped and turned around. “President, is there something else?”

“The weather’s getting cooler,” Xi Guanming said. “Button up your shirt so you don’t catch a cold.”

Shao Ye let out an “oh,” lowered his head to fasten his buttons, then dashed toward the dorms at full sprint.

Xi Guanming remained where he was. He raised his left hand, checked the time under the streetlight, and the smile on his face vanished in an instant.

Shao Ye was still too late. By the time he got back, the dorm doors were already locked. He could still get in, but he would definitely get scolded by the dorm supervisor. It would be better to find somewhere outside to make do for the night.

After leaving the convenience store, he planned to deliver the medicine to Xi Guanming first, then find a place to sleep. When Xi Guanming saw him return, he asked in surprise, “Why haven’t you gone back yet?”

“President, the dorm is closed,” Shao Ye said, sounding a little aggrieved.

“That’s unfortunate,” Xi Guanming said, glancing at the dorm building in the distance. “Come with me to the office building. There’s a place to rest on the third floor.”

The president was such a good person. Shao Ye immediately perked up and handed over the medicine he was holding.

Xi Guanming looked down at it, puzzled. “What is this for?”

“I saw you walking outside so late,” Shao Ye said, blinking his dark eyes. “Are you feeling unwell?”

Xi Guanming took the medicine box and smiled. “Then thank you, Shao Ye.”

They went together to the lounge on the third floor of the office building. The room was small, with only a single bed by the window, a low cabinet at the bedside, and two potted plants on the windowsill. There was nothing else inside.

After arriving, Xi Guanming went to the restroom first. Cool water ran over his fingertips. White foam, along with two pills, was washed down the drain.

After a while, he carefully dried his hands with a towel before coming out.

By then, Shao Ye had already laid out bedding on the floor. Xi Guanming lowered his gaze toward him and said softly, “Shao Ye, there’s something I’d like to tell you.”

Shao Ye sat up straight and looked at him attentively, more serious than he ever was in class.

Meeting his eyes, Xi Guanming paused, then said, “Si Xu is a good friend of mine. Since he likes Jiang Yan, why don’t we let him take my place at tomorrow’s lunch at Lostine? He can properly apologize to Jiang Yan. What do you think?”

“President,” Shao Ye said.

“Hmm?” Xi Guanming leaned slightly closer, listening.

Shao Ye’s face showed both admiration and helplessness. With complete sincerity, he said, “You really are a good person.”

Author’s note:

[No. 6’s character explodes in greatness, spending the night alone in the same room as the president, two men alone together, sparks flying, a night of passion]

: Holy shit! Is that real?! No. 6 is that strong?!

: It’s real… but… however… the actual situation is slightly different from the title

: May I ask, where is the passion? Where is it?!

: Reporting clickbait title

: The “passion” is probably at Si Xu’s lunch table tomorrow

: I can only say, President, truly worthy of you

: “Good friend” “Good person”

: Is it that the president’s definition of “good friend” is different from ours, or that No. 6’s filter is just too strong

: Si Xu: ???

: Sitting at home and suddenly taking the blame

: Si Xu: Thanks, but really unnecessary

: Damn it, feels like No. 6 actually managed to flatter his way in

: What do you mean flatter? He just touched the president’s hand, and the president went back and washed his hands for half an hour out of disgust

: Not that long, just 29 minutes and 59 seconds

: Isn’t No. 6 taking his clothes off to sleep tonight? Without that, where’s the passion?!

: No. 6 is still being too polite. At this stage, he’s still treating the president like an outsider

: No. 6: I may be a bit dumb, but I’m not brainless

: I have doubts about the statement above

≽^•⩊•^≼

World 1 – Golden Laburnum Academy

【Golden Laburnum Academy is located on the shores of Lake Sophiliel in the eastern part of White City. It is an ancient institution with a long and distinguished history. Over the centuries, it has cultivated countless political elites and business leaders. Each year, as many as seventy percent of its graduates go on to attend top universities around the world.

At the beginning of a new semester, Class 1 of the second year welcomed a new transfer student from a small southeastern town, Jiang Yan. She was academically outstanding and always willing to help others, yet after offending Si Xu, the son of the wealthiest man, she became the target of group bullying. Not long after, led by Jiang Yan, the group of commoners challenged the lofty aristocrats. The arrogant heir of immense wealth, the refined student council president, the noble and mysterious royal descendant, and the charming, witty captain of the basketball team… what roles would each of them play in this conflict? And where would this story ultimately lead?】

Autumn had only just arrived. The cicadas that had screamed all summer were now reduced to only one or two faint calls. A gentle breeze brushed through the tops of the ginkgo trees, and yellowing leaves rustled softly overhead.

It was already close to ten at night. More than an hour had passed since evening classes ended. The night was deep and cool, and most students had returned to their dormitories. On the empty sports field, only the faint rustling of a small cat darting through the grass could be heard.

Under the bright moon, the artificial lake to the west of Golden Laburnum Academy shimmered with rippling light. To the north of the lake lay a vast oak forest. Jiang Yan stood just outside the forest. Facing her were five people, three boys and two girls. Leading them was a boy with medium-length hair, his left eye hidden beneath his bangs, idly spinning a silver pendant in his hand.

That afternoon, Jiang Yan had found an anonymous letter in her desk. Translated on Hololo novels. It claimed that someone had picked up her lost pendant and told her to come alone to the oak forest at nine-thirty that night to retrieve it.

The pendant had belonged to her mother. She clearly remembered placing it in her dorm drawer and had never worn it out, yet somehow it had gone missing.

Ever since she had offended Si Xu, she had been targeted by these so-called young masters and ladies at school. She was already used to this kind of thing. She knew full well that meeting them here would likely lead to nothing good, but for the sake of her mother’s keepsake, she had no choice but to come.

Her expression calm, Jiang Yan looked at the five people before her. She recognized the one in front, Lu Yiheng, from the class next door. He seemed to be related to Si Xu in some way.

“I’m here,” Jiang Yan said. “You can return the pendant now.”

Lu Yiheng frowned in displeasure. “Jiang Yan, what kind of attitude is that? I helped you find something you lost, and this is how you speak to me?”

Jiang Yan thought, how could someone be so shameless? They had stolen the pendant in the first place, and now they expected her to be polite?

She pressed her lips together, suppressing her anger, and repeated her request in a gentler tone.

A malicious smile spread across Lu Yiheng’s face. “Kneel down right now and kowtow to me three times, and I’ll give it back immediately. How about it? Or—”

He paused, then continued, “Tomorrow morning, go in front of Brother Si and bark like a dog three times. Which one do you choose?”

The four people behind him eagerly took out their phones and pointed them at Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan glanced at them, her expression turning cold. She should have known better. Since they had gone to the trouble of stealing her pendant, how could they possibly return it so easily? Coming here had been unnecessary.

“Keep it for yourself,” she said, turning to leave.

But Lu Yiheng suddenly stretched out his arm, blocking her path. “Since you’re here, don’t rush off.”

The other four also surrounded her. Jiang Yan’s heart tightened, but she forced herself to remain calm. “What do you want?”

“What do we want? You’ll find out soon enough.”

Lu Yiheng produced a length of rope from somewhere and tugged it hard with both hands, nodding in satisfaction. He had long wanted to teach this poor nobody a lesson. How dare she offend Brother Si, without even considering her own status!

Jiang Yan was quickly tied to an oak tree behind her. Her mouth was sealed with tape, leaving her unable to call for help. She could only glare fiercely at Lu Yiheng. He turned to the two girls and said, “Go strip her clothes.”

The girls hesitated. Wasn’t this going too far? Weren’t they only planning to leave her tied up here for the night? If the teachers or administrators found out, they would surely be punished.

“What are you standing around for? Hurry up!” Lu Yiheng urged.

Moonlight filtered through the dense branches, scattering patches of light at their feet. The insects in the grass fell silent, replaced by the soft crunch of footsteps over fallen leaves.

“What’s going on here? Not sleeping at this hour, and you’re out here bullying someone?”

A male voice came from behind Lu Yiheng and the others. It was low, carrying a faint trace of something oddly excited.

They turned around. In the moonlight, they saw a tall, well-built boy walking toward them. He looked about seventeen or eighteen, with a buzz cut. He wore a white shirt, the standard school uniform, slightly sheer, revealing the firm, well-defined muscles of his chest beneath the thin fabric.

Lu Yiheng hadn’t expected anyone to show up at this time. He didn’t recognize this person and instinctively assumed he was Jiang Yan’s helper. He shot Jiang Yan a glare. He had clearly stated in the anonymous letter that she was to come alone, yet she still dared bring someone.

“Are you a sports recruit?” Lu Yiheng asked. “Which class are you from? Do you know who we are?”

Hearing this, Shao Ye stopped, scratched his head, and looked puzzled. “What sports recruit?”

“You’re not a sports recruit?” Lu Yiheng asked.

“No,” Shao Ye replied.

Lu Yiheng was immediately confused. “Then how did you get into Golden Laburnum?”

It wasn’t that he looked down on him, but this guy clearly looked like all brawn and no brains. It was hard to imagine him solving even a single difficult math problem.

Shao Ye immediately gave him a look as if he were an idiot and replied matter-of-factly, “My dad’s rich. Isn’t yours?”

He was met with silence.

It was true that most students at Golden Laburnum came from wealth or power. But if Shao Ye had gotten in purely because of money, why would he now stand up for Jiang Yan? Didn’t he know that helping her meant going against Si Xu, and against the entire aristocratic student body?

Or was he simply that stupid?

As Lu Yiheng pondered this, he suddenly heard Shao Ye let out a sinister chuckle. Shao Ye bared his teeth in a wide grin, revealing a row of bright white teeth, and asked, “Still not leaving? Waiting for me to kill you all?”

He then let out a wild, villainous laugh, like a classic movie antagonist.

Lu Yiheng became even more convinced that something was wrong with this guy’s head. He remembered that even wealthy applicants had to pass entrance exams to get into this school.

“This is Golden Laburnum Academy, not Golden Laburnum Prison,” one of the girls mocked, though her voice carried an unmistakable hint of nervousness.

Shao Ye shrugged indifferently. “So what if it’s an academy? Aren’t you bullying someone here anyway? I just don’t know how to hold back when I act. It’s not like I’d be doing it on purpose.”

“Come on,” Shao Ye said, cracking his knuckles and raising a brow at Lu Yiheng and the others. “Are you coming at me one by one, or all together?”

Before they could answer, he added, “All together. There’s not much time. The dorms are going to lock soon.”

Lu Yiheng let out a scoff. “Big talk.”

“How big it is, you’ll know after you take a punch,” Shao Ye said. His gaze briefly paused on the two girls behind Lu Yiheng. “Let’s make this clear first. When I hit people, I don’t distinguish between men and women. If you don’t want to get hit, stay out of my sight.”

He rolled up his shirt sleeves and undid two more of the golden buttons, mottled light falling across the honey-colored muscles of his chest.

Then he stepped toward Lu Yiheng. His shadow fell over Lu Yiheng before his fist did. Lu Yiheng was nearly one meter eighty himself, and not that much shorter than Shao Ye, but the pressure Shao Ye gave off far surpassed anything Lu Yiheng could match.

Shao Ye didn’t hold back in the slightest. He came straight at him with a punch to the face. Translated on Hololo novels. The fist cut through the air with force. Lu Yiheng dodged in a panic, and Shao Ye’s blow slammed into the tree trunk behind him. The thud rang out so heavily it seemed as if the trunk itself had dented inward.

Lu Yiheng did not dare imagine what would have happened if that punch had landed on his head. This guy really was insane! At this point, the two girls clearly wanted no further part in this, and the other two, seeing Shao Ye’s mad-dog ferocity, didn’t dare step forward either.

Lu Yiheng clenched his teeth and said to Shao Ye, “Just you wait!”

And then—

He turned around and ran.

Seeing Lu Yiheng bolt, the other four didn’t dare stay either. They slunk away in embarrassment.

Shao Ye: “……”

That was all it took, and they still had the nerve to bully people?

How exactly did Si Xu choose his lackeys?

Still, his own boss had truly exceptional judgment.

Shao Ye glanced at Jiang Yan, who was still tied to the tree, feeling very pleased with himself. After long observation, he had become certain that his boss liked Jiang Yan. As a qualified, thoughtful, upward-striving underling, it was only proper for him to create opportunities for his boss.

Especially since that idiot Si Xu also seemed interested in Jiang Yan. How could his boss lose at a time like this!

His boss absolutely had to be the best!

Although for the moment his boss had not acknowledged his status as a subordinate, Shao Ye believed it would not take long before he understood Shao Ye’s worth.

Seeing Shao Ye standing there grinning to himself, Jiang Yan felt a little uneasy. In a small voice, she said, “Thank you, classmate.”

Shao Ye lifted his head and stroked his chin, but did not immediately untie her. “No need for thanks, Jiang Yan. Just have dinner with my boss tomorrow.”

Jiang Yan: “……”

For a dazed moment, she felt like she had just escaped a tiger’s jaws only to enter a wolf’s den. Her voice dry, she asked, “Your boss… who is that?”

Shao Ye leaned his upper body slightly forward, moving closer, and said mysteriously, “You’ll know when you see him tomorrow. I already made the reservation. Lostine, third floor, table seventeen by the window.”

Jiang Yan pressed her lips together. If she refused, she would probably have to spend the night in the woods with the mosquitoes.

Though, at this time of year, the mosquitoes were probably almost all dead already.

In the end, she could only answer, “Fine. I’ll go.”

Shao Ye smiled in satisfaction, two tiger teeth showing, and as he untied the rope, he said, “When you’re eating with my boss, remember to say a few good things about me in front of him.”

Jiang Yan: “……”

“My name is Shao Ye,” he said.

Jiang Yan gave a small oh.

What was “oh” supposed to do?

“Did you remember it?” Shao Ye asked.

“I remembered,” Jiang Yan replied.

Shao Ye tossed the rope to the ground and clapped his hands. “All right, you can go.”

But Jiang Yan did not leave right away. She stood where she was, looking at Shao Ye, hesitating as if she wanted to say something.

Shao Ye looked back at her and asked, “Why are you looking at me? Waiting for me to escort you back?”

She shook her head, sincerely thanked him once more, then turned and left.

Shao Ye was in an excellent mood. Humming to himself, he headed back toward the dorms. When he reached the lakeside and looked up, he saw someone walking this way. The man wore a black suit with a black silk tie, his shirt buttoned with meticulous precision all the way to the top.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Leather shoes struck the marble steps. Beneath the dim yellow streetlights, the tall figure seemed especially unconcerned.

The moment Shao Ye saw who it was, his eyes lit up. He hurried over at once and eagerly greeted him, “Good evening, President.”

This person was none other than Xi Guanming, student council president of Golden Laburnum Academy.

His skin was very fair, his features fine and sharp, the sort of beauty that carried real aggression, yet his expression was gentle. Even when angry, he always seemed to wear a faint smile.

Seeing Shao Ye, Xi Guanming revealed a proper, courteous smile and asked, “This student, the dorms are about to close. Why are you still out here?”

Shao Ye chuckled. “President, I’ve got good news to tell you.”

“What is it?” Xi Guanming asked.

Shao Ye immediately poured out everything that had just happened, including how he had later threatened Jiang Yan into going to Lostine tomorrow to have lunch with his boss.

And naturally, his boss was the very person standing before him now, Xi Guanming, the man who could summon wind and rain and cover the sky with one hand at Golden Laburnum Academy.

That Si Xu wasn’t even fit to carry the president’s shoes!

Xi Guanming’s smile remained on his face. But looking at Shao Ye’s slightly rounded, somewhat dull eyes, which did not quite match his build and were plainly screaming “Come praise me,” he found himself, for a moment, unable to say anything that would satisfy him.

…

Author’s note:

[Everyone, please analyze what President Xi’s expression means.]

: To recap, during evening class the president had already received word that someone was planning to bully Jiang Yan in the woods, and had intended to go personally and play the hero saving the beauty, only to get cut off halfway

: And getting cut off would have been one thing, but now Jiang Yan has definitely branded “boss” in No. 6’s mouth as some kind of criminal gang leader. What decent person goes around calling someone “boss” at school? And so smoothly too. If he hadn’t been mixing in shady circles for five or ten years, no one would believe it

: Lmao, well whose fault is it that President didn’t get there earlier

: The president’s wicked, honestly. If he got there too early, how was he supposed to make Jiang Yan so grateful she’d be moved to tears and offer herself to him~

: Curious, will the president go to Lostine tomorrow?

: If he does, how’s he even supposed to introduce himself? Hello, I’m No. 6’s boss hahaha

: Poor president. He already had less contact with Jiang Yan than the others, and now even his own lackey has ruined things

: Lackey? Who acknowledged that!

: No. 6 would be overjoyed to hear that!

: I’m telling you, the expression of wanting to stab someone just can’t be hidden

: President: Well done. Don’t ever do that again.

: To sum up the volunteers so far, No. 1 is a cold academic ace, completely focused on studying and has had zero contact with the main plot. Graduating smoothly shouldn’t be a problem, but his livestream stats will probably rank last. No. 2 is a warm, cheerful little sun, currently good friends with Jiang Yan, and has already offended Si Xu’s group several times helping her. Whether he can graduate smoothly is hard to say, but for now he definitely won’t be in trouble. No. 3 is adaptable and socially slick, and is currently doing well hanging around Si Xu. As long as he doesn’t offend the other major NPCs, graduating shouldn’t be an issue, and his livestream numbers are the best so far. No. 4 is a soft little lamb. Even though their family background is actually pretty good, they’re now being bullied alongside Jiang Yan, so things look a bit dangerous. No. 5 is a proud young lady. In just half a month, she’s already had three romances and is currently pursuing the basketball team captain. Judging from the story summary, the captain will probably end up liking Jiang Yan too, so who knows where that will go next. No. 6… well… hard to say. He’s trained his muscles well enough. If only his brain were half as sharp as those muscles. If he keeps being self-righteously clever like this, the president will definitely step in, and he’ll be the first one eliminated.

: I’m betting No. 6 will be the first expelled

: No. 6 should go get his brain treated first

: Wasn’t this supposed to collect His Majesty’s consciousness? Which NPC is His Majesty going to be?

: You believe that too? You should go get your brain treated too.

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