Chu Ningbai noticed Shen Yuqing’s slightly stiff expression and asked, “A-Yu, what’s wrong?”
Shen Yuqing let out an “Ah” before replying, “Nothing, I was just thinking about when we should leave for Silino.”
The timing of their trip to Silino was entirely up to them, and the school even covered travel expenses, which significantly eased the financial burden on students. Not only that, but they were also given a bonus though it was more like a living stipend, considering how much higher the cost of living was in Silino compared to their small planet.
Chu Ningbai said, “I’m fine with anything. It’s up to you.”
Shen Yuqing wasn’t entirely sure either. Truthfully, he wanted to know how Pei Yiyan and Song Wangzhuo were doing. The system, currently in its weakened state, obviously had no fresh updates to offer otherwise, it would have spoken up already.
After some thought, he said, “Let’s go once my injuries heal. The journey itself will take three or four days anyway. Arriving in Silino earlier would give us time to explore and familiarize ourselves with the place. I heard the academy still has people around even during holidays.”
Chu Ningbai nodded. “Alright, we’ll do as you say.”
Just then, the doorbell rang. Shen Yuqing perked up. “That must be my strawberry milk tea.”
He stood up before Chu Ningbai could. “I’ll get it. You keep working on the problems.”
Only then did Chu Ningbai nod in agreement.
On his way to the door, Shen Yuqing quickly pulled up Pei Yiyan and Song Wangzhuo’s stat panels. The moment he saw them, his vision nearly darkened from shock.
Both of their values had skyrocketed to absurd levels. It was as if Shen Yuqing had been thrown back to square one.
No wonder the system had been dormant for so long it had gone back into hibernation again.
With a sigh, he opened the door and accepted the delivery from the courier. He needed to return to Silino as soon as possible to see if there was any way to salvage the situation.
With all three male leads’ corruption levels rising higher than ever, if he let this continue unchecked, his rebirth would have been for nothing.
Carrying the milk tea inside, Shen Yuqing took out both cups and handed one to Chu Ningbai.
Chu Ningbai looked surprised. “For me?”
Shen Yuqing stuck a straw into his own cup and chewed on the toppings. “Of course. People who hog treats deserve to be str—mmph!”
Before he could finish the word, Chu Ningbai pinched his lips shut with his fingers. Shen Yuqing: “…”
Dumbfounded, Shen Yuqing sat there with his cheeks puffed out from the milk tea toppings, resembling a little hamster.
Chu Ningbai said sternly, “Don’t say things like that.”
Shen Yuqing obediently nodded, and only then did Chu Ningbai release him.
Swallowing the toppings, Shen Yuqing muttered, “Fine, I won’t say it.”
Then, looking up, he eagerly inserted a straw into Chu Ningbai’s cup like an overzealous lackey. “Try it, it’s really good.”
Under Shen Yuqing’s expectant gaze, Chu Ningbai picked up the milk tea and took a sip.
Chu Ningbai wasn’t particularly fond of sweet treats or sugary drinks he rarely consumed them, and when he did, it was usually fruit juice.
This seemed to be his first time trying such a creamy beverage, and to his surprise, it tasted quite pleasant.
As he swallowed, he turned to meet Shen Yuqing’s beaming eyes. “Well? Is it good?”
“It’s good,” Chu Ningbai replied. “Very good. I take back what I said about it being unhealthy.”
Shen Yuqing grinned, satisfied. “Great. You’re forgiven.”
He took another sip, his cheeks puffing in and out. Chu Ningbai mimicked him, taking a big gulp with his cheeks moving rhythmically too.
Hmm, somehow it tasted even better this way.
With the system’s assistance, Shen Yuqing recovered quickly. The wound on his forehead had already scabbed over, and in time it would naturally fall off, leaving no trace.
To prevent scarring, Chu Ningbai and Shen Yuqing visited several places before finally finding a highly effective scar removal ointment.
Once everything was settled, the two boarded a spaceship bound for Silino.
After three days and nights of turbulence, they finally set foot on solid ground.
Shen Yuqing looked rather pale. His body hadn’t fully recovered, and after three days of constant rocking, he now felt like even the stable ground was swaying.
In contrast, Chu Ningbai was in much better shape, appearing completely unaffected as he took care of his unwell companion.
Shen Yuqing waved his hand weakly. “I’m fine, thanks to you.”
Chu Ningbai smiled. “Let’s go, our new place awaits.”
Their accommodation was arranged and funded by Silino Academy, located right next to the campus.
Shen Yuqing couldn’t muster the energy to think about anything else. As soon as they got in the car, he leaned back against the seat to rest, until a gentle hand guided his head onto a shoulder. He murmured drowsily, “Ningbai, my head’s heavy.”
He worried about burdening the Omega’s shoulder.
But Chu Ningbai whispered softly, “It’s alright, sleep. I’m here.”
Too exhausted to resist, Shen Yuqing drifted off before Chu Ningbai could finish speaking.
Upon reaching their destination, Shen Yuqing’s complexion had improved somewhat. Standing at the residential complex entrance with Chu Ningbai, he looked up in surprise what a coincidence, this was the very same complex where he’d helped Song Wangzhuo rent an apartment.
They had notified Silino Academy in advance about their arrival time.
After waiting briefly at the gate, someone came running out.
Shen Yuqing inhaled sharply a familiar face, their homeroom teacher.
The teacher looked between them. “Chu Ningbai?”
Chu Ningbai nodded. Then the teacher turned to Shen Yuqing. “Then you must be Shen Yu?”
Shen Yuqing nodded. “Hello, professor.”
The system had modified his name by dropping the last character to avoid unnecessary complications upon returning to Silino.
After all, with the original Shen Yuqing now awake, using the full name might draw unwanted attention.
The teacher nodded. “Follow me. Your room is ready, a double as requested.” Our request?
Shen Yuqing looked puzzled at Chu Ningbai, who showed no surprise.
Chu Ningbai had handled all communications with Silino Academy, which Shen Yuqing hadn’t questioned. Being roommates wasn’t an issue they already lived together.
The only complication was how to handle future encounters when the main storyline progressed with the protagonists…
He hadn’t quite figured that part out yet.
Following their teacher to the academy-arranged apartment, they discovered another coincidence this was the same building where Song Wangzhuo and Song Lejin lived, though their school-assigned unit was on the second floor, allowing them to use the stairs and minimize encounters. Shen Yuqing sighed.
Indeed, novels thrive on such serendipitous meetings.
After showing them to their second-floor room and giving some instructions, the homeroom teacher departed.
Shen Yuqing glanced around the layout of this house was identical to the one he’d previously rented for Song Wangzhuo. This made him feel quite at ease.
Chu Ningbai remarked, “The academy is really generous.”
Shen Yuqing nodded. “Yeah, really generous.”
It was much better than the place they’d shared on that small planet.
Shen Yuqing asked, “Ningbai, you take the master bedroom. I’ll take the secondary one.”
Chu Ningbai was an Omega, and the master bedroom had a private bathroom, offering him more privacy.
Without hesitation, Chu Ningbai wheeled his luggage inside.
Shen Yuqing also dragged his belongings into the secondary bedroom. They had only packed some everyday clothes after all, the journey was long, and carrying too much would have been troublesome.
Now that Shen Yuqing had plenty of money, he could simply buy whatever he lacked.
He quickly arranged his things and then flopped onto the bed, eagerly unlocking his phone.
Lately, he had been trying to look into Pei Yiyan and Song Wangzhuo, but due to network restrictions, he couldn’t find anything. Now that he was back in Silino, those restrictions no longer applied.
Staring at the screen, Shen Yuqing thought for a moment before first typing in Song Lejin’s name.
His reasoning was simple after a month and a half, there should be some conclusion to Song Lejin’s situation. As an internet celebrity, information about him should be easy to find.
Unfortunately, updates about Song Lejin stopped right before they entered the practical activity. Shen Yuqing scrolled through page after page but found nothing beyond that.
He returned to the search bar and looked up the Song family instead.
This time, there was new information the Song family’s bridge construction project had been halted in July.
The rest were just corporate updates about the Song Group, but one piece of gossip caught Shen Yuqing’s attention:
[Multiple layers of anonymity] Just gonna whisper this the entire Song family is now under Song Jue’s control. Chairman Song has been sidelined.
This post had over a thousand replies. Shen Yuqing clicked through and, sure enough, found some useful tidbits:
[Rumor has it, the current young master of the Song family isn’t actually the Song Madam’s son—he’s a bastard!]
[LMAO, as if Song Madam would raise a bastard for so long and treat him so well. Was she running a charity in her past life?]
[Song Madam didn’t know, and now the real heir has been found. Chairman Song getting sidelined is probably because of this. Haven’t you noticed Song Lejin hasn’t posted in ages? He used to update every other day.]
[But honestly, I’ve heard some rumors too. The bridge project was halted because of infighting in the Song family.]
[Fr tho, I wanna see what the real heir looks like! Is he hot?]
[…]
Song Wangzhuo had been recognized by the Song family.
Shen Yuqing pressed his lips together. The only information he could dig up online was these scattered rumors nothing more substantial.
If only he could use his current identity to get close to Lin Sui. After all, Lin Sui knew everything.
Just as Shen Yuqing was about to search for news about the Shen and Pei families, a notification suddenly popped up:
[Breaking: The Shen Group has just announced the cancellation of the Shen-Pei engagement.]
