### Chapter 8 An Unremarkable Special Admit

### Chapter 8 An Unremarkable Special Admit

The next day, Ning Song left the dorm with dark circles under his eyes.

The guys upstairs were really something. They kept making noise from midnight until past one, and then again around two in the morning.

So... so enduring!

He slung his backpack over his shoulder and locked the door, when he suddenly heard a loud "bang" from upstairs. Then he heard someone complaining, "It's all your fault; I'm going to be late!"

He immediately looked up at the floor above him.

It turned out to be the couple he had seen in the library.

The athletic guy in black and his artistic boyfriend!

When they met downstairs, the artistic guy whispered, "That new student..."

Ning Song noticed that the artistic guy had the same white badge as him.

But the athletic guy had a noble black badge.

So he must have come here for his boyfriend.

The athletic guy gave him a casual glance before putting his arm around his boyfriend's shoulders and walking away. The artistic guy glanced back at him once more.

Both of them were special admits with white badges, but the artistic guy looked much more like a novel protagonist than he did.

So right after entering the school, he encountered a 1vs1 true love story.

On the second day at the new school, he received much less attention.

It seemed that an ordinary person like him could only cause such a small ripple in this school.

One day of attention was all the appeal he had.

By the third day, his presence was even less noticeable. Moreover, the guys who had chased him on the way back to the dorm on the first day didn't bother him anymore, as if they had suddenly lost interest in him.

He felt like a tiny pebble tossed into the vast lake of Upper East School, creating just a few ripples that dissipated with the wind.

However, the chances of him stumbling upon the love scenes of handsome guys seemed unusually high.

For example, meeting Li You and Lin Li, and even interacting with them.

For example, his class had two main characters, Pu Yu and Tang Zhenzhen.

For example, the athletic guy and the artistic guy living upstairs happened to include him in their play at the library!

Even his classmate Qiao Qiao, whom he thought was like him, seemed to have a childhood sweetheart love line.

For instance, while showering in the dorm yesterday, he saw four feet under the opposite shower stall, sometimes toe-to-toe, sometimes toe-to-heel.

And today, for example.

He came to the library again, only to bump into Pu Yu there.

With a very cute boy.

He had never seen such a cute boy before, almost embodying the word "cute."

The cute boy stammered, "Is it okay?"

He couldn't see Pu Yu's face because the young master was facing away from him.

Such a boy, with an incredible background, outstanding grades, and good looks, being confessed to was perfectly normal.

He didn't hear what the young master said, perhaps because his voice was too low.

Soon, the young master pulled a book from the shelf and walked over with a bookmark.

Ning Song couldn't dodge in time and ended up facing him.

Pu Yu was taken aback and then sat down where Ning Song had placed his backpack.

Ning Song originally wanted to greet him since they had met several times.

But Pu Yu didn't seem to remember him, neither greeting him nor looking at him.

He continued walking inward.

Pu Yu glanced up, opened the book.

The cute boy still stood there with his head bowed, looking very sad. Ning Song passed by him, feeling sympathetic towards the cute boy's situation.

Actually, he thought the cute boy had the perfect conditions to be the protagonist of a BL novel.

He was really beautiful.

But this wasn't something he should get involved in.

He was just supposed to play the role of a classmate who accidentally stumbled upon the confession scene, right?

Given how often he encountered these male-male love stories and considering his unremarkable appearance, he reasonably suspected that his role was to be a shared tool character in these protagonists' love stories.

Sometimes he was a passerby in those love stories, sometimes a cannon fodder friend, or even a part of their secret play scenes.

Quite a heavy task.

The cute boy quietly left, and Ning Song tiptoed to reach the topmost magazine.

It was still difficult to reach, so he used a bookmark to pick out the magazine he wanted to read, then jumped up to grab it.

As he landed, he saw Pu Yu watching him through the gaps in the bookshelf and smiled at Pu Yu.

This time, instead of sitting near Pu Yu, he went to another reading area inside, which was still empty. He found a seat by the window and sat down.

He loved reading these gaming magazines.

Whenever he came across a new game, he would open his phone and play it. Many games in this world were not available in the real world, providing him with a lot of inspiration. He immersed himself in them, and by the time he started reading the second magazine, Pu Yu had already left.

He stayed in the library until closing time, feeling as if his soul was about to float away from being so full. He quickly logged onto the forum, ready to exchange ideas with his online friends.

When he opened the forum, he noticed that "Mackerel" had sent him a message during their last chat: "Health is the capital of revolution."

He sent "Mackerel" an emoji and then posted a new thread on the forum.

"Mackerel" didn't reply privately this time but commented several times on his new post.

Many people asked him about his new job, and Ning Song gave casual answers.

Despite being strangers, everyone was very enthusiastic.

After exchanging messages on the forum, he realized that the hot water in his kettle was gone. Carrying the kettle, he went downstairs to the hot water dispenser near the stairs and saw his class president, Chen Mo, walking over with a handbag.

He had a good impression of their class president and greeted him with a smile: "Class President."

He only learned yesterday that Chen Mo also lived in Building 4.

However, Chen Mo wasn't a white badge holder; he had a golden badge and was the most outstanding special admission student at Upper East School. It was said that he transferred in during his first year and quickly rose to the golden badge level within a year. He also became the class president and joined the student council.

This was quite rare at Upper East School because the school's point system was not favorable to transfer students. It wasn't just about good grades. He heard from Qiao Qiao that Chen Mo came from an ordinary working-class family on Bright Pearl Island.

Even after his status improved, he didn't move out and continued living in Building 4, reportedly because he preferred single rooms.

Buildings 2 and 3 were technically not single rooms; they were suites shared by three people, just with better facilities.

Their class president kept to himself and seemed rather cold.

Seeing him, Chen Mo nodded and asked, "Still not asleep?"

It was rare to see their class president speaking so gently; he usually kept things formal.

Ning Song smiled, "I'll be sleeping soon. You're just getting back?"

Chen Mo responded with a "Hmm" and went upstairs with his bag, as if the gentleness was just a fleeting illusion.

"Oh, right."

Just as Ning Song put the kettle down, he heard Chen Mo say, "I forgot to tell you something."

Ning Song turned around and saw Chen Mo standing on the stairs. The light there was dim, making it hard to see his face clearly. His voice sounded even deeper and more magnetic as he said, "In half a month, there will be the Spring Festival. Each class needs to perform a program. As a newcomer, you've never participated before, so Teacher Jiang said you must sign up this year."

"Huh?"

What was the Spring Festival?

Chen Mo explained, "This is part of the credit system, considered an artistic practice activity. You should participate."

What artistic talent did he have?

Would anyone want to hear him play the cello?

"What if I don't have any talents?" Ning Song asked.

Chen Mo was silent for a moment, then suggested sternly, "I can add you to our class's stage play. That's our class's group performance this year, and many people are participating. You could play a small role."

He could definitely handle a minor role.

"You can also think about it more. If you have other ideas, let me know. Singing, dancing, poetry recitation, playing an instrument, martial arts—all are options."

"I'll just do a minor role," Ning Song hurriedly said.

Chen Mo nodded without saying anything else and went upstairs with his bag.

Ning Song filled the kettle and carried it upstairs, texting Qiao Qiao about the Spring Festival as he walked.

Suddenly, he felt someone staring at him.

He looked outside. Building 4 was old, surrounded by lush vegetation, and dark at night. He previously thought this environment might be suitable for couples, but now he felt like anyone could be hiding anywhere.

Since he didn't see anyone, he assumed it was just the wind moving the branches.

Once he got upstairs and looked down from a higher vantage point, he almost got goosebumps.

Because he really saw someone standing under a tree, looking up at him.

The person disappeared into the darkness after a brief glance.

He even doubted if it was just his imagination.

Nevertheless, when he went to bed, he took precautions and covered the window with clothes.

His first week at Upper East School passed quickly.

Father Ning and Mother Ning were busy this week because Shangdong Province was hosting an economic forum conference. The Pu family had many banquets, and they would be particularly busy for the next two weeks, unable to spare any time.

So he stayed at the school.

It just so happened that no one was home at Qiao Qiao's place, so he stayed at school to keep him company.

Although he got along fine with his classmates, the only one who truly respected him was Qiao Qiao.

At first, he was actually a bit wary of Qiao Qiao. After all, in such an environment, when someone approached him so naturally, he always suspected there was some hidden reason behind it.

As it turned out, there was indeed a reason. Qiao Qiao said he had also transferred to Upper East School in middle school. Back then, he was as thin as Ning Song and had few friends. He said that seeing Ning Song reminded him of himself, and he couldn't bear for anyone else to experience the loneliness he had felt.

He was practically a shining little angel.

Qiao Qiao couldn't stay cooped up at school.

He wanted to take Ning Song out to play and get him acquainted with his friends sooner.

So Ning Song changed into casual clothes and went with Qiao Qiao to a nearby amusement park.

The moment they stepped outside, he saw what true aristocratic schools were like.

Paganis, Koenigseggs, Maybachs, Audis, Bentleys...

Luxury cars were not the most surprising thing; what surprised him more was that many of these cars had professional nannies, drivers, or bodyguards standing outside them.

He saw Tang Zhenzhen at the entrance.

She stood alone on the roadside, hunched over her backpack, looking down at her toes like a porcelain doll.

For some reason, this made him worry, fearing she might be bullied.

He noticed several boys glancing at her, whispering among themselves, occasionally letting out ambiguous laughter.

He stopped and stood there for a while.

Then he saw someone crossing the traffic toward Tang Zhenzhen.

It was a very young man, probably just starting university. Tang Zhenzhen smiled upon seeing him and handed him her backpack.

The man took Tang Zhenzhen's hand, and they crossed the traffic together.

Tsk, once again, he became a bystander witnessing the protagonist's love story.

Qiao Qiao also introduced him to his friends. Most of them attended other schools and were a bunch of young rich heirs. After dinner, they went to a KTV called Xingyue on Bright Pearl Island to sing.

In terms of facilities, it was quite ordinary and rather old, but in terms of reputation, it was second to none on Bright Pearl Island, occupying the best location.

Ning Song thought his singing was bad enough, but he found Qiao Qiao and his friends' singing even worse.

The howling voices gave him a headache, so he leaned close to Qiao Qiao and said, "I'll go out for some fresh air."

Qiao Qiao immediately put down the microphone: "I'll go with you."

"No need," Ning Song held him back, "I'll just go up to the terrace for some air."

When they arrived, he noticed the KTV was right next to the river mouth, with a scenic terrace.

He came out of the room, breathing in the crisp air, feeling a bit better. He took the elevator up, and since it was the weekend, the elevator was crowded and slow. When the elevator arrived, a few portly men stepped out: "Damn, the waiters at Xingyue are getting so good-looking now? Long legs and nice butts."

"If Young Master Wang likes him, we can call him over to serve drinks later."

"That kid doesn't look easy to mess with. I touched his hand earlier, and he gave me a murderous look."

"So what? As long as we pay enough money, we can shut both his mouths!"

"Exactly. Last time, that waiter was so stubborn, even wanted to call the police, but in the end, he took the money and kept quiet."

"I can be gentler with this one. He's so good-looking, I could keep him around for a month."

The men laughed raucously as they entered the adjacent room.

Ning Song watched the elevator doors close and stood in the dim corridor for a moment, feeling a bit meddlesome.

But the other person was a student, and he didn't know what those men might do to him.

He decided to warn him.

After waiting a while, he saw a waiter carrying two bottles of wine come up.

He was stunned when he saw the waiter.

Because of his striking white hair, it was hard to miss.

It was Sheng Yan.

It seemed he had stumbled upon the protagonist's scene again.

Sheng Yan wore the KTV uniform, just as the men had described—long legs and a perky butt, with a face that dazzled.

They were like two extremes—he looked sickly pale, while Sheng Yan radiated vitality and youth.

Sheng Yan glanced at him and carried the wine to the door of the adjacent room.

Ning Song thought for a moment and called out, "Hey..."

Sheng Yan turned to look at him, his thick lashes casting shadows under his eyes.

"Can I help you?" he asked, his voice pleasant and slightly amused.

Living in a law-abiding society for too long, it's still hard to get used to this messed-up world.

Adhering to the principle of easing his conscience, Ning Song said, "I just overheard them talking... be careful. They seem to have something against you."

Sheng Yan smiled, "Did you stay behind specifically to warn me?"

Ning Song nodded.

"Thanks, I got it." Sheng Yan answered somewhat casually, pushing the door open with a smile and entering.

Ning Song watched as the heavy door closed, feeling that he had indeed overstepped.

He pressed the elevator button again, still glancing at the private room while waiting for the elevator.

If it were anyone else but Sheng Yan, he would definitely have stayed to check on things. If he heard any commotion, he would certainly help out, at least by calling someone from the KTV.

Was it only because it was Sheng Yan, who probably wouldn't run into trouble, that he was treating him differently?

The elevator arrived, and he stepped in, cursing under his breath as he came out.

Damn.

Indeed, he couldn't just leave like that.

Perhaps the reason he crossed paths with Sheng Yan was to give him a heads-up?

He decided to listen for any commotion. If nothing happened, it would be best; if there was, he would call for help.

But the soundproofing of the private room was too good. Even if he could hear anything, it was just loud music. He walked up to the door, tiptoed, and peeked through the glass window above, seeing only a moving figure. Then the door was pulled open, and Sheng Yan bumped right into him.

His slender frame almost toppled over, but Sheng Yan caught him. In the moment the door closed, he saw a few greasy men sprawled inside, the floor covered in what seemed to be blood or spilled alcohol.

Sheng Yan looked down at him, his brows furrowed with a hint of anger, "Waiting for me?"

Ning Song steadied himself and shrugged off his arm, "Are you okay?"

Since it had come to this, might as well do him a favor.

Sheng Yan smiled, "I'm fine."

Saying this, he held the microphone to his collar and said, "Cousin, I caused a bit of trouble. Could you come take a look? Room 306."

Seeing that Sheng Yan was alright, Ning Song headed towards the elevator. Coincidentally, the elevator arrived, and he stepped in. Sheng Yan followed him into the elevator.

When they reached the rooftop, Sheng Yan also followed him out.

Ning Song looked at Sheng Yan warily, and Sheng Yan smiled, "Just coming out for a smoke."

He fished out a pack of cigarettes from his uniform pocket, and Ning Song noticed the bloodstains on his fingers.

The young man lighting a cigarette was incredibly handsome, his phoenix eyes slightly drooping, the shimmering sea light becoming his backdrop.

After taking two puffs, Sheng Yan tossed the pack of cigarettes and the lighter into the nearby trash bin, extinguishing the cigarette in hand, and asked, "You're from Upper East School, right? I think I've seen you before, the new one?"

Ning Song nodded.

Sheng Yan frowned slightly, and even from a meter away, Ning Song could hear the angry shouts from his earpiece.

Sheng Yan sighed and went back down.

Ning Song breathed a sigh of relief.

From the rooftop, one could see Lower Harbor across the sea.

More people lived in Lower Harbor, yet at night, it appeared dark compared to Bright Pearl Island, its scattered lights exuding a damp and gloomy atmosphere. Bright Pearl Island, on the other hand, was brightly lit, the narrow strip of water seemingly dividing the world.

However, the wind was too strong and cold up there. After standing for a while, he felt chilled to the bone. Just as he was about to go down, he saw Qiao Qiao coming up to find him.

"Did we make too much noise?" Qiao Qiao asked.

Ning Song shook his head, "No, I just came out to enjoy the night view. This is my first time seeing Lower Harbor from this angle."

As he spoke, he sneezed.

Qiao Qiao quickly said, "Let's go down. You don't want to catch a cold with your build."

They both descended from the rooftop together. Qiao Qiao said, "It seems there was a fight next door. I just saw Brother Liu carrying someone out. It was quite bloody."

When they returned to the third floor, they only saw two cleaners mopping the floor.

Back in their private room, a waiter soon knocked on the door. A young man, looking like a student, wheeled in a cart with drinks, beverages, and several luxurious fruit platters.

Qiao Qiao exclaimed, "That must be a mistake. We didn't order this!"

He had worked part-time at this KTV. Even though he was a young master, he knew how ridiculously expensive the drinks and fruit platters were here, with abysmal value for money!

They weren't going to be fools!

But the waiter smiled and said, "This is a complimentary gift from our manager. Please enjoy."

Everyone exchanged glances.

Ning Song coughed a couple of times, turning away.

After the waiter left, he told Qiao Qiao about running into Sheng Yan earlier.

Qiao Qiao's eyes widened, "He works here?"

Ning Song replied, "Probably just experiencing life."

"I thought only my dad would cut my living expenses to make me experience life." Qiao Qiao said, "Those guys got what they deserved. They should be grateful they weren't a match for Sheng Yan. If they had really done something to Sheng Yan, they'd all be swimming in the sea tomorrow."

...That scary?

This world is too crazy.

Since they still had to return to school, they left the KTV around nine o'clock. Not having had their fill of fun, they made plans to go to Queen's Avenue the next day.

As they walked through the first-floor lobby, they saw Sheng Yan being scolded. His white hair shimmered under the lights, and with his hands in his pockets, he looked indifferent. When he spotted them, he tilted his head and smiled, waving at Ning Song. The manager slapped his hand, and he helplessly put it back in his pocket.

"Damn, that waiter is so handsome," said the little fat guy with them.

"What's wrong with your eyes? You didn't even recognize the famous campus heartthrob from Qiao Qiao's school."

Sheng Yan's beauty was renowned throughout the entire Upper East High School circle.

"How is he working as a waiter here when his family is so rich?"

"I heard he wants to enter the entertainment industry, but his family disagrees and cut off his cards, telling him not to spend their money if he wants to sing."

After leaving the KTV, they passed by an old commercial street on Bright Pearl Island. Even though it was late at night, there were still many tourists. Ning Song bought a new curtain and noticed a shop selling plants next door. He picked out a pot of jasmine.

Not roses, not lilies or tulips, but a simple pot of jasmine.

Ordinary, just like him.

He didn't know that one day it would become the cover of an album.

Everyone knows the line:

"They say the jasmine is more beautiful on rainy days."

Author's Note

Easter Egg: At the Underground City boxing ring, the crowd surged below. Sheng Yan was about to leave with Ning Song when a boxing glove suddenly landed in Ning Song's arms. Li You leaned against the railing, smiling slyly at them. Sheng Yan didn't say anything, just smiled and threw the glove back.