Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Bao Zhehan had only meant to glance.

However, the post's title immediately grabbed his attention.

His fingers frantically scrolled, and the content of the main post instantly caught his eye.

"Terrifying! Did anyone record it? It came out of nowhere. He wrote about his own academic fraud on the blackboard, and then things took a turn—"

"I snapped a picture."

"Some are saying the fraud is real. They say he even passed off his students' work as his own to benefit his kids."

"Wow, I looked into it—do elementary students really need to use models now?"

"This is academic exploitation."

……

Bao Zhehan's hand trembled uncontrollably.

*"Again, is this related to that so-called 'source of infection?'"*

Ever since seeing the strange face in the rainy night, those surreal experiences flooded back into Bao Zhehan's mind.

After leaving the dormitory building, the two men took him to a strange place.

Someone insisted that he had a 'right to know.'

So, they would tell him the basic truth to keep him from falling apart later.

Because of this, Bao Zhehan's mind was filled with information he'd never encountered before, shattering his understanding of the world.

*"Monsters."*

*"Source of infection."*

……

"What the hell is going on?!"

*"Is this really not some novel?!"*

*"They really shouldn't have told him!"*

After learning he might be infected, he panicked, nearly screaming, unable to accept what was happening.

But the well-trained staff forced him back into his chair, helping him calm down.

All Bao Zhehan wanted to do was scream.

However, they forced him to stay in the white room.

According to the staff member, the normal observation process is a seven-day isolation.

*"Seven days……"*

A wave of despair washed over Bao Zhehan. If he was found to have an infection risk, who knows what would happen.

He did not want to be trapped for the rest of his life!

But, much to his surprise, he was out on the very first day.

Because, during the initial testing phase, there was a small issue.

At first, it was just the instrument being silent, but somehow, several people rushed in with equipment and tested him repeatedly, as if they were verifying something, their expressions were very serious. Just when he thought he was about to be sentenced to death, they told him that he could leave.

Leave? Leave? That’s the best news possible!

Before leaving the room, he was handed something that looked like a contract, with the confidentiality clauses clearly stated.

One particular clause was repeatedly stressed.

"You are forbidden to inform others of the situation."

But something like this…

Even if he posted about it online, people would just think he was crazy or just seeking attention.

His family background is unusual.

If things really escalated online, his older brother would definitely kill him for sure!

With a gritted teeth, Bao Zhehan signed his name and pressed his fingerprint, and was sent out in the same black car.

Even now, during class, his mind was still in a daze.

Mechanically and numbly sitting in his chair.

Not knowing what the person beside him was saying, just nodding along, laughing along, as if nothing had changed at all.

However, his brain was telling him that this wasn’t real.

After seeing what that world was like, his normal life could never return to what it was.

If it weren’t for Ye Jishu sitting next to him, his mind might still be in chaos, so his attention had already shifted to the other person.

He had spoken so loudly just now, deliberately trying to attract the other’s attention…

How did it come to this?

Ever since witnessing the faceless woman, his mental state had been a bit off.

But as long as Ye Jishu's gaze fell on him, as long as he was noticed by the other, the heavy weight on him would ease, and his rusty brain could start turning again… as if he had returned to the self from before last night.

The self that was blissfully unaware of the existence of monsters.

In other words—

Just by staying next to Ye Jishu, the pain vanished without a trace.

Math has many conversion formulas.

No matter how complicated the process, simplifying the thinking will lead to the final conclusion.

The other person—

The real reason that kept him mentally stable.

But…

"Why… would he have such a ridiculous thought."

"No matter how you look at it, Ye Jishu is just a background character! Last night, he didn’t even see anything, didn’t get the chance to enter that world!"

Seeing Bao Zhehan staring blankly at the screen without speaking, the classmate who had given him the phone leaned over and muttered quietly, "I heard someone say it might be a monster! Like the ones that reduce your sanity, part of the game’s design or something."

Bao Zhehan: “…Don’t say that. I don’t believe such things exist in the world.”

Seeing Bao Zhehan’s extremely unhappy expression, the classmate didn’t dare say anything more and slouched back dejectedly.

Bao Zhehan stayed distracted.

It wasn’t until the dismissal bell rang that he snapped out of it.

The person next to him had already stood up and started gathering their things.

Just a moment ago, he was sleeping, but he quickly blended into the crowd and left. In the blink of an eye, Bao Zhehan saw the other person was already down the classroom steps, making their way to the door with their backpack.

He quickly pointed to his desk and told the person beside him, “Help me pack up and bring it to my dorm later.”

Before his friends could ask anything, he had already taken off after the person leaving.

Bao Zhehan forced his way through the crowd and finally managed to get behind Ye Jishu.

Although Ye Jishu remained expressionless, his bangs were a bit messy from sleep, sticking up on one side.

Moreover, the other person was looking at their phone.

It looked like he had received a message, showing a conflicted expression.

"What is it?"

Startled by the interruption, he looked up.

"So you do initiate conversations with me! Why did you walk so fast then? You noticed I was chasing you!"

“……”

"From today onwards, I’m going to live in the dorms."

Ye Jishu stopped walking, turned around, and for the first time, looked at him properly.

"I… I don’t want to, but because of this!" Bao Zhehan raised his broken arm again, angry, "My brother said I act impulsively, that my personality will cause trouble sooner or later. He forbade me from going home and told me to reflect on myself properly at school."

"Oh." Ye Jishu said.

Bao Zhehan was choked by his indifferent attitude.

He silently stared at Ye Jishu for a few seconds, but seeing that the other person remained unmoved, he frustratedly grabbed his hair, letting out a frustrated yell into the air.

“You—”

“You like Yan Mei, don’t you.”

This sentence suddenly cut in.

Bao Zhehan's question was cut off, and he froze for a moment, letting out an "Ah?"

Seeing Ye Jishu still looking at him, he snapped back to his senses and, without thinking, blurted out, "Of course. Who wouldn't like Yan Mei? Even if you randomly pick a random person and mention Yan Mei's name, they would definitely like him!"

He has this intuition.

—That's the very meaning of the word "love."—

Ye Jishu stared at him for a few seconds, then asked,

"Why did you throw away my book?"

Why so suddenly?

Was he going to bring up the past?

Faced with those eyes looking up at him, Bao Zhehan felt a sudden panic. His injured arm started to ache again.

"That, I didn't mean to," he hurriedly squeezed out through his teeth the words, "I just wanted you to stay away from Yan Mei... Those things, my friends did them... That day, I just—"

He was telling the truth.

There's no way he would get involved. He left it all to his friends to handle.

How they do it doesn't matter. As long as Ye Jishu and Yan Mei made space for him.

But after waiting and observing for a while, he realized it wasn't going to happen.

So, he became impatient.

The only time he tried to do it himself, his arm got broken...

And that wasn't even the worst of it.

Then, at night, he bizarrely encountered that thing in his dorm room.

And a series of accidents started because of his initial actions.

It was a bitter lesson.

If he could, he'd never want to experience it again...!

"You're a jerk."

Though it was a calm and collected statement, Bao Zhehan shuddered.

"...Yeah."

He thought Ye Jishu would ask him to do something more.

But Ye Jishu just scrutinized his face inch by inch with a gaze that seemed to evaluate his worth.

Bao Zhehan: "...?"

Why was he looking at him like that? As if he was assessing his value...

After a few seconds of silence, Ye Jishu suddenly spoke up again.

"Do you have a lecture this afternoon?"

"No," Bao Zhehan let out a sigh of relief and quickly replied, "I'm taking the same route as you, heading to the school cafeteria for lunch."

Ye Jishu softly replied "Yeah," and began walking.

As Ye Jishu's gaze shifted away, Bao Zhehan's tense body loosened slightly, and he hurriedly fell into step behind him.

Although he wasn't sure what the other was observing about him, it was... just passing, right?

Bao Zhehan's heart was racing.

However, as they walked, he started to feel that something was wrong.

Even though he had never eaten at the cafeteria before, he realized they weren't heading that way.

"You're not having lunch?"

"Yeah."

Because of Ye Jishu's unexpected response, Bao Zhehan perked up, and his words began to flow.

Though none of it really sank in.

"So energetic..."

Ye Jishu shot him a glance.

Because of his cold, he had been feeling off since he got up.

Even after sleeping through class without thinking about anything, his temples still throbbed occasionally.

So, he decided to skip lunch entirely.

With no other classes that afternoon, he planned to sleep until the next day.

"You go on ahead."

"...I'm not eating either."

Even if he wasn't great at reading people, he could now tell the other was deliberately following him.

Ye Jishu's phone buzzed in his pocket.

He received a text message right after he got up.

Another one arrived while he napped in class.

Now, it was probably another message from them.

He unlocked his phone, and their chat history filled the screen.

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah."

"I'll come by in the afternoon to keep you company."

"……”

"Jishu just needs to sleep. I'll bring lunch over."

The phone screen was turned off and slipped back into his jacket pocket.

Ye Jishu had originally thought the dorm would be empty today.

But now, Bao Zhehan was there.

So, this afternoon, the dorm had him, Yan Mei, and Bao Zhehan.

"Classic scene, right?"

"You've got the sick husband, the caregiving wife, and the annoying roommate."

All the elements were in place.

However.

Ye Jishu shot a sideways glance at Bao Zhehan.

Is Yan Mei into this type? Only time will tell. But whatever.

Before they knew it, they had reached the dorm building.

Bao Zhehan stared at the rundown dorm, feeling helpless. "Do I really have to live here?"

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Ye Jishu's voice beside him.

"Why are you into Yan Mei?"

"'Would be weird if I didn't like him," Bao Zhehan said without hesitation. "Because, if I wasn't into him..."

He suddenly stopped talking.

He paused, a look of confusion crossing his face.

Why... do I like him?

Of course I do!

It's not just liking him, it's more like 'love' because it's way more intense, a feeling that could crush all self-esteem and rationality, this urge to just spill all that love to everyone.

I really do!

As soon as he saw Yan Mei, he was hit with thoughts like 'love,' 'obsessed,' and 'ready to give up everything,' with no time to think, just overwhelmed by all these feelings crashing through his defenses.

Who needs a reason?

He had never thought about this question before Ye Jishu asked.

However, once he paid attention to it and started thinking in that direction, his temples began to throb, as if a thousand silver needles were piercing his brain, his muscles twitching and resisting the thought of "why is this happening."

His head was pounding!

What should I do! What should I do!

"I just... *like* him, like him a lot," Bao Zhehan murmured. "From the first moment I laid eyes on him..."

He clutched his head, unconsciously repeating these words.

"Swish, swish."

His scalp had already been scratched until it drew blood.

Even then, the terrible anxiety in his heart did not disappear.

As though he felt no pain.

Bao Zhehan's fingers dug into his skin, his knuckles turning white from the force, and his heart felt eerily empty.

The next moment—

"Thud."

His movements came to a halt.

Ye Jishu grabbed his wrist.

The instant their skin made contact, all the chaotic thoughts vanished from his mind, as if swept away by receding tides.

As if a drowning person.

Being pulled to the surface by a lifeguard, taking a breath.

Bao Zhehan felt as though he'd been given a new life.

His chest heaved violently, as if greedily inhaling the ordinary air.

"I understand now," Ye Jishu said.

In contrast to Bao Zhehan's terror, Ye Jishu had grown somewhat used to this.

"There are too many people who are in love with Yan Mei with such intensity."

He just thought he should hear the reason.

But...

From the other's jumbled words, it could be seen.

That it was a love without reason.

He couldn't name a specific reason. It could perhaps be summarized as love at first sight, but there was still a lingering sense of something unusual in his heart.

"No different... from the others."

Bao Zhehan stared blankly at Ye Jishu.

A few seconds later, his mouth moved. "Then why... do you like Yan Mei?"

Ye Jishu suddenly turned his head and stared intently at him for a few seconds.

For some reason, Bao Zhehan felt a pang of tension in his chest.

Since Ye Jishu was ostensibly Yan Mei's boyfriend, and she had accepted his confession from so many people, and they hadn't broken up for four whole months, there must be something he hadn't noticed... He became extremely interested in Ye Jishu's answer.

Their eyes met midway.

However, Ye Jishu deliberately shifted his gaze away again and didn't answer his question.

"They had arrived at the dormitory."

"..." Bao Zhehan.

Was he unwilling to answer, or unable to express it?

But regardless of the reason, the other party gave no answer at all.

He simply...

Avoided answering.

The two of them entered the dormitory.

Almost immediately, they were hit by a cold and eerie atmosphere.

Was it because the place was naturally shady, or was there another reason...?

Bao Zhehan's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the elevator.

A sudden thought about the rumors popped into his head, causing him to shudder. He edged a little closer to Ye Jishu.

The effect was instant.

The heavy feeling weighing on him disappeared.

He glanced sideways. Ye Jishu remained expressionless, his slightly furrowed brows seemed to be due to physical discomfort, not directed at him. His closeness elicited no reaction, which relieved him.

Emboldened, Bao Zhehan inched even closer.

"The closer I am, the more obvious the effect seems to be."

Was it merely a psychological effect?

Either way, it worked, so he indulged in the behavior, despite not knowing why.

However, despite his little actions,

Ye Jishu simply disregarded him, showing neither aversion nor disgust. This attitude of ignoring him actually helped calm his flustered heart.

Simply being near the other person made the heavy feeling disappear.

But what if they made skin contact?

As they drew closer to the dormitory door, Bao Zhehan blurted out impulsively, "You're not feeling well, are you? Is that why you don't want to eat? Is it too much trouble? I can have someone prepare lunch and medicine, and I can take care of you, but... can I touch you later?"

Ye Jishu: "..."

He stopped in his tracks.

And silently looked at the person beside him.

"Ah!" Bao Zhehan exclaimed, his ears and neck turning completely red after he realized what he had said. "That's not what I meant, I just..."

Should I say it? About that monster.

No, I shouldn't!

He didn’t even see it!

What am I supposed to say?

Seeing Bao Zhehan stammering and unable to answer, just about to grit his teeth and admit he meant it, a "scraping" sound was heard in front of them.

Someone pushed the dormitory door open from inside.

Ye Jishu turned to look.

The next moment, Yan Mei appeared in front of him.

Looking over, Bao Zhehan noticed that lunch and a medicine box had already been set on the table. A cup of hot water was steaming, and on a white paper, the medication was already sorted.

"You're back," Yan Mei said. "Drop your backpack and eat before resting."

Ye Jishu looked at him for a moment.

"How did you get in… without the key?"

Forget it.

That didn’t seem important right now.

"Yeah," ye Jishu responded.

He glanced at Yan Mei and slowly walked into the dormitory. Hesitating, he looked back at Bao Zhehan before sitting down and picking up the medication.

Yan Mei placed his hand on his forehead.

"Still feverish."

"…Yeah."

Bao Zhehan’s eyes were wide open. He stood at the door, dumbfounded. He stared in disbelief, his gaze shifting between Yan Mei and Ye Jishu, before subconsciously denying it. "This… this can't be… it's absolutely impossible…"

Why in the world was Yan Mei being so considerate?

Yet, Ye Jishu’s attitude remained normal, as if nothing was out of place.

In Bao Zhehan's imagination, Ye Jishu should have been the one showing concern, being anxious.

After all, that person was Yan Mei!

Before, he had the audacity to provoke Ye Jishu because he subconsciously believed that Ye Jishu was the weaker party in this relationship, someone who could be kicked out at any time.

Even though they were still in a relationship.

They would eventually part ways—after all, they were from two different worlds.

Four months sounds like a long time.

But maybe Yan Mei just couldn’t bear to say it out loud?

Yes. Even if the other person ignores him, it might just be because they’re being gentle.

Bao Zhehan had no impression of the other person being malicious or terrible. All he felt was "liking" and "loving."

Before Yan Mei said "let's break up," taking action himself only sped up the process.

But now…

Who exactly should be feeling the pressure?

Was he wrong?!

How could this be? Ye Jishu was just a nameless extra!

Stunned, Bao Zhehan watched as Ye Jishu, who had been drinking water, set down his cup and looked at him again.

His face was expressionless.

But he could sense urgency in his eyes.

Hesitating, Bao Zhehan walked in and closed the door.

Now, only the three of them were left in the room.

For some reason, the atmosphere felt tense. When Yan Mei looked over emotionless, he felt a strange dizziness.

Was he feeling suffocated because of his intense love?

Before, he would’ve thrown caution to the wind, overwhelmed with joy. But after Ye Jishu asked "why," even though his affection hadn’t faded, he felt confused and out of place. A voice in his head kept asking—“Why?”

His 'love' was still pounding in his chest.

Bao Zhehan’s heart raced, his mouth parched.

He couldn’t stand still or sit down.

In the end, he could only sweat profusely as he slowly walked to his assigned bed, sitting down on the hard bedframe.

He didn’t make a sound, trying to make himself as small as possible.

The atmosphere in the dormitory grew tense.

Ye Jishu broke the silence.

“I’m sleepy.”

“…Is this much food enough?”

“Yes, thank you.”

"I wanna sleep."

"Want to head to bed? I can help you change into your pajamas."

Ye Jishu nodded off.

From past experience, if he caught a cold, it wouldn’t be long before he’d get a fever and stomachache.

Lying flat on the bed would be uncomfortable.

So he figured it’d be better to just rest with his small head pillow on the lower bunk.

But before he could say anything, Yan Mei had already cleared the stuff off the table.

Then, he opened his cabinet.

Without a word, he rummaged through a pile of game cartridges and pulled out the pillow, placing it in front of Ye Jishu.

Ye Jishu was taken aback and didn’t react right away.

"……Thanks."

He rested his forehead on the pillow, burying his face in it.

But after half a minute, still not lifting his head, he mumbled, "……Why are you staring at me?"

Ye Jishu thought Yan Mei was going to do something else.

But he didn’t expect the other guy to just sit down next to him and stare at him.

Even without looking, he could picture the other guy resting his hand on his face, gazing down at him.

"Is that not alright?" Yan Mei shot back.

His usual gentleness was gone; now his tone was firmer, and the gaze felt even more intense.

Ye Jishu tensed up.

Ye Jishu had a rough sense of Yan Mei's mood.

This was...

A sign that the other guy was slipping into a bad mood.

Usually, he’d let it go, but with Bao Zhehan around now……

"……You can look."

Yan Mei said nothing.

Ye Jishu closed his eyes, and his breathing evened out.

Soon, he grew accustomed to the intense gaze and drifted off into a half-asleep state, forgetting the person next to him.

He had no idea how much time had passed.

Suddenly, he jerked awake, startled.

Still confused, he heard muffled voices, which made him halt his movement to sit up.

"……Yan Mei’s actually talking to Bao Zhehan."