Chapter 9: Medicine

Chapter 9: The Remedy

The dorm room door was unlocked.

Someone pushed it open.

“Anyone here?”

Footsteps approached; it sounded like more than one person.

In the bathroom, the shower ran noisily. Lin Shenshi pressed Yu Lanzhao against the wall, the boy beneath him completely naked.

They were pressed tightly together.

Those dark, deer-like eyes, wide and round, stared directly at him. Shock flickered, then gave way to shyness: “Sh—”

Before the word could escape, a hand swiftly covered his mouth.

Lin Shenshi frowned, shaking his head, his eyes signaling silence. But the earlier commotion had already caught the attention of the newcomers.

“Sounds like they’re in the bathroom,” one said, walking further in. “Yu Lanzhao? Are you in there?”

A shadow fell across the frosted glass door.

Lin Shenshi’s heart leaped into his throat.

His gaze darted to the bathroom door lock.

They hadn’t locked it when they came in.

If the door were to open now…

The footsteps drew closer.

His heart hammered violently in his chest, a roaring sound filling his ears.

As they drew nearer, Lin Shenshi had no choice but to speak up: “Who’s there?”

He forced his tone to sound calm: “Yu Lanzhao stepped out. I’m in the shower. Can you come back later?”

But the visitors didn’t leave. Instead, the shadow on the bathroom door grew larger.

“We’re here to submit our acting class assignment.”

Acting class assignment? Class had just ended this afternoon, and they were already turning it in tonight… In the real world, it might be understandable, but why were students in an erotic novel working so diligently?

Lin Shenshi cursed them inwardly seven or eight times, then patiently replied, “Just leave it on his bed. No telling when he’ll be back.”

The group mumbled a few things he couldn’t make out, then the shadow receded: “Alright, which bed is his?”

Lin Shenshi breathed a sigh of relief: “The left one.”

But the next moment, the receding shadow returned, and a soft click came from the door handle.

—A hand was on it.

The voice was extremely close: “Your left or my left? Come out and point it out. We’re all guys, what’s the big deal?”

Lin Shenshi’s heart almost leaped into his throat: “Don’t open the door! It’s freezing in here! I have the heater on!”

“Since when did you get so sensitive…” the person grumbled, still pressing down on the handle.

Lin Shenshi’s breathing nearly stopped.

A roaring sound filled his head.

If they saw him pinning Yu Lanzhao, and the news spread—that old pervert Lu Yuan would definitely kill him!

Shadows pressed against the frosted glass of the bathroom door, and more people approached.

Lin Shenshi struggled to get up, holding Yu Lanzhao in his arms, turning his back to the door.

This way, even if the people outside saw them, they’d only see his back.

He pressed against the door, his tone displeased: “I said, don’t open it!”

Perhaps intimidated by his tone, the people outside finally relented.

“Hey, no need to get mad…”

The person continued grumbling.

“Zhang Shan, you idiot?” another voice chimed in. “Isn’t this Yu Lanzhao’s bed? This is it right here.”

They moved away from the bathroom.

There was the sound of papers being placed on the bed.

Lin Shenshi’s tension finally eased.

As they walked out, Zhang Shan asked, “How’d you know?”

“Pfft, it’s neat as a pin, like a girl’s room. Must be Pretty Boy Yu’s.”

This was followed by a round of mean-spirited chuckling.

Lin Shenshi frowned and looked down at the boy in his arms.

Yu Lanzhao lowered his eyes, and Lin Shenshi couldn’t see his expression, only the dusky shadows beneath his thick lashes.

In the original novel, “Pretty Boy Yu” was not a compliment.

The entertainment industry was known for playing favorites, cliquish behavior, looking down on those less successful, and sucking up to those in power. Everyone used every ounce of effort to climb higher, creating a cutthroat, nasty environment.

Although the students at the Performing Arts Academy hadn’t officially broken into the entertainment industry yet, the culture was already forming.

Who had better grades, who had outstanding looks, who had strong backing—After more than a year together, everyone had a pretty good idea.

As the saying goes, “He’s like a jewel in a beggar’s hand.” Some resources could give their friends a leg up, while others left their peers bitter and jealous.

Yu Lanzhao was the latter.

The academy was full of good-looking guys and girls. It wasn’t about being good-looking—it was about being too good-looking.

Yu Lanzhao was just too gorgeous.

Wherever he was, everyone else faded into the background. His stunning appearance made those around him seem like drab little ducks. Every teacher who had taught Yu Lanzhao declared he would become a shining star in the entertainment industry.

The students at the Performing Arts Academy were all top talents selected from various places, each with huge egos, and they couldn’t stand to hear that kind of talk the most.

Those with dark minds had long marked Yu Lanzhao as their primary target for bullying, while most other classmates secretly envied him.

Over time, they gave Yu Lanzhao the nickname "Yu Beauty," mocking him for having nothing but a pretty face and even cursing him to eventually meet his end at the Wu River, like Consort Yu of the Chu overlord.

Zhang Shan added, "Speaking of which, don’t you think it’s strange? I heard from upperclassmen that Teacher Lu is extremely picky—he swaps out class reps every three months at most. But look how long Yu Lanzhao has been the class rep, and he’s still holding the position!"

"What do you mean? Is there some gossip?"

Zhang Shan snorted disdainfully. "If you ask me, there must be something fishy going on between them!"

"But Yu Lanzhao is a guy?"

"So what if he’s a guy? Guys have holes too, you know?"

"Ooh—" The boys whistled and jeered, followed by knowing, dirty laughs.

In the entertainment industry, romantic and sexual affairs were everywhere; sleeping one’s way to the top was commonplace. For someone like Yu Lanzhao, with no family background or connections, only a beautiful appearance, the only fate awaiting him was becoming a plaything for those in power.

The boys' voices faded into the distance, and the dorm room returned to silence.

In the bathroom, Lin Shenshi felt a surge of disgust and instinctively glanced at the boy in his arms.

Yu Lanzhao trembled, his slender body curled up, his exquisitely androgynous face filled with sorrow. Tears rolled down like pearls, streaking past his beauty mark.

His teeth clenched his lower lip, his voice trembling with the panic and helplessness from being misunderstood. "Xiao Shi, I didn’t..."

"I know."

Before Yu Lanzhao could finish, Lin Shenshi ruffled his hair and spoke softly.

No one understood Yu Lanzhao’s struggles better than Lin Shenshi.

In the original story, Yu Lanzhao had always studied hard and lived with determination. Life had dealt him pain, yet he responded with song. As an orphan, Yu Lanzhao never gave up hope in life.

He simply wanted to live well in this world through his own efforts.

Becoming an actor was his dream, and he had never thought of relying on powerful figures or taking shortcuts. Even later, when a wealthy tycoon took him by force, he never accepted the resources the man offered.

So how could he possibly suck up to a teacher just for a few perks at school?

Moreover, it was Lu Yuan who harbored dark intentions toward Yu Lanzhao. The young man remained completely unaware from beginning to end.

By the time he discovered the actions of the teacher he respected, a semester had already passed. By then, his body had grown accustomed to the man’s touch, like a ripe fruit that could no longer escape being toyed with. Despite his desperate attempts to flee, he was always caught and dragged back, sinking even deeper into a vortex of desire.

The protagonist was brave.

But even more unfortunate.

Lin Shenshi wanted to help him.

Such a radiant young man shouldn’t be trapped in a lightless swamp. He should spread his wings and soar high into the bright heavens.

"Don’t worry, from now on... there definitely won’t be rumors like this anymore."

Lin Shenshi stroked his hair and made a soft promise.

I will change your fate.

*

On Sunday evening, after the homework had been collected and Lin Shenshi had helped Yu Lanzhao finish dinner, he volunteered to drop it off for him to Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan’s office was in the administration building, not far from the dormitory, separated only by a river.

Lin Shenshi had never been there, but it was mentioned multiple times in the original story.

"Room 803 in the administration building was Lu Yuan’s personal office. The outer room held a desk and other office supplies, while the inner room contained a soft single bed."

"The door to the inner room was usually closed, rarely opened to anyone. Only when particular guests arrived would the host unlock it."

That’s right—"particular guests" referred to the protagonist.

In the original plot, Lu Yuan had repeatedly engaged in explicit acts with the protagonist on that single bed, leaving traces of their encounters all over the sheets.

And today, Lu Yuan would make his move on Yu Lanzhao there.

"In the transparent glass, white pills dissolved while sinking into the warm water, while the unaware young man sipped gently."

["Thank you, Teacher Lu. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave."]

"The young man politely bid farewell but felt dizzy as he turned to leave, staggering and falling backward."

"His slender body fell into the arms of the adult man behind him. Lu Yuan looked down at the young man with dark, inscrutable eyes, like an abyssal monster lying in wait. His arms tightened, again and again, as if trying to crush the youth entirely into his own frame. The unconscious young man only furrowed his delicate brows slightly, showing no signs of waking."

"His face, small enough to be easily held in one hand, showed a struggle as if sinking into quicksand with no escape. His rosy lips parted slightly, emitting soft, helpless whimpers, like a defenseless young animal."

"Lu Yuan scooped him up with an arm, carrying him into the inner room and laying him on the soft bed."

"The long night stretched ahead, and the ripe fruit would be fully savored, blushing like a ripe peach into its most tender and enticing hue, intoxicating and irresistible."

That night was also recorded by Lu Yuan with a camera and stored in an encrypted folder on his computer.

Titled "NO.2 Night Visit to the Garden."

"..."

Lin Shenshi stood outside the door of Room 803, his expression complex. Taking a deep breath, he curled his knuckles and knocked on the mahogany door.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

"Come in."

Almost the moment the knocking sound faded, a deep voice came from behind the door.

Lin Shenshi pushed the door open and entered. "Teacher Lu, this is Class One’s homework."

Behind the desk, Lu Yuan was reading with his head lowered. Hearing an unexpected voice, he lifted his eyes, his cold, dark pupils glaring at Lin Shenshi icily through gold-rimmed glasses.

"Why is it you? Where’s Yu Lanzhao?"

"He sprained his ankle and asked me to deliver it for him," Lin Shenshi replied evenly.

Lu Yuan’s gaze lingered on him meaningfully. Lin Shenshi fought down the chill rising in his heart, resisting the urge to turn and flee.

After a long moment, Lu Yuan finally looked away.

"Since you’re here on his behalf, do me a favor."

Lu Yuan stood and walked to the water dispenser, filling a transparent glass with water.

The man’s slender fingers wrapped around the cup as bubbles fizzled up within.

"..."

Lin Shenshi's eyelids twitched.

No?

What is that perverted old man Lu Yuan trying to do?

In the original story, the protagonist had drunk this drugged water, which led to a night of madness and passionate, life-and-death entanglement.

Now that it was him here instead—unable to have his way with the protagonist—why was he still pouring water and adding drugs?

Could it be that…

Lin Shenshi felt a chill run down his spine.