Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The girl sitting next to him didn’t mind. Turning around and seeing that her friends had arrived, she happily stood up and waved them over. Once her friends were seated, she began exchanging meaningful glances with her roommate, trying to communicate telepathically.

Unaware of the messages being transmitted via their subtle facial cues, the two friends suddenly seemed to grasp something and leaned over to look toward Shen Hui’s seat, only to find that he had already left.

“Huh?” The girl looked bewildered. “Where did he go?”

Boss Yang, sitting nearby, smiled and replied, “He said he felt a bit stuffy and went out for some fresh air.”

“He graduated a long time ago,” Boss Yang continued cheerfully, steering the conversation elsewhere. “By the way, who was that person who just passed by?”

“You mean the one accompanied by the principal?” The girl immediately lit up, eager to share. “That’s Senior Yan Gui! The youngest head of the Yan Group and a total big shot in all of Qinghai!”

Over the next ten minutes, Boss Yang learned the inspiring story of how Yan Gui, after losing both parents and having his family business seized by the Chen family, bided his time and eventually reclaimed his inheritance three years ago by defeating the Chens.

“The Suhui Laboratory at our university was even donated by Senior Yan!”

The mention of “three years ago” and the name “Suhui” sent a jolt through Boss Yang’s heart—Shen Hui had his accident exactly three years ago.

When Shen Hui first arrived at the Yang household, he was barely conscious but adamantly refused to go to the hospital. He relied on anti-inflammatory medication and common gland inhibitors to fight off fevers and infections. He even tried to sneak away several times.

“Taking me in will bring ruin upon you,” Shen Hui had said weakly but firmly back then, his imposing demeanor leaving Boss Yang frozen in place. By the time Boss Yang snapped out of it and chased after him, he saw his own silly son holding the unconscious Shen Hui, crying and shouting for his dad.

Now, Yang Bai, who two years ago was completely clueless, stood confidently on the podium, clearing his throat formally.

Boss Yang snapped back to reality and quickly picked up his phone to take a picture of his son, but he couldn’t get the focus right no matter how he fumbled with it. Just as he was flustered, a slender, well-defined hand took the phone from him.

“Xiao Hui? Feeling better?” Boss Yang asked, his face lighting up with surprise.

Shen Hui sat back down under Boss Yang’s gaze and nodded. He tapped the screen a few times before handing the phone back. “It’s fixed. Just press the red button to start recording. Keep it aimed at him.”

Boss Yang hurriedly took the phone and pointed it at his son. Unfortunately, father and son were cut from the same cloth—Yang Bai was holding his speech upside down.

The underclassmen in the audience burst into laughter at his flustered expression.

Shen Hui watched as the young man awkwardly ruffled his own hair, a faint smile touching his eyes.

But that smile grew complex and subtle when his gaze shifted to Yan Gui in the VIP section.

Years ago, he had sat in the seat Yan Gui now occupied, watching him stand on the podium delivering a speech—a speech that single-handedly took down the entire department’s management.

Back then, Yan Gui had tossed his speech aside and swept a disdainful gaze over the crowd. “Do you know why I’m standing here? Because my family is rich, and I have powerful backing. No matter how many years you spend studying diligently, you’ll never even reach my starting line.”

Shen Hui, sitting in the audience, had facepalmed, while the principal and department administrators nearly fell out of their chairs, ready to kneel in apology to their ancestors.

Although this was part of their plan to reclaim the Yan Group’s shares in Qinghai University, Yan Gui’s bold and risky move had exceeded Shen Hui’s expectations.

Afterward, when Shen Hui went to reprimand the brat, Yan Gui had retorted confidently, “Just tell me, did they step down or not? Did the shares end up in my hands? Even the replacements we installed are our people. Shouldn’t you reward me?”

The nineteen-year-old had made no attempt to hide his desires, cornering Shen Hui and blatantly demanding a reward.

The person who had once been so easy to read was now entirely different. Shen Hui’s gaze shifted imperceptibly from Yan Gui to Yang Bai, just in time to hear Yang Bai’s cheerful speech.

His graduation address was more like an alternative survival guide for incoming freshmen—covering everything from which professors’ classes you couldn’t skip, to which teachers were lenient, which paths were best for sneaking out, and which cafeteria dishes were worth trying. It was essentially a speed-run guide to Qinghai Medical University, leaving everyone, including the professors mentioned, in stitches.

When the laughter died down, Yang Bai concluded, “Lastly, I want to thank a special person—my brother. He is the Ultraman Tiga of my life, making me believe in the light forever!”

As he spoke, he raised a custom-made high-wattage light bulb like a transformation device, its blinding glare moving everyone to tears.

Shen Hui watched the "golden monkey" on stage with a deadpan expression, wishing he could transform into the evil deity Gatanozoa.

Qinghai Medical University was clearly his kryptonite.

The next moment, Yan Gui stood up and walked toward Yang Bai on stage. Shen Hui’s body tensed instantly, his brow furrowing slightly.

What was he doing?

In that split second, Shen Hui prepared for the worst—Yan Gui had discovered him.

Fortunately, Lady Luck was on his side this time. Yan Gui was only there to present Yang Bai with his diploma and perform the tassel-turning ceremony.

Shen Hui let out a sigh of relief and leaned back in his chair, lowering his eyes with a self-mocking smile. In that world, he was already a dead man. Yan Gui was not the type to remain fixated on one person, and three years was more than enough time for him to forget him.

Boss Yang, who had been observing him for a while, suddenly remarked, “Do you know that boss with the surname Yan?”

Shen Hui froze, meeting Boss Yang’s knowing gaze.

“No, I don’t,” Shen Hui replied, averting his eyes somewhat flustered for the first time.

Boss Yang saw through it but didn’t press further, merely smiling. “He’s quite handsome, and I heard he’s very wealthy.”

Shen Hui nodded. “Indeed, he is wealthy.”

Over the past three years, Yan Gui had relentlessly suppressed the Chen family like a mad dog, even forcing Chen Shenzhi to flee abroad to avoid his edge. If Yan Gui so much as stamped his foot in Qinghai, the entire city would tremble.

“I think Boss Yan seems quite fond of Xiao Bai,” Boss Yang said cheerfully, watching the stage.

Shen Hui followed his gaze and noticed Yan Gui asking Yang Bai something, to which Yang Bai shook his head in confusion.

This was only a minor episode in the graduation ceremony. The subsequent tassel-turning ceremony showcased the beautiful yet chaotic mental state of contemporary university students, making even Yang Bai’s Ultraman act seem refined by comparison.

The tassel-turning ceremony for the graduates was anything but ordinary.

If their outfits were basic, their props were anything but: those who dutifully wore their graduation gowns held one or two props, ranging from party poppers and lollipops to banners and glow sticks.

If their props were basic, their outfits were not: from Hanfu and cosplay costumes to dinosaur suits and even Patrick Star outfits. By the end, the principal was numbly holding a magic wand, striking a pose to “eliminate evil in the name of the moon.”

The audience erupted in waves of laughter, and even Shen Hui’s eyes held a hint of amusement.

It had been a long time since he had stood under the sunlight. This vibrant, lively atmosphere was something he yearned for yet felt was beyond his reach.

When the ceremony ended, Yang Bai dashed toward them, wagging an imaginary tail.

“Brother!” Yang Bai puffed out his chest. “Wasn’t I cool up on stage?”

“Very cool,” Shen Hui nodded. “You turned the faces of the professors in the front row green.”

Yang Bai looked puzzled. “Huh?”

Shen Hui crossed his arms and critiqued him point by point. “When you said Professor Yang never takes attendance, he whispered something to his assistant. Your juniors are in for a treat. When you said Professor Lin never highlights key points and advised against taking his class, Professor Lin was grinning through gritted teeth.”

With each remark, Yang Bai’s face grew paler, eventually resembling a washed-out bitter gourd. Frustrated, he ruffled his carefully styled hair. “Ah! I was planning to apply for Professor Lin’s graduate program!”

Shen Hui delivered the final blow with detached calm. “You might only qualify as experimental material in his lab.”

“Ah!” Yang Bai’s heart shattered into pieces. “But he’s the most authoritative professor in gland research at the university!”

After teasing the golden retriever, Shen Hui turned and walked out, with Yang Bai following dejectedly behind him.

As soon as the three of them stepped out of the auditorium, Yang Bai’s teacher hurried after them: “Xiao Bai!”

Yang Bai was a bit surprised and almost didn’t recognize him: “Mr. Yang...”

“Yes.” Teacher Yang nodded warmly. “The principal asked me to inform you—there’s a spot reserved for you at the Suihui Research Institute selection interview this afternoon. Don’t forget to go.”

Yang Bai was completely floored by this out-of-the-blue opportunity: “Huh?”

“What do you mean, ‘huh’?” Teacher Yang patted his shoulder excitedly. “Don’t embarrass your class!”

Yang Bai stood frozen until Teacher Yang’s figure disappeared before he finally snapped back to reality. He was so thrilled he was over the moon: “Suihui Research Institute! The Yan Corporation! The dream of everyone with glands!”

He excitedly grabbed Shen Hui and spun him around wildly on the spot: “Brother! Did you hear that?!”

“I heard!” Shen Hui gritted his teeth as the world spun around him. “Put me down! I’m going to be sick!”

*

Half an hour later, Yang Bai sat bolt upright at his desk like a grade-schooler, his eyes fixed intently on Shen Hui, who was giving him an impromptu crash course.

Although the Suihui Research Institute had recruitment quotas at Qing Medical University, they typically only selected the very best among doctoral candidates. Someone like Yang Bai, who had just graduated with a bachelor’s degree, wasn’t even qualified to wash test tubes there. In a panic, he turned to Shen Hui for help.

In Yang Bai’s eyes, this drop-dead gorgeous brother who had seemingly fallen from the sky knew everything and could do anything—no matter how big the problem, Shen Hui could always break it down logically and solve it.

Shen Hui seemed a bit unwell, gently rubbing his temples as he asked, “What did Yan Jiu ask you when you were on stage?”

“He asked if I was an Omega,” Yang Bai replied truthfully, though he sensed an odd sense of familiarity in Shen Hui’s tone when he mentioned Senior Yan.

“What did you say?”

Yang Bai scratched his head. “I said no, I’m an Alpha. He didn’t seem convinced, so he asked about my pheromone scent, and I answered honestly.”

Shen Hui didn’t press further on the topic. Instead, he asked, “Do you really want to get into Suihui Research Institute?”

Yang Bai nodded vigorously. “Suihui Research Institute is one of only two institutes in the country researching glandular revival technology. It’s the ultimate dream for everyone with glands.”

Shen Hui sighed silently, thinking to himself that fools have fortune—Yang Bai was clearly being offered as a favor by the principal.

“Then just answer their questions honestly during the interview,” Shen Hui said. “Whatever they ask, answer truthfully.”

Yang Bai immediately deflated. “But what if I can’t answer?”

“Just say you don’t know,” Shen Hui countered. “If you already knew everything at your age, they would have recruited you long ago. The interviewers understand more than you do.”

Yang Bai suddenly had an epiphany. “I get it! I’ll say that even though I haven’t learned it yet, I’ll study hard and won’t hold anyone back!”

With Shen Hui acting as his anchor, Yang Bai walked out of the classroom full of confidence.

As soon as he left, Shen Hui, who had been holding it together, instantly slumped against the desk for support.

He pressed the back of his hand to his forehead—unsurprisingly, he was running a fever again.

The frequency of these fevers had increased significantly since last month. They usually came at night, but this one had struck suddenly and fiercely. Before long, his head began to swim.

Uncle Yang had returned to the shop to mind the business, and Shen Hui couldn't disturb Yang Bai now.

After some thought, he decided to go to the restroom to splash some water on his face and clear his head. He estimated that Yang Bai’s interview wouldn’t take long.

Only after two splashes of cold water on his face did the unnatural heat and dizziness begin to subside slightly.

Shen Hui raised his eyes to examine his reflection in the mirror—his damp hair clung awkwardly to his skin, his pale, sickly cheeks now flushed with an unnatural redness. Under the dim restroom lighting, he looked like a male ghost who had just crawled ashore.

Even he felt a sense of disgust with himself.

Just as he was scrutinizing his reflection, the restroom door burst open. He made eye contact with the newcomer in the mirror, and his heart instantly froze.

It was Yan Jiu.

***

Author's Note: [Hearts] Please like and bookmark, Diaodiao is about to cry!

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