TPPCGEM Chapter 43

The body, hot and flushed from just finishing exercise, felt soft and warm in Yan Ci’s hand. He froze for a moment, wanting to pull his hand back.

“Don’t…”

Xia Zhinian, still curled up and holding onto his hand, hadn’t fully recovered. The slightest brush of contact sent a shiver through his body. His almond-shaped eyes widened in confusion, and instinctively, he tried to push the hand away from his embrace.

Yan Ci paused momentarily, the delicate sensation still lingering on his fingertips. His lips curled slightly as he offered a sincere apology.

“Sorry, I just wanted to pull your shirt down.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

The boy quickly touched his belly through his clothes, feeling as if his head had been thrown out like a forced sit-up. Still in a daze, he weakly muttered, “You’re stepping on my foot, I need to get up.”

Yan Ci chuckled softly and stood up, offering him a hand.

The exams had almost no breaks between them, with one test immediately followed by the next.

Xia Zhinian used all his strength, desperately trying to pass. However, when it came to the 1000-meter run, he was completely done for.

Sit-ups and push-ups could be faked to some extent, but there was no way to cheat in the 1000-meter run.

Xia Zhinian felt a wave of despair, watching the others in his group run far ahead while he lagged, nearly a full lap behind them. Gasping for breath, he was on the verge of tears.

He can’t do this anymore.

Just let him be done. He can’t run any further.

Gasping for air, his lungs burning, his pace slowed more and more. Eventually, he gave up resisting, his steps as slow as a turtle’s crawl. Mouth open, he breathed heavily as he slowly crossed the finish line under the sharp gaze of the teacher.

The PE teacher glanced at the stopwatch and shook his head, mercilessly announcing, “Failed the 1000-meter run. Retake next semester.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

The ‘brother’ he had called out to earlier was all for nothing. To him, failing one test was no different from failing many.

Xia Zhinian’s heart was filled with bitterness. After his hospital check-up, he was told that his allergic asthma wasn’t too severe and that moderate exercise wouldn’t be an issue.

But after such a strict fitness test and now facing a retake, he was considering whether to go back to the hospital and get a more severe diagnosis for his allergic asthma.

–

The next day, after a night of sleep, Xia Zhinian woke up with every part of his body aching. His limbs and torso were stiff as if filled with lead, and the bruises on his backside and the fading purple marks on his wrist only added to the discomfort.

The boy sighed, feeling like there wasn’t a single good spot on his body.

He sat down slowly, leaning his creaking waist onto the desk. Resting his head on the table, he took a deep breath.

Yan Ci watched his sloth-like movements and chuckled softly, “Already worn out?”

Xia Zhinian: “??”

Xia Zhinian wobbled his head on the table, his round almond eyes wide, and he pouted, his voice soft and weak, “You’re strong. How about you retake the 1000 meters for me?”

Yan Ci noticed that his voice had recovered quite a bit. After the fitness test, his cold seemed to be almost gone. He patted Xia Zhinian’s head and laughed lazily, “Deskmate, why are you so heartless?”

“Yesterday, you were calling me ‘brother,’ but today you’re already turning your back on me.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Xia Zhinian pouted his rosy lips, feeling down, and mumbled, “I called you, but I still didn’t pass.”

Yan Ci’s lips held a hint of a smile. The scar at the corner of his eye relaxed as he casually replied, “Then I’ll retake it for you. At the start of next semester, I’ll change my name to Xia Zhinian. How about that?”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Bah.

This black sesame dumpling only knows how to make sarcastic comments.

“Go away.”

Xia Zhinian pouted and glared at him fiercely, trying to shake his head to get rid of Yan Ci’s hand. But his whole body was too sore to muster any strength, and instead, it seemed like he was rubbing against his palm.

Yan Ci’s smile deepened, and his fingers slid into the boy’s soft hair.

Yesterday, the sky was clear, and after rushing to finish the physical fitness test, it started raining today. Xia Zhinian lay on the desk, motionless, watching the fine droplets outside. Not long after, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, lulled by the sound of the continuous rain.

His dream was chaotic and disjointed.

On the television, a news report played about the car accident, with the anchor explaining.

“This accident was extremely tragic. The entire Xia family, four people in total, were in the car. Only the frail and sickly eldest son survived under mysterious circumstances…”

The frail and sickly child had recovered enough from his injuries and was to move back to his original home from his grandparents’ house. But he wasn’t going alone—his grandparents, uncle, and aunt were all moving into that big house with him.

The group sat around the table at dinner, chatting and eating warmly. The pale little boy, no taller than their knees, stood by the living room, looking lost and unsure whether he should approach.

“…Grandma.”

He called softly.

The elegant elderly woman with silver hair looked over, her face filled with disgust. “What are you doing down here? Trying to steal something from someone else again?”

The little boy stood there, bewildered.

Had he… stolen something from someone?

The child returned to his room, and the tall door shut behind him. The little boy stood behind the door, dazed and at a loss.

After a while, an aunt opened the door and placed a plate of food down from above, looking down at him.

Clear conversations from downstairs drifted up.

A young woman’s voice said, “So unlucky. I can’t even eat when I see him.”

“My older brother’s family of four, and only this sickly thing survived. The more I think about it, the stranger it feels.”

Grandma snorted, “A cursed star. He took the lives of his parents and brother. You all should stay away from him.”

“Ha, if it’s not yours, even if you steal it, you’ll have to give it back sooner or later.”

“If it weren’t for him, maybe my brother wouldn’t have died. Now all the money is locked up, and that sickly thing can only withdraw a little every month.”

“Three lives owed—he’ll have to repay them sooner or later.”

“Bang.”

The aunt turned and left, slamming the door shut and cutting off the sounds outside.

The fine rain pierced through the dream and into his ears, accompanied by a gentle voice.

“Deskmate.”

“Xia Zhinian?”

A warm hand rested on his head, gently ruffling his hair. Xia Zhinian slowly opened his eyes.

“…What is it?”

His voice was soft and slow, still groggy from sleep.

Yan Ci looked at him. The boy’s face was pale, his amber eyes dimmed, and his breathing shallow.

“Did you have a nightmare?” Yan Ci asked, his voice low and gentle, as he patted the boy’s head. Xia Zhinian had been trembling in his sleep.

Xia Zhinian slowly returned to his senses, propping himself up with his arms as he sat up. He let out a soft breath and rubbed his face hard.

“No.”

How could this count as a nightmare? He had experienced these things almost daily as a child—he was almost used to it.

The lesson continued, with the teacher explaining exercises at the front of the class. Outside, the rain drizzled down. Xia Zhinian took a deep breath, and suddenly, a hand appeared in front of him, palm up, holding two warm, orange-colored fruit candies.

Yan Ci shook his hand slightly and smiled. “Want one?”

Xia Zhinian: “…?”

Xia Zhinian was taken aback, feeling a strange sense of familiarity. He tilted his head in thought.

Last time, when he had fallen asleep in class and dreamed about his childhood, didn’t Yan Ci also give him candy?

Yan Ci brought his hand closer. His long, jade-like fingers were clearly defined. Xia Zhinian pursed his lips and hesitated for a moment before taking one candy.

“Thanks.”

–

The weather was gradually warming up, and Xia Zhinian had only recently been brought back to the Xia family in March, so he didn’t have many clothes.

In the evening, Jiang Yuan found some time to take her younger son shopping, with her eldest son frowning in the front, acting as the driver.

When they arrived, Xia Wenhan sat in the driver’s seat and looked back at them, his voice cold.

“I still have some work to do at the company. I’ll wait for you here; I’m not going in.”

“Oh, Xiaohan, are you in a hurry with your work?” Jiang Yuan sighed regretfully. “I wanted to pick out some clothes for you too.”

Xia Wenhan: “…”

Without changing his expression, Xia Wenhan picked up his phone, “I’m in a rush. I need to call a partner to discuss some things.”

Xia Zhinian was sitting directly behind, and because of the angle, he could see Xia Wenhan opening…

A mobile game? “Eliminate the Stars”!?

Xia Zhinian: “?!”

His expression was shocked and confused, and he suddenly had a bad feeling.

Sure enough, Xia Wenhan didn’t get out of the car. Very quickly, Xia Zhinian found himself experiencing the intense shopping enthusiasm of women alone. He was dragged from store to store, trying on countless outfits, his expression dazed, feeling like he had become an emotionless mannequin.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yuan was in a great mood. Her eyebrows curved in happiness.

“Niannian, it’s getting warmer now. I noticed you’ve been wearing long sleeves all this time, and that can get hot. How about I buy you some short sleeves?”

“I…” Xia Zhinian was stunned. He usually didn’t like wearing short sleeves, as he tended to brush against others easily during summer.

“What’s wrong, Niannian? Did you find something you like?”

Jiang Yuan smiled expectantly, hoping for feedback from her younger son. “How about this one?”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Not wanting to ruin her mood, Xia Zhinian nodded and softly said, “It’s fine.”

Jiang Yuan’s excitement grew. “You like it?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s buy it!”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Xia Zhinian had an indescribable feeling. The corners of his lips twitched up slightly, and he couldn’t help but laugh a little before resigning himself to trying on more clothes.

They shopped until nightfall, purchasing a chaotic mix of items, and Jiang Yuan finally felt satisfied, ready to take her sons home.

Xia Zhinian walked alongside her, noticing the light smile on her face. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he thought about his dream earlier that day.

…Was he, in a sense, stealing the original owner’s family and life?

A pang of guilt tightened in his chest, his fingers curled slightly, and he lowered his gaze.

He had to act fast; he couldn’t afford to delay any longer.

–

The next day, the classroom was filled with increasing noise.

“The program’s already decided; now we just need to choose the actors.”

“Is this all so sudden?!”

“Damn, why is Shengguang holding this interschool activity right before final exams?”

“Well, it’s an international school. They don’t care about exam scores, so finals mean nothing to them.”

Yuan Lang laughed mischievously, waving to get everyone’s attention. “Hey, hey, let’s not get off track! First, we need to pick the actors. I’ll go first! My deskmate, Brother Chu, has to be first in line, right?”

“Hahaha.”

Zou Ziqian burst out laughing. “Of course! Brother Chu must go first. The play is Farewell My Concubine, so how can we do it without the current Lord Chu playing the lead role?”

“Hahaha, no argument there!”

Xia Zhinian sat in the back row, resting his feet on the front of his chair, with his chin propped up in his hands, watching the commotion.

The Third High School and Shengguang International High School were close to each other, so they occasionally held joint activities like this, taking turns hosting.

Last time, the Third High School organized a school tour, so this time it was Shengguang’s turn, and they decided on a drama performance.

The theme had been chosen by the class long ago. At the time, the teacher had been teaching the history of the Seven Warring States, and out of nowhere, someone with sudden inspiration had suggested, “Why don’t we perform Farewell My Concubine for the next play?”

The class immediately agreed.

And so, it was settled.

Xia Zhinian popped a candy into his mouth, enjoying the sweet and sour taste. His round almond-shaped eyes watched them make a fuss. He turned his head, excitedly looking for the protagonist gong and shou’s story.

This part was in the original plot. It mentioned that Chu Qingjian was pushed into the lead role, and Yan Ci, the black sesame dumpling, felt a bit sour about it and not very happy.

While the class was noisily deciding on the cast, Chu Qingjian and Yan Ci hid in the small room at the back of the classroom, with the door shut, distancing themselves from the noise.

The air in the small room was thick. Chu Qingjian smiled, comforting his sweetheart, pulling him into a hug and kissing him.

Xia Zhinian bit into the candy in his mouth.

Even though he couldn’t quite imagine Yan Ci being held down for a kiss, just thinking about that scene excited him.

…So even the black sesame dumpling has his moments!

Serves him right for bullying others all the time!

He just wondered if this scene would still happen as expected, given how the protagonist gong and shou romantic progress was currently derailing.

He turned his head, looked back, scanning the room, and suddenly froze.

The small room with the water dispenser was usually left open, but now… the door was tightly shut.

Xia Zhinian: “?!”

What the…?! Was it really happening?!

Was there someone inside?

Xia Zhinian’s almond-shaped eyes widened, shocked and excited as he looked over.

A faint noise came from behind the closed door. The dark wooden door opened, and the protagonist gong, Chu Qingjian, came out first, ruffling his hair.

Following right behind him, only a step away, was the protagonist shou, Yan Ci, with his elegant and refined appearance.

Xia Zhinian bit down hard on the candy in his mouth, his eyes growing wider and wider.

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!!

Is this…?!

The boy’s eyes were round with astonishment. Yan Ci returned to his seat but didn’t sit down immediately. Instead, he stood next to Xia Zhinian and ruffled his fluffy head.

“What are you staring at?”

Xia Zhinian’s eyes darted to Yan Ci’s lips, trying to spot something different. He glanced at Chu Qingjian and then back at Yan Ci, his voice soft and clear as he hesitantly asked, “You two…”

Hesitating, he didn’t know whether to finish his sentence.

Yan Ci tilted his head, raising an eyebrow, his tone gentle. “Us… two? Me and who?”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

He hesitated for a moment, swallowed his words, and smiled. “Nothing, nothing, no one.”

It seemed like the protagonist gong and shou’s relationship was progressing.

During class, Chu Qingjian’s eraser fell to the ground and rolled over to Xia Zhinian’s side.

Xia Zhinian bent down, picked it up, and casually placed it on Yan Ci’s desk. “Here you go.”

Yan Ci: “??”

Yan Ci raised an eyebrow. “Why are you giving it to me?”

Xia Zhinian’s round almond eyes blinked. “Can you pass it to Brother Chu? It’s his.”

Yan Ci’s gaze lingered on the boy, his brows furrowing slightly as that inexplicable feeling of something being off resurfaced. His voice was calm and casual.

“Deskmate, you’re not that far from Chu Qingjian. Why are you asking me to pass it on?”

Before, this little rice cake treated him like an enemy, but now… he was asking his “enemy” to pass something along?

Yan Ci remembered seeing Xia Zhinian run away, looking excited, after spotting him and Chu Qingjian talking outside the school building.

Yan Ci lowered his eyebrows, his scarred eyelid standing out as he gazed meaningfully at the boy, his smile growing warmer.

Xia Zhinian’s heart skipped a beat.

…Crap.

He had casually placed the eraser, but the black sesame dumpling was too quick to catch on.

His mind raced, and he pursed his lips, whispering, “Didn’t you tell me to stay away from Brother Chu so I wouldn’t dirty your medicine?”

Yan Ci’s frown deepened. That growing unease of things not going as expected crept back into his heart. His dark eyes were unreadable as he softly replied.

“So, because I said that, you obediently did as I asked?”

“Deskmate.”

He smiled at Xia Zhinian, his voice light and slow. “I didn’t realize you were so well-behaved.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Damn.

Xia Zhinian’s chest tightened. Yan Ci’s smile sent chills down his spine. The black sesame dumpling was too sharp. He bit his lip and quickly turned around, tapping Chu Qingjian’s shoulder and handing over the eraser.

Yan Ci was still watching. Xia Zhinian glanced at him cautiously and muttered, “It’s just an eraser. Why make such a fuss?”

Yan Ci: “…”

Yan Ci didn’t respond, but he still felt something was off.

He stared at Xia Zhinian, his gaze slowly tracing the boy’s body as if trying to find a crack to see what was inside his heart.

Xia Zhinian quickly looked away.

—

That night, during the last self-study session, the class held a preliminary vote for the play’s cast.

Xia Zhinian was lying on the desk, sleeping soundly. His long eyelashes drooped, and his slightly red lips were parted just a little. He was breathing evenly.

In the noisy classroom, someone shouted, “Voting, voting! Hurry up! Who hasn’t voted yet?”

“Xia Zhinian!”

Yuan Lang turned around and faced the back row, his voice loud: “Xia Zhinian hasn’t voted yet. Come on!”

“…Hmm?”

Xia Zhinian heard his name in a daze, sat up, and his messy hair drooped softly. His voice was soft and sleepy, “…Were you calling me?”

Yuan Lang had awakened him from his nap. Looking around, he did not see Yan Ci, and He breathed a sigh of relief.

“Since you’re already awake, come on, Xia Zhinian. You’re the last one who hasn’t voted.”

Xia Zhinian: “…?”

Vote?

What vote?

He rubbed his eyes, still not fully awake, and looked forward.

On the blackboard were big words—

“Farewell My Concubine Mini Play: Candidate Voting for the Role of Consort Yu.”

The name “Yan Ci” (needs to play a female role) was at the top of the list.

Behind it was “Xia Zhinian (needs to play a female role).”

There were other scattered names, too, but their vote counts were much lower.

“…?”

“??!”

Xia Zhinian jolted awake, staring at the board.

What was going on? Why was his name competing with the protagonist shou for a female role?

Zou Ziqian grinned mischievously and teased, “Hey, former deskmate, you’re the last vote. The decision is in your hands.”

Xia Zhinian: “??”

What in the world?

He looked at the blackboard, his eyes wide open in shock.

Both he and Yan Ci had nine votes each. The competition was intense and deadlocked.

And the final vote was in his hands.

What… what kind of situation was this?

Xia Zhinian was completely dumbfounded.

Yuan Lang saw his confusion and glanced around, his smile growing wider. He snickered sneakily, “No worries, Yan Ci and Chu Qingjian were just called to the office by Teacher Qin. Just say your vote aloud to the class rep, and it’ll be done.”

“Farewell My Concubine, huh? There’s bound to be scenes with tearful goodbyes and embraces. You’re voting for yourself, right? Hurry up before they come back.”

The tangled love triangle and unresolved drama were incredibly exciting to Yuan Lang!

Xia Zhinian: “…”

He noticed that Yan Ci and Chu Qingjian were not in the classroom and blinked a few times. “Were they called away together?”

“Yeah, they’ve been spending a lot of time together recently. I wonder what they’ve been up to.”

“!!”

Xia Zhinian felt both a little excited and guilty. He asked softly, “The voting is anonymous, right?”

“Of course it’s anonymous. Just tell the arts committee member directly.”

Yan Ci and Chu Qingjian had just returned from the office and were about to enter the classroom when Yan Ci spotted the voting results on the blackboard. He also saw the pale and hesitant boy in the back, nervously adjusting his clothes as he prepared to cast his vote.

Xia Zhinian bit his lip, his round eyes wide and bright. He lowered his voice and mouthed clearly.

“Alright, I vote… for Yan Ci.”

Yuan Lang: “…??”

“Knock.”

Out of nowhere, a soft but heavy knock on the door echoed.

It landed right in their hearts.

Xia Zhinian and Yuan Lang turned to see a refined and handsome face peering through the glass, staring straight at Xia Zhinian.

His eyes were dark as night, and his lips curled into a gentle smile.

Xia Zhinian: “?!!!”

Ah, ah, ah, ah! Crap!

Alarm bells blared in Xia Zhinian’s mind as his eyes widened in shock. He gulped nervously.

The door opened, and Yan Ci and Chu Qingjian entered. Xia Zhinian froze. His first instinct was to run, but the classroom was full of people, leaving him no escape. A light hand pressed down on his shoulder, brushing against his neck.

“Deskmate.”

Yan Ci’s lips curled into a smile as he spoke softly, his deep voice pleasant to the ear. “Who did you just vote for? I didn’t quite hear.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Oh no, oh no, oh no.

The play Farewell My Concubine had scenes with intimate embraces, and now he had voted… for Yan Ci.

Yuan Lang quickly turned away, pretending to be dead. Xia Zhinian’s heart was pounding like a drum, his whole body stiffening. He could barely breathe, feeling a cold shiver as fingers brushed the back of his neck, making him tremble uncontrollably.

Yan Ci smiled warmly, his voice chillingly soft as he pinched Xia Zhinian’s earlobe. “Be good. Say it again, who did you vote for?”

Xia Zhinian: “…” Ugh!

Xia Zhinian shuddered and stammered with a panicked expression, “I-I voted… for myself.”

“Oh?” Yan Ci’s smile deepened.

His fingers lightly pinched the soft flesh of Xia Zhinian’s ear, grazing the tip. Xia Zhinian shivered, his body stiffening as he was enveloped in Yan Ci’s shadow. His eyes were wide with fear as he quickly corrected himself.

“I voted for… for the person below me… Zhao Jingjing.”

Yan Ci’s gaze was fixed on him, his deep black eyes unreadable. His smile was polite but dangerous.

“Xia Zhinian.”

He leaned in closer.

Xia Zhinian grew more rigid, the shadow behind him pressing down as warm breath brushed against his ear. The soft, eerie voice sent shivers down his spine.

“Good boy, what are you trying to do?”

Yan Ci studied his side profile, examining him with cold eyes. His voice was as gentle as ever, but there was a chilling undertone, and his gaze was sharp as he smiled calmly. “Come on, tell me. I’m listening.”

Xia Zhinian: “…!”

Help, help!

Xia Zhinian was so tense that he barely dared to breathe. His mind raced as he desperately tried to devise an excuse, mumbling softly, “I-I was going to vote for myself, but…”

He glanced at Yan Ci, bit his lip, and tried to lean away from him, speaking softly. “But you… would get mad.”

His brain was working overtime, and he yelled out the opposite of what he meant. “I don’t see anything too intimate between you and Chu Qingjian, so the rumors about you two are just—mmph!”

“Liar.”

Xia Zhinian’s heart pounded wildly as Yan Ci grabbed his shoulder, pressing him back against his body.

Yan Ci stared at him, his fingers digging into Xia Zhinian’s hair, forcing him to tilt his head.

Xia Zhinian felt like his heart was about to burst out of his chest. His chin was gripped tightly, and he couldn’t avoid those pitch-black eyes. The scar at the corner of Yan Ci’s eye was filled with an unsettling aura.

“Y-Yan Ci.”

He stammered.

Yan Ci pulled out a warm yet terrifying smile, his voice soft and chilling. “Good boy, I want to hear the truth.”

Xia Zhinian: “!!!”

He trembled, trying to avert his gaze, but his back felt cold.

“…I-It’s the truth.”

“Is it?”

Yan Ci’s heart turned colder. His fingers tightened as he firmly held Xia Zhinian’s chin, forcing him to face him again. He stared straight into his eyes, his voice low and dangerously calm.

“Why do I feel like… you’re trying to match me and your ‘Brother Chu’ together?”