The girl sitting next to him didn’t mind. Turning around and seeing her friends arriving, she happily stood up and waved them over. Once everyone was seated, she started exchanging knowing, mischievous glances with her roommate using micro-expressions.
Unaware of whatever messages they were passing through micro-expressions, the two friends suddenly had an epiphany. They stretched their necks 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 it was a bit stuffy, so he went outside to get some fresh air.”
“Is he your son? Is he also from our school? Which department is he from?” It was practically unscientific for looks like that not to appear on the campus confession wall.
“He graduated a long time ago.” Boss Yang chuckled and deftly changed the subject. “Who was that person who just walked by?”
“Are you asking about the one the president was accompanying?” The girl instantly opened the floodgates. “That’s Senior Yan Jiu! The youngest head of the Yan Group and an absolute legendary figure in all of Qinghai!”
Over the next ten minutes, Boss Yang learned the inspirational story of how Yan Jiu, after losing both parents and having his family business snatched away by the Chen family, endured and bided his time, ultimately defeating the Chen family three years ago to reclaim his family fortune.
“The Suihui Laboratory right here on campus was even donated by Senior Yan!”
The words “three years ago” and “Suihui” made Boss Yang’s heart skip a beat. It was precisely three years ago that Shen Hui’s accident happened.
When Shen Hui first arrived at the Yang family, he was barely conscious, yet he adamantly forbade Boss Yang from taking him to the hospital, relying only on anti-inflammatory drugs and ordinary gland inhibitors to fight off the fever and infection. He even tried to sneak away several times.
“Taking me in will bring you catastrophic disaster.” At that time, Shen Hui was frail yet unwavering, and his imposing aura was so intimidating that Boss Yang didn’t dare move. It wasn’t until Shen Hui walked out of the repair shop that Boss Yang snapped out of it and rushed to chase after him, only to find his own foolish son hugging the collapsed man, crying and shouting for his dad.
And now, Yang Bai, who two years ago didn’t know his head from his tail, looked polished and presentable as he stood gracefully on the podium, clearing his throat in a very professional manner.
Coming back to his senses, Boss Yang immediately picked up his phone to take a picture of his son, but no matter what he did, he couldn’t get the focus right. While he was flustered and fumbling, a hand with distinct, prominent knuckles took the phone from his grasp.
“Xiao Hui? Are you feeling better?” Boss Yang asked with a pleasant surprise.
Enduring Boss Yang’s gaze, Shen Hui sat back down in his seat, nodded, tapped the screen a few times, and handed the phone back. “All set. Just tap that red button to record video, and keep it aimed at him.”
Boss Yang hurriedly took the phone and aimed it at his son, failing to realize that father and son truly shared a wavelength when it came to messing up. Yang Bai had held the speech upside down.
Countless junior and sophomore students laughed out loud at his awkward expression.
Watching the young man somewhat sheepishly ruffle his own hair, Shen Hui felt a trace of a smile touch the corners of his eyes.
Yet that trace of smile turned complex and subtle the moment he caught sight of Yan Jiu in the VIP seating.
Years ago, he had sat in Yan Jiu’s exact seat, watching him stand on that very podium delivering a speech, watching him wipe out the entire faculty management layer with a single piece of paper.
Back then, Yan Jiu had tossed away his speech manuscript, sweeping his gaze across everyone with arrogant disdain. “Do you know why I am standing up here? Because my family is wealthy and I have backing. No matter how many years you spend studying by the dim light of a window, you will never even reach my starting line.”
Sitting in the audience, Shen Hui had listened with his hand pressed to his forehead, while the university president and faculty administrators nearly dropped out of their seats, ready to kneel before their ancestors.
Although this was part of taking back the Yan Group’s shares in Qinghai University at the time, doing it so blatantly and taking such a dangerous gamble truly exceeded Shen Hui’s original plan.
Afterward, he went to discipline the little brat, but the other party had a ready and confident defense. “You just tell me whether they stepped down or not, whether the shares ended up in my hands or not, and whether the people we reassigned into those positions are our own people. Shouldn’t you be rewarding me?”
The nineteen-year-old youth made no attempt to hide his desires, cornering Shen Hui and brazenly demanding his reward.
The person he could see through with a single glance back then was now completely different. Shen Hui’s gaze slid unassumingly from Yan Jiu to Yang Bai, right as he overheard Yang Bai’s cheerful remarks.
His graduation speech felt more like an alternative freshman survival guide for the juniors, ranging from which professors didn’t take attendance, which professors were easygoing, which shortcut paths could be used to sneak off campus, to which cafeteria served the best food. It was practically a speed-run manual for Qingyi University, and everyone, including the professors who were explicitly called out, beamed with delight.
As the laughter subsided, Yang Bai delivered his closing remarks. “Lastly, I want to thank a very special person. He is my older brother, and he is the Ultraman Tiga of my life! He makes me believe in the existence of light forever!”
As he spoke, he even hoisted up a transformation device, and its specially customized kilowatt-strong lightbulb shone so brightly that everyone was moved to tears.
Numbly watching the golden monkey on stage, Shen Hui wished he could transform into the Evil God Gatanthor.
Qingyi University was a bad omen for him.
The next second, Yan Jiu stood up and walked toward Yang Bai on the stage. Shen Hui instantly tensed up, his brows furrowing slightly.
What was he trying to do?
In a split second, Shen Hui had already prepared himself for the worst-case scenario. Yan Jiu had recognized him.
Fortunately, the god of fate wasn’t working against him this time. Yan Jiu was simply going up to present Yang Bai with his graduation certificate and tassel-turning ceremony.
Shen Hui let out a sigh of relief, leaning back into his chair and lowering his gaze with self-mocking resignation. In that world, he had long since been a dead man, and Yan Jiu was not the type to remain devoted. Three years was more than enough time for him to forget him.
Boss Yang, who had been observing him for quite a while, suddenly blurted out, “Do you know that Yan fellow?”
Shen Hui froze, meeting Boss Yang’s knowing gaze.
“I don’t know him.” For the first time, Shen Hui somewhat flusteredly averted his eyes.
Boss Yang didn’t press the matter further, merely smiling. “He’s quite handsome, and I heard he’s very wealthy, too.”
Shen Hui nodded. “He is indeed wealthy.”
In the past three years, Yan Jiu had suppressed the Chen family like a rabid dog, even forcing Chen Shenzhi to flee abroad to avoid his razor-sharp edge. In all of Qinghai, whenever he stomped his foot, the ground truly trembled.
“I think this Manager Yan rather likes Xiao Bai,” Boss Yang remarked cheerfully, looking toward the stage.
Following his gaze, Shen Hui saw that Yan Jiu appeared to be asking Yang Bai something, to which Yang Bai shook his head with a blank look.
This was merely a minor interlude in the grand graduation ceremony. The subsequent tassel-turning ceremony showcased the beautifully unhinged mental state of contemporary college students. By comparison, Yang Bai’s Ultraman Tiga looked exceptionally wholesome.
For a group of college students, if the tassel-turning ceremony relied on a basic outfit, the props were definitely anything but basic. Anyone who honestly walked up the stage in a standard graduation gown was holding one or two props, ranging from confetti poppers and lollipops to banners and glow sticks.
If the props were basic, the outfits certainly weren’t, ranging from Hanfu and cosplay costumes to dinosaur suits and Patrick Star. In the end, the university president numbly held a magic wand and struck a pose representing the moon.
Waves of laughter rolled through the audience, and even Shen Hui’s eyes caught a hint of a smile.
He had spent a long time away from the sunlight, and such vibrant, bright energy was something he both yearned for and found out of reach.
Once the ceremony concluded, Yang Bai wagged his tail and sprinted directly toward the two of them.
“Bro!” Yang Bai puffed out his chest proudly. “Was I handsome up on that stage or what?”
“Handsome,” Shen Hui nodded. “You made the faces of the professors in the front row turn green with your handsome delivery.”
Yang Bai looked bewildered. “Huh?”
Folding his arms, Shen Hui reviewed the events one by one. “When you said Professor Yang never takes attendance, and he had to whisper a few words to his teaching assistant, your future junior students will certainly thank their lucky stars. And when you said Professor Lin never highlights key concepts and you should try your best to avoid his classes, Professor Lin’s smile was practically grinding to pieces.”
With every sentence he uttered, Yang Bai’s face turned another shade of green, eventually shifting into a pale, bitter melon. Crushed, he frantically messed up the carefully styled hair he had spent so much time on. “Ah! I was planning to apply for Professor Lin’s graduate program!”
Showing zero mercy after stirring up trouble, Shen Hui replied, “You’ll probably only be qualified to apply for his lab consumables.”
“Ah!” Yang Bai’s spiritual foundation shattered like glass. “He’s the most authoritative professor in the school’s gland research field!”
Having finished teasing the big golden retriever, Shen Hui turned and began walking outside, with Yang Bai trailing behind him in utter dejection.
Just as the three of them stepped out of the auditorium, Yang Bai’s professor came rushing after them. “Xiao Bai!”
Taken aback, Yang Bai almost failed to recognize his teacher. “Professor Yang.”
“Hey there,” Professor Yang nodded enthusiastically. “The president asked me to let you know that a spot has been reserved for you at the afternoon interview session for the Suihui Research Institute. Make sure you go.”
Yang Bai was struck dumb by this pie falling straight out of the sky. “Huh?”
“Huh, what ‘huh’?” Professor Yang patted his shoulder encouragingly. “Don’t disgrace your graduating class!”
Yang Bai stood in a daze until Professor Yang’s retreating figure vanished before it fully registered. Completely ecstatic, he felt like he could jump straight up to the heavens. “Suihui Research Institute! The Yan Group! Every gland-bearer’s ultimate dream!”
Overjoyed, he grabbed Shen Hui and spun him around in circles. “Bro, did you hear that?”
“I heard it!” Shen Hui gritted his teeth amidst the spinning. “Put me down! I’m going to vomit!”
Half an hour later, Yang Bai was seated as upright as an elementary school student at a study desk, his eyes shining brightly as he stared at his impromptu crash-course instructor, Shen Hui.
Although the Suihui Research Institute had admission quotas at Qingyi University, they traditionally only skimmed the absolute cream of the crop from Ph.D. graduates. Someone like Yang Bai, who had just finished his undergraduate degree, wasn’t even qualified to wash test tubes there. In his desperation, he had pinned all his hopes on Shen Hui.
In Yang Bai’s eyes, this ethereal beauty of a brother who had dropped out of the sky knew everything and could do anything. No matter how monumental the problem, it could always be neatly organized and resolved in his hands.
Shen Hui looked somewhat unwell, gently massaging his brow as he asked, “When you were on stage, what did Yan Jiu ask you?”
“He asked if I was an omega,” Yang Bai answered honestly, though he had a hunch that Shen Hui had an inexplicable familiarity when mentioning Senior Yan.
“How did you answer him?”
Yang Bai scratched his head. “I said no, I’m an alpha. He didn’t seem to quite believe it, so he asked about my pheromone scent, and I answered that truthfully too.”
Shen Hui didn’t press further on that topic, instead asking, “You really want to enter the Suihui Research Institute?”
Yang Bai nodded emphatically. “The Suihui Research Institute is one of only two institutes in the country researching gland recovery technology. It’s the ultimate dream of every gland-bearer.”
Shen Hui let out a silent sigh, thinking to himself that fools had all the luck. He had simply been handed over as a favor by the university president.
“Then just answer honestly during the interview,” Shen Hui instructed. “Answer whatever they ask.”
Yang Bai instantly deflated. “What if I don’t know the answer?”
“Just say you don’t know,” Shen Hui countered. “If you already knew everything at your age, they would’ve poached you long ago. The interviewers understand the field better than you do.”
Yang Bai’s mind suddenly cleared up. “I get it! I’ll just say that although I haven’t learned it yet, I will study hard and definitely won’t hold everyone back!”
Shen Hui nodded. “Off you go.”
As if anchored by a needle calming the stormy seas, Yang Bai walked out of the classroom full of confidence.
The moment he stepped outside, Shen Hui, who had been forcing himself to hold on, instantly grabbed hold of the desk.
He touched his forehead with the back of his hand. Unsurprisingly, the fever was back.
The frequency of his fevers had been exceptionally high since last month. They usually occurred at night, but this one had struck aggressively and without warning, making his head heavy and foggy in no time at all.
Uncle Yang had already gone back to the shop to mind the business, and Shen Hui couldn’t bother Yang Bai right now.
After some thought, he decided to head to the restroom first to splash some cold water on his face and clear his head. Judging by his estimate, Yang Bai’s interview wouldn’t take very long anyway.
It wasn’t until two handfuls of cold water hit his face that the unnatural heat and dizziness dissipated just a bit.
Shen Hui lifted his gaze to study himself in the mirror. His damp hair clung pathetically to his skin, and his pale, sickly cheeks now flushed with an unnatural crimson. In the dim lighting of the restroom, he looked like a male ghost that had just crawled out of the water.
Even he felt a sense of self-disgust.
Just as he was inspecting himself, the restroom door was abruptly shoved open. Locking eyes with the person who entered through the mirror, his heart instantly froze.
It was Yan Jiu.