“Cannon fodder Qi Ningze is in good health. System is currently attempting to communicate with the small world. Cannon fodder Qi Ningze’s appearance rating is abnormally high; temporary special measures are being taken to seal part of his looks.”
“System 336 has successfully established communication with the small world and is deploying cannon fodder Qi Ningze into the small world.”
“No rejection detected. Cannon fodder Qi Ningze deployed successfully.”
Qi Ningze opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by dilapidated, worn-down houses. Outside, a few elderly residents sat near their front doors, lazily waving fans as they chatted.
He stood alone in place, his mind completely blank and heavy. After a short while, he finally gathered his senses and whispered inwardly to the System, “Hello? System, can you hear me?”
Qi Ningze waited on the spot for over ten minutes before the System replied sluggishly, [Yeah, yeah, I’m here. If you have something to say, say it quick. I’m busy right now.]
Qi Ningze lowered his head, his eyelids drooping halfway. Long, delicate eyelashes cast soft shadows over his amber pupils. He softly reminded, “You haven’t told me what my mission is yet, and you just left me here all by myself.” His voice trailed off with a slight upward lilt, as though he were acting spoiled with the System.
[Oh, sorry, I forgot. Uh, I’m pretty busy,] the System offered a perfunctory apology.
He’s just a piece of cannon fodder, why waste so much time on him? I need to devote myself entirely to serving the supporting cast.
Qi Ningze kept his head lowered, his lush, fine eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings. The corners of his mouth turned down slightly as he mimicked the System’s tone, sarcastically echoing, “Oh, so that’s how it is.”
It hadn’t forgotten at all; it simply didn’t care about him.
[Transferring world data to cannon fodder Qi Ningze. Please prepare yourself.]
[Like the protagonist shou, Yang Le’an, Qi Ningze is an orphan. Qi Ningze performs poorly in school, but Yang Le’an excels academically and has even received an invitation to a prestigious aristocratic academy.]
[Mission 1 Assigned: Approach Yang Le’an and gain a portion of his goodwill.]
[Mission 2 Assigned: Assist Yang Le’an in obtaining his invitation to the aristocratic academy.]
[Identity Information Received: You are an orphan who has just left the orphanage. You need to follow the director’s instructions to find Yang Le’an and seek his help.]
As the System’s voice prompt played, Qi Ningze nodded along obediently, looking like a little yellow chick pecking at grain. Warm sunlight filtered through the green leaves, dotting his face and highlighting his extraordinarily handsome features.
“Mm-hmm, I’ll go look for him right now.” While waiting for the System’s reply earlier, Qi Ningze had already searched through his backpack. Tucked inside was a letter given to the original host by the orphanage director.
Little Ning, go to Zian Building, Room 406, to find Yang Le’an. Hand this letter to him, and he will definitely help you…
Following the instructions in the letter, Qi Ningze arrived at his destination. He knocked on the door, but no one answered.
“Is nobody home?” Qi Ningze reflexively grabbed the hem of his shirt, his fingers rubbing the fabric nervously. A faint flush crept onto his jade-like cheeks, and a misty haze surfaced in his dark eyes.
Taking a deep breath, Qi Ningze sat down leaning against the doorframe, quietly awaiting Yang Le’an’s return amid the warm summer breeze.
As time trickled by, night fell, leaving only a few bright stars hanging in the sky.
Yang Le’an walked along his familiar path home. His eyes were sharp and spirited, dark messy hair brushed across his forehead, and his spine was held straight, radiating energy.
Reaching his front door, his keen night vision instantly picked out Qi Ningze crouching at the entrance.
“Are you the Qi Ningze the director mentioned to me before? I’m Yang Le’an. You must have been waiting here a long time.” Yang Le’an nudged Qi Ningze gently, but received no response.
Crouching down, Yang Le’an lightly pinched Qi Ningze’s cheek. The soft, marshmallow-like texture caught him off guard.
Qi Ningze had been sleeping peacefully, dreaming he was sitting amidst a pile of sweets and eating heartily. Suddenly, a villain appeared out of nowhere and violently shook him awake.
Qi Ningze pressed his lips into a tight line, his dark pupils glistening with mist. He instinctively tried to grab the villain from his dream, but the offender slipped away in an instant.
“Don’t touch me!” A flare of annoyance sparked in Qi Ningze’s heart as he tried to sound intimidating. However, his soft tone made it sound like a kitten pouting, devoid of any real threat.
Yang Le’an let out a soft chuckle and pinched a little harder. “Are you awake now? If you are, stand up and talk.”
“You’re back,” Qi Ningze said as he stood up. Having crouched for so long, his legs were numb and unsteady, forcing him to lean his entire weight against Yang Le’an.
The two were so close that they could feel each other’s warm breath. Qi Ningze felt as though Yang Le’an were a giant furnace, radiating warmth all over.
Yang Le’an supported him as they walked inside. The house was swept clean, with old furniture arranged neatly a testament to the owner’s diligence and care.
“Silly, why did you just sit out there waiting? You could have called the director first to get the key from her.”
Guided by Yang Le’an, Qi Ningze sat on a chair. Hearing those words, he ducked his head in embarrassment.
That’s right, why didn’t I think of calling the director to get the key?
Noticing Qi Ningze’s bashfulness, Yang Le’an’s eyes darkened slightly. He turned with a smile and asked, “Do you want to sleep together with me? Or should I sleep on the sofa while you take the bed?”
Qi Ningze hurriedly shook his head. How could a guest staying at someone else’s house make the host sleep on the sofa?
Seeing Qi Ningze refuse, Yang Le’an did not press further. “How about you use the blanket I washed a few days ago? It’s pretty clean.”
Qi Ningze nodded, his clear, bright eyes reflecting Yang Le’an’s figure. His gentle gaze felt like the first warm breeze of spring.
Yang Le’an turned his head away, not daring to look at Qi Ningze any longer, a deep flush spreading from his neck up to his ears.
Unaware of anything unusual, Qi Ningze walked over to the sofa, sat down obediently, and waited quietly for his little blanket, his face full of anticipation.
“Wait here, I’ll go get it for you!” Yang Le’an dashed off, fleeing the scene as fast as he could.
Once he had the blanket, Qi Ningze lay down on the sofa, but no matter how he positioned himself, he felt uncomfortable. Despite the sofa being soft, he felt as if bricks were hidden underneath, making it too hard for him to fall asleep.
After shifting around several times, Qi Ningze sat up in defeat and muttered to himself, “So uncomfortable… I can’t sleep at all.”
It was already late at night. Qi Ningze felt too embarrassed to bother Yang Le’an, so he could only quietly pester his superior, the System: “System, System, are you there? Can you tell me my story?”
Since the System didn’t need to sleep anyway, a little pestering wouldn’t hurt.
[I’m playing games right now, don’t ask,] the System extended its mechanical tentacles, tapping rapidly across the screen while its in-game avatar executed stylish moves. [How many times do I have to tell you? You’re just someone I picked up from the side of the road when I was out for a walk.]
Qi Ningze lowered his head, the corners of his eyes and mouth drooping in dissatisfaction. His oversized white shirt slipped down, exposing his soft, porcelain skin.
That explanation was no different from mothers on TV telling their kids, “I picked you up from the trash can.”
“I’ll play by myself then. I’m ignoring you…”
After a short while, the youth’s voice echoed softly in the living room once more: “System… was I really just picked up from the side of the road by you?”
Daylight gradually broke. Right at five in the morning, Yang Le’an stepped out of his bedroom to prepare for school.
“You… didn’t sleep?” Seeing Qi Ningze leaning against the sofa, Yang Le’an’s eyebrows shot up, his pupils widening in shock.
Qi Ningze blinked groggily up at him. Dark, purplish circles stood out starkly against his fair, mutton-fat-jade skin. His vivid red lips parted slightly, revealing the tip of his tongue.
Yang Le’an swallowed involuntarily, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. He began to stammer, “Ah… fix your clothes, don’t wear them so… Sigh, never mind. Did you stay up all night playing games?”
“No… the sofa is a bit hard, so I couldn’t sleep…” Ever since the System ignored him last night, Qi Ningze had been sitting on the sofa staring into space.
“Are you alright? Let me take a look.” Hearing this, Yang Le’an instantly snapped back to full awareness. He stepped forward, intending to lift Qi Ningze’s shirt.
Qi Ningze flinched backward, feeling an instinctive aversion. Frowning slightly, he glared at Yang Le’an. Only when he saw the other man standing obediently with his hands resting on his waistband looking like an elementary student being inspected by a teacher did he gradually relax.
“I’ll do it myself. I don’t like people touching me.” Qi Ningze’s mind suddenly stalled.
If he did it himself, he wouldn’t be able to see the marks on his back anyway. Besides, one of his tasks was to raise Yang Le’an’s goodwill, so maybe he shouldn’t reject him.
Realizing this, Qi Ningze’s brow smoothed out, and he spoke to Yang Le’an in a soft, gentle voice, “Well, okay then. I’ll let you take a look. Can you help me apply some medicine later?”
The first part of his sentence sounded firm, but the latter half turned soft and sweet, as if he were pouting to get his way.
Completely dazed by his sweet tone, Yang Le’an reflexively agreed to Qi Ningze’s request. “Okay, I’ll check for you and find some medicine to apply.”
On Qi Ningze’s back, snow-white skin contrasted sharply with large patches of bright red marks, resembling red plum blossoms blooming vividly against winter snow.
“You… might be having an allergic reaction. This sofa is too rough for you.” Yang Le’an glanced at the old sofa. What had once seemed passable now looked completely out of place to his eyes.
The material was too coarse and the size too small it didn’t suit the person in front of him at all.
Yang Le’an knit his brows tightly. A trace of helplessness washed over his handsome face. “In the future, I’ll sleep on the sofa, and you take the bed.”
“No need, no need! I can sleep on the sofa!” Realizing he had caused trouble for someone else, Qi Ningze felt a surge of guilt and helplessness.
He had become a burden.
“It’s fine. I’m thick-skinned and tough, so sleeping on the sofa suits me just fine.”