Chapter 16
“I remember that locker belongs to Yan He, right? Yeah, the guy in the mask.”
“It’s been almost a week since school started, is he still sick? It’s not actually contagious, is it? Or is he just too ugly to show his face?”
“The F4’s favor is always so short-lived. I just saw Yun Shao go all the way to the Third Auditorium to find him, and today he gets a red card. Tsk tsk.”
“I wonder what kind of animal this Yan He is. Think he can survive a red card?”
A student with a pale gold nameplate whispered to his friend, “Honestly, I think Yan He seems pretty nice. He smells good… I don’t really want to bully him like we did that bald peacock…”
His friend shot him a glare and hissed, “Who cares what you think? That’s a red card from the F4!”
“…”
The people around them whispered, their increasingly brazen stares landing on Yan He.
Yan He snapped out of his daze—where he’d been wondering if he had somehow replaced Bai Yuzhou as the protagonist shou—and noticed the malicious and amused looks from the other students. He immediately whipped out his phone to call Yun Xiao.
He wanted to ask if he’d been drinking. He had worked so hard at being a suck-up, and he still got a red card? There was no justice in this world.
A cold hand suddenly shot out and seized his other wrist.
Yan He looked up. Bai Yuzhou had decisively pulled him back, shielding him. “Don’t be afraid.”
Looking up, Yan He realized that even though Bai Yuzhou was the “protagonist shou,” he was also taller than him, probably around 188cm. And though he looked thin, he felt incredibly reliable.
No wonder he’s the man who’ll become the new king of the academy.
“Hello?” The call connected, and Yun Xiao’s cheerful voice came through.
“Yan He, come help me send out invitations.”
Yan He, still hiding behind Bai Yuzhou, exploded with rage. “Yun Xiao, I was forced to be your dog, and you’re giving your own lackey a red card? You have no conscience!”
Boss Number Two is so much better.
Yun Xiao’s hand, which was holding a wine glass, froze. The smile on his face went stiff. He was completely stunned. “I… gave you… a red card?”
Yun Xiao’s gaze slowly lifted, landing on Pan Ze and locking onto him.
“You fucking moron! You useless piece of trash!” Yun Xiao suddenly erupted, hurling the wine glass in his hand straight at Pan Ze.
Pan Ze was too rigid with fear to move. He watched the glass shatter at his feet, red wine splashing everywhere. Flying shards of glass embedded themselves in his calf, and blood immediately trickled down his sparsely-haired leg.
Pan Ze’s leg trembled in pain, but he didn’t dare make a sound.
Through the phone, Yun Xiao heard the voice of that lowly specially-enrolled student, Bai Yuzhou. “Yan He, don’t count on the one who started this.”
“I’ll protect you.”
The call ended.
Yun Xiao’s eyes were bloodshot with fury. He roared, “Pan Ze, you useless fuck-up! I told you to give Bai Yuzhou the red card! Who the hell did you give it to?”
“If Yan He loses a single hair, I’ll fucking kill you!”
Spitting out one last threat, Yun Xiao, ignoring the risk of exposing his beast form, sprang from the sofa. In that instant, he transformed into a giant golden eagle. His sharp talons shattered the glass window as he unfurled his meter-long wings and shot into the blue sky.
Pan Ze stared in a daze at the giant golden eagle’s retreating figure for a few seconds. He then grabbed the uniform jacket, and a limping spotted hyena scrambled after him, bursting out of the broken window and dashing frantically into the woods.
Today was the full moon. Transforming rashly could mean losing control of his body.
But he couldn’t worry about that now.
Bai Yuzhou grabbed Yan He’s wrist, but they were completely surrounded by the jeering students. There was almost no chance of escape.
Yan He stared at Bai Yuzhou’s back. The protagonist shou is seriously reliable!
“Yun Shao is here!” someone suddenly shouted excitedly.
All the students immediately parted, clearing a path. Yun Xiao stalked forward, with Pan Ze limping and grimacing right behind him.
Yun Xiao’s eyes were crimson, and he was panting heavily. His uniform jacket was thrown on haphazardly, one button mismatched, revealing a glimpse of the powerful chest muscles beneath. He wasn’t wearing an undershirt.
When Yun Xiao saw Bai Yuzhou’s protective stance, the intense, bestial urge to tear his prey apart surged within him.
In front of everyone, Yun Xiao’s hand—his nails visibly sharper—ripped the red card off locker 106.
He strode step by step until he was in front of Bai Yuzhou, predator facing predator.
Yun Xiao’s hand shot out with surprising force, as if seizing his prey, and yanked Yan He violently to his side. At the same time, he slammed the red card flat against Bai Yuzhou’s left breast.
“Bai Yuzhou, know your place!”
For an instant, everyone was dead silent. Then, the discussions exploded like a bomb.
“So, the F4’s red card was a mistake? It was meant for Bai Yuzhou?!”
“I knew it! How could Yan He get a red card? At the Third Auditorium, it was clearly that specially-enrolled student Bai Yuzhou who offended Yun Shao.”
“Holy shit, how could they screw up this badly? Who did it? They almost got Junior Yan killed.”
…
Pan Ze, standing at the back, forced a painfully awkward smile.
He… he did it.
Yan He was a serious stumbling block on his path to becoming Yun Shao’s number one lackey. Even a simple task like posting a red card could go this wrong!
Yan He and Bai Yuzhou’s student numbers were sequential, so their lockers were right next to each other. Yan He was 106, Bai Yuzhou was 107.
When Pan Ze came to post the card this morning, he had smelled an overwhelmingly strong scent of Yan He coming from locker 107. He naturally assumed 107 was Yan He’s and stuck the red card on 106, the one right next to it.
And that’s how the massive screw-up happened.
As Pan Ze processed this, his eyes suddenly widened, and he stared at Bai Yuzhou’s tense profile.
Bai Yuzhou’s locker… is full of Yan He’s scent? So… he’s secretly hoarding a bunch of Yan He’s things?
And he still acts like a damn gentleman? We’re all the same!
Pan Ze cursed Bai Yuzhou internally, but then he met Yan He’s fiery gaze, and his heart skipped a beat.
Right now, Yan He just wanted to charge over and punch Pan Ze.
Does professional rivalry have to be this vicious?
He, an NPC sidekick, almost got the protagonist’s red-card treatment?
This Pan Ze… he was truly ruthless in his quest to become Yun Xiao’s number one lackey.
But… this whole mix-up also meant he hadn’t replaced Bai Yuzhou as the new protagonist shou, right? See! He knew he was straight! How could he possibly turn gay in the future?
Just then, a bucket of icy water rained down from above, drenching Bai Yuzhou.
The student who’d done it from the second floor giggled, clapped a hand over his mouth, and ran off.
Bai Yuzhou stood frozen in place, his body tense. Water dripped from his long, curled eyelashes. He pressed his pale lips together.
The students around him were laughing. In front of him stood the F4, forever high and mighty, practically on a pedestal.
He was like dust on the ground. Insignificant.
Why? Why should I be the one stepped on?
Blood surged madly through his veins, a violent, bestial nature rushing to his head. Bai Yuzhou was teetering on the very edge of transformation.
Suddenly, he heard Yan He call out, “Bai Yuzhou…”
Yan He wished he could give every one of these bullies a hard slap. At Bestia Academy, bullying born from the class system seemed to be taken for granted.
Still, in this kind of noble academy novel, the protagonist getting a red card is an extremely classic plot point.
Bai Yuzhou was instantly pulled back to his senses. He looked down at Yan He, and the tension in his face finally eased. He gave a slight pull at the corner of his lips, took a few steps back, and mouthed to Yan He, “Don’t come near me.”
Suddenly, Bai Yuzhou kicked a student surrounding him, sending him flying. He then bolted into the woods and quickly disappeared.
The surrounding students grew excited—
“He runs fast! The hunt for the red-carded prey begins!”
“He’s good at hiding. Let’s see if he skips the welcome party tonight. He’ll lose all his credits!”
“But… this is what makes it fun, isn’t it?”
.
Yun Xiao strode off. “Let’s go.”
Yan He pushed his mask up and hurried after him. “Yun Shao, does this count as a workplace injury?”
Yun Xiao stopped and spun around to glare at him. “Yan He, I haven’t even dealt with you for cussing me out on the phone.”
He had even transformed and flown here to save him, ignoring the danger of the full moon.
Who’s the one with no conscience?
Yan He is the little conscienceless one.
Seeing Yan He glare right back, showing no sign that he thought he was in the wrong, Yun Xiao just pursed his lips and decided not to argue with his lackey.
But that didn’t stop him from going after his second lackey.
“Pan Ze!”
Pan Ze, who had his head down like a scolded eunuch, shuffled forward on command. “Yun Shao.”
Yun Xiao: “Pay up. Transfer Yan He some money for emotional distress.”
Pan Ze: “?”
Pan Ze almost burst into tears. Are you kidding me? I have to pay him?
Yan He had already scammed who-knows-how-much money from Yun Shao and He Shao. How come when it was his turn, it was… paying to work?
Pan Ze gloomily took out his phone and transferred 20,000 yuan to Yan He.
Yan He accepted it without a trace of hesitation. When you’re earning money from a cutthroat competitor, you don’t need to be polite.
Seeing the matter resolved, Yun Xiao felt his emotions growing more unstable. He tugged irritably at his collar. “I’m heading back.”
Yan He asked curiously, “Yun Shao, aren’t you going to the welcome party?”
The welcome party was technically for new students, but seniors also attended. He’d seen the event setup, and the upperclassmen seemed pretty excited about it.
Yun Xiao said, “The F4 never attend the welcome party.”
Pan Ze, standing nearby, also gave a meaningful smile.
Today was the welcome event day. The roads were full of clubs trying to recruit new members, and Yan He collected a handful of flyers.
On the Meng Shou app’s forum, real-time posts were popping up constantly about “hunting the red-carded specially-enrolled student.”
Countless classmates marveled at how well this Bai Yuzhou could hide.
Yan He knew this was just the plot unfolding as it must. He was also self-aware enough to know he didn’t have the power to convince Yun Xiao to retract the red card.
He tried calling Bai Yuzhou, but he didn’t pick up. He sent a text, but there was no reply.
#NEW! Welcome Party Venue Change!#
Yan He was scrolling the official Meng Shou app when an official mass message was sent to all students.
The message announced that the welcome party, originally scheduled for the First Auditorium, had been moved to the Open-Air Plaza. All new students were to be on time.
The forum immediately lit up with discussion.
[??? Why the sudden change? To the Open-Air Plaza?? Why would they change the location at the last minute?]
[I have a friend in the student council. I heard an inside scoop that it was Xu Shao’s idea.]
[Xu Shao? Which Xu Shao? F4’s Xu Shao? Isn’t he out sketching?]
[He’s just sketching, it’s not like he’s ignoring academy business. The Open-Air Plaza… tonight’s going to be a good show, hehe.]
[I get what you mean, poster. I wasn’t even planning to go to the party, but… now I’m definitely going!]
…
By evening, Yan He had changed into He Ting’s black academy uniform jacket and was planning to head to the Open-Air Plaza early to get a seat. There was still no word from Bai Yuzhou.
The welcome party was set to start at 8:00 PM. Yan He went half an hour early, but after swiping his student card to get in, he found that two-thirds of the seats were already taken.
The Open-Air Plaza was massive, covering five thousand square meters. A drone’s-eye view would show a huge, circular building, seemingly designed in an ancient Roman style. The marble-paved spectator stands were perched on a high platform over ten meters up.
Yan He found a seat in the designated area for new specially-enrolled students. Remembering how Bai Yuzhou had saved him a seat before, he left an empty spot next to him.
A delicate-looking boy swung his legs over and sat down next to Yan He. Yan He was about to say the seat was taken when he turned and saw it was the same specially-enrolled student who had knocked on his door that morning.
“Bai Yuzhou already got a red card. You shouldn’t get involved with him. I’m sitting here.”
As more and more students arrived, the noise level rose. The boy beside him shrank back a little, fumbled in his uniform pocket, and pulled out a carrot to gnaw on.
Yan He stared blankly at the student. The boy’s face immediately flushed. “My name is Xiao Tu. I eat carrots when I get nervous. You… want one?”
Yan He stared as he pulled another raw, muddy carrot from his pocket. He silently shook his head.
Yan He looked up at the darkening sky, where a bright new moon was faintly visible. “What are you nervous about?”
Xiao Tu said timidly, “Xu Shao suddenly changed the welcome party’s location to the Colosseum. I’m a little scared.”
Yan He was shocked. The Open-Air Plaza’s other name was the Colosseum?
Just then, a deafening roar erupted from the entire Colosseum—
“Silas! Silas! Silas!”
Yan He heard the familiar English name, and his heart jumped. Isn’t that the name of Yun Xiao’s pet tiger? There’s no way Yun Xiao would bring his pet tiger to an event like this, right?
Yan He followed the students’ gazes and turned his head. He was sitting in an aisle seat, and far down that same aisle, a tall, dark figure was slowly approaching.
At that exact moment, all the lights in the Colosseum flashed on. The soft light landed on the approaching man, making even his hair glow with a faint golden light.
Yan He saw the person’s face. It was He Ting.
As the figure passed Yan He, he paused for two seconds.
A slender hand reached out, seemingly from nowhere, and gently patted Yan He’s head. It was gone like a wisp of wind. By the time Yan He looked up again, He Ting was already walking toward the VIP platform.
“He Ting! Silas! He Ting! Silas!”
The moment He Ting fully appeared, the entire stadium erupted. Some students were so excited their faces turned bright red, as if they were at a concert.
The F4 never attended the welcome party, especially on the night of a full moon. They almost never left their rooms.
Yan He listened to the cheers, his mind a complete blank.
Silas is the name of the tiger that licked my waist…
Given Yun Xiao and He Ting’s relationship as F4 members, Yun Xiao would never give his pet his friend’s English name. That would be a massive insult.
Unless… unless…
The thought that had been nagging him resurfaced.
Beside him, Xiao Tu clutched his carrot tightly, excitedly screaming along with the crowd, “It’s He Shao! He Shao from the F4! Ahhhh! I… I… I…”
Yan He was afraid this guy was about to faint from excitement. He turned his head to look—
Xiao Tu was gone. In his place was a lop-eared rabbit, holding a carrot in its paws!
Holy shit!
Yan He’s pupils shrank. He shot to his feet in shock.
As he stood up, his view of the surrounding area became much wider.
The chubby student gnawing on a chicken leg had instantly turned into a fat orange cat. The short student who was too low to see poofed into a giraffe, blocking everyone else’s view. A student who had been arguing with someone for taking up two seats had transformed into a wild boar, plopping down and smugly occupying three spots…
Yan He stood there in a daze, the theory now completely, thoroughly verified—
The entire academy was full of furries. Except for him.
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