Chapter 5 05

Xia Xing looked at Tan Quelu and felt more and more that her thinking was correct.

Why did Tan Quelu choose to lie to protect him? Why was Tan Quelu heartbroken because she didn't remember him? Why did Tan Quelu dress so beautifully and smile at him so early in the morning?

Holding hands, comforting, tenderness.

He has such an innocent face; he must be a good boy. And good boys only act ambiguously towards people they like.

Therefore, Tan Quelu must like him.

The system felt that the protagonist's intelligence had been wasted like urine.

Tan Quelu didn't answer him. She lowered her eyes and stared at the notebook on the table. After a few seconds, she said softly, "Why would you think that?"

Neither admitting nor denying.

Xia Xing became even more certain, her feelings instantly becoming a mix of secret joy and regret: "...I'm quite perceptive in this regard."

"But Elk Green, there's no possibility between us. We can only be friends."

Xia Xing felt cruel, but he couldn't give Tan Quelu even the slightest hope—it was fine to interact with each other in St. Weston when they were students, but once they entered society, their social classes would be instantly separated, and the chasm would be difficult to traverse; the poor were destined to have no future.

Emotions cannot overcome the cold reality.

Tan Quelu looked up at Xia Xing with her beautiful eyes, her voice still gentle: "Friend?"

“That’s right, friend.” Xia Xing nodded vigorously and promised him, “My best friend, Que Lu, no matter what you do in the future, I will protect you.”

The pigeons have pooped all over the chessboard again.

Tan Quelu blinked, seemingly a little touched: "Really? Thank you."

Xia Xing scratched his head sheepishly. After washing up, he suddenly took out a set of designer clothes from his luggage and handed them to Tan Quelu: "Quelu, you should wear this."

“We’re about the same height, so consider it a gift from me. Students at St. Weston are very good at judging people based on their status; if you’re still wearing cheap clothes, you’ll get bullied.”

The clothes were brand new, with a bold logo printed on the tag. It's a young, trendy brand, priced in the affordable luxury segment, and popular among middle-class students.

Tan Quelu took it, her gaze lingering on Xia Xing's suitcase—inside were several sets of high-end clothing and accessories, with prominent logos; any one of them could cost several months' living expenses for a special admission student, and they were all brand new and authentic.

The set Xia Xing gave Tan Quelu was the cheapest one in the set.

Tan Quelu met his gaze with a subtle exchange.

The protagonist, who was usually very sensitive, suddenly became as if he were blind, quickly closed his suitcase, stood up, and said nonchalantly, "Shall we go? I heard that some important people are coming to today's seminar."

Tan Quelu didn't say anything, just smiled slightly and picked up the handmade umbrella on the table: "Okay, let's go."

Even the director of the seagull welfare home can't afford those high-end luxury brands.

St. Weston School keeps the money from buying the scholarships of its special students in an account, which the students can only withdraw upon graduation. Aside from basic room and board, no other fees are provided. Where did Xia Xing get the money?

Something's off about this main character.

......

The seminar was held in the main hall of St. Weston School.

Eden Social Media Group, specializing in AI, presented a technologically advanced event. The exterior was predominantly silver-white and metallic gray, with floor-to-ceiling windows creating an arched dome effect. Combined with St. Weston's own magnificent and solemn architectural style, the space evoked a fantastical sense of the future and the past intertwined.

It is said that the St. Weston campus app "Dome" was developed by the Eden Group, and all the high-tech equipment on campus is also funded by Eden. Whether it was yesterday's AI robot or the swarm of mechanical balls, they all bear the silver Eden logo.

Eden permeates every aspect of life.

It was just past nine o'clock, and the seminar had not yet started.

Tan Quelu thought she could go in and watch the excitement, but as soon as she reached the outer perimeter of the venue, two young security guards carrying weapons stepped forward to stop them and said expressionlessly, "Hello, please show your invitation."

Tan Quelu: "Sister, we are students of St. Weston, can't we go in for a visit?"

“This event is of a special nature.” The security guard who was asked glanced at him and explained in a low voice, “President Wei of the Eden Group is coming. Apart from those who have received invitations, the entire venue is sealed off.”

Wei Guan's net worth is staggering; Saint Weston treats him like royalty. As for special NPCs, Tan Quelu nodded in understanding.

Xia Xing was indignant and retorted angrily, "So what if you look down on special admissions students? We were paid by St. Weston University, what right do you have to look down on us?"

Tan Quelu didn't quite understand why Xia Xing was so flammable.

The security guards were clearly confused as well, and coldly told Xia Xing not to make trouble. However, Xia Xing had a loud voice and was determined to say something memorable, so he stubbornly shouted, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, don't underestimate a young man's potential!"

system:【......】

Holy crap, that's so embarrassing.

Students nearby had already noticed them. A group of richly dressed young men walked over, looking at Xia Xing with disdain and speaking in a condescending tone: "Where did these special recruits come from, causing trouble here? I told you long ago, St. Weston is lowering its status by buying these people."

Xia Xing turned around defiantly in an instant, proudly defying the rich young masters, and bravely argued with them.

Tan Quelu remained silent throughout, took out another umbrella from her bag, covered her face, and walked away unhurriedly.

The system breathed a sigh of relief: [Host, where are you going?]

"I ran into an NPC." Tan Quelu flipped through the original novel.

The novel's plot focuses on tomorrow, when the protagonist is maliciously transferred to Class A by F1 and bullied. The two begin a back-and-forth struggle, interspersed with scenes of some followers being captivated by the protagonist's stubborn vitality and falling at his feet in his school uniform.

Today, however, there wasn't much screen time. The original text only mentioned that the seminar was a great success, and the F3 members attended the event dressed formally, behaving very respectably and obediently in front of Wei Guan.

Tan Quelu asked the system: [Where are the special NPCs now?]

The system honestly reported: "[Southwest corner of St. Weston. That area belongs to the Wei family estate. The NPC is reading a newspaper and is about to board a vehicle to the school hall.]"

Its only function is to be able to sense Wei Guan five minutes after he appears on stage.

Because this is a bonus NPC in this story, if the protagonist is in mortal danger, the host can seek help from Wei Guan.

Tan Quelu thought for a moment and decided to draw inspiration from the protagonist's story. She timed her arrival at the Wei family's manor in the southwest corner and surveyed the terrain.

He quickly tidied his messy hair, stepped forward, and politely said to the security guard, "Hello, I need to see Mr. Wei Guan."

The boy had a pure and innocent appearance, with his eyes curving under his black hair. His mint green short-sleeved shirt revealed his porcelain-white collarbone. He stood in the shadows holding an umbrella, looking like the kindest and most harmless type.

The security guard scanned him, finding it hard to be on guard: "What is it?"

Tan Quelu frowned slightly, looking quite troubled.

Just then, a familiar black Cullinan drove out from inside and sped out of the gate.

Tan Quelu stood in a blind spot outside the gate, conveniently hidden in the shadows. The driver wasn't paying attention, and suddenly, with a bang, he heard a gasp.

The ear-piercing sound of tires screeching filled the air.

The Cullinan came to an abrupt stop, and the driver quickly got out of the car and hurriedly walked to the front of the vehicle. There he saw a slender, tall boy lying on the ground, pressing his leg and breathing softly.

His brows were furrowed, the handmade umbrella in his backpack was scattered on the ground, his fair hands were scratched by the rough road, and his face was pale with pain.

The driver was startled and didn't dare to help him up: "Are you alright, classmate? Don't be afraid, I'll call a doctor right away."

Tan Quelu's eyes welled with tears of physical pain, wetting her thick eyelashes, but she still shook her head and said weakly, "It's okay, Auntie, I just have a naturally low pain tolerance, it's really nothing, ouch..."

His face was too pale, but he still insisted that he was fine, refused to let them take responsibility, and did not want compensation. After being helped up, he tried to leave with a limp.

The driver looked back with a troubled expression, and a few seconds later, the rear window slowly rolled down.

The young man in the car looked up, his handsome features calm, and met Tan Quelu's gaze on the ground.

The boy wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and sobbed weakly.

First-class purity.

Tan Quelu tentatively asked in a soft voice, "Are you Mr. Wei Guan?"

Before Wei Guan could answer.

He smiled, his lips completely bloodless, yet he still looked at Wei Guan, his pale face pure and calm: "I am a special student admitted to the Seagull Welfare Institute. You may not know this welfare institute, but I have always known you."

“Every year, Eden Group donates its obsolete equipment to welfare homes across the country, ranging from small items like kettles and electric blankets to large appliances, furniture, and smart lights. The first English word the children at Eden learned was Eden, and the first logo they drew was Eden.”

“The dean told us that we should remember this kindness. So I came all the way from Lingqing to St. Weston, and when I heard that you were holding a seminar today, I couldn’t help but take the liberty of coming to see you.”

“Special admissions students are not qualified to enter the hall, but I want to tell you these things.”

"Wei Guan, I want to say thank you on their behalf."

The words fell.

Silence fell at the entrance.

The system, tears streaming down its face/urinating, exclaimed: "Host, I knew it... I knew I wouldn't be mistaken, you really are a kind-hearted white lotus...!"

Tan Quelu turned around and limped away alone.

哢哒.

The car door opened.

Suddenly, a large hand grabbed the boy from behind, its knuckles completely encircling Tan Quelu's slender wrist, preventing him from leaving.

Tan Quelu took a drag.

No twitching.

Wei Guan lowered his eyes, his dark pupils reflecting the boy's soft hair, and calmly said, "You've limped over the wrong leg."

"........"

Tan Quelu reacted quickly, wincing in pain: "Mr. Wei, you're pinching me too hard."

Wei Guan released his grip but did not back down. The security guards and drivers had already left, leaving only Tan Quelu and Wei Guan at the sweltering manor entrance.

Tan Quelu's attempt to stage an accident was perfectly executed; his ankle wasn't even scratched, only his palm was slightly scraped. He can run whenever he wants.

He looked up, his clear, dark eyes meeting Wei Guan's. At this close distance, Tan Quelu thought she would smell the fir scent on him—isn't that how domineering CEOs are portrayed in novels?

But Wei Guan didn't smell at all.

He was wearing a suit and looked very clean. After looking at Tan Quelu for a few seconds to make sure he was really alright, he turned around, took a tube of ointment for abrasions from the car, and handed it to him.

"This is for me...?" Tan Quelu took it, maintaining her persona, and said cautiously, "Thank you, President Wei, you're so kind."

He immediately called out to the system in his mind: "[Check Wei Guan's personality in the original novel. He's acting a bit strangely. Could he have been transported here too?]"

Petty people fear power but not virtue. Wei Guan, who was able to firmly control a business empire at the age of 27 and keep the unruly F3 group from getting away with their sharp edges, is definitely not the type to let anyone get close to him so easily.

Tan Quelu originally only intended to leave an impression on the other party before leaving.

The system was startled and, after a thorough check, said: "No, host. This world can only accommodate one transmigrator. Any more and it will explode immediately."

[Furthermore, although Wei Guan in the original novel has a rather indifferent and unpredictable personality, he did help the protagonist a few times.]

Tan Quelu didn't say anything more.

He put away the ointment, looked up at Wei Guan and smiled gently, saying, "Mr. Wei, I'll be going now."

Wei watched him put on his clothes.

The third time they met, he was still sitting in the car, watching him sob.

However, the first two times I talked about peacock green, I was a bit too aggressive.

This time, there was no crimson blood on the boy's face.

to be honest.

She has a very innocent and pure look.

A note from the author:

Mr. Wei: Enjoying green tea with elegance...