EPISODE 5

Cen Wu was exhausted both physically and emotionally, to the point that even the sight of abs no longer held any appeal for him. Not that he had ever liked them in the first place.

It was just a quick look, after all.

Once Xie Guilan’s IV drip was finished, Cen Wu carefully removed the needle, avoiding the bruises on the back of Xie Guilan’s hand.

He didn’t realize when he had drifted off to sleep, and when he opened his eyes again, it was 5:30 in the morning. Xie Guilan had already left, taking his schoolbag and uniform with him. Only the warmth of the blanket remained.

He had intended to let Xie Guilan rest and recover properly, but since he had already gone, there was no point in calling him back.

He had slept with his head on the bedside, his neck was sore, and he stretched lazily before deciding to get ready for school.

The villa had been swarming with servants the previous night, which had made him feel immense pressure. Just thinking about it now made his legs tremble. He needed to leave this place while most of the servants were still asleep.

Although there were more people at school, blending in with the crowd meant fewer eyes would be on him.

The original owner’s body hadn’t been in great shape, and the Cen family doted on him excessively. Even if he dropped out of school now, no one would say anything. But Cen Wu still decided to obediently attend high school.

Otherwise, if the truth were to be exposed, Father Cen and Mother Cen would only need to shake their heads and coldly say, “Worthless. Just get rid of him.”

What would he do then?

Cen Wu sighed and headed toward the bathroom. When he looked up at the mirror, he was suddenly stunned. The original owner’s face looked exactly like his own from when he was a teenager.

The youth’s skin was snow-white, his eyes slightly red from lack of sleep, and his damp, curled lashes gave him a naturally cold and glamorous appearance. However, his deep eye bags made his striking beauty less aggressive.

It was a good thing. It would feel weird if it wasn’t his own face.

After getting ready and putting on his uniform, Cen Wu headed out. However, as soon as he reached the bedroom door and grasped the doorknob, his body stiffened, his thin lips quivered slightly, and a fine sweat appeared on his nose.

Cen Wu stood still, but his mind raced through countless awkward and socially mortifying scenarios.

For example, he opens the door, and the old butler, dressed in his black tuxedo, stood there with dozens of servants behind him, lined up in two rows, bowing in unison and saying, “Good morning, Young Master!”

He pressed his forehead against the door and bumped it a few times. The last bump hurt, and he raised his hand to cover his face and rub it. The eyes peeking through his fingers were glistening with rippling waterlight.

It’s okay. It’s okay.

Cen Wu took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and gripped the doorknob, pushing it open forcefully.

!!!

Cen Wu was startled to the point that he shuddered, his heart raced, his blood rushed, and he became as tense as a frightened cat, his ears slightly pulled back.

The original owner’s elder brother, Cen Xiao, was standing at the top of the stairs.

It had been too late the previous night, and Cen Wu hadn’t messaged Cen Xiao, planning to do it today. The Cen family had recently been acquiring a pharmaceutical factory, so Cen Xiao should have been very busy. Cen Wu wondered why Cen Xiao had suddenly come back.

Who could understand the dread of running into someone and having to greet them?

“…” Cen Wu adjusted his breathing and forced himself to walk up. “…Brother, when did you come back?”

Cen Xiao was also taken aback. He hadn’t seen Cen Wu properly dressed in his school uniform much. The blue and white uniform made the youth look gentle and clean, his cheeks and neck as pale as snow.

For some reason, Cen Wu felt a sudden wave of fear, as if he'd just been caught off guard by something terrifying.

"I just got home," Cen Xiao said, his suit jacket slung over his arm. He gave Cen Wu a curious look, then gently guided him by the nape of his neck toward the dining area. "Come on, let's eat."

It was still early, and Cen Wu hadn't slept much before waking up. The mansion was slowly coming to life, with lights flickering on one by one. The long white dining table was already set with silverware and plates. A servant first brought Cen Xiao a cup of coffee.

Cen Xiao was twenty-seven years old and had started taking over the Cen family's business before even graduating from college.

Tall with long legs, he had a very mature male physique, with especially deep facial contours. While Cen Xiao didn't resemble Xie Guilan much, they both had strikingly intense features, especially their deep-set eyes, which gave off an air of danger and intensity.

Last night, Cen Xiao had received a message from the old butler, informing him that Cen Wu had brought Xie Guilan back. It made him uneasy, given the complicated history between the Xie family and the Cens.

Xie Guilan's relationship with the Xie family was complicated, and he was a troublesome person. Cen Xiao did not want Cen Wu to have any contact with Xie Guilan.

Cen Xiao frowned, wanting to ask Cen Wu something, but Cen Wu kept his head down, eating with his face almost buried in the bowl. His trembling eyelashes carried a misty timidity, making him appear very constrained in front of his brother.

Cen Xiao had never seen Cen Wu act so meek and cautious before, like a shy animal that had accidentally wandered into unfamiliar territory. He kept glancing up at Cen Xiao between bites of food, as if waiting for approval.

It made Cen Xiao feel soft-hearted.

"Why are you up so early today?" Cen Xiao asked, his voice gentler than usual.

Cen Wu fidgeted with his spoon, his fingers nervously gripping the edge of his school uniform. The awkwardness made him feel like he needed to keep himself occupied, unable to relax while eating with someone he barely knew.

"I... I need to go to school," he stammered.

Cen Xiao was taken aback. This was the first time in his life that Cen Wu had ever willingly mentioned going to school.

"Sure thing. I'm heading to the office later, so I can drop you off at school on the way."

"Thanks, Brother," Cen Wu mumbled, forcing a polite smile despite his reluctance.

"Are you asking for a scolding?" Cen Xiao scolded him lightly while placing a fish dumpling on his plate, his tone indulgent. "Why be so formal with your own brother?"

Cen Xiao had come back specifically to see him, and after Cen Wu finished eating, he drove him to school.

A black Maybach was parked outside the school gate. Cen Xiao reached out and patted Cen Wu's head. "Just have fun at school and don't work too hard."

As long as Cen Xiao was around, he would make sure Cen Wu was taken care of, no matter what.

Cen Wu obediently agreed, "I understand."

When Cen Xiao said to have fun, he wasn't being sarcastic. At first, when Cen Wu read the novel, he thought Cen Xiao might turn out to be a villain who would eventually clash with Xie Guilan.

Feuds between wealthy families and brothers were common tropes, and Xie Guilan had clearly affected his inheritance rights.

But he realized later that it wasn't the case. Cen Xiao genuinely loved his younger brother. Even though the original owner had been reckless and troublesome, Cen Xiao still took good care of him, which was why he had been so disappointed in the end.

When Xie Guilan was brought back to the Cen family, Cen Xiao treated him well too, wanting to make up for lost time, even hoping Xie Guilan would join the Cen family business with him, without any resentment or concern about the inheritance being divided.

"Brother," Cen Wu gathered his courage and waved at Cen Xiao, "Please... be careful on your way."

"Alright." Cen Xiao raised an eyebrow, a touch of gentleness appearing in his deep, sharp eyes. He could protect his arrogant younger brother for a lifetime, but it was still heartwarming to see him suddenly becoming sensible.

-

It was almost as if Cen Wu had undergone some strange transformation, but given his usual demeanor, Cen Xiao didn't dwell on it too much.

After saying goodbye to Cen Xiao, Cen Wu made his way to the classroom.

Who would have thought that at twenty-one years old, after finally graduating from college, he would suddenly have to take the college entrance exam again. The original owner had been attending Huai Jing No. 1 High School. Xie Shangjing was in Class 1 of the second year, while he and Xie Guilan were in Class 3 of the second year.

Huai Jing No. 1 High School is a key school. Xie Guilan earned his place with the top score in the city's high school entrance exam, but the previous host got in because Father Chen donated a building to the school.

"..."

The differences between people can be greater than those between people and animals.

Today is Wednesday. It had rained the previous night, and the sky was still cloudy. Chen Wu arrived early, and when he got to the classroom, only the students on duty were there.

The previous host sat in the second to last row by the corridor. Xie Guilan sat behind him in the last row, on the left side near the back door, and on the right side by the trash bin.

Chen Wu hadn’t slept much while caring for Xie Guilan the night before and wanted to take a nap. But as soon as he reached the back of the classroom, he froze.

Xie Guilan's desk was covered in water, still dripping down, and the untaken exams were soaked. A pile of trash had been randomly thrown under his seat.

It was such a mess that even the students on duty hesitated to clean it up.

Xie Guilan had good grades, was handsome, and was tall. Students like him rarely faced bullying.

But Xie Guilan always had a cold expression and didn’t associate with anyone in the class. After school, no one knew where he went. Despite his uniform’s collar being washed white, there was still a smell of cigarettes, alcohol, and blood on him. He often came to school with injuries.

Cold and distant.

A few boys in the class didn’t get along with him, especially those who were close to the previous host. They often splashed dirty water on his desk and threw trash at him.

The most excessive incident was on the first day of the new semester in the second year of high school when someone threw a bloody dead rat into Xie Guilan's desk.

The student on duty nearly panicked when they saw it.

Xie Guilan, with a cold and fierce look in his eyes, wore gloves and cleaned up the desk, but the class still gossiped. Even though they knew it wasn’t Xie Guilan’s fault, it was hard not to vent their anger on him.

"His exams were bitten by the rat. It’s so dirty. Who knows if there’s any disease. I don’t want to collect them."

"His clothes are dirty too. Can’t you smell it? When he went to get water earlier, there was an odor on him."

"Damn, this is gross! If it were me, I’d be too embarrassed to stay in here. I just swept the floor last night, and it’s a mess again! Can’t he take care of his own seat?!"

The situation escalated until the school found out, and things calmed down a little, but only just a little.

Chen Wu pursed his lips. He set down his backpack and found a few clean rags at the back of the classroom. He bent down to help Xie Guilan clean the desk, thankful that the water today didn’t smell bad.

While wiping, he suddenly remembered something, quickly put on a mask, and bent down.

"…yue."

Although there was no dead rat this time, Xie Guilan’s desk drawer was filled with trash again—used draft papers, leftover wrappers, various liquids.

After a night of fermentation, it already had a sour stench.

Chen Wu’s face turned pale, and his eyes showed discomfort as they turned red. He found a pair of gloves, took out all the trash, and threw it away. Then he brought a bucket of water over.

Class 3, Grade 11 was an elite class. Most students got in because of their grades, and the rest, like the previous host, had extremely wealthy families.

Several students on duty saw Chen Wu cleaning Xie Guilan’s desk, but no one dared to ask. At most, they stole a few glances at him.

Chen Wu felt uncomfortable being stared at, and the rag in his hand felt awkward. He buried his head a little lower and scrubbed harder, his snow-white ears gradually turning red under the gaze.

Chen Wu scrubbed for more than half an hour, wearing out the rag, before he finally felt relieved. Then he took a disinfectant spray and thoroughly disinfected the desk.

He also put Xie Guilan’s exams on the radiator to dry.

It's August now, and even though it's been raining these past few days, the temperature is still quite high, so the papers should dry pretty quickly.

After finishing all this, Cen Wu adjusted his mask, went downstairs to take out the trash, and then slumped into his seat, looking exhausted.

Original owner! You really outdid yourself...

Students were starting to trickle into the classroom. Suddenly, someone patted Cen Wu's desk. He looked up and met the face of a guy with curly hair.

It was his seatmate, Lu Wang.

The Cen and Xie families weren’t particularly close, just business acquaintances. The original owner became close with Xie Shangjing purely out of personal choice.

However, the Cen and Lu families were truly long-time family friends, with ancestral ties. They had deliberately arranged for them to be in the same class.

"Why didn't you get back to me last night?" Lu Wang asked, sounding reproachful. "I even sent you a video call."

Cen Wu: "."

I was... distracted by something.

"You... what did you send me?" Cen Wu took out his phone.

But when he opened the chat, his eyes widened in shock. Last night, Lu Wang had transferred him 30,000 yuan!

Cen Wu was taken aback. "Why did you... transfer me money?"

"Didn't you want to buy sneakers?" Lu Wang asked, puzzled, thinking Cen Wu was speaking strangely today. "Hurry and accept it, or it’ll get refunded."

Cen Wu shook his head quickly. "I can buy them myself."

"Huh?" Lu Wang asked slowly. "But didn't you say before that because we're so close, my money is your money? Why are you being so polite all of a sudden?"

Cen Wu: "..."

One person says it, the other believes it.

Cen Wu finally remembered that the original owner had been both ruthless and cowardly, feeling like he shouldn't be afraid but also fearing being kicked out by the Cen family. So, while splurging on unnecessary things, he would also try to save a little here and there.

But because he was used to spending recklessly, he couldn’t save much and had set his sights on the naive and wealthy Lu Wang. Over the past year, Lu Wang had unilaterally transferred more than 600,000 yuan to the original owner.

"Your money is my money," Cen Wu said with a numb expression, "and my money is still my money, right?"

Lu Wang nodded foolishly. "Yeah."

Cen Wu: "..." Yeah, what?!

"Hurry and accept it."

"I... I won't accept it."

"Take it!"

"No... I won't take it!"

"Here, take it all." Lu Wang insisted.

"No," Cen Wu firmly refused, stuttering in resistance, "I really can't take... take your money."

You didn’t even mention it was a gift.

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