Chapter 102: Confessions and Fan Group Chaos

Lately, it feels as though the unsolved mysteries surrounding me have multiplied.

While none of them posed significant issues, they were nonetheless quite perplexing.

“This is just too strange…”

Jiang Nanjin’s face openly displayed her bewilderment.

“It certainly is a bit…”

“Do you think she might have ulterior motives?”

“There’s nothing really for her to gain from me…” Zhong Tian shook his head. “Moreover, she’s a genuine young lady of means; her family’s wealth might even surpass Ren’s. Why would someone like her seek anything from an ordinary person like me…?”

“Hmm? Is Ren’s family very wealthy?”

“Oh, I forgot you didn’t know. Ren is a second-generation rich kid.”

“So, what you said before, about going to Ren’s beach, was that literally a private beach?”

“Yes, it was.”

“My goodness… ah, no, we’re getting sidetracked.” Jiang Nanjin waved a hand, steering the conversation back. “I think, Zhong Tian, you’d be better off finding a way to get to the bottom of this.”

“…I’ll consider it.”

“Don’t be so dismissive.” Jiang Nanjin’s tone carried a hint of helplessness. “You’re not actually planning to investigate, are you?”

‘He had been seen right through.’

“I just don’t see the need…” Zhong Tian leaned against the wall, his gaze drifting to the greenery outside the corridor. “I trust her character. Even if she does have some so-called ulterior motive concerning me, I’m certain it isn’t malicious.”

“One of my life’s tenets is to simply ignore actions others take against me that have no negative impact.”

“…What a strange life tenet.”

“It’s an important principle for me to ease my own mind and respect others.”

“Have it your way then.” Jiang Nanjin sighed. “I’m heading back to class now.”

“Mm.”

****

‘Truthfully, a part of him still felt a lingering concern.’

Zhong Tian remained by the classroom door, his mind awash with a multitude of thoughts.

‘While a simple mind-read could resolve this issue, Zhong Tian was reluctant to use it on her.’

‘After all, she was his friend.’

‘Unless faced with truly exceptional circumstances, Zhong Tian would never exploit his mind-reading ability to pry into a friend’s inner privacy.’

‘In Zhong Tian’s view, the formation and deepening of friendship inherently involved an equal exchange of hearts. If he were to simply peer into another’s thoughts, how could there be any talk of such a balanced emotional connection…?’

‘To put it simply, he would feel a profound sense of unease.’

‘Furthermore—’

Zhong Tian still recalled the evening he had gone for a walk with Su Linxi; he had attempted to use mind-reading on her once, only to receive no information whatsoever and suffer severe side effects that landed him directly in the hospital.

‘This meant that, for Zhong Tian, it was a troublesome matter not easily accomplished.’

‘Zhong Tian’s second life tenet was to cast aside any troublesome matter that couldn’t be easily accomplished, especially if it wasn’t of paramount importance.’

‘He decided not to dwell on it then.’

He sighed, about to return to class, when a voice arrested his steps.

“Zhong Tian.”

“Yu Yinlian, good afternoon.”

Standing before Zhong Tian was indeed Yu Yinlian.

Today, she wasn’t wearing her school uniform; instead, she was clad in a white pajama set, and her demeanor suggested she had just woken up.

“Um… I’ve come to trouble you to help me publish my novel…”

“Oh, alright.”

“Mm,” she opened WeChat on her phone and sent Zhong Tian her manuscript. “The platform is BLB Light Novels. You should download it first.”

Zhong Tian nodded, then downloaded the BLB Light Novels app from the app store.

The download and installation were swift, completed in what felt like the blink of an eye.

Zhong Tian opened the app and entered.

“For the account, just use my QQ secondary account.”

“Okay.”

Following the app’s prompts, Zhong Tian found that becoming an online writer seemed to have an even lower barrier to entry than he had imagined.

He followed Yu Yinlian’s instructions, entered the book title, completed the synopsis, and uploaded the first three chapters.

[Novel is under review…]

“Now, we just wait.”

“Mm,” Yu Yinlian nodded, glancing at the timer on her phone, her already subdued spirits dimming further. “Mm… I had originally planned to chat with you a bit more, but it seems time just slipped away after we finished the main task…”

“How much time is left?”

“Two minutes.”

“Mm… then we certainly can’t waste any more time, can we?” Zhong Tian remarked. “Is there anything you want to say?”

“…”

Yu Yinlian sat down on a step of the staircase beside the classroom, hugging her knees and curling into herself.

“I just… wanted to confide in someone.”

She fell silent for a few seconds, her gaze dropping to the floor. “But…”

“But what?”

“…I still won’t say it.”

Zhong Tian observed the silent Yu Yinlian, then sat down beside her.

“I think it might be better for you to speak your mind.”

“I… don’t really want to confide these things in you…” Yu Yinlian’s voice was so faint that if it weren’t for the quiet of lunchtime, with few sounds echoing through the teaching building, even Zhong Tian, sitting right beside her, might not have heard it. “I’m afraid you’ll feel worse after hearing them…”

“…” Zhong Tian shifted his gaze away from Yu Yinlian, lowering his voice as well. “But you also have no one else to confide in, do you?”

“While that’s true… still…”

“Don’t worry too much about my feelings.” Zhong Tian interrupted Yu Yinlian. “Unresolved worries only fester and become more unbearable. And being all alone in that unobservable world, you’ll eventually develop psychological issues…”

Yu Yinlian was somewhat surprised; she hadn’t expected such a reaction from Zhong Tian.

“Um… it’s not actually anything terribly serious…”

“Tomorrow, come find me at this exact time, and tell me everything you want to say.”

“Alright…”

Yu Yinlian slowly relaxed her arms from around her knees, her gaze returning to Zhong Tian’s face.

“Is there anything else you wish to say?”

“Not really. I’m just a bit surprised you have such a firm side to you…” Yu Yinlian suddenly felt she had spoken out of turn, and quickly added an explanation. “I didn’t express myself very well. I truly appreciate your concern for me. That… my choice of words was inappropriate. I hope you don’t mind…”

“It’s fine.”

“Mm.”

Even without having fully confided her worries, Yu Yinlian already felt her mood lighten considerably.

She stood up from the staircase. “Then, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

In that instant, her allotted time having reached its limit, she retreated to the unobservable world.

The Zhong Tian before her once again lost all memories related to her, now gazing with a hint of bewilderment at the ’empty’ stairwell.

‘She wondered if Zhong Tian had heard her farewell.’

‘Right, back to the dorms to write.’

‘See you tomorrow, Zhong Tian.’

****

The afternoon classes and evening self-study vanished in a blur, and Zhong Tian, having focused on his studies all day, now felt a distinct weariness.

He picked up his canvas bag and headed home with Su Linxi.

Zhong Tian hadn’t worked on any drafts today, so he had no plans to refine any manuscripts that evening; he could simply go to sleep after showering.

Before going to bed, he decided to post a few initial character design drafts in his fan group.

He transferred the images from his computer to his phone, entered the QQ group, and created a new album.

No sooner had the new album been posted than group members began to pop up, one after another.

[Oh, a new album!]

[Let me see, let me see!]

[My word, they’re initial design drafts.]

[Awesome.]

[You!]

[Great master, teach me how to draw.jpg]

[Damn, I’ve actually wanted to say this for a while… Don’t you guys think the female lead looks a bit like Teacher Kezhong?]

[?]

[?]

[So I wasn’t the only one who thought so.]

[It must have been drawn from her in real life!]

[@BELL]

[Wait, so if we’re looking at the female lead’s doujinshi, does that mean we’re essentially looking at Teacher Kezhong’s doujinshi?]

[?]

[?]

‘?’

[Blind student, you’ve discovered the key point.]

[I think it’s more than that. Think about it: you’re looking at the female lead’s doujinshi, but in your heart, you’re thinking of Teacher Kezhong. Isn’t that a form of NTR?]

[?!]

[?!]

“Huh??”

[Damn, that’s wild.]

[Damn, that’s wild.]

[This definitely deserves a Nobel Prize.]

[So horny.]

[Going to check it out immediately.]

[Just finished watching. Time to confess.]

[Those who’ve seen it, spill the details, share a bit.]

[Send me a copy too.]

[Me too!]

‘So, there are doujinshi already?’

In just a single minute, Zhong Tian had been utterly shaken.

He silently exited the group chat, deciding it was best to simply go to bed.