Volume 1 Chapter 16: Wen Yang Disappears!

Zhang Shaoqing’s family situation is quite complex.

Although the book never delves into it, Ning Chu has come to understand a bit about his family through their time together. Zhang Shaoqing’s parents are divorced, and he lives with his mother, who is extremely controlling. She calls every night to check his daily activities, even wanting to plan his meals.

Both his parents are from business families, so he’s never short on money, but his mother’s overbearing control has become a psychological burden for him.

After showering, Ning Chu returns from the balcony to find that Zhang Shaoqing has already left the dorm.

“Did he go back?”

Wang Jie, passing by with his laundry, replies while heading to the shower, “He left just two minutes ago.”

“I see…”

Ning Chu murmurs, tossing his dirty clothes into a hamper and walking to the mirror. He grabs a dry towel and vigorously dries his still-damp hair.

He looks at himself in the mirror, wearing only a thin ice silk nightgown. His bangs just touch his eyebrows, and his hair is slightly longer than his ears, indicating that he might need a haircut this weekend.

After the shower, his already fair complexion looks even clearer, free from any dust. His skin, pale and delicate, seems to glow under the room’s light. He has an oval face with a hint of baby fat on his cheeks, making his features look cute and youthful, albeit a bit too young.

His body is clearly that of a first-year university student, and his ID confirms he’s over eighteen, but his appearance still resembles that of a young boy. Having seen girls in his class with youthful looks, he has come to accept his own boyish face. After all, in the world of his novel, all kinds of beautiful men and women are expected.

He believes that in a few years, his looks won’t be inferior to the male protagonist’s.

Satisfied with his face, he looks down towards his neck and sees a delicate collarbone and prominent small red bumps on his chest, noticeable through the nightgown. Around these bumps, there’s a slight swelling, which he can feel more clearly when he showers.

Just a week ago, there were only these small bumps…

Since he completely disrupted the first plot, his chest started to feel more fleshy, maintaining that state until now, with a tendency to grow larger.

“Continuing to disrupt the plot might make me more and more like a girl?”

“Maybe even turn into a girl…”

Ning Chu has long suspected this, but he’s been reluctant to choose between “becoming a girl and being taken advantage of” and “just becoming a girl.”

If possible, he wishes for neither.

“Ning Chu, are you using the washing machine?” Wen Yang pokes his head in from the balcony, “I’m too lazy to wash clothes this weekend.”

“That’s fine.”

There’s a hot water room and laundry on every two floors of the dorm, but Ning Chu typically avoids using the communal coin-operated washing machines. He always feels they’re somewhat unclean.

“My clothes are in the basket. Could you take them down for me? I have coins in my drawer.”

Ning Chu usually doesn’t refuse requests from this ‘son of the world’. After agreeing, he picks up two baskets of dirty clothes and coins, ready to leave the dorm. However, he suddenly pauses, looking down at the noticeable bumps on his chest and the slight swelling.

It’s manageable in the dorm, despite occasional curious glances and teasing from his roommates, since they’re somewhat familiar with each other. But the thought of being stared at outside makes him feel embarrassed.

He grabs a jacket from the wardrobe to cover up before heading to the laundry room, also keeping an eye out for any characters related to the novel’s plot in the dorm.

The dorm has many handsome guys, and he even sees a girl boldly dating her boyfriend in the hallway.

Without knowing their names and judging only by appearances, it’s difficult to identify the characters from the book.

Upon entering the laundry room, his attention is immediately drawn to a middle-aged man squatting by a washing machine, holding a wrench. It’s… the dorm supervisor!

Ning Chu’s mouth twitches, and he tries his best to shift his gaze away from the dorm supervisor.

This uncle, who has a minor connection to a subplot in the novel, is indeed extraordinary for his age. Despite being in his forties or fifties, he boasts muscular arms and a robust physique. His face, though weathered by time, is ruggedly handsome and exudes the charm of a mature man. Perhaps this is what those with a preference for older men would call a “real uncle.”

The subplot involving this character should have nothing to do with Ning Chu, but he still contemplates disrupting the uncle’s love life. After all, he’s at odds with the “god” who threw him into this world.

After dumping his clothes into the washing machine and starting it, Ning Chu glances back at the dorm supervisor. However, their eyes meet accidentally.

Feeling guilty, Ning Chu quickly averts his gaze and hurries to leave, his mind filled with the thought of disrupting the uncle’s romantic life.

“Wait! Which dorm are you from?”

Just as he’s about to exit, a deep voice from behind stops him. He nervously replies, “Dorm 203, Ning Chu.”

The dorm supervisor pauses to recall, remembering the unusually short freshman from the enrollment day. He’s seen many attractive students, but a boyish 18-year-old like Ning Chu is rare, making him memorable.

He gives Ning Chu another once-over, noting the slender build and delicate features that, at first glance, make him look like a girl, but barely discerns a trace of masculinity.

“Acting like seeing a ghost,” the supervisor mutters while continuing to fix the machine, “No need to be so nervous if you’re not doing anything wrong. I thought someone sneaked a girl in here.”

Feeling awkward under scrutiny, Ning Chu smiles sheepishly and quickly leaves the laundry room. He wonders if he should report the girl he saw in the hallway openly dating in the male dorm building.

Back in his room, Ning Chu sits at his desk, resting his chin on one hand and biting his nails as he contemplates the problems he’s encountered so far.

The morally questionable counselor Han Jingye is being monitored by Wen Yang, a situation requiring patience.

The dorm supervisor’s story is about mutual affection, but if possible, Ning Chu hopes no novel plotlines manifest in this world.

Zhang Shaoqing, the unpredictable element, seems alright for now.

And the protagonist, Wen Yang– Wait.

Where is Wen Yang?

Ning Chu suddenly realizes Wen Yang is missing. He turns to look at Wen Yang’s desk, then stands up and peers over to Wen Yang’s bed.

“What are you doing?” Wang Jie, who was focused on his game, is startled and turns to ask.

“Where’s Wen Yang?!”

Ning Chu’s tone is unusually frantic. He scurries around the dorm like a headless chicken, desperately searching for Wen Yang.

Confused, Wang Jie scratches his head: “He just went out.”

“What for?!”

“How should I know?”

Oh no! He set me up!

He told me to go to the laundry room and then sneaked out!