The Infatuated Cannon Fodder Quits Chapter 29

Back in the dorm, Xie Ruan went straight to shower.

The internet café had been filled with people smoking as they played, and he reeked of smoke by the time he left.

He couldn’t figure out why, but even though Bo Jin had smoked around him before—even heavy cigarettes—he hadn’t minded at all.

Maybe it was the face?

After all, who isn’t a little superficial in this life?

Sitting on his bed, Xie Ruan pulled out his phone and opened Bo Jin’s fan group chat.

Midterms had just passed, and he’d been busy reviewing and too stressed to chat. So, after several days, his level was still at thirty-seven.

But he’d nearly reached the threshold—just another day or two, and he’d finally unlock the group files.

As soon as the girls in the chat saw him, they eagerly asked for meme stickers. Xie Ruan couldn’t resist their enthusiasm, so he shared a few more. By the time he set his phone down to sleep, it was already past two.

The next morning, he predictably overslept. He rushed through his routine, skipped breakfast, and bolted to class, barely making it on time.

“Did you oversleep?” Bo Jin stood up to make room for him. It was the first time Xie Ruan had arrived later than him.

Breathless, Xie Ruan nodded, too winded to speak.

Bo Jin raised an eyebrow, curious. “Didn’t sleep well?”

They’d shared a bed once, so Bo Jin knew how well he slept.

“No,” Xie Ruan pulled an English workbook off the shelf, planning to do some reading comprehension while his mind was sharp. “Stayed up too late.”

Looking at his flushed cheeks, Bo Jin chuckled. “What, hiding under your covers, thinking about last night at the internet café?”

Xie Ruan: “….”

Xie Ruan: “Just talk normally. Stop with the flirting.”

Bo Jin smiled, filling a cup of water and handing it to him. “Did you eat?”

“No,” Xie Ruan, who had run all the way from the dorm and was actually a bit thirsty, took the drink and gulped down more than half of it in one go. Then, licking his lips, he replied, “There’s not enough time, so I won’t eat. Let’s eat together at noon.”

In the early morning light, his pink tongue flicked across his lips as he sipped, brief but eye-catching.

Bo Jin’s gaze darkened as he quickly looked away and stood up.

Not wanting to face another uncomfortable moment, he decided to step out.

Xie Ruan looked up suspiciously. “Where are you going?”

Bo Jin, like a husband reassuring his wife, replied warmly, “Just the convenience store. Be right back.”

Convenience store? Fine.

Xie Ruan went back to his workbook, unconcerned.

After Bo Jin left, Xie Ruan resumed working on his exercises.

But whether it was from running too fast earlier or from skipping breakfast, his stomach started to ache faintly.

He didn’t think much of it since the pain wasn’t too intense; he figured he could just tough it out. Forcing himself to focus on the workbook, he continued working through the difficult questions.

Just as he finished a cloze exercise, the front door suddenly creaked open.

Thinking it might be Teacher Sun, he didn’t look up, his pen still moving. But then a slight sound came from beside him. Moments later, a small piece of traditional-style cake was held up to his lips.

Xie Ruan looked up in surprise.

Bo Jin winked at him, whispering, “Open your mouth.”

“You…” Xie Ruan wanted to ask if Bo Jin had gone to the store just to buy this for him, but as soon as he opened his mouth, a piece of cake was popped in.

Bo Jin looked at him with a smile. “You keep studying. I’ll handle everything else.”

With that, he broke off another piece of cake.

The freshly baked traditional-style cake was soft and fluffy, melting on the tongue with a rich egg flavor and just the right amount of sweetness—perfect for breakfast.

Xie Ruan stared blankly at Bo Jin, not expecting him to go downstairs just because he had casually mentioned skipping breakfast.

Since his father’s passing, he’d grown used to being ignored, to being on the sidelines. This was the first time someone genuinely thought of him in this way.

A wave of emotions flooded over him—gratitude, happiness, and feelings he couldn’t quite identify, painting his ears a faint shade of pink.

“What are you spacing out for?” Bo Jin gently tapped his lips with the cake, smiling. “Open up, or you won’t get to finish it before Old Sun arrives.”

Snapping out of it, Xie Ruan looked away awkwardly. “Thanks, but don’t waste your time. I can eat on my own.”

Already recovered?

Bo Jin, a bit disappointed, set his hand down. He’d wanted to tease him a bit more, but seeing he was still hungry, he relented and pushed the box of cake over. “No rush. I’ll correct the exercises you just did. You take your time eating.”

Xie Ruan nodded. “Alright.” He paused and added, “Thank you.”

Bo Jin chuckled, reaching over to ruffle his hair. “No need to be polite.”

Maybe it was the food, or maybe it was something else, but after finishing the cake, Xie Ruan’s stomachache was completely gone.

By then, Bo Jin had finished marking his English exercise. Out of twenty questions, only a handful were correct, and the page was covered in red crosses.

Clearly, English was a major issue for him. With finals approaching, he’d need to increase his study efforts in all subjects.

After thinking for a moment, Bo Jin had an idea.

When the morning study session ended, Bo Jin reviewed the exercise with Xie Ruan, explaining each question carefully. Once he was sure Xie Ruan understood, he put down his pen and said, “Studying in the classroom is too inconvenient, especially when we have to wait for breaks to discuss questions. I’ll talk to Old Sun and ask if he can arrange a classroom for our evening self-study. How does that sound?”

Of course, it sounded great.

This way, he could ask questions anytime without worrying about disturbing others. But… he hesitated. “Do you think Teacher Sun will agree?”

It did seem a bit over the top.

Bo Jin smiled. “Trust me.”

Everyone in the class except Xie Ruan seemed to know how much Teacher Sun favored Bo Jin. If it benefited Bo Jin, Teacher Sun would never object.

Sure enough, after the second math period that afternoon, Bo Jin mentioned it to Teacher Sun, who immediately agreed.

He just reminded them to follow the study rules closely, warning them not to slack off just because there were only two of them. He said he’d check in from time to time.

As he spoke, he directed a meaningful look at Bo Jin.

Bo Jin: “…”

This fragile teacher-student bond!

Bo Jin nodded, humoring him, “Understood.”

Sun Fuan, who not only taught year 2 class one but was also the head of the grade, knew all the available rooms in the school. He returned from his office with a key.

“The small room next to the office is free. I’ll have two desks and chairs moved in, so you both can start using it for evening study today.”

He turned to Xie Ruan and encouraged, “Xie Ruan, your foundation is weak, so take this opportunity to catch up. If you have questions, ask Bo Jin, or come to me. Don’t feel embarrassed; otherwise, you’ll only be holding yourself back. As for Bo Jin—”

He turned to Bo Jin. “I only have one request for you. Maintain your top rank, and while helping others, don’t let your own studies slip, understood?”

“With pleasure,” Bo Jin replied, casually resting his hand on Xie Ruan’s shoulder, completely unfazed by Sun Fuan’s stern expression. “We’ll do great. Don’t worry.”

Though Bo Jin often seemed laid-back, Sun Fuan knew he was reliable when it came to important matters. Satisfied, Sun Fuan nodded and walked away.

Feeling accomplished, Xie Ruan, seeing there was still time before class, went to the restroom to wash off some ink that had gotten on his hand.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Shen Xingyun tending to a long scrape on his arm at the sink. It looked like he’d fallen while playing basketball.

Xie Ruan cursed his luck and closed the door, ready to leave. However, Shen Xingyun, out of nowhere, chased after him. “Xie Ruan!”

Recently, Shen Xingyun had been making frequent trips to the fifth floor. He couldn’t bring himself to reach out to Xie Ruan directly, so he kept hoping for a “chance encounter” where he could finally talk things out with him.

But fate seemed against him. Day after day, he managed to run into Bo Jin, who was getting close to Xie Ruan, multiple times, yet he hadn’t seen Xie Ruan even once.

Now, finally getting this unexpected opportunity, there was no way he would let it slip by.

Xie Ruan really didn’t want to engage with Shen Xingyun. However, not wanting to create a scene in the hallway and draw more attention, he turned back and asked, “What do you want?”

Seeing the cold look on Xie Ruan’s face, Shen Xingyun’s heart clenched.

When had Xie Ruan’s attitude toward him turned like this? Wasn’t he supposed to be happy that he’d taken the initiative to speak to him?

Xie Ruan waited a few seconds, but Shen Xingyun remained silent. Losing patience, he was about to leave when Shen Xingyun quickly blocked his way.

Raising his injured arm, Shen Xingyun stared straight at Xie Ruan. “I’m bleeding.”

In the past, Xie Ruan couldn’t stand to see him hurt. Even if it was just a small scrape, he’d go all out, disinfecting it with alcohol and covering it with a bandage.

Shen Xingyun would mock him on the outside, calling him overly fussy, but deep down, he relished this meticulous care.

He didn’t believe that, seeing him so badly hurt now, Xie Ruan could remain indifferent.

But in the next second, he heard Xie Ruan’s cold voice.

“Oh,” Xie Ruan said, “And what does that have to do with me?”

Shen Xingyun’s head buzzed as he stared at him in disbelief. “What did you say?”

“I said, what does it have to do with me?” Xie Ruan scoffed. “Get a doctor for bandaging, look to your parents for comfort—what does it have to do with me?”

With that, he turned and walked away.

“Xie Ruan!” 

Shen Xingyun clenched his teeth, calling out after him. His voice was loud but had an edge of bluff to it. “Fine, have your tantrum, but I’m giving you one last chance. If you keep this up…”

He paused, enunciating each word, “I’ll never bother with you again.”

Xie Ruan’s footsteps halted.

Shen Xingyun sighed a little, about to soften his tone, when he saw Xie Ruan suddenly chuckle. “Oh, such a great deal?”

Then, without a backward glance, he strode away.

Shen Xingyun felt as if he’d been hit hard from behind, frozen in place.

But meeting Shen Xingyun didn’t affect Xie Ruan’s mood.

For him, the early part of his life—lacking self-awareness—was like torn-out pages of a book. Though they were part of him, they were discarded, unworthy of any remaining sentiment.

When evening study time ended, he picked up his books and headed to a small study room with Bo Jin.

Now, the benefit of having just the two of them there became apparent.

With no worry of disturbing others, Xie Ruan could ask questions anytime he had one, doubling his usual efficiency.

After finishing another topic, he set down his pen and habitually reached to the top left corner of his desk, only to come up empty.

Only then did Xie Ruan realize he hadn’t brought any water.

It was evening study time, so it wouldn’t be convenient to leave the classroom.

Forget it, Xie Ruan swallowed. He decided to hold on for now and talk about it after class; after all, there wasn’t much time left.

Bo Jin noticed his movements and tilted his head, asking, “Thirsty?”

Xie Ruan nodded, scratching his head in frustration. “I brought everything but water.”

Seeing his half-empty bottle of mineral water on the table, Bo Jin chuckled.

Well, he didn’t have anyone else to blame; he came over on his own.

“Here, drink mine,” Bo Jin offered his water to Xie Ruan as if it were the most natural thing.

Xie Ruan paused, hesitating to take it.

“What’s wrong?” Bo Jin raised an eyebrow. “Are you too picky to take it?”

Xie Ruan shook his head instinctively. “No.”

It wasn’t like he was germaphobic or thought Bo Jin was dirty; it just… felt weird. Things that were fine to do between guys felt a bit off when it was Bo Jin.

D*mn, it’s definitely not me—it’s this guy being way too flirtatious!

“Then why aren’t you drinking?” Bo Jin clicked his tongue and shook his head, sighing. “Ah, my classmate, I think you’re pretty ungrateful. Outwardly you act like a good desk mate, praising your desk mate as if they’re great, but secretly you’re rejecting them.”

That’s just poor character!

Xie Ruan glared at him. “Quit talking nonsense. I am not!”

“Oh, really?” Bo Jin grabbed his wrist, pushed the water bottle into his hand, and smiled slowly. “Then take a sip.”

Xie Ruan: “…”