The Infatuated Cannon Fodder Quits Chapter 4

If Zhao Caiming was gentle with Bo Jin, he was a full-on thunderstorm with Xie Ruan—nothing short of maximum severity.

“So young, and you’re already lying to a teacher!” Zhao Caiming said with a stiff face, firing off a barrage of questions, “Tell me, what class are you in? How many times have you cut class?”

“Bo Jin’s sharp as a tack; a little relaxation is fine for him. But what about you? Too smart to need effort now? Finished all your practice books? How’d you do on the last test? Where are you ranked in the school?”

Before Xie Ruan could explain, he’d been pummeled by this verbal assault, leaving him dazed.

“There’s no need to scold him,” Bo Jin said, unfazed by Zhao Caiming’s temper, stepping in to defend Xie Ruan. “He’s different from me. He’s from Class 11, and this is his P.E. period.”

“What?” Zhao latched onto a new point, incredulous. “Second year, and they’re still having P.E. before exams? What’s the homeroom teacher doing?”

He pulled out his phone, opened a note app, and muttered, “I’ll have to bring this up at the next meeting.”

Xie Ruan: “…”

Exploit Zhao, you really live up to your reputation.

After making his note, he squinted at Xie Ruan. “So you’re really in Class 11?”

He didn’t think a student would dare lie, but Xie Ruan had just done it, so who knew?

Xie Ruan collected himself and nodded. “Yes.”

Zhao Caiming looked at Bo Jin for confirmation.

“Why would I lie?” Bo Jin replied, genuinely impressed. In his opinion, Zhao Caiming was completely overqualified to be teaching here. If he’d gone into law enforcement, unsolved cases would be much lower.

Pointing at Xie Ruan, he added, “Class 11, Xie Ruan. Xie as in ‘thanks,’ and Ruan as in ‘Ruan Xian.’ Go check if you want.”

Zhao Caiming had personally recruited Bo Jin to their school and knew him well enough to trust his character.

Seeing that he didn’t seem to be lying, his expression improved quite a bit, except—

Still, Zhao Caiming’s gaze flitted back and forth between the two. “What’s your relationship?”

Sneaking off to the rooftop together, and so protective of each other. Especially this Xie Ruan, willing to face punishment for Bo Jin. It didn’t look normal!

Zhao Caiming furrowed his brow. Don’t think he was old-fashioned—he was quite up-to-date! He’d confiscated enough romance novels to know that boys could have romantic feelings for each other too!

Xie Ruan didn’t pick up on the subtext, but Bo Jin did. He raised his eyebrows in surprise, realizing Zhao Caiming might be more knowledgeable than he seemed.

He lifted the corners of his lips slightly and, under Zhao Caiming’s glare, placed his arm around Xie Ruan’s shoulder. “It was my fault…”

Immediately, alarm bells went off in Zhao Caiming’s mind.

See? His perceptive eye hadn’t deceived him! There was definitely something going on between these two!

Absolutely not! Shijia High School had worked so hard to recruit a promising student like Bo Jin, hoping for top results. There was no way he was going to let that go to waste on some early romance!

No matter what method he used, he had to break these two apart!

The thought had barely crossed his mind when Bo Jin sighed and added, “If you look decent, you should be more careful. Don’t get too close to other classmates. See? People start getting the wrong idea.”

Zhao Caiming: “???”

In his twenty years of teaching, Zhao Caiming had never encountered someone so shameless. For a moment, he was at a loss for words, mind blank, before glaring at Bo Jin. “I don’t have time for your nonsense! I actually came here for serious business.”

Leaning against the wall, Bo Jin chuckled lightly. “Go ahead.”

Zhao Caiming continued, “Are you really turning down the recommendation? Qing University called me again today, saying they’re still holding a spot for you. If you agree, they’ll send you the acceptance letter immediately.”

In July, Bo Jin, as team captain, led his teammates in the IMO International Mathematical Olympiad, ultimately winning both team and individual gold with perfect scores—one of only two contestants to achieve full marks.

Before he even returned to the country after the competition, top universities had already gone head-to-head for his acceptance. Institutions vied for him, making endless offers, and seemed more like the humbled party in the negotiation.

Everyone assumed he would choose one of the two top universities, but surprisingly, Bo Jin turned down both.

Instead of accepting any offers, he announced he’d return to Shijia High School to continue his second year.

This decision shocked professors and recruiters alike, while Shijia High School’s teachers were also stunned.

What was the point of winning a gold medal? Wasn’t it supposed to help secure a good university?

Yet, Bo Jin didn’t hesitate at all. Without a second thought, he outright rejected the offers from top universities—how could he!

All the teachers teamed up and took turns, encouraging him around the clock.

One teacher said that, at such a young age, he shouldn’t be too proud; he must seize opportunities when they come. Another said that time is precious and shouldn’t be wasted—only by going to university would he find a wider world.

However, whether they appealed to his emotions or reason, Bo Jin remained unmoved, leaving the teachers defeated.

Zhao Caiming thought it was truly a shame to give up just like that. Although he wasn’t hopeful, he still wanted to ask Bo Jin one last time—just in case.

“No need.” As expected, Bo Jin turned him down again.

Sighing, Zhao Caiming knew he could stop asking. Once Bo Jin made a decision, there was no going back. “Alright, then.”

“My staying here might be for the best,” Bo Jin said, looking at Zhao Caiming as if turning down the offer was trivial. “This way, I can still win some more honors for the school.”

“Oh, don’t put it that way…” Zhao Caiming’s eyes lit up, seeing a new angle. With feigned seriousness, he added, “Your future is what matters most.”

But he couldn’t resist asking, “Are you planning to compete in next year’s math competition?”

It wasn’t that he wanted to rely solely on Bo Jin, but Shijia High School was short on academic talent.

Compared to prestigious high schools like Foreign Language High and No. 1 High, Sejia couldn’t measure up. During recruitment season, they could only watch top students flock to those schools.

To this day, Zhao Caiming couldn’t understand why Bo Jin had chosen to come to their school. It wasn’t the benefits Sejia offered that convinced him—Bo Jin had seemed intent on Sejia from the start.

Shaking his head, he dismissed the thought. How could that be? Why would a prodigy choose Sejia, just because they charge high tuition?

Bo Jin mused, “Not sure yet.”

“Better decide soon,” Zhao Caiming said, already calculating the steps they’d need to take. “If you compete, you should start preparing early. You scored a perfect score this year, so you can’t afford a drop in performance next year.”

Bo Jin casually slid one hand into his pocket, looking completely indifferent. “Prepare for what?”

Just as Zhao Caiming was about to speak, he heard Bo Jin lazily say, “Isn’t that stuff something you can figure out just by looking at it?”

Zhao Caiming: “…”

At a loss for words, Zhao Caiming took a long moment to gather his thoughts. Fearing a spike in his blood pressure, he turned to Xie Ruan, who was doing his best to stay unnoticed. “So, Xie Ruan, is it? Don’t try to follow his lead—he’s not a typical student.”

Bo Jin shrugged. “I think you’re overstating it, sir.”

Ignoring him, Zhao Caiming continued to Xie Ruan, “Doing more practice and putting in real effort is the only way to success! If you want top grades, you’ve got to push yourself! Study until you can’t study anymore!”

Xie Ruan, expression stiff, nodded.

Finally satisfied, Zhao Caiming gave his lecture a rest and told him, “Keep up the hard work. You’ll thank me in ten years when you see I was right. If you don’t put in the effort now, regret won’t fix it later.”

Xie Ruan nodded stiffly, “….Understood”

“Good luck,” Zhao Caiming said, pleased, “Aim to get into the experimental class soon.”

Then he turned back to Bo Jin, “And you, if you’re done relaxing, head back to class. Try not to miss too much of the next period, alright?”

“Sure,” Bo Jin replied.

Finally satisfied, Zhao Caiming gave a quick wave and left.

Xie Ruan was ready to leave too, but as soon as he took a step, his collar was grabbed from behind. “Why are you running?”

“I wasn’t running,” Xie Ruan said, shaking off Bo Jin’s hand with a frosty expression. “Is this your personal territory?”

Seeing Xie Ruan’s frustration, Bo Jin could tell he was embarrassed. Laughing, he admitted easily, “My bad.”

Xie Ruan froze in place.

Bo Jin looked down at him. “I didn’t explain properly, so you misunderstood.”

Bo Jin was actually apologizing to him!

Xie Ruan had considered countless possibilities, but not this one.

Feeling a bit awkward, he turned his head away and mumbled, “It’s fine. It’s not your fault.”

Thinking back, Bo Jin really hadn’t done anything wrong. They’d only met once; he was practically a stranger. There was no reason Bo Jin had to explain whether he skipped class or not. But he’d apologized anyway, and with such a sincere tone.

“I just assumed too much.”

Although he seemed easily riled up, he was actually easy to placate.

Bo Jin couldn’t help but smile, his voice softer than before as he asked, “So what you told Director Zhao, you called me out here?”

It would have been fine if he hadn’t mentioned it, but now Xie Ruan was feeling a little embarrassed. He glared at him, “I thought you were really ditching class, okay?”

Who would have thought the school prodigy had a free pass to skip classes!

“Hmm?”

Xie Ruan wasn’t one to hold grudges. Since Bo Jin had already apologized, he wouldn’t keep bringing it up. After all, there were only three people on the rooftop, and no one else would know. Kicking a pebble by his foot, he replied nonchalantly, “You’re a good student, so if they catch you skipping class, it’s a big deal. For us slackers, it doesn’t matter much.”

He shrugged.

“Once you have enough fleas, you don’t feel the itch.”

The rooftop breeze was strong, making his soft black hair sway wildly. He pushed it back, fully revealing his strikingly attractive face.

He had a high, elegant nose, naturally red, full lips, and his lively peach-blossom eyes sparkled with youthful energy.

Bo Jin pressed his lips together lightly, saying nothing.

Xie Ruan thought Bo Jin might look down on his “who cares” attitude, which irked him a bit. Just as he was about to find an excuse to leave, Bo Jin suddenly took hold of his wrist.

Xie Ruan looked down to see Bo Jin gently prying his fingers open, removing the cigarette butt from his palm.

Director Zhao had arrived unexpectedly, and Xie Ruan had grabbed the still-warm cigarette butt without thinking. Now his palm was red, the mark stark against his pale skin.

Bo Jin paused as he took in the sight, then said, “Who would have thought—you’re actually so helpful.”

“Yeah.” Xie Ruan lowered his hand and replied nonchalantly, “I’m at least worth three sacred relics when I’m gone.”

Bo Jin: “…”

Bo Jin chuckled, “Thanks for today.”

Xie Ruan waved it off. “No need. I didn’t really do anything.”

“Says who?” Bo Jin held up the cigarette butt. “This counts, doesn’t it?”

He tossed it into the trash can, smirking. “If Director Zhao had seen me smoking, he’d be preaching at me daily and probably move into my dorm to watch me 24/7.”

Knowing Director Zhao, he really might do that.

The image made Xie Ruan laugh.

“So yeah, thanks for today.”

Xie Ruan’s eyes curved happily. He dug out his phone, wondering if he should take advantage of the moment to add Bo Jin as a friend.

They weren’t in the same class and barely knew each other; QQ was the most convenient way to connect. Xie Ruan didn’t know why Bo Jin would consider suicide, but reading through his past posts and diary entries might reveal some clues.

Being a straightforward guy, Xie Ruan’s thoughts soon translated to action, and he opened the QQ app without realizing it.

Bo Jin glanced at his phone knowingly.

“Bo Jin.” Xie Ruan called his name.

“Yeah.” Bo Jin pulled out his phone, tapping the screen, not looking up.

Xie Ruan hesitated, watching Bo Jin’s slightly indifferent profile. 

After a moment’s pause, he held back from speaking further and made an excuse, “Oh, nothing. I’m just letting you know I’m heading out.”

If Bo Jin rejected him, that’d be awkward.

Maybe it was better to wait until they got to know each other better.

Bo Jin still didn’t look up. “Alright.”

Xie Ruan put his phone away and turned to leave.

The stairs from the rooftop weren’t long, but Xie Ruan walked down absentmindedly. Conflicting thoughts swirled in his mind—he felt it was right not to ask for Bo Jin’s contact, but at the same time, he worried he’d missed a chance and didn’t know when he’d get another.

Although Bo Jin’s suicide attempt wouldn’t happen until senior year, there was no quick fix for depression, and it took a long time to recover. The sooner he found the cause, the more likely he’d be to recover.

Frustrated, Xie Ruan ran a hand through his hair, his steps slowing.

Before today, Bo Jin had been just a symbol to him—a classmate, an unreachable academic prodigy. Now, he was a real, living person.

He couldn’t just stand by and let Bo Jin spiral toward that end.

Was his pride really more important than a life?

Might as well just ask. If he refuses, he can think of another way. He’s smart; a little setback won’t stop him.

And who knows, maybe Bo Jin will agree?

Taking a deep breath, Xie Ruan finally made up his mind.

He turned around, walking back as he reopened QQ.

Huh? Xie Ruan looked at the new friend request notification in his contacts. Who was adding him at this time?

Not the time for this.

Annoyed, he opened the request.

His steps halted instantly—

[Bo] requests to add you as a friend.

Note: “I am Bo Jin.”