Transmigrating into a book was, for Zhu Yaya who had experienced death, the beginning of another kind of life.
As for her strange new parents, Zhu Yaya still wasn't quite used to them. 'Parents' was a very foreign word to her. After their relationship broke down, she went from being the fruit of their love to an unwanted burden. It wasn't that she hadn't had hopes, but they were all shattered as they pushed her onto each other.
She said, "I won't go with either of you. Give me an apartment and some money every month. I'll live by myself."
She watched them both sigh in relief, perfunctorily uttering, "How can that be okay?" before quickly agreeing.
It was at that moment she suddenly understood. No one in this world will accompany you to the very end, not your parents, not your lover. Loneliness is humanity's final destination.
She had grown accustomed to living alone, so suddenly having a new set of parents was very disorienting for Zhu Yaya.
Her new parents in this book-bound life were completely different from her original ones—not as polished, but much more affectionate.
Zhu Yaya sat at the dining table silently shoveling rice, watching her new parents opposite her show off their love in various ways—
"Honey, a kiss. Come on, let your husband feed you some meat."
"Mmm~, thank you, hubby. Love you, mwah!"
...
If Zhu Jianjun's crispy fried chicken and sour spicy shredded chicken weren't so utterly to her taste, she would have slammed the table and left long ago. For the sake of food, she endured.
However, this endurance quickly shattered the next morning at six when Zhu Jianjun pounded on her door to wake her up for a run.
"Running builds a strong body! Plus, if you ever run into danger and can't beat someone, at least you can outrun them!" Zhu Jianjun said with a beaming smile.
"Heh heh." Zhu Yaya glared with dead-fish eyes.
"System, can I apply to not have parents?"
"Please complete your assigned task promptly."
"Can I at least get a different set of parents?" Zhu Yaya refused to give up.
"Please complete your assigned task promptly."
Heh heh, this damn system.
Holidays always pass faster than school days, and in no time, Zhu Yaya's new semester began.
To avoid getting lost, Zhu Yaya had earlier taken the bus all around the imperial capital, familiarizing herself with the routes. She also got up extra early, arriving at Scott High School well ahead of time. After running around several teaching buildings, she finally found her classroom on the third floor of one building. She also made the unexpected discovery that Class 17 of Grade 11, where the male and female leads were, was right above her classroom.
Before entering the classroom, she was still worried about possibly sitting in the wrong seat.
Once inside, she saw a sweet-looking girl who looked at her in surprise: "Deskmate, you're at school so early?"
Zhu Yaya smoothly went along with it and moved closer: "Yeah, deskmate, you're pretty early too!"
The girl was very enthusiastic, insisting on helping her organize her books. Zhu Yaya was genuinely touched, until she saw the girl fish out all the homework assigned by the teachers from her backpack and start copying it at lightning speed, albeit with a slightly shy expression.
Oh well, she is going to be my deskmate for the next three years, after all. Zhu Yaya thought about it and decided knowing her deskmate's name was important. So, while the girl was busy copying, she asked, "Um, deskmate, I had too much fun during the holiday and kinda forgot your name!"
The girl's pen tip stopped. She turned her head, smiling brightly: "Ah, what a coincidence, deskmate, I forgot yours too."
And yet you were calling 'deskmate' so affectionately!
"...My name is Zhu Yaya."
"My name is Xu Baoying." Xu Baoying's pen tip resumed its swift journey across the paper.
Xu Baoying successfully finished copying all her homework before morning reading and handing it in, letting out a sigh of relief. During morning reading, Zhu Yaya flipped through all her first-year textbooks, refreshing her memory of the material. She glanced unconsciously at her deskmate and saw the sweetly-dressed Xu Baoying reading a manga under the desk—one featuring two men engaged in some indescribable activities—letting out soft, fangirl-like giggles from time to time. Noticing Zhu Yaya looking, Xu Baoying gave a sweet smile: "Want to join, Yaya?"
How could someone read manga during morning reading class? Scholar Zhu Yaya frowned, her face full of seriousness.
"Sure!"
After morning reading, Xu Baoying looked utterly satisfied: "As expected, boys' love is true love!"
Zhu Yaya secretly gave a thumbs-up in agreement.
The first period was Chinese class with their homeroom teacher, Chang Xuan, which also hosted the first note-passing exchange between Zhu Yaya and Xu Baoying.
Thinking "know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat," Zhu Yaya decided to ask Xu Baoying, an internet-savvy girl and an unassuming rich second generation, for information about Murong Beichen.
Xu Baoying's cheeks flushed pink, and her trembling hand made her originally neat handwriting somewhat scribbly.
Zhu Yaya wondered if perhaps the male lead was just that handsome, but when she took the note, it read—"I swear, Murong Beichen definitely has something going on with his good buddy Ling Yiming!!!"
Heh heh, so much for expecting useful intel from a BL enthusiast.
Ling Yiming was the female lead's male supporting character, after all.
Zhu Yaya quickly wrote back on the note: "No, they will definitely become love rivals in the future! Believe me!"
Xu Baoying got even more excited, writing: "You think they'll fall out over Yan Heng too?! Two men fighting over one man! I love it!"
Enough already, sis.
But, who is Yan Heng? He didn't seem to be in the original plot. Probably a background character like me, right?
The first period ended quickly. Zhu Yaya checked her watch; it was almost nine.
She ran out of the classroom, headed to the stairwell, started climbing the stairs, found Class 17 of Grade 11, and quietly slipped inside. Luckily, the people in the last few rows of Class 17 were all sleeping with their heads down on their desks, faces hidden. But, with so many heads, which one was the male lead's?
Crouching stealthily on the floor, Zhu Yaya recalled the original plot. It mentioned the male lead was very tall and sat in the last row. She peeked out, scrutinizing the backs of the boys in the last row.
The male lead of a campus novel must be the best-looking guy in school, and he definitely sits alone, without a deskmate.
Great. Those two boys sitting together are out. That guy with the rainbow-colored hair definitely isn't it either—the silhouette isn't right, and she trusted the male lead's aesthetic sense; he definitely wouldn't dye his hair rainbow colors. He's not some colorful Mary Sue. Nowadays, school bully male leads are all about dyeing their hair silver or ash grey.
Finally, she spotted a silhouette that seemed like the male lead. He sat by the window in the last row, with no deskmate to his left. His jet-black hair refracted fine glimmers of light under the sunshine. He wore a white shirt, and his silhouette had an indescribable appeal.
Zhu Yaya quietly shifted towards that spot. Getting closer, she could smell a pleasant, clean soap scent. There were bruises from a fight on the exposed part of his neck, fitting the school bully male lead's fighting persona.
Zhu Yaya thought to herself, she had assumed someone like Murong Beichen, the son of the richest man, would wear cologne!
Coincidentally, just as she located the male lead, the class bell rang. Zhu Yaya was startled and looked around. Those boys acted as if they hadn't heard, not moving a muscle, not even lifting their heads.
She quietly crouched to the left of the male lead, waiting for the Class 17 homeroom teacher to bring in the female lead for introductions.
She didn't have to wait long before she heard a man's voice—"This is our new classmate, Xu Chun. Come on, Xu Chun, introduce yourself to everyone."
Here it comes, the plot is here! Zhu Yaya couldn't contain her excitement. She craned her neck to get a better look at the lectern. There stood a young male teacher and a plainly dressed girl with delicate, pretty features that nonetheless hinted at a stubborn streak.
The girl's voice was clear and crisp, but the boys sleeping in the back row remained fast asleep.
Zhu Yaya thought to herself, this teacher's composure is truly impressive, not bothering at all with so many students having keeled over.
Then, following the plot, she spoke that line right next to the male lead's ear—
"This girl is so pretty!"
The boy stirred and slowly lifted his head.
Zhu Yaya took one look and froze.
