Transmigrated into the School Idol’s Love Rival and Lover

Chapter 22 - I Chase Myself (3)

Subtitle: Ran Yan, you are my muse

Chu Nan helped Ruan Yan wipe his tears away, taking him out of the sports store room.

Because he’d almost been forcibly kissed, Ruan Yan was still very uncomfortable right now, not willing to be too close to Chu Nan.

Chu Nan paused for a moment, wanting to go closer and hold his hand, “Yan Yan…”

Ruan Yan took a few steps back, face cold. As he retreated, he accidentally displayed a trace of Ruan Yan’s elegant and graceful demeanour.

Chu Nan’s brows wrinkled, a strange feeling rising up in his heart.

Ruan Yan saw his expression and quickly tried to remedy the situation, stamping his foot, “Ying! Bad person. You’re not allowed to come close.”

The cute and familiar “ying”. Chu Nan silently thought that he’d been affected by Ruan Yan’s actions, becoming suspicious of everything. Ruan Yan was a man- how could he “ying-ying-ying” so cutely like Yan Yan? Or even stamp his foot to act spoiled?

Chu Nan couldn’t stand the cuteness and acted as if nothing had happened, saying, “Stamp your foot more lightly. You normally don’t wear shoes with heels, be careful that you don’t twist your ankle.”

Ruan Yan’s peach blossom eyes slid over him, “Like I need you to care.”

The two walked shoulder to shoulder, happening to bump into Ju Ping who’d just walked over.

Chu Nan stopped him. “Let them help me keep an eye on Ruan Yan’s movements. Tell me as soon as you find him.” He viciously said, “If I can’t make it on time, then you guys help me break one of his legs first.”

Ruan Yan: …Let’s not change into male clothing for at least a week for safety…

Ju Ping agreed before hesitatingly asking, “Brother Chu, did something happen again?”

A flash of hostility flashed across Chu Nan’s eyes. “No matter. Just do as I say.”

From the sidelines, Ruan Yan called out for his own justice, “Chu Nan, you have such double standards. You almost got what you wanted whereas he was just saying it a bit. Why don’t you hit yourself first?”

Ju Ping was excited as he listened. What had he almost gotten?

Chu Nan glanced at Ju Ping and Ju Ping rubbed his nose, conscientiously taking his leave.

Only when all the redundant people left did Chu Nan hoarsely say, “I’m only willing to be hit by you. Yan Yan, if I can kiss you once then you can hit me however many times you want.”

Chu Nan’s eyes were filled with deep, wild desires.

Ruan Yan’s ears turned flushed. He was a man. There was no way for him to satisfy Chu Nan.

He was a bit embarrassed but didn’t want to be seen through. “W-who wants to hit you? I’m going back to class.”

Ruan Yan had been very careful these couple of days, not once changing into male attire at school. But he still had no choice but to complete the task of chasing himself.

Today, after completing the exercise-between-classes (1), the principal got all the students to stay behind. “Hello, hello, can you hear me?”

After testing the sound, he spoke, “The reason why I got everyone to stay behind today is to announce some good news.”

Chu Nan was expressionless, whereas Ju Ping snidely remarked from the side, “What? Did the school finally go broke and everyone can get a year of holiday?”

The principal jubilantly announced, “As everyone knows, our school ranks first in the entire city for our university advancement and acceptance rate. This year is even more so as the city’s first place in science admired our school and decided to transfer here to continue his studies!”

Chu Nan gave a cold snort. First in science, that was Ruan Yan ba?”

Ruan Yan quietly listened to the principal praising him. He had always been a top grade academic overachiever, but because he had to act as Ran Yan, he’d always been seen as an underachiever by all the teachers.

He was quite discomforted by that, so now that the principal was praising him, even though he didn’t show it on his face, he was actually silently enjoying it in his heart.

Chu Nan once again snorted in ridicule, full of disdain.

Ruan Yan looked at him unhappily. Chu Nan had something against his good grades?

Chu Nan stared back at him with a gaze filled with love. “Yan Yan, no matter how good your grades are, it’s useless if your character is bad.”

The principal continued talking. “And today, a student issued a literary discursive work on the He Xin Publication (2) at the national level, honourably receiving the Youth Improvement Award. He is –– Ruan Yan, receiving the award for his work ‘Ran Yan, love that surpasses time’.

……………

“F**k!” Ju Ping was shocked, “You can even do this?”

Didn’t Ruan Yan like Ran Yan? Even the love letter showing off his love could receive an award?

No wonder Brother Chu was so fearful of him. He couldn’t compete with him in terms of perverseness ah. Indeed, this was the world of an academic overachiever.

Chu Nan’s face was even darker than the bottom of a pot. All around them, students also began to murmur. “Ran Yan? Yan Yan, it’s the same name as yours ah.”

Ruan Yan also pretended to be shocked, his face red. The wet, dewy peach blossom eyes were both embarrassed and surprised, even more attractive than the Spring light.

In actuality, it was only him borrowing the historical work of the female poet Ran Yan and adding on her biography to complete an appreciative analysis of her poem.

But he deliberately named it so ambiguously, conveniently using it to express his love towards Ran Yan.

Chu Nan saw that Yan Yan’s face was red and hated him even more, “Yan Yan, don’t listen to his sweet talk.”

Ruan Yan lowered his blushing face. “I know… It’s just an essay, I won’t think too much into it.”

Chu Nan opened his mouth and closed it. She was already being so shy and timid, yet she still said she hadn’t thought too much into it?

No wonder Ruan Yan was a veteran who’d kissed so many people before. His methods really were hard to guard against.

Chu Nan’s face was dark, but he couldn’t bear to criticise Yan Yan.

Yan Yan was only an innocent high school girl, it was to be expected for her to get embarrassed once in a while.

Chu Nan suppressed the violent urge that rose up in his heart, not exploding in front of everyone.

When the principal dismissed them, Fang Yuan Yuan immediately ran up to them. “Yan Yan, Yan Yan ai, what’s up with that Ruan Yan? Do you know him?”

Ruan Yan peeked at Chu Nan who’d almost drowned in a bottle of vinegar, quietly replying, “I know him… but it’s not what you think. His essay has nothing to do with me, it just happens to have the same name is all.”

Finished speaking, Ruan Yan really couldn’t keep on pretending that he was blushing anymore, quickly walking back to their classroom.

Chu Nan followed him back.

There were already a lot of people in the classroom, all wandering around in front of Ruan Yan’s seat.

As soon as they saw him, they waved, “Yan Yan, come and have a look! There’s a heart shaped music box on your desk!”

Chu Nan: …

This music box was placed on the desk by Ruan Yan himself, but now he pretended to be shocked. “What music box? I never bought one.”

Some people wanted to hand the music box to him.

Chu Nan’s face was filled with coldness. Taking advantage of his height, he lightly grabbed and stole the music box into his own hands.

He didn’t seem to be eating vinegar at all. The vicious light in his eyes was hidden very well, but Ruan Yan knew that at this moment, Chu Nan could probably even eat a person alive.

Chu Nan’s expression was dark and gloomy. “Something of questionable origin. Throw it away.”

No one dared to offend this tyrant. For a moment, no one spoke.

Suddenly, the music box started moving. A boy’s clear and polite voice reverberated around, “Ran Yan, hello, I’m Ruan Yan. I’m here to tell you, my respectful muse, that if it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t have been able to write such an essay. Other people think that the Ran Yan in my essay was the Ran Yan in history, but it’s actually you. No matter if it’s in poems or literature, you are the only Yan Ru Yu (3) in my heart.”

“Wow!”

“Damn! Confession ah! The god confessed!”

“Ah! Why does no talented little brother like me?!”

Ruan Yan’s cheeks flushed red to one side, though it wasn’t pretend this time but rather that he felt too humiliated from listening to him confess to himself.

The music box continued to play, “Ran Yan, I’ll sing a song for you–– If…”

The music screeched and came to a halt. Chu Nan expressionlessly held the music box that had been clenched out of shape, ending its life before it reached it expected lifespan.

Chu Nan spoke, “What are you guys doing standing here? Do you all want to have an early love affair? Everyone go back.”

All the students sat back in their own seats, thinking about this huge gossip.

It seemed that Chu Nan and Ran Yan had been very close to each other these few days. Now, Ruan Yan also liked Ran Yan…

Love triangle!

Excitement secretly welled up in the students’ hearts as they waited for the class to start. It just so happened that it was literature class this period.

The literature teacher was obsessed with poems. Now, he was like a stupid drunkard as he analysed Ruan Yan’s essay for everyone.

He excitedly said, “I even suspect that Ruan Yan knew Ran Yan personally, because his every word, every stroke, contains everlasting affection. Some essays use logic to convince to people, some use emotions. Ruan Yan’s essay is full of unswerving love without regret…”

“Peng!”

The literature teacher was interrupted by this sound, and he looked towards the source, “Chu Nan, what are you doing?”

Chu Nan glanced at him coldly before draping his jacket over himself and heading out.

The literature teacher shook his head. “Doesn’t use his smarts in the right place.”

Though- the other students all knew the reason why… but no one dared to say it.

Finally lasting till the end of school for lunch (4), Ruan Yan had thought that Chu Nan wouldn’t come to eat with him after suffering such trauma.

But he didn’t think that Chu Nan would actually come in holding two boxes of lunch, giving him the more luxurious one as per normal, opening it and setting a pair of chopsticks on top. “Eat.”

Ruan Yan’s heart was full of anxiousness and fear. “Chu Nan… Are you angry?”

Chu Nan’s fist clenched tightly in a place he couldn’t see, but his expression remained calm. “Angry about what? His music box was already squished to bits by me. He doesn’t even dare to propose to you in person, it’s more than enough evidence to show how cowardly he is.”

Ruan Yan silently thought that it was because Ruan Yan and Ran Yan had no way to appear in the same frame.

Chu Nan continued, “After the teacher analysed his essay today, did you think it was good?”

Ruan Yan’s intuition told him that if he were to say a single good word about it, then he would be snapped in half here today.

Ruan Yan replied, “I… I wasn’t really listening.”

He really didn’t listen. It was written by him anyways, there was no need for him to listen.”

Chu Nan “en”d once. “Eat vegetables.”

Ruan Yan didn’t dare to not eat and obediently ate a carrot.

Chu Nan suddenly said, “I’ll tutor you from today on.”

“What?” Ruan Yan was shocked. Chu Nan, the second last in the grade, dared to tutor him?

Chu Nan smiled, but the smile didn’t reach the bottom of his eyes. “He can even write an essay proclaiming his love for you, I can’t be left behind, right? Eat more vegetables, don’t let yourself starve.”

Ruan Yan fell silent for a moment. He still thought that he was in a bit of danger ah?

“Chu Nan, you won’t take revenge on Ruan Yan ba?”

Chu Nan relaxedly replied, “Why would you call it revenge? The hatred sown from stealing someone else’s wife, of course it’s only right and proper that I make trouble for him. Yan Yan, you don’t need to worry about the affairs between males.”

“…En.” Ruan Yan helplessly nodded.

He was a bit worried and silently ate vegetables, a thread of the cold remoteness that belonged to Ruan Yan naturally appearing between brows.

Chu Nan stared at him without blinking.

Suddenly, he spoke, “Yan Yan, smile.”

Ruan Yan was dumbfounded, “Why?”

Chu Nan replied, “No reason. When you didn’t smile just then, I almost thought I saw Ruan Yan. Don’t worry Yan Yan, I was too impulsive just then, I shouldn’t have told you to smile. I like you regardless of whether you smile or not.”

Ruan Yan noticed that when Chu Nan mentioned Ruan Yan, the spoon in his hands had turned bent.

He suddenly thought that it would be best if he didn’t change into male clothing for a month or so, but… The monthly examination would begin from tomorrow.

It was compulsory for Ruan Yan to attend the monthly examination.

Translator’s Notes

(1) Idk if there’s a direct translation for this but basically in China, students have to do a set of exercises (stretching and sometimes square dancing) between classes and in the mornings (it’s actually pretty good cos it gives you plenty of exercise lalala~) Here are some videos that you can follow along to if you’re interested hehe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lvPkNDlHBA (we will we will rock you HAHAHAHA), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sbe12VWrbXo

(2) This is a publication that actually exists in China (I don’t know anything about it lol) Apparently it’s held by a… thing called Qi Gan (periodical publication?) high school art (this doesn’t mean it’s a high school, just a really weird translation ahaha…). Essentially, people (mostly scientific researchers apparently) publish articles on it to reflect their academic level. It’s quite important cos you MUST publish an article on here in order to do some things, e.g. for a scientific research company to apply for a senior title, to receive qualification to defend/rebut a PhD paper, etc. (Don’t really know much so don’t take this 100%)

(3) A common ‘name’ used to describe beautiful women. It can be used as an actual girl’s name, but here (and in the original where it was first used), it’s basically taking the ‘Yan’ from Ran/Ruan Yan’s name and comparing her to jade

(4) In China, students start school really early (usually 6am I think) and they have a break (1-3 hours I think?) in between to go home, eat lunch and take an afternoon nap. Afterwards, they go back to school and have their remaining lessons till relatively late in the afternoon (5-6pm?)