Chapter 1: Phoenix Man (1) *edited
The entire world was shrouded in darkness, but within this darkness, numerous light orbs floated.
These light orbs varied in size, all drifting slowly in one direction toward a deep vortex.
The army of light orbs rushed into the vortex without hesitation, except for two orbs that were different.
Among them were two orbs, one big and one small. The small orb was dim and clung to the big orb, which was exceptionally bright, the brightest in this dark world. Carrying the small orb, the big orb hopped and leaped, moving against the flow of the light orb army, distancing themselves from the vortex.
Suddenly, they encountered a distinct red orb in front of them, which charged straight at the big orb.
The impact of the collision turned the big orb partially red, preventing it from moving against the light orb army. Instead, it got carried along with the rest of the light orbs towards the vortex.
As they were about to be pulled into the vortex, the big orb jumped, and a crack appeared on its surface. From within, a pure white light mass squeezed out, wrapping around the small dim orb next to it. In the end, both the big and small orbs fell into the vortex together.
***
A University, located in Province Z, was the best university in that province and ranked among the top ten nationwide.
At some ordinary universities, many students would be unfocused during classes, sneakily using their phones and such, but at A University, such behavior was rare.
The majority of students at A University were diligent in their studies.
However, today, during a computer science class, one student was lying asleep in front of his computer.
“Yan Jingze, wake up.” Someone pushed the sleeping male student.
“Huh?” The student called Yan Jingze abruptly lifted his head, revealing a handsome face.
“The class is over.” The one who woke Yan Jingze said, while putting his phone back in his pocket. “I’m starving, let’s hurry to the cafeteria.”
Yan Jingze felt a bit dizzy and disoriented, and everything around him seemed unfamiliar.
Where was this? And who was he?
He rubbed his head with his hand, and a strong thought emerged in his mind — he had crossed over to another world.
But he couldn’t recall who he was before crossing over, nor could he remember anything from his previous life. He didn’t know who he was now and where he was.
Beside him, there was a skinny and bespectacled male student speaking to him, “Yan Jingze, you are always attentive in class. Why did you fall asleep today?”
Right, his name was Yan Jingze. The name was imprinted in his mind, and he assumed the original owner of this body was also called Yan Jingze.
Why did he… cross over?
Yan Jingze followed the skinny student as they walked ahead, feeling somewhat lost. Suddenly, he noticed someone.
The university was quite large and had beautiful scenery. People passing by were all well-dressed, but this person stood out from the crowd.
It was a boy of around sixteen or seventeen, carrying a plastic bag. His face was youthful, with a bit of baby fat, and he had a neat flat-top haircut. His skin was a little tanned, and he wore a clean but slightly too short black cotton jacket, revealing the worn-out sleeves of the sweater he had underneath.
Compared to the deliverymen who came to the school, he looked much poorer. He seemed uncomfortable, as if he wanted to hide himself, but he carefully scanned the surroundings as if looking for someone.
Yet, whenever someone noticed him and paid attention, he would shrink back like a startled little mouse.
This person was truly adorable!
How could there be someone this cute in the world!
Yan Jingze had been wondering why he had crossed over, but now he suddenly understood the reason.
He had come here to find his wife!
When Yan Jingze saw the boy, the boy also noticed him, and a shy smile appeared on his face. His eyes sparkled as he said, “Brother!”
Hearing this “brother,” Yan Jingze’s heart melted. He felt like the fog in front of him was lifted, and the whole world became clear as various memories flooded into his mind.
He had crossed over and now inhabited the body of a person with the same name, Yan Jingze.
The original owner of this body was born in a poor village. His father was disabled, and his mother was mute. He had two younger sisters and a younger brother, and the family struggled to meet even their basic needs.
But the original owner was smart from a young age. After going to school, he excelled in his studies and remained focused on learning. Eventually, he became the only student from their almost-closed-down junior high school to pass the county’s best high school entrance exam.
However, he realized that he was too poor. His parents had to borrow money to pay for his school fees, and they couldn’t even afford to provide him with enough to eat. He couldn’t dress like his classmates, and even getting enough food was a challenge.
Compared to his peers, he felt like a dirty rat in a gutter.
All of this made him very uncomfortable, but it was during this time that he met someone — Jiang Pingxiu, who was from the same village but three years younger.
Jiang Pingxiu had lost his parents early in life and lived with his grandmother. Due to their difficult circumstances, he had to find ways to earn money to support himself from a young age. At just thirteen, he was already thinking about making a living.
During the eleven-day holiday after the start of high school, when the original owner returned to the village, Jiang Pingxiu secretly came over and gave him a new school bag, congratulating him on entering high school.
This gesture made the original owner start interacting with Jiang Pingxiu and occasionally talk about school and his difficult life there, being discriminated against due to poverty and not having enough to eat.
Jiang Pingxiu developed an inexplicable fondness for the original owner, and upon hearing about his struggles, he started giving him money and buying things for him. The original owner pretended to reject these offerings, and Jiang Pingxiu blushed, saying that the original owner could pay him back once he started working.
At the time, Jiang Pingxiu was just thirteen and couldn’t find a proper job. However, he was different from the lazy people in the village. Since he was young, he had been hardworking, picking mushrooms and other things to earn money. As he grew older, he found ways to do some small handicrafts, like making hairpins, to earn money.
He would diligently work all day and didn’t stop for a moment. Most of the money he earned went to the original owner.
With the support of someone three years younger, the original owner’s life became not much worse than that of other students. He even managed to afford reference books. Coupled with his determination, he eventually achieved the highest score in the entire county and got admitted to a good university!
At this point, the original owner noticed that Jiang Pingxiu had developed abnormal feelings for him — Jiang Pingxiu liked him!
The original owner found it disgusting to be liked by someone who hadn’t even completed junior high school, but he still needed money.
He got into university, and the county and school provided him with some money as a reward. However, it was not enough, especially since he had enrolled in the computer science department, and the school required students to have computers.
He simply couldn’t afford a computer, and he didn’t have a stable source of money for his university expenses.
Once again, he thought of Jiang Pingxiu. However, he couldn’t rely on Jiang Pingxiu’s small handicraft earnings to cover his university expenses. Moreover, Jiang Pingxiu’s grandmother was old, so he didn’t want to work outside.
So, the original owner made a tough decision and directly confessed to Jiang Pingxiu, asking him to come with him to the big city.
Jiang Pingxiu was overjoyed after being confessed to. The original owner coaxed him with sweet words and persuaded him to come to the city with him to live together. Of course, the plan was for Jiang Pingxiu to work and support the original owner.
At that time, Jiang Pingxiu was already sixteen years old, with an ID card and a junior high school diploma. At least he was no longer a child laborer. After coming to the city with the original owner, he got a job at a car wash.
He earned three thousand yuan a month and kept only one thousand for himself, giving the other two thousand to the original owner.
The original owner thanked him verbally but felt disgusted inside. He even avoided Jiang Pingxiu and didn’t want to see him.
To make matters worse, once when Jiang Pingxiu’s boss went out for lunch and brought back some half-eaten roasted duck for him, Jiang Pingxiu treasured it like a baby and brought it to the school to give to the original owner. The original owner felt that Jiang Pingxiu was embarrassing him, so he pretended not to know him at school and scolded Jiang Pingxiu afterward, forbidding him from coming to see him and even calling him.
Even if Jiang Pingxiu apologized, it was useless.
After being reprimanded by the original owner, Jiang Pingxiu didn’t disturb him for a long time. However, after more than twenty days had passed, he sent the original owner his monthly living expenses, and he called the original owner.
The original owner didn’t pick up the call and didn’t contact Jiang Pingxiu. This continued for another month, and on the day Jiang Pingxiu was supposed to send the living expenses to the original owner, the original owner didn’t receive any money.
Furious, the original owner went to find Jiang Pingxiu at his workplace.
At that time, Jiang Pingxiu looked exhausted, and he pitifully explained that his grandmother was ill and needed money for treatment. He asked to delay giving the money to the original owner by two months. But the original owner didn’t believe him. He thought Jiang Pingxiu was using money to threaten and force him.
He couldn’t afford to have no money. With a cold heart, he slept with Jiang Pingxiu and coaxed him with sweet words, persuading him to continue giving him money.
Jiang Pingxiu was naive and, after being made ill by the original owner, he had a fever and could barely stand up. However, he changed jobs and worked two jobs to continue giving money to the original owner. As time went on, the money he gave to the original owner increased, and he would give him at least three thousand yuan per month, sometimes even buying gifts for him.
Meanwhile, the original owner used Jiang Pingxiu’s money to pursue wealthy female classmates at school.
The original owner was very handsome, did well academically, and eventually succeeded in pursuing one of these girls!
The original owner was already in his fourth year of college and had a wealthy girlfriend who was supporting him. He felt that Jiang Pingxiu was no longer useful, so he unhesitatingly dumped him.
At that time, Jiang Pingxiu’s grandmother happened to fall ill. Jiang Pingxiu had been supporting the original owner and had no savings. He wanted to ask the working original owner for some money. However, the original owner not only refused to give him any money but also told his girlfriend that Jiang Pingxiu was a disgusting homos*xual who was pestering him.
His girlfriend was furious and had some people beat up Jiang Pingxiu, breaking his leg.
Jiang Pingxiu’s grandmother couldn’t afford treatment and eventually passed away.
Jiang Pingxiu had been working odd jobs since the age of thirteen or fourteen. His health was already extremely poor, and now with a broken leg, he couldn’t work to earn money. He ended up dying on a winter night, but it’s unclear whether it was due to freezing, illness, or starvation.
After finishing the memories of the original owner, Yan Jingze felt like slapping himself.
The original owner of this body was such a scumbag!
What kind of normal person could do such things!
Fortunately, he didn’t transmigrate too late.
The current original owner was still in his first year of college. Although Jiang Pingxiu was already under great pressure, at least he hadn’t experienced a total collapse of his life.
With these thoughts, Yan Jingze looked at the boy who called out “brother” to him. The boy was now anxiously pulling the sleeves of his worn-out sweater, trying to hide the frayed cuffs inside.
This boy was Jiang Pingxiu, and the current time was during the first semester of his freshman year.
On this particular morning, Jiang Pingxiu’s boss at the car wash had given him a roasted duck that he had brought back from dinner the previous night. Believing it was a good thing, Jiang Pingxiu brought the roasted duck to the original owner’s school, wanting to share it with him.
However, the original owner pretended not to know Jiang Pingxiu and even blamed him for embarrassing him.
Yan Jingze gritted his teeth. He had actually transmigrated into such a scumbag!
And Jiang Pingxiu, this boy, was too foolish, right? How could he like such a scumbag?
As Yan Jingze was receiving the memories, Jiang Pingxiu had already come up to him.
It was already December, and the weather was very cold. The boy’s lips were slightly cracked, and his face was reddened by the cold. In his hand, he held a plastic bag, nervously looking at Yan Jingze. “Brother, Brother Jingze… I…”
Saying that, he lowered his head and anxiously rubbed the plastic bag with his thumb.
Yan Jingze glanced over and saw that Jiang Pingxiu had frostbite on his hands, and there were even hangnails around his nails.
These were the hands that had endured the wind and frost.
Yan Jingze felt his heart ache, wanting nothing more than to hold the boy in his arms.
“Yan Jingze, who is this?” At this moment, a young man with acne on his face came out of the classroom with Yan Jingze. His name was Huo Liang, Yan Jingze’s dormitory roommate.
With the memories of the original owner, Yan Jingze now knew him and introduced, “This is my friend. His name is Jiang Pingxiu. Pingxiu, this is my classmate and dormitory mate, Huo Liang.”
Jiang Pingxiu nervously greeted Huo Liang, “Hello…” Afterward, he looked back at Yan Jingze.
Yan Jingze’s heart softened.
The dark-skinned boy pursed his lips, a bit embarrassed, but with a hint of undisguised joy. When he looked at Yan Jingze, it seemed like in his eyes and heart, there was only Yan Jingze.
This was definitely the future wife he was looking for!
His future wife, how could he be so adorable!
Yan Jingze held Jiang Pingxiu’s hand. “Pingxiu, why did you come today?”
Jiang Pingxiu’s hand was really cold, and his clothes probably didn’t provide much warmth… The original owner was really a scumbag. Not only did he buy new clothes with Jiang Pingxiu’s money, but he also threw away the old clothes he didn’t want anymore, instead of giving them to Jiang Pingxiu to wear!
“I… I… brought… roasted duck.” Jiang Pingxiu’s voice was trembling, and he didn’t dare to look up at Yan Jingze.
“Then let’s go to the canteen. I’ll buy some food, and we can eat together,” Yan Jingze said.
Jiang Pingxiu nodded dizzily, being led forward by Yan Jingze.
He felt like he was walking on cloud nine.
He had come to find Yan Jingze impulsively, but now he regretted it.
Yan Jingze had never liked him visiting him at school.
But he missed Yan Jingze, and since Yan Jingze started attending college, they hadn’t seen each other much.
Moreover… the boss said the roasted duck was particularly delicious, and one was sold for a hundred yuan. He wanted Yan Jingze to taste it.
The university was so big, he didn’t know where Yan Jingze’s dormitory was, nor did he know where Yan Jingze usually attended classes. He could only wait near the canteen, and unexpectedly, he really saw Yan Jingze.
At first, Yan Jingze didn’t say anything, and he was worried that Yan Jingze was angry. But unexpectedly… Yan Jingze took his hand!
Jiang Pingxiu’s hand couldn’t help but tremble, and his heart was pounding faster… He felt like he might faint at any moment.
**TN
Phoenix Man – a man who grew up in the countryside but later attended a famous university or found a decent job and eventually resided in economic-developed metropolitan cities.
Aw, man. Poor Jiang Ping Xiu! This sounds like quite the interesting twist on the usual world hopping stories! I’m looking forward to more!
Omg I love this concept already…..!!! A good pampering story is always up top
Aaah Ping Xiu, my baby!!! So cute and innocent ❤ Thank you very much for taking this up, read only the first chapter but I’m already in love.
Scum!! The original body was scum of the earth. He simply wasn’t human. He must’ve been born with horse shit for brains.
Thanks for translating this♥️♥️♥️
Okay I’m liking this so far. Seems like there’ll be lots of fluff in the future 😀
It look interesting because not many danmei with seme protagonist and i INVEST in this!
Thank you so much for taking this 😘💖
This is interesting! Thank you so much for the chapter!(๑´>᎑
Realmente estoy aquí, porque me encantan bastante las historias de este autor, son realmente buenas. Muchas gracias por recogerlo.
i have a question; before you picked tuis up, where did you first read it? was it available in mtl?
I read it in the original chinese website, jjwxc. The link is in the ToC page.
the original owner really was a rotten bastard, really glad he’s scrammed away~☆
Im new but it’s already hooked me up!
ahhhhhh… this is very interesting! You know, especially after reading lots of qt with shou MC’s. Ahhh looking forward to it! And any novels with seme protag is my very cup of tea!!!!
I’m just procrastinating and stumbled upon this novel. Thank u for the translations and lez gooo fellow readers!!!
Aww thank you for translating this!
omg now i’m excited to read this!! thank u for the chapter~
I have returned for a re-read!
Lalala~ gonna binge. 💃💃💃
Me who’s re-reading it again ~
me too! I am re-reading this novel for the 6th time!!!
Thank you for translating the novel 🥰