BH (QT) – Phoenix Man (1)

Chapter 1: The Phoenix Man (1)

The whole world was shrouded in darkness, yet within that darkness floated countless glowing orbs.

These orbs varied in size, drifting slowly in the same direction—toward a deep, swirling vortex.

The vast army of light orbs charged into the vortex without hesitation. Only two of them were different.

One was large and bright, the brightest of them all in this dark world. The other was small and dim, clinging closely to the big one. Together, they bounced along in the opposite direction of the orb army, moving farther and farther away from the vortex.

Suddenly, a strange red light appeared before them. That red glow hurtled straight into the big orb.

The large orb was struck, its body tinged with red. From then on, it could no longer move against the tide. Swept up by the mass of glowing orbs, it was carried toward the vortex.

Just as it was about to be swallowed, the big orb gave a sudden bounce. A crack split open across its surface, and from within it squeezed out a pure white cluster of light. That white glow wrapped around the dim little orb, and in the end, both the large and the small orb tumbled into the vortex together.

*

A University was the best in Province Z, and ranked among the top ten nationwide.

At some ordinary universities, it wasn’t unusual to see students zoning out in class or sneaking peeks at their phones. But at A University, such things were rare.

The vast majority of A University’s students studied with diligence.

Yet today, in the Computer Science Department, one particular student had fallen asleep right in front of his computer during class…

“Yan Jingze, wake up.” Someone nudged the dozing boy.

“Mm?” The student, Yan Jingze, jerked his head up, revealing a strikingly handsome face.

“Class is over,” the boy who had woken Yan Jingze said. As he spoke, he stuffed his phone into his pocket. “I’m starving. Let’s hurry to the cafeteria.”

Yan Jingze felt his head spinning, his thoughts clouded. Everything around him seemed strangely unfamiliar.

Where was this? Who was he?

He reached up to rub his head, and a powerful thought surged into his mind—he had transmigrated.

But he had no memory of who he was before transmigrating. He couldn’t recall a single thing about his previous life. He didn’t even know who he was now, or where exactly this place was.

The only person beside him was a tall, lanky boy with glasses and a face full of pimples, speaking to him: “Yan Jingze, you’re usually so focused in class. What happened today? How did you doze off?”

Right—his name was Yan Jingze. That name was etched firmly in his mind. The body he had transmigrated into must also have belonged to someone called Yan Jingze.

But why… why had he transmigrated?

Still bewildered, Yan Jingze followed behind the lanky boy. As he walked, his gaze suddenly landed on someone.

This university was vast, its scenery beautiful. The paths were filled with stylishly dressed young men and women. Only that one person stood out.

It was a boy of sixteen or seventeen, carrying a plastic bag, with a face still soft with youth. His almond-shaped eyes were clear and bright, his cheeks slightly rounded with baby fat. His hair was cropped close, his skin tanned from the sun. He wore a black cotton jacket—clean, but the sleeves were too short, exposing the frayed cuffs of the sweater underneath.

Compared to the delivery workers who sometimes came onto campus, this boy looked even more shabby. He himself seemed uneasy, almost as if he wished he could shrink into nothing. And yet, he was cautiously scanning the crowd around him, as if searching for someone.

But the moment anyone’s eyes fell on him, he shrank back like a startled little hamster.

This person… was just too cute!

How could someone in this world be so incredibly cute?

At first, Yan Jingze still couldn’t figure out why he had transmigrated. But now, suddenly, he understood—he had come here for one reason!

He was here to find a wife!

When Yan Jingze laid eyes on that boy, the boy also spotted him. On his cautious, restrained face bloomed a small smile, his bright eyes sparkling. “Brother!”

That single word of “Brother” nearly melted Yan Jingze’s heart. It felt as if the fog before him had lifted, the whole world turning clear. And with that clarity, all sorts of memories came flooding into his mind.

He had transmigrated into another person, someone who was also called Yan Jingze.

The original owner of this body had been born in a poor, remote mountain village. His father was a cripple, his mother mute. He had two younger sisters and a younger brother. The family could barely manage to put food on the table.

But the original Yan Jingze had been clever since childhood. Once he started school, he absorbed knowledge effortlessly, and with a single-minded focus on studying, he eventually became the only student in their failing middle school who managed to pass into the best high school in the county.

That was when he realized just how poor he truly was.

His parents had to borrow money just to pay his tuition, and they couldn’t give him a cent for living expenses. Forget about wearing new clothes like his classmates—he could hardly even afford to eat his fill.

Compared to the other students, he was like a rat from the gutter: filthy, shabby, and despised.

The original owner had suffered deeply because of this. And it was then that he met someone—another boy from his village, three years younger than him, named Jiang Pingxiu.

Jiang Pingxiu had lost his parents early and lived only with his grandmother. Deprived of food and clothing since childhood, he naturally had no heart for studies. By the age of thirteen, he was already finding ways to make money to support himself.

During the National Day holiday after the start of high school, the original Yan Jingze, who had been struggling under the blows of school life, returned to his village. At that time, Jiang Pingxiu secretly came over and gave him a brand-new schoolbag, congratulating him on being admitted to high school.

The original owner was moved, and from then on began to interact with Jiang Pingxiu. From time to time, he would talk about his school life—how he was looked down upon for being too poor, how he couldn’t even get enough to eat.

Jiang Pingxiu, who had already felt an inexplicable fondness for him, would listen and then slip money into his hands or buy him things. Whenever the original owner pretended to refuse, Jiang Pingxiu would blush and insist that he could repay him later, once he had a job.

At that time, Jiang Pingxiu was only thirteen. He couldn’t possibly find formal work. But unlike the idle loafers in the village who muddled through life, he had been industrious from childhood. By the age of seven or eight, he already knew how to pick mushrooms or honeysuckle flowers to sell for money. Later, when he got older and visited the town, he found a way to earn income by taking home small handicraft jobs, like making hairpins.

Each completed hairpin earned him ten cents. He worked from dawn till late into the night without pause, and nearly all the money he earned went to the original owner.

Thanks to the support of this boy who was three years younger, the original Yan Jingze managed to live a life not too different from his classmates, even affording supplementary study materials. With his own hard work added to that, he eventually achieved the top score in the county and was admitted to a good university!

By then, however, the original owner had realized that Jiang Pingxiu harbored an unusual kind of affection for him—Jiang Pingxiu liked him.

The original owner felt disgusted at being liked by someone who hadn’t even finished middle school. But he still needed money.

When he was admitted to university, the county and the school gave him a small financial award, but it wasn’t much. What’s more, he had enrolled in the computer science department, and the school required every student to bring a computer.

He couldn’t afford a computer at all, and his living expenses for university were also completely uncertain…

So once again, he thought of Jiang Pingxiu. But the cost of living in university was far beyond what Jiang Pingxiu could make from small handicrafts. Besides, Jiang Pingxiu’s grandmother, who had raised him, was getting old, and he didn’t want to leave her behind to go work elsewhere.

In a moment of ruthless resolve, the original Yan Jingze simply confessed to Jiang Pingxiu, asking him to follow him to the big city and live together.

After being confessed to, Jiang Pingxiu was overjoyed. With just a few sweet words of coaxing, he agreed to go with Yan Jingze to the city where Yan Jingze would attend university. As for what he would do there… naturally, he would work to support Yan Jingze!

By that time, Jiang Pingxiu was already sixteen. He had his national ID and a junior high graduation certificate, so at least he no longer counted as child labor. After following Yan Jingze to the city, he found a job at a car wash, cleaning cars.

He earned three thousand yuan a month, kept only one thousand for himself, and gave the other two thousand to Yan Jingze.

The original owner thanked him verbally, but in his heart he was full of disdain, unwilling even to meet with Jiang Pingxiu.

That wasn’t the worst of it. Once, when Jiang Pingxiu’s boss went out to eat, he brought back a nearly untouched roast duck as leftovers and gave it to Jiang Pingxiu. Treating it like treasure, Jiang Pingxiu brought it to school for Yan Jingze. But Yan Jingze felt that Jiang Pingxiu had embarrassed him. Not only did he pretend not to know Jiang Pingxiu when they crossed paths on campus, afterward he even scolded him harshly, forbidding him from coming to see him again, or even from calling him.

Even though Jiang Pingxiu apologized repeatedly, it was useless.

After being reprimanded, Jiang Pingxiu didn’t bother him again for a long time. But more than twenty days later, after transferring Yan Jingze’s living expenses, he tried calling him once more.

The original Yan Jingze didn’t answer, nor did he reach out. Another month passed like that. When the time came for Jiang Pingxiu to send over living expenses, Yan Jingze received nothing.

Furious, the original owner went to Jiang Pingxiu’s workplace to confront him.

At the time, Jiang Pingxiu looked exhausted, pitifully explaining that his grandmother had fallen ill and needed money for treatment, so he wanted to delay sending money for two months. But the original Yan Jingze didn’t believe him. He thought Jiang Pingxiu was using money to threaten and pressure him.

He couldn’t live without money. So, hardening his heart, he simply slept with Jiang Pingxiu, then whispered some sweet words to coax him into continuing to hand over money.

Jiang Pingxiu was foolishly devoted. After being slept with by the original owner—so much so that he fell ill with a fever and nearly couldn’t stand—he actually went and changed jobs, working two shifts, just so he could keep giving money to Yan Jingze. Later, as the original owner demanded more and more, Jiang Pingxiu kept increasing the amount. He gave at least three thousand yuan every month, sometimes even bringing gifts.

And the original owner? While taking Jiang Pingxiu’s money, he started courting a Bai Fumei (rich and beautiful) female classmate on campus!

The original owner was strikingly handsome, with excellent grades, and in the end, he really did manage to win her over.

By then, he was already a senior doing his internship. With a Bai Fumei girlfriend to support him, he decided Jiang Pingxiu was useless and dumped him without hesitation.

At the time, Jiang Pingxiu’s grandmother happened to be sick. Having spent all these years supporting Yan Jingze, he hadn’t saved a single cent. Desperate, he wanted to ask the now-working original owner for some money. But not only did the original refuse, he even told his rich girlfriend that Jiang Pingxiu was a disgusting homosexual who kept pestering him.

Enraged, the rich girl sent people to beat Jiang Pingxiu, leaving him with a broken leg.

Jiang Pingxiu’s grandmother had no money for treatment and eventually passed away.

From the age of thirteen or fourteen, Jiang Pingxiu had been working tirelessly. By then, his body was already frail. With his leg broken, he could no longer work, no longer earn. He, too, died on a winter night.

At only twenty years old—no one knew whether he had frozen to death, starved to death, or succumbed to illness.

After seeing the original owner’s memories, Yan Jingze felt like slapping himself.

The original owner of this body was utterly scum!

This wasn’t something a decent human being could have done!

Thankfully, he hadn’t transmigrated too late.

At present, the original body was still only a college freshman. Although Jiang Pingxiu had already been worn down by endless exploitation, at least his family hadn’t yet fallen apart.

Thinking this, Yan Jingze turned to look at the boy who had just called out “brother” to him. The boy was nervously tugging at the sleeve of his jacket, trying to hide the frayed cuff of the sweater underneath.

That boy was Jiang Pingxiu. And right now, it was the first semester of freshman year.

Just that very morning, the boss at the car wash where Jiang Pingxiu worked had given him a takeaway roast duck leftover from last night’s dinner. Believing it was something good, Jiang Pingxiu had brought the roast duck all the way to the original owner’s school, wanting to share it with him.

But the original owner had pretended not to know him, even turning it around to scold Jiang Pingxiu for embarrassing him…

Yan Jingze grit his teeth. He had actually transmigrated into such a scumbag!

And as for Jiang Pingxiu—this kid was far too foolish! How could he like someone like this scumbag?

While Yan Jingze was still sorting through the memories, Jiang Pingxiu had already walked up to him.

It was now December, bitterly cold. The boy’s lips were cracked, and his face was flushed red from the wind. In his hand, he clutched a plastic bag, fidgeting nervously as he looked at Yan Jingze. “Brother, Brother Jingze… I…”

As he spoke, he lowered his head, rubbing his thumb over the plastic bag in unease.

Yan Jingze’s gaze fell on his hands—chapped with chilblains, the skin around his nails split and rough.

These were hands that had endured too much hardship.

Yan Jingze felt as though something was wrenching his heart, hurting so much he wanted nothing more than to pull the boy into his arms.

“Yan Jingze, who’s this?” At that moment, the acne-covered youth who had walked out of the classroom with Yan Jingze spoke up.

This young man was Yan Jingze’s dormmate, named Huo Liang. With the original body’s memories in hand, Yan Jingze already knew him. He immediately made the introduction:

“This is my friend, his name is Jiang Pingxiu. Pingxiu, this is my roommate, Huo Liang.”

Jiang Pingxiu, uneasy, greeted Huo Liang.

“H-hello…” After speaking, he looked back at Yan Jingze again.

Yan Jingze’s heart melted.

The dark-skinned boy pressed his lips together, a little shy, yet unable to hide his joy. When he looked at Yan Jingze, it seemed as if his eyes and heart held only him.

This was definitely the wife he was looking for!

His wife—how could he be this adorable!

Yan Jingze took hold of Jiang Pingxiu’s hand. “Pingxiu, what brought you here today?”

Jiang Pingxiu’s hand was freezing cold, and his clothes probably didn’t keep him warm at all… The original owner really had been trash. He’d spent Jiang Pingxiu’s money to buy himself new clothes, and not only that—he hadn’t even given Jiang Pingxiu the old ones he didn’t like, just thrown them away!

“I-I… I brought… roast duck,” Jiang Pingxiu stammered, his voice trembling as he didn’t dare lift his head to meet Yan Jingze’s gaze.

“Then let’s go to the cafeteria. I’ll buy some rice, and we’ll eat together,” Yan Jingze said.

Jiang Pingxiu, dazed and lightheaded, nodded and let Yan Jingze pull him forward.

He felt as though every step he took was treading on clouds.

He’d come to find Yan Jingze on impulse, and immediately regretted it upon arrival.

Yan Jingze had never liked him coming to the school.

But he had missed Yan Jingze. Since Yan Jingze started university, they had barely seen each other.

Besides… his boss had said this roast duck was really delicious, worth a hundred yuan for one. He wanted Yan Jingze to try it.

The university was huge. He didn’t know where Yan Jingze’s dorm was, nor where Yan Jingze usually had classes. All he could do was wait near the cafeteria—and unexpectedly, he really did see Yan Jingze.

At first, when Yan Jingze didn’t say anything, he thought Yan Jingze was angry, and his heart filled with worry. But then… Yan Jingze actually took his hand!

The hand Jiang Pingxiu was holding couldn’t stop trembling, and his heartbeat grew faster and faster… He felt as though he might faint at any moment.

TOC >>

**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.