They Dumped Me—Now They’re Reincarnated and Obsessed? - Chapter 10

After giving the food to Xie Tingxue, her mother left. She was waiting at the bus stop when a sleek silver sedan rolled down its window. A stylish young woman removed her sunglasses and greeted her warmly,

“Where are you headed? I’m Yan Ze’s mom—the boy who just walked in. Our kids are in the same class.”

Xie Tingxue’s mother quickly waved her hands, “Oh no, that’s really not necessary—don’t trouble yourself…”

“It’s no trouble at all, I’ve got nothing on this afternoon,” Yan Ze’s mom replied cheerfully, stepping out of the car to open the passenger door. “Come on, let me give you a lift. I’ve never met any of his classmates’ parents, I’d love to know what goes on in these kids’ heads these days.”

After several polite refusals, Xie Tingxue’s mother blushed and got in the car. “Thank you, then… Just drop me off at the Education Committee Housing in the East District.”

Yan Ze’s mom smiled, “Perfect, that’s on my way.”

On the road, she sighed about how hard it was to talk to kids these days.

“My son’s been a headache. Thankfully, this break helped him grow up a little. He’s not as rebellious anymore…”

Xie Tingxue’s mom nodded wearily. “I really don’t know what’s on my daughter’s mind either. She’s always buried in her studies and doesn’t tell me anything. I worry she’s distracted at school… At least your son’s doing well—didn’t he rank first on the last monthly exam? I just got the results this morning. My girl’s math is really weak. She did better before joining this class, now she’s barely hanging on in the top ten.”

There was a brief, awkward silence.

Yan Ze’s mom knew full well what her son was like—ranking dead last was normal. First place? Fantasy. He must’ve left out the word “last” when bragging to the girl.

Forcing a smile, she laughed loudly, “Hahaha… yep, my son’s number one! But really, it’s just a monthly test—nothing to brag about. Praise him too much and his tail’s up in the clouds.”

Xie Tingxue’s mom looked at her enviously.

Meanwhile, Yan Ze’s mom coughed awkwardly, inwardly praying, Please no parent-teacher meetings. I’d never live it down.

________________________________________

Back at school, the security guard opened the gate for Yan Ze. The electric gate slowly unfolded.

Xie Tingxue looked back for a moment, but the second the gate was fully open, she quickly turned away.

His white shirt was too bright, too dazzling—like it could burn.

She picked up her pace, but was stopped by Yan Ze’s voice.

“Wait a second,” he said. “I’ve got something for you.”

He pulled a neatly packaged box from his bag. “Take it.”

She didn’t. She’d been raised to never accept things from others, even if offered—especially from someone like Yan Ze.

“We’re not close,” she said.

Yan Ze understood. Even when they were dating, giving her a gift took tremendous effort. She always insisted it wasn’t necessary, receiving it reluctantly—so much so that it made him, the gift-giver, feel like a criminal.

Eventually, he figured out a strategy.

“You gave me chili sauce, I’m giving you something in return. Fair trade. What’s there to refuse? If you don’t accept it, how could I ever ask your my mom for more chili sauce next time?”

Xie Tingxue was momentarily stunned.

Yan Ze paused, then added with a cough, “Uh, your mom. Sorry, slipped out.”

Her expression softened a bit. She looked down at the box, trying to guess what was inside.

“You didn’t seem embarrassed when you asked her for it,” she muttered.

“Well, I was afraid she’d say no,” Yan Ze replied. “But I couldn’t exactly snatch it, could I?”

He opened the box and poured out a small trinket—a crystal ball with a little white bear reading a book, snow gently swirling around it.

“Cute, huh? My mom bought it, wanted me to put it in the dorm. It’s way too girly, so I’m giving it to you,” he said casually, shoving the snow globe into her arms. “Thanks again. If your mom ever visits again, be sure to tell me—I’m still craving her chili sauce.”

Xie Tingxue held the crystal ball, cheeks flushed. “You talk like you’ve even tasted it.”

“How are you having lunch?” Yan Ze asked.

That reminded her—she and Mei Jian had planned to eat together in the classroom.

“Ah!”

She looked up toward the second floor. Mei Jian was there, leaning against the railing, looking down at them.

She didn’t know how long he’d been standing there, but she couldn’t make out his expression from this distance. Still, her heart suddenly fluttered with unease.

As if—she’d been caught doing something wrong.

She quickly muttered a thank-you and rushed into the teaching building, head down.

Yan Ze looked up and smirked. Mei Jian slowly took off his black-rimmed glasses. The two boys locked eyes, silent and still, until Xie Tingxue called out to Mei Jian. Only then did he turn and go back inside.

________________________________________

At lunch break, the dorm was in chaos.

“Y-Yan Ze?” Feng Fei squinted. “Is that really you? The real you?”

Yan Ze grinned. “Yep. Push your bangs aside and see clearly—it’s me, the one and only. Accept no substitutes.”

His dorm mates burst out in panic.

“Sh*t! Is the bald-headed dean doing surprise inspections today?! You knew and didn’t tell us?! We’re doomed! Our hair’s next!!”

In the middle of the uproar, Feng Fei muttered, “Damn… this feels weird. I don’t even dare look at you, Yan Ze, What kind of spell hit you?”

Yan Ze grinned mischievously. “The spell of love.”

“Ugh!” the dorm chorused in disgust.

At that age, boys rarely used the word love. In school, love was a word reserved for song lyrics or playful jokes. If someone said they’d been struck by love, hardly anyone took it seriously.

They’d rather say “I like you” than “I love you.”

Feng Fei added, “Still… Yan Ze, weird or not, that haircut’s actually kind of hot.”

“When am I not hot?” Yan Ze said proudly. “All hairstyles depend on the face. I’ve only changed my vibe!”

“…Heh,” Feng Fei muttered.

“No ‘heh’ allowed! That’s too deep for your tiny brain.”

After the supervising teacher left, the others snuck off to the dorm bathroom for a smoke.

Feng Fei lay on the lower bunk, arms under his head. After a long pause, he asked, “Yan Ze, you think there’s still hope for me?”

Yan Ze stared at the ceiling. After a while, he replied, “I think there is. But right now… I don’t even know how to save myself. Same with her. Sometimes, even though I hate to admit it, she sees things more clearly than I do. She’s right. I’m just a dumbass. Living day by day, no idea what I’m doing.”

Feng Fei didn’t really understand what he meant, but he hadn’t been looking for an answer anyway.

“I just get so mad,” Feng Fei muttered. “I wake up, see the pile of garbage and the broom by my feet, and curse myself. Is this all I’m good for? But I don’t get the stuff teachers say…”

Yan Ze thought of Feng Fei’s future and suddenly sat up. “Want to switch classes?”

“…Huh?”

“Transfer to Class 7.”

“I can’t,” Feng Fei said. “Your dad’s paying the school, so you could. My folks just paid the entrance fee and left me to rot. That bald dean wouldn’t lift a finger for me. You think people are lining up to accept a loser like me?”

“Why did you choose the science track in the first place?”

“Because you did,” Feng Fei said. “I figured it didn’t matter.”

“Then switch with me. What’s the big deal? I’ll make it happen this week!”

“…Ze,” Feng Fei said, half-laughing, “Be honest—you just want someone to nap with again, don’t you?”

“Shut up. I’m trying to save you.”

________________________________________

That afternoon, Yan Ze walked through the front entrance, head held high, creating quite the stir in Class 7.

After the first period ended, a crowd of trendy girls—having heard about his makeover—gathered outside the classroom, calling his name and swooning over how handsome he looked.

Yan Ze ignored them completely, calmly organizing his books and focusing on his work.

The afternoon sun streamed through the windows, casting a golden glow over his white shirt and dark hair. With his long lashes and gentle peach blossom eyes, reading silently with that serious, cool demeanor, he had an almost untouchable air. The distance only made him more magnetic.

None of the girls dared talk to him like they used to.

Yan Yaru spent an entire period zoning out. After class, she slowly walked up to his desk, gathering her courage.

“Yan Ze… You got a haircut?”

Yan Ze chuckled. “You blind or what? Asking the obvious.”

She actually blushed, bit her lip, and said nothing more—but she didn’t want to leave either. She flipped through his book slowly, sneaking glances at him.

“If you’re gonna stare, do it properly,” Yan Ze teased. “So? Handsome?”

“Ugh, narcissist.” She rolled her eyes.

Still, she returned to her seat, dazed and fluttery.

Meanwhile, her deskmate Chen Chang had her head down, face dark with jealousy and bitterness.

The other boys reacted the same—especially those who didn’t know Yan Ze well. They were already annoyed by his casual transfer into Class 7, and now they were fuming.

The room was full of silent, sour lemons.

A tall guy in the back stood up, slammed the back door shut, and cursed, “Chirp chirp chirp—shut the hell up already!”

Yan Ze took in the reactions, smiled to himself, and thought, Looks like I nailed it.

After debuting, he had a professional styling team behind him. Years in the entertainment industry had transformed his presence. From posture to expressions, to the way he spoke and carried himself—he could effortlessly shift into his best state.

And today, Yan Ze had definitely stolen the spotlight.

As for Mei Jian, his mood? Sour for two whole periods.

This week’s essay topic was “The Hesitation in Life.”

Back in the day, Yan Ze would’ve drawn a blank. But after being tempered by society, and having played countless roles embodying others’ life stories due to the unique nature of his career, Yan Ze—now back in high school—read the prompt and was surprisingly full of insight.

For the first time in his life, Yan Ze looked at a composition topic and actually had something to say.

Forty minutes later, he flipped to the back of his essay sheet.

Around him, the “Shamate” boys were still struggling to squeeze out sentence after sentence.

They were stunned.

In under two periods, Yan Ze not only finished his essay but also hit the word count.

“That’s basically like posting eight Weibo updates,” Yan Ze remarked casually.

After all, he used to be a Weibo maniac. If his social media team hadn’t managed him, he could’ve easily churned out 80 posts a day.

After handing in his essay with ease, Yan Ze stepped out for some air.

He wandered over to the stairwell and bumped into Mei Jian.

Mei Jian had ditched his old black-rimmed glasses and was now sporting a sleek pair with gold wire frames.

“…Ha. Can’t sit still anymore, huh?” Yan Ze smirked.

Two grown men, both mentally adults back in teenage bodies, secretly engaging in the pettiest of competitions.

Mei Jian said calmly, “A reminder—don’t get cocky.”

Yan Ze wasn’t one for subtlety. “Mei Jian, no matter what glasses you wear, you’re still a walking aesthetic disaster. Accept it.”

Mei Jian replied, “Same advice—look in the mirror.”

He glanced up and down Yan Ze’s body and added, “Not just at your face.”

Yan Ze didn’t back down, but inside, his thoughts raced: What’s that supposed to mean? Is he implying my body proportions aren’t good enough??

Meanwhile, Xie Tingxue had just submitted her essay and was heading to the restroom. As she turned the hallway corner, she spotted the two of them.

The atmosphere was tense.

Without a word, Xie Tingxue quietly stepped back… turned around… and walked away the way she came.

Though her face remained expressionless as she avoided the clash, inside she was screaming: Oh my god!! They’re both so handsome!! This is just like a novel!!

We have two top-tier heartthrobs in our class!!

Even the usually reserved Xie Tingxue couldn’t help but feel giddy.