The "Du" in Ferry Crossing

If he hadn't read the original novel, he would have believed him.

The fourth chapter of the original went roughly as follows:

Ling Xian cornered Lin Jiandu downstairs and dragged him somewhere deserted, twisting both his hands behind his back and pinning him against the wall.

A hand slipped beneath his shirt. The moment cool fingertips touched his warm, soft flesh, the boy trembled slightly, as though he couldn't bear it.

He bit his lip as an indescribable tickling sensation spread downward from where he was being touched.

Ling Xian leaned close to his ear, red strands of hair falling against the side of his neck.

"Why are you so sensitive?"

His amber eyes shimmered with moisture as the hand moved beneath his clothes.

Someone came by outside. The footsteps drew closer and closer, finally stopping four or five meters away from them.

Lin Jiandu saw the shocked look on the student's face. He blinked innocently and shrank back into the arms of the person behind him.

"Get lost!"

"If you breathe a word about this, you know what'll happen."

The person fled in fright.

But the truth was, Cen Xia hadn't been scared away, and Lin Jiandu hadn't been willing.

Cen Xia didn't know why what had happened in reality differed from the original plot, but he was happy to see it.

Wasn't the World Will supposed to be so powerful? It wouldn't let him interfere with the plot or do anything unnecessary, yet now that the plot had fallen apart like this, it had little to do with him.

Still, he did know why the third volume hadn't triggered before.

Because it was smut, the important plot points had to be tied to smut.

Lin Jiandu had actually done a good job playing the little white flower, but only if he hadn't seen the way Lin Jiandu looked at Ling Xian.

The little guy had two faces.

Cen Xia cleared his throat. It felt a little dry, so he reached for the glass of water on the table. The school doctor had probably poured it while he was unconscious.

He had just picked up the glass when a stabbing pain in his heart made his hand tremble. The glass fell and shattered.

Lin Jiandu jumped in fright and watched helplessly as Cen Xia clutched his chest in pain and fell onto the bed.

"Doctor! Doctor!"

Lin Jiandu rushed out in a panic.

Before long, Doctor Li hurried in.

"How could this happen? Weren't you full of life as soon as you woke up before?"

"And you don't have a heart condition!"

Kanlitel's infirmary was no different from a small hospital outside; any examination they could do there could be done here.

A nurse wheeled Cen Xia away for a full-body examination.

The examinations went on until the sky turned black and the heavy rain outside eased a little.

Cen Xia was in pain for as long as the examinations lasted. By the end, the pain had drained all the strength from his body, and sweat had soaked his clothes.

He looked as though he had been pulled straight out of the water.

The infirmary tried countless methods, but none could relieve his pain. The full battery of tests revealed nothing wrong; his body was perfectly healthy, yet he was in pain.

Everyone in the infirmary was frantic. They were just about to call for him to be sent to a hospital outside when Cen Xia got better.

Yes, he got better.

The doctors and nurses stood rooted to the spot, not moving for a long while.

"He's better just like that?"

"...To be safe, we should still send him over!"

Cen Xia had no strength left, but he still forced himself to wave a hand.

"No need. It's an old problem. Tests won't find anything."

He spoke with great difficulty, the words almost entirely breath. Doctor Li had to lean close to his mouth to hear him clearly.

The patient was unwilling, and there was nothing they could do. Unable to find the cause, they couldn't prescribe any medicine either.

In the end, everyone left the ward.

Cen Xia lay in bed, slowly regaining his strength.

Someone walked to his bedside. He opened his eyes halfway and saw that it was Lin Jiandu.

He still hadn't left.

But Cen Xia really had no strength, so he closed his eyes again.

"Go to sleep. I'll stay with you." Lin Jiandu's voice was gentle, like a sleeping pill. Cen Xia was utterly exhausted too and fell asleep in a second.

After he fell asleep, Lin Jiandu stood at the head of the bed and looked at him expressionlessly. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Cen Xia slept until noon the next day.

"You're awake?"

Lin Jiandu still hadn't left. Not only that, he had brought him food.

"Why are you still here?" Cen Xia's head was a little muddled after just waking up.

Lin Jiandu smiled. "I couldn't just leave you here alone. You helped me, after all."

He remembered something and added, "Someone named Ding Yiheng called your phone this morning. I answered and asked for time off for you while I was at it."

"He came to see you just now, but you weren't awake, so he left some things and went away."

Only then did Cen Xia notice the fruit basket on the table.

He grumbled inwardly. How tacky. Who still gave fruit baskets these days?

He sheepishly rubbed his nose and thanked Lin Jiandu.

After all, he had troubled him to look after him.

His favorable impression of Lin Jiandu shot up.

Even if Lin Jiandu's current persona was partly an act, he was at least much better than he had been described in the original.

Lin Jiandu smiled faintly at him. "No need to thank me. Are you hungry? I'll heat up the food."

After Lin Jiandu left, Cen Xia picked up his phone. The moment he opened it, he saw the countless messages Ding Yiheng had sent him.

The first few asked about his health.

Three hours later, the tone had changed completely.

[You know Lin Jiandu?!]

[You actually know him! Why didn't you tell me!]

[Bro, I've never begged anyone in my life. Now I'm on my knees begging you]

[Please send me his contact information]

Kneeling and kowtowing.jpg

Cen Xia laughed speechlessly.

Cen Xia: Do you like him?

The reply came almost instantly.

Ding Yiheng: I like girls, but I can't help it when he's so pretty.

Ding Yiheng: I, I want to be friends with him. Shyly poking fingers together.jpg

Cen Xia sent back a speechless emoji.

Ding Yiheng: You have no idea how many people around me like him. If I can get his contact information, I'll be able to walk sideways from now on!

Cen Xia was puzzled: Why don't you ask him for it yourself?

Ding Yiheng: Isn't it because I'm afraid Pei Huaiyi will come after me?

Cen Xia: Aren't you afraid he'll come after me?

Ding Yiheng: ? Aren't you two friends?

Cen Xia: ? Who told you that?

Ding Yiheng: Lin Jiandu said so himself. If you don't want to give it to me, just say so. There's no need to lie and say you two have nothing to do with each other!

A deep sense of helplessness washed over Cen Xia. He put away his phone, unwilling to deal with this genius any longer.

Lin Jiandu came in with the reheated lunch.

Cen Xia stopped him as he reached to open the bed table. "Put it on the table over there. I'll get up to eat."

After a night's sleep, his body had finally returned to normal. Cen Xia knew full well that last night's gut-wrenching agony had been the World Will's retaliation, its fury at him for taking it upon himself to touch the plot and attempting to exploit a loophole in the rules.

This time had been only a small punishment. If he remained stubbornly deluded and persisted in trying to change the plot, what awaited him would by no means be just a few hours of torment.

Remembering last night's experience, when death would have been preferable to life, Cen Xia still felt a lingering fear. He didn't want to experience that pain, which had sunk into his bones and struck his soul, a second time.

Considering his physical condition, Lin Jiandu had prepared a lightly seasoned lunch.

Cen Xia hadn't eaten since noon the previous day. He had been fine while lying in the hospital bed, but now, smelling the food, he realized his stomach was empty and he was ravenous.

He ate every last bit of the meal Lin Jiandu had brought, leaving not even a drop of broth.

After finishing, Cen Xia still wanted more.

"Which cafeteria is this from? It tastes really good."

Lin Jiandu smiled bashfully. "I'm glad you like it."

Something stirred in Cen Xia's mind, and he ventured hesitantly, "...Don't tell me you made this yourself."

"Mm."

Cen Xia suddenly didn't know what to say. In the end, he stiffly thanked him again.

He had originally intended not to get too involved with the protagonist, but Lin Jiandu had taken such good care of him that he felt a little awkward.

"My name is Cen Xia. Cen as in Cen Shen, and Xia as in summer." Realizing they hadn't exchanged names yet, he introduced himself.

Lin Jiandu's eyes lit up. He seemed happy that Cen Xia had taken the initiative to offer friendship.

"My name is Lin Jiandu."

"Lin as in woods, Jian as in the human world, and Du as in ferry crossing."