"Hey, Ningning, look! They're saying that Zhou Yi is the guy wearing the white shirt who's been blowing up on online forum. Oh my god, how could that possibly be true?"

  "He's insanely handsome. I can't even imagine how good he must look on camera."

  "I've met plenty of celebrities, but none of them hold a candle to this guy."

  "I heard he's from the art department. No wonder there are so many attractive guys over there. If I'd known, I would have applied for an art major."

  "Who is this person? A transfer student?"

  "No way, that's Zhou Yi! The infamous 'Simp' from our Visual Communication program!"

  "That pathetic guy who supposedly has a crush on the school queen? You call him pathetic?!"

  "Holy crap, it really is him… This is unbelievable."

  The opening ceremony was already underway, with several middle-aged administrators—sporting round bellies and receding hairlines—taking turns delivering speeches.

  Below, the students had long lost interest. Most were either glued to their phones or chatting idly.

  Among all the conversations, one name came up repeatedly: Zhou Yi.

  By morning's end, nearly every girl on campus knew about the strikingly handsome boy in Class 3 of the Visual Communication department.

  Su Ning stood near the front, oblivious to the commotion behind her.

  She had never paid much attention to such gossip.

  With a cold glance at the content displayed on another girl's phone, Su Ning's eyes flickered with mild surprise—but none of the infatuation shown by others.

  When Zhou Yi's name was mentioned, Su Ning's tone remained dismissive. "So what if it's him? Even if he's handsome, it doesn't change the fact that he's academically hopeless, constantly failing exams. He's still a loser through and through."

  Su Ning admired strength above all else. To her, physical appearance took a backseat; capability mattered far more.

  Even if Zhou Yi was attractive, he was still shallow—an empty shell without substance.

  Did he really think that having a pretty face would sway her opinion of him? What a delusion.

  If Su Ning's reaction to the revelation that Zhou Yi was breathtakingly handsome could be described as surprise, then for two other people, it was outright shock.

  Xia Qiuzhi stared at the forum post in disbelief.

  The gorgeous guy she'd once tried to get contact information for—was he really Zhou Yi, the same annoying "Simp" she despised?

  She struggled to recall Zhou Yi's features.

  Now that she thought about it, he'd always looked like this: pale and skinny as a child, and as he grew older, he let his bangs fall across half his face. Perhaps that explained why she hadn't noticed his looks after they grew up.

  Xia Qiuzhi glanced toward the direction of the art department, eager to confirm whether the rumors were true.

  "Qiuzhi, what's wrong? You seem distracted. What are you looking at?" Wang Xuan asked curiously from beside her.

  He rarely followed forums or social media trends, so he had no idea who everyone was talking about.

  A close friend chimed in excitedly, "There's a super-hot guy in the art department! Everyone's buzzing about him. Haven't you heard?"

  She waved her phone in front of Wang Xuan. When he saw the stunning face on the screen, he couldn't help but pause.

  Wang Xuan considered himself quite the heartthrob, but this man was on a completely different level. A flicker of instinctive jealousy crossed his mind.

  Could Qiuzhi be developing feelings for this guy?

  Then again, wasn't that why she pursued him initially—because of his looks?

  The thought of her turning her affections to someone else made his blood boil.

  "Qiuzhi, why aren't you saying anything? Do you want to go see this guy too?"

  At Wang Xuan's question, Xia Qiuzhi shook her head. "No, I just planned to visit Yi-gege later." ("Yi-gege," a term of endearment meaning "older brother Yi," reflects a close yet complicated relationship.)

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  Wang Xuan's slightly feminine face immediately broke into a smug smile.

  Ah, so she was going to see that desperate "puppy" Zhou Yi. Probably to ask him for money or favors.

  Relieved, Wang Xuan didn't press further.

  Meanwhile, Chu Han and Gao Wenhao—both frequent internet users—had caught wind of the news almost instantly.

  The guy in the white shirt trending on online forum? That was Zhou Yi.

  Chu Han recalled how Zhou Yi had boasted about dating a wealthy, beautiful woman. It seemed the claim might actually be true.

  If this was this version of Zhou Yi… then it made perfect sense why women would fall for him effortlessly.

  Chu Han glanced at Gao Wenhao, whose average appearance paled in comparison to the striking face on her phone.

  For a brief moment, she felt a pang of regret and considered reconciling with Zhou Yi.

  Chu Han was a gold-digger, plain and simple. Her motivations were rooted in vanity.

  She thrived on envy—the kind of envious stares she received when flaunting designer bags or luxury items. Being with a guy as handsome as Zhou Yi would surely make other girls green with jealousy.

  That was far more satisfying than the lukewarm compliments from her friends, like "Your new bag is cute."

  But Zhou Yi lacked money, while Gao Wenhao was rich and influential, capable of providing her with things Zhou Yi never could.

  For the first time, Chu Han hesitated between wealth and beauty.

  It never occurred to her that Zhou Yi might not want to reconcile.

  After all, he used to adore her so much that she assumed he'd come running back like a loyal dog if she simply snapped her fingers.

  Gao Wenhao noticed Chu Han's distracted expression and asked coolly, "What are you thinking about?"

  Chu Han snapped out of her thoughts and smiled sweetly. "Nothing, just deciding what to eat for lunch."

  Around Gao Wenhao, she always played the role of the gentle, adorable girlfriend—never showing the side of herself that Zhou Yi had seen.

  Deep down, she knew their relationship was unequal.

  To get what she wanted, she had to sacrifice some dignity, acting like a docile pet to please him.

  Did Chu Han love Gao Wenhao?

  Of course not.

  She only loved herself—and money.

  Wealth meant everything to her. Love? Meaningless.

  Meanwhile, Zhou Yi and Zhang Wu exchanged a few biting remarks before falling silent.

  But Zhang Wu was clearly dissatisfied.

  Surrounded by classmates whispering about him, he silently vowed to destroy Zhou Yi.

  "Finally, I wish you all the most unforgettable and meaningful years of your lives here at Huaihai University. Thank you!"

  The principal concluded his speech, officially ending the opening ceremony.

  Zhou Yi was quickly surrounded by a group of students, many asking for his contact information.

  He offered a faint smile. "Sorry, everyone. I don't use WeChat. If you need anything, feel free to find me in class."

  Zhou Yi flatly rejected these unfamiliar girls. First, none of them were particularly noteworthy, and none were his targets. Second, he needed to maintain his mysterious aura.

  As a male idol figure, did they really think adding him on WeChat would be that easy?

  Unattainable things were always the most desirable.

  These girls wouldn't be upset; instead, they'd like him even more.

  This was the allure of being the "untouchable dream"—distant, unreachable.

  Over time, they'd idealize him endlessly, deepening their obsession and affection.

  This principle applied equally to both men and women.

  Pushing through the crowd, Zhou Yi finally emerged, only to be intercepted by Xia Qiuzhi.

  "Yi-gege."