Zhou Yu hadn't made a move yet.
Yun Mengyan had actually gone ahead and publicized their relationship on the university forum just like that. A warm current surged through his heart. He had previously assumed that Yun Mengyan’s agreement to date him was primarily a tactic to deal with Gong Liyang, with perhaps less than a one-percent chance that she had any genuine desire to be in a relationship with him. Yet, here she was, acknowledging it openly before everyone!
"I am Zhou Yu, and that's right, my girlfriend is Yun Mengyan!"
Using the same phrasing and the same tone, he transmitted the sweet, nauseating scent of new love. Zhou Yu also enabled the real-name verification setting. Now, everyone on the campus forum could clearly see his name—it was indeed him.
The two of them seemed like stars rising from a mist, gazing at each other across the void. The starlight was so brilliant that it instantly blinded those harboring malicious intent. All the previous comments slandering Zhou Yu were punctured like balloons, dissipating into nothingness.
"Whoa, Zhou Yu, what a man! He actually snatched up our Hangzhou University campus belle! You’ve got skills, man; you’ve really done us boys at Hangzhou University proud!"
"And Campus Belle Yun is even taking the initiative to defend him! I’m begging on my knees for a 'how-to-get-the-girl' tutorial!"
"Get lost! To the guy above, you're disgusting. Heh heh, Brother Yu, my WeChat is XXX5713XXX. Remember to add me, I’ve got your back!"
"Since Campus Belle Yun has already admitted it, could it be that the rumors about Zhou Yu’s real identity are true?"
A war of words erupted on the forum.
Crash!
Gong Liyang swept everything off his desk onto the floor. "Li Qiang! I told you to smear Zhou Yu, why the hell did you drag Yun Mengyan into this?"
If it hadn't been for those posts on the forum demanding that Yun Mengyan come out to clarify things, the situation would never have escalated to this point.
"Young Master Gong, please, don’t be angry! That wasn't my people who said that! You have to believe me! I wouldn't dare touch the campus belle even if I had a hundred guts! It must have been Zhou Yu who hired someone to bring up that topic on purpose!"
On the other end of the phone, Li Qiang was being scolded like a dog by Gong Liyang. He felt both aggrieved and resentful. *Damn it! If you’re so capable, why don’t you do it yourself? Now that things are botched, you’re blaming me.*
"It’s because the people you hired are incompetent. If your people are incompetent, that means you’re incompetent! I’m telling you, Li Qiang, if Zhou Yu has a good day, you won't have one either!"
"Yes, yes, of course..." Li Qiang nodded repeatedly, responding with forced respect while seething with hatred. If his family’s business didn't rely on the Gong family, he wouldn't put up with this for a second. Damn it all.
...
"Are you asleep?"
Yun Mengyan was staring blankly at her phone when she saw the direct message from Zhou Yu. She nearly dropped it. She hadn't expected Zhou Yu to respond to her on the forum, let alone mimic her tone and phrasing. A seductive blush slowly crept up her cheeks, like a ripe red apple hidden beneath green leaves, radiating a charming fragrance.
They didn't have each other's contact information, so Zhou Yu could only message her privately on the forum. After waiting a long time with no reply, he wondered if she had fallen asleep. He was just about to put his phone down when—
*Ding!*
"Not yet!"
A smile tugged at the corners of Zhou Yu’s mouth as his slender fingers tapped the screen.
"Thanks for sticking up for me!"
He attached a sticker of a kitten making a heart shape with its paws, its cute ears wiggling. Yun Mengyan stared at the dainty cat ears, entranced.
"You're welcome! These cat ears are so cute! What’s the name of this sticker set? I want to download it too!"
Zhou Yu had just typed a long paragraph, intending to express his gratitude solemnly once more, but her focus had jumped straight to the stickers. He hooked the corner of his mouth in an affectionate smirk and quickly deleted the long message, slowly typing out three words instead.
On the other side, Yun Mengyan watched the "is typing..." status for a long time, but received nothing. She assumed it was a complicated name for the sticker set. She waited patiently, but then the status would clear and start typing again.
Yun Mengyan frowned. *What’s going on? Did he make a typo?*
Zhou Yu could imagine Yun Mengyan blinking her big eyes in frustration, waiting for the name; she must be incredibly cute. He suddenly realized that his vibrant, far-from-cold campus belle was a lot like a dainty little kitten.
Having teased her enough, he hit send.
"I drew them!"
Just as Yun Mengyan was getting so annoyed her cheeks were puffing up, the message finally arrived. *What?* She stared at the three words on the screen, disbelieving. Zhou Yu had actually made these stickers himself?
Before she could even ask, a whole series of stickers came through, each showing an endearing, pinkish kitten performing a variety of expressive actions with great spirit.
"It’s actually true? You can draw stickers too?"
"I just sketched them for fun. What’s your WeChat? I’ll send you the pack!"
Yun Mengyan’s fingers froze over the screen. Was Zhou Yu asking for her contact info in a roundabout way? A hint of shyness bloomed in her heart—what was this feeling?
After they added each other on WeChat, Yun Mengyan looked at the new cat sticker set on her phone. Happily, she asked, "What’s the name of this set?"
Zhou Yu had just drawn them on a whim; he hadn't given them a name. "It doesn't have one. Why don't you give it one?"
*Such an adorable kitty doesn't even have a name? Zhou Yu is far too irresponsible with his own work.* Yun Mengyan immediately thought of a perfect name, but felt a little shy about saying it out loud. "You really want me to name them? These are your creations!"
Zhou Yu found her caution quite amusing. "It’s fine. Having the campus belle name them herself is an honor for this set!"
Yun Mengyan laughed out loud while hugging her phone, then quickly stifled it when she realized the lights in the dorm were already out. "Then how about 'Yun Meng Miao'?"
Zhou Yu hadn't expected her to use two characters from her own name. With the "Miao" (meow) at the end, he could almost see her wearing a pair of cat-ear headbands, swaying in front of him. He suddenly felt a surge of heat in his chest. *Cough, cough.*
"Hmm, not bad. It fits the set perfectly!"
"Doesn't it!"
After ending the conversation, Zhou Yu realized something: why hadn't the system announced a reward?
"System? Are you asleep? Why haven't I received a reward notification yet?"
【Ding! The system does not sleep! The system was simply trying not to disturb the host's romance! Congratulations to the host: mission accomplished! You have been rewarded with a six-million-dollar Lamborghini, now parked in the garage at Longfu Palace!】
Zhou Yu nodded in satisfaction. Since tomorrow was the weekend, he would go check out Longfu Palace and enjoy his luxury mansion for a bit.
...
Up in the top bunk, Su Yao tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The wooden frame creaked and groaned in the dark. *Why did Yun Mengyan help Zhou Yu clarify things? Could it be that Zhou Yu is actually a hidden wealthy heir? Yun Mengyan is the eldest daughter of the Yun family; maybe they move in the same circles and have known each other all along, just pretending to be strangers at school.*
*What does Zhou Yu think of me? A plaything? Once he's had his fill and doesn't want to play pretend anymore, he just kicks me to the curb. Why?!*
She clawed at her bedsheets, leaving them wrinkled. Su Yao stared into the darkness, her mind filled with nothing but the exchange between Zhou Yu and Yun Mengyan on the forum.
*Dammit!*