"It's really Xie Tingwan!?"
"My goodness, her beauty is absolutely breathtaking."
"Her features are so delicate—how can anyone not be envious?"
"How can someone be both talented and stunning? It feels like fate itself favors her."
"Finally, I get to see her in person—I'm overwhelmed!"
"I wouldn't even dare to look into her eyes; it would feel like desecrating something sacred."
"She's my goddess, ah!"
The arrival of a young girl sparked an excited buzz among the crowd.
Zhou Yi followed everyone's gaze and saw a girl walking towards them, surrounded by several people.
She wore a simple white dress with a camellia pinned at the collar. Carrying a backpack and holding a few books, she moved gracefully toward them.
Her jet-black hair fluttered gently in the breeze, and every step she took exuded elegance. Her beauty was striking, making those around her seem pale in comparison.
Her appearance wasn't flashy or flamboyant but rather pure and serene, like freshly fallen snow. Yet her demeanor radiated warmth, her soft smile conveying gentleness and poise.
Just from her presence, one could tell she was well-read—a girl who had clearly immersed herself in countless books.
In simpler terms, she was the kind of person you'd expect to have spent years devouring literature.
Wang Yuyan couldn't help but gasp, "Good heavens, she's so beautiful. This is the first time I truly understand what 'goddess' means."
Lu Youyou asked curiously, "Do all of you know her? She seems incredibly famous."
Jiang Cong explained, "She's the campus queen of A University, very renowned. Ever since she entered A University, their recruitment posters have always featured her face."
"Host, Xie Tingwan is your target for this mission—an SS-tier character."
At that moment, the system alerted Zhou Yi.
SS?
This was the highest-ranked target he'd encountered so far.
Zhou Yi narrowed his eyes, unsurprised. With such beauty, anything less than S-tier would be unthinkable.
But Xie Tingwan's classification as SS wasn't solely due to her looks.
She wasn't an easy target to win over, and the difficulty of the mission often correlated with the rank of the target.
"For targets above S-tier, the system can provide Affection Level hints," the voice continued.
"That's convenient, though deciphering the heart of someone like her won't be easy."
"It will cost 100,000 Attribute Points to unlock."
Zhou Yi: …
As expected, nothing came without a price.
Still, 100,000 Attribute Points was manageable. For an SS-tier goddess, each Affection Level required significant investment. If you wanted to catch a rare bird, you had to offer valuable bait.
With a reluctant sigh, Zhou Yi purchased the feature.
Xie Tingwan was extremely popular, though unlike Su Ning, despite being the campus belle, she wasn't aloof.
She was gentle and approachable, always willing to help classmates. Academically gifted, she consistently earned scholarships and frequently won awards in competitions.
A University often invited her to various events, and she had given speeches at numerous schools. Many students knew her, especially within Province A.
One could say she was the shining symbol of A University.
She was a year ahead of Zhou Yi and already in her third year.
For this mathematical modeling competition, she was A University's ace player.
The students around her seemed to idolize her, showering her with care and concern the moment they arrived at the venue, regardless of gender.
Zhou Yi lowered his gaze, pondering how to approach her.
"Captain, we can go in now."
Lu Youyou's words interrupted Zhou Yi's thoughts, and he temporarily set them aside, following the group into the examination hall.
---
While Zhou Yi was taking the test, rain began to fall outside. He paused briefly to glance out the window before resuming his work.
The mathematical modeling competition announced results on the spot, with judges sitting at the front observing the participants.
Five teachers rotated scoring duties, and the final scores were tallied by a statistician.
"The competition time has ended."
Zhou Yi had finished early and sat quietly while the teachers collected the papers. Everyone remained seated, waiting for the grading process to conclude.
Zhou Yi shifted his gaze to the front-left corner, where Xie Tingwan was seated.
She sat by the window, her profile slightly turned as she gazed at the raindrops trickling down the glass. She looked serene, almost ethereal, like a painting isolated from the rest of the room. Together with the rain outside, she formed a picturesque scene.
Many in the classroom were stealing glances at her.
Including Zhou Yi.
As the two most striking individuals in the room, they naturally drew the most attention.
The classroom was silent except for the sound of rain and the rustling of papers as the teachers graded.
Xie Tingwan recalled the young man she had glimpsed earlier—his name was… Zhou Yi.
When she had walked in, nearly everyone had been staring at her.
But Zhou Yi stood out. Tall and wearing sportswear, he had observed her calmly, his expression neutral—not awestruck or infatuated like the others.
It was refreshing to see such composure in someone so young.
She found herself particularly drawn to his face.
Handsome in a way that left no room for competition.
Xie Tingwan recognized him immediately—the CEO of Huanyu trending on social media, the same man whose father had publicly berated him for being "arrogant."
Outside, the rain continued to pour, and the judges finally completed their grading.
"Now, I will announce the results of this competition."
Xie Tingwan raised her head, refocusing her attention on the outcome.
Competitions like these were nothing new to her. She had participated countless times and felt no nervousness.
Last year, a scheduling conflict had prevented her from competing. This year, she was determined to secure first place.
Even in a prestigious institution like A University, Xie Tingwan's academic achievements placed her at the top.
She had lost count of how many times she had won first place; the number of second-place finishes could be counted on one hand.
Since entering university, she had never taken second place.
But this time, she lost to Zhou Yi.
"First place: Zhou Yi."
Applause erupted, accompanied by murmurs of surprise.
"Oh my god, it's not Xie Tingwan!"
"Zhou Yi isn't from A University, right? I've never heard of him."
"I think he's from Huaihai University."
"A second-tier school? How embarrassing for A University."
"I thought Xie Tingwan would win. She's always been first in past competitions."
Xie Tingwan's expression remained calm, but her eyes dropped slightly—a subtle habit when concealing her emotions.
When she looked up again, she was still the picture of grace and serenity.
"Second place: Xie Tingwan."
Another round of applause followed, and Xie Tingwan offered a faint smile, composed and unruffled.
As the teacher called out names one by one, the final results were revealed:
Four students from Province S had won awards.
Zhou Yi claimed first place.
Yang Hong came in seventh.
Kong Xiaohe secured tenth.
Lu Youyou ranked fifteenth.
The top three received first prizes, ranks ten and below received second prizes, and the top twenty received third prizes.
All ten students from A University had won awards, with six placing in the top ten—but none had taken first.
The teachers from A University were visibly disappointed. They had assumed Xie Tingwan was a sure bet for first place, only for Zhou Yi to emerge as the unexpected victor.
He had scored a perfect mark, edging her out by two points.
"Please come forward to take photos and receive your awards."
As the teacher called out names, Zhou Yi and Xie Tingwan rose one after the other.
On stage, Zhou Yi stood beside Xie Tingwan.
Turning to him, the girl offered a gentle smile. "Zhou, you're truly remarkable."
Zhou Yi smiled back. "You're incredible too, Xie."
At that moment, the system chimed in:
[Xie Tingwan Affection Level -10.]