Zhou Yi: ???
Could it be that she dislikes me just because I beat her in the test?
She looked at Xie Tingwan's relaxed and unruffled demeanor, mentally criticizing: this seemingly perfect girl really cares about her reputation.
And she's exceptionally good at hiding her emotions.
After the award ceremony ended, everyone took a group photo together. Zhou Yi and Xie Tingwan stood side by side—a picture-perfect pair of talent and beauty.
As the event wrapped up, one of the teachers wearing glasses said, "The top ten students, please stay behind."
These were the members who would represent the school at the International Mathematical Modeling Competition in the U.S.
The teacher speaking was surnamed Yang, and he was also the team leader for this competition.
He created a WeChat group to make communication easier among the team members.
"The competition is at the end of this month, leaving us with less than two weeks. Everyone, go back and prepare well."
"Oh, and by the way, there are three students from S Province, right? Who among you will take on the role of captain and handle communication?"
Among the top ten, six were from A University, so naturally, Xie Tingwan would be the captain.
Apart from one student from C Province, the rest were from S Province.
Before Yang Hong could say anything, Kong Xiaohe quickly interjected, "Teacher, let Zhou Yi be the captain. He used to lead our team before."
Teacher Yang nodded. "Alright then, Zhou Yi, please note down my phone number. I'll contact you directly if anything comes up."
Zhou Yi gave a faint smile and responded politely, "Yes, of course, Teacher Yang."
Yang Hong shot Kong Xiaohe an annoyed glance. Who knew this guy could be such a suck-up?
After briefly outlining the schedule, Teacher Yang dismissed everyone.
As they walked out, Xie Tingwan called out to Zhou Yi with a warm smile. Turning to the others, she said, "Zhou Yi, since it's not easy for you to visit A University, why don't we all have lunch together?"
The other students from A University couldn't help but admire how kind-hearted and generous Xie Tingwan was, chiming in:
"Yeah, Zhou, we're going to compete together at the end of the month. Let's get to know each other first."
"Let's go together. The cafeteria food at A University isn't any worse than outside."
"Or we could eat outside. There are plenty of great places near campus."
At this point, Zhou Yi hesitated, glancing toward Jiang Cong and the others waiting nearby. "But my friends are still waiting to eat with us."
Xie Tingwan's smile didn't falter as she suggested gently, "That's fine. They can join us too. The more, the merrier."
Yang Hong and Kong Xiaohe's admiration for Xie Tingwan skyrocketed, and they quickly agreed.
Zhou Yi remained hesitant. "Let me ask my companions first."
"Sure," Xie Tingwan replied.
She followed Zhou Yi over to Jiang Cong and the others.
Upon seeing Zhou Yi, they all congratulated him enthusiastically.
"Congratulations, Captain, for taking first place! President Huaihai must be thrilled!"
"Xiaohe did well too, coming in tenth."
They completely ignored Yang Hong, who had placed seventh. Yang Hong felt irritated but couldn't do much—these people weren't part of his circle anyway.
"How about we all have lunch together at A University? Consider it a chance to make new friends. Is everyone okay with that?"
They had noticed Xie Tingwan earlier but hadn't dared to approach her.
With such a beautiful and popular girl inviting them to lunch, they couldn't bring themselves to refuse.
Besides, Xie Tingwan spoke so warmly that rejecting her felt like it would break her heart.
Hearing their agreement, Xie Tingwan's eyes curved into a soft, captivating smile.
Leading the A University students and Zhou Yi's group toward the cafeteria, Xie Tingwan attracted many curious glances along the way.
Some greeted her, calling her "senior" or "Wanwan," showing just how beloved she was on campus.
As they walked, Xie Tingwan shared interesting stories about the history of the campus buildings and some amusing gossip, effortlessly bridging the gap between everyone.
Wang Yuyan, starstruck, gazed at Xie Tingwan with shining eyes.
"Really? Did you ever meet the poet who wrote those verses?"
"No, I only heard about it from a senior. Yuyan, take it lightly—it might not even be true."
Xie Tingwan blended in seamlessly with the group, though Zhou Yi remained mostly silent.
Noticing this, she teased him with a smile, "Your captain seems rather quiet."
Zhou Yi finally spoke. "Sorry, I was lost in thought."
Curiosity sparked in Xie Tingwan's eyes. "What were you thinking about?"
Zhou Yi smiled faintly. "Just some company matters. I've been in A Province for a few days and haven't checked in on them."
[Xie Tingwan Affection Level +1.]
Zhou Yi mused internally. So, Xie Tingwan liked ambitious, career-driven men?
The girl smiled gently and patted his shoulder. "Don't push yourself too hard. Company issues can't be resolved overnight. Don't end up like my dad—he got so consumed by work that he fell ill. Sigh."
Casually, Xie Tingwan revealed that her family ran a business—not to show off, but to intrigue Zhou Yi.
Zhou Yi played along, asking, "Is your dad also worried about work-related matters?"
"It's just a small issue. My dad treats the company as if it's his life. No matter how much I try to advise him, he won't listen."
A hint of concern crossed Xie Tingwan's face, her slight frown tugging at everyone's heartstrings.
Zhou Yi, a seasoned observer, saw through her words. He asked if something had happened at the company, and after a moment of hesitation, Xie Tingwan reluctantly shared her family's situation.
Her father had recently invested in a massive real estate project, with the Xie family alone pouring in over a billion dollars.
But another significant project had run into trouble, urgently needing funds to keep things running. Her father was overwhelmed with stress.
"My god... over a billion dollars? That's unbelievable."
"So, Senior is a rich and beautiful heiress. Wow."
"I wish I could help, but even selling myself wouldn't make a difference."
Wang Yuyan's comment made Xie Tingwan laugh.
She patted Wang Yuyan's head affectionately. "Things are gradually getting better. Everything should settle down soon. It's just my dad's impatience—it's not a big deal."
Though she only briefly mentioned her father's troubles, she subtly conveyed several key points:
First, her family was wealthy.
Second, her father might need a substantial amount of money in the short term.
Third, the issue could resolve itself without external help, though it would take time.
Among them, only Zhou Yi could potentially assist, given that his company, Huanyu, specialized in investments.
Zhou Yi pondered whether it was worth spending the money to win her over—and whether her story was even true.
"Senior, what's the name of your family's company? Maybe I can help."
As soon as Zhou Yi said this, Xie Tingwan's admiration for him deepened significantly.
[Xie Tingwan Affection Level +5.]