"So, how do I level it up?"
"For each additional person who develops feelings for you, the skill will level up accordingly."
Zhou Yi nodded. Clearly, winning people over played a crucial role in unlocking valuable skills.
Lost in thought, he arrived at the classroom just as the bell rang.
Thankfully, there were still five minutes until class started.
As he sat down at his desk, he noticed a cup of soy milk and several steamed buns placed neatly before him.
Raising an eyebrow, Zhou Yi wondered, Who could've left these here anonymously? A secret admirer?
His gaze shifted toward Su Ning.
Sure enough, she was discreetly observing his reaction.
When their eyes met, she quickly turned away, pretending to study in an attempt to mask her nervousness.
Su Ning wanted to make amends for her past mistakes.
These buns came from a renowned century-old shop in the western part of the city, where she'd queued for nearly an hour.
Judging by the time, she must have woken up around 5 a.m. Though unassuming in appearance, the buns contained genuine crab roe filling—a luxury priced at $138 for four pieces.
Zhou Yi, oblivious to their hefty price tag, simply enjoyed their delicious taste. Quietly pulling out his phone, he sent Su Ning a message on WeChat.
[Zhou Yi: Thanks, the buns were amazing.]
[Su Ning: .]
True to form, the girl remained as aloof as ever. While she didn't deny sending the buns, neither did she elaborate further, replying with nothing more than a period.
From that day forward, Su Ning made it a daily ritual to bring Zhou Yi breakfast. Her apologies took on an awkward yet endearing pattern.
Some days, a bottle of juice appeared on his desk; other times, it was a homemade lunchbox or a cup of bubble tea.
Though they rarely spoke in person or chatted online, the gifts kept piling up.
Zhou Yi accepted them all without hesitation. Why refuse such attentions from the school belle?
A week flew by in the blink of an eye.
College life often felt this way—days slipped away without much happening.
Chu Han continued bombarding him with messages, though Zhou Yi ignored them entirely.
Her regret value climbed steadily, likely due to ongoing arguments with Gao Wenhao. Meanwhile, Wang Yixin persisted in asking him out, only to face repeated rejections.
Far from deterring her, Zhou Yi's indifference seemed to fuel Wang Yixin's attraction even more.
Every day, she updated her social media status, ensuring he wouldn't miss a single post.
Meanwhile, classmates began noticing Su Ning's consistent gestures toward Zhou Yi. Envy mingled with admiration;
while some harbored jealousy, most felt awe instead.
When someone stood head and shoulders above everyone else, envy gave way to reverence.
In less than ten days, Zhou Yi earned the title of Huaihai University's most sought-after bachelor.
On Friday, as the final class ended, Zhou Yi packed his bag and stepped out of the classroom.
Tomorrow was Saturday, and he'd promised to visit the Star Orphanage with Xia Qiuzhi to see the ailing director.
Just as he exited the building, his phone buzzed with over thirty missed calls.
The number looked vaguely familiar—it seemed to belong to one of Chu Han's seldom-used lines.
Why had she called so many times?
Was something urgent going on?
Before he could decide whether to call back, Chu Han rushed toward him from the stairwell, tears streaming down her face.
Ignoring the curious stares of passersby, she threw herself into his arms, choking out, "Zhou Yi! Please help me! You're the only one I can turn to!"