Embarking on the Path of Counterattack: Three Women's Different Perspectives

"Hey, Ningning, look! They're saying that guy in the white shirt who's trending on the forum is Zhou Yi! Oh my god, how is that even possible?"

As soon as Zhou Yi appeared, someone had snapped a photo of him and posted it online, sparking heated discussions.

"He's seriously so handsome—I can't even imagine how good he'd look on camera."

"I've seen plenty of celebrities, but none of them come close to this guy."

"Apparently, he's from the art department. No surprise there—art majors always have the hottest guys. I should've applied for an art program."

"Wait, who in our department looks like that? Must be a transfer student."

"No, that's Zhou Yi! The infamous 'simp' from the Visual Communication program!"

"That guy who supposedly has a crush on the campus belle? And you're calling him a toad!?"

"Damn... this is insane. I can't believe it's him."

The opening ceremony had already begun, with a few balding, potbellied administrators taking turns delivering speeches.

The students below had long lost patience, most of them scrolling on their phones or chatting—Zhou Yi's name being mentioned the most.

In just one morning, nearly every girl on campus had heard about the incredibly handsome guy from Class 3 of Visual Communication.

Su Ning stood near the front, oblivious to the commotion behind her. She had never been interested in such gossip.

The girl cast a cold glance at the phone screen her friend held up, showing only a flicker of surprise—none of the infatuation the other girls had displayed.

When it came to Zhou Yi, Su Ning’s tone remained dismissive: "So what if it’s him? Even if he’s good-looking, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s a failing, useless loser."

She was a girl who admired strength—appearance meant nothing compared to capability.

Even with his newfound looks, Zhou Yi was still an empty-headed fool with no substance.

Did he really think her opinion would change just because he got handsome? Dream on.

If Su Ning’s reaction was surprise, then for two others, it was outright shock.

Xia Qiuzhi stared at the forum posts in disbelief.

The guy whose contact info she had begged for in the comments was actually Zhou Yi—the same childhood neighbor she despised?

She tried to recall Zhou Yi’s face, but all she remembered was a pale, skinny boy who grew into a guy hiding half his face behind long bangs. No wonder she’d never paid much attention to his looks.

Her gaze darted toward the art department’s section, itching to confirm whether this was real.

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

He wasn’t the type to browse forums, so he had no idea who everyone was talking about.

A girl nearby, familiar with both of them, excitedly chimed in: "There’s this super hot guy in the art department—everyone’s talking about him! Haven’t you heard?"

She waved her phone in front of Wang Xuan, and even he froze at the sight of the strikingly handsome face.

Wang Xuan was considered a campus heartthrob himself, but this guy was on another level. Instinctive wariness flashed in his eyes.

Was Qiuzhi interested in him?

Then again, she’d only pursued him for his looks too. But he couldn’t stand the thought of her turning to someone else.

"Qiuzhi, not saying anything—do you want to go see this guy too?" he asked.

Xia Qiuzhi shook her head. "No, I was just thinking of finding Yi-gege later."

Wang Xuan’s delicate features immediately relaxed into a smile.

Oh, so she was just going to see that simp Zhou Yi—probably to ask for money or some favor.

Satisfied, he didn’t press further.

Meanwhile, Chu Han and Gao Wenhao, both avid internet users, had caught wind of the news immediately.

The white-shirted guy from the forum was Zhou Yi.

Chu Han recalled Zhou Yi’s claim about dating a rich, beautiful girl—maybe it was true after all.

If this was the new Zhou Yi... then winning over women would be effortless.

She glanced at Gao Wenhao’s ordinary face, then back at the stunning photo on her phone. For the first time, she considered reconciling with Zhou Yi.

Chu Han was a gold-digger, plain and simple—she thrived on vanity.

She craved the envy in others’ eyes, the status of being an untouchable goddess.

And being with a guy like Zhou Yi? The jealousy would be delicious.

Far better than the half-hearted compliments her friends gave her about her new bag.

But Zhou Yi had no money. Gao Wenhao was wealthy and influential—he could give her things Zhou Yi never could.

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

It never even crossed her mind that Zhou Yi might not want to get back together.

Maybe it was because the old Zhou Yi had loved her so desperately—she assumed he’d come crawling back the moment she beckoned.

Gao Wenhao noticed her distraction, his voice cool. "What’s on your mind?"

Chu Han snapped back to reality, offering a sweet smile. "Nothing, just thinking about lunch."

With Gao Wenhao, she always played the role of the gentle, adorable girlfriend—never showing the sharpness she had with Zhou Yi.

She knew their relationship was unequal.

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

Did Chu Han love Gao Wenhao?

Of course not.

She loved only herself—and money.

To her, love meant nothing.

Elsewhere, Zhou Yi and Zhang Wu exchanged a few taunts before falling silent.

But Zhang Wu was seething, especially with the whispers around him. He swore silently to make Zhou Yi pay.

"Finally, I wish you all a memorable and meaningful time at Huaihai University. Thank you!"

The principal’s closing remarks marked the end of the ceremony.

Zhou Yi was soon surrounded by a crowd, many girls asking for his contact info.

He smiled faintly. "Sorry, I don’t use WeChat. If you need anything, you can find me in class."

He turned them all down—partly because none were his targets, partly to maintain his image.

A true heartthrob didn’t just hand out his socials.

The unattainable was always more desirable.

These girls wouldn’t be offended; they’d only want him more.

That was the power of the unattainable crush—forever out of reach, forever idealized.

The longer you yearned, the deeper the obsession grew.

It worked the same for everyone, men or women.

Zhou Yi pushed through the crowd and emerged, only for Xia Qiuzhi to seize the moment and block his path.

"Yi-gege."