Farewell to the Qu Family, Departing for the United States

The next morning.

Little Jia lay in Zhou Yi's arms, having woken up before him.

Her slender fingers lingered on the bridge of his high nose, and she tapped it lightly, murmuring, "How can you look this handsome even when you're asleep?"

Propped up on one elbow, she traced the contours of his handsome features with her other hand, especially his eyes.

She adored Zhou Yi's eyes.

Cold, tender, furious, mesmerized... all those gazes intertwined, and when he looked down at her from above, she nearly lost her mind.

Suddenly, Zhou Yi grabbed her wandering hand, his eyes still closed as he murmured, "Seems like you're not tired at all."

Little Jia nestled against his chest and cooed, "Of course I'm tired. But you're leaving for America tomorrow—I just want to look at you a little longer."

Zhou Yi finally opened his eyes and chuckled, flicking her forehead lightly. "Didn’t you get enough last night?"

Little Jia tilted her head. "How could I ever get enough of you, Xiao Zhou? You're too good-looking."

She couldn’t even imagine how envious her friends would be if she brought Zhou Yi to one of their gatherings.

"Fine, then look all you want today. I’ll spend the whole day with you."

"Xiao Zhou, you’re the best!"

Zhou Yi sat up and pulled on his pants, asking, "What about my clothes?"

"Don’t worry, they’re ready. I’ll call to have them delivered."

"Good. You should get dressed too. I want to take a shower."

"Go ahead—the bathroom’s through that door. I’ll have someone bring you a towel."

By the time Zhou Yi finished showering, Little Jia had already laid out several outfits for him.

Breakfast was set on the table, and she sat waiting for him.

Once he joined her, she eagerly explained the origins of each pastry, which famous figures favored them, and so on.

"Jiajia, you know quite a bit," Zhou Yi remarked.

"My father’s a playboy. I picked it up from him," she said with a shrug.

"Speaking of which, I haven’t met your dad yet. Should I go say hello before I leave?"

"No need. He’s not home—off gallivanting with some beauty. I barely see him a few times a year."

"Your dad... leads quite the colorful life."

"I’d rather he keep his women away from here. Out of sight, out of mind."

Little Jia sounded indifferent, as if she held little affection for her father.

Zhou Yi stroked her hair gently. "I’ll come visit you whenever I can."

"What, feeling sorry for me?"

"Yeah."

"I’ve lived a life of luxury most people can only dream of. Everyone’s got their flaws, right? Like you said, we can’t have it all. I’ve made my peace with it."

"I’m glad you see it that way."

After breakfast, Little Jia gave Zhou Yi a tour of the mansion, and before they knew it, the morning was gone.

She loved being with him, and in the afternoon, she coaxed him into singing opera for her—though it wasn’t long before she dragged him back to the bedroom.

A different kind of indulgence altogether.

By evening, Zhou Yi bid farewell to Little Jia and returned to the Qu Family.

Qu Hongzhuo assumed Zhou Yi had been with Xie Tingwan and didn’t press for details.

But Ma Yunfang pulled him aside to ask about the girl. When Zhou Yi mentioned the Tianhua heiress, she frowned.

She’d heard of Xie Tingwan—an exceptional beauty, the kind of accomplished girl every parent praised.

Did that mean Little Jia stood no chance?

"Yi, do you like Miss Xie? I’ve heard her family situation is complicated. Think carefully, alright?"

"Mom, we’re just friends for now. Don’t worry."

"I’m just giving you a heads-up. If things don’t work out with Little Jia, I can introduce you to someone better."

Ma Yunfang wasn’t dead-set on Zhou Yi marrying Little Jia. She understood that forced matches never thrived.

With Zhou Yi’s looks and now as her son, he could have any girl he wanted.

"Got it. Thanks, Mom."

"You leave for America tomorrow, right? Have you packed everything? Take these with you—I got them from..."

Now that she had someone to care for, Ma Yunfang had fully embraced motherhood, fussing over Zhou Yi endlessly.

The next day, Zhou Yi set off from the Qu Family to A University.

Little Jia had wanted to see him off, but Zhou Yi refused, so she settled for a phone call, stifling her longing.

Ma Yunfang and Qu Hongzhuo personally escorted Zhou Yi to A University, where they met with the president.

What the three discussed remained unknown.

Zhou Yi guessed it was about securing his admission.

Though he’d previously turned Qu Hongzhuo down, the man now treated him like a son, planning his future. A University was inevitable.

After their meeting, Ma Yunfang introduced Zhou Yi to the president.

The president studied him, recalling his first-place achievement and Qu Hongzhuo’s endorsement. This was no ordinary young man.

With a smile, the president simply wished him success in the competition and said no more.

After parting ways with Qu Hongzhuo and Ma Yunfang, Zhou Yi reminded his foster father to take his prescribed medicine every two to three days. Qu Hongzhuo nodded in acknowledgment.

Now, it was time to regroup with the team.

Of the four winners from S Province—Zhou Yi (1st), Yang Hong (7th), Kong Xiaohe (10th), and Lu Youyou (15th)—only the top three advanced to the U.S. competition, leaving Lu Youyou disappointed.

Zhou Yi had already notified Yang Hong and Kong Xiaohe of the meetup time and location in the group chat.

Xie Tingwan led the A University team to Building 1, where they joined Zhou Yi.

Aside from the S and C Province teams, the remaining six were from A University.

The moment Kong Xiaohe saw Zhou Yi, he couldn’t resist bringing up Kong Huaijin.

"Yi, my sister’s been talking about you nonstop. My ears are about to fall off. Could you message her when you get a chance?"

"She hasn’t texted me much. I thought she was busy."

"Ah, she’s stubborn. Probably didn’t want to bother you. She’s waiting for you to reach out."

Zhou Yi smiled. Though Kong Huaijin had softened around him, she was still strong-willed at heart.

"I’ll message her before boarding."

"My sister’s turned into such a lovesick fool. Even Dad says she’s changed."

"And does he think it’s for better or worse?"

"Definitely better! He’s been hoping she’d find someone to love and marry. Now she has—and it’s someone he respects. Of course he’s happy."

Kong Xiaohe made sure Zhou Yi knew his father approved.

As they chatted, Yang Hong struggled to get a word in.

By the time they reached Building 1, three or four others had already arrived. Xie Tingwan stood at the front, addressing the group.

When Zhou Yi and the others walked in, the way everyone looked at him had already changed from before.

Now, Zhou Yi was the CEO of Huanyu and the big boss behind Moyin, filling their hearts with admiration.

The girls' gazes toward him were practically burning with enthusiasm.

They had all seen clips of what Zhou Yi said during his live stream—handsome, talented at songwriting—and now even Xie Tingwan and the other two girls greeted him with bright smiles.

"Good morning, Zhou."

"Want to sit next to me, Zhou?"

"Yi, did you open the gift from last time?"