Xie Tingwan looked at herself in the fitting room mirror and couldn’t help but be astonished—Zhou Yi really had an eye for picking clothes.
The truth was, Zhou Yi understood women exceptionally well. He knew exactly what kind of outfits would flatter each woman.
In his previous life, he had dated so many girlfriends and accompanied them on countless shopping trips—hundreds, at the very least. A small matter like this was nothing to him.
"Do you like it, Wanwan? I think this outfit suits you perfectly. What do you think?"
"I love it, A-Yi. You have such great taste."
Xie Tingwan’s eyes sparkled as she twirled in front of the mirror.
Zhou Yi smiled and went to pay for it.
Buying clothes for women was a joyful experience for Zhou Yi.
Though it cost money, his eyes were treated to the sight of a woman’s beauty—so he certainly wasn’t losing out.
But Zhou Yi’s little scheme wasn’t just about indulging his eyes.
Winter was coming soon, and this outfit was clearly meant for the colder months. Every time she wore it, she would think of Zhou Yi.
And when she did, she’d feel an extra warmth, remembering his kindness.
Zhou Yi’s goal in buying the clothes was to make Xie Tingwan think of him whenever she saw them.
For couples or ambiguous pairs who couldn’t meet often, the most valuable gifts were things the other person would see or use frequently.
Unless it was something expensive meant for display, ordinary gifts should be practical—that way, the recipient would be reminded of you often.
Zhou Yi and Xie Tingwan returned to the hotel with their purchases.
After lunch, the group headed to the official competition in Rheims.
This competition was different from those back home—it had two categories of awards: one for individual performance and another for team performance.
With the help of his system, Zhou Yi naturally took first place in the individual competition.
China had won the team competition many times before, thanks to their consistently high average skill level.
But when it came to individual awards, they rarely clinched the top spot.
Either they’d win the individual competition and come in second for the team, or vice versa.
The last time they’d achieved a double victory was years ago.
But this time—they swept both first places!
When the results were announced, the entire team erupted in cheers.
Xie Tingwan was overjoyed. She hugged Zhou Yi, her eyes brimming with tears.
"We’re first! A double victory! A-Yi, you’re our pride!"
"Wanwan, you were amazing too. Everyone did brilliantly."
Zhou Yi smiled. Of course, he was happy—who didn’t feel a surge of national pride? He was no exception.
Teacher Yang, the team leader, immediately called back home to share the news. The excitement was palpable.
By the time the story reached China, it was being covered by numerous media outlets—not just on Weibo.
Since this was an academic achievement rather than entertainment news, it naturally dominated headlines and even topped Weibo’s trending list.
[Am I crazy for not being surprised that Zhou Yi pulled this off? But first place in the individual competition? Is he some kind of genius!?]
[Zhou Yi stands out even in the group photo. He’s holding the gold trophy, but my eyes are glued to his ridiculously handsome face. I’m such a shallow woman.]
[Double first place? That’s insane. Sending blessings from C University!]
[Zhou Yi looks so calm in the photo. Is this the gap between ordinary people and him...?]
[Wait, those other competitors aren’t ordinary either—they’re all top students, mostly from A University. The fact that Zhou Yi’s from Huai University still shocks me (no offense to Huai University).]
[So Brother Liyu is the elite among elites? I don’t even dare crack jokes anymore—afraid I’ll disrespect him (and the censors).]
[Ugh, it feels like more and more people are falling for Zhou Yi. Do I still stand a chance at becoming Mrs. Zhou? sobs]
[Wake up—it’s still broad daylight.]
Once again, Zhou Yi left everyone in awe.
Even the other competitors couldn’t help but discuss him.
"That Zhou isn’t just an incredible pianist—he’s also got a brilliant mind. A true genius."
"God even gave him flawless looks. It’s honestly unfair."
"I never expected Zhou to take first place. I thought Albert would win again—he’s held the title for three years straight."
"Well, Albert’s unbeaten streak has been broken. Will he reclaim it next year?"
"Records are meant to be broken. Zhou just set a new legend."
"I take back my bias against handsome guys. I shouldn’t have called him a useless pretty face."
After winning, Zhou Yi received countless congratulations and praise from fellow competitors.
His OTO contact list grew even longer.
Once the news broke, his WeChat was flooded with messages. He didn’t have time to reply to them all just yet.
"Everyone did an amazing job. Tonight, I’ll treat everyone to dinner. The principal said we can take three days to relax here—expenses covered by the school. Consider it a celebration."
Teacher Yang delivered the good news with a smile.
Zhou Yi, however, looked apologetic. "I’m sorry, Teacher. I already have plans tonight and can’t join the celebration. My sincerest apologies."
Xie Tingwan tilted her head. "Did you make new friends? Was it those two ladies who treated you to dinner at the restaurant last time?"
Zhou Yi chuckled. "No, it’s a private banquet hosted by Master Albedo. His student, Matthew, invited me yesterday. Since I already agreed, it wouldn’t be right to cancel."
"Albedo’s private banquet? OMG..."
"That means Albedo must really admire him. He’s such a reclusive artist—he rarely hosts gatherings."
"The gap between people is just too wide. Some are blessed with talent in every field."
"Captain Zhou, could you get me Master Albedo’s autograph? If it’s inconvenient, no worries."
Teacher Yang teased, "Maybe you should get Zhou Yi’s autograph first—it might be worth more someday."
The team burst into laughter, Zhou Yi included.
The teacher patted Zhou Yi’s shoulder, admiration shining in his eyes.
"Alright, go get ready. Celebrations can wait, but an invitation from Master Albedo is a rare opportunity. Make the most of it."
"Just one thing—be careful out there alone. If anything happens, call me immediately. If I lost our rising star, I’d never dare show my face back home."
Zhou Yi nodded with a gentle smile. "Understood, Teacher."
After bidding farewell to the team, Zhou Yi returned to the hotel, showered, and changed into a formal suit. Checking the time, he headed to the address on the invitation.
From the outside, it looked like an ordinary apartment.
The rumors about Albedo’s frugality seemed to be true.
Zhou Yi stood outside and texted Matthew. Moments later, Matthew came downstairs to greet him.
Beside him stood a strikingly beautiful woman with an air of icy elegance.
She wore a long black velvet dress, her hair elegantly pinned up, revealing a slender and graceful neck like that of a swan.
At this moment, she held a cigarette between her fingers, studying Zhou Yi with a measured gaze.
The first time Zhou Yi saw her, he thought of a black swan—
Noble, elegant, beautiful, and aloof.
Just like the woman before him.
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
