Would Xie Tingwan even consider him worthy

"Have you heard of the Tianhua Group?" Xie Tingwan smiled faintly, her gaze fixed on Zhou Yi's eyes.

Gong Zi couldn't help but interject in surprise, "Tianhua? As in Tianhua Real Estate?"

"Yes, real estate is one of Tianhua's most significant business sectors."

As they chatted, the group arrived at University A's cafeteria.

Xie Tingwan didn’t elaborate further, smoothly shifting the conversation to other topics. The cafeteria was crowded, and it wasn’t the right place for her to discuss details with Zhou Yi.

During the meal, Xie Tingwan effortlessly steered the conversation, keeping everyone engaged with whatever topic she introduced.

Zhou Yi’s phone kept buzzing incessantly, but since everyone else was deep in conversation, it would have been awkward for him to bury himself in his phone.

Throughout the meal, Xie Tingwan didn’t engage much with Zhou Yi, as if her earlier mention of her family had been nothing more than a casual remark.

She was remarkably composed.

After dinner, everyone went their separate ways. Zhou Yi and the other competition participants were scheduled to return to S Province the next day.

On the way back to the hotel, exhaustion settled over the group, and little was said.

Zhou Yi, however, pulled out his phone and searched for information about the Tianhua Group. Countless results immediately popped up.

The Tianhua Group was a massive conglomerate, with interests spanning real estate, dining, entertainment, and more, boasting a market value in the billions.

Xie Tingwan was undeniably a daughter of immense wealth.

According to the records, the president of the Tianhua Group was Xie Chengren, nearly sixty years old, with three sons and two daughters. Xie Tingwan was the third child, with two older brothers.

Of course, that was just the official version. Tabloids hinted at Xie Chengren having illegitimate children—a common enough scandal among the ultra-wealthy.

Xie Tingwan’s mother wasn’t Xie Chengren’s first wife but his second, who had passed away when Xie Tingwan was just ten.

Xie Chengren’s current wife was his third, a woman thirty years his junior, who had borne him another son and daughter.

This meant Xie Tingwan had no full siblings.

It seemed her standing within the Xie family... wasn’t particularly high.

Her two older brothers were born to Xie Chengren’s first wife, his partner during his rags-to-riches journey. Their bond was deep, forged through hardship.

Xie Chengren doted on these two sons. Rumors swirled that the eldest would be the next heir to the Tianhua empire.

Meanwhile, Xie Tingwan’s younger siblings had the backing of their mother, Ni Qingqing.

Only Xie Tingwan stood alone, without support.

In every family photo, she was relegated to the corner.

Zhou Yi frowned, his expression complicated.

While scrolling through news about the Xie family, he came across reports of Xie Tingwan’s second brother—arrested for drunk driving, hit-and-run, and assault.

Then there was her eldest brother, notorious for lavishing money on actresses and models, even driving one of Tianhua’s key subsidiaries into bankruptcy.

Negative headlines about her brothers were everywhere.

Yet Xie Chengren frequently praised his sons in interviews, while Xie Tingwan’s name was scarcely mentioned.

No wonder everyone recognized Xie Tingwan but had no idea she was the Tianhua Group’s heiress.

Now that Zhou Yi had a rough understanding of her background, it would be easier to navigate his approach with her.

Back at the hotel, Zhou Yi received a friend request from Xie Tingwan.

Once they connected, he took the initiative to invite her out for coffee.

Xie Tingwan had been pondering how to arrange a one-on-one meeting with Zhou Yi, so his invitation came as a pleasant surprise.

She was curious about his motives.

Usually, when men asked her out, it was either for her looks or her family’s wealth.

But Zhou Yi didn’t seem particularly taken with her appearance, nor did he show any interest in the Tianhua Group.

Regardless, she wasn’t about to turn down the invitation.

[Xie Tingwan: Sure! I only have one class this afternoon. I’ll come find you after it ends.]

[Zhou Yi: Got it. Any coffee spot you’d recommend? I’m not too familiar with A Province—you pick.]

[Xie Tingwan: We don’t have to stick to coffee, though. Do you like gaming?]

Zhou Yi was slightly taken aback. Xie Tingwan struck him as the refined, elegant type, which was why he’d suggested a café.

But now she was proposing they play games together?

Huh. Unexpected contrast.

[Zhou Yi: I’m game.]

[Xie Tingwan: Let’s hit up an internet café then. Winner treats the other to dinner—deal?]

[Zhou Yi: Win or lose, dinner’s on me.]

[Zhou Yi: What time does your class end? I’ll come pick you up.]

Xie Tingwan blinked at his reply. For someone who seemed so aloof, his words were surprisingly smooth.

If she hadn’t interacted with him today, she’d have pegged him as a player.

[Xie Tingwan: My class is in Building 3, Room 507, fifth floor. Ends at 3:30. I’ll need to swing by my dorm to drop off my things first.]

[Zhou Yi: Understood.]

Zhou Yi freshened up briefly before heading out.

His hotel was close to University A, so he arrived quickly.

To kill time, he wandered around the campus entrance.

Before meeting Xie Tingwan, he stopped by a bubble tea shop and bought five drinks.

Why five?

Because most of Xie Tingwan’s social media photos featured her roommates. Clearly, they were close.

This was a key tactic—when pursuing a girl, winning over her friends was half the battle.

A few cups of tea cost little, but the thoughtful gesture could make all the difference.

As Zhou Yi approached the hallway outside Room 507, drinks in hand, curious eyes turned his way.

Even at an elite university like A, students couldn’t resist gossip.

With class winding down and the professor no longer lecturing, many stole glances at the handsome stranger holding multiple drinks.

“Oh my god, isn’t that Zhou Yi? Who’s he waiting for? And why’s he carrying all that bubble tea?”

“Who else in our class besides the campus belle would get that kind of treatment?”

“They competed together today, right? I saw their names on the school’s winners’ list.”

“He’s even hotter in person than in his photos…”

While the girls gushed over his looks, the guys had a different take.

“Is this guy trying to chase Xie Tingwan?”

“I heard he’s from some no-name college. What’s he dreaming? Like Xie Tingwan would ever look his way.”

“Maybe it’s not her. There are plenty of pretty girls in our class besides Xie Tingwan.”

“True. I’ve never seen Xie Tingwan go on a date with anyone. Probably not her.”

When the bell rang, students streamed out—but many lingered, eager to see who’d receive the drinks.

Then Xie Tingwan emerged, arm-in-arm with her roommate, and walked straight up to Zhou Yi.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said with a smile.