Chu Jiaojiao and Shen Qingling attended universities in Jiangcheng, though their campuses were about an hour and a half apart. Whenever Chu Jiaojiao said she wanted to see him, Shen Qingling would go without hesitation.
Shen Qingling didn’t harbor romantic feelings for Chu Jiaojiao—he simply saw her as a younger sister in need of protection.
Before certain truths came to light, Chu Jiaojiao wasn’t particularly kind to Shen Qingling, but she did provide him with ample emotional support. She encouraged him to get into Jiangcheng University, cared about his studies and daily life, and treated him like an older brother—admiring and relying on him. This made Shen Qingling, who had no family, regard her as his own.
Unfortunately, Chu Jiaojiao saw Shen Qingling as nothing more than a backup option, a so-called "simp" who fell for her every word. If it weren’t for the fact that he had once given up an adoption opportunity for her, was easy to manipulate, and brought her attention, she wouldn’t have bothered with him at all.
Chu Jiaojiao basked in the attention and envy Shen Qingling brought her. Handsome and a top student at Jiangcheng University, his visits to her campus always drew admiring glances from her classmates, feeding her vanity.
Just then, her roommate passed by and teased, "Jiaojiao, chatting with that Jiangcheng University genius again?"
"Yeah, he said he wants to visit me this weekend."
"Wow, I’m so jealous! Having such an amazing guy as your brother—if I had a friend like him, I’d definitely try to pursue him."
Other roommates chimed in.
"Seriously, Shen Qingling even trended today. So many people were gushing over how hot he is. You’d better lock him down before someone else snatches him up!"
"Jiaojiao, he treats you so well—are you sure he’s not your boyfriend?"
Chu Jiaojiao’s face flushed instantly.
Whenever girls asked if Shen Qingling was her boyfriend, she would just lower her head shyly. She never confirmed or denied their relationship, letting others assume there was something ambiguous between them—effectively deterring other girls from pursuing him.
But if a guy asked, she’d immediately deny it, insisting they were just friends. She had to maintain her single status around men—how else would she land a wealthy boyfriend?
Chu Jiaojiao had no intention of dating Shen Qingling. In her eyes, while he was undeniably attractive, he lacked money and was a bit dull. He made a perfect backup—dating him would be boring. She was content with his devotion and the attention he brought her.
"Jiaojiao, you really should make a move. A guy like him won’t stay single forever if you don’t act."
"Manman’s right. Someone as brilliant as Shen Qingling is bound to be successful. Marrying him would mean never worrying about anything."
Chu Jiaojiao smiled sweetly. "I know, don’t worry about me. I’ve got it under control."
Not a chance. She would never date Shen Qingling. Good looks didn’t pay the bills—these girls were so shallow, utterly brainless.
Of course, she knew that as a top student at Jiangcheng University, Shen Qingling would earn a decent income after graduation. But that wasn’t enough for her. She was destined for a wealthy family—how could he possibly compare to a rich heir?
Chu Jiaojiao was beautiful and believed she was meant for an extraordinary life. Her ultimate dream was to marry into wealth, living a life of luxury and envy.
To that end, she spent nearly all her allowance on clothes, makeup, and skincare, barely scraping by each month unless Shen Qingling gave her extra money.
When Shen Qingling didn’t reply for a while, she didn’t care, leaving him on read.
She refused to believe he’d keep treating her this way. Sooner or later, he’d come crawling back, begging for her attention.
This time, she wouldn’t give in easily. He’d have to grovel before she pretended to forgive him—that would teach him to be so cold!
Shen Qingling, of course, couldn’t care less.
He downloaded the "Ouyu" app to see what people were saying about him.
The system notified him that a recent photo had earned him a surge of points.
These girls were just like his fans in his past life—easily infatuated by a handsome picture, showering him with admiration.
Every flutter of their hearts translated into points for him. A win-win situation.
His satisfaction lasted all of three minutes before the system added, "Host, please note: if these admirers turn against you due to negative publicity, the points will be deducted."
Shen Qingling: "...Got it."
He understood perfectly. Fans were a double-edged sword—handled well, they were an asset; mishandled, they’d stab you in the back.
After registering with a burner account, he immediately spotted the trending post about him—now at the top of the feed with over a thousand replies.
[L6: Shen Qingling keeps a low profile. Outside of studying, he’s always working. Plus, he’s hard to approach, so people don’t dare get close. Aside from his looks, there’s not much to discuss since no one really knows him.]
[L7: I prefer approachable guys. With someone like him, I’d blush just saying hello. If he ignored me, I’d die of embarrassment.]
[L8: You’re missing the point. The appeal is in the challenge. Imagine being the one to conquer an untouchable ice prince—that’s the real thrill. He’s exactly my type.]
[L9: Right? Cold to everyone but tender only to you—straight out of a romance novel. Just thinking about it gives me chills.]
[L10: Wonder what his face looks like when he’s turned on ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°). Still all stoic and composed? Or would he furrow his brows and let out a few restrained gasps?]
[L11: OMG I can’t handle this. Anyone got his contact info? I want to shoot my shot—challenge accepted!]
...
The further he scrolled, the wilder the comments got.
Some praised his looks, others fantasized about his physique, a few begged for his socials, and some even posted his photos alongside downright scandalous remarks.
Shen Qingling raised an eyebrow, unfazed.
His fans in his past life had said far worse—he was used to it by now.
Women could be just as shameless, something he’d learned from dating plenty of them.
Their boldness came in different flavors: openly thirsty, secretly pervy, or all talk but too timid to act.
Most of Shen Qingling's fans fall into the third category—bold enough to flood the internet with wild, flirtatious comments about him, yet in person, they’re usually too starstruck to string a coherent sentence together.
Women who dare to say those kinds of things to his face are rare. They’re either brimming with unshakable confidence or drunk enough to be utterly bewitched by him.
But soon, he’s about to meet one.