Chapter 63 Scandal

Chapter 63 Scandal

The boy who appeared before her was somewhat different from how Lin Yao remembered him.

His hair was cut shorter than before, with neat black strands falling over his dark eyes, making him seem more mature at first glance. However, upon closer inspection, the rebellious spirit in his cold and hard eyebrows hadn't diminished at all.

"Qi Yanye... what are you doing? Don’t grab my collar outside."

Lin Yao puffed up her cheeks and slapped away Qi Yanye's hand that was holding her collar.

She wasn't a child anymore.

After half a year as desk mates and later classmates when Qi Yanye made a remarkable improvement to join Class 1, Lin Yao was no longer as afraid of him.

In fact, sometimes when she was in a bad mood, she could even show him her displeasure.

Just like now.

Lin Yao: "I can go to school by myself. I never said I would wait for you, so it’s not like I ran off secretly."

"Hmph." Qi Yanye's single eyelids drooped as he let out a cold hum.

He noticed that after just two months apart, Lin Yao spoke to him louder than before.

How could it be? Shi Yu must have spoiled her to the point where she had grown bolder.

Qi Yanye: "We agreed on WeChat yesterday that I would send you to report in. You agreed but then ran off on your own. Lin Yao, if I hadn’t checked your flight, were you planning to leave me hanging?"

Lin Yao: "..."

She didn't dare to look up at Qi Yanye anymore.

The school bully usually didn’t talk much, but now he was grinding his back teeth and speaking to her with a cold face, clearly very angry.

Of course, he was very angry.

Qi Yanye wasn’t someone who liked to meddle in others' affairs, especially not someone who enjoyed playing the role of a parent.

But this task was assigned by Shi Nian, which changed everything.

"Give me your things, let’s go." He took her luggage from her hands, and this time instead of grabbing her collar, he reached for the sleeve of her sun-protective jacket, pulling her along with his usual cold expression towards the airport parking lot.

Being held by the sleeve, Lin Yao felt both angry and embarrassed.

But Qi Yanye seemed to distrust her, fearing she might run away, and didn’t let go despite her attempts to pull free.

Not until he pushed her into a black luxury car that had been waiting by the roadside in the airport garage.

"Qi Yanye, I told you I can..."

Stuffed into the back seat of the car, Qi Yanye let go of her. Lin Yao's eyes turned red with anger as she protested.

As soon as her voice came out, she suddenly noticed someone sitting in the front passenger seat.

It was an exceptionally shrewd and aloof noblewoman.

The woman's black hair was neatly tied up at the back of her head, her eyebrows and makeup meticulously done. Despite her luxurious suit, it somewhat softened the shrewd and capable air about her, revealing instead an aura of pampered elegance.

Lin Yao: "…"

Who is she?

"This is the classmate you insisted on picking up?" The middle-aged noblewoman turned around from the front seat, speaking to Qi Yanye but scrutinizing Lin Yao from head to toe with a critical gaze.

Lin Yao: ???

Is she talking about me?

Lin Yao subconsciously looked at Qi Yanye, who had just sat down after putting her luggage in the car.

Qi Yanye seemed to understand the questioning look in her eyes. Without answering the woman, he nonchalantly raised an eyebrow at her and said, "Oh, this is my aunt."

His tone was cold and cool.

Lin Yao: "…"

Aunt?

Isn't this the 'mother' that Shi Nian told her about—the one who abandoned Qi Yanye for her second marriage and refused to acknowledge him!?

The young girl couldn't help but lift her eyes to look at the noblewoman in the front seat, only to meet her scrutinizing gaze head-on.

Lin Yao: "A-Aunt, hello."

The noblewoman seemed surprised that Lin Yao would greet her so politely. She paused before humming, "Mm."

Her attitude was cold and haughty.

Indeed, she bears a resemblance to Qi Yanye—no wonder they're mother and son.

Qi Yanye sneered slightly at the back.

He instructed the driver to start the car, ignoring the noblewoman's words, and directly asked Lin Yao.

Qi Yanye: "Do you have everything you need for your dorm? If not, tell me."

"Ah?" Lin Yao was taken aback; she had never seen such a considerate school bully. "No need, I brought everything myself..."

Her mother had packed quite a lot for her.

Qi Yanye raised an eyebrow, his tone cold and hard. "Are you sure?"

Lin Yao: "…"

For some reason, after Qi Yanye's question, she wasn't so sure anymore.

He looked so intimidating.

Qi Yanye could tell from Lin Yao's expression that she knew nothing.

He handed her the phone directly. "Check it yourself. Tell me what’s on this list, and I'll send someone to deliver the rest to your dorm."

Lin Yao took the phone with trembling hands. "…"

As she read through the list on the phone, her eyes gradually widened.

Not only were there basins, buckets, kettles, complete sets of toiletries and skincare products, bedding, hangers, blackout mosquito nets for the dorm, bedside lamps, phone stands, desk lamps, and laundry bins—all items that would make dorm life more convenient—but the list even included a specified brand of natural latex mattress with a thickness of over 15 cm.

Lin Yao: ? ? ?

"Too much, right? We don’t need a mattress."

Although Capital University was old, with many dorm buildings aged, and seniors had warned them to pad their beds well, Lin Yao had already packed and mailed things from home.

A thick quilt underneath would be enough. Moving a mattress up to the fifth floor was something she didn’t dare imagine.

"Forget it, I won't ask you." Seeing her shocked expression, Qi Yanye knew she hadn’t prepared anything. "I’ll have someone get everything ready for you."

Lin Yao: "But..."

"This is what Shi Nian instructed." Qi Yanye leaned closer to Lin Yao, lowering his voice with a clear displeasure.

"She hasn’t contacted me since she left. Two days ago, she suddenly sent me a message, which was just this list, telling me to take good care of you when school starts. Do you think I should do it?"

Lin Yao: "…"

How pitiful.

Even Shi Nian hadn’t contacted Qi Yanye for two months.

In comparison, Shi Nian had at least spoken to her twice.

No wonder Qi Yanye looked so cold and moody.

If it were her, and the person she liked hadn’t contacted her after leaving, and the only time they did was for someone else...

Lin Yao suddenly wanted to laugh, feeling that Shi Nian cared about her more than him.

But just as her lips curved into a sweet smile, she remembered Shi Yu...

At least Shi Nian had contacted Qi Yanye.

But Shi Yu hadn’t contacted her even once.

Why did she have the right to laugh at Qi Yanye?

The girl's smile instantly faded.

Seeing that they were almost at Capital University, Shen Lan, noticing that Qi Yanye ignored her, finally turned around. "After you drop her off at the dorm, remember to check in at your college first. The young master He Yan from the He family is also in your business school. If you can meet him, it would be best to become friends."

"The gentlemen around He Yan are all from wealthy and influential families in the capital. They gather at Ding Yan Lou outside your school every night. If you want, you can join them. However, apart from He Yan, you don’t need to pay too much attention to the others. You are my..."

Shen Lan paused, seemingly about to say 'son', but hesitated due to the driver or Lin Yao's presence. After a half-second pause, she continued.

"You are my nephew. Apart from the He family, you don’t need to look up to anyone else in the upper circles of the capital."

She added, "Especially the Song family’s two useless children. If you encounter Song Shuyun and Song Bailu, don’t bother with them. Ha, the Song family has truly disgraced themselves. Claiming to be a scholarly family, yet they’ve raised two failures. They barely made it into university, let alone Capital University. Still, they shamelessly mingle in the circles. Recently, these two somehow connected with the He family. If you see them around He Yan, don’t even give them a glance."

Shen Lan always calculated carefully. For useless people like Song Shuyun and Song Bailu, spending even a minute socializing with them would be a waste for her son.

Qi Yanye’s single eyelids drooped, as if he hadn’t heard Shen Lan speak, not even acknowledging her words.

Lin Yao, however, showed a curious expression.

Song Shuyun and Song Bailu... These must be the Song family’s children, right? Were they really reported successfully?

Lin Yao felt both surprised and delighted.

When Song Zhe and Jiang Kaixin suddenly came to Jincheng to take away Shi Nian and Shi Yu, she tried desperately to stop them because she remembered a description in the book.

After the Song family fell, the media exposed that Song Shuyun and Song Bailu had cheated to get into Capital University.

They had used other students' scores, changing their own and others' lives.

Though the truth eventually came out, the lives of those whose scores were stolen had already been altered. Even with media exposure and compensation, the lost youth could never be recovered.

When the Song family suddenly changed their attitude and wanted to take away Shi Yu and Shi Nian, Lin Yao recalled this incident.

She suspected that the Song family might have taken them to steal their scores. When Shi Yu and Shi Nian didn’t go with them, they turned to others instead.

Since she had awakened, she couldn’t stand by and watch. Although her abilities were limited, after the college entrance exam, Lin Yao still reported the Song family’s deeds using every method she could find.

Unexpectedly, she succeeded.

Lin Yao sat in the back, her face lowered, her lips pressed together as she couldn't help but smile sweetly.

Qi Yanye opened the door and got out of the car. Shen Lan turned around just in time to see this scene.

She wasn't quite sure about the relationship between Qi Yanye and Lin Yao, but she could tell that Qi Yanye seemed willing to listen to Lin Yao. She whispered, "Little girl, if you want to go to the dinner party tonight, let Yan take you along. You came from Jincheng; it's good to broaden your horizons."

Clearly, she misunderstood, thinking Lin Yao wanted to follow Qi Yanye.

Lin Yao looked up in surprise and quickly waved her hands. "Ah? No need... I don't want to go."

"If you want to go, just say so. It's normal for young girls to like such occasions; there's nothing wrong with admitting it." Shen Lan glanced at her. She did look innocent, no wonder her son cared so much. She couldn't help but remind her, "If you do want to go, let Yan get you some clothes. Don't wear what you have on now. Also, the young master from the He family is not inferior to our Yan in looks, and he's not as fierce as Yan. Girls like you prefer gentle and affectionate types, so don't stare too much."

Lin Yao: "..."

What was she even talking about?

She felt that Qi Yanye's mother had misunderstood her relationship with Qi Yanye.

But there was no chance to explain.

Because Qi Yanye had already pulled open the door on her side and stood outside, looking menacingly at her with his drooping eyes.

"Get out quickly, stop chatting with her."

Lin Yao didn't dare delay and jumped out of the car, holding onto the seat.

She wondered how Qi Yanye's mother had built such intimidating connections over the years in the capital.

It was the strictest period during Capital University's opening week.

Other cars couldn't enter the campus, but their luxury car drove directly to the dormitory building and parked under a shady tree.

Qi Yanye took down all her luggage and had the driver push two more suitcases.

Those two suitcases weren't brought by Lin Yao; they seemed to be things he had prepared.

Lin Yao whispered, "I have enough things, really no need..."

"Shut up."

He gave her a cold glance.

Lin Yao: "..."

Alright, she knew he wanted to complete Shi Nian's task, so she kept quiet.

Qi Yanye pushed the two suitcases himself, while the driver pushed another two, not letting Lin Yao lift a finger as they walked towards the dormitory.

Shen Lan caught up from behind, dressed in an elegant and aloof manner, holding an umbrella and also shading half of Lin Yao. "Yan, wait for me."

"Aren't you done talking yet?" Qi Yanye stopped and turned around, his attitude towards his mother was far from cordial.

They were almost at the dormitory, and the crowd had noticeably increased.

With Qi Yanye, his mother, and Lin Yao, the three of them were stunningly attractive, immediately drawing the attention of many students and parents standing by the roadside.

Shen Lan put on her sunglasses and whispered, "Yan, can't you talk to me properly?"

Qi Yanye scoffed lightly and tried to pull Lin Yao away.

Shen Lan hurriedly stopped them. "Fine, I'll just say one thing. The eldest grandson and granddaughter of the richest Shi family have been found, and they're in your year. But the Shi family guards them tightly, and they've never appeared publicly. I spent a lot of effort trying to find out specific information. You should pay attention at school, especially local students surnamed Shi from the capital. If you find any matches, make sure to build a good relationship with them."

Lin Yao listened and felt a bit speechless.

It turned out Shen Lan had no idea about the relationship between Qi Yanye and Shi Nian.

Moreover, this 'aunt' had been instructing Qi Yanye on how to establish connections in the upper circles of the capital since the beginning, without ever showing any concern for him.

Qi Yanye glanced back at Shen Lan coldly and left with Lin Yao.

Unacknowledged, Shen Lan felt a bit embarrassed, but she didn't mind. She took out her phone and snapped a photo of the two of them walking into the dormitory building.

She adjusted the background color slightly, without editing the photo, and posted it on a social media app called SweetPotato.

Under the photo, she wrote: Sending my nephew and his little girlfriend to college. A perfect match, both talented and beautiful. Today's young people are truly impressive, not only academically excellent but also naturally good-looking. Truly enviable.

She even added the location tag for Capital University.

Shen Lan's account, where she shared her life as an elegant woman, had millions of genuine followers.

The moment she posted the photo, it attracted countless envious comments and attention online.

...

...

Lin Yao had no idea that the photo of the couple's back view posted by Shen Lan would soon cause a stir online.

At this moment, she had just found her dormitory.

Room 511 on the 5th floor.

When they entered, she was the first to arrive.

Qi Yanye had the driver put down the luggage and then rolled up his sleeves to start working.

Lin Yao was stunned and didn't dare let the school bully do the work. She hurriedly followed him to grab a broom.

"Put down the broom and sit over there."

Qi Yanye had just wiped a clean seat for her with a towel and gestured for her to sit.

Lin Yao: "How can that be... It's enough that you helped me move things; it's not right for you to do all the work while I watch."

She refused and tried to grab the broom again.

Qi Yanye gave her a slightly cold look.

"Just sit down if I tell you to." His voice was stern.

Lin Yao instantly sat down obediently.

Qi Yanye handed her his phone.

"If you feel guilty, take a few more photos of me cleaning and send them to Shi Nian."

"Remember, pick the angles that make me look good."

Lin Yao: "..."

Qi Yanye really does love Shi Nian deeply.

A bit envious, isn't she?

Lin Yao could only sit obediently and take several photos of Qi Yanye with his phone.

Meanwhile, Qi Yanye busied himself setting up her bed, hanging blackout mosquito nets, wiping her wardrobe and desk, and even cleaning the entire dormitory.

A child who grew up enduring hardships with her grandmother truly works efficiently.

Lin Yao captured all these moments and even edited the photos.

After editing the photos, she opened WeChat and found Shi Nian's profile picture, ready to send the photos.

But accidentally, she saw another familiar profile picture on Shi Nian's WeChat.

It was Shi Yu's profile picture.

In her WeChat interface, no chat messages from him had appeared in a long time.

But on Qi Yanye's WeChat interface, his conversation was at the top of the latest chats.

He and Qi Yanye had exchanged messages just yesterday.

Lin Yao did not click into the conversation but could see from the home screen what Shi Yu had sent, displayed at the top—

Shi Yu: "Don't tell Lin Yao I'm back; I don't want to see her for now."

He doesn't want to see her?

Shi Yu said... he doesn't want to see her.

Lin Yao's fingers trembled as she held the phone, suddenly feeling a tightness in her throat, unable to speak.

Turns out he had been back for a long time...

He had been back for a long time but told Qi Yanye he didn't want to see her.

Lin Yao's eyes welled up with tears, about to spill over.

Her first instinct was to click in and check what Shi Yu and Qi Yanye had talked about before.

But when her finger touched Shi Yu's profile picture, she couldn't bring herself to press it.

Lin Yao, snooping through others' chat records is very impolite and unethical; you can't do this.

She kept telling herself this in her mind.

Countless times she wanted to press it, yet her sense of morality and fear prevented her from doing so.

"How's it going? Did you send them?" Qi Yanye's voice suddenly came from behind her.

"Oh, sending them." Her fingers trembled as she tapped on Shi Nian's profile, not knowing how she managed to send the photos.

Qi Yanye took the phone and looked at it, finding that Lin Yao had indeed taken good photos, choosing better angles than he usually did when looking in the mirror.

His sharp features softened slightly, "I didn't expect you to be quite skilled at taking photos."

Lin Yao nodded absentmindedly, biting her lip, unable to utter a sound.

Just then, the dorm door was suddenly pushed open.

"This is a girls' dormitory, why is there a guy... Mom, look, am I dreaming? He... he's so handsome."

The girl who entered had twin ponytails, light makeup in cool tones, and wore an oversized top. But the moment she saw Qi Yanye turn around, she opened her mouth wide in surprise and tugged at the woman beside her.

The middle-aged woman quickly slapped her daughter's hand away and awkwardly smiled at Lin Yao and Qi Yanye, "Sorry, my daughter... she has always been a fan of handsome guys, nothing else meant. She's Jiang Lingling, majoring in Polymer Materials."

So the new roommate had arrived.

Lin Yao quickly gathered her spirits to socialize.

When they heard that Lin Yao was from the Math Department, both Jiang Lingling and her mother looked at her with surprise.

Girls studying mathematics were rarer than those studying Polymer Materials.

Moreover, Capital University's Math Department was notoriously known as the 'Madhouse.'

Jiang Lingling's mother immediately whispered to Jiang Lingling, telling her to spend more time with Lin Yao. After all, the girl looked gentle and soft, and since she was studying mathematics, she must be good at academics.

Qi Yanye noticed that Lin Yao's roommate seemed innocent and easy to get along with. This gave him another reason to send a message to Shi Nian, taking on the role of Lin Yao's 'temporary guardian.'

After he finished reporting, he came over and quietly asked Lin Yao, "Would you like me to take you out for dinner tonight?"

"No, thank you." Lin Yao refused without hesitation.

She was fine on her own, but as soon as she saw Qi Yanye, she couldn't help but think of Shi Yu.

She remembered their conversation on WeChat.

She really wanted to ask Qi Yanye how Shi Yu had described her to him.

She believed she should trust Shi Yu; after all, she knew the Shi Yu she met wasn't that kind of person.

But in the original plot, Shi Yu's love interest wasn't her.

She wasn't his official match; she was someone else's kept woman, and Shi Yu had his own CP.

So even though she told herself to trust Shi Yu, Lin Yao couldn't help but doubt and feel insecure, thinking this might be the turning point for her and Shi Yu.

Otherwise, why would he have said those things to Qi Yanye?

"I want to have dinner with my roommates. You should go back," Lin Yao forced a smile, trying to appear normal.

Qi Yanye raised an eyebrow.

He sensed something strange about Lin Yao, but Qi Yanye wasn't particularly observant of girls' moods. He said in a deep voice, "Okay, call me if anything happens. Shi Nian and Shi Yu will arrive a few days later; they'll probably look for you then."

Lin Yao nodded lightly, feeling even more suffocated inside.

What did it mean by arriving a few days later? Would they look for her then?

Lies, all lies.

Shi Yu's message to Qi Yanye clearly stated that he had already returned, yet they both lied to her.

After sending Qi Yanye off, Lin Yao took a deep breath and turned around.

Seeing the open dormitory doors and the busy parents and students, the oppressive feeling in her heart and the coldness in her limbs gradually subsided.

It's okay.

She gently told herself.

She had already prepared for the worst outcome.

From the moment she decided to accept her feelings for Shi Yu, Lin Yao knew that their relationship would only be a brief stolen moment of happiness.

Though that moment was short.

She had been truly happy then.

No matter what, she had experienced it.

"This is good enough now, Lin Yao."

Looking at the dormitory door marked 511, she softly said to herself, "At least, I'm standing here, changing my own destiny."

As for the relationship between Shi Yu and Zhou Yanan, she never thought of changing it.

After a brief period of disappointment, Lin Yao finally adjusted her mindset.

She had worked hard to get into her dream school, Capital University.

What she needed to do was cherish every day ahead, focus on her studies, and enjoy her college life.

Even if Shi Yu broke up with her when he returned, she could nod gracefully, bid him farewell, and part ways amicably.

"Lin Yao, why did your boyfriend leave so quickly? He's so handsome. Which school does he go to? Could he be from a film academy?"

As soon as Lin Yao returned to the dormitory, Jiang Lingling pulled her aside.

Jiang Lingling's mother had just left, and she had been holding back many questions, which she could finally ask now.

"No, he's not my boyfriend. He's a friend of mine..." Lin Yao paused mid-sentence.

She wasn't sure if Qi Yanye and Shi Nian were dating, so it was best not to say too much.

Lin Yao: "...He's just a regular friend, my high school deskmate. He's also at our school, in the Business School."

"High school deskmate? Regular friend?" Jiang Lingling said with a knowing tone, smiling. "I understand... you mean childhood sweethearts, right? And he's in our Business School, so it seems our Business School has the highest quality of handsome guys."

Clearly, she didn't believe Lin Yao's explanation.

Lin Yao tried to explain further, but there was a knock on the door.

The other two roommates had arrived.

One was a girl wearing glasses who looked very quiet.

The other was dressed in designer clothes, carrying an extravagant bag worth tens of thousands.

The quiet, bespectacled girl was Xu Dong'er, majoring in literature.

The girl in designer clothes was Qiao Xin, a local from the capital, and her attire suggested she came from a wealthy background.

Initially, everyone worried she might be hard to approach, but Qiao Xin turned out to be a cheerful and straightforward girl, studying in the Business School.

There are only four people in their dormitory.

Now all four girls have arrived. Although they are still a bit distant from each other due to unfamiliarity, after some introductions, Lin Yao can sense that these three roommates are easy to get along with.

One is quiet, one is cheerful, and one is lively.

Including herself, their personalities complement each other perfectly.

Thinking back to before coming to school, she had watched videos and read jokes online saying that if you could meet roommates who don't cause trouble in college, you're lucky. If you find a few who share the same interests, it's like hitting the jackpot.

In this regard, she feels quite fortunate.

"Hmm, the floor is swept so clean, and even the bathroom has been mopped. Who did such a good deed? I was planning to have our housekeeper do it."

Qiao Xin had just finished directing her housekeeper to make her bed.

She was about to ask the housekeeper to clean the dorm when she suddenly noticed that everything had already been cleaned.

Jiang Lingling said with a smile, "It was done by Lin Yao's boyfriend. He's so tall and handsome, and he dotes on her so much. Not only did he help her set up her bed and desk, but he also cleaned everything for us."

"No, it's not like that." Lin Yao felt really embarrassed; no matter how she tried to explain, Jiang Lingling just thought she was shy and didn't believe her. "Qi Yanye is not my boyfriend; he's my... classmate..."

"Qi Yanye? Your boyfriend is actually Qi Yanye!" Qiao Xin reacted even more dramatically than Jiang Lingling.

Excitedly, she came over and looked Lin Yao up and down. "Wow, you're really pretty and sweet. No wonder someone like Qi Yanye fell for you. Lin Yao, you've brought honor to our dorm. On the first day of school, you managed to snag one of the two most handsome guys in the Business School. Impressive."

Lin Yao: "..."

No...

Why does she feel like no matter how she explains, it won't work?

Lin Yao: "No, Qi Yanye and I really don't..."

"Qi Yanye, Lin Yao... Ah! Is this what they're discussing online? Is it about you and your boyfriend?"

Suddenly, Xu Dong'er, who had been sitting quietly and looking at her phone, raised her phone.

Lin Yao: ? ? ?

She saw that Xu Dong'er's phone displayed a photo of her and Qi Yanye walking into the dormitory together. In the photo, the boy's short black hair frames his sharp, cool features, making him look incredibly handsome.

He carries a suitcase with one hand, showing a protective gesture, and gently touches the girl's shoulder with the other to prevent her from being bumped by others.

The girl, protected by his hand, has long, soft black hair that reaches her waist. As they walk, the photo captures the moment her hair sways gently behind her.

At that instant, the girl, unaware, lowers her gaze as she steps onto the dormitory stairs. Her profile is delicate and beautiful. Her slightly lowered deer-like eyes are crystal clear, her nose and lips are charming, and her slender, white calves peek out from under her skirt, drawing attention effortlessly.

This photo quickly went viral online.

For no other reason than the perfect match of beauty and talent.

Especially since it happened on the first day of Capital University.

In just a short while, people online had uncovered the identities of Qi Yanye and Lin Yao.

They found out that Qi Yanye comes from a well-known financial group in the capital, and is the nephew of a powerful lady deeply rooted in the city. His background is impressive.

As for the girl, although her family background is ordinary, she is this year's top scorer in the college entrance exam.

They were childhood friends and classmates in high school, sharing a close relationship.

Initially, there was speculation about whether the boy's family would accept a girl from an ordinary background.

However, it turned out that the photo was posted by the boy's aunt, who has millions of followers. It seems the girl is highly regarded by the boy's family.

Thus, within half a day of the start of school, Lin Yao became a sensation not just on campus but across the internet.

"Mom, it's not like that. How could I be with Qi Yanye... We just ran into each other at school, and he kindly helped me carry my luggage. They misunderstood. Yes, don't believe what's online, and tell Dad not to worry. I... my classmates are calling me to go eat. Yes, take care of yourselves. I'll hang up now."

Lin Yao finally finished her call with Xia Tingnan, feeling drained.

With such a big 'scandal,' even her mother was alarmed. Lin Yao couldn't help but realize that the original storyline is indeed the hardest to change.

*

In the original book, she and Qi Yanye had a rumor, but that was intentional on her part.

This time, she hadn't deliberately caused any rumors and had even avoided the original storyline perfectly.

Yet, on the first day of university, she received such a gift.

Jiang Lingling: "Lin Yao, don't be upset. These things can't be rushed. Even if you clarify, people online won't believe you..."

Seeing Lin Yao sighing after finishing her call, the other girls in the dorm comforted her.

They now believed that Lin Yao and Qi Yanye really had no relationship.

When she saw the photo, Lin Yao's eyes welled up with tears, as if she was afraid of being misunderstood.

There was no sign of her liking the boy at all.

"Yes," Xu Dong'er, who rarely spoke, still offered her analysis. "Over time, it will fade. If you register an account specifically to address this issue, it might be exploited by malicious people for publicity."

Lin Yao knew they were right.

She wasn't some internet celebrity, and she didn't have any social media accounts registered under her name. It was indeed strange for her to specifically talk about this matter.

But...

She lowered her eyes, and unconsciously, Shi Yu's cool and distant features appeared before her.

I wonder what Shi Yu would think if he saw that photo.

Would he be jealous?

Or would he breathe a sigh of relief?

It should be a sigh of relief... Then he wouldn't have to deliberately avoid me anymore.

Seeing Lin Yao looking listless, Qiao Xin suggested, "Don't be upset. Today is the first day of school; I'll treat you all to a nice meal. Let's go to Ding Yan Lou and feast."

Jiang Lingling exclaimed, "Wow, Ding Yan Lou? Qiao Xin, you're my savior! I've only seen it in videos online. Thank you for taking me there to broaden my horizons!"

Xu Dong'er couldn't help but laugh at Jiang Lingling's humor.

As for Lin Yao, she was distracted and indifferent about where they were eating tonight.

She didn't even notice the name Ding Yan Lou, which matched the restaurant Shen Lan had mentioned earlier.

...

Night fell, and the streetlights flickered on one by one.

Qiao Xin parked the car outside a splendid five-story building.

This was Ding Yan Lou, built near Capital University. Besides being open to the public, it was also used by Capital University to host leaders and guests.

The people who frequented this place were mostly wealthy and influential.

"Lin Yao, come down and see how it looks," Jiang Lingling waved excitedly. "This is Ding Yan Lou. Isn't it beautiful?"

Lin Yao got out of the car and nodded. "Yes, it's very beautiful."

She forced a sweet smile, trying to stay cheerful.

Her roommates had taken her out to eat to comfort her, and she didn't want to spoil their mood.

Seeing Lin Yao smile, the other three smiled too.

Qiao Xin led them inside.

The manager seemed to recognize Qiao Xin. The gilded doors were respectfully opened by the attendants, and the manager personally greeted Qiao Xin.

"Miss Qiao, your private room is ready, as usual." The manager added, "By the way, Mr. He and Young Master Song are here too, in the top-floor suite. Would you like to meet them?"

Qiao Xin was surprised. "Brother Yan is here too? Sure, I'll visit him later."

The manager said, "It might not be convenient later. I heard that Mr. He's gathering today is specially arranged for a distinguished guest. If you arrive late, it might be inconvenient to disturb them."

By then, they had exited the elevator and reached the suite door.

Qiao Xin let Lin Yao, Jiang Lingling, and Xu Dong'er enter first.

She turned back and asked the manager curiously, "Who is this distinguished guest? Even I can't visit?"

The manager glanced around, ensuring no one else was nearby, then whispered, "Miss Qiao, you jest. It's just... it's rumored to be the eldest grandson of the richest man. You know, the richest man is low-key and hasn't publicly revealed his grandson yet, so..."

Qiao Xin laughed. "Well, now I'm even more curious. Tell Brother Yan I'll visit him soon and take a look at this elusive eldest grandson!"

...

Inside the luxurious suite of Ding Yan Lou.

Four young men were playing mahjong in the opulent room.

One of the boys, while drawing cards, excitedly hugged the girl in his arms. His laughter was the loudest, and he was none other than Song Shuyun from the Song family.

He had just drawn a good hand and finally achieved a pure suit, but his joy faded when he inadvertently set off his opponent's winning hand with a single card.

"Damn it, no more playing, what bad luck! No more, no more."

Song Shuyun pushed the tiles aside.

In just a few rounds, he had lost over a hundred thousand yuan.

Ever since he failed to get into Capital University, he had been plagued by misfortune, especially lately. Everything seemed to go wrong, as if he had been cursed.

Looking at the young girl in his arms, he initially wanted to take her to the restroom to vent, but upon seeing her overly futuristic face, he lost interest.

"Everyone else, get out, all of you!" He irritably shooed the girls away.

The boy collecting money chuckled. "What's wrong with Young Master Song? Aren't you usually gentle with ladies? Why are you so angry today?"

"These common women irritate me; I don't feel like being gentle with them! Sigh..."

Song Shuyun sighed reluctantly, took out his phone, and showed them the picture he had seen online, pointing to the girl in it. "Look at this one; she's the real deal."

The others thought Song Shuyun was exaggerating and glanced at the photo casually.

But when they saw the girl's profile on his phone, they were all struck by her beauty.

"She... she really is beautiful."

"Which school is she from? Capital University? When did our school have such a beautiful girl?"

"It's a freshman, Lin Yao... That name sounds soft. But she's the girlfriend of Shen family's woman's nephew. She might be hard to approach."

"What's so hard about it?" Song Shuyun sneered coldly. "I've already done my research. She's from a small place and just a bookworm. A girl like that, who hasn't seen much of the world, can be easily won over with a few bags and a car. Believe me, if I go to your school tomorrow, I'll have her in a week."

Two of the other three were from Capital University.

Hearing Song Shuyun talk about their junior like that, they felt a bit disdainful.

He was just a useless person relying on his family's background. Could the girls from their school's math department really be interested in someone like him? But due to family ties, they couldn't embarrass him outright.

As they were talking, the door to the private room opened.

A young man in a white shirt walked in, his black leather shoes stepping lightly on the thick carpet, his slim and straight legs encased in casual pants.

His features were sharp and defined, his almond-shaped eyes carrying a hint of playful charm, but a closer look revealed a faint coldness in their dark depths.

"Mr. He, Mr. He is here..."

Everyone stood up to greet him, including Song Shuyun, who had been boasting moments ago.

He Yan nodded slightly, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips. "Please sit down."

This was He Yan, the most esteemed young master in the capital's aristocratic circle, the crown prince of the He family.

"What were you discussing just now?" He Yan asked casually as he sat down, crossing his legs.

The others were embarrassed to tell him they were talking about women.

But Song Shuyun, shamelessly, held up his phone. "We were talking about this girl, Mr. He. Take a look, wouldn't she be quite exciting?"