Chapter 43: Chapter 42 Damn, fooled by him again

Yi Jing looked on with an expression of admiration. As a star student with social anxiety, he was most impressed by Zhou Tianyu’s outgoing personality. Besides, being able to get into Daxia University meant Zhou Tianyu’s academic performance was also very impressive.

Liu Jia excitedly asked, “Tianyu, tell us, how many girls did you date in high school?”

Zhou Tianyu’s face was full of confident pride. He held up one hand, then made a fist.

Liu Jia didn’t understand and asked in surprise, “Tianyu, you dated five girls in high school?”

Zhou Tianyu took a sip of cola and said nonchalantly, “What I mean is, I can’t count them on one hand.”

Liu Jia was instantly full of awe. “Tianyu, you’re incredible. You have to teach me. My face turns red whenever I talk to a girl, and I’d never dare to approach a pretty one…”

Just as Zhou Tianyu was about to start bragging, a pleasant voice rang out.

“Senior, what a coincidence. You’re here too?”

Zhou Tianyu hastily turned to see Zhong Tingyue, Ding Shanshan, and Xu Tingrou standing before them, looking vibrant and lovely.

It was like a bolt from the blue. Zhou Tianyu’s head spun. Don’t tell me they overheard all that bragging I just did. It’s over. How am I supposed to explain this? What will they think of me? Is there any point in trying to pursue them now?

But as a seasoned flirt, Zhou Tianyu’s expression only faltered for a moment before he regained his composure. He quickly stood up to greet them. “Well, what a coincidence seeing you ladies here!”

Only then did Zhong Tingyue notice Zhou Tianyu. She looked somewhat surprised and said flatly, “Ah, Senior, you’re here too.”

Zhou Tianyu was baffled. Judging from her tone, she wasn’t here to see me. Then who could it be? Yi Jing is next to me, but it definitely isn’t that simpleton. Then there’s Liu Jia, all talk but just a greenhorn. Not a chance. That means…

His gaze shifted toward Li Yuan just as Li Yuan’s voice sounded.

“Tingyue, what a coincidence!”

Li Yuan greeted her with a smile, also a bit surprised. They were in the small cafeteria, not the main one, so running into Zhong Tingyue was unexpected. What a damnable twist of fate.

Zhong Tingyue had just seen Li Yuan that afternoon; they had even gone shopping together. Thinking of him as a former classmate, she subconsciously wanted to figure out exactly who he was.

CRACK.

Zhou Tianyu felt something inside him shatter. Li Yuan not only knew this beautiful, goddess-like girl, but he also knew her name. They seemed to be very close. Does that mean Li Yuan was just laughing at me when I mustered up the courage to ask for her number earlier?

As Zhou Tianyu’s mind was in turmoil, Li Yuan spoke again. “Tingyue, ladies, why don’t you sit down and join us?”

Ding Shanshan and Xu Tingrou exchanged a glance. Both were tempted, but they still looked to Zhong Tingyue for the final say. Ding Shanshan knew about Li Yuan and Zhong Tingyue’s past; they were old classmates who seemed to get along quite well.

“Then thank you, Senior!” Zhong Tingyue didn’t refuse, nodding in agreement. Her smile was like a blooming flower, and her voice caused another crack to form somewhere in Zhou Tianyu’s heart.

The tables in the small cafeteria were round, usually for group meals or special occasions, and it was a bit more upscale than the main cafeteria. Li Yuan shot a look at Liu Jia, who, though stunned, understood the signal. He immediately stood and moved to the side, making room for Zhong Tingyue and her two friends.

Zhong Tingyue naturally took the seat next to Li Yuan, with Ding Shanshan and Xu Tingrou sitting to her right. Li Yuan caught a whiff of the faint, lily-like fragrance from Zhong Tingyue. It was extremely subtle, yet captivating.

“Ma’am, could we add some more dishes to our order?”

“Sure, handsome. What would you like?”

Li Yuan looked at the three young women, smiling as he asked, “What would you ladies like to eat?”

Ding Shanshan and Xu Tingrou replied in unison, “Anything’s fine with us.”

Li Yuan then turned to Zhong Tingyue. “Tingyue, what about you?”

Because she was so close to Li Yuan that their bodies would occasionally brush against each other, Zhong Tingyue’s cheeks reddened slightly. Her clear voice sounded exceptionally beautiful as she replied, “I… I’m fine with anything!”

“Alright then, I’ll just order a few things. If there’s anything you don’t like, just say so.” Li Yuan turned to the owner and rattled off several dishes. “Ma’am, please add a Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish, Cherry Pork, Diced Chicken with Chilies, and a West Lake Beef Soup. Also, three more sets of tableware, a bottle of juice, and a bottle of Sprite, thank you.”

“You got it. It’ll be out in just a moment.”

Hearing the dishes Li Yuan had ordered, Zhong Tingyue’s eyes suddenly lit up. She was now even more certain that he was her old classmate, because those were all her favorite dishes. Among everyone else at the table, only Li Yuan could have possibly known what she liked to eat.

Zhong Tingyue whispered, “Li Yuan, thank you!”

Li Yuan simply smiled and nodded without replying. He only knew Zhong Tingyue’s preferences because of Bai Weixi. In his past life, he had often come to find Bai Weixi. As her official boyfriend, he had naturally treated her dorm mates to meals as well.

Zhou Tianyu kept glancing at Zhong Tingyue and Li Yuan out of the corner of his eye. Seeing how familiar they were, his heart grew cold. With Li Yuan present, a “rival in love” who outmatched him in every way, the difficulty of pursuing Zhong Tingyue had just skyrocketed a hundredfold.

Damn it. The guy manages to show off without even trying.

Zhou Tianyu was quite disheartened. He was handsome, had fair skin, a good family background, and excellent grades. Other than his height, he was the model of a campus heartthrob. Because his family was in business, he had been exposed to the wider world early on, had a very open mind, and was already a seasoned flirt at his young age. He had planned to make a splash upon entering university and establish his “alpha” status. He never expected Li Yuan to appear out of nowhere, making all his attempts at showing off feel hollow and turning him into a mere stepping stone for Li Yuan.

Still, he wasn’t one to admit defeat. So what if Li Yuan knows Zhong Tingyue? They aren’t a couple, which means I still have a chance. On the contrary, isn’t it more of a challenge to pursue a girl who’s harder to get? I’ve never been afraid of a challenge; I love a good one.

At this thought, Zhou Tianyu was instantly re-energized, his fighting spirit restored. He looked at the three girls and began his performance. “Ladies, meeting like this must be fate. How about we introduce ourselves?”

Yi Jing, Liu Jia, Ding Shanshan, and Xu Tingrou naturally had no objections and nodded in agreement. Only Zhong Tingyue and Li Yuan remained silent.

Li Yuan cleared his throat, but just as he was about to speak, he noticed Zhong Tingyue’s gaze was fixed on him. Why is she staring at me like that? Did I get even more handsome and charismatic after my rebirth?

He suddenly remembered his pretense of being a “senior” to Zhong Tingyue. If that got exposed here, it would be total social suicide.

“Ahem, Tianyu, that kind of introduction is so outdated,” Li Yuan cut in. “It’s like we’re just listing our stats. Let’s try something new, shall we?”

Zhou Tianyu’s eyebrow shot up. Already seeing Li Yuan as a rival, he immediately issued a challenge. “Oh? You have a more interesting way, Li Yuan? Let’s hear it.”

Zhong Tingyue, Ding Shanshan, and Xu Tingrou were also intrigued. Yi Jing and Liu Jia were on the edge of their seats, waiting to see what new trick Li Yuan had up his sleeve.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep