The next morning, everyone was holed up in their rooms studying, even Gong Zi didn't co to bother Zhou Yi as she usually would.
After all, they were all here representing the hopes and pride of their school.
But honestly, whether they studied or not made little difference—an entire morning couldn't change much anyway.
When Zhou Yi woke up, Gong Zi was already gone from his room.
She had bought breakfast and left it on his bedside table, along with a note tucked underneath.
"Rember, it wasn't you taking advantage of . This was just my way of showing how I feel about you. I had fun too, so don't stress over it, Yi gege. You didn't hurt or anything."
Zhou Yi chuckled, imagining the girl smirking confidently, tilting her head as she delivered those lines in her signature cool tone.
Sure enough, Gong Zi wasn't nearly as heartbroken as Zhou Yi had imagined.
Even though he'd been clear about rejecting her, what did it matter?
If Zhou Yi had fallen for her without a fight, she wouldn't have been half as invested.
What she craved was the thrill of chasing sothing—or soone—just out of reach.
Still, getting physical wasn't exactly a loss either.
Gong Zi gleefully shared her "victory" in the group chat.
[Gong Zi: Mission accomplished, fam.]
[Peach Pe: Holy crap, are you serious? You actually pulled it off with Zhou Yi?]
[ng Qianqian: Did he confess to you?]
[Wang Haiai in the US: No way. A guy like him falling that easily? From what I saw during his rock performance, he didn't seem like the type to lose his head over love.]
[Gong Zi: Nope, it's . I'm the one who fell for him.]
The chat exploded with disbelief.
This was the first ti Gong Zi had ever admitted to liking anyone.
She told her friends that she and Zhou Yi had spent an amazing night together and praised him endlessly.
The replies flooded in with envy.
[Wang Haiai in the US: How amazing? Give us the deets!]
[ng Qianqian: A guy like Zhou Yi? Even one night with him feels like winning the jackpot. Damn, I'm jealous.]
[Peach Pe: But seriously, our girl pulling Zhou Yi is no small feat. She's got skills.]
After exchanging a few more ssages, Gong Zi put her phone aside.
There was still a competition in the afternoon, and she wasn't about to let anyone beat her.
As for Zhou Yi, there was no need for him to study. He had his cheat codes—he'd ace the test no matter what.
He was on the phone with Jiang Ruolan.
Jiang Ruolan inford him that since yesterday's trending topic, the account [Zhou Yi's Assistant] had been bombarded with ssages from entertainnt companies, variety shows, and musicians.
"Boss Zhou, what do you think?"
"First, verify if these accounts and ssages are legit. If they're from reputable companies or programs, then consider them."
"Got it. I'll gather their contact info and send you a summary later."
"You've been working hard. I'll give you a raise when I get back."
Jiang Ruolan, who was researching on her computer, paused for a mont and smiled faintly.
Boss Zhou was always straightforward, but she couldn't accept it so easily.
"Boss Zhou, you're too kind. As your assistant, my job is to handle things for you. Let's talk about raises once I've actually earned you so money. I haven't earned it yet."
Jiang Ruolan was a proud woman.
To her, Zhou Yi had already done more than enough. She hadn't been with the company long and hadn't achieved anything significant—how could she justify accepting a raise?
Besides, it might cause dissatisfaction among other employees, so she declined.
For the first ti, Jiang Ruolan felt a strong urge to work harder for her boss. She felt guilty slacking off when Zhou Yi treated her so well.
Working at Huanyu was just... perfect.
And she wasn't alone. Most employees at Huanyu felt the sa way.
"Hey, Ruolan, do we have any work today?"
An employee asked her casually as she went to refill her water bottle.
Jiang Ruolan gave a light smile. "Relax, Boss Zhou's at a competition. When he gets back, he'll assign tasks."
Other employees chid in:
"But Ruolan, we've been eating, drinking, and gaming all day. It's kinda... This is the first ti I've felt guilty about slacking off at work."
"Sa here. Feels like we're freeloading off Boss Zhou. I want to contribute sohow."
"Ugh, if people from other companies heard us talking like this, they'd think we're nuts."
Everyone burst into laughter.
"By the way, Ruolan, did Boss Zhou really tell us to play gas at the office? I'm still not sure about it."
"He did. Before he left, I confird everyone's schedule. He said to relax, play gas, sleep—whatever. When he gets back, there'll be a team-building event. Start thinking about where you wanna go."
Wu Ying and Li Hua exchanged glances, feeling like they'd hit the jackpot by joining Huanyu.
They didn't dare tell their friends what they did all day—it'd make them green with envy.
It felt like they'd retired early, despite having just joined the company.
"I feel like I'm living in a retirent ho. I used to dream about retiring, but now it feels like I already have."
"Pass those chips on your desk. Let's gossip for a bit."
"Did you guys know Boss Zhou's a musical genius?"
"Yeah, yeah, I love that song Baby. It's incredible."
"No wonder Huanyu's such a chill place. Boss Zhou's mindset is on another level compared to those typical corporate bosses."
"I can't wait for the team-building event. First ti I've been this excited about one."
The atmosphere at Huanyu was unbeatable. There was zero office politics, and no one tried to outdo each other.
Most days, employees gossiped or tead up for gaming sessions—it felt like being back in college.
In such an environnt, even Jiang Ruolan, who usually dealt with tense situations as an assistant, felt relaxed.
Honestly, with Zhou Yi away these past few days, she kind of missed him.
Staring at her computer screen, Jiang Ruolan found herself lost in thought. Her grip tightened on the mouse as mories of the ti she got drunk resurfaced.
If only... Zhou Yi wasn't her boss.
But if he weren't her boss, they wouldn't have this connection either.
It was an unsolvable dilemma.
With a sigh, she refocused on her work.
anwhile, Zhou Yi and his team had arrived at A University, ready to compete.
This year's math modeling competition was held on A University's campus.
"A University lives up to its reputation—it's gorgeous," Jiang Cong remarked, marveling at the scenic campus.
As the top university in the country, A University boasted a rich history, sprawling grounds ten tis larger than Huaihai University, breathtaking scenery, and attractive students everywhere.
Zhou Yi and his team naturally drew attention as soon as they stepped onto campus.
"Isn't that Zhou Yi from yesterday's trending topic?"
"Yeah, I think he's here for the competition."
"He's really that handso? I thought the videos were heavily filtered."
"Should we ask for his WeChat?"
"I'll go!"
A beautiful girl stopped Zhou Yi to ask for his WeChat, but he politely declined. She smiled and walked away.
Along the way, Zhou Yi turned down countless similar requests, including from so guys—though he wasn't sure what their intentions were.
By the ti they reached the exam venue, quite a crowd had gathered outside.
The team from S Province also spotted Zhou Yi's group. Their captain, Yang Hong, glanced at Zhou Yi before coldly averting his gaze.
"What's with that look? Who does he think he is?" Jiang Cong rolled his eyes at Yang Hong.
Wang Yuyan huffed. "He's just a sore loser. So arrogant—it's unbearable."
Zhou Yi smiled calmly. "Let him be. If he doesn't see us as allies, then we don't need to care about him either."
Just as Zhou Yi finished speaking, the crowd suddenly stirred.
"It's Xie Tingwan!"
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