Chapter 8
Tian Tian flicked her hair, saying nonchalantly, "He's just a poor guy, what kind of good gift could he possibly have? Xiao Meng, help me see which outfit I should wear tomorrow."
"It's all so mysterious. How are you actually celebrating your birthday tomorrow?" Lin Xiaomeng asked curiously.
A smug look flashed across Tian Tian's face before she said with feigned indifference, "Tomorrow? Oh, I'm just having dinner with Young Master Zhao."
"Zhao Kai, the senior???" Lin Xiaomeng said, her face full of surprise. "The young master of Shanhai Real Estate???"
"That's him!" Tian Tian put on a troubled expression. "He's been chasing me for a long time, always insisting on treating me to dinner."
"I don't know how he found out it's my birthday, but he said he's booked the Imperial Hotel for my celebration. Ugh, it's such a hassle to turn him down."
The Imperial was the best five-star hotel in the city, a place of extravagant luxury where even a glass of Coke cost dozens of yuan. It was a sacred, forbidden place that the poor could only dream of.
Lin Xiaomeng couldn't control the jealous sourness in her heart, and she inwardly sneered, You green-tea bitch.
You keep so many orbiters and backups, only to go and fawn over Zhao Kai yourself.
Zhao Kai is a notorious playboy. He'll get tired of you sooner or later and kick you to the curb.
In the boys' dormitory, Chen Jiahao hung up the phone and breathed a sigh of relief, grinning foolishly. "Tian Bao believed me."
Zhang Jiaqiang was quick to pour cold water on him. "I say, Third Brother, are you an idiot? You could call an idiot over and they'd believe you."
Zhang Wei chimed in, "Yeah, right. A loser like you hitting on Zhao Yuxin? What's the difference from me saying my wife is Liu Yifei? You're daydreaming."
Crushed by their comments, Chen Jiahao grew dejected. "Sincerity can move even metal and stone."
"If Tian Bao knew how hard I worked delivering food to buy the phone she wants, she'd definitely be moved."
Both of them rolled their eyes, thinking this guy was beyond saving.
The efforts of the poor are never touching; only the spare change of the rich is true affection. This simp really ought to be neutered.
"Big Bro, Second Bro, you guys have to help me."
The next afternoon, after class, a heart shape made of roses was laid out in front of the girls' dormitory.
Passing students whispered among themselves. Which fool is confessing now? In university, such childish scenes were constantly being reenacted.
"Tian Bao..."
"Call me Miss Yu!"
"Alright, Miss Yu, come on down. I've got your gift ready."
Chen Jiahao was left waiting in the heart of roses for nearly half an hour before Tian Tian, dressed to the nines, finally descended under the crowd's gaze, though her expression was far from pleased.
"See? I knew it. This simp is here to fawn over Tian Bao."
"Damn, he just made a fool of himself hitting on Zhao Yuxin yesterday, and now he's back to lick Tian Tian's boots."
"This guy's mental fortitude is something else. A true model of shamelessness."
"For real, he's a role model for our generation. I have to admire his thick skin. To have been simping so relentlessly for three years takes real willpower."
Amidst the surrounding scorn and ridicule, Tian Tian felt utterly humiliated. She walked up and immediately kicked the roses on the ground.
With a cold face, she said through gritted teeth, "Chen Jiahao, don't you think this is embarrassing?"
Chen Jiahao's face was a picture of grievance. "Miss Yu, I saw other people do this. Don't you think it's romantic?"
"Romantic, my ass! This is so tacky!!!" Anger flared on Tian Tian's pretty face. "Isn't it enough that you're embarrassing yourself? Did you have to call me down to embarrass me too?"
"Don't go, Miss Yu!"
Seeing her turn to leave, Chen Jiahao rushed forward and grabbed her hand. Tian Tian couldn't shake him off at first. She turned back, her face burning with anger. "Let go of me, or I'll report you for sexual harassment."
Even that brief touch made her feel disgusted. All her revulsion was written plainly on her face.
Chen Jiahao quickly let go, his face still full of hurt. "Okay, okay, I'll go. But I worked so hard for this gift. Please, will you accept it?"
As he spoke, Chen Jiahao took out a phone. The moment Tian Tian saw the packaging box, her eyes lit up.
"Whoa, I thought this poor guy would give her a doll or something, but it's actually the latest iPhone 16."
"No way, am I blind? This guy, the one who eats 1-yuan steamed buns with free pickles from the cafeteria every day, bought an iPhone 16?"
"Yeah, this simp lives on welfare and scholarships. Where did he get the money?"
"You don't know? This guy will do any kind of hard, dirty work. He's the one who always carries the slop buckets in the cafeteria."
"And he delivers food too! I saw him coming back in his uniform the other day!!!"
The voices of the crowd rose. Chen Jiahao looked at her pitifully, hoping the girl he loved would understand his sincerity.
As the campus goddess, she was still using an old model Android phone, which had always been a sore spot for Tian Tian.
Looking at the phone she had dreamed of, Tian Tian was definitely tempted. As the goddess, it was the first time she had ever received such an expensive birthday gift.
Just as she hesitated, an extremely arrogant voice suddenly sounded from beside her. "What a fool. Who's pulling this kind of tacky stunt again?"
A BMW 5 Series pulled up. The door opened, and Zhao Kai, decked out in designer brands, stepped out.
Glancing at the scattered roses on the ground, Zhao Kai snorted in disdain. "Just this few flowers? Not even enough to make tea with, and you have the nerve to show your face with them."
With that, he strode forward. His powerful presence was so strong that the onlookers unconsciously parted to make way for him.
The slight hesitation Tian Tian had felt vanished the moment he appeared.
Zhao Kai walked up to Tian Tian, gave Chen Jiahao a contemptuous look, and let out a cold sneer, not even deigning to mock him with words.
"Brother Kai!"
Tian Tian, true to her name, had a particularly pleasant voice.
Her beautiful voice, like that of a lark, was as crisp and clear as a ringing silver bell. That single call was enough to make one's bones melt.
One couldn't help but imagine how soul shatteringly ecstatic it would be to hear such a voice crying out in passion on a bed.