Morning sunlight spilled over Huaxia University, but peace did not come with it.
From the moment the gates opened, whispers filled the campus like wildfire.
"Did you hear? Lin Feng went to the Su Family banquet!"
"Not just went — he actually saved Su Wanqing when she almost fell!"
"No way, the Ice Beauty? She never talks to anyone."
"I saw the video. Someone recorded it — she asked his name herself."
Students crowded around their phones, watching the grainy clip. The angle was shaky, but the scene was unmistakable: Su Wanqing stumbling, Lin Feng catching her, their eyes meeting for a brief but electrifying second.
And then, her words.
"…Your name?"
The clip cut there, but it was enough to set the campus ablaze.
---
In classrooms, cafeterias, and dormitories, Lin Feng's name was on every tongue.
Some spoke with admiration.
"Damn, he's bold. Calm in front of all those elites."
"He didn't even act like a simp. That's rare."
Others spoke with envy.
"He's just lucky. Anyone standing there could've caught her."
"Please, Su Wanqing will forget him in a day. She's out of his league."
But whether admiration or jealousy, one truth was clear: the nobody scholarship student was no longer invisible.
---
Lin Feng, however, remained calm.
As he sat in the back of his morning economics lecture, he could feel the stares burning into him from all sides. Some students whispered, others outright gawked. A few girls even blushed when his gaze happened to meet theirs.
The System's cool voice echoed in his mind.
> [Campus Reputation: Rapidly Increasing]
[New Title: The Boy Who Saved the Goddess]
[Note: Higher visibility brings both opportunity and danger.]
Lin Feng suppressed a chuckle. Boy who saved the goddess, huh? Sounds like a cheap novel title.
But even as he thought it, he knew the System was right. The higher he climbed, the more enemies would sharpen their knives.
---
At the same time, in the library's quiet corner, Su Wanqing flipped through a book but barely absorbed the words.
Her classmates often glanced at her from afar, their voices hushed, but she ignored them. Instead, her thoughts lingered on the boy from last night.
Lin Feng.
She had meant it when she said she would remember his name. The calm steadiness in his eyes, the unshaken composure when the hall whispered against him — it was unlike anything she'd seen before.
Most men either groveled or postured around her. He had done neither.
Her lips pressed together faintly. Who are you, really?
Without realizing it, her fingers traced the edge of the page, her heart slightly unsettled.
---
Elsewhere, however, not everyone was curious — some were furious.
In the smoking corner behind the cafeteria, Chen Hao slammed his fist against the wall.
The video playing on his phone only fanned the fire in his chest.
Lin Feng's calm face, Su Wanqing's rare softness — it replayed again and again, mocking him.
"Damn it! DAMN IT!"
His cronies surrounded him cautiously.
"Chen Shao, calm down—"
"He embarrassed you in front of the whole banquet, and now the whole campus is laughing about it…"
"Do you think I don't know!?" Chen Hao roared, his eyes bloodshot. He paced like a caged beast. "I won't let him get away with this. I'll crush him, make him crawl on the ground, and show everyone what happens when a dog bites above its station."
His friend leaned in, lowering his voice. "I heard… Su Wanqing will be attending the art exhibition this weekend. Maybe…"
Chen Hao's lips twisted into a cold smile. "Perfect. If Lin Feng dares to show up, I'll humiliate him in front of her again. This time, no one will save him."
---
Back in the dormitory, Lin Feng lay on his bed, scrolling through his phone. Notifications exploded — friend requests, messages, even girls who had never looked at him before suddenly wanting to "study together."
He ignored them all.
Instead, he focused on the glowing panel hovering in his mind.
> [Main Mission Update: Protect Su Wanqing from danger within 7 days.]
[Reward: 100,000 yuan. Additional Reward: Combat Skill (Basic).]
His eyes sharpened. Danger, huh?
He didn't know what form it would take, but the System never spoke without reason. Something was coming for Su Wanqing — and soon.
Lin Feng clenched his fist. Then I'll be ready. No one will harm her on my watch.
---
The day passed in a blur, and by afternoon, even the professors had caught on to the rumors.
During one lecture, Professor Li, known for his strictness, paused mid-sentence and looked at Lin Feng.
"So, Lin Feng. You've suddenly become quite the celebrity, haven't you?"
The classroom erupted in chuckles.
But Lin Feng simply smiled faintly. "Just a coincidence, Professor."
His calmness disarmed even the strict old man, who shook his head with a rare smile. "Hmph. Don't let fame distract you. Not everyone applauding you is truly clapping for your success."
The words lingered in the air like quiet thunder.
---
As the sun set, Lin Feng walked across campus, the glow of streetlights flickering on. His phone buzzed.
It was a message from Zhao Xue.
Lin Feng… can we talk?
He stared at the screen for a long moment. Zhao Xue — the girl who once mocked his poverty, who abandoned him to cling to Chen Hao.
Now she wanted to talk.
Lin Feng's lips curled into a wry smile. People really are fickle, aren't they?
Before he could reply, the System's chime rang again.
> [Warning: Event Trigger Approaching – Su Wanqing's first danger draws near.]
Lin Feng's expression hardened.
The rumors, the banquet, Chen Hao's schemes — all of it was only the beginning.
He pocketed his phone and strode into the night, determination burning in his chest.
Su Wanqing… this time, fate brought us together. Next time, I'll protect you — not because of the System, but because I want to.
High above, on the rooftop of the library, Su Wanqing stood quietly, watching the campus lights. Her silver hairpin glimmered under the moon.
Her lips moved, a whisper lost to the wind.
"Lin Feng… somehow, I feel like our story has only just begun."
-