Xia Qiuzhi called out to Zhou Yi with an urgent tone in her voice.
She had been completely unable to push through the crowd just moments ago!
Zhou Yi was surrounded by a swarm of girls clamoring for his WeChat, and no matter how loudly she shouted from the edge, he couldn't hear her over the chaos.
It felt strange to see Zhou Yi become so popular—it made her feel uneasy.
But then, as she gazed at his handsome profile, her heart began racing uncontrollably.
She had always been drawn to good looks, having initially fallen for Wang Xuan because of his striking face.
Now, Zhou Yi had transformed entirely, and after the initial shock wore off, she found herself captivated by his appearance.
"Yi-Gege."
At the sound of her voice, Zhou Yi turned around to find a girl standing before him—delicate and doll-like in her beauty.
This was Xia Qiuzhi, the childhood friend whom the original host had once cherished deeply.
There was no denying it; she was stunning. Her slightly drooping eyes gave her an air of innocence that easily stirred protective instincts in men.
Dressed simply in a white dress, her youthful glow radiated pure charm.
Compared to Qiao Xi's fragile elegance, Xia Qiuzhi exuded a sense of purity and cuteness instead.
Every boy grows up with someone like her—not necessarily their ideal love interest, but someone who leaves an indelible mark on their memories.
Unlike the original host, who would have been ecstatic at this moment, Zhou Yi merely offered a faint smile and asked, "Qiuzhi, what brings you here?"
That smile caught Xia Qiuzhi off guard, making her heartbeat falter for a second.
So this was what it looked like when Zhou Yi smiled—like the male lead in a romantic drama, utterly mesmerizing.
Strangely enough, his handsome face seemed to enhance everything about him—even the timbre of his voice grew more magnetic.
After a brief pause, Xia Qiuzhi curved her lips into a smile, saying, "Can't I come looking for you without a reason? Yi-Gege, it's been ages since we last visited the headmaster together."
She was subtly reminding him of their shared past as childhood friends who grew up side by side.
Whenever she needed something, she'd bring up those memories to ensure Zhou Yi wouldn't refuse her request.
"Last time you said you were too busy to go back together," Zhou Yi replied coolly.
"And didn't you say it's better if we pretend not to know each other at school? Aren't you worried now that people might see us talking?"
Xia Qiuzhi's face paled as she abruptly lifted her gaze to meet his.
His eyes held none of the warmth they used to, as though he felt nothing toward her anymore.
How could this be?
They had known each other for over a decade, and Zhou Yi had harbored feelings for her for ten years. Even if he now liked the school belle, surely he wouldn't treat her this way?
"Yi-Gege, what's wrong... Are you still upset because I didn't let you attend my birthday party last time?" Xia Qiuzhi stammered, struggling to understand why his attitude toward her had shifted so dramatically.
A perpetually kind-hearted person suddenly turning cold must have a reason behind it.
Seeing her confusion, Zhou Yi realized Xia Qiuzhi had never truly grasped where she went wrong.
To her, his behavior was just a reaction to some trivial incident.
He slipped his hands into his pockets and looked down at her, his expression calm. "Qiuzhi, I'm not mad at you."
Relief washed over Xia Qiuzhi—but his next words froze her in place.
"I've thought things through. Since you don't want me bothering you, I won't intrude on your life anymore."
Panic surged through Xia Qiuzhi. "Yi-Gege, what do you mean? We're good friends!"
Even though she hadn't particularly liked Zhou Yi in the past, she had never imagined him disappearing from her life entirely.
She had grown accustomed to his presence. Compared to Wang Xuan, Zhou Yi was the one she had spent the most time with.
Only he knew her true self—her humble origins, her imperfections—and provided her with an outlet for her emotions.
The thought of losing that terrified her. She would lose her mind!
"Do good friends pretend not to know each other at school?"
"Do good friends get excluded from your birthday party?"
"Do good friends get treated like dogs, ordered around whenever it suits you?"
"Qiuzhi, if I was once blinded by infatuation, I now see you clearly—and I see myself clearly too.
"In your eyes, I am nothing—not even worth as much as a stray dog."
Zhou Yi watched dispassionately as Xia Qiuzhi's expression crumbled under his relentless questions.
Her face drained of color, and she instinctively grabbed hold of his sleeve. "Yi-Gege, I didn't mean any of that! You know how I am—I have a bad temper and sometimes like to tease you. But I... I..."
Xia Qiuzhi couldn't conjure up a reasonable explanation. Anyone subjected to her behavior would have reached their limit long ago.
She had never considered the possibility that Zhou Yi might walk away from her.
His decisive rejection left her reeling.
"Qiuzhi, stop explaining. The person you should focus on isn't me. Go home and think about it yourself."
With that, Zhou Yi glanced at his watch again. "If you have anything to say, send me a message on WeChat. I'm leaving now."
Without a second glance, Zhou Yi walked away, leaving Xia Qiuzhi rooted to the spot. A sharp ache pierced her chest, as though something vital had been ripped away. Cold wind swept past, chilling her to the bone.
Perhaps she had never truly understood herself. For years, she had taken advantage of Zhou Yi's affection, acting recklessly without considering his feelings. But did she harbor any genuine emotions for him?
In the past, she would have denied it without hesitation.
Yet today, hearing Zhou Yi declare his intention to leave her life filled her with unexpected pain.
She stood there, dumbfounded, watching his figure vanish into the distance.
[Xia Qiuzhi's Affection Value +10, Regret Value +10.]
Upon hearing the system notification, Zhou Yi remained unfazed.
Women were often like this—they squandered the love of those who cared for them until the moment they faced losing them forever. Only then did they take stock of the relationship.
Zhou Yi pulled up his character panel to review:
Character Attributes:
- Name: Zhou Yi
- Level: Lv5 (Bronze)
- Wealth: $7,998,650 (Affluent)
- Appearance: 95/100 (Top-tier Male God)
- Combat Power: 30/100 (Average)
- Intelligence: 135/100 (Highly Intelligent)
- Reputation: 19/100 (Discussed Among Peers)
- Attribute Points: 7,904
Task Progress:
- Xia Qiuzhi's Regret Value: 10
- Chu Han's Regret Value: 0
- Su Ning's Regret Value: 0
- Reversal Degree: 5
- Affection Points Earned: 6,948
- Number of Admirers: 0
- Achievements Unlocked: None
- Skills Acquired: Photographic Memory, Exceptional Recall
- Current Ranking: 60,652
- System Store: Locked (Low Level)
Not checking the stats was fine, but seeing them shocked him.
"What? I have over seven million dollars now?"
"Holy crap, where did these seven thousand attribute points come from?"
"How do I already have six thousand affection points? The system didn't notify me!"