"All the classes in Visual Communication are speculating why Zhou Yi's changed so much. They concluded he was hiding his true potential all along—like he has some powerful background waiting to surface."
As the rumor spread, it grew wilder and wilder. By the time it reached Chu Han's circle, the narrative had morphed into Zhou Yi having an extraordinary hidden identity.
Chu Han was starting to feel shaken.
Rolling her eyes, she muttered sarcastically, "An orphan like him? What kind of 'background' could he possibly have? Leave it to the advertising majors to come up with such imaginative theories."
The curly-haired girl shot back, "Exactly! That's why it's suspicious! Rumor has it he found his biological parents recently, and that's when everything started changing for him. Can't you see where this is going? There's definitely something bigger at play."
Chu Han eyed her skeptically. "Do a lot of people believe this?"
"Absolutely. Otherwise, why are people like Wang Yang suddenly eating with him? Back then, Zhou Yi never got this kind of treatment."
"Right. Even Su Ning, who used to despise him, is sitting at the same table. She must know something we don't."
Chu Han stared at Zhou Yi, torn between disbelief and suspicion.
If their guesses were true, did that mean Zhou Yi might actually be a rich second-generation heir?
Not just a loser—but a top student?
Had everything he'd done for her in the past been nothing but an act?
Chu Han impulsively stood up, intending to confront him directly. But seeing the crowd surrounding him, her rationality kicked back in, and she sat down again.
She couldn't approach him recklessly—not without risking Gao Wenhao finding out, which would spell disaster.
But she needed answers. If Zhou Yi truly came from a better background than Gao Wenhao, didn't that mean she'd made a grave mistake?
[Chu Han's Regret Value +20, Heartthrobs Value +20.]
Zhou Yi paused momentarily upon hearing the system's announcement.
He scanned the room and spotted Chu Han instantly.
Among the women the original owner once obsessed over, Chu Han was the most pragmatic.
Her favorability and regret values should rise quickly because, at her core, she valued wealth above all else.
Yet, such women became increasingly difficult to win over as time passed—they lacked genuine emotion.
Zhou Yi knew she must've heard the rumors swirling around.
Otherwise, why would her heart waver so visibly?
"System, tell me—what benefits do I gain from increasing the Heartthrobs Value of the women I need to take revenge on?"
"Certainly. While they aren't ranked individually, the higher their Heartthrobs Value for you, the more rewards you can unlock in the System Mall. Their contributions convert into Red Coins, which you can use for exchanges. You can check the System Mall anytime."
"Has my System Mall unlocked yet?"
"Yes, just now. You've reached Level 10."
Zhou Yi promptly accessed his stats panel.
[Name: Zhou Yi]
[Level: Lv10 (Silver)]
[Wealth: $8,739,380 (Affluent)]
[Appearance: 100 (Unparalleled)]
[Martial Power: 100 (Invincible)]
[IQ: 200 (Genius-Level Intellect)]
[Reputation: 37 (Talked About)]
[Attribute Points: 9,685]
Task Progress Panel:
[Xia Qiuzhi's Regret Value: 10]
[Chu Han's Regret Value: 20]
[Su Ning's Regret Value: 10]
[Comeback Degree: 37]
[Heartthrobs Points Obtained: 7,605]
[Number of Devotees: 0]
[Achievements Unlocked: None]
[Skills/Items Acquired: Photographic Memory, Exceptional Recall]
[Current Ranking: 60,652]
[Congratulations! Your level has increased. The System Mall is now available.]