C4 Little 5 Million!

"Mengmeng, you're not seriously considering being his girlfriend, are you?"

The trio exchanged glances, their eyes alight with the flames of gossip.

"Why not?" Xia Meng snapped back to reality, her cheeks tinged with a hint of red. "What's with the question?"

"How could I possibly be his girlfriend?" Xia Meng quickly refuted. "Zhang Xuan and I just grew up together, but then I moved to East Mountain with my parents. It's been 13 or 14 years since we last saw each other."

"Then why would you declare to everyone that you're his girlfriend?"

Wang Xue eyed Xia Meng with a hint of skepticism.

Sun Tian and Meng Lili nodded in agreement. "Exactly. This kind of news will spread like wildfire across the University of Lerwick. It seems like you did it intentionally. Come on, tell us, have you actually fallen for him?"

"Oh come on, how could that be? It was purely a joke between him and me. When have you ever seen me get close to any guy, other than those I'm close to?" Xia Meng scrambled to explain.

After a moment of contemplation, Sun Tian and the others nodded sagely. "True, you don't even give a second glance to celebrities like Wu Yufan. We'd be hard-pressed to believe you've got your eye on any guy."

Xia Meng rolled her eyes. "Exactly. We're sisters for life. If I had my eye on someone, I'd definitely tell you—and you'd be the ones to vet him, right?"

With a guilty glance at her friends, Xia Meng awaited their response.

They exchanged knowing looks and nodded.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Xia Meng felt she had dodged a bullet.

Just then, her phone rang.

It was her brother.

"Little gentleman, how did things go?"

"Big sis, where on earth did you dig up such a gold-digger? She puts on a facade of modesty and grace, but she's more flirtatious than anyone I've met. She was won over by a smartphone and a bag worth less than 20,000 yuan—and she even hinted that I could book a hotel room tonight!"

"Seriously, sis, what did this girl do to you? And hey, you're covering the expenses for this stunt, right? If mom and dad find out I spent this much, they'll have my hide!"

Upon hearing the words, Xia Meng's eyes narrowed into slits as she said, "Got it."

"Zhang Xuan, oh Zhang Xuan, I'm not scheming against you. It's just a little test for your girlfriend, and I didn't expect her to falter so easily. Hehe, you'll be mine eventually!" Xia Meng reveled in her secret delight.

Wang Xue and the others gazed at Xia Meng with incredulous eyes. She claimed she wasn't dating anyone, yet there she was, wearing the dreamy expression of a girl smitten with love.

Realizing she had been caught, Xia Meng quickly stood up and deflected, "Peach House, anyone interested?"

"Me, me, me..." Despite realizing Xia Meng was steering the conversation elsewhere, the allure of gourmet food was too much for the three girls to resist. Their eyes sparkled with anticipation, mouths practically watering.

Peach House was the most upscale restaurant in the university town, rivaling even the five-star hotels.

...

"Xuan, you sure this is the place?" Yang Ming glanced at the Peach House sign before turning to Zhang Xuan. Zhang Xuan's attire didn't scream wealth, nor did he look like someone pretending to be more than he was. Maybe he was unaware of the minimum spend here?

Yang Ming, with the most affluent background among them, was already prepared to discreetly pick up the tab later.

"Let's go Dutch! From now on, we're all brothers, no need to split hairs over the bill!" Wang Qiang and Faang Shiming, familiar with Peach House's reputation, quickly chimed in, concerned that Zhang Xuan might not be aware of the establishment's pricing.

Yang Ming gave a subtle nod in agreement; these dorm mates were proving to be good company.

"Dutch? That's like a slap in the face to me. I said it's my treat, and that's what it is. Anyone tries to foot the bill later, don't blame me if I get upset!" Zhang Xuan thought to himself, with ten cashback cards in hand, ready to make a profit—the more he spent, the better.

The three exchanged glances, tempted to offer a warning but reluctant to dent Zhang Xuan's pride.

"Sir, would you prefer a private room or the main dining area?"

The waiter approached Yang Ming with the question.

Out of the four, only Yang Ming was decked out in designer wear, clearly the one footing the bill.

"The largest private room you have!"

Zhang Xuan declared with gusto.

"Sir, the rate for our largest private room is..." The waiter, caught off guard by Zhang Xuan speaking up first, glanced at his attire and offered a friendly reminder without judging him for his appearance.

"Cost is no issue. Lead the way."

"Certainly, sir. Right this way, please!" The waiter was taken aback, realizing that Zhang Xuan, despite his unassuming look, was quite the heavyweight.

Unbeknownst to Zhang Xuan and his companions, as they entered the room, four vibrant and attractive young women passed by.

Xia Meng's gaze shifted curiously. Zhang Xuan?

Her eyes sparkled. Indeed, he was the man she admired. What serendipity!

"Something on your mind, Mengmeng?"

Wang Xue and the others tried to see what caught Xia Meng's attention but found nothing.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just spotted an acquaintance! Come on, don't be shy with me, order whatever you like!"

"Yay, you're the best, our little heiress!"

"Let's feast at the expense of our showy friend here!"

The quartet of girls, each radiantly youthful and striking, turned heads wherever they went, instantly drawing the crowd's gaze.

"Master Qin, it's Xia Meng, the beauty of the university!"

"Master Qin, fate has delivered!"

A flamboyantly dressed entourage arrived by car, spotting the backs of Xia Meng and her friends. They eagerly reported to their leader, Qin Shaotian.

Qin Shaotian's eyes bulged with anticipation, saliva nearly escaping him. He inquired about the private room Xia Meng's group had chosen and made his way inside.

Zhang Xuan, not quite satisfied after ordering over five thousand yuan worth of dishes, lamented, "Ah, don't you have anything pricier?"

A mere five million yuan cashback was a far cry from his lofty goal of one hundred million yuan!

Big brother, you've earned top marks for that impressive display of swagger!

Five thousand for a meal isn't exactly chump change, you know.

We're in a university town here, where there's a standard for spending.

"Sir, could you settle the bill now?" The waiter, having watched Zhang Xuan's grandiose act, was feeling a bit uneasy. Surely he wasn't planning on dining and dashing?

"Sure, why not?"

Five million may not be close to a billion, but every little bit counts.

Zhang Xuan promptly followed the waiter to take care of the bill.

"Xuan is a man of mystery!" Yang Ming, hailing from a prominent family, realized he couldn't quite figure Zhang Xuan out.

"Mm-hmm!"

Wang Qiang and Faang Shiming nodded in agreement. Based on Zhang Xuan's recent antics, he was either genuinely impressive or on the verge of a cosmic smackdown.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xuan pulled up his payment QR code, and the other party scanned it. Only after hearing the confirming "ding" did he relax.

Zhang Xuan waited after paying, and the next moment, his phone buzzed. He checked the message.

[Construction Bank alert for account ending in 0179: Deposit of 5,000,000 yuan...]

Seeing the text, Zhang Xuan's heart surged with excitement. The thousandfold cashback had arrived.