C5 The School Belle Came to Borrow Money from Me!

"The cost of living here is just too low. To strike it rich, it looks like a trip to the city is in order," Zhang Xuan mused to himself.

His phone and computer were due for an upgrade anyway, and buying in bulk would bring him closer to his modest goal.

The thought of suddenly becoming a millionaire made Zhang Xuan feel as though he were living a dream.

Absolutely delightful!

As he turned to head back, a servant's cry of admiration caught his ear: "How gorgeous!"

Puzzled, Zhang Xuan glanced over and caught sight of that familiar beauty, prompting him to spin on his heels and make a break for it.

"Hey, junior, what are the odds?" Xia Meng greeted him with a beaming smile, rushing over to grab his arm, her cheeks aglow with a rosy blush.

In that instant, the world seemed to fall silent. The waiter stood there, gobsmacked, barely daring to breathe.

Xia Meng was a star at the University of Lerwick, well-known to the waiter, who was now internally screaming in disbelief.

How could this be happening?

When had anyone seen the notoriously aloof Xia Meng eagerly grab a man's arm, as if fearing he might slip away?

Was he seeing things?

Never had he witnessed a boy by the side of the campus belle, who had coldly turned away all her would-be suitors.

Why was Xia Meng revered as a goddess?

A goddess, untouchable, ethereal, to be admired from a distance but never approached.

Yet here she was, this goddess who had never shown any man the slightest openness, now actively reaching for a man's arm, her face radiantly flushed.

The campus belle's eyes were locked onto the man before her, a look of infatuation that only true love could inspire.

Who was this guy?

He must have hit the jackpot to catch the eye of the campus belle.

"Senior, what a coincidence!" Zhang Xuan replied with a wry smile, once again basking in the spotlight.

To stand next to this girl, one needed a heart of steel.

"Yes, indeed, such a coincidence! I always said that fortune-teller had real skill. He predicted we'd meet here, and here we are."

"Hey, junior, I didn't bring enough cash with me when I left. Could you spot me some?" Xia Meng's eyes sparkled as an idea to get closer to Zhang Xuan every day popped into her head. Borrowing money from Zhang Xuan would give her the perfect excuse to spend time with him daily. Internally, Xia Meng gave her clever little strategy a mental standing ovation. "I'm such a genius!"

"How much do you need?" Zhang Xuan asked, his voice oozing confidence thanks to the five million yuan in his pocket.

"Put the lady's meal on my tab!" An overbearing voice cut through the air. Everyone turned to see Qin Shaotian approaching, his gaze intensely focused on Xia Meng, as if he wanted to devour her.

Xia Meng's brows knitted together. "I have my own boyfriend. Do I need you to pay for me?" She then looped her arm through Zhang Xuan's and whispered in his ear, "Junior, help me out here, and I'll grant you a request, okay?" She followed it with a soft breath in his ear.

Zhang Xuan's head buzzed, feeling like he was about to combust. Resisting such seduction was not in his playbook; he was no paragon of virtue.

As Xia Meng finished her plea, she felt her cheeks flush with heat, surprised at her own boldness. Yet, seeing Zhang Xuan's dumbfounded look, a sweet smile couldn't help but spread across her face.

Feeling the weight of many eyes on him like searing brands, Zhang Xuan was about to decline when a digital voice echoed in his mind.

[The God Level Choice System has been activated!]

[Option 1: Pay for the campus beauty.

Reward: 100% shares in Peach House, mastery of eight extremes boxing, +1 to attractiveness, +1 to physical health.]

[Option 2: Refuse to pay for the campus beauty.

Reward: A Porsche 911, God Level driving skills, and the 'Straight Shooter' title. Women's Affection -1.]

Zhang Xuan hesitated. Was this even a choice? The system seemed to be nudging him towards the first option.

"Listen, I'm Qin Shaotian, the heir to Lerwick Industry. I know Mengmeng is just using you as a cover. Just tell me the truth, and you'll have a favor from me, Qin Shaotian."

Seeing Xia Meng cozying up to Zhang Xuan, Qin Shaotian was green with envy, feeling like his lungs were about to burst.

At that moment, he fantasized about tossing Zhang Xuan into the Dongshan River to be fish food.

Xia Meng had long been marked in his mind as his own, off-limits to anyone else.

Yet, in front of Xia Meng, he restrained himself; he couldn't afford to tarnish his image in her eyes.

Besides, they were at Peach House, and the owner was no ordinary character. Even his haughty father had warned him not to stir up trouble here, cautioning that not even the Qin family could bail him out.

So, he played his card, revealing his status as the heir to Lerwick Industry, hoping to intimidate Zhang Xuan into backing down.

Lerwick Industry was a star enterprise in Lerwick, valued in the hundreds of billions. Who could refuse a favor from them?

A smug smile crept onto Qin Shaotian's face as he thought about his leverage. He was adept at wielding the power of his family's wealth.

"Lerwick Industry?"

That name rang a bell for Zhang Xuan, though he couldn't quite place it.

"Yes, Lerwick Industry!"

Qin Shaotian's smugness grew as Zhang Xuan murmured to himself. Indeed, there was no one in Lerwick who hadn't heard of it.

Just then, Zhang Xuan's phone rang.

"Hello, is this Mr. Zhang Xuan?" came a sweet voice from the other end.

"This is Zhang Xuan. Who's this?"

"Good day, Mr. Zhang. I'm Weiwei Bai, the general manager of Lerwick Industry. We're convening a board meeting in two days to announce you as our new chairman. When can you come by?"

Zhang Xuan froze. That's why Lerwick Industry sounded familiar—the system had rewarded him with 50% of the company's shares.

"I'm tied up with military training for the next couple of days. Can we reschedule?"

"Of course, I'll notify the board to choose another date," the voice replied before the call ended.

"Mengmeng, let's not trouble this fellow student," Qin Shaotian said with a triumphant grin, pulling out his bank card to hand to the cashier, seeing that Zhang Xuan hadn't brought up borrowing money.

"Let's settle the bill for this lady!" Zhang Xuan declared, unwilling to let anything interfere with his money-making.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, on making your choice. Your reward has been issued. You are now the proprietor of Peach House and have mastered the art of Eight Extremes Boxing.]

As the electronic voice chimed in, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt a surge of Eight Extremes Boxing techniques flood his mind. They were as vivid as if he had spent decades perfecting the martial art.

"Thanks, junior, I owe you one," Xia Meng said with a playful tone, rising on her toes to whisper in Zhang Xuan's ear, "So, junior, what would you like me to do for you? I'm open to anything."

A shiver ran through Zhang Xuan's body; he was done for—his defenses against this woman were crumbling fast.

Xia Meng's cheeks were a deep shade of pink, her body feeling like it was ablaze with heat.

"Classmate, life on the road is tough. Take care out there—it's not worth getting hurt over," Qin Shaotian said, shaking with rage. He shot Zhang Xuan a venomous look and huffed before storming back to the private room.

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