C2 How dare He?

"Wow, she's a live streamer too?"

Xu Wenn glanced at Lulu's phone screen, a twinge of surprise in his thoughts.

"Aren't streamers supposed to be rolling in cash? Either they're big shots or from the affluent south!"

Xu Wenn wasn't particularly keen on live streaming, but he was familiar with the industry's reputation.

Lulu was at a loss for words. While the term 'Famous Anchor' might conjure images of wealth and success, her reality was far from it.

"Please, little brother, I'm begging you! Let me attend Senior Brother Lu Ming's ceremony first, and I promise to compensate you for your clothes, okay?"

Lulu pleaded with wide, tear-filled eyes, resorting to the persuasive skills she'd honed as a streamer, as Xu Wenn remained stoically unimpressed.

With the ceremony about to start and crowds streaming into the auditorium, Lulu grew increasingly anxious.

If she kept arguing with this guy, she might miss her chance to even get through the doors, much less snap a photo of Lu Ming.

"Lu Ming's ceremony?"

Xu Wenn suddenly recalled that his own reason for being there was to attend the opening ceremony as well.

Unlike the others who were there to see Lu Ming or simply attend the event, he was slated to represent Dinghai University's faculty with a speech.

If Principal Ni Zhongwen hadn't been so insistent, Xu Wenn would have skipped the ceremony in favor of his pressing research work.

He appraised the young girl before him. Clearly, she was a die-hard Lu Ming fan; she wouldn't have referred to the opening ceremony as Lu Ming's ceremony otherwise.

"Fine, I'll go with you. But no funny business!"

With that settled, Xu Wenn stooped to retrieve his fallen buns and water bottle.

Lulu watched in disbelief as he casually dusted off the buns and popped them into his mouth, challenging her preconceived notions.

What kind of dire straits must a family be in to not discard a bun that had kissed the ground?

A wave of guilt washed over Lulu. The young man before her must be one of those fabled students from humble beginnings at Dinghai University.

Maybe he was a new freshman. Why else would he be attending the ceremony?

Lulu never imagined that being from a humble background could be this extreme! Perhaps it was the classic tale of the "noble child from a humble family" that sparked a newfound respect in her for the boy before her. She quieted her usually boisterous demeanor and dutifully followed Xu Wenn to the auditorium.

Lu Ming's star power was undeniable. Dinghai University's auditorium, with a capacity for thousands, was packed to the brim, forcing the school to set up an outdoor screen to broadcast the event for the overflow crowd.

"Colleges sure do things differently—so many people just for a freshman ceremony!"

"I didn't get into Huaqing because I didn't want to? No, it's because I wasn't good enough."

"All I know is that Lulu, our little firecracker, didn't make it inside! Hahaha!"

"They had the big rockets ready, but you missed your shot!"

"Ha, hilarious!"

The buzz outside the auditorium injected a festive vibe into the live stream.

People's emotions don't always resonate with one another; their joy was theirs alone, while I just found the noise bothersome.

Upon reaching the auditorium, Lulu instinctively pouted, realizing the fans were right—she couldn't even snag a seat.

"Look, I told you to hurry up, but no, you wouldn't listen. Now, we can't even get through the auditorium doors!"

Clearly, Lulu had been frustrated with Xu Wenn's leisurely pace the whole way and now blamed him for their predicament.

What's worse, watching Lu Ming's speech on a screen outside was nothing like being inside the auditorium, and her fans certainly weren't going to accept any excuses.

It was all falling apart. In hindsight, she should have made some grand promises to her fans.

Now, she was really at risk of losing followers. With barely a hundred fans, many of whom were casual and inconsistent, any further loss could spell disaster.

She might have to start thinking about whether to turn to factory work or construction sooner rather than later.

Xu Wenn could only roll his eyes at Lulu's complaints. He couldn't fathom why everyone was so obsessed with Lu Ming, who was, after all, just an ordinary guy.

Besides, the only reason others weren't allowed into the auditorium was the sheer number of spectators. But as the spokesperson for his classroom team, he wasn't bound by that rule. There was no need for him to rush.

"Come on, let's go inside!"

"What? Go inside?"

Lulu gave Xu Wenn a once-over.

The guy didn't look like he was worth more than fifty yuan, so frugal that he wouldn't even discard a bun that had hit the ground. And there he was, with a two-liter water bottle tucked under his arm...

He hardly looked like someone with special privileges.

What made him think he could just waltz into the auditorium?

Did he really believe being a freshman at Dinghai University gave him that right?

"Do you think you're some kind of school official? Haven't you noticed that plenty of other freshmen are stuck outside watching on the big screen?"

"Have you seen those two beefy security guards at the entrance?"

Lulu gestured towards them.

Following Lulu's gesture, Xu Wenn noticed the two security guards stationed at the auditorium's entrance, decked out in riot gear and looking quite formidable.

"Yeah, I see them. So what?"

Xu Wenn asked, puzzled.

Lulu squinted at him with a touch of scorn.

"They could toss you out with just one hand, given your size!"

Xu Wenn shot her a look as if she were the fool, his eyebrows quivering slightly as he confidently strode toward the auditorium's main doors.

"Hey, wait for me!"

Lulu, a bit panicked, hurried after him with quick, short steps.

"I'll bet a rocket he's just bluffing!"

"I'll put down two! He's going to get thrown out!"

"Does anyone else think this guy is just trying to get Lulu's attention?"

"Totally agree!"

"Trying to impress a girl without a dime to his name, that's not going to work!"

"Someone upstairs, give us more details!"

"Oh no! Lulu, run for it, there's trouble!"

Clearly, the fans, just like Lulu, were convinced Xu Wenn was just putting on airs.

And he was doing it on a shoestring budget, no less! How audacious!

They were all eager to see Xu Wenn's blunder.

But as the two security guards recognized Xu Wenn approaching, they exchanged a brief look. When he was still several meters from the door, they dutifully swung it open and gave him a polite nod.

"Ah? It... it really opened!" Lulu was completely flabbergasted.

What was happening here?

This wasn't right!

Could he actually have special access?

As Xu Wenn entered the auditorium doors, a stunned Lulu seemed to have a sudden realization and dashed forward, eager for answers.

"The auditorium is at capacity, student. Please watch on the large screen," the security guard said, blocking Lulu's path without a hint of sympathy.

"Ah? But he... and I..."