C3 A Huge Surprise

The limited-edition sneakers paired seamlessly with the cropped, tight jeans, showcasing a stretch of flawless ankles. Her legs were long and straight, so striking that they seemed to defy nature itself. Casually assembled, her fair, oval face stood out remarkably, with features so refined they eclipsed those of any internet sensation. Her beauty was an undeniable ninety-five out of a hundred.

"Huixin, what's the deal with Qin Feng today?"

"Has he lost his mind? He didn't even bother to get your meal or save you a seat?"

Ning Huixin's roommates, Wang Yan and Zhao Yu, began to mock Qin Feng.

With a slight smile and a playful tone, Ning Huixin responded, "He mentioned there'd be a surprise in an hour."

Just then, Wang Yan's phone rang.

"Little Yan, it looks like Qin Feng hit the jackpot. He's planning to treat Ning University's most beautiful girl to a feast of Australian lobster and Alaskan king crab at the Shangri-la Great Hotel. I bet he's gearing up to confess!"

"What? Repeat that!" Wang Yan was taken aback. She switched her phone to speaker mode and had Lee Meng repeat his words.

"So, Qin Feng told Huixin about a surprise in an hour. That's what this is all about," Wang Yan relayed to Lee Meng.

"Hey, Little Yan, if Qin Feng's inviting the campus belle out, there's no way he'd leave you behind. Make sure you bring me along too!"

"Look at you, so pathetic!" Wang Yan ended the call and started to sweet-talk Ning Huixin, as if terrified of being left out. "I should've known. How could Qin Feng afford to upset Huixin? Looks like he's seriously planning to confess today!"

Ning Huixin didn't say much, but her face, already brimming with self-assurance, beamed even more. Yet, her contempt for Qin Feng deepened. Inwardly, she scoffed, "Confess to me? As if a meal of lobster and crab is enough. He's like a toad lusting after swan meat. He doesn't even see what he's really worth. He's only good for holding a seat and fetching food."

After leaving Lee Meng's dorm, Qin Feng wore a conspiratorial smirk. He made his way back to his own room.

"There's an event tonight, and I, Young Master Qin, am footing the bill. Let's roll!" Qin Feng declared with a flourish of his hand. His two roommates sprang from their chairs, abandoning their chicken dinners in an instant.

"Seriously?" boomed Liu Daqiang, a man built like a small mountain, hailing from the remote northwestern countryside. He was known for his simplicity, sincerity, and warmth.

"Did you get paid or something?" inquired Meng Xu, the other, more slender roommate. A native of the Magic City, he was sharp-witted, a gaming whiz with aspirations of becoming a pro e-sports player.

"Hit the jackpot," Qin Feng said nonchalantly, gesturing to them. "Come on, we'll grab a drink at Shangri-la, then hit up the best internet cafe for an all-nighter."

"For real?"

"No way! Is winning the lottery that easy?"

Liu Daqiang and Meng Xu gaped at Qin Feng, their eyes wide with a mix of astonishment and skepticism.

"Okay, cards on the table—I'm actually the heir to a major family, just out here getting some real-life experience," Qin Feng confessed with a shrug of resignation.

"Master Qin, you're incredible!"

"Master Qin, you're the man!"

Liu Daqiang and Meng Xu weren't concerned with the details of inheritance; they knew that if their roommate was on a roll, they'd be dining well by association!

Student friendships are just like that—uncomplicated and full of fervor.

Qin Feng and his crew left the campus behind, making a beeline for the Shangri-la Great Hotel. They indulged in a feast of Australian lobsters, Alaskan king crabs, and cases of Ace of Spades beer, truly a no-holds-barred culinary spree.

At Magic City University, word quickly spread that Qin Feng was planning to treat Ning Huixin to a lavish meal at the Shangri-la Great Hotel in an hour, along with a heartfelt confession. Ning Huixin's roommates' phones were blowing up as it seemed everyone was angling for an invite to Qin Feng's Shangri-la feast.

An hour flew by in a flash.

Led by Lee Meng, a throng of students assembled beneath Ning Huixin's dormitory.

"Why hasn't Qin Feng shown up yet?"

"He must've chickened out."

"After three years of playing the devoted suitor, would he really bail now?"

"Exactly. Ning's ice queen act could make anyone shiver in their boots, but Qin Feng? He's probably shaking in his shoes right now. Hahaha."

A group of boys were simultaneously discussing and mocking on one side of the campus.

Likewise, Ning Huixin's dorm room was anything but quiet. A crowd of female students, drawn by the buzz, had congregated there, all eager with gossip-fueled curiosity. They were all dying to see how Qin Feng would declare his love for Ning Huixin and how he planned to whisk her away to the Shangri-la Great Hotel.

"More than an hour's passed. Why hasn't Qin Feng shown up yet?"

"Could this guy actually stand up the campus beauty?"

"Would he even dare?"

Amidst the chatter, the girls also started to tease Qin Feng.

Ning Huixin, on the other hand, was unshakable, confident that Qin Feng wouldn't dare stand her up. She had Qin Feng completely figured out.

Wang Yan, however, was not pleased. She promptly called Lee Meng, "Call Qin Feng, will you? What's the deal? Is Huixin supposed to just wait here?"

Downstairs in the girls' dormitory building, Lee Meng sprang into action following Wang Yan's directive. He fished out Qin Feng's number and dialed. As the call connected, he didn't mince words, "Hey! Qin Feng, what's the hold-up? It's been over an hour. Why aren't you here yet?"

Meanwhile, Qin Feng, indulging in a feast at the Shangri-la Great Hotel with Liu Daqiang and Meng Xu, clinked glasses before answering Lee Meng with a grin, "When did I ever say I was taking Ning Huixin out to eat?"

Silence fell on the line.

"Weren't you planning some grand gesture?" Lee Meng pressed on after a pause, unwilling to let it go.

"Of course! Shangri-la Great Hotel, Australian lobster, Black Ace champagne—doesn't that count as grand?"

"But what about your confession to the campus belle?"

"When did I ever say I was going to do that?"

"You mentioned a surprise for the campus belle, didn't you?"

"I said there'd be a surprise, not that it was for her. Can't the surprise be for Daqiang and Xuzi?"

"You..."

"Look, all I asked was which restaurant was top-notch because I wanted to treat Daqiang and Xuzi to drinks, then hit up the coolest internet cafe for an all-nighter. It's as simple as that. I'm hanging up now."

Qin Feng abruptly ended the call and went back to his drink.

At Magic City University.

Lee Meng stood there, phone in hand, completely dazed for what seemed like an eternity.

The group of classmates huddled around had all overheard the exchange between Qin Feng and Lee Meng, and each one of them was rooted to the spot in utter disbelief.

It wasn't until Wang Yan's phone rang again that Lee Meng snapped out of his stupor.

"What the hell is up with Qin Feng?" Wang Yan was livid. Nearly ninety minutes had passed, and there was still no sign of him?

"Little Yan..." Lee Meng's strained voice crackled through Wang Yan's phone, "Qin Feng never claimed he was going to confess his feelings to Ning Huixin, the campus belle. He was asking me for a high-end restaurant recommendation to treat his roommate to a lavish dinner. And about that surprise Qin Feng mentioned, have Ning Huixin check her phone. Did he ever explicitly say the surprise was for her? In fact, the surprise was meant for Liu Daqiang and Meng Xu. They're planning to hit an internet cafe for an all-nighter after their feast..."

Wang Yan's hand shook, cutting Lee Meng off mid-sentence as she abruptly ended the call.

A heavy silence descended upon Ning Huixin's dorm room.

Everyone was as still as statues, their eyes fixed intently on Ning Huixin, the center of attention...

Ning Huixin's face flushed a deep crimson before draining to a ghostly pale, her composure dissolving into fury.