"Brother Lie, why are you here?"

Fang Feifei stood up in utter surprise, absentmindedly putting down her plate.

If Han Lie had been even two seconds later, she might have flipped the plate over—Cursing my Sister Ting? I'll show you what's what!

See? You wouldn't have guessed, would you?

This girl later got into so many fights with other girls, pulling hair and throwing things, her nature possessing a touch of madness. She might be slight, but her fighting spirit was anything but weak.

Yin Qin, completely oblivious to the bullet she'd dodged, glared at Han Lie, gritting her teeth, her breath coming in hisses.

"You're the bastard! Your whole family are bastards!"

Having already been plunged into society, her brazenness could match anyone's.

What surprised her, however, was that after she finished cursing, the male students led by Yu Xueqin suddenly paled.

"Uh, Young Master Han..."

Yang Jinming and Fang Tong stood up of their own accord, their faces awkward, at a loss for how to smooth things over.

"So... have you eaten yet?"

Damn, this was awkward. Not just for the one speaking, but even for those watching from the sidelines.

The main issue was that they truly didn't know how to act around Han Lie. Inwardly, they weren't willing to accept him, but they also knew they couldn't afford to provoke him.

Publicly, Han Lie was a student the school formally recognized. He could even bypass the student council to directly contact school leaders. Privately, Han Lie was on excellent terms with the influential upperclassmen of the International Studies Department, and he himself was a wild, second-generation rich.

Under normal circumstances, no one wanted to offend him.

But Han Lie was also the very reason the student council's side income had drastically diminished. Ever since Fang Tongzhi, Liu Yingjun, and their group started living off-campus, Yu Xueqin and the others had been stripped of their substantial kickbacks. The dividends, seemingly modest, didn't impact survival but greatly affected their quality of life. Without them, Yang Jinming couldn't even afford to get a room with his girlfriend anymore.

So their feelings towards Han Lie were incredibly complex. On one hand, they admired and feared him; on the other, they deeply loathed him. Outwardly, this made them appear incredibly conflicted.

Yin Qin had a giant question mark written all over her face. "Fang Tong?"

Yang Jinming quietly kicked her boot under the table, using enough force to convey an unmistakable hint.

Yin Qin wasn't stupid and quickly realized the man opposite her was bad news.

His surname was Han, and they called him Brother Lie...

Holy shit, Han Lie?! The one true god of our crummy little school?!

Yin Qin felt both angry and anxious, glaring fiercely at Xi Luting.

All your fault, you bitch!

Truthfully, she didn't want to offend Han Lie. Having competence and coming from a wealthy family are two entirely different concepts. Given the personal abilities Han Lie had demonstrated, he was worth fawning over to any degree.

But now, it's all fucked up...

Yin Qin glared at Xi Luting a couple more times, her eyes landing on Xi's coat. Suddenly, inspiration struck, and a guess blurted out of her.

"Did Han Lie buy that coat for you?!"

Xi Luting didn't want to boast, but since someone had guessed, she wasn't about to deny it.

"So what if he did? None of your damn business!"

Her words landed like a bombshell.

"Ah!" Fang Feifei exclaimed, half envious and half in disbelief. "Really? Brother Lie is so generous..."

"Don't worry, you won't be left out," Han Lie chimed in with a smile. "You can look forward to a surprise on your birthday..."

"Yes, yes!"

Fang Feifei nodded vigorously, her eyes nearly disappearing into a smile.

Good Brother Lie, all those cafeteria meals I treated you to weren't for nothing!

Han Lie's response solidified the origin of Xi Luting's coat, leaving no room for doubt.

Yin Qin's mouth hung open, utterly speechless. She scrutinized Xi Luting from head to toe, green with envy.

Why are you so favored?!

Just a tall, thin lamppost, as flat as a man!

Xi Luting sensed that venomous gaze. She slightly lifted her chin and crossed her arms, incidentally revealing her left wrist. There, Yin Qin saw a diamond-encrusted watch from a brand she didn't recognize. The sheer luxury of the full-diamond setting and its unique artistic style screamed "expensive" without a second thought.

Suddenly, Yin Qin felt herself withdrawing...

Wang Tianqing licked her lips, casting a sultry glance at the wealthy Han Lie. She wasn't envious. Han Lie was a generous man, and she believed she too had a chance to receive such precious and thoughtful gifts, if only she could be a bit more... agreeable.

Time to arrange something new next time!

Tan Xuan bit her lower lip in silence, looking at Xi Luting with disappointment. She finally understood why Xi Luting looked down on a 2,000-yuan-per-day promotional modeling job. Anyone with that kind of boyfriend would lose interest in such paltry, hard-earned money.

But what about your strength and independence?! Those most admirable qualities of yours—ambition, attitude, dignity—have they all been defeated by money now?!

Tan Xuan half-turned to glance at Han Lie, her internal sigh catching in her throat.

Huh? Wait a minute...

Han Lie didn't seem to be that kind of loathsome, spoiled rich kid, did he?

Standing tall, broad-shouldered with long legs, a sharp profile, a glint in his eyes...

Not only handsome, but he also had a certain charisma.

Even without money, he would still be a great catch.

Add his personal capabilities to the mix... My god, isn't that like hitting the life's jackpot?!

Tan Xuan realized she had initially misjudged. Her mood instantly became incredibly nuanced, complex beyond description.

In comparison, Yang Jinming and Fang Tong's emotions were simple—they were green with envy. Their family backgrounds were very ordinary. They had climbed to their current positions only through their steadfast support of Yu Xueqin.

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