As the champion, runner-up, and third-place teams went up to receive their awards, a group of girls had already created a mini chat group called “Ren Yanjing Support Group”. The group was full of photos of Ren Yanjing standing on the podium, holding his gold medal.
“Ladies, next time there’s a chance for autographs, let’s post it in the group so no one misses it.”
“Ugh, it was almost my turn just now, and then—ugh! What did his girlfriend say to him?”
“Maybe she had something urgent, so he had to leave.”
“Ren Yanjing is seriously so handsome.”
“This man is ridiculously charming… too bad he has a girlfriend.”
“So what? She’s just a girlfriend.”
“Exactly! Even married couples split sometimes.”
Li Ran and her friend were in the chat too. Most of the fans at the competition venue had been added to this group.
Scrolling through the messages, Li Ran felt a faint twinge of disappointment.
As a top student at B University, she had her pride. No matter what, Ren Yanjing was just a guy with a girlfriend—she needed to keep her distance.
Still… some things were hard to do, even when she knew exactly what she should do. How could a person perfectly control their heart?
If one could, would they even be human?
Her friend was far more active in the group. One user, “Yi Tiao Yu,” said: “I know his girlfriend. She’s at my school, same major in art, but a year below me—just a freshman this year.”
The message immediately drew attention.
“Wait, she’s not at B University?”
Yi Tiao Yu: “Of course not. Don’t overthink it. Her grades are nothing special.”
“Can she even have anything in common with Ren Yanjing?”
Yi Tiao Yu: “Probably not. I’m an art student myself—I know my peers.”
“But… she’s so pretty…”
Yi Tiao Yu: “Typical—beautiful, nothing else. Ask her about any robotics algorithms and she’d be completely clueless.”
“LOL, perfect description.”
“From now on, I’m renaming the group to ‘Is Ren Yanjing Single Today?’”
Tang Zhen snapped a photo of Ren Yanjing too.
Even at the peak of his life, he restrained his smile. It was composed, controlled, a stark contrast to his teammates’ grinning faces showing all eight teeth, but the warmth still shone through his eyes.
This was Ren Yanjing at twenty.
Full of ambition and vitality, the future at his feet.
Tang Zhen clapped for him from the audience.
It didn’t matter who she was or what her relationship to him was. At this moment, she simply wanted to applaud him.
000: 【Eh?】
Tang Zhen: “What is it, Sanquan?”
000: 【This fan group—Ren Yanjing Support Group—someone is asking in the chat when you and Ren Yanjing will break up… this is infuriating.】
Tang Zhen blinked in confusion. “But we’re supposed to break up in a little over two months anyway. Why are you mad, Sanquan?”
【I know you and the male lead will break up, but what business is it of theirs? Your relationship isn’t for them to comment on! Wait, I’ll handle them.】
Tang Zhen: ???
“Sanquan?”
【Zhen, I’ve joined the group.】
“Ah?”
Suddenly, in the Ren Yanjing Support Group, a new user called Sanquan popped up.
This newcomer quietly posted: “Ren Yanjing won’t be signing for you anymore.” Then immediately went silent. No matter how many @ mentions came, they stayed hidden.
000 chuckled inwardly. No matter how the story between the second female lead and Ren Yanjing ended, at least right now, things were fine. As a shipper leader, Sanquan would occasionally drop sweet moments of Ren Yanjing and Tang Zhen into the group.
Don’t ask. The point was to make everyone jealous!
After receiving his medal, Ren Yanjing stepped down from the podium with his teammates.
Tang Zhen walked a few steps toward him. Just as they met, something was draped around her neck. Looking down, she realized it was his medal.
Gold, heavy, beautiful, with a little robot engraved—cute and intricate.
Tang Zhen lifted her fair, delicate face, her soft red lips opening and closing. “How… did you give this to me?”
Ren Yanjing stared at her lips.
Ever since she had whispered into his ear, he unconsciously noticed that spot.
Soft.
Inviting.
He looked away casually. “It’s for you.”
The three words caused his teammates to cheer loudly around him.
“Ooooh, he gave it to you!”
“Wife, this is from bro—accept it!”
“Even though this isn’t Jing God’s first medal, it’s the most meaningful one yet, and he gave it to his wife—I’m touched!”
“Why didn’t anyone give me a medal?”
“Shut up. You already have one.”
While his teammates joked around, Ren Yanjing slipped one hand into his pocket and took Tang Zhen’s hand with the other. “Let’s go, time to eat.”
They had first place. Their supervising teacher had booked a private room for a celebratory meal. Once back at school, the team would receive generous rewards. The competition had brought them both fame and prizes.
They had barely walked a few steps when a few girls swarmed around them.
“Ren Yanjing, sign for me!”
“Me too, Ren Yanjing!”
Ren Yanjing apologized politely, and teammates like Zhang Mian stepped up to help handle the crowd. “I can sign for you.”
Shen Quanli: “I can too! I’ll do it!”
A girl with heavy makeup sneered, “Who cares about you? I want Ren Yanjing to sign for me!”
Her tone made the supervising teacher and Ren Yanjing’s group frown.
Ren Yanjing was outstanding, yes—but so were his teammates. All were nineteen or twenty, energetic and passionate. They offered autographs, only to be dismissed.
The teacher frowned. “Students, my team members aren’t professional autograph givers. They’re students too—please understand.”
Then another female voice rang out. “Ren Yanjing, why did you suddenly stop signing? Is it because of your girlfriend?”
Tang Zhen: …
She hadn’t expected anyone to figure it out.
But that voice sounded familiar.
000 quickly identified her: 【That’s the female lead’s friend, Lu Yu.】
Tang Zhen turned to see striking icy-blue hair. Bold and attention-grabbing. Then… the girl beside her must be the female lead.
Before Tang Zhen could examine further, Ren Yanjing pulled her out of the fan circle. Security came to clear the crowd, and they left without incident.
The supervising teacher joked, “You guys are so popular with girls, maybe we need to hire bodyguards in the future.”
Ren Yanjing replied calmly, “Do it.”
Everyone could tell he wasn’t joking—he was serious.
The teacher nodded. “I’ll speak to the school later. Your safety comes first. Don’t worry about anything.”
While the team discussed bodyguards, 000 was venting to Tang Zhen about the female lead’s friend.
【Why should she care? Jumping and shouting over there.】
Then, without hesitation, 000 snapped a photo of Ren Yanjing with Tang Zhen’s shoulder in his arm and immediately posted it to the fan group.
Go ahead. Tremble. Envy. Be jealous.
That’s exactly the effect we want!