Chapter 36: Insider and Competition**

**Chapter 36: Insider and Competition**

Gu Qianli glanced at her watch as she ran, feeling a bit annoyed at how lazy her roommates were being. However, her upbringing and character didn't allow her to lose her temper easily, so she held it in.

She hoped she wouldn't keep Qingshan waiting for too long...

Today was the last gathering of the semester; the next time they'd meet would be more than two months later...

Thinking about not seeing him for two months made her feel a bit sad.

As she kept running, Gu Qianli finally arrived at the west gate of the school.

At this moment, quite a few people were gathered at the west gate. Most of the students had chosen to go home today, or, like Gu Qianli's dorm, to have one last meal together at the end of the semester.

So there were still quite a few people around.

Her hurried and anxious appearance caught the attention of many.

"Hey? Isn't that Qianli?"

"Isn't that Senior Qianli?"

Many students from the Computer Science Department recognized Gu Qianli.

After all, she was quite a well-known figure in the department.

[Translator: sauron]

Gu Qianli greeted everyone who approached her, not turning anyone away.

Then she began searching for Lin Qingshan. It didn't take long for her to spot a tall, slim figure with a pet backpack.

She broke into a delighted smile and quickly walked over.

"Sorry, Qingshan, did I keep you waiting long?"

Gu Qianli was slightly out of breath, apologizing as she spoke.

Lin Qingshan had indeed been waiting for a while, as he usually liked to arrive early.

For example, during his first meeting with Ayumi Ito, he had also arrived early to wait for her.

This meeting with Gu Qianli was no exception. He had left at 9:00 AM and had been waiting for about ten minutes by 9:30.

But...

"Haha, I haven't been waiting long at all. Don't worry."

Lin Qingshan laughed it off, saying, "You can ask Pochita. Right, Pochita?"

The dog in the pet backpack immediately responded with a "Woof woof!"

"It says yes."

Lin Qingshan joked with a grin.

Seeing Lin Qingshan like this, Gu Qianli couldn't help but giggle.

Being with Lin Qingshan was always so comforting.

You never had to worry about him getting angry or having negative emotions; he seemed to never have any worries.

On the contrary, sometimes he would make you laugh without even trying.

Being with such a cheerful person was truly a joy.

The students who knew Gu Qianli at the university gate saw her rush over to a man and chat happily with him. They couldn't help but start whispering among themselves.

"Is that Qianli's boyfriend?"

"Hey, no way, right? Has the campus beauty of our Computer Science Department been snatched by some guy from outside?"

"He looks pretty decent, but who knows what his background is..."

"Wow, my heart's breaking! Our Computer Science Department already has so few girls, and now the only flower has been picked?"

"They look like a perfect match. What right do you have to object?"

...

The students' murmurs and curious gazes caught Lin Qingshan's attention.

He tilted his head slightly and leaned closer to Gu Qianli, whispering, "Qianli, you seem pretty famous at your school."

Gu Qianli followed his gaze and quickly noticed the students talking behind her.

Lin Qingshan could understand why. A beautiful, gentle, and well-off university student like Gu Qianli was bound to be popular wherever she went.

Gu Qianli sighed, "Actually... it's not that bad. If it weren't for Guo Guo submitting my ID photo for that campus beauty contest, I'd probably be a nobody..."

Back in her freshman year, Du Guo Guo had taken her campus ID photo and, without her knowledge, entered it in the campus beauty contest, making her an instant sensation.

That unedited, makeup-free photo was enough to make Gu Qianli an overnight star.

Later, many people began paying attention to her, and some even noticed that at the start and end of each semester, Gu Qianli was picked up by a luxury car worth millions.

The driver treated her with utmost respect, leading many to speculate that she was a wealthy heiress.

Further digging by her peers in the Computer Science Department revealed, through her three roommates, that Gu Qianli never lacked money and often treated others.

This pretty much confirmed her status as a wealthy young lady, though her family's business remained a mystery.

During her sophomore year, her teachers and classmates exposed her grades and GPA, showing that she was not only beautiful, well-mannered, and wealthy but also academically outstanding.

This turned her into a sensation on the university's forums and QQ groups.

With so many added perks, Gu Qianli successfully topped the campus beauty contest in her sophomore year.

So yes, she was quite famous.

But Gu Qianli herself didn't care much for this title. After all, who in their right mind would want to be labeled a campus beauty or campus hunk?

She just wanted to study quietly at school...

Lin Qingshan seemed to pick up on her thoughts and quickly changed the subject.

"By the way, where are your classmates?"

He already knew that this gathering was a dorm-to-dorm meetup, with the main goal of setting up one of Gu Qianli's roommates.

"They're still getting ready. I was worried you'd be waiting too long, so I came out first to find you."

Gu Qianli apologized sincerely.

"Ah, alright then... let's just wait here..."

Lin Qingshan shrugged, not minding it at all.

...

Meanwhile, Lin You'an and the others had just met up with Li Zhiqiu and her group.

Li Zhiqiu blushed when she saw Cheng Xuezhu.

Lin You'an quietly walked beside Du Guo Guo, asking in a low voice, "Qianli left in such a hurry, saying she was meeting a friend... Do you know who that friend is?"

Du Guo Guo replied, "It's the person who saved Qianli's life before... Don't worry, Qianli isn't with him, and she doesn't seem interested in him either."

Indeed, she had already become Lin You'an's insider after being persuaded and "bribed" by him.

This gathering was also Lin You'an's idea.

Lin You'an felt somewhat relieved, thinking that this person was probably just a friend of Gu Qianli's.

But still, he was a potential competitor.

He was quite curious to see what this hero who saved Gu Qianli looked like.

The group arrived outside the west gate, quickly spotting Gu Qianli, who stood out in the crowd.

Lin You'an then looked at the young man beside Gu Qianli. When he saw the man's sharply defined face, he froze.

"Bro?"