Lin Shutong’s heart felt like it was being torn apart.

"Actually, I'm just an ordinary person. All I ever wanted was a simple kind of love, but things just never turned out that way," Chen Yuan said sincerely.

He really was just a regular guy, with no grand status or impressive background. But in Zhao Yuqi's eyes, Chen Yuan was being far too humble!

Her suspicions were confirmed—Chen Yuan was purposely hiding his true identity, seeking a love free from material ties.

He didn't want his wealth to influence how someone felt about him. But reality often paints a harsh picture: people with nothing to offer rarely have the luxury of experiencing true love.

Fairytales are, after all, just that—fairytales.

Without money, you can't give a woman romance, security, or the refined lifestyle she might want. Why would anyone choose you?

By pretending to be a "nobody" to test someone's feelings, you're bound to end up being strung along. You're destined to be kept in the background, to become the backup plan—the "nice guy" waiting in the wings.

...

Let's break it down.

After leaving the lobster restaurant, Chen Yuan walked away, while Lin Shutong returned to her dorm, completely heartbroken.

She felt like she had truly messed things up this time. Not only had she been fooled by the scumbag Huang Junkai, but it seemed that Chen Yuan had also given up on her for good.

In the past, Lin Shutong wouldn't have cared what Chen Yuan thought. After all, he was just a "simp." If he left, so be it—she could always find another. Her "pond" was never short of fish;

it wasn't just Chen Yuan and Huang Junkai, but plenty of others floating around, ready to fill the gap if necessary.

Sure, they weren't all ideal, but they were better than nothing, right? A temporary fix, if you will.

But this time, it felt different. She started to take a real interest in Chen Yuan, especially as he became more generous, more confident, and even started to show some masculinity when it came to standing up for himself.

It made her realize that maybe she never really knew him at all. Even the campus goddesses like Zhao Yuqi and Xu Lele had started to approach Chen Yuan, making Lin Shutong realize he was more than just an ordinary guy—he had depth.

"Shutong! You're finally back! I found out something HUGE today, but you were out with Huang Junkai, so I waited to tell you," Sun Rui said excitedly, with a playful raise of her eyebrows.

"What is it?" Lin Shutong asked, her face emotionless. Clearly, her mood wasn't great after everything that had happened that day. The humiliation and betrayal were too much for her to handle all at once.

"Do you know who 'Lonely Cigarette' really is?" Sun Rui asked.

"Lonely Cigarette? The big-shot trending on Weibo? The one who spent ten million on a livestreamer?"

"Not ten million—twenty million! Shutong, listen, last night I was casually scrolling through Douyin, and guess who was the top streamer on the platform?

Zhao Yuqi! I was stunned! Not only did she hit the top spot, but the total value of gifts in her stream hit a hundred million, which means someone dropped ten million yuan on her.

And that someone was none other than 'Lonely Cigarette.' But wait, here's the kicker—I followed 'Lonely Cigarette's' Douyin account and found out he's on my WeChat friend list. And guess who it is? Chen Yuan!"

"Oh my god, you won't believe how shocked I was! Chen Yuan, the guy we thought was a loser, is actually the mega-rich 'Lonely Cigarette,' throwing millions around online? He must've been hiding his true identity all along! I bet that whole 'his family got rich from a house demolition' thing is fake—he's probably some second-generation billionaire or CEO! Shutong, you're about to hit the jackpot! If you marry into wealth, don't forget about your friends!" Sun Rui babbled on, too excited to stop.

Lin Shutong stood there, thunderstruck. It felt like she'd just been hit by a ton of bricks.

"Wait… what did you just say? Chen Yuan… he's 'Lonely Cigarette'?"

"It's true! I couldn't believe it either at first, but the Douyin account is linked to his WeChat, so there's no mistake. Plus, Chen Yuan casually transferred five grand to you—no way his parents just handed him that kind of money after a house demolition. The only explanation is that he's secretly rich, a real-deal tycoon! Shutong, forget about Huang Junkai and get with Chen Yuan!"

Sun Rui's suggestion was like a knife to Lin Shutong's heart. The more she thought about it, the more it hurt. Her heart felt like it was bleeding.

"Stop! Xiaorui, just stop!"

"Shutong, why are you crying?"

Lin Shutong's heart ached as if it had been torn apart. Now she finally understood why Zhao Yuqi had gone out to dinner with Chen Yuan alone. He had spent a whopping ten million yuan on her livestream.

That was ten million yuan—money that should've been hers! How had she let it slip away to Zhao Yuqi, that shameless woman?

The wealthy man she had been chasing after for so long was right in front of her all along! He was even richer than she had imagined and had always been devoted to her, the perfect dream guy. And yet, she had pushed him away.

At this moment, she wanted to slap herself hard for not realizing the treasure she had all along. It wasn't just foolishness—it was downright stupidity!

"No! This can't be happening!"

"Chen Yuan is mine! I haven't lost yet—I can still win him back!"

"I'm not giving up like this. I have to get Chen Yuan back!"

After enduring all this heartache, Lin Shutong made up her mind to fight back. As the saying goes, "A man chasing a woman is like crossing a mountain; a woman chasing a man is like pulling a thin veil."

And Chen Yuan had been chasing her for three years. His feelings wouldn't just disappear overnight. If she took the initiative now, she knew she still had a chance to win him back!

"Hey, Fourth Bro, why are you back so late again? Haven't seen you gaming lately. Where've you been showing off?" asked Zhou Haiquan, one of Chen Yuan's roommates.

"Didn't I already tell you guys? I went out for dinner with Zhao Yuqi. Afterward, we were bored, so we did a bit of shopping. She even bought me a pair of Yeezys," Chen Yuan said calmly, pointing to his new shoes.

"Come on, man! Even if you're going to brag, at least make it believable. Zhao Yuqi took you out for dinner and bought you shoes? The more you talk, the more ridiculous it gets!"

"Fine, you don't believe me, whatever. Maybe she's trying to chase after me, who knows?"

"Get the hell out of here! Should we beat him up?"

"Yeah, let's teach him a lesson!"

"Fourth Bro, take this—Dragon Palm Strike!"

"The Dragon Repents!"

"Monkey Steals the Peach!"

"Family-Destroying Kick!"

"..."