Chapter 55 Scheme[Part 1]

After leaving Zijin Bay, Zhou Yi first opened the forum to take a look. He found it flooded with posts mocking Gao Wenhao. Seeing so many people ridiculing him put his mind at ease.

As he scrolled through, the battery icon on his phone turned red, indicating critically low power. "It's probably time to get a new phone," he thought. "This one doesn't hold a charge anymore."

His old phone was from a domestic brand that had served him well for several years. It was durable, but its battery life had become unreliable. Zhou Yi took a taxi to an Apple store and bought two of the latest models—one for himself and one as a gift for Jingwen.

Although he had purchased a new house earlier that day, it was too late to move in, so he decided to delay the move until tomorrow. For tonight, he would return to his small apartment. However, he hadn't eaten dinner yet, and his stomach was growling loudly.

He planned to meet up with Jingwen, have dinner, and then head back to his rental. On the way, his phone buzzed incessantly. When he checked WeChat, he saw even more friend requests after the recent house-buying incident. Besides women, many men who had been entertained by the drama on the forum had somehow obtained his contact information.

One request stood out: a user with a cartoon avatar had written, "Add me, Daddy!" Zhou Yi couldn't help but laugh. He didn't mind adding such amusing characters, so he accepted the request before replying to other messages.

[Xinxin Loves Candy (a nickname): I saw Gao Wenhao's livestream on the forum. He looked like such a clown, hahaha.]

[Zhou Yi: He practically offered his face for me to slap. What could I do?]

Wang Yixin had been laughing at Gao Wenhao throughout the livestream. When she saw Zhou Yi purchase a house without hesitation, her admiration for him skyrocketed. Wasn't this the epitome of tall, rich, and handsome? Thinking back to their kiss earlier, she blushed involuntarily.

Though Wang Yixin enjoyed flirting, she was still just a young girl inexperienced in the ways of the world. How could someone like Zhou Yi not captivate her heart? Her close friends kept urging her in their group chat to ask about his family background. Finally, curiosity got the better of her.

[Xinxin Loves Candy: Brother, you're so amazing! Can I ask—are the rumors true? Are you really from a wealthy family?]

[Zhou Yi: No, I'm just an ordinary person.]

[Xinxin Loves Candy: Oh, come on, you're being modest! Those spoiled rich kids can't wait to brag about their wealth. A real gentleman would be as humble and low-key as you are!]

[Zhou Yi: I'm not a gentleman.]

[Xinxin Loves Candy: Alright, alright, I get it. Message received.]

Zhou Yi smiled to himself. This was deliberate. He wanted people to know he had money, but he didn't want to appear boastful. Giving gifts to Wang Yixin was step one. She loved showing off and had plenty of friends; soon enough, everyone would know he was wealthy. Chu Han would surely react, and his reputation would rise accordingly. As for others' flattery, all he needed to do was deny it. Money might attract women, but flaunting it like a nouveau riche would only make them love his wealth while despising him personally.

Zhou Yi exchanged a few brief words with her and stopped replying. A god-like figure needed to maintain a certain aloofness—he didn't need to respond to every message.

Next, he turned to Xia Qiuzhi's messages. He had kept her anxiously waiting all day. Despite sending countless texts, she hadn't received a single reply.

9:40 AM:

[Ah-Zhi: Yi-Gege, I was wrong to treat you like that before. I've realized my mistake. Please don't stay mad at me, okay?]