Chapter 44: Calm Before the Contest
The next afternoon, the city’s spring breeze carried the scent of magnolia blossoms, dancing between sunbeams and crowded café patios.
Inside a quiet Italian bistro just off campus, Lin Feng sat across from Guo Yuwei. The place was a hidden gem—no flashy sign, no influencer buzz. Just polished wood, soft piano music, and the warm aroma of garlic and truffle oil.
Yuwei looked... hesitant. Her hands kept fidgeting with the edge of the napkin. "You didn’t have to treat me to lunch just because I helped introduce you at the event."
"I didn’t," Lin Feng said calmly, twirling his fork through a bite of pasta. "I wanted to thank you before things get complicated."
She blinked. "Complicated?"
"You haven’t heard?" Lin Feng’s eyes glinted with that signature quiet confidence. "There’s an investment simulation scheduled tonight. The elite circle’s idea of a friendly contest."
Her brows rose. "And you’re joining?"
"I wasn’t invited," he said, setting down his fork, "but apparently, I’m the main character."
Yuwei laughed under her breath, her earlier tension slipping just a little. "I should’ve guessed. The forum’s been buzzing with theories. Some people think you’re a government-backed prince. Others think you hacked the university’s financial system."