Chapter 113 Devoted

On the caller ID,

two words were flashing brightly:

Zhou Cang.

Lin Chen recognized it at a glance; that was his best friend from high school,

a friendship where they practically grew up in the same pair of pants.

He casually picked up.

"Hey, Lin Chen, what are you up to?"

The voice on the other end sounded a bit wilted and depressed,

sounding wrong right from the start.

"I'm alright, just hanging out at school. What about you?"

"Sigh, don't even mention it."

"It's been a month since school started, and we haven't found a chance to get together."

Zhou Cang sighed, his tone sounding even more dejected,

"I recently fell for a girl, but... someone else beat me to it and chased her away."

"My heart feels blocked up. I'm going to find you near your school tonight to have a chat."

Lin Chen smiled; if his brother had a problem, he certainly wouldn't refuse.

"Sure, see you tonight. Dinner's on me."

After hanging up the phone, Su Qingran, who was beside him, finally spoke softly,

her eyes carrying a hint of curiosity.

"Who was it?"

Su Qingran's mouth was still a bit stiff.

Lin Chen said with a smile,

"If you can't make me finish with your mouth next time, then let's just stick to the conventional way."

"My best buddy from high school,"

Lin Chen explained casually,

"He's having some relationship troubles. The girl he liked got snatched away by someone else, so he's coming over to vent to me."

Su Qingran nodded and didn't ask further,

though a bit more softness quietly appeared in the depths of her eyes.

She looked at the boy in front of her; he had only just started school,

yet he always gave off an inexplicable sense of security.

"It's getting late, time to go to class."

Lin Chen checked the time.

Su Qingran lowered her eyes slightly, her voice softening:

"You go first. This is the staff dormitory,"

"If we go out together, it won't look good."

Lin Chen gave a low chuckle, his eyes filled with knowing amusement.

"Understood. Reserved on the surface, but quite frank in private."

He paused, his tone relaxed,

"But... I happen to like you just like this."

Su Qingran's cheeks heated up slightly, and she didn't argue.

Just before heading out, Lin Chen suddenly turned back.

"By the way, I'm planning to go to Hong Kong during National Day."

"Is there anything you want? I'll bring it back for you."

Su Qingran looked up, gazing at his clean-cut profile and sunny temperament,

and that bit of favorability in her heart surged uncontrollably again.

[Ding—Detected Su Qingran's favorability toward Host +3, current favorability: 98]

[favorability 98 and above judgment: Devoted heart and soul, body and mind both belong to the Host.]

Lin Chen clicked his tongue inwardly.

This was a bit ridiculously fast.

Overnight, he had directly won over the young and beautiful Counselor,

and to the top-tier level of being **devoted heart and soul**.

That million was an absolute steal to spend.

Su Qingran shook her head gently:

"No need, you've already helped me so much."

"I'm going home for National Day to accompany my mom and take care of my grandmother together,"

"You just have a good time yourself."

Lin Chen smiled:

"You've got it wrong, I'm not going there for fun."

Su Qingran was stunned:

"Ah?"

"I'm going to Hong Kong to register a company; I'm planning to start an investment firm."

Su Qingran was instantly dazed,

the way she looked at Lin Chen completely changed.

Only nineteen years old and just started his freshman year,

while others were still figuring out how to skip class or how to date,

he was already planning to register a company, do investments, and lay out his future.

Steady, ambitious, and not boastful.

Handsome, capable, and wealthy.

She became increasingly certain in her heart that being with him was absolutely right.

"Mm..."

Su Qingran responded softly, her eyes full of trust,

"Then if there's anything you need my help with, tell me anytime."

Lin Chen's heart stirred slightly.

98 favorability points, devoted heart and soul...

He really wanted to test just how exaggerated this level was.

He deliberately spoke in a half-joking, half-serious tone:

"Well, if I have quite a few girlfriends and ask you to be my 'Harem Manager',"

"would you be willing?"

"It just so happens to match your job as a Counselor managing people."

Su Qingran was stunned for a second,

then, as if she understood his meaning,

she followed with a soft smile.

"Is that so?"

"Sure, no matter how many you have, I'll help you manage them."

Lin Chen's gaze narrowed slightly,

he dropped the joking tone and looked at her seriously.

"If I'm being serious, you won't be jealous or angry?"

Su Qingran met his gaze without a hint of hesitation,

thinking that Lin Chen was so outstanding,

rich, kind, and powerful.

That business made her reach climax after climax every time.

Where else could she find someone like him?

Her best friends often said their boyfriends were no good.

Her voice was light yet firm:

"I mean what I say, as long as you don't abandon me."

Lin Chen felt completely satisfied.

This system was truly top-notch.

"Good, then it's a deal."

[Ding... Congratulations to Host for successfully recruiting a Harem Manager!]

[Reward: A mysterious surprise for the Hong Kong trip, to be automatically revealed upon arrival in Hong Kong.]

"Mysterious surprise?"

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow.

He had to go there to find out?

And if he didn't go, he wouldn't get it?

He deliberately curled his lip, acting as if he had no choice but to follow the system.

"Fine, you're the boss, I'll listen to you."

While complaining verbally, his heart was already blooming with joy.

Blind-box style rewards were the most enticing.

As long as it didn't turn out to be some kind of nasty shock.

He had already begun to look forward to

how big of a surprise this Hong Kong trip would bring him.

In the evening, at a food stall near the school.

Cooking fumes mixed with the scent of beer, and the noisy chatter of people made it the perfect place for brothers to talk.

As soon as Lin Chen arrived, he saw Zhou Cang sitting alone in a corner,

with two empty beer bottles already in front of him, looking extremely dejected.

Upon seeing Lin Chen, Zhou Cang immediately looked up, his eyes rimmed with red.

"You're finally here, I'm about to burst from holding this in."

Lin Chen pulled out a chair and sat down,

casually calling the boss to add a few dishes,

and then opened a bottle of beer and pushed it in front of him.

"How big of a deal can it be to drink yourself into this state?"

Zhou Cang grabbed the bottle and took a heavy gulp, then slammed it onto the table,

sighing deeply.

"You don't know, I chased that girl for almost a month,"

"Every day with the 'good morning' and 'good night' texts, the milk tea and snacks never stopped,"

"But then yesterday I saw her walking around campus holding another guy's hand,"

"and she was smiling so happily."

The more he spoke, the more aggrieved he felt:

"I asked her, and she just said she didn't feel anything for me,"

"and that it was love at first sight with that guy."

"I was completely numb at the time,"

"feeling like a total idiot for that whole month."

Lin Chen listened quietly, not rushing to offer comfort.

He knew Zhou Cang too well; this kid just valued feelings too much,

and once he got worked up, he'd easily pour his heart out.

Once he had vented enough, Lin Chen finally spoke unhurriedly:

"Just because of this?"

Zhou Cang was stunned:

"Just because of this?"

"This is a massive blow to me, okay!"

Lin Chen smiled, his fingertip lightly tapping the table.

"If you like her, go for it; if you can't get her, then forget it."

"It's not worth drinking yourself into this state for someone who didn't choose you."

Zhou Cang hung his head:

"I understand the logic, but my heart just feels terrible."

"It's normal to feel bad,"

Lin Chen's tone was calm, yet it carried a convincing aura,

"But remember,

"the more humble you act, the less people will take you seriously."

"The stronger you are, the more people will naturally gravitate toward you."

He paused, his voice faint but powerful:

"Right now you feel like the sky is falling because your vision is fixed on this one person."

"When you've made it in the future, when you have money and ability, and you look back,"

"today's little problem won't mean a damn thing."

Zhou Cang suddenly looked up at Lin Chen.

He suddenly felt a bit of strangeness.

Was this still the same Lin Chen who went to high school with him?

Only one month into university,

the person in front of him was steady, confident, and had an indescribable sense of control in his eyes,

as if everything was within his grasp.

"Chenzi, you... you've changed quite a bit."

Zhou Cang couldn't help but say.

Lin Chen gave a faint smile and didn't explain.

He couldn't exactly tell him that he had a system and was an old hand in the field of love.

He had already slept with several of the women he had his eye on.

And there were several more swimming in the pool, ready at any time.

Most importantly, he took them all, regardless of type.

Young girls, young wives, mature women.

Even today, he had just crawled out of the Counselor's bed.