197: So embarrassing!

At the entrance of the "Times Embrace" music restaurant.

The street was thoroughly occupied by a dreamy shade of pink and silver.

Countless balloons floated in mid-air, forming a massive, constantly swaying heart-shaped arch.

The ground was covered with fresh blue roses, their petals still carrying crystalline water droplets, refracting a deep blue and mysterious halo under the night lights.

A massive, several-tens-of-meters-long banner stretched from one end of the street to the other, with a line of large, glittering characters written on it.

"Congratulations on your graduation, little fairy Lin Yao."

Such a spectacle, such a display.

Even Chen Ruiyu, a rich second-generation heir accustomed to lavish scenes, was stunned into silence for a long while.

This is fucking intense.

Someone who didn't know better would think some top-tier superstar had descended upon Linzhou, and fans were organizing a grand, once-in-a-century support event.

He even subconsciously glanced around.

Many passersby had already stopped, taking out their phones to frantically photograph this incredibly ostentatious scene.

Mixed into the crowd were some people who were clearly hired plants, whispering to each other and loudly building up the atmosphere.

"Holy crap! Who is this? Such a grand display?"

"Trying to woo a girl, right? How much must this have cost!"

"Blue roses, and it's fucking nine hundred and ninety-nine of them! What a gesture, awesome!"

"Lin Yao? Which Lin Yao? So happy!"

Jealousy.

A wave of jealousy, thick enough to turn sour, surged frantically from the bottom of Chen Ruiyu's heart, instantly drowning his reason.

That woman who had made him lose all face and caused his father to scold him harshly.

Why?

How does she deserve such near-manic adoration?

Chen Ruiyu's fists tightened involuntarily, his nails digging deeply into his flesh.

...

Meanwhile.

The door to "Times Embrace" was pushed open.

Lin Yao and a group of classmates walked out, chatting and laughing, tipsy from alcohol and feeling the melancholy of farewell.

Then, everyone froze.

The words "Take care on your way" in Li Hao's mouth got stuck in his throat and couldn't be uttered.

The short-haired girl's eyes widened instantly.

The crowd, which had been noisy just a second before, fell into a deathly silence the moment they saw the sea of pink before them.

Everyone's brains crashed.

"What... the fuck?"

Someone, in a dreamy tone, cursed out loud.

This curse was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand ripples.

"What... what is going on?"

"Are they filming a movie?"

"That banner... it says... Lin Yao?"

Swish!

Everyone's gaze shifted in unison to Lin Yao, who was in the center of the crowd.

Shock, envy, disbelief.

A complex mix of emotions intertwined on every classmate's face.

Lin Yao herself was completely bewildered.

She stood where she was, looking at the massive heart-shaped balloon arch, the sea of deep blue roses, and that eye-blindingly bright banner.

A wave of heat uncontrollably surged from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.

Her cheeks instantly burned up.

Embarrassment.

So embarrassing!

To make such a huge scene in front of so many classmates!

However...

Beneath the extreme embarrassment, an indescribable, tiny bit of vanity and secret joy sprouted uncontrollably from the bottom of her heart like wild grass.

Who could resist that!

Who did this?

There were indeed many people pursuing her at school, but who had such guts and resources?

Several names flashed quickly through her mind, only to be dismissed one by one.

No, it wasn't any of them.

Those people didn't have the audacity.

"Yao-Yao! Who is this? It's so romantic!" The short-haired girl was the first to react, rushing up to grab Lin Yao's arm and screaming excitedly.

"Oh my god! Nine hundred and ninety-nine blue roses! I've only ever seen this in novels!"

"Look, look! It seems like someone over there is getting ready to set off fireworks!"

Li Hao stood to the side, his expression extremely intricate.

He looked at the sea of flowers, then at Lin Yao, who was surrounded by the crowd, his heart filled with a complex mix of emotions.

He thought he had already held Lin Yao in high regard.

A Mythical-grade profession, a solo nine-star mission, a genius that even the Tianqing Group couldn't obtain.

But now it seemed he had still underestimated her.

The person capable of pulling off such a spectacle was definitely not just a simple rich second-generation heir.

The financial power, resources, and connections represented behind this had already exceeded the scope of imagination for a regular student like him.

The gap.

This was the difference between clouds and mud.

Amidst the roaring discussions and questions of her classmates, Lin Yao felt like she was about to be drowned.

She subconsciously took out her phone.

At a time like this, the only person she could think of was her brother.

Her fingers flew, frantically sending messages to Lin Yu in a near-incoherent tone that was both a plea for help and a show-off.

"Brother! Help me!"

"I've been blocked at the entrance of the restaurant!"

"So many flowers! So many balloons!"

"A banner has been pulled up! It's dozens of meters long!!"

"It's too exaggerated! All my classmates are looking at me! I'm going to die of social embarrassment, ahhhh!"

After sending a string of exclamation marks, she secretly took a photo and sent it over, then added a sentence.

[Photo.jpg]

"Look! Isn't it exaggerated!"

After doing all this, she finally felt her wildly beating heart settle down just a little bit.

Just at the moment Lin Yao's message filled with exclamation marks was sent out.

Someone in the crowd took the lead and let out a loud whistle.

"Whoa—!!"

Immediately after, as if it were some kind of signal, a roaring wave of screams and cheers suddenly erupted from the passersby who had previously only been watching and discussing.

"Lin Yao! Lin Yao! Lin Yao!"

This sudden spectacle gave Lin Yao's classmates a fright.

What was just envy a moment ago had now turned into complete shock.

This was no longer just a simple pursuit of a girl.

This was organizing a celebrity support event!

People are herd creatures; once those hired plants started, the passersby who were originally just watching the fun, and even some classmates who didn't understand what was going on, joined in the commotion.

The atmosphere was pushed to its peak in an instant.

Right in the center of this clamor, the crowd automatically parted to both sides.

A path paved with fresh flowers led straight to Lin Yao.

A figure slowly walked over from the other end of the street.

The person was wearing a loose yet highly designed trendy hoodie, hands in pockets, with a gait that was casual yet carried a unique sense of rhythm.

He was not affected by this exaggerated scene in the slightest, as if all of this was meant to exist because of him.

As he approached, the lights illuminated his face.

"Hiss—"

A collective gasp of cold air sounded from the crowd.

Especially the few female classmates beside Lin Yao, whose eyes stared straight ahead.

So handsome.

Really so handsome.

Not the weakness of those pretty-boy types, nor the ruggedness of a muscular hunk.

But an androgynous, handsome look that carried a hint of evil and roguishness.

His facial features were sharp, his brows and eyes heroic, yet his fair skin neutralized the aggressiveness.