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"Uh—Girlfriend!? Oh! Right! Yes! Girlfriend—hehe—Come on, give me a kiss!" Shawn Young quickly realized the role Lilian Grace needed him to play. Secretly delighted, he leaned in and planted a big smooch on Lilian's soft, pretty cheek, shamelessly taking advantage of the situation.
"You—ah! You're so annoying—everyone's watching! You—you're really, really bad! I'll hit you—hit you—" Lilian Grace hadn't expected Shawn Young to take advantage of her the moment they met, and right in front of everyone! It was outrageous. Embarrassed and flustered, her face turned bright red as she instinctively started pounding Shawn's chest with her delicate fists.
To everyone else, this looked like a couple flirting, but to Jeremy Ling, it was pure provocation—a blatant challenge! Guys like Jeremy, who think the world revolves around them, couldn't stomach seeing the two of them acting lovey-dovey right in front of him. Jeremy stood there awkwardly, clutching a huge bouquet of roses, his eyes burning with jealousy as he stared at Shawn Young, who seemed to appear out of nowhere.
Jeremy Ling isn't just one of the 'Three Young Masters' of Nanning's elite circles—he's also an economics student at Southern University. But he spends way more time partying than studying, so even Shawn Young had only heard of him but never met him in person! Jeremy is also one of the few guys at Southern University who relentlessly chases after Lilian Grace.
For Jeremy Ling, college is just an excuse to live it up—he doesn't care about academics at all. Born into the prestigious Ling family, he's their only son and the legal heir to Prosperity Jewelers, a famous company in China. Grades mean nothing to him; in fact, he spends more time in bed than in class. With his special status, Prosperity Jewelers will be his no matter what.
Growing up pampered by his family, Jeremy Ling developed a typical rich kid attitude—arrogant and spoiled. He's a notorious playboy, always flaunting his family's influence and good looks, cruising around in sports cars. With his advantages, he's never short on romantic conquests—there are easily dozens who've thrown themselves at him.
Ever since Jeremy Ling saw Lilian Grace at a high-society banquet, he was instantly smitten and began his relentless pursuit. Unfortunately, his reputation as a playboy precedes him, and Lilian had heard all about his escapades. So when Jeremy tried to woo her, Lilian always kept her distance and treated him coldly.
As a seasoned ladies’ man, Jeremy Ling wasn’t about to be scared off by a little challenge. Every chance he got, he launched a ‘full-scale offensive’ on Lilian Grace. Luckily, Lilian’s brother, Leo Grace, was always around to protect her, and she’d perfected the art of dodging Jeremy whenever she saw him. Still, Jeremy couldn’t get her out of his mind—the unattainable is always the most tempting. Plus, Lilian’s beauty and family background far outshined his other girlfriends, so Jeremy made up his mind: the moment he got a chance, he’d make Lilian his.
It just so happened to be the weekend, and with years of ‘hunting’ experience, Jeremy Ling knew this was prime time for new ‘prey’ to appear. So, early in the morning, he dressed to impress, packed his gold bank card, and drove his dad’s brand-new Ferrari convertible, loaded up with a dozen bouquets of roses, cruising around campus. He’d already picked up several pretty girls, handed out a bunch of roses, and collected their numbers. Feeling satisfied, he drove out to University Road’s commercial district, plotting which ‘new prey’ to conquer tonight. But when he spotted Lilian Grace at the street corner, his plans changed instantly—leading to the scene you just witnessed.
But Shawn Young’s sudden appearance threw a wrench in Jeremy Ling’s plans. He watched in disbelief as Lilian Grace linked arms with Shawn right under his nose, openly flirting and acting all lovey-dovey. Jeremy was furious—he’d secretly investigated and knew Lilian didn’t have a real boyfriend. Now, out of nowhere, this handsome Shawn Young showed up, just as good-looking as him. Jeremy’s eyes flashed with a dark, dangerous glint.
"Kid, who are you? I’ve never seen you before! What’s your story?" Jeremy Ling asked coldly, his face dark.
"Oh! Nothing special, just an ordinary student at Southern University. But the most important thing is—I’m Lilian’s boyfriend! That’s all!" Shawn Young replied with a grin.
"Hmph—what a load of crap! Did Lilian put you up to pretending to be her boyfriend!? Get lost, don’t get in my way!" Jeremy Ling wasn’t one to give up easily. He wasn’t stupid—he knew all the rich and powerful kids in Nanning’s high society, and Shawn Young wasn’t one of them. So he figured Shawn was no real competition.
Jeremy Ling, clutching his bouquet of roses, strode over to Lilian Grace, completely ignoring Shawn Young. Gazing at Lilian’s stunning face with a ‘deeply affectionate’ look, he swallowed nervously and, with his most ‘sincere’ attitude, said, "Lilian, I truly believe our fate is written in the stars. From the moment I first saw you, you left an indelible mark on my heart—I’ve been lost in love ever since! I’m a man who pursues perfect romance, and you’re my ideal. So please, accept these roses—they represent my feelings for you."
This guy practiced these ‘meaningful’ pickup lines all the time to smooth-talk girls. He’d rehearsed this speech for ages to make it sound so natural, and with his serious expression, he really nailed the vibe of those cheesy soap opera heartthrobs!
"Whoa! That gave me goosebumps! This dude’s really got the whole ‘passionate lover’ act down—" Shawn Young couldn’t help but marvel at how Jeremy could deliver such corny lines without even blushing. He glanced at Lilian Grace, still holding his arm, to see her reaction.
To his surprise, Lilian Grace looked just as nervous, her eyes fixed on Shawn Young. As soon as Shawn turned to her, she blushed and, without hesitation, said to Jeremy Ling, "Uh, Jeremy, can’t you see I have a boyfriend? And I’m really not interested in you, we have zero chemistry. I don’t want your roses—give them to someone else!" With that, she clung tightly to Shawn’s arm and hid behind him.
Seeing Lilian Grace reject Jeremy Ling so directly, Shawn Young felt an unexpected rush of satisfaction. Standing in front of Jeremy, he suppressed a grin and said, "Hehe, Jeremy, right? I actually admire your guts, but as you can see, I’m not stopping you from competing fairly—it’s just that Lilian isn’t interested. Fate’s a funny thing! So, if there’s nothing else, we’re off to grab some food." With that, he pulled Lilian away.
Jeremy Ling hadn’t expected things to turn out like this. His handsome face turned red and white by turns—he’d never been so embarrassed in his life! He stepped forward, blocking their way, looking utterly frustrated.
"So, Jeremy, what do you want?" Shawn Young wondered if Jeremy would actually try something in public. If he did, Shawn was ready to fight back.
"Lilian, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Don’t reject me so quickly. Tell me, is this guy really better than me? Richer, more powerful? Why do you have to choose him? Is he really that much better?" Jeremy Ling refused to give up, still confident he could win.
"Jeremy Ling! Let me be honest: he’s not richer or more powerful than you, but to me, he’s the best man in the world. So, I won’t accept you—give it up! Bye! Or better yet, let’s never meet again!" With that, Lilian ignored Jeremy’s devastated look, grabbed Shawn’s arm, and walked away.
"Damn! You punk! You dare steal my girl? I’ll make you pay—" Jeremy Ling finally snapped. Watching the couple walk away, he hurled his bouquet to the ground and stomped on it, gritting his teeth as if the roses were Shawn Young himself. His handsome face twisted with rage—he’d officially made Shawn his number one enemy, his romantic rival! After venting, Jeremy climbed into his Ferrari convertible, started the engine, and sped off, his mind racing with schemes to take Shawn down.