Don't underestimate the poor and elderly; I was thrilled to refuse the class beauty's adva

[Recalling the past. Host, do you still remember Shen Zhiyi?]

After the college entrance exam results were released, Shen Zhiyi contacted you first—the first time she had ever reached out to a boy. She told you she had applied to one of the top two universities in Beijing and asked if you wanted to go with her. Her palms were sweaty as she said this, but she didn't let you notice.

[And you, because of Lin Wanqing's suggestion to "apply to the same university," gave up this opportunity. You went to that ordinary second-tier university, while Shen Zhiyi went to Beijing alone.]

You will have no further contact with each other from now on.

Years later, you've achieved nothing. In a cramped, three-hundred-yuan-a-month room in a shantytown, you watch the news on an old, secondhand television. On the screen, Shen Zhiyi, one of China's youngest female entrepreneurs, is being interviewed. She wears a sharply tailored dark suit, speaks with composure, and exudes a calm and collected aura—a far cry from the ponytail-wearing girl of years past.

[The host asked her: "Ms. Shen, you've been single for so many years, and there are many rumors circulating about it. Could you take this opportunity to satisfy everyone's curiosity?"]

She was silent for a few seconds. Then she smiled at the camera and said—

"I had a crush on a boy in high school. He was outstanding, the kind of outstanding that comes from genuine excellence, not just grades achieved through rote memorization. He was the only person who could beat me academically."

"Later, he fell in love with someone else. For that girl, he gave up on himself."

"After that, I thought, 'Forget it. Even he can change, so who can't?'"

She was still smiling on the television screen, but you saw a regret in her eyes that had been worn away by time, yet had never truly disappeared. You sat in front of that old television, which occasionally flickered with static, and stood there for a long time, before you truly understood.

Shen Zhiyi used to like you.

[The girl who competed with you for first place in the grade for a whole year, the girl who found the top spot tasteless every time results were released after you became a simp, the girl who mustered up the courage to invite you to go to Beijing with her after the college entrance exam scores came out—she used to like you.]

And you, you know nothing.

She's still single, and so are you. You two were once the closest on the class leaderboard, but now you're the furthest apart on life's trajectories.

The system has detected a deep-seated regret in you and has issued a phased task.

[Stage Mission: A Passionate Sunset Romance – Win Back Your True Love.]

[Task Progress: Step 1.]

[Mission Description: Create another opportunity to interact with Shen Zhiyi!]

[Task Reward: 500,000 RMB in cash.]

[Task Difficulty: Medium]

[System Reminder: At 68 years old, the last time you spoke to someone of the opposite sex was while haggling with a vegetable vendor at the market. Shen Zhiyi, on the other hand, is a renowned female entrepreneur living in a heavily guarded luxury villa district. A reunion is extremely difficult. It is recommended that you plan carefully and first save up enough money for a taxi to the villa district.]

Zhang Yifan: "..."

He looked at Shen Zhiyi, who was coldly waiting for his reply, and then felt the system in his mind that had confidently advised him to "save enough money for a taxi first." His lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

Five hundred thousand? A reunion?

Shen Zhiyi was standing right in front of him, less than half a meter away, waiting for his answer.

This is probably the easiest task to complete out of all the tasks issued by the system.

Zhang Yifan looked at Shen Zhiyi, who was waiting earnestly for a reply, while the system's words still echoed in his mind.

The female entrepreneur who said in a TV interview, "Even he can change, so who can't?" is hard to reconcile with the eighteen-year-old girl in front of me with her ponytail, a challenge letter in her hand, and a cold expression.

When exactly did she fall in love with him?

In my first year of high school?

At that time, the only thing they did together was have their names side by side on the list; they never even spoke to each other.

On the day the monthly exam results came out, he glanced at the list. Shen Zhiyi was first, and he was second, three points behind.

As he stood in front of the leaderboard, he muttered to himself, "I have to catch up next time," when he heard someone next to him hum softly.

It was Shen Zhiyi. She was also looking at the list. She glanced at him, said nothing, and turned to leave.

That was the closest they had ever come to each other.

Surely I couldn't have fallen for him back then?

It just doesn't make sense to spend an entire youth having a crush on someone you've never even spoken to.

But the system wouldn't lie to him.

Never mind, I'll think about these things later.

The most urgent thing now is to prevent this person from getting away.

Zhang Yifan picked up the pen on the table and flipped the challenge letter to the signature section.

Shen Zhiyi had already signed her name, and the blank space next to it was obviously left for him.

Her handwriting is neat and powerful, with a subtle upward flick at the end of each stroke.

He signed "Zhang Yifan" next to her name, then looked up at her and said, "Signed. But since this is a challenge, there has to be a wager, right? What happens if I lose?"

Shen Zhiyi seemed surprised that he would bring up a bet. She paused slightly, then looked at him with her cool, clear eyes: "What do you want to bet?"

"Whoever loses agrees to one condition of the other, with no limit on the content or time."

A glint flashed in Shen Zhiyi's eyes, but her expression remained indifferent: "Fine. Don't go back on your word."

"The same to you."

Zhang Yifan folded the challenge letter and handed it to her.

When Shen Zhiyi reached out to take it, his fingers touched her fingertips; they felt cool.

As if she hadn't noticed, she took the challenge, turned and left, her ponytail swinging cleanly over her shoulder.

The system notification sounded as soon as she left.

【Ding--】

[Congratulations, host, on completing the stage mission: A passionate sunset romance - Step 1: Recreate opportunities to interact with Shen Zhiyi.]

[Task Evaluation: The system is just preparing a 20-page "Reunion Strategy" for you, including but not limited to saving money to take a taxi to the villa area, pretending to bump into her while exercising at the entrance of the villa area, and applying for a security guard position at her company.]

[You took care of it all right away? As expected of the host!]

[Reward: 500,000 RMB in cash has been credited to your account. Current account balance: 800,000 RMB.]

Zhang Yifan silently calculated in his mind.

There was originally 300,000 in the bank card, and with this 500,000, it's 800,000, plus the 300,000 scratch-off lottery ticket that the system rewarded me with before, which I haven't claimed yet...

He's already a high school student with 1.1 million in his pocket.

Shen Zhiyi's figure disappeared at the classroom door. After a brief silence, the entire Class 9 erupted into a frenzy, like a pot of boiling water.

"Holy crap! He really signed it! Zhang Yifan really signed Shen Zhiyi's challenge!"

"Shen Zhiyi! The school beauty! The top student in the grade! She's personally come to challenge Zhang Yifan! Can you believe it?"

"Wait, wait, let me sort this out... Shen Zhiyi said that in the first year of high school, the top spot in the grade was shared between the two of them, which means Zhang Yifan used to beat Shen Zhiyi?"

"I almost forgot, Zhang Yifan did get first place in the grade several times in the first semester of his first year of high school, but his grades dropped after he started pursuing Lin Wanqing."

"But he's never fallen out of the top three in his grade!"

"Chasing a girl for a year and still consistently ranking in the top three of the grade, is that what you call a simp? That's a pro!"

"Did we have some misunderstanding about the top three rankings in the grade before...?"

Several classmates subconsciously looked in Lin Wanqing's direction.

Lin Wanqing lay face down on the table, burying her face in her arms, her hair falling down to cover her entire face.

Zhao Rong stood to the side, wanting to say something but not daring to. Her lips moved, but she ultimately kept them closed.

At the same time, at the end of the corridor.

After walking a distance and confirming that no one was around, Shen Zhiyi slowed down.

She leaned against the wall, unfolded the challenge letter, and looked down at the two signatures side by side—Shen Zhiyi and Zhang Yifan.

Her name was next to another name, and for the first time, it wasn't on the report card.

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly.

It wasn't a faint smile, but a laugh that had been suppressed for a long time and finally couldn't be contained anymore.

She folded the challenge letter, pressed it to her chest, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

He agreed, he really agreed.

Then she opened her eyes, glanced around to make sure no one was there, carefully tucked the challenge letter into her notebook, tidied her hair, and resumed her usual indifferent expression.

"You must apply to the same university."

She muttered something under her breath, something only she could hear.