He tricked the female lead into becoming his boyfriend, but then went on to criticize the male lead.

In another corner of the dormitory, Su Qingyan sat quietly in her seat the whole time, seemingly detached from the lively atmosphere.

She frowned slightly, her eyes were vacant, and her mind was completely focused on increasing her affection points. She was pondering how to quickly raise her favorability and accumulate affection points, completely immersed in her own world. She didn't hear the jokes from the others at all, and had no intention of participating in the conversation.

Just as Sang Jiuning was so embarrassed that she wanted to change the subject, her phone in her pocket vibrated twice, breaking the atmosphere.

She quickly looked down, took out her phone, and unlocked it. The moment the screen lit up, a WeChat message pop-up appeared in her eyes.

The sender's nickname was particularly eye-catching—"My Dear Boyfriend".

Sang Jiuning was slightly taken aback, her eyes filled with doubt.

She remembered that she had never given Wen Zhaoci such a cloying and childish nickname. She knew without a doubt that someone must have secretly taken her phone last night and changed it without her knowledge.

She tapped the screen with her fingertip and opened the message.

[My dear boyfriend: Baby, I'm so bored being alone. Can I come with you to class this afternoon?]

Sang Jiuning looked at the message and was instantly caught in a dilemma.

The afternoon classes are core professional courses, taught by strict instructors who maintain strict classroom discipline and almost never allow students from other classes to audit the classes.

Bringing Wen Zhaoci, an outsider, into the school would be too conspicuous. If the teacher found out, it would not only be embarrassing, but they would also be publicly criticized.

Her finger hovered above the screen, hesitant to reply, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts.

Just as she hesitated, Wen Zhaoci sent her a second message, which was full of aggrieved and coquettish tone, accurately capturing her soft heart.

[My dear boyfriend: If you don't want to, that's fine too. I'll just stay in the empty apartment by myself and quietly wait for you to come home from school.]

That simple sentence instantly shattered all of Sang Jiuning's worries.

It should be fine, right?

Sang Jiuning secretly comforted herself. There were plenty of seats in the large classroom in the afternoon. As long as they quietly sat in the last row, kept quiet and listened attentively to the lesson, they would most likely not be noticed by the teacher and classmates.

Thinking of this, she smiled and quickly typed a reply.

[My dear girlfriend: Okay, then come over here. It's good we can meet early and have lunch together.]

On the other side, in the apartment, Wen Zhaoci looked at the reply that popped up on her phone screen, and a faint, gentle smile instantly appeared in her dark eyes.

His dear girlfriend will soon become his dear wife.

The two met as agreed at noon and had lunch together.

In the afternoon, they arrived at the classroom on time for their professional class and sat quietly in the corner of the last row.

Just as Sang Jiuning had predicted, the whole class's attention was focused on the podium and the blackboard. No one paid special attention to the last row, and no one noticed that there was a handsome and exceptionally elegant stranger next to her.

Wen Zhaoci remained exceptionally well-behaved throughout, making no disturbance whatsoever, simply staying quietly by her side.

The class passed peacefully, and the moment the bell rang, the classroom instantly became lively as students packed up their books and left in twos and threes.

Wen Zhaoci almost instinctively reached out and precisely grasped Sang Jiuning's soft little hand. His palm was warm and dry. He took her hand and prepared to walk out, intending to go straight back to his apartment.

Sang Jiuning paused, gently pulled her wrist away, and said softly, "I think I'll go back to the dorm. My things are still there."

Wen Zhaoci stopped in his tracks, turned his head slightly to look at her, his dark eyes deep and unfathomable, and his thin lips parted slightly as he slowly delivered a message that made Sang Jiuning momentarily lose her composure: "Tomorrow is your birthday, and I've prepared a special surprise for you."

"My birthday?"

Sang Jiuning froze, her eyes filled with astonishment.

She looked down and paused for two seconds, silently calculating the days in her mind, before realizing that her twentieth birthday was just around the corner.

Time passed so quickly that she didn't even notice.

A surge of anticipation welled up inside her. She looked up at the man before her, her bright eyes gazing at him with a hint of coquettish curiosity: "What surprise? Can't you tell me now?"

Looking at her expectant and innocently adorable face, Wen Zhaoci's heart melted completely. However, he deliberately kept her in suspense, his tone carrying a hint of slyness: "No, the surprise has to wait until tonight. You'll find out then."

"Okay." Sang Jiuning nodded obediently, her curiosity and anticipation completely aroused.

Finally, she let Wen Zhaoci lead her by the hand, and they walked out of the teaching building step by step toward his apartment.

Back in her cozy and tidy apartment, Wen Zhaoci skillfully rolled up her sleeves, turned around and went into the kitchen, taking the initiative to cook dinner.

Sang Jiuning didn't sit idle; she obediently followed behind him, helping out.

He washes and chops the vegetables, while she sets the plate and hands him the utensils; he stir-fries the dishes, and she watches quietly from the side, occasionally lending a hand by handing over the seasonings.

The two didn't need many words; their every move was exceptionally tacit, natural, smooth, and intimate.

The warm yellow kitchen light fell on the intertwined shadows of the two, creating a cozy and tender scene, much like a newlywed couple who spend every day together, enjoying the warmth and everyday life of their marriage.

A warm dinner ended in a gentle atmosphere. After cleaning up the dishes, Sang Jiuning could no longer suppress her anticipation. Her wet eyes stared at Wen Zhaoci, following him closely, her heart filled with the birthday surprise that was yet to be revealed.

From the moment she finished eating until she finished washing up, this was all she could think about.

Wen Zhaoci watched as she clung to him like a kitten longing for candy, refusing to budge. He chuckled softly, his deep, magnetic voice exceptionally pleasant to the ear.

"What's the rush?" He raised his hand and gently ruffled her long hair, his tone tender yet teasing. "That's a proper birthday present. I said I'd give it to you on your birthday, so naturally we have to follow the rules."

Sang Jiuning's face fell instantly, her pink lips pouting slightly, full of grievance and dissatisfaction, acting very childish.

She turned her head away, feigning anger as she looked away, muttering under her breath, "You clearly said you'd give it to me tonight, you broke your promise! I'm ignoring you, I'm going to sleep!"

After saying that, she turned around and lay down on the bed, pulling the thin blanket over herself, pretending to be sulking.

Wen Zhaoci watched her childish yet adorable little actions, his chest filled with a gentle smile. He slowly walked to the bedside, leaned down, and gently approached her. His warm breath brushed against her ear, his voice husky and tender, filled with deep affection: "Baby, even without a surprise, we should still have a goodnight kiss before going to sleep, okay?"