Chapter 532: Chapter 197: Blowing up the Internet, Attention from School Leaders (Requesting Monthly Votes)_2

This silly, precious girl always managed to stir up his strongest protective instincts.

Li Yuan decided to tease her a bit more. Seeing her eyes squeezed shut, he leaned down and kissed her.

Xia Zhijin’s heart hammered in her chest. She kept her eyes shut, afraid to speak. She had assumed Li Yuan was going to take her right there in the office, just like last time. But after a long moment passed with no movement from him, she couldn’t help but open her eyes and look at him.

There was Li Yuan, watching her with a teasing smile.

He chuckled. "What’s this, Zhijin? You seem a little eager."

Hearing his banter, Xia Zhijin’s face flushed crimson, and she shyly buried her head in his chest.

Li Yuan laughed heartily at her reaction, his mood improving significantly. He pulled her onto his lap and wrapped an arm around her. Placing his right hand on her slender waist, he asked with concern, "Zhijin, have you been in touch with Grandma and Ning lately? Are they getting used to life in Shancheng?"

Hearing Li Yuan’s concern for her grandmother and younger brother, Xia Zhijin relaxed, and the very air around them seemed to grow warmer.

She looked at Li Yuan and spoke sweetly about her family. "Grandma and Ning are doing well in Shancheng. My third uncle visits them every day, and Ning has already made new friends at school. Grandma says he’s not as withdrawn anymore..."

Li Yuan nodded with a smile. "Oh, that’s good. I was worried they’d have trouble settling in since it’s a new place and they don’t know anyone."

"Heh heh, and does Ning miss his brother-in-law?"

Hearing Li Yuan call himself "brother-in-law," Xia Zhijin’s pretty face flushed shyly. She gave him a gentle nod, her reply full of amusement.

"Mhm, when I was on the phone with him yesterday, he was clamoring to see you!"

Li Yuan asked, "And what did you tell him?"

Xia Zhijin answered in a small voice, "I told him you were very busy but that you’d talk to him when you had time. You... you aren’t mad, are you?"

"Silly girl, why would I be mad at you?"

Li Yuan’s heart jolted. Stroking Xia Zhijin’s head, he realized this was the first time he had asked about her family since they returned from Shancheng to Modu. This silly girl must have been worried.

"I have been really busy these past few days. How about we video call Ning tonight? It’s been over a week since I’ve seen him; I miss him too."

Xia Zhijin looked at Li Yuan happily, her voice soft. "Mhm, thank you, Li Yuan!"

"Wrong name. Try again!" Li Yuan chuckled, his hand sliding up a few inches to playfully squeeze her Nana.

"AH!" Xia Zhijin yelped, glancing shyly at Li Yuan before lowering her head and correcting herself.

"Thank you... husband!"

Li Yuan nodded in satisfaction. "Mhm, good girl. That’s more like it. In private, don’t call me by my name. Call me husband, understand?"

"Otherwise..." Li Yuan laughed, burying his face in her bosom and giving her a hard, playful bite.

Forced to sign this unequal treaty, Xia Zhijin quivered under Li Yuan’s "coercion and seduction" and could only whisper her shy agreement.

***

As time went by, thousands of professional internet shills, combined with the powerful viral effect of "Kan Yi Dao," caused the Zhihu website to instantly explode in popularity across the web. The platform shot to the top of the trending charts and captured national attention, especially after it was revealed that Li Yuan was the one who had developed it.

The names Li Yuan and Zhihu spread like wildfire across the major universities in Modu, becoming practically household names overnight.

「Ji University, Girls’ Dormitory」

Xie Ping and Zhang Ruoxue were in their room with a few other girls. None of them knew that Jiang Zhiyu had already left Modu; they all assumed she was off enjoying a romantic getaway with Li Yuan.

That is, until someone sent Zhang Ruoxue a Kan Yi Dao link from the Zhihu website...

"Girls, I just heard the most explosive news! Do you want to know what it is?" Zhang Ruoxue’s mouth formed a perfect ’O’, so wide you could have fit a cucumber in it.

Xie Ping asked doubtfully, "What kind of explosive news? Don’t tell me it’s another celebrity scandal."

Zhang Ruoxue giggled, giving Xie Ping a meaningful look.

"Hee hee, of course not. It’s about your dream guy!"

"My dream guy?" Xie Ping blinked, her expression growing more confused. "Ruoxue, what are you talking about? I don’t have a dream guy."

"Heh heh, really? Don’t try to fool me. It’s just the two of us in the dorm right now; Zhiyu and Qingqing are out," Zhang Ruoxue said, winking and smirking at Xie Ping.

"I really don’t know who you’re talking about!" Xie Ping pouted, even as the image of a tall, handsome, and all-too-familiar figure flashed through her mind. She quickly suppressed the thought, burying it deep in her heart.

Seeing that Xie Ping still wouldn’t admit it, Zhang Ruoxue blinked and teased, "Pingping, do you want me to say his name out loud?"

"Go ahead. It’s not like I have anyone in mind," Xie Ping replied, trying to sound calm despite the panic fluttering in her chest.

"Alright, I’ll stop teasing you. It’s perfectly normal to have a crush on someone you probably shouldn’t."

Zhang Ruoxue pursed her lips in a light, knowing smile and gave Xie Ping a meaningful look.

"It’s not just you. Even I feel a little something for him sometimes!"

"I mean, it’s only natural for a guy that talented, tall, handsome, and rich to attract girls, right?"

A shiver ran through Xie Ping. She looked deeply at Zhang Ruoxue, her expression turning suspicious.

Why did it feel like Zhang Ruoxue was talking about the very person she was thinking of?