"Your WeChat friend gave you ten million? Who is it?" Mia Osborn asked, her curiosity growing even stronger.
"It's Aiden James, the guy who asked for my WeChat this morning!" Zoe Quinn said softly.
"What? Him? He's OneOfAll?!"
Mia nearly choked on her drink.
She never could've imagined that the shy, quiet guy who always kept to himself would turn out to be a mysterious billionaire, casually throwing around money online.
The contrast was insane.
Just earlier, Mia had been thinking of several rich heirs who had chased after Zoe.
But Aiden James? He wasn't on that list, not even close.
Because at NYU, Aiden had a reputation.
He was known as the ultimate simp.
Zoe might not have heard all the campus gossip, but Mia did.
She knew everything about everyone.
And in her mind, Aiden James was a total nobody, the kind of guy who'd spend his allowance chasing girls who'd never look his way.
"How could that be?" she muttered. "How could a guy like that — a nobody — actually be the rich man who just dropped ten million?"
"Are you sure it's him, Zoe? Not someone else?"
Zoe frowned. "Why? Do you know him?"
"Not personally," Mia said, lowering her voice. "But I've heard stories. Aiden's a junior in our same department. He's been chasing after Emily Rose for three years, nonstop.
Every month, he confesses his love to her. He's lit candles, made heart-shaped displays, sang love songs, even brought her breakfast every morning for months.
But Emily never said yes."
What Mia didn't know was that Aiden had actually dated Emily a month ago.
At Emily's request, he kept the relationship secret, no social media posts, no public affection.
So hardly anyone on campus knew they were together.
"No way!" Zoe's brows furrowed. "Aiden's that rich, and not bad-looking either. How could he chase a girl for three years without getting her?"
She'd met Emily before, she was pretty, sure, but not that extraordinary.
There were plenty of girls at NYU who were more talented or beautiful.
But Aiden…
Aiden had the kind of quiet, powerful aura that made people look twice.
If he could casually give out ten million dollars in gifts,
then his background wasn't just wealthy, it was absurdly powerful.
Even among New York's richest second-generation heirs,
no one threw around money like that.
"I get it now!" Mia said suddenly, eyes lighting up. "He must've been pretending to be poor all this time! Probably working those part-time delivery jobs just to hide his real identity.
You know how some rich guys are, they want to find true love, not gold diggers.
So they play the role of a frog instead of a prince, a billionaire pretending to be broke. Aiden must be one of them!"
Zoe's eyes widened slightly. "You really think so?"
"Of course! And now that he's finally disappointed in love, he's decided to stop pretending. He's showing his real power," Mia said confidently.
Zoe nodded thoughtfully.
The more she thought about it, the more it made sense.
Aiden James, quiet, thoughtful, willing to give his all for the girl he loved, was actually a romantic beneath his calm surface.
A rich young man who spent three years working humble jobs just to win a girl's heart.
It was almost heartbreakingly sweet.
People really are strange, Zoe thought.
If a billionaire delivers packages, everyone praises him for being sincere.
But if a poor student does the same, people just shrug, it's normal.
She couldn't help but laugh softly at the irony.
At NYU, Zoe Quinn was a goddess, the campus beauty everyone admired from afar.
But at the end of the day, she was just another girl who liked men with drive, confidence, and power.
And Aiden James… fit that perfectly.
"Mia, how do you think I should thank him?" Zoe asked hesitantly.
"He gave me ten million dollars, and my stream gained tens of thousands of new followers. I feel like this gift is just… too much."
Mia grinned slyly. "Girl, that guy's not just generous, he's interested. No one drops that much cash unless they've made up their mind to win you over.
But listen to me, Zoe, you can't give in too easily. Make him chase you a little. Don't let him think you're easy to get."
Zoe bit her lip, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
"I know," she said softly.
"But it's going to be hard pretending not to care about someone like that."
"Got it!" Zoe Quinn nodded after hearing her best friend's advice.
Then she picked up her phone and quickly typed a message.
> Zoe Quinn: Aiden, thank you so much for the gifts. I really don't know what to say. How about I treat you to dinner tomorrow night at 6:30 to show my appreciation?
When the message popped up on Aiden James's screen, he froze.
Zoe Quinn, the goddess of the Arts Department, Vice President of the Student Union, the dream girl of every guy at HUST, wanted to treat him to dinner?
He had once watched her from afar, thinking she was completely out of his league. And now she was the one inviting him out?
> Aiden: What? The campus beauty wants to treat me to dinner?
A smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
> Aiden: Sure! It's an honor to have dinner with you, Madam Vice President!
> Zoe: It's settled then! See you at the east gate of campus at 6:30!
> Aiden: Guess I'll just eat you out then!
> Zoe: Haha, come on! My family owns a restaurant, so you can eat all you want!
She replied quickly, playfully even, completely ignoring his teasing tone.
On the surface, Zoe Quinn always seemed elegant, poised, and untouchable, like the perfect goddess every guy admired from afar. But as Aiden continued chatting with her, he realized she was actually lively, witty, and surprisingly easy to talk to.
For every message he sent, she fired back two or three. It was almost dizzying.
He couldn't help but think back to Emily Rose, his ex. Whenever he texted her, he'd pour out his heart, sending long messages only to get a short reply hours later. Sometimes she didn't even bother responding at all.
He'd always told himself that if he just kept trying, if he just proved his sincerity, Emily would eventually see his worth. But now, looking at his chat with Zoe, that illusion shattered completely.
> A man who doesn't grow stronger, he thought bitterly, will always be just a joke to the woman he loves.
"Hey, Bro, quit staring at your phone! Come queue up with us, we need one more for ranked!" Ryan yelled from across the dorm room.
Aiden looked up. "You seriously want me to carry you guys? I've been stuck in Silver for years. You think you can get me to Gold?"
Ryan grinned. "Bro, our server's cracked. I'm Silver in Region One, but I beat Kings in side matches all the time! If it weren't for my trash teammates, I'd be Master by now!"
"Yeah, right. Get lost," Aiden laughed. "I've got more important things to do, like chatting with the school beauty."
"Keep dreaming!" Ryan shouted back.
The next day, 6:30 p.m. sharp, at the east gate of the University.
A girl in a mid-length white T-shirt and sneakers stood quietly by the entrance, her ponytail swaying slightly in the evening breeze. She'd been waiting for over ten minutes.
Students streamed past, but almost every single one turned to look. Her long, slender legs caught the eye immediately, and even though her outfit was simple, her figure radiated effortless grace and youth.
Even the girls couldn't help glancing back in admiration.
"Whoa, who's that? She's stunning!" one guy whispered.
"You kidding? That's Zoe Quinn, the Vice President of the Student Union, president of the Dance Club, and one of the top three beauties on campus!" another said, lowering his voice.
"Wait, that's Zoe Quinn? Damn… looks like she's waiting for someone."