CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 36 DOMINANT PRESIDENT’S AURA

Brother Lie usually didn’t show off, but once he decided to, it was bound to be a big... COUGH, COUGH.

This time, his ’performance’ was not only grand but also executed very smoothly and perfectly.

Duan Xiaoyi, the first to bear the brunt, almost pissed herself in fear. Like a quail, she buried her head in her textbook and didn’t dare to lift it for the entire class.

And Yu Yun and Fang Feifei, after seeing Duan Xiaoyi’s reaction, immediately understood... everything Han Lie had said was true!

"WOW..."

Fang Feifei let out a gasp, then hurriedly covered her mouth, shrinking her neck as if intimidated by Han Lie’s aura.

After that, she started whispering with her roommate.

Yu Yun glanced at the teacher who had just entered, shifted in her seat, and edged closer to Han Lie.

She opened her mouth several times but didn’t manage to say anything for a long time.

Xi Luting’s eyelids were lowered, as if she were reading, but her eyes were motionless; it was hard to tell what she was thinking.

Lou Zhi was quietly sprawled on his desk, pretending to sleep.

Further ahead, Peeling Bark and Picking Scabs were exchanging glances, then simultaneously took out their phones and started typing furiously in a private chat.

A heavy yet strange atmosphere, with Han Lie at its center, enveloped the surroundings.

The shock was undeniable. But beyond the shock, a peculiar excitement was quietly brewing.

The finance class... was it finally going to have a true big shot?

...

Fang Feifei and Liu Yajie leaned their heads close together, chattering nonstop.

"My God... what on earth does Han Lie’s family do?!"

"No idea! Are they government officials?"

"How high-ranking would an official have to be to have influence from Dream City all the way to Magic Capital?"

"If not that... then the triads?!"

"Get out of here! Stop spouting nonsense! Han Lie has such an elegant demeanor; he looks like he comes from a scholarly family..."

"A scholarly family? And they sent him to *our* school? Wouldn’t his scholarly parents break his legs?"

"Er... that’s true... Could it be that his family has a huge business with assets in Magic Capital too?"

"How would I know? If you’re so curious, go ask him yourself!"

"No way, I don’t dare..."

"PFFT!"

Liu Yajie was amused by Fang Feifei’s timid display and winked, "What happened to your boldness when you were actively flirting with him before?"

"That was online! I’m brave enough to do anything online, but face-to-face, I’m too shy..."

"Then just keep flirting with him online!"

"But..."

"But what! Don’t tell me you still like Duan Xiaoyi?"

"Huh?! Who’s Duan Xiaoyi? Is there even such a person in our class?"

"PFFT! You’re really something else!"

"SIGH..."

Fang Feifei suddenly sighed and asked in frustration, "Yajie, do you think I have bad taste in men?"

"Why would you say that about yourself?"

"Look, at first I thought Lou Zhi was decent, but he turned out to be an idiot. Then I thought Duan Xiaoyi was pretty good, but he ended up being another braggart..."

Liu Yajie vaguely sensed that Fang Feifei definitely had some issues, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint them at the moment. Out of sisterly affection, she ultimately chose to smooth things over.

"You’re just too naive and too quick to trust others... Take it slow! Han Lie is pretty great, isn’t he?"

"Should I pursue him then?"

"Go for it!"

Liu Yajie pumped her fist emphatically. "If you don’t make your move quickly, are you going to leave him for that little bitch Yu Yun?"

"Alright! I’m on it!"

After psyching herself up, Fang Feifei suddenly covered her burning cheeks and giggled foolishly, lost in some reverie. Utterly smitten.

Meanwhile, Liu Yajie quietly glanced back at Yu Yun and curled her lip dismissively.

...

That little bitch Yu Yun still hadn’t found an appropriate way to casually flirt.

Her heart was pounding, but it was all for naught.

Mom! I’m in love!

This is the man I’ve been looking for!

Brother Lie is so domineering, yet so gentle! I can’t take it anymore, AHHHH!

And he’s so... magnificent...

She let her imagination run wild with all sorts of thoughts, but Han Lie remained completely engrossed in his math problems, not paying her any attention at all.

Initially, she had indeed suspected it was a ploy—playing hard to get. Now, she believed it wasn’t.

For one thing, Han Lie was genuinely too diligent; he had already finished about eighty percent of the exercises in the Advanced Mathematics I textbook.

Furthermore, considering Han Lie’s status, background, and caliber, if he wanted to pursue a girl, he would do so earnestly. Who could resist that? There was absolutely no need for him to play hard to get with her!

Her suspicions vanished, but new worries immediately surfaced. If it’s not playing hard to get, then he must genuinely not be interested in me...

But why?! Is my appearance not to his taste? Does he find me too frivolous? Does he prefer Fang Feifei or Xi Luting? Is it because I didn’t firmly stand by him before?

Yu Yun couldn’t figure it out, but her sense of urgency intensified. After all, Xi Luting was stunningly beautiful, Fang Feifei was no pushover, and there was only one Han Lie. Quick hands feast, slow hands starve. She was getting carried away.

...

Xi Luting didn’t discuss anything with anyone, quietly listening to the lecture. Well, to be more precise... she was quietly daydreaming. Her gaze was vacant, completely unfocused.

She was furious. Duan Xiaoyi, how can you be so useless?! To have the tables turned on you like this!

Yet, at the same time, she felt an exhilarating thrill. Zeng Guofan once said, "Speak softly, but act decisively." To be both yielding and firm—that is the mark of a true man.

Han Lie’s performance just now had been more perfect than she could have ever imagined. He showed magnanimity when tolerance was needed, and a sharp edge when it was time to be assertive.

Especially that final line, "Is my explanation clear enough?"—it was incredibly cool! Although Xi Luting was merely an onlooker, she too felt an immense thrill.

Someone really needed to put a brainless, local Magic Capital nouveau riche like Duan Xiaoyi in his place. Always looking down on people because of his status, did he really think everyone had to indulge him?

But this way, her plan to teach Han Lie a lesson had completely failed... I played the villain for nothing! So stupid, so foolish...

Xi Luting’s emotions were incredibly complex. Moreover, her curiosity about Han Lie grew even stronger—

What exactly does your family do? Why do I get the feeling you’re not like my peers at all? You’re almost too mature, aren’t you? If the male protagonist I wrote had this kind of caliber and aura, how could the novel have flopped so disastrously?! Maybe... I should start a new one, ’The Overbearing CEO Falls for Me,’ with Han Lie as the prototype? But I know so little about him...

Xi Luting wished she could immediately shoo Yu Yun away and talk with Han Lie until the stars came out, uncovering every secret of this enigmatic man.

Yet, she did nothing, merely remaining quietly lost in thought. Despite the turmoil raging within her, she maintained excellent control.

As a smart and precocious young woman, Xi Luting had long ago vaguely understood the drawbacks of emotional outbursts. Thus, she habitually controlled her emotions, concealed her thoughts, and rarely confided in anyone.

With no influential family background and such striking beauty, if she didn’t know how to protect herself, who could she rely on for protection?

Rather than deftly navigating relationships with all sorts of people, she preferred to use assertiveness to create distance, retaining only a few friends who could genuinely offer help.

And the most crucial aspect of maintaining her independence was... not to fawn over anyone. Once you start fawning, the foundation for any equal relationship is gone.

Therefore, upon realizing her heart was racing, even feeling a sense of admiration for Han Lie, Xi Luting’s first instinct was to calm herself down alone. As long as I calm down, everything will return to normal.