022 You Are My Idol

Liu Yunqi gracefully picked up a white napkin to dab at the corner of her mouth, her movements pleasing to the eye. She rested both hands on the table and gazed out the window.

“I don’t know either,” she replied.

From Zhong Yun’s angle, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her bright, crystalline eyes resembled two deep black gemstones.

She turned her head and met his gaze, her eyes losing focus for a moment. “Perhaps it’s your eyes,” she said softly. “They make me feel you’re different from everyone else.”

“My eyes?” Zhong Yun reached up to rub them. “You’re not going to tell me I’ve got sleep in my eyes, are you?”

Liu Yunqi broke into a radiant smile, her beauty in that instant outshining even nine stars encircling the moon. Watching Zhong Yun gaze at her with a strange, dazed expression, she teased, “Now it seems you’re no different from other men.”

Zhong Yun sighed. “Everyone loves beauty. If I ignored you, that would just be pretending.”

At his words, Liu Yunqi pressed her lips together in a smile, clearly pleased by his compliment.

Looking at her smiling face, Zhong Yun was momentarily lost in thought, until she couldn’t help but ask, “What are you looking at?” As she spoke, a faint blush appeared on her jade-like cheeks, which she concealed by taking a drink.

“We’ve been classmates for three years, and you’ve smiled more today than you ever have before,” Zhong Yun observed, a hint of emotion in his voice.

Liu Yunqi’s hand paused as she set her cup down. “I don’t know why, but when I’m with you, I feel relaxed. It’s as if I’m with a friend I’ve known for many years.”

Hearing her consider him a close friend, Zhong Yun felt a surge of excitement, though he knew better than to show it. He leaned back, resting against the chair.

“Perhaps we’re just kindred spirits. You know, in our class I only have one friend—well, two. Recently, I gained another.”

“As for the others, maybe they just look down on me. They don’t want to be friends with someone whose grades are always at the bottom.”

With a shrug, Zhong Yun seemed a little helpless.

“Then we can say we share the same fate,” Liu Yunqi said with a self-deprecating smile. She, too, was solitary in the class, without any friends.

It was ironic. She’d given up a private school with far superior teaching resources, choosing instead to attend a public school for its egalitarian atmosphere, driven by her distaste for the ways of the elite and her belief in equality and freedom.

Yet at the public school, she found everyone seemed to avoid her. The girls never invited her to their activities or gatherings; no one wanted to keep her company.

Page (1/3)

For three years, she hadn’t made a single friend, a result that left her feeling lonely.

This was hardly surprising. Whether it was her appearance, her family background, or her achievements in music—she was the youngest recipient of the Jialan Music Prize—she brought tremendous pressure to other girls.

Moreover, her personality was very different from theirs. She loved music, flowers, and painting. Her free time was spent practicing the piano, visiting flower markets, or attending art exhibitions.

Ordinary girls, on the other hand, cared about fashion, celebrities, clothes, accessories. They’d go to fashion shows, concerts, shopping trips, and so on whenever they had time.

These were two entirely different worlds, with no common language between them.

“That’s different. They don’t befriend me because they look down on me. They don’t befriend you because they’re afraid of you,” Zhong Yun said solemnly.

“Annoying,”

Unable to resist his nonsense, Liu Yunqi gave him a playful smack. The aloofness she usually carried, keeping others at a distance, vanished for a moment, replaced by the warmth of a girl next door.

But the moment quickly passed, and she returned to her usual self, gazing at Zhong Yun thoughtfully, as if pondering something.

“What is it? Is there something on my face?” Zhong Yun asked, puzzled by her unwavering stare.

Leaning her chin on her hand, Liu Yunqi sighed almost wistfully. “Having a friend feels wonderful.”

Zhong Yun chuckled. “Just like that, you’ve made me your friend? Aren’t you worried I’ll turn around and sell you out?”

“Sell me? No one in this world could afford the price,” Liu Yunqi said proudly, lifting her chin.

“Wow,” Zhong Yun feigned surprise. “That’s right—the youngest winner of the Jialan Music Prize. That’s quite the pedigree.”

Their laughter filled the air, and time slipped by unnoticed. Neither mentioned leaving; the environment was perfect for conversation.

After asking the waiter to clear the table, they each ordered a drink, chatting idly as they sipped. The atmosphere was congenial.

Two hours passed, and when the sun outside was less intense, Zhong Yun suggested a walk by the lake. Liu Yunqi agreed happily.

The two strolled side by side, like a pair of lovers, wandering aimlessly. Passersby couldn’t help but turn their heads to look at them.

Page (2/3)

Wherever Liu Yunqi went, she was the center of attention, even more so now with Zhong Yun, whose appearance was unremarkable, at her side in what seemed to be a close relationship.

The stark contrast between their looks made it impossible not to attract attention.

Countless men glared at Zhong Yun with envy, grumbling in their hearts: how could someone like him win over such a top-tier beauty? What kind of world is this?

Of course, there were those who admired him as well.

Despite all the curious glances, Liu Yunqi remained composed. She had experienced this often and had learned to ignore such attention.

Zhong Yun, too, felt no discomfort—he was no longer the Zhong Yun of the past.

As a traveler from Earth, he carried a quiet pride within: I am different, I am unique.

He often reminded himself: as a transmigrator, I must not disgrace my fellow Earthlings.

And with the greatest secret of all—“Zero”—he naturally possessed a confidence that only those with true ability could have.

Thus, even facing the extraordinary charm and beauty of Liu Yunqi, he could maintain a normal demeanor. So what if you’re beautiful? There are always others as beautiful as you. But I am the only transmigrator.

Other people’s stares couldn’t affect him; in fact, they made him feel a touch of pride. What are you looking at? Even if I’m not handsome, I can still win the heart of a goddess.

As Zhong Yun and Liu Yunqi discussed a piano technique, suddenly a boy of seven or eight ran up to them. Both stopped talking and looked at him in surprise.

The boy looked up at Zhong Yun. “Big bro