TBBMS Chapter 62

Wen Fan opened his eyes and was greeted by the large face of Liu Junhao.

Wen Fan: “… What are you doing?”

They shared a dormitory in college. The department they were in at Anqiao University was a newly established one, and the dedicated dormitory building had just been constructed. The number of students staying there was pitifully low.

The six-story dormitory building couldn’t even accommodate all the students. Wen Fan and Liu Junhao shared a room just between the two of them, and there were even vacant rooms around them.

At this moment, Liu Junhao was leaning over Wen Fan’s bed, lifting his hand to pull at his blanket. “Get up quickly. Have you forgotten what day it is today? And you’re still sleeping!”

Wen Fan rubbed his eyes, still not fully awake, and even his voice sounded bewildered. “What on earth are you talking about?”

Liu Junhao: “…” He took a deep breath. “Have you forgotten? Today is the alumni association gathering.”

Alumni association gathering?

Wen Fan was about to tug the blanket back and continue sleeping, but upon hearing Liu Junhao’s voice, he instantly became alert.

With a swift motion, he sat up, his voice tinged with urgency. “Is today December 9th?”

Liu Junhao nodded helplessly. “You, the shut-in, can’t even remember the passage of ordinary days.”

Wen Fan was indeed a shut-in. He rarely left the dormitory unless he had classes. Everything he needed was available in the dorm room, allowing him to play games and surf the internet. Why wouldn’t he stay in the dormitory?

But today was different.

Today was the alumni association gathering.

Moreover… this year’s alumni association gathering had invited senior alumni who hadn’t attended before.

Thinking of the invitation list he had seen at the student union, Wen Fan’s initially perplexed gaze suddenly brightened.

He flipped out of bed and began changing his clothes without wasting a moment.

Liu Junhao, standing nearby, whistled and shook his head with a sigh. “You’re too fickle, always swaying between staying and leaving. I’ve been calling you for so long, and you didn’t care at all. But just the alumni speech by Lou Wei got you this excited. What did you say when I asked you to go to the movies before? Isn’t staying indoors your motto?”

Wen Fan chuckled as he put on a sweater and headed toward the bathroom. “It’s just weird for two grown men to go watch a movie.”

Liu Junhao’s expression instantly turned dark. “Hmph, if Lao Zi could arrange a date with a young lady, do you think I’d care about you? Psh.”

They were accustomed to teasing each other, and neither was truly upset.

Wen Fan raised an eyebrow and shook his head, bending over to start washing up.

Wen Fan was an orphan and had almost no friends while growing up. He had a solitary personality and didn’t like actively making friends. Because he had been living in an orphanage, he had been a day student all along. It was thanks to Anqiao University’s current policy of requiring students to stay on campus that Wen Fan had the opportunity to make friends with Liu Junhao. Otherwise, he might not have had even a single buddy.

He splashed water on his face, then looked at himself in the mirror.

His features were not effeminate, yet exquisitely refined, making him appear younger than his actual age. He looked much younger than his real age.

Wen Fan’s eyes were somewhat wide-set, and his naturally downturned puppy-dog eyes made him seem a bit moist when he looked at someone. He didn’t particularly like this appearance of his.

He preferred the kind of appearance that seemed dominant and charismatic, and ideally, somewhat intimidating. He liked men who looked strong and had an air of power about them.

Such men were more masculine than he was, even without muscle gain, radiating a compelling charm.

Wen Fan lowered his head and glanced at his slender arms and legs, letting out a deep sigh.

At that moment, Liu Junhao suddenly pushed the door open and entered. He picked up his phone from the shelf next to the door and tilted his head to see Wen Fan looking at the mirror.

He immediately shook his head and playfully said, “Oh, our Computer Science department’s hottest guy, why are you looking at yourself in the mirror? Are you admiring this world-renowned handsome face that every girl on campus swoons over?”

He even imitated lines from TV dramas, exaggerating as he looked at Wen Fan in the mirror. “Ah, who would’ve thought there could be such a splendid and charming man in the world!”

“Get lost!”

…

It was now the end of the year, and Z City was accustomed to being colder than other cities, with snow falling faster and thicker. The sky was filled with drifting snowflakes, and every breath seemed to be surrounded by misty white air. The paths on campus had just been cleared, but now they were already covered in a thick layer of snow.

Wen Fan was sensitive to the cold, his hands tucked tightly into his pockets.

On their way to the alumni association gathering, as they passed by a restaurant, they bought two pastries. Wen Fan was so reluctant to extend his hand to take one that he barely stuck his hand out for two seconds, quickly putting the plastic bag containing the pastries on his wrist before swiftly retracting his hand.

He didn’t want to feel the cold air around him for even a second.

When the two of them arrived in front of the auditorium for the alumni association gathering, they hurriedly entered the outer gate and found an empty spot outside the auditorium, quickly finishing their pastries.

However, just as Wen Fan swallowed the last bite of pastry, he heard Liu Junhao exclaim, “Huh?”

Then Liu Junhao raised his arm and poked Wen Fan’s forearm.

Wen Fan had the last bite still stuck in his throat and almost choked on it. He slapped Liu Junhao’s hand away in annoyance.

But instead of retaliating, Liu Junhao stared straight ahead.

Following his gaze, Wen Fan’s eyes widened in an instant.

Outside the entrance of the auditorium, a procession of vehicles had already parked. The lead vehicle was a black luxury sedan, and the welcoming staff waiting at the entrance opened the left rear door behind the driver’s seat.

The man who got out of the car first revealed a pair of straight legs and stylish, shiny shoes. Following closely was his left hand, the veins clearly defined, long, and powerful. That hand looked so handsome, with proportional fingers, well-defined joints, exuding strength, yet not overly rough.

Wen Fan didn’t understand how he could be mesmerized by a man’s legs and hand.

But as the man emerged completely from the car, his previous confusion was instantly answered.

Why did he get lost in thought because of a hand?

—Because the owner of that hand was Lou Wei.

With sharp tiger-like eyes, well-shaped eyebrows, and deep-set features that could even look fierce, he appeared much more mature and sophisticated than his peers. He was currently wearing a formal, unadorned suit that fit his strong, well-built frame. Among the other alumni invited to the gathering, he stood out prominently, creating a distinct contrast.

At this moment, he nodded politely to the people around him and shook hands. The air of authority that emanated from him without a trace of anger kept those with timid hearts at a distance.

Wen Fan was captivated.

Liu Junhao next to him couldn’t help but exclaim, “This is Z Country’s top game designer. He truly deserves to be your idol. Damn, he’s handsome, domineering, and rich. No wonder there are always domineering CEOs in novels. If there were a female CEO like Lou Wei to pamper me, I’d be all in!”

Wen Fan had been lost in thought while looking at Lou Wei, but Liu Junhao’s words snapped him back to reality. He looked at Liu Junhao with a mixture of disdain and amusement, giving him an assessing look, “I don’t think female bosses would like your type.”

He was speaking the truth. Liu Junhao looked thick-skinned and was too lively, with a lot to say. Despite having a somewhat handsome appearance, he was quite different from the delicate and handsome type of guy that girls currently liked.

Liu Junhao immediately felt deflated, but the joy he got from bantering with Wen Fan made him retort, “Hmph, if female CEOs don’t like me, do you think male CEOs would like you?” Liu Junhao playfully bumped Wen Fan’s arm, “Go ahead, try to hook up with Lou Wei. If you succeed, I’ll design all your game visuals!”

Wen Fan coolly glanced at him, “Childish.”

As he withdrew his gaze, he suddenly felt a strong, intense stare.

He quickly looked around but found nothing unusual.

Liu Junhao, who had grown tired of standing, pushed Wen Fan toward the entrance of the auditorium, saying, “Alright, let’s go in. Lou Wei and the other invited guests will be entering the hall soon. If we wait any longer, we won’t be able to get in.”

Wen Fan agreed, realizing it was time to go in. He wanted to take one last look at Lou Wei before going inside, so he followed Liu Junhao into the auditorium.

To his surprise, as he glanced up again, he met Lou Wei’s gaze.

The corners of Lou Wei’s eyes were slightly downturned, and when he looked at people, his expressions were concealed within his eye sockets, making it hard to read him. Yet, in the second that Wen Fan locked eyes with him, he felt that the man’s dark eyes were incredibly beautiful. It was as if he could even see the other’s eyelashes clearly. His heart started to beat rapidly, a thudding sound that he himself could hear.

Thump thump, the sound of his heartbeat was audible.

For a moment, his movements slowed down.

Sensing that his friend had stopped in his tracks, Liu Junhao nudged Wen Fan a couple of times.

Wen Fan immediately looked at him and then back at Lou Wei, but Lou Wei had already averted his gaze.

A sudden feeling of disappointment enveloped him, but Wen Fan was quickly pulled into the auditorium by Liu Junhao. He didn’t linger on his emotions.

Once Liu Junhao had led Wen Fan to a seat, the opening time of the alumni association event was just right.

The principal entered the hall with the invited alumni, walking on the red carpet. They took their seats in the front row of the auditorium. Following the host’s scripted lines, the curtain was raised on this year’s alumni association gathering.

Wen Fan was completely lost in thought, the content of their conversation completely ignored. His mind was immersed in the recent exchange of gazes with Lou Wei. The man’s gaze was so penetrating that it seemed to see into one’s soul. Wen Fan frequently replayed the scene in his mind, the moment their eyes had met, and his ears would redden each time.

Liu Junhao beside him had just finished taking a picture of the beautiful female host on the stage with his phone. He turned to see his good friend sitting there with flushed cheeks. Liu Junhao’s innate sensitivity prompted him to quickly start scanning the surroundings, “Fan Fan, what are you looking at? Is there a beauty or a handsome guy?”

Wen Fan: “…”

Ignoring Liu Junhao, Wen Fan raised his head and continued to gaze at the front podium.

By this time, it was the turn of the invited alumni from Anqiao University to take the stage one by one. They shared their experiences and knowledge with the younger students still on campus.

The other alumni were earnestly imparting their “life experiences,” painting themselves as geniuses who started from scratch and amassed billions to become the richest entrepreneurs in the country. However, Lou Wei talked about how to attract players and the people around you to be interested in what you are doing in his field of game design expertise. He discussed how to make the things you want to sell more likable.

He used examples from his own designed games to illustrate many of the points he made.

However, the predecessor of Anqiao University was Anqiao Economic University, with a focus on various financial and economic disciplines in the business school. The experiences Lou Wei shared were applicable to 80% of the students at the school.

Towards the end of his speech, he even posed a question.

Lou Wei began, “When we want to design a product and make others recognize it, we need to understand three points. First, why do I want to create it? Second, what is it like? Third, how do I create it?”

Lou Wei’s voice was deep and magnetic, and he carried a special charm all over him. As a result, the audience in the entire venue fell silent, concentrating on listening to Lou Wei, “The sequence of these three points is not reversible. However, many people, when designing a product or trying to market their product, disrupt this sequence.”

“They’ll start by telling others what kind of team they have, then describe what their product offers, and finally add a design philosophy.”

“But would you buy it?”

The listeners in the audience shook their heads.

Wen Fan was also listening to Lou Wei’s speech, but he didn’t shake his head, lest he lose sight of Lou Wei.

He kept his gaze fixed on the man on the stage, listening to him say, “But if you follow the method I just mentioned. Taking ‘Dreams of Heaven’ as an example—”

“LouV Technology is committed to creating the world’s best, most user-friendly, and free-roaming online game, ‘Dreams of Heaven.’ It possesses unparalleled mobility and design, allowing players to participate and even modify it in any survival mode they prefer. You can even explore and design new game maps and countries on the map. You are not only a part of ‘Dreams of Heaven,’ but also its creator. You will experience a gaming experience like never before.” Lou Wei’s gaze swept through the vast crowd, passing by Wen Fan. In that moment, Wen Fan’s heart seemed to skip a beat.

But Lou Wei quickly averted his gaze. “So now, do you want to try playing this game?”

Nearly everyone in the hall of younger students raised their hands enthusiastically, shouting, “Yes.”

In his heart, Wen Fan silently echoed their sentiment.

He sat among the crowd, listening to the murmured whispers of his fellow classmates around him. The girls couldn’t contain their fantasizing words about Lou Wei. All he could see was the faint smile at the corner of Lou Wei’s lips on the stage.

The man seemed to rarely smile. Even though his complexion was relaxed, the movement of his lips was weakly pitiful.

But Wen Fan felt that he was smiling, and even his own mood became somewhat uplifted.

At that time, he made up his mind that even if he had to be persistent, he would add his name to LouV Technology’s list of new employees after graduating. However, during his third and fourth years, LouV Technology wasn’t hiring. During that period, LouV Technology was dedicated to researching the holographic projection project of “Dreams of Heaven,” and the talents they were recruiting were all top-tier graduate students. They had no shortage of talent. Wen Fan couldn’t even find the application window, so he hurriedly found a software design company for an internship. He was so busy with work that he didn’t pay much attention to Lou Wei’s affairs anymore. The brief encounter gradually faded from his mind. Even if he thought back, he only had the images from the photos, and the appearance of the real person was slightly different.

So much so that when Wen Fan eventually became the phone system and saw Lou Wei up close for the first time, his mind was in chaos, and he didn’t recognize who he was.

Listening to Wen Fan recall the past, Lou Wei raised his hand to tidy up Wen Fan’s slightly messy hair, sweeping it behind Wen Fan’s ear. The voice was gentler than any sentence Wen Fan had heard from Lou Wei during his university days.

“Well, if you can’t get into the company, just latch onto the company’s boss. No loss.”

As he spoke, his breath brushed against Wen Fan’s earlobe, warming it enough to make Wen Fan involuntarily shrug his shoulders. Suddenly, his thoughts cleared up, “I suddenly feel so foolish.”

Lou Wei: “Huh?”

The tone of his voice sounded lazy and magnetic, causing a tingling sensation in Wen Fan’s ears. Luckily, his charm didn’t overwhelm the words Wen Fan wanted to say, and they firmly stuck in his mind.

“I paid more attention to you than you did to me for two years! I’m so foolish!”

Lou Wei raised an eyebrow and thought for a moment before speaking in a low voice, “During that alumni gathering year, I prepared a souvenir. Originally, it was because the principal wanted me to invite someone on stage to answer questions and give a reward.”

Wen Fan furrowed his brows, “Why don’t I remember?”

Lou Wei: “I didn’t give it.”

“Why didn’t you give it?”

Lou Wei fell silent.

He tilted his head and looked at Wen Fan.

This expression added a bit of vivacity that was somewhat reminiscent of Lou Xia, but still carried an indelible air of dominance, and a hint of concealed authority, “Because the person I was waiting for never came on stage. He didn’t even listen to what I said, he didn’t even shake his head.”

Wen Fan was taken aback.

Lou Wei raised his hand and pinched the back of his neck. “In the middle of winter, you were hiding behind the door, eating secretly with snowflakes on your head. How could I do anything about it if you didn’t answer the question proactively?”

Wen Fan felt like a flower bud had blossomed in his heart. Rich and sweet nectar flowed out from the flower’s center, quickly enveloping his entire heart.

“Did, did you see me?”

Lou Wei kissed the kid’s forehead, “Do you think I’d let someone I don’t know live in my personal phone?”

Wen Fan’s face instantly turned red. It took him a while to suppress the embarrassment brought on by the warmth in his cheeks.

The ambiguous atmosphere around them was too strong, even though they were already together, Wen Fan still felt a bit shy.

“Actually, I was listening attentively. I just didn’t want you to leave my sight.”

Lou Wei fell silent and stared at him intently.

Wen Fan’s face turned even redder.

Fortunately, his brain finally kicked into gear, and he had a sudden inspiration, coming up with another question, “If you could ask me again now, what would you ask?”

As Wen Fan’s words fell, Lou Wei suddenly cupped his face and almost instinctively spoke in accordance with the format he had used in his speech at Anqiao University all those years ago, “I’m committed to being a responsible and good husband. Now, I have a career, a stable home, the ability to raise cats and dogs with someone, a little fan of someone’s as my sister, and I can design a game exclusively for you. I will cherish every day and spend it well with you.”

Lou Wei kissed the corner of Wen Fan’s mouth and took out an exquisitely crafted box from his pocket. Opening it, he revealed the customized engagement rings inside.

“So, Mr. Wen Fan, will you marry me?”

 

Author’s Note:

There will be more side stories coming up. Don’t forget to bookmark the author’s page. Love you all!!