"Piggy, what are you up to?"

"You’ve been acting weird lately. Why don’t you talk to me anymore?"

Cheng Hao’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out and saw a message from Ye Zihan.

"What else? I’m thinking of you, of course," Cheng Hao replied instantly.

"Liar! If you really missed me, why haven’t you come see me?"

Though separated by a screen, Cheng Hao could almost picture Ye Zihan’s pouting face.

"I really am thinking of you. I’ve just been busy, so I can’t always reply right away."

"What’s so busy in college? Don’t tell me that campus beauty’s bothering you again?"

"Exactly... Just mentioning her gives me a headache. Are you upset?"

"Upset? Hmm... Maybe a little. But I heard she’s nice. If you like her, be friends. Don’t worry—I won’t mind."

Huh?

Friends?

Won’t mind?

Something’s off. There’s gotta be a trick. Maybe... she’s fishing for answers!

Cheng Hao quickly sensed the weirdness. The usual Ye Zihan wouldn’t act like this—she’d always ask if girls hit on him or if he flirted with others.

But now, when it came to Ye Xinran, she wanted him to be friends?

Weird. Way too weird!

But smart as I am, do you think this little trap can fool me?

"Seriously, just seeing her gives me a headache. Forget friends—I’d run away on sight. Anyway, enough about her. How’ve you been? Anything fun happen?"

Cheng Hao cleverly changed the subject.

"Fun things... More like a coincidence. The other day, my roommate and I saw a flower shop called ‘Zihan Flower City’."

Zihan Flower City?

Wasn’t that his shop?

Could Zihan have stumbled on it by chance?

Cheng Hao was puzzled but didn’t dwell on it. He replied, "That shop? Guess who owns it?"

Ye Xinran sat up abruptly after reading Cheng Hao’s message.

What did he mean?

Could... that flower shop be his?

It must be. Why else ask her that?

"You’re not telling me that shop is actually—"

"Yeah, it’s specially for you. Remember when we were kids? You said lilies were your favorite—you wanted to marry in a sea of lilies. So I opened a lily-only shop named after you."

Ye Xinran’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She’d never imagined Cheng Hao owned it. She’d thought it was just coincidence.

But what really touched her was... he’d remembered her careless childhood words and actually built a shop for her. Was this straight out of a drama?

Ye Xinran took a deep breath and typed back, "Are you kidding? Did you really... open a flower shop for me?"

"Why lie? Of course it’s for you. Who else named Zihan do I know? I know it’s weird, but I wanted to make you happy. Most importantly, I keep my promises. Whatever you’ve told me, I remember—even after all these years."

"Silly, don’t waste money like that. I was just a kid joking around. I never thought you’d take it seriously."

Though Ye Xinran said this, her smile betrayed her true feelings.

To people like them, money solved everything—but she was moved. Not just by the shop, but because... even after a decade apart, he’d never forgotten what she loved.

He’d kept her casual words in his heart, acted on them, and named the shop after her. Who wouldn’t adore a guy like that?

To Ye Xinran, this shop wasn’t just flowers—it held their past, her hopes, and... Cheng Hao’s affection.

It was practically a nest of love.

If she could, she’d rush to hug him right now.

No... wait!

Stay composed. I must stay composed!

Ye Xinran sensed her panic—if she didn’t calm down, she might actually do it.

Cheng Hao: "Of course! I can’t wait to meet you and show you the shop in person."

Zihan: "Hmph ╭(╯^╰)╮ Maybe one day you’ll fall for that campus beauty and rename the shop after her."

Cheng Hao frowned.

What’s wrong with Zihan lately?

Ever since he mentioned Ye Xinran, she’d acted strangely, always steering talk to her. It felt off.

Wait... could Ye Zihan have some weird kink?

Cheng Hao had read online about thrills—like twins sharing a husband or best friends dating the same guy.

Uh... sounded fun, but he wasn’t stupid. Ye Zihan wasn’t that generous. This was a trap.

"Zihan, you know me. If I wanted something with her, it’d have happened already. Why tell you everything?"

Reading this, Ye Xinran felt happy and worried.

Happy because Cheng Hao stayed faithful despite temptations.

Worried because she didn’t know what to do.

She’d just wanted him to recognize her—but no matter how she hinted, he never saw her other identity.

He was a total straight-arrow pig.

Now Ye Zihan hadn’t shown up, and Ye Xinran troubled him. What if... he hated the real her later?

Ye Xinran worried.

But then she had a brilliant idea: make Cheng Hao fall for Ye Xinran.

Only then would she have no fears about him rejecting her true self.

Yes! I’m a genius!

Ye Xinran sprang into action.

She quickly messaged she had an emergency and would chat later.

Next second, she switched to her Ye Xinran WeChat account.

"Junior, what are you up to?"

"Looking at my phone."

Seeing such a cold reply, Ye Xinran gritted her teeth.

This guy... the difference in how he treats us is huge!

We’re both your cute girls!

"Your attitude displeases me. No more sweet soup for you!"

"Really... senior, are you serious?"

Cheng Hao jumped up, punching the air wildly with joy.

Ever since drinking Ye Xinran’s sweet soup, his dorm swarmed with ants. No guessing why.

If this continued, he’d die young.

Now she said no more sweet soup—he felt this might be the luckiest day of his life.

But before he could celebrate, Ye Xinran poured cold water on him: "By the way, I’ve gotten into making soups. Sweet soup all the time isn’t good—I’ll switch it up for you."

Cheng Hao felt utterly hopeless.

In that instant, he understood... falling from heaven to hell.

Her sweet soup had a whole pack of sugar. Would her soup have a whole pack of salt?

This was a recipe for a salty death!

Why is the "sweet and salty" campus beauty at other schools nothing like ours?

Mom... Zihan... I want to transfer schools.

"Oh, senior, what did you need so late?" Cheng Hao, fearing soup, quickly changed the subject.

"Nothing much. Do you remember what you promised me?"

"Promised you? What did I promise?"

"......"

This guy was unbelievable!

He remembered Ye Zihan’s offhand words from ten years ago.

But forgot Ye Xinran’s condition from days ago?

The favoritism was too obvious!

Ye Xinran took a deep breath, calmed herself, and typed:

"You promised to grant me one condition."

"Ah, that..."

"Hmm? Backing out? Doesn’t matter. As long as you’re at Donghai University, I’m not worried."

Cheng Hao couldn’t grasp how 30-degree fingers typed such icy words.

This was a threat. A blatant threat!

Sure enough... this campus beauty senior wasn’t a pushover.

Nothing like my Zihan, who only cares for me.

Even regretting it, Cheng Hao had no choice but to give in. How else could he survive at Donghai?

He sighed.

"No way, senior. I was kidding. How could I forget my promise?"

"That’s better."

"So... what do you want me to do?"

"Come find me tomorrow. I’ll tell you in person."

"This... alright..."

Ye Xinran gazed at the chat window, her lips curling into a smile, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Hmph! I won’t let you escape my grasp!"

"Operation Make Him Fall for Ye Xinran: Officially Launched!"