C43 Bet!(part I)

Bo Yandong's heart softened as he whispered, "If you don't want to come to school, then don't."

Initially, he had sent her to school to prevent any misunderstandings from the elders about this matter.

But now, seeing her sleep-deprived every day, he felt a pang of guilt.

Gu Zhiwei paused, taken aback.

With her eyes wide and shimmering, she asked incredulously, "Can you really tolerate me doing nothing all day?"

He gazed at her intently before averting his eyes and murmured, "I can support you."

Regaining her composure, Gu Zhiwei locked eyes with Bo Yandong and offered a slight smile. "Well, since I'm here, I might as well stick around for the day."

With that, she turned and stepped out of the car.

Unexpectedly, Bo Yandong followed suit.

Not only did he exit the vehicle, but he also escorted her to the school entrance like a chivalrous protector.

Amidst the astonished stares of countless students, he tenderly patted Gu Zhiwei's head, "Focus on your classes; I'll come to pick you up after school."

Gu Zhiwei was left bewildered by his flurry of actions.

Whispers began to circulate among the crowd.

"Is that President Bo from Bo's Group? He was just here giving a lecture a few days ago!"

"Wait, so Gu Zhiwei didn't get out of some old man's luxury car yesterday, but President Bo's?"

As the murmurs reached her ears, Gu Zhiwei belatedly realized he had done all this to dispel the rumors from the day before.

The feeling of having someone looking out for her was quite pleasant.

"Okay."

She smiled at the distinguished and aloof man before her, "I'll wait for you. See you this afternoon."

Bo Yandong watched her walk into the school before he made his way back to his car.

...

The class bell rang, and the counselor Pann Yan entered, clutching the attendance book.

"Students, I have some exciting news. Next month, our department is hosting a computer programming contest. The winner will not only receive a substantial cash prize but will also qualify to compete in this year's ICPC event hosted by the ACM in M Country. Those interested can come and sign up with me right now."

Gu Ruoshan snapped back to reality and looked up at Pann Yan.

A world-class ICPC competition?

If she excelled in her field and made it to the global stage, that aloof and distinguished man would surely take notice of her.

She recalled someone mentioning that Mr. Bo favored intelligent and talented women.

Wouldn't winning the ACM competition be the ultimate proof of her talent?

With that thought, Gu Ruoshan took a deep breath and tightened her fists with determination.

"I want to sign up."

Pann Yan looked at her with a smile, "Great, our class's top student has set a fine example. Anyone else interested in joining?"

Hands went up in succession, and amidst the chorus of volunteers, a languid, husky voice chimed in.

"Count me in."

The words hung in the air, and an eerie silence enveloped the classroom.

Pann Yan looked toward the back row, where the girl in the corner sat in a subdued black casual suit, a stark contrast to her usually flamboyant style.

Pann Yan paused, then smiled, "Alright, Gu Zhiwei, I've got you down on the list."

Once Pann Yan had finished with the sign-up sheet and left, the classroom buzzed with excitement for a while before settling down.

With about ten to twenty minutes to spare before the lunch break, Lee Du, feeling idle, pulled out his phone to scroll through the campus forum.

Beiverlim University's forum, a student-run platform rather than an official institution, rarely saw intervention from the school unless a post severely damaged its reputation. As such, it was a hotbed for student gossip.

Upon spotting a thread titled with Gu Zhiwei's name, he tapped in without hesitation.