To everyone's surprise, the spotlight was turned into a shield—yet it failed to protect him. So, with a gentle release of Miss Misugi's graceful grip, he stepped away. But unexpectedly, Misugi tightened her hold and turned to Satoru, declaring firmly, "Listen to me, Satoru—this gentleman is my boyfriend!" Her tone was so certain, it didn't sound like a performance at all. Satoru was completely defeated. All the students' eyes now turned toward both Hikaru and Misugi. Meiji smiled warmly, radiating gentle charm, her bright eyes sparkling with life. Gao Liang found her truly embodying the grace of an Eastern beauty—rarely had he seen a girl as lively and spirited as Chinese girls typically are. He began to appreciate her more and more. What a perfect figure! Her long black hair cascaded down her shoulders, carrying a delicate, pleasant fragrance—just like the one he particularly loves, the carnation. Her bust was so full that it seemed to strain the fabric of her blouse, beautifully outlining a smooth, inviting curve. Her legs were long and slender, her delicate feet wrapped in the crystal-clear heels. Her hips were round and full. Her entire figure was graceful and youthful, exquisitely proportioned. The standard measurements: 90 cm at the bust, 60 cm at the waist, and 90 cm at the hips, with a height of 1.65 meters—more than a model’s ideal. Goodness! Was it just his eyes that had gone blurry? His nose felt so warm—he even reached out and touched it! By heaven! He had actually started to bleed from his nose. Man, that's why the Chinese say you earn an American salary, marry a Japanese woman, and live in a British house. It seems the old Chinese man can earn an American salary and have an American beauty as his wife, but still lacks a Japanese wife! Now that I think about it, it doesn't seem so bad after all. So I agreed and walked toward her classroom. I wanted to see what kind of move she was planning. After all, isn't a Chinese man of stature supposed to be confident even in the face of a Japanese young lady? In her classroom, an older professor with a few gray hairs was teaching the most advanced business theories in the world. The students listened intently and took detailed notes. A tall, muscular male student sat with a carefree, laid-back demeanor, his eyes constantly fixed on the girls who were diligently taking notes. Those girls deliberately kept their heads low, almost resting them on their desks, to avoid exposing their chests. The muscular guy found it boring—his prey was gone, but then he was struck by a sudden spark of interest: sitting beside Meiji, she was now upright and confident, unlike before when she always hunched over like the other girls. What had changed today? Oh! The muscular guy noticed a handsome, unfamiliar young man had joined Meiji—Asian, by the way. With that, he clenched his fists tightly and stepped forward, standing directly in front of Meiji, addressing Gao Liang with firmness: "You're not one of us! Get out of here!" "Tom, this young man is my boyfriend. Please treat him with some respect!" Meiji said seriously. Tom protested: "So he's your boyfriend? Then what? I think he's just a fake!" "You!" Meiji's lips trembled with anger. "He's my boyfriend! Do you have any problem with that?" Gao Liang stepped in to defend Meiji. "Then let's have a one-on-one match—unless you win me!" Tom held his arms out, flexing his muscles with pride. In his eyes, this Asian person of yellow race indeed stood out neither in terms of visibility nor in terms of potential. At that moment, the elderly professor tapped the lectern to signal quiet, indicating that they could discuss matters after class, and then began posing a business question to the entire class: "Could everyone compare the business situations in the United States, Japan, and China?" "The United States is the world leader in business!" Tom exclaimed, clearly proud. "Our Japanese business is very well developed!" another Japanese student stood up and said. "Our Korea is developing rapidly, drawing inspiration from the U.S. model!" a Korean student stood up and said with confidence. ... Yet no one mentioned China, which left Gao Liang feeling rather disappointed. "Why isn't China mentioned? China has been making rapid progress through its reform and opening-up policies over the years!" the professor remarked to the students. "Hmph? China, China—our class has not a single Chinese student!" "Prove that Chinese students aren't capable of studying at our world-renowned business schools!" Tom snorted, his expression of disdain unmistakable, and the crowd murmured in astonishment. "I'm Chinese. From today on, I'm a business school student!" Gao Liang spoke with clear, resonant confidence, delivering his words in standard English—thanks to Dian Mingna's consistent efforts to improve his English proficiency. His fluent English left the entire class in awe. The senior professor removed his glasses, looking at this unfamiliar Chinese student with bewilderment. "Young man," he said, "I don't recognize you at all!" At that moment, Professor Wells arrived. He entered the classroom and introduced himself to the senior professor, who exclaimed enthusiastically, "Remarkable! Remarkable! A Chinese student! From today on, you're officially one of our class!" Wells was also delighted that Gao Liang had chosen a business major, as he knew that Gao could study business while also learning game software design under his guidance—an approach perfectly aligned with Stanford’s interdisciplinary teaching model, which seeks students who excel across multiple fields. After Wells left, the senior professor represented the university in arranging Gao’s academic enrollment. Gao sat next to Miki, who was thrilled to learn that he was Chinese, having once visited coastal China with his parents. The rapid development of China left a deep impression on her. The two conversed in English, exchanging insights about each other’s countries. As neighbors in the Asia-Pacific region, both China and Japan are East Asian nations with deep historical ties. Their conversation flowed naturally, as if they had found kindred spirits. All the students were happy, except Tom, who looked at Gouhei with hostility. Watching Gouhei and Miki's close interaction, Tom clenched his fists so tightly they clicked, silently thinking, "Gouhei, you want to take my place? Then I'll make sure you die a painful death!" Soon after school ended, Gouhei had accumulated a large stack of new books, so his backpack was full. Miki warmly held it for him, and the two walked side by side out of the classroom to the wide open space of the school grounds. Gouhei signaled for Miki to stop, but Miki insisted on following him. At that moment, Satoru arrived with a group of classmates—Japanese boys—who blocked Gouhei's path. "It's him who's ruined my plans!" Satoru pointed at Gouhei and said angrily. As soon as he finished speaking, several Japanese male students surged forward, charging at Gōtō with fists and feet. Unprepared, Gōtō was hit with several kicks. Satoru held onto Miki's hand, and Miki fiercely kicked him, but Satoru was strong, dragging Miki away with him. "Gōtō! Save me! Save me!" Miki's voice filled Gōtō with passion. After Gōtō used his "Chinese martial arts" to knock down the Japanese students, he charged straight at Satoru. But Satoru was strong and skillful, using judo techniques to easily throw Gōtō to the ground. Gōtō's body hit the cement floor hard, and the sharp pain left him unconscious. "Hmph! Thinking you can play judo with me? Just dream!" Satoru laughed proudly, squeezing Miki's hand tightly and saying firmly, "Today, I'm taking you out—on this romantic Valentine's Day!" "No! No!" Miki pleaded, her tears streaming down. "Hahaha!" Laozi came first in Judo at Stanford—being beaten by him is pure fortune! You're still howling? Believe me, I'm going to have you right now!" Zōrō smiled lasciviously, making Mizuki feel terrified. Just as he was feeling confident, a flying leg came swooping in and landed squarely on Zōrō's head. Zōrō spun around, dazed, cried out in pain, "Ah!" and released his grip on Mizuki, retreating three steps. After rubbing his eyes for a while, he finally made out a graceful Korean girl, Chen Huizhen, who had executed a high-kick from Taekwondo—her stance clearly indicated she wasn't to be taken lightly.