Chapter 4 — When the Goddess Appears

I dragged my luggage forward, making my way toward the bustling arrivals area. Even from a distance, a gigantic, oversized bouquet of red roses caught my attention, completely obscuring the person holding it. Yet, through the silhouette alone, it was impossible to miss the broad shoulders, the slender waist, and the tall, upright posture. Could he perhaps be one of those men blessed with such a magnificent physique that you could simply cut off his head and still enjoy the view, much like a delicious shrimp? I shook my head in disbelief, convinced that the man who used the online handle "This Person Is Definitely Not Scallop" could not possibly resemble his photographs in reality. If he truly did match his profile, what on earth could he possibly want with someone like me?

The figure ahead of him seemed to grow increasingly impatient. A handsome face peeked out from behind the sea of crimson petals, his anxious gaze scanning the surroundings in every direction. My pupils dilated violently. Damn it! I never expected him to look exactly like his pictures, and if anything, he was even more breathtakingly handsome in person!

The man who claimed he was "Definitely Not Scallop" had actually not deceived me with filtered photos after all!

Several young women had already gathered around him, whispering among themselves while pointing and casting curious glances. I stepped forward, wearing a complicated expression.

"Are you..."

I had naively assumed that upon laying eyes on me, he would be struck with pleasant surprise and overwhelming joy. Instead, he simply furrowed his brows.

"Is there something you need?"

I tilted my head slightly and raised my phone.

"Who are you waiting for? Would you like to add me on WeChat?"

His expression grew even darker and more displeased.

"I am waiting for my girlfriend. I do not add strangers."

I was utterly dumbfounded. Ever since I had successfully lost weight and transformed my appearance, no man had ever treated me with such chilling indifference.

"This Person Is Definitely Not Scallop"... could it be that he genuinely harbored a peculiar fetish for unattractive partners?

Noticing that I still lingered without leaving, a flicker of irritation crept into his tone.

"Could you please hurry along? My girlfriend will be arriving shortly."

I let out a helpless, weary sigh.

"Scallop, it is me, Little Pumpkin."

"What Scallop, what Little Pumpkin..." He abruptly froze, his gaze sweeping up and down my body several times over as his eyes widened to the point where they seemed ready to pop out of their sockets.

"You? Little Pumpkin?!"

"No way! Absolutely impossible! Weren't you supposed to look completely different? You cannot possibly be..."

"Be terribly fat and exceedingly ugly?" I finished the sentence for him, offering a wry explanation. "I lost a significant amount of weight, so I slimmed down."

"Or perhaps you possess some bizarre preference for unsightly people, only favoring those who lack conventional beauty?"

The man who had just moments ago been glaring at me with utter impatience suddenly felt a deep, crimson flush spread violently across his cheeks!

"No, I did not mean that... What I meant to say was that you were very adorable even before, not ugly at all, and I—"

"So, am I adorable now?" I suddenly found him rather amusing.

"Of course! You are adorable now, and you are exceptionally pretty. I simply did not expect this!"

He shoved the massive bouquet directly into my arms. The arrangement was surprisingly heavy, causing me to stumble and nearly lose my balance under its substantial weight. In a panic, he lunged forward, hastily steadying me by the shoulders.

"I am so sorry! My apologies!"

A sudden burst of genuine laughter escaped my lips.

"Did you not promise earlier that upon our first meeting, you would take me out for a wonderful meal?"

"Let us go, then."

In person, Scallop was remarkably similar to his online persona. Despite possessing such striking, handsome features, he was entirely devoid of the arrogance typically found in attractive young men. Throughout our journey, he remained gentle, considerate, and attentive to my every need. It was then that I learned his name was Kyle, and that he was also a freshman starting this term. Although we belonged to different departments, we shared the same university campus. He had selected an exquisite Western restaurant for our meal. During dinner, he pulled out my chair, meticulously cut my steak, and sat with a persistent blush, utterly too shy to meet my gaze. Afterward, he spent the entire afternoon escorting me around the city for leisure. When he finally dropped me off near the restaurant where my class was holding its welcome gathering, he lingered with obvious reluctance.

"Send me a message the moment it ends, and I will come to pick you up."

The restaurant chosen for the gathering was bustling with a lively crowd. As I approached the private dining room, the animated chatter of my classmates drifted clearly through the door.

"Has everyone arrived yet?"

"Not quite, Cole still hasn't shown up."

"Cole? You mean that absolute tank who tried to trick Terry? Ha! She probably doesn't even have the courage to show her face here."

"Indeed. If she were to lay eyes on our campus beauty, wouldn't she simply die of humiliation? People like that only possess the audacity to deceive others behind a screen. In reality, who in their right mind would want to associate with someone built like a pig's head, ha ha ha!"

Luna chuckled along with the rest, leaning gracefully against the shoulder of Terry.

"Do not be too harsh on her. Being unattractive is hardly her fault."

Just as I was about to push the door open, a plump fellow student slipped into the room ahead of me. The entire chamber fell into a brief, expectant hush before everyone began exchanging knowing, mocking winks.

"Is this finally Cole? How utterly arrogant, keeping everyone waiting just for her."

"She is precisely as Terry described, ha ha ha."

"Take a seat. Though I doubt a single chair will be sufficient for you, no? Should we arrange a double seating space?"

Roars of laughter erupted around the table. Terry wrapped an arm around Luna's shoulder, a triumphant, sneering smirk playing at the corners of his lips. The newly arrived girl cast a bewildered glance at the snickering crowd before quietly proceeding to unload trays of dishes from a cart outside the doorway. The mirth on everyone's faces instantly froze, replaced by an atmosphere of intense awkwardness. With a firm push, I swung the door open and stepped inside. Absolute silence descended upon the room. Dozens of pairs of eyes locked onto me simultaneously. A male student with a buzzcut held a glass of beer mid-air, completely forgetting to set it down as golden liquid spilled over the rim and soaked into his trousers—only then did he snap back to reality, frantically and clumsily brushing at his clothes. Across the table, the girl who had laughed the loudest moments before now stared at me with her mouth forming a perfect circle. Luna, who had been lounging lazily against Terry, snapped her spine straight the very second she laid eyes on me. The half-smile vanished from her lips as she instinctively reached up to smooth her hair. As for Terry, he simply stared at me in absolute disbelief, frozen in place.

"Damn..." I heard someone mutter under their breath.

One of them finally recovered their composure.

"Beautiful lady, you... have you perhaps wandered into the wrong room? This is a freshman gathering for our specific class."

The buzzcut student who had previously mocked me the most fiercely hastily spoke up in a loud voice to correct him.

"Even if she wandered into the wrong room, it matters not! She is clearly a freshman as well, surely everyone is welcome to join us!"

A soft chuckle escaped my lips.

"Good evening, everyone. I am Cole."

The room practically detonated. The buzzcut student gaped in utter shock, his tongue tripping over his words.

"You... Cole? That is impossible!"

"Did Terry not claim that you were..."

With a faint smile, I met their gazes.

"Claim what about me?"

My eyes swept past Terry, whose expression had hardened into one of sheer, petrified astonishment.