Jason Carter and Jinyi kept talking, almost as if Luce didn't exist.
He sat a little to the side, his face pale and his chest tight with frustration.
Both he and Jinyi attended the Riverside Academy of Fine Arts, but in truth, they had exchanged only a handful of words over the years. And every time they spoke, he would replay those words endlessly in his mind like they were treasures.
Yet in just a few hours, Jinyi had already spoken more to Jason Carter than she ever had with him—smiling, laughing, even leaning in to ask him questions.
And what was worse? Jason hardly put in any effort. Jinyi was the one bringing up topics while Jason just replied with a casual sentence here or there, as if it was nothing.
Luce's stomach twisted. Why him?
When a guy talks with a beautiful girl, shouldn't it be the man who struggles to keep up the conversation? That was the natural order of things, wasn't it?
He remembered something he'd once scoffed at online: "You'll never know how much initiative a gorgeous woman can show—until she meets someone she actually likes."
He hadn't believed it. Now he did.
Luce tried to talk himself down. Maybe Jinyi's just shallow. Maybe she's just dazzled by looks. She's a beauty majoring in aesthetics, of course she'd gravitate toward someone with a handsome face.
But then his eyes lingered on her—her elegant features, the curve of her shoulders, the faint fragrance when she leaned closer, the way her collarbone caught the light. His heart pounded faster, no matter how hard he tried to bury the feeling.
Even if she was shallow—so what? Wasn't he shallow too?
He couldn't keep sitting here, suffocating. Fortunately, the University Talent Gala was about to begin, giving him an opening.
Luce straightened his jacket and strode forward, voice carefully measured:"Jinyi, I arranged a front row seat for you. Mike, I found a place for you too—not in the front row, but still pretty good."
He wasn't stupid. Even though jealousy gnawed at him, he wasn't going to sabotage himself by being openly hostile. Instead, he used the chance to separate Jason from Jinyi—polite, casual, calculated.
Mike and even Jordan didn't object. If their friend was trying to impress a girl, the least they could do was let him show off. And hey, he even remembered to save them seats too.
But Jinyi smiled and said, "Oh? Then I'd rather not. Let's just all sit together in the back. It's more fun that way."
Her words hit Luce like a punch to the chest. He actually forgot to breathe for a second.
Before he could gather himself, Jason casually added, "That's true—it's better if everyone stays together. But we don't have to give up good seats. Let's all just sit in the front row."
Luce nearly choked. Who the hell are you to say that?
Front row? That was usually reserved for the Guild Council reps, the Student Union chairs, or the professors who oversaw the gala. Not some random junior who waltzed in like he owned the place.
But the crazy part was… Jason said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Luce couldn't help smirking to himself. Go ahead, keep pretending. When you get caught bluffing, she'll see right through you.
Mike wanted to tug Jason's sleeve and whisper: Bro, tone it down. If you can't follow through, you'll just look like an idiot.
But Jordan? Jordan's heart skipped a beat. He remembered that time at the beach, when Jason had casually said the jet ski owner was "easy to talk to"… then immediately bought the $200,000 machine outright. A few minutes later, Jason said the yacht owner was "probably easy to talk to" too—then purchased a $2 million sailboat without blinking.
So when Jason said he'd get them into the front row, Jordan had a chilling suspicion. Jason wasn't bluffing. He will actually do it.
At that exact moment, the doors opened.
A tall woman in her late twenties walked in. Her single ponytail swung lightly behind her, her fitted blazer hugged her curves, and her sharp eyes gave her an air of authority.
"Everyone, the gala's about to start," she announced in a low, confident voice.
.....
But they suddenly notice a extremely beautiful women walking toward them, to be precise toward Jason.
From Jason Carter's words earlier, the group had already faintly picked up that he had some kind of assistant.
But no one expected this.
A woman in her late twenties walked in, dressed in a fitted blazer that accentuated her curves. Her ponytail swayed lightly behind her as she moved, heels clicking against the marble floor with sharp authority.
The students nearly dropped their jaws.
A secretary. A real secretary.
Not just any secretary either—a stunningly beautiful one, the kind most guys would only dare to dream about. Jason, this guy, actually had her in real life.
And then she called him something that made their blood boil with envy:
"Mr. Carter," she said smoothly, bowing slightly, her voice full of respect.
Luce sat frozen. Secretary?
What the hell?! Aren't we all just students? How does he have a secretary?
And not just any secretary—but one who looked like she'd walked straight out of a fantasy novel. Was this serious?
"Miss Olivia!" Jinyi recognized her immediately, her eyes lighting up. She greeted her warmly. Olivia —the infamous administrative overseer assigned by the Arcane Council.
Olivia returned a polite smile, then nodded at Jason.
Just as Luce was about to salvage his pride by greeting the incoming staff member, another figure entered the hall.
A middle-aged man in a crisp black suit—Mr. Hawthorne, one of the chief managers of the gala, known for being untouchable and notoriously strict.
Luce stood straighter and prepared to respectfully greet him:"Manager Hawthorne, good eveni—"
But Hawthorne walked straight past him. Without a single glance, he bowed slightly toward Jason and said in a deferential tone:
"Mr Carter, allow me to escort you to your seat."
The entire group went silent.
Luce nearly bit through his tongue. Manager Hawthorne? Respectful? To him?
This was the man who oversaw the entire talent gala. His word carried more weight than the student council president, more than most professors. Yet here he was, practically groveling before Jason Carter.
Jason only nodded casually, then gestured toward Jinyi and the others."Arrange a few more seats beside me. Let them all sit together—it'll be more fun that way."
Manager Hawthorne didn't hesitate for even a heartbeat."Of course. Right away."
He turned to Luce and snapped, "handle it. Shift a few of the student guild presidents to the side and clear those spots."
Luce's head spun. What?
Just a few words from Jason, and the man actually followed through—going so far as to displace high-ranking student leaders for him?
This wasn't normal. Hawthorne wasn't the type to bend without gain. He never did loss-making deals. If he was showing Jason this kind of deference… then Jason must hold power far beyond what they could comprehend.
Luce had no time to argue. Hawthorne's order left him no choice but to obey. In the end, instead of showing off his influence, he became Jason's errand runner, ferrying orders like some junior assistant.
His face burned.
Mike was dumbfounded. Their heads spun.
Only Jordan's heart hammered in recognition. I knew it. Jason isn't bluffing. He really is untouchable.
The girls, meanwhile, couldn't hide the spark of admiration in their eyes. Jinyi's smile grew brighter, her heart pounding with something she didn't dare name.
Admiration +5.
Finally, the group followed Manager Hawthorne out of the backstage hall.
And sure enough—the front row seats were already cleared.
Just as everyone thought Jason was going to sit with them in this prime row, they froze when they saw Hawthorne lead him even further forward—into the VIP section itself.
The very first row.
Reserved only for the most important figures.
Jason Carter sat down there, with Hawthorne standing respectfully at his side.
Luce's face went blank. Mike, Shi, and Sun could only gape like fish.
Jinyi's beautiful eyes shimmered as she gazed at Jason, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
Admiration +10.
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