"Right, Teacher, I got a haircut, so you didn't recognize me, did you?"

  Zhou Yi replied casually.

  Liu Wei scrutinized the lower half of Zhou Yi's face again. A flicker of realization crossed his mind—yes, it truly was him…

  Good grief, this boy always used to hide behind those absurdly long bangs and oversized black-rimmed glasses, blending into the crowd like a shadow cloaked in gloom.

  But who could have imagined that beneath all that lay a face even more striking than a movie star's? No, scratch that—it wasn't merely comparable to a celebrity's; it surpassed them entirely.

  As a heterosexual man, Liu Wei struggled to find the right words to describe such beauty. Yet judging by the reactions of the girls around him, one thing was certain: Zhou Yi was about to become infamous—or perhaps famous—for something entirely different now.

  Liu Wei waved dismissively. "Go stand in your usual spot for now. We'll discuss your absence from the class meeting later."

  Without hesitation, Zhou Yi strode toward his regular position. As he passed through the classroom, every pair of eyes followed him like magnets drawn to steel.

  It wasn't an exaggeration—men glared with envy, while women stared with hearts fluttering in admiration.

  Zhang Wu frowned deeply as he watched Zhou Yi approach. "Who do you think you are? Did you wander into the wrong class or something?"

  For reasons he couldn't quite explain, Zhang Wu harbored an inexplicable disdain for this newcomer. Standing next to someone like Zhou Yi made him feel utterly insignificant—as if he were nothing more than a lump of clay compared to polished marble.

  "Oh, come on, Zhang Wu! Why are you being so rude? If he wants to stand there, let him. What's it to you?"

  "Besides, Zhou Yi isn't here anyway. Let the poor guy have his spot for a moment," another voice chimed in.

  "Yeah, don't be such a killjoy," added yet another.

  "Handsome, which class are you from?"

  "Can we exchange contacts, classmate?"

  "Are you a transfer student?"

  The girls in the room buzzed excitedly, showering Zhou Yi with kindness they had never shown the original owner of that body. In the past, no girl had ever spoken to the old Zhou Yi without mockery or ridicule. But now, their attitudes had undergone a complete transformation.

  Zhou Yi smiled faintly, addressing the group with quiet amusement. "I'm Zhou Yi. Don't tell me none of you recognize me?"

  His words landed like a bombshell. For a brief moment, silence blanketed the room before erupting into laughter.

  "What a joke! You're hilarious!"

  "How could Zhou Yi possibly look like you? Stop fooling around!"

  "He's probably hiding somewhere in the corner right now."

  "Yeah, stop teasing us already. Tell us which class you're really from…"

  Some girls even began speaking to him in flirtatious tones, their voices dripping with coquettish charm. After all, when faced with a handsome man like this, how could any girl resist?

  Zhang Wu clenched his fists tightly as he realized that among those giggling and chatting with Zhou Yi was none other than the girl he secretly adored!

  Damn it! He hated this stranger standing beside him. And what infuriated him most was realizing that the girl he admired was just as shallow as everyone else, captivated solely by good looks.

  With gritted teeth, Zhang Wu glared at Zhou Yi, his expression darkening with each passing second.

  Zhou Yi, however, remained silent, waiting patiently until the chatter gradually subsided. Only then did he raise an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

  Clearly, the truth had finally dawned on them. This was indeed Zhou Yi—the same Zhou Yi they'd once mocked and ridiculed endlessly.

  Several girls turned to each other in stunned disbelief, their eyes wide with shock and uncertainty.

  "No way… Is that really Zhou Yi?"

  "That jawline… It does kind of match."

  "He always kept the upper half of his face hidden before."

  "Oh my god… The world has gone mad. Zhou Yi—a white-shirted heartthrob!?"

  "I think I'm going to faint. I used to insult him so badly…"

  "Same here. Now it feels like he's looking at us like we're clowns."

  As the system continued to flood Zhou Yi with notifications of increased favorability, his expression remained devoid of arrogance.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Instead, a faint trace of resignation lingered in his eyes—a reflection of humanity's shallow nature.

  Of course, he was no exception either. After all, he too preferred beautiful women above all else.

  Zhang Wu swallowed nervously, his gaze fixed on Zhou Yi with a mix of confusion and tension. "Wait… Are you seriously Zhou Yi?"

  Zhou Yi's eyes grew colder as they locked onto his desk-mate.

  If it weren't for Zhang Wu snooping through his diary and spreading its contents far and wide, none of this chaos would have unfolded.

  In a calm, measured tone, Zhou Yi responded, "After sitting next to me for so long, are you telling me you can't recognize me after just a few days?"

  Zhang Wu stumbled backward in disbelief. That voice… There was no mistaking it.

  It belonged to his pathetic, groveling desk-mate, Zhou Yi!

  But how could he have changed so drastically in such a short time!?

  Plastic surgery couldn't work miracles overnight, which left only one conclusion: Zhou Yi had always been this attractive—he'd simply concealed it beneath his long bangs.

  Jealousy burned fiercely within Zhang Wu.

  Such a perfect face wasted on someone like Zhou Yi? What a travesty! Someone as worthless as him didn't deserve it!

  Zhou Yi caught the venomous glare directed his way and smirked, his lips curling into a smug smile brimming with disdain and mockery.

  This reaction ignited Zhang Wu's fragile ego.

  The original host would never have dared to look at him like that.

  Enraged, he lunged forward, grabbing Zhou Yi by the collar. "What the hell is that look supposed to mean?! How dare you look down on me?!"

  Zhou Yi met his fury with an even more contemptuous expression. "Oh, please. After what you did—sneaking into my private life and broadcasting it to everyone—you expect me to treat you kindly? You're nothing but a petty coward."

  Zhang Wu laughed bitterly, his anger reaching new heights. "Petty? Reading your diary makes me petty? Isn't it worse that you—a lowly nobody—dared to fantasize about Su Ning? Isn't *that* the real disgrace?"

  With deliberate calmness, Zhou Yi brushed Zhang Wu's hand away. "Peeking into someone's diary and announcing it to the entire school—isn't that the definition of despicable behavior? Technically, you violated my privacy rights. Consider yourself lucky I haven't reported you."

  His voice carried loudly enough for the surrounding classmates to overhear.

  Whispers broke out almost immediately, though this time, the content of their conversations had shifted dramatically.

  "You know, Zhang Wu really is kind of scary. Sneaking into someone's secrets and blurting them out loud like that… I think I'll keep my distance from now on."

  "Actually, Zhou Yi was just quietly crushing on Su Ning. He didn't cause any trouble. It was Zhang Wu who dragged both of them through the mud. That's pretty messed up."

  "To be honest, who hasn't had a crush on the school beauty? I've tried pursuing her myself. As long as you're not bothering anyone, silently liking someone isn't a crime."

  "But Zhou Yi isn't some lowly toad. Look at him—how could anyone call him that? He's miles better-looking than Zhang Wu."

  "Sure, Zhou Yi might've acted like a love-struck puppy in the past, but you could also call it devotion. Honestly, he's not as bad as people made him out to be."

  The female students in the class were pragmatic creatures.

  Seeing Zhou Yi's handsome face paired with memories of his past actions, their opinions shifted almost instantly.

  What Zhou Yi had done for women could be cruelly labeled as fawning, or generously interpreted as unwavering devotion.

  An unattractive man displaying excessive submissiveness earned him the label of a "simp." But when that same level of devotion came from a man who looked like a model, suddenly it became romantic, even admirable.

  Such was the case with the original Zhou Yi. His actions had been painfully humble, bordering on self-deprecating.

  But now, armed with a stunning appearance, people were beginning to see him in a new light.

  This was the undeniable power of looks. Beauty equaled validation—not just for men, but for women too.

  And this was only the beginning. From this point onward, Zhou Yi would steadily reshape everyone's perception of him, transforming into the untouchable, perfect idol every girl dreamed of.