Chapter 69: National Team-Up

At ten o'clock in the morning, Lin Qianfan went to the milk tea shop in person to inspect the preparation of promotional materials.

In front of the counter, a store clerk was organizing a fresh batch of milk tea cups.

The lids were printed with a striking game logo, accompanied by a line of small text: "Scan the code to download and claim epic game rewards!"

"Brother Fan, the cups have been replaced," the clerk said, looking up at Lin Qianfan. "Take a look and see if anything needs to be changed."

"Looks good," Lin Qianfan nodded. "Remember to remind customers to scan the code."

"Got it."

At two o'clock in the afternoon, the data in the official account's backend began to shift.

Clicking on the view count, the newly published article had already broken five thousand views.

Lin Qianfan refreshed the page, and the comments in the message section were also increasing rapidly.

"This game looks so cool! Already downloaded!"

"The graphics are pretty good. Anyone want to team up?"

"I scanned the QR code on the milk tea cup lid. Does it really come with a gift pack?"

Lin Qianfan's gaze lingered on these comments, the corners of his mouth curving slightly upward.

In the evening, Lin Qianfan returned home and opened the game backend to check the data.

The number of registered users was constantly ticking upward, and the concurrent online players were rapidly climbing as well.

On the very first day of promotion, achieving such results completely exceeded his expectations.

Over the next few days, the game's popularity continued to soar.

The milk tea shop became the main battleground for offline promotion, and almost every customer buying milk tea held a cup with the scan code.

Meanwhile, WeChat's targeted ad pushes were also playing their part.

Registered users had already surpassed one hundred thousand, and the online player count had stabilized at an astonishing figure.

The game store's in-app purchase revenue was also skyrocketing.

Lin Qianfan calculated the figures; the earnings from these past few days were enough to completely free him from financial constraints.

As the start of the semester approached, he pondered how to treat his roommates to a proper meal.

Yongpan and Dawei had been running around busily assisting him through this period. Although they hadn't said much, Lin Qianfan knew in his heart that the two of them had contributed a great deal of effort.

Coupled with the money he had just earned, he truly wanted to take this opportunity to thank them.

"Let's grab dinner together tonight. My treat," Lin Qianfan posted in the dorm chat group.

Yongpan's reply came swiftly: "You bet, Brother Fan! I've been waiting for you to treat us!"

Dawei chimed in right after, "Since Brother Fan is paying, it definitely won't be some cheap diner, right?"

Lin Qianfan replied with a single sentence: "Remember to be there on time."

In the evening, the group met at a high-end restaurant near the school.

Lin Qianfan handed the menu to Xia Ruo. "Order a few dishes you like."

Once the dishes were served, they chatted while eating.

Yongpan started the conversation: "Brother Fan, following your lead this time, I've truly witnessed what the speed of making money looks like. Can we continue to work on some other projects?"

Xiao Yang chimed in: "Yeah, the game blew up just days after launch. Shouldn't we strike while the iron is hot?"

Lin Qianfan took a sip of water and set his cup down: "Don't rush, I've already figured out the subsequent promotional plans."

"You guys just focus on managing the official account and WeChat operations. Leave the rest to me."

The others nodded.

Halfway through the meal, Lin Qianfan retrieved several exquisitely packaged boxes from his bag.

"These are gifts for you guys."

Zhao Cheng lowered his voice: "Brother Fan, isn't this a bit too formal?"

Lin Qianfan smiled: "Open them and see."

The group opened the boxes to reveal the latest model of a smartphone for each of them, the screens glowing with a dazzling light.

Dawei looked utterly incredulous: "Brother Fan, isn't this way too expensive?"

Lin Qianfan's tone remained calm: "You guys helped me out a lot, this is only right."

Yongpan stared at his phone, still muttering, "This gift is too heavy, I'm almost embarrassed to accept it."

Yet his hands were already skillfully beginning the boot-up setup.

As the dinner concluded, the group parted ways.

Lin Qianfan walked Xia Ruo home before heading in the direction of his own place.

On the first day of the new semester, the campus was already bustling with activity.

Lin Qianfan walked into the classroom, surrounded by classmates engaged in lively discussions.

"Did you play that *League of Eagles and Heroes*? It is so much fun!"

"Of course I played! I stayed up all night grinding my rank. The graphics, the controls—absolute perfection!"

"Totally, and the gameplay is so innovative. I've never played a game this exhilarating before!"

"My favorite is the hero called 'Sword Master'. So handsome!"

Lin Qianfan sat in the classroom, his ears filled with these animated conversations.

He opened his textbook and focused intently on the content on the page, as if the external hubbub had nothing to do with him.

This semester's schedule was packed; besides attending classes, he still had to carve out time to handle the affairs of the milk tea shop and the game.

Just as class ended, his phone rang.

It was a message from Xia Ruo: "Are you free tonight? Let's grab dinner together."

After a brief moment of thought, he replied: "Sure, see you at seven."

The moment he sat down, Xia Ruo looked straight into Lin Qianfan's eyes, a trace of concern in her gaze. "You've been really busy lately, haven't you? Look at you, you even have dark circles under your eyes."

Lin Qianfan raised a hand to rub the corner of his eye and smiled faintly. "It's fine, everything is going according to plan."

As he spoke, he picked up the menu and gentlemanly handed it to her. "See what you'd like to eat, my treat today."

Instead of taking the menu, Xia Ruo fixed her burning gaze on him. "Lin Qianfan, you really push yourself too hard."

Lin Qianfan lowered his eyes, his fingers gently rubbing the edge of the menu. "This is a path I have to walk."

Xia Ruo sighed softly. "But... you need to take care of your health too. Your body is your capital."

Lin Qianfan put down the menu and looked at her earnestly. "Are you worrying about me?"

He tilted his head slightly, a playful arc forming at the corner of his mouth.

Xia Ruo was momentarily stunned by his sudden "teasing," followed by a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.

She gave a light cough, feigned composure, and picked out a few dishes to avoid his gaze.

After the meal, the two walked side by side on the path back to school.

Xia Ruo suddenly stopped in her tracks, looked at Lin Qianfan earnestly, and spoke up: "Lin Qianfan."

"Hmm?" Lin Qianfan also stopped, looking at her in puzzlement.

"In the future, no matter what happens, don't shoulder everything by yourself. You can... you can tell me," Xia Ruo said softly.

A jolt ran through Lin Qianfan's heart, a warm current surging within him as he nodded gently. "Alright, I promise you."

A few days later, just as Lin Qianfan returned to school and before even stepping through the gates, he saw an unfamiliar middle-aged man standing at the entrance.

The man wore an exquisite suit, his gaze sweeping coldly over Lin Qianfan.

"You're Lin Qianfan?" the man asked, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority.

Lin Qianfan stood his ground, his brow furrowing slightly. "And you are?"

The man was blunt: "I am Xia Ruo's father. I want to talk to you."

Lin Qianfan remained silent, standing there waiting for him to continue.

Xia's father spoke coldly, "A poor student like you should stay as far away from my daughter as possible."

"You two do not belong to the same world. Don't hold her back."

Hearing this, Lin Qianfan replied calmly, "Who Xia Ruo chooses to associate with is her own freedom."