Starting as the President of a Billionaire Group Chapter 1201 1176: Defeated in the First Round

"Xiaoxiao, why the sudden rush?" Ye Chen inquired, having been pulled along by Song Xiaoxiao for a considerable distance.

Song Xiaoxiao abruptly halted, her breaths coming in short gasps as she tried to regain her composure.

"Liu Xin just informed me that many people witnessed me embracing you and were starting to gossip. I felt rather embarrassed," Song Xiaoxiao explained what Liu Xin had told her to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen had foreseen this outcome; an embrace on campus was bound to attract attention.

"Xiaoxiao, that’s precisely what I was concerned about," Ye Chen admitted, shaking his head with a sigh.

While Ye Chen, being a guy, didn't mind the attention, it was a different story for Song Xiaoxiao. If the school faculty caught wind of it, it would undoubtedly lead to trouble.

"I, I…" Song Xiaoxiao stammered.

Due to the recent events involving Li Mei, Song Xiaoxiao found herself empathizing and becoming emotionally overwhelmed, which prompted her to initiate the hug with Ye Chen.

Under normal circumstances, she would never have acted so impulsively.

"It’s alright, don’t dwell on it too much. What’s done is done, and excessive worrying won’t change anything, will it?" Ye Chen reassured her with a gentle smile.

The two continued their stroll, eventually arriving near a soccer field where several young men were engaged in a game.

A multitude of girls had gathered at the sidelines, their occasional shrieks punctuating the air.

"Zhang Xu, you're so handsome, I adore you."

"Xu Xu, you are the prince of my heart."

"Your looks are striking, and your soccer skills are even more impressive."

The excited voices of the girls reached them from afar.

There was no denying that the young man named Zhang Xu, sprinting across the soccer field, was remarkably good-looking, and his prowess on the field was exceptional.

He glanced back at the adoring girls with a proud smirk, accustomed to the crowd of admirers that accompanied his games.

It wasn't just the girls; even the boys offered him high praise.

"Zhang Xu is truly remarkable, he's even being considered for the national team selection matches."

"Indeed, Zhang Xu possesses genuine talent for soccer."

"A friend of mine, who was his high school classmate, told me that this guy used to dominate the school league, with every opposing team succumbing to defeat. Zhang Xu is simply outstanding."

Ye Chen was merely observing the commotion surrounding Zhang Xu, paying little attention to a football hurtling directly towards him.

Upon noticing the trajectory of the ball aimed at the young man standing beside Song Xiaoxiao, Zhang Xu flashed a smug grin.

"Ye Chen, look out!" Song Xiaoxiao cried out.

The ball was traveling far too close for Ye Chen to evade. It was an inevitable impact.

The boys engaged in their conversation noticed the situation and held their breath, anticipating an injury.

Ye Chen’s expression remained composed, devoid of any trace of panic.

As the football approached, he calmly sidestepped and delivered a powerful kick.

The football, intended for Ye Chen, inexplicably changed its course mid-air.

The sudden turn of events stunned Zhang Xu; had it not been for his own swift reaction, the ball would have struck him instead.

Everyone on the soccer field witnessed Ye Chen’s astonishing maneuver, erupting in exclamations of, "That was incredible!"

Ye Chen guided Song Xiaoxiao towards the edge of the soccer field. Initially, Song Xiaoxiao had no intention of confronting Zhang Xu, but witnessing his attempt to harm Ye Chen spurred her to action.

"Zhang Xu, do you have any idea how dangerous that was? If it had hit someone, the consequences would have been unimaginable!" Song Xiaoxiao admonished him.

"My apologies, Xiaoxiao. I truly didn’t intend for that to happen. Did I startle your friend?" Zhang Xu feigned concern.

Zhang Xu claimed it was unintentional, yet he had deliberately targeted Ye Chen with the ball after overhearing his teammates discussing Song Xiaoxiao walking with another guy on campus, a revelation that ignited his fury.

Song Xiaoxiao was Zhang Xu’s ultimate crush, and he had made numerous attempts to win her affection, but she only showed fleeting interest.

Zhang Xu had initially intended to seek out Ye Chen and Song Xiaoxiao, and their chance encounter as they walked his way, coupled with his overwhelming rage, led to the preceding incident.

Ye Chen was fully aware of Zhang Xu’s underlying intentions, and the possessive way the other young man looked at Song Xiaoxiao made him deeply uncomfortable.

At this moment, Zhang Xu’s gaze towards Ye Chen was laced with animosity, filled with a silent wish for his demise.

He harbored the thought that without Ye Chen, Song Xiaoxiao would undoubtedly belong to him.

Suddenly, the surrounding girls erupted in hushed discussions.

"Wow, this guy is incredibly handsome, even more so than Zhang Xu."

"He looks so familiar, like that famous movie star."

"Nonsense, I think he's even more attractive than those male celebrities."

"Did you see his soccer skills earlier? Absolutely mesmerizing."

Hearing this, Zhang Xu's face contorted with displeasure. Not only had this newcomer stolen Song Xiaoxiao's attention, but he was also eclipsing his own spotlight.

The ever-proud Zhang Xu found this utterly unbearable, his hands forming tight fists.

Upon hearing this, Song Xiaoxiao clung even tighter to Ye Chen's arm.

This action sent a surge of rage through Zhang Xu, making him feel as though he might cough up blood.

"Xiaoxiao, shouldn't you introduce your boyfriend to me?" Zhang Xu asked, a smile playing on his lips.

"What is there to introduce?" Song Xiaoxiao replied dismissively.

She wished to keep her boyfriend's name a secret from these infatuated girls, hoping to deter them from developing any inappropriate thoughts.

Noticing Zhang Xu's discomfort, Ye Chen extended his hand and offered a smile. "Hello, my name is Ye Chen."

Zhang Xu reciprocated the gesture, smiling as he said, "Hello, Ye Chen. I'm Zhang Xu. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ye Chen could sense Zhang Xu's insincerity, noticing the excessive force in his grip.

Had it been a genuine handshake, the man wouldn't have applied so much pressure.

Seeing Ye Chen's impassive expression, Zhang Xu appeared perplexed.

Ye Chen mused to himself, it was now his turn to act.

Given Zhang Xu's lack of cordiality, Ye Chen saw no reason to extend politeness and tightened his grip.

Zhang Xu felt as though his bones were on the verge of shattering, his face contorting with discomfort.

He mustered all his strength to wrench his hand free from Ye Chen's grasp, his palm now slick with sweat.

However, no one suspected the handshake, attributing Zhang Xu's state to his regular soccer practice.

"Ye Chen, let's go. We shouldn't waste any more time here," Song Xiaoxiao suddenly interjected.

Ye Chen nodded in agreement. "Alright."

As the pair prepared to depart, Zhang Xu abruptly called out, "Brother Ye, I witnessed your soccer skills just now. You must have trained rigorously. How about we have a match sometime?"

Having Zhang Xu halt them had already put Song Xiaoxiao in an irritated mood; she held a strong aversion to him.

Now, with him proposing a match with Ye Chen, Song Xiaoxiao stated with clear displeasure, "Ye Chen is busy. He doesn't have time for a match with you."

Yet, Ye Chen responded, "No problem. I do have other matters to attend to, but we can arrange it for another time."

"Certainly, Brother Ye. I have training today. I'll have Xiaoxiao contact you once I'm back," Zhang Xu declared with a grin.

Song Xiaoxiao was taken aback that Ye Chen had agreed to Zhang Xu's proposal, regarding Ye Chen with a look of bewilderment.