Sure enough, Landon's team's nonchalance only encouraged Mia to be even more brazen.

At school, she was treated like royalty.

She reveled in being the center of attention, basking in the adoration.

Lines of people formed to deliver gifts to her.

Every day, she returned to her dorm carrying large bags as if she were stocking up on supplies.

I originally wanted to stay out of it, but seeing that these gifts were from Landon's fans—mostly ordinary students—made me uneasy.

The packaging and brands indicated that these gifts were quite expensive, possibly even a month's worth of their living expenses.

I couldn't hold back any longer. "I remember Landon doesn't accept fan gifts. Isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

Mia's smile froze, and she shot me a cryptic look before pushing aside the piles of luxury items on her desk, her eyes showing a hint of grievance.

"Kate is right. You should take these back."

A chorus of protests erupted immediately. "No, Mia, these are our heartfelt gifts!"

Mia pouted and pretended to struggle. "But Kate's right. Even though I'm trying to help, others might think I'm taking advantage. It's really difficult for me, too."

Her words shifted the focus onto me.

The crowd began to voice their displeasure.

"These are for Landon, and Mia is just helping us pass them along. Who are you to criticize her?"

"Yeah, who do you think you are, sticking your nose into things?"

"Exactly. We're giving these to her voluntarily."

One girl even broke down in tears. "Landon loves this brand of perfume. I spent two months' worth of living expenses to buy it. If Mia doesn't accept it, you need to make it right."

The fans were moved by the girl's tears, comforting her while casting resentful glances at me.

It was my first real encounter with fanatical fans.

Everyone's lives were hard, and their money didn't grow on trees. Landon had repeatedly turned down support, gifts, and airport meet-and-greet.

Despite his clear stance, these fans chose to ignore it, using their misguided sense of devotion to justify their actions.

It wasn't love—it was just a way for them to indulge their own desires.

Flora looked at me with disdain. "You're just jealous of Mia. Someone like you, who's never seen anything like this, should focus on your own issues rather than lecturing others. You're just a broke loser."

After hurling insults, they went back to fawning over Mia.

She played the part of the demure recipient perfectly. "Since everyone is so enthusiastic, I'll reluctantly accept," she said with a smug look.

The fans were overjoyed, praising her for her beauty and kindness.

I rolled my eyes in exasperation.

Suddenly, I caught Mia's gaze. Her eyes sparkled with smugness and defiance.

From that day on, she accepted gifts with increasing ease.

Every time she returned to the dorm, she'd do nothing but unwrap presents. When she noticed me watching her, she'd cover her mouth and giggle. "I told them not to, but they insisted. What can I do?"

I just sighed.

Aside from the girls, the number of boys who hit on Mia after the semester started was simply overwhelming.

Barry Allen was the standout among them.

A rich kid with a flair for the dramatic, Barry was also a huge fan of Landon.

Every day, he went out of his way to win Mia's favor, showering her with flowers and expensive gifts.

His pursuit of Mia was the talk of Cornell University, though his methods were a bit old-fashioned.

One night, as I was settling into bed, a commotion downstairs jolted me awake.

The hallway was buzzing with girls shouting, "Hurry, someone's confessing downstairs!"

Curious, I joined the crowd and quickly spotted Barry as the star of the evening.

Mia stood in front of him, covering her mouth in disbelief.

Barry was on one knee, holding a massive bouquet of ROSEONLY roses.

He pulled out a ring from his pocket—an exquisite piece from a high-end jewelry brand that Landon endorsed.

He declared, "Mia, I really like you. Will you be with me? I promise to treat you well and be someone you can rely on for a lifetime."

The surrounding girls let out a collective sigh of envy.

But Mia took a step back, biting her lip with an apologetic look. "But Landon doesn't want me to date."

The atmosphere, already electric, reached a fever pitch with her words.

The girls erupted into cheers and chants of "Landon!"

I was taken aback. I hadn't expected her to use Landon as a shield.

But then it hit me—if she accepted Barry's advances, her true identity would soon be exposed. By rejecting him, she could milk the situation for more.

Sure enough, Mia turned down Barry's proposal but accepted all his gifts.

She neither accepted nor outright rejected his pursuit.

Barry, unfazed, was happy to be seen as the lovesick fool.

"I'm happy to do it," he said. "She's the sister of my idol, so of course, she's different from other girls.

"You guys who can't even get close to her should just envy from afar," he added, showing off his resilience.

To arrange a movie night, Barry even rented out his private cinema and invited our entire class.

Since I had nothing better to do, I tagged along.

Mia, dressed in a white couture gown that Barry had arranged for her that morning, looked stunning.

Barry was practically glowing as he complimented her. "Mia, I knew you'd look amazing in this dress."

Despite her clear delight, she put on an air of nonchalance in front of the cameras. "It's okay, I guess. My brother has bought me much nicer stuff."

Barry loved hearing her talk about Landon, and he beamed at her words. "I'll get you plenty of nice things too."

Mia played the coy damsel perfectly, blushing and acting shy, keeping Barry wrapped around her finger.

During the movie, Barry stayed close, whispering in her ear and making her laugh.

At the after-party, Barry played the role of chivalrous protector, shielding Mia from drinks throughout the night.

Our classmates cheered them on.

"Let's all thank Mia for this awesome night. Without her, we wouldn't be here enjoying the movie and drinks."

Mia graciously accepted the praise and thanks, smiling as she raised her glass and took a delicate sip.

She navigated between our classmates and Barry, clearly enjoying the spotlight.

I couldn't match her social skills.

I was socially anxious and got nervous in crowds, which was why Landon kept me out of the limelight.

Mia thrived in the borrowed glory of being the sister of a top star.

However, she seemed to forget that all the attention and favor she was receiving were thanks to Landon.

Taking without giving back had its consequences.

During the drinking session, it was inevitable that the conversation turned to Landon.

One girl, clearly tipsy, clung to Mia and said, "Mia, we're all huge fans of Landon. Could you please arrange a quick meet-and-greet with him, even if it's just for a minute?"

The rest of the group chimed in, "Yeah, yeah! Please!"

Mia's smile faltered slightly. "Well, Landon's currently filming, so it might not be convenient."

Oh, really? To be honest, Landon had just wrapped up his latest shoot a couple of days ago, but that news hadn't been made public yet.

Undeterred, a classmate asked, "Could you at least give him a call? We'll be quick and won't take up much of his time."

Mia's smile was barely hanging on as she glanced helplessly at Barry.

He immediately stepped in front of her, sneering, "Enough of that. Do you think you can just waltz in and meet Landon? Get real."

The classmates looked taken aback, clearly stung by his harsh tone.

"Come on, what's the harm in just a quick look? It's not like it'll cost him anything."

"Yeah, or even a photo would be fine!"

But of course, there were no photos either.

Since the start of the semester, those classmates had spent quite a bit of money on her, and they had seen nothing in return.

Landon's fan club had also repeatedly hinted at wanting a signed photo, but Mia had skillfully dodged their requests with various excuses.

Gradually, the enthusiasm from the classmates had noticeably waned.

The number of gifts she received had dropped significantly.

To keep them interested and maintain their attention, Mia found herself having to throw out a few enticing baits.