ZHENGZHOU - It was meant to be a romantic gesture, but a lovelorn undergraduate's attempt to win back his ex-girlfriend with 99 watermelons fell flat rather publicly.

The student from Henan University of Engineering in Zhengzhou, capital of central Henan province, placed the watermelons on a sports field on campus, along with a cake on Monday (June 19), sohu.com said.

Photos of the event were widely shared online in China.

He had asked a friend to help him transport the fruit with a van, the report said.

Many people gathered to gawk at the spectacle, but the girl he was waiting for did not turn up.

He called his ex-girlfriend and waited for about 10 minutes before campus security turned up to disperse the crowd.

His friend then yelled: "Everyone, grab the melons!"

A frenzy of melon-snatching ensued and many in the crowd went back with the tasty fruit.