How can one confess without ulterior motives?
This question has been on Li Guanqi's mind lately.
But when she thinks about it carefully, it seems impossible. Even if senior sister Liu were to try again, she couldn't do it because she already knows about the system's existence.
So, this question now seems to her like a philosophical concept, similar to Kant's thing-in-itself. It's akin to Wittgenstein's "unutterable," something ultimate yet unattainable.
It's known that there have been two successful confessions.
Liu Qingyue and Hoshino Mirai.
The former didn't know about Su Cheng's system upgrades, and the latter didn't even know the system existed, nor did she know Su Cheng himself.
This means that to succeed now, one must forget the existence of the system.
But how does one forget memories?
She starts to overthink.
She knows that the answer to this question might take a lifetime to find.
Yet, even so, she keeps pondering, unwilling to give up.
Because the only people around him who might be the next successful confession candidates are Cornelia and Gu Ruoxue.
For some reason, Gu Ruoxue gives her a feeling of invisible pressure, making her feel breathless.
Thinking of this, she looks up toward the athletics field. It's afternoon sports class, and Su Cheng is under a tree, chatting with Wang Guancong and Gao Ye.
"Why did Gu Ruoxue accept your doll!?"
"Yeah, I thought I was seeing things just now!"
Wang Guancong and Gao Ye are quite loud, their voices reaching her, but the next moment, Su Cheng seems unable to take it and turns to run, saying as he goes, "I don't know, maybe Gu Ruoxue just really likes this doll?"
"Wait, tell us where you bought this doll!"
"Don't run!"
Now, Gao Ye and Wang Guancong start chasing after him.
"Su Cheng, don't run, we mean no harm…"
"Su Cheng, just explain it to us, I promise, I won't tell anyone!"
"Don't run, we have something cool!"
Li Guanqi watches the three running, then stands up, picks up her bag, and slowly walks toward Su Cheng.
…………………………
"Whew~"
Shaking off the two whose stamina is nearly at 4, Wang Guancong and Gao Ye, Su Cheng lets out a long breath, stops, and sits on the steps beside him, then takes out his phone to check the time.
"Looks like you've submitted your task."
Suddenly, Su Cheng hears this familiar voice, looks up, and sees Li Guanqi walking toward him with the wind, holding down her skirt, her face still expressionless, showing no joy or anger.
But this statement definitely has a teasing tone.
He's sure of it!
Seeing this, Su Cheng quickly takes out a tissue from his pocket, wipes the dust off the adjacent step, and, making sure it's clean, turns his head and says, "Sit down and talk."
"Actually, there's no need to go to such trouble, but thank you," Li Guanqi nods, then walks to his side, presses her skirt, and elegantly sits down.
"She accepted it and then invited me to join the club, where she treated me to a cup of tea."
Su Cheng's gaze shifts to the distance, then back to Li Guanqi, and he straightforwardly says, "There's no such thing as a task reward."
"Oh."
Hearing this, Li Guanqi doesn't seem surprised by Su Cheng's answer, calmly replying with a nod, and then changes the subject: "Were you planning to spend the rest of the class break here alone?"
"I don't mind enjoying the sensation of the wind on my skin alone."
"I don't mind either."
However, two people who both enjoy the breeze alone are now sitting together.
"Oh no, they've found me, I'm off."
Seeing the two figures in the distance, Su Cheng feels a headache coming on. He gives a farewell gesture, quickly stands up from the steps, and starts running away.
Watching Su Cheng's back, Li Guanqi takes out a delicate box from her bag, opens it, and inside are many dango. She had planned to eat them with Su Cheng, but now it seems she'll have to enjoy them alone.
The breeze blows through her hair, she extends her hand, letting the cool spring wind caress her, then picks up one of the white balls and takes a gentle bite, the taste delicious.
"Where did you buy these dango? Can you tell us?"
Suddenly, three figures appear in her sight, one gold, one brown, and one black, all wearing athletic outfits, with the black-haired one constantly shaking the golden girl's arm.
"Ah, it's a secret!"
Cornelia looks proudly at Ailiya beside her, her mouth slightly open, continuing to ask, "So, what do you think?"
"It's alright," Ailiya replies blandly, knowing they're from that guy, Su Cheng.
"Hmm, super tasty!"
The black-haired girl nods like a woodpecker, and seeing this, Cornelia glances at Ailiya, then looks back at the black-haired girl, continuing, "I still have two in my drawer, want to share one more with you?"
"Sure, let's go back now!"
The black-haired girl immediately pulls Cornelia toward the teaching building, while Ailiya stands still, realizing there'll be only two left, she quickly says, "Wait for me!"
"I said I don't know, I forgot!"
Before the three of them, Su Cheng suddenly runs past them, shouting back as he runs.
"Liar, I can smell the lie in that sentence!"
"Spill it!"
Wang Guancong and Gao Ye chase after Su Cheng, shouting loudly.
Cornelia and the others stand still, watching the running trio, especially Cornelia, who looks at Su Cheng's lively and cheerful form and can't help but feel happy for him, as it's the first time she's seen him like this.
"Surprising, I didn't expect this guy to have friends," Ailiya says with her hands crossed, her tone seemingly full of disdain, but surprisingly, a smile appears on her face.
"What are you talking about, let's hurry back to the teaching building," the black-haired girl pushes the two seemingly clueless companions beside her, then the three nod and head toward the teaching building.
And all this is seen by Li Guanqi, who takes another dango into her mouth, chews, then looks up at the already disappeared figure, lowers her head, looking at the dango, her face showing a contemplative expression.
………………………………
Thus, running around, Su Cheng loses them again, only to accidentally find himself in the lower grade area, especially with some girls' eyes on him.
"Senior Su Cheng!"
"Senior Su Cheng!!"
Hearing these greetings and some peculiar gazes, he feels something is off, slows down subconsciously, nods in response, then speeds up and heads toward a secluded place nearby.
"Look, it's Su Cheng! Shall we go over and ask for his contact info?"
"But… now his face seems to say 'strangers stay away,' it feels hard to approach!"
"Exactly, but if we don't seize this chance, will we ever encounter him again? Moreover, he's alone now!"
".................."
In the tennis court area, several girls are chattering about Su Cheng's back, but none of them step forward rashly.
However, in the corner, a black-haired girl coldly watches Su Cheng's back.
On the contrary, her gaze towards Su Cheng is filled with disdain and even disgust.
Not for any reason, because she is the heiress of one of the other major conglomerates.
And Ji Qingyi is what she considers her arch-nemesis.
She believes she is Ji Qingyi's only friend.
As kids, the two were often together, but as rivals, their contact gradually dwindled.
Even so, she has been chasing and imitating Ji Qingyi her whole life.
So naturally, she doesn't have any friends.
Now that Ji Qingyi suddenly has a friend, she naturally dislikes Su Cheng and believes Ji Qingyi's taste is getting lower, finding a commoner as a 'friend,' truly embarrassing the conglomerate.
And she was:
The young lady of the Rokushou Group – Aino Marui.
"Heh!"
Aino suddenly chuckled, a playful glint flashing in her eyes.
Now this person had entered her territory.
Then, she snapped her fingers. Suddenly, two burly men in black suits and sunglasses appeared behind her. Seeing Aino, they immediately bowed respectfully.
"What is your command, Milady?"
"Capture him. I want to watch his humiliation."
Aino's face was lit with a smile, her tone laced with amusement.
Stepping on Ji Qingyi's friend was a delight.
"Understood. Please wait a moment, Milady."
At her command, one of the bodyguards nodded and strode towards Su Cheng, while the other stood by to prevent Su Cheng from escaping.
Aino Marui herself walked elegantly towards Su Cheng, her steps light and graceful. Students she passed held their breath and parted ways for her.
……………………
"Hold on!"
A loud voice rang out, and Su Cheng halted his steps.
"What is it?"
Su Cheng turned around, his face expressionless as he looked at the suit-clad man.
He knew that only members of major corporations were eligible for bodyguards in school.
The only one he knew was Ji Qingyi.
But Ji Qingyi's bodyguards were all women, so this man in front of him wasn't from her circle.
His wariness rose. He knew trouble was brewing.
Perhaps it was due to his popularity that he'd attracted envy from younger boys?
Why hadn't this happened in the senior school section?
Instead, it was this clichéd scenario as soon as he stepped into the lower grades.
“Come with me.”
The suited man looked at Su Cheng coldly, his tone blunt. He was tall and muscular, stronger than the average man, and Su Cheng noticed another black-suited bodyguard guarding nearby.
"What if I say no?"
Su Cheng smirked, revealing a devilish grin.
"Then you'll have to come with us."
Seeing Su Cheng’s smile, the suited man chuckled too, then suddenly lunged forward, attempting to restrain him.
At the same time, Su Cheng's instinctive reflex kicked in, activating his second ability. He anticipated the man's trajectory and subconsciously made the most appropriate evasive move, dodging the bodyguard's grasp.
Although surprised, the bodyguard, trained to react swiftly, didn’t give Su Cheng any breathing room. He charged again, but Su Cheng dodged effortlessly once more.
This repeated several times.
Each time, Su Cheng weathered it with ease, and the bodyguard started feeling unsettled.
He couldn’t catch him; it was as if Su Cheng could predict his moves beforehand.
Finally, another dodge complete, Su Cheng stretched lazily. His strikes lacked aggression but carried potent humiliation. He then looked down at the frustrated bodyguard, his face red with anger: "Is this all you've got?"
He began mimicking his club leader’s mannerisms, right down to tone, expression, and gaze. The resemblance was uncanny, giving the impression of a male version of Su Qingyi.
So this was Ji Qingyi's friend.
The distant Aino Marui, upon seeing Su Cheng's demeanor, revealed a startled expression.
However, upon hearing his words and seeing his delicate features, her expression darkened slightly.
"He's got some skills."
Aino Marui mused inwardly, then calmed her emotions. She gestured to another bodyguard to assist, and upon receiving the order, the other bodyguard rushed towards Su Cheng.
Her gaze shifted to Su Cheng, her desire to conquer stirred. She had to admit, the boy was more than just a mediocre commoner.
It was better this way.
It would be more entertaining to teach him a lesson.
Aino Marui thought with a smirk.
But the very next second—
"Bang!"
Suddenly, the just-rushed bodyguard, caught by Su Cheng's casual glance, dropped to his knees, clutching his head as if witnessing something terrifying.
Su Cheng turned his gaze away, uninterested, continuing his game of 'eagle catches the chicken.' The nearby bodyguard, seeing his comrade's plight, felt an icy chill run down his spine.
He froze, too scared to take another step.
Then, meeting Su Cheng's piercing gaze, as if surveying his prey, he swallowed hard.
The man possessed an extraordinary gift, capable not only of divining his intentions but also invoking fear in others.
With professional poise, he made the right decision instantly.
"What?"
Seeing her bodyguard kneel in terror, and the other fleeing towards her, Aino Marui realized the situation was dire.
This man was extraordinary!
No wonder Ji Qingyi was willing to befriend him.
Even she couldn't help but consider it.
Darn it, she lost to her again!
But now wasn't the time for such thoughts!
Just as her bodyguard bent down to carry her away, suddenly, a crow swooped down, directly towards the bodyguard's face.
The unexpected sight left both astonished.
Seeing this, the bodyguard had no choice but to wave his hands to shoo away the crow. But as the crow continued its shrill cries, more and more joined, and within minutes, seven or eight crows filled the sky, attacking in an organized manner and screeching loudly.
The spectacle sent a shiver down Aino Marui's spine, despite not being targeted.
If they had attacked her, she could have been disfigured.
Stunned, she stood there, watching her bodyguard frantically waving his hands to fend off the crows. Her apprehension deepened.
She realized these crows were also schemes of the young man before her.
Thinking of this, her gaze landed on Su Cheng, who was slowly approaching. His steps appeared leisurely, yet each stride felt calculated, leaving her feeling threatened.
"I advise you to halt,"
Aino Marui said coldly.
"And if I say no?"
Su Cheng smirked again. He recognized the girl before him as the orchestrator of this farce.
The girl, regardless of hairstyle, attire, or looks, bore a striking resemblance to Ji Qingyi. However, Su Cheng felt it was a poor imitation, as Ji Qingyi's indomitable aura was innate.
He deduced that the girl might be Ji Qingyi's sister – either a cousin or half-sister.
After all, who would dare imitate Ji Qingyi without knowing her?
Possibly only Ji Qingyi's juniors.
"Then I’ll…"
Speaking up to this point, she bent down, picked up a stone from the ground, and threw it at Su Cheng.
Su Cheng merely tilted his head to dodge.
“You…”
Seeing him effortlessly dodge her attack, Aino Marui was startled, narrowing her eyes. She bent down again, picked up a red brick, and hurled it towards Su Cheng.
"Bang!"
Su Cheng didn't dodge this time but reached out and caught it. He tried to mimic breaking it but failed, awkwardly tossing it behind him.
“Should we stop here?"
Su Cheng looked towards Aino Marui.
"Alright."
Aino Marui nodded, though she felt some resentment, acknowledging it wasn't a time to act hastily.
She gazed at Su Cheng with a complicated expression, finally understanding why Ji Qingyi befriended this young man.
“Enough."
Then Su Cheng waved at the crows, and they instantly quieted, dispersing. He glanced at Aino Marui, then at the tattered suits of the bodyguards, before stepping towards them.
He hadn’t actually ordered Yaya to act, but Yaya decided to take matters into its own fins, leaving him no choice.
He approached the retreating suit man and picked up a wounded crow from the ground, placing it in the palm of his hand.
This was not Yaya, but an unfamiliar crow, yet it was well-behaved, lying quietly with its eyes open.
"Although I don't know why you sent your people to find me, this time I'll let it go for the sake of the president."
Su Cheng turned to look at Aino Marui and said.
After saying this, he turned away with the crow in his hands.
Aino Marui did not stop him but stood frozen in place, wondering why he let it go for the president's sake.
"Miss, he mistook you for a friend of Miss Ji's."
A nearby suit man helped another suit man stand up and reminded her.
His face was pale, covered in scratches.
Aino Marui frowned at his words: "Do I owe her my thanks now?"
Her tone was laced with discontent and self-mockery.
"I think this matter needs further consideration. Why not wait until I return to contact the main family and gather people to investigate his relationship with the Ji family before deciding?"
The suit man said submissively, keeping his head down.
"No need, not embarrassed enough already?"
Having said that, she looked at Su Cheng's retreating back, her eyes glimmering with a trace of desire.
At that moment, she too wanted to have a friend as cool as Ji Qingyi had.
……………………………………
Su Cheng looked around and seeing no one, he took out a red potion from the system space and dripped it onto the injured crow.
The crow was injured because of him, and he had to take full responsibility.
There was a saying: "Those who fight for Su Cheng shall not be left injured in the land.
Soon, the crow recovered and flew towards the sky.
Looking at the time, he found it was already time for club activities. He changed into his club outfit and brought along the dumplings he had prepared for President Ji, then headed straight to the horse racing track.
His club activities had shifted from last week to training in horse archery at the racetrack.
Upon arriving at the racetrack, Su Cheng saw the ice sculpture of a president, as always, savoring tea throughout under the shadow of an umbrella in an open space.
He walked towards the ice sculpture and stood in front of it.
He respectfully greeted: "President."
However, Ji Qingyi did not even glance at him, as if she hadn't heard, still slowly savoring the tea. After taking a sip, she closed the lid and placed it on the table, her gaze as cold and indifferent as ever.
Seeing this initial gaze of unfamiliar coldness, Su Cheng felt a sense of unease. It was as if his favorability had instantly dropped from 99 to 0.
But it wasn't a big deal; today he had brought along items to raise favorability.
He took out the dumplings he had made the night before from his student bag and placed them on the table, quickly explaining with sincerity: "President, these are what I made last night. I hope you can give them a try."
Ji Qingyi glanced at the dumplings, her eyes flickering with a hint of curiosity, before she finally said indifferently: "Mm."
She then continued to sit upright, enjoying the tea fragrance.
Soon, a butler in black appeared, but Ji Qingyi signaled to stop him with a gesture.
Seeing this, Su Cheng's heart finally eased. The butler had wanted to inspect the dumplings he brought, but Ji Qingyi stopped him.
What did this mean?
Trust!
Favorability was back!
"Sit."
Ji Qingyi pointed to the seat beside her, indicating him to sit down.
Her eyes and tone returned to the previous state of coldness mixed with a touch of warmth.
Su Cheng sat down, looking at Ji Qingyi as she took another sip from her teacup and glanced at a crow on a pole in the distance, saying lightly: "Is that noisy thing yours?"
Su Cheng was surprised to find that his president had instantly noticed Yaya's presence, which left him quite astonished.
He nodded.
Ji Qingyi nodded,"What's its name?"
"Yaya."
"Heh."
Ji Qingyi let out a strange light laugh, "Is this what you call the method of picking up arrows?"
Su Cheng didn't reply but nodded.
Ji Qingyi poured Su Cheng a cup of tea and handed it to him,"Drink."
Su Cheng took the teacup.
In fact, I have a special method of picking arrows that is more suitable for you.
Ji Qingyi said.
Upon hearing this, Su Cheng showed a stance of eagerly waiting for an explanation.
However, Ji Qingyi remained silent, sipping tea leisurely, which left Su Cheng feeling quite anxious, his heart shouting: "Mystery man, get out of Flame City Private Academy!"
Revenge!
This was definitely a blatant revenge!
The only way to crack this was'Socratic Method'.
Through a question and answer, continuously revealing the other party's contradictions, forcing the other party to admit their mistake.
So Su Cheng got straight to the point:"I feel this method of the president may not be suitable for me."
One: to suppress the other party's pretentious profundity.
Two: to quickly arouse the other party's desire for correction, thus obtaining the desired correct answer in a very short time.
But unfortunately, this move might work on ordinary people, but it was of no use to her.
Ji Qingyi put down her teacup, narrowing her eyes slightly at Su Cheng,"This is tailor-made for you."
"Is it? I don't believe it."
However, Ji Qingyi sipped her tea again, showing a strong indifference.
Seeing that he had failed, Su Cheng was a bit disheartened, but it wasn't a big deal; he just needed to bring both sides' feelings to the same level.
After pondering for a moment, he spoke again: "Actually, what I want to demonstrate is not using animals to achieve the goal, but something else. This is a more convenient method of picking up arrows that doesn't rely on any animals."