"Training."
Ji Qingyi spoke as she suddenly stood up, removing the black hair tie from her wrist before gathering her waterfall-like black hair into a ponytail.
During this process, her exposed pristine neck and that alluring beauty mark at the corner of her eye constantly drew Su Cheng's gaze.
"Like what you see?"
Ji Qingyi parted her crimson lips and asked.
Though it was a question, her face maintained that same unperturbed expression, showing no trace of emotion.
"Yes, I won't need dinner tonight."
After careful consideration, Su Cheng concluded with the implication that her beauty was feast enough for the eyes.
He had already been caught looking, so there was no point in hiding it.
Better to admit it boldly.
"Then don't eat."
Ji Qingyi heard this and curved her lips in contempt, dropping those words before leaving.
"Sigh..."
Su Cheng watched her graceful retreating figure and let out a quiet sigh.
This woman was completely different from ordinary people. While others would feel at least some pleasure from compliments, she alone showed zero reaction, even displaying disdain. It was quite discouraging.
But this made him decide that from now on, he would never offer such complimentary words again, no matter the situation.
At the Archery Club
In the private shooting range
With the competition two weeks away, Su Cheng knew he couldn't change much, so he could only practice seriously and more seriously, at least ensuring he wouldn't embarrass himself during the competition.
He represented not just the Archery Club, but also the school.
Not just himself alone.
Moreover, Ji Qingyi was truly giving her all to teach him.
She had even switched to a teaching style today.
If what came before could be called spiritual teaching methods,
Then today—
...
At this moment, Su Cheng held the bow in his hands, aiming at the target with focused eyes.
"How's your eyesight in both eyes?"
Ji Qingyi watched Su Cheng closely as she asked.
"My right eye has better vision."
"Close your left eye."
Upon hearing Ji Qingyi's words, Su Cheng frowned slightly, then followed her instruction and closed his left eye.
"Focus all your attention through your right eye, concentrate entirely on the target."
"Alright."
"Move your foot forward three centimeters, shift the arrow three centimeters to the right, and increase the distance between the grip and string by one centimeter."
Ji Qingyi continued directing from Su Cheng's side.
"Got it!"
Su Cheng took a deep breath to adjust, then aimed again.
"Relax."
Ji Qingyi glanced at Su Cheng: "Stay focused, don't be tense."
"Okay."
Su Cheng nodded slightly, then began to concentrate fully. His palms were slightly sweaty, and his eyelids felt heavy, as if a thousand-pound stone was pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe.
"Whoosh~"
Finally.
With all his effort, this arrow steadily hit the target.
Though it was only at the edge of the target, he had finally hit it.
This was progress.
Before, he couldn't even hit the target at all.
Beside him, Ji Qingyi showed no expression, clearly having anticipated this outcome.
"Adjust the trajectory and force yourself."
Ji Qingyi said coldly, then returned to her position and began preparing tea.
Su Cheng took out a pen and started recording his shooting experience on paper.
After all, this had been a physics and chemistry-based lesson.
He recalled the posture and various sensations he could remember from just now, afraid to miss even the slightest detail.
This also showed just how talented Ji Qingyi was.
Yesterday she didn't even know how to teach.
But in just one day, she had taught him to hit the target.
Then.
After recording everything, he practiced shot after shot.
Although six out of ten arrows still missed the target.
But this was a good start.
During this time, he didn't rest for a minute, knowing time was tight and he had to improve his skills to competition level within two weeks.
"Success doesn't equal growth."
Ji Qingyi lifted her cup for a sip of tea and spoke slowly.
Hearing this, Su Cheng was momentarily stunned, then looked up at Ji Qingyi and nodded: "I understand."
He understood the implication in Ji Qingyi's words.
Although he had hit the target today, this didn't represent growth.
It could only be counted as success.
After all, with this posture, even Yang Xin from outside could hit the target if there were no deviations.
This was hitting the target for the sake of hitting it.
Only when he truly comprehended the art of hitting would it count as growth.
There's practicing archery, and there's letting archery practice you.
Clearly, he belonged to the latter category.
"Take a break, please sit."
Ji Qingyi gestured for Su Cheng to sit down, then began preparing another cup of tea, specifically for him.
Just this single serving of tea was priceless.
After all, tea leaves had no standard price.
The expensive ones could cost more than his entire apartment building.
Yet Ji Qingyi's hair tie was just a few cents' worth from a street vendor.
And she wore no makeup or any decorative accessories on her face.
Her entire being radiated natural beauty.
She handed the prepared tea to Su Cheng, saying calmly: "Try it."
Su Cheng took the tea, looked down at its surface, and couldn't help thinking: if only it could be converted to cash.
Then, he looked up at Ji Qingyi and asked after some hesitation: "Club President, why are you so kind to me?"
He could feel Ji Qingyi's dedication to teaching him.
He heard he was the first to receive personal instruction from her.
The first to enjoy such favoritism.
Therefore, he was grateful for Ji Qingyi's careful nurturing, which led him to voice his confusion.
"Those who work hard deserve recognition."
Ji Qingyi spoke flatly.
"I understand."
Su Cheng said solemnly, then lifted the teacup and took a sip.
The tea was bitter, not particularly good.
The taste was clearly off.
Although he wasn't very knowledgeable about tea, this tea had striking similarities to the low-quality tea he usually bought.
Ji Qingyi took a sip and seemed to see through his confusion: "This is your regular everyday tea."
Su Cheng was immediately speechless, feeling both amused and touched.
Because the tea he usually bought was the cheapest kind specifically for brewing,
yet surprisingly, Ji Qingyi showed no disdain for its taste, but rather was sampling it just the same.
"Tea is just tea, it only needs to be picked up and put down."
Ji Qingyi gave Su Cheng a meaningful look: "Use tea to cultivate oneself, rather than seeing it as either unreachably high or beneath the dust."
Su Cheng: "......"
When this kind of person speaks, one needs to think carefully.
Otherwise, it's impossible to understand the meaning.
Soon, he understood.
She had clearly seen through his earlier reluctance to drink and his thoughts about converting it to cash!
He hadn't shown proper tea-drinking etiquette earlier; though drinking, he remained parched and restless.
He laughed awkwardly without speaking, just continuing to take small sips from his teacup.
This woman was truly too intelligent.
And thoughtfully considerate.
Perhaps in her eyes, he was nothing more than a child.
However, this also made him realize that even a fool would probably become a top-tier man with such a woman's support.
Worthy of being S-level indeed.
...............
Su Cheng's home
After bathing and changing clothes, Su Cheng held three incense sticks and came to the living room, inserting them into an apple with a tablet displayed behind it.
The tablet screen showed a solemn and dignified photograph.
In the photo, the person held a weapon, its blade pointing to the ground, their figure tall and imposing, emanating a fierce aura.
Their face was cold and determined, their gaze sharp and decisive.
He first bowed respectfully three times, and the figure he was bowing to was quite remarkable.
This was the only person he admired.
A time traveler.
A reincarnator.
A student of the Flame Nation.
And even a system holder.
Just short of being a gold-seeking vagrant in the beautiful country.
"Great Su Cheng above, please bless my draw."
He devoutly addressed Su Cheng, then closed his eyes, bowed three more times to Su Cheng, and prayed in his heart that this draw would yield what he had been dreaming of.
It wasn't that he didn't respect the divine.
Mainly because...
Even if Jesus appeared before him, He would have to give him face.
After all, he was a man who had face-giving cigarettes.
Only he didn't need to give himself face.
Therefore Su Cheng > God.
Yes, better to worship oneself than deities.
The logic was flawless.
"Is this the legendary power of incense?"
Suddenly, Su Cheng felt some mysterious force, making him want to reach out his hand.
"No, this is the power of me not wanting to waste the apple."
He watched the ash fall on the apple, painfully removed the incense from the apple, then wiped it clean and took a bite.
"Mmm......"
Su Cheng savored the sweet taste, licking his lips with a look of enjoyment.
"System begins random skill draw!"
As he sat on the sofa eating an apple, his breathing suddenly stopped and his heart began to race wildly. Then he heard the system prompt sound.
He immediately looked at the system and saw a row of data.
[Ding—]
[System: Congratulations host for obtaining 'Hormones of the Abyss']
"System, you understand my thoughts the best."
"Wait! What the hell are Hormones of the Abyss?"
Su Cheng suddenly sat up startled, the half-eaten apple slipping from his hand to the floor, indicating his shock and confusion.
"Check skill!"
[Charm Talent Skill]
[Interwoven Talent Skill · Special]
[Hormones of the Abyss]
[Active Skill]
[When used on males with lower charm than you, it will cause negative emotional effects: intimidation, fear, oppression, panic, anxiety, etc.]
[When used on females with lower charm than you, it will cause effects: heart palpitations, fear, heart attacks, shyness, pressure, pity, sympathy, maternal love, etc.]
[When used on special groups with lower charm than you, effects will be: Unknown.]
"It's fine, it's fine."
Su Cheng breathed a sigh of relief, his anxiety disappearing completely.
As long as it was an active skill, it meant victory.
"Now it's time to test the effects."
Su Cheng picked up the apple from the floor, threw it in the trash, then went to the bathroom mirror to carefully examine himself.
Fair skin, delicate features, clear contours, and a high bridge nose.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a beautiful young man.
"Need to get a bit tanner."
Looking at his fair complexion in the mirror, he smiled self-mockingly.
Too pale, almost sickly looking.
Then he began to observe his eyes, finding they looked no different than before, still a pair of clear, pure eyes.
How should I activate my talent skill?
Thinking this, he suddenly furrowed his brows, strained his eye sockets and focused directly on his own eyes in the mirror.
Several seconds passed.
He felt no change or sensation.
"Need to find someone to experiment on."
Su Cheng muttered, then left his room wearing black sportswear, a baseball cap, and sunglasses.
On the way to the nearby hospital, he suddenly saw a black dog approaching him.
He glanced at it, planning to walk around.
However, the dog also changed direction.
Su Cheng was speechless, then lifted his foot to step aside.
Unexpectedly, the dog still followed in the same direction.
"Did this dog take an advanced course in being annoying?"
Su Cheng stared at it displeasedly, and the dog raised its head too.
The moment man and dog made eye contact, Su Cheng removed his sunglasses, strained his eye sockets, and focused his gaze on the dog's eyes.
"Whimper~"
The dog whined, then turned around and raised its tail, pointing its rear end at him.
"?"
Su Cheng froze, looking at the dark hole, feeling as if aliens were staring into his soul.
His face darkened as he turned to leave.
"Woof~ Whimper~"
Hearing the dog bark, he couldn't resist his curiosity. When he turned to look, his face darkened even more - the dog was half-lying on the ground, its back toward him, in a position as if offering to nurse him.
"..."
Su Cheng's face turned green as he turned and ran.
At the hospital.
He arrived at a ward with a round glass window in the door, through which he could clearly see a man lying in bed, his head completely wrapped in bandages except for his eyes.
This was the scumbag from the convenience store earlier.
Also his test subject for today's skill experiment.
"Knock knock."
Su Cheng knocked on the ward door.
The person inside heard the knock and immediately looked toward the door.
Then, the moment their eyes met, he activated his skill.
However, it had no effect at all...
The person inside showed no reaction whatsoever.
In fact, the other person's eyes showed confusion.
"What's going on?"
Su Cheng hid beside the door, falling into silence.
Could it be this guy's charm is higher than mine?
Impossible!
"Who is it! Can't you see I'm a patient? Don't disturb my rest!"
The person on the bed roared, his voice extremely loud.
"Wait, he didn't recognize me?"
Hearing this, Su Cheng suddenly realized something and looked at the person in the ward again.
The case was solved.
This guy was nearsighted!
He wasn't wearing glasses just now!
"Knock knock knock knock!"
So he knocked on the ward door again.
Very urgently this time.
"What's with all the knocking? I'll knock you!"
The person on the bed completely exploded, throwing off his blanket to get up, then grabbed his glasses from the bedside table and put them on. After doing this, his gaze turned toward the door window.
Just before he could clearly see who was there, as their gazes were about to meet, he suddenly froze in place.
His eyes widened in horror.
What kind of gaze is this...
This gaze made him feel terrified, sending chills down his spine.
If he had to describe it.
Horrifyingly, it was the gaze of death.
That single glance was enough to shake him for life.
He even forgot to breathe.
"Bang~"
"Who... who are you?"
He sat on his bottom, his voice trembling, filled with the tone of someone about to cry.
He felt like he was about to die...
That gaze had given him a suffocating sense of fear.
"Whew~"
When he discovered the figure outside the door had disappeared, he let out a breath, but felt no relief. Instead, his whole body went limp.
He supported himself with both hands on the ground, but noticed water droplets falling on his legs. Looking up, he saw his pants were wet with a patch of water.
...............
"Not bad, I should come more often."
Walking out of the hospital, Su Cheng had learned the effects of his talent skill and was very satisfied with it.
On the way home
"Woof woof woof~"
Suddenly a yellow dog came running from the street, carrying takeout in its mouth.
"Hmm?"
Su Cheng was stunned.
"Hmm, it's male, let's try the effect."