Plan Accomplished~

At this moment, Su Cheng's handsome face darkened. Li Guanqi, who was supposed to be the savior, had instead discovered the fun in the situation and joined in.

As a result, things escalated until it culminated in all three girls feigning unconsciousness.

Now, on the rooftop bench, the three girls lay with Zhao Yan in the middle, Xuan Ying and Li Guanqi on either side, while Su Cheng stood nearby, staring at the sky as if contemplating life.

Suddenly, Li Guanqi, who was leaning against Zhao Yan's shoulder, cracked her eyes open just a slit, secretly observing Su Cheng's reaction.

At the same time, Zhao Yan in the middle also half-opened her eyes. But Li Guanqi, noticing her subtle movement, gave her a sidelong glance. After staring for a second, she closed her eyes again as if she hadn’t seen anything.

"What... should I do now?"

Su Cheng’s troubled and helpless voice broke the silence.

The two girls’ eyelashes trembled imperceptibly, but they maintained their act of being unconscious.

"Never mind. I’ll go to the bathroom first."

Su Cheng’s slightly irritated voice rang out, followed by the sound of his footsteps fading away until they disappeared completely.

Less than a few seconds after Su Cheng left, Zhao Yan opened her eyes. Realizing he was gone, she tilted her head slightly and glanced curiously at Li Guanqi beside her.

Li Guanqi happened to open her eyes at the same time. Their gazes met, and Zhao Yan suddenly felt a pang of guilt, hurriedly looking away. She then rubbed her eyes, pretending to have just woken up. "What happened?"

"You passed out," Li Guanqi replied flatly, giving her a detached glance.

"Oh, right. Su Cheng used a sedative needle on me just now," Zhao Yan said through gritted teeth, her voice laced with anger. "How ruthless can he be, using a sedative on his own friends? Doesn’t he care about the risks?"

Li Guanqi simply watched her in silence.

An awkward tension settled between them, but Zhao Yan forced herself to stay composed and continued, "Did he knock you out with a sedative too?"

"No. I was pretending. What about you?"

Li Guanqi answered bluntly, her piercing gaze locking onto Zhao Yan’s eyes as if trying to read her thoughts. The intensity made Zhao Yan uncomfortable, and she couldn’t hold her stare.

"Uh..."

Zhao Yan squirmed under that scrutinizing look before finally conceding with a light cough. "Fine. I admit I was pretending too. I just wanted to see what Su Cheng was up to."

She didn’t need to ask why Li Guanqi had faked unconsciousness—she already knew.

Li Guanqi must have noticed her act and decided to play along.

At first, Zhao Yan hadn’t understood why Su Cheng had immediately called her for help. Now, it all made sense.

Talk about having a backup plan!

This Li Guanqi was truly cunning and devious!

Originally, Zhao Yan held the upper hand. But if Su Cheng returned and Li Guanqi exposed her pretense, she’d not only be embarrassed but also lose her advantage.

As for why she hadn’t actually passed out?

The moment she realized Su Cheng had a sedative, she’d stayed alert. When the second shot came, she instinctively dug her nails into her thigh. The sharp pain kept her awake, and she decided to go along with it.

She had no idea what Su Cheng was trying to achieve.

So, she chose to pretend.

A clever little trick, if she said so herself.

.......................

Just then, footsteps echoed from the stairwell, and Zhao Yan sighed in resignation.

She braced herself, expecting Li Guanqi to expose her act the moment Su Cheng returned. But to her surprise, Li Guanqi simply rested her head back on Zhao Yan’s shoulder.

Zhao Yan froze for a second before quickly catching on. She shut her eyes again, resuming her earlier posture.

Soon, the footsteps stopped on the rooftop, followed by an unfamiliar male voice. "Why are three girls sleeping up here?"

Not Su Cheng!

Zhao Yan’s heart skipped a beat as the footsteps drew closer. Then the same voice spoke again, hushed and lecherous: "They look so sweet... No one’s around. Maybe I’ll just take a little lick—no harm, right?"

"Get lost!"

Zhao Yan’s eyes flew open in alarm, and she sprang to her feet, glaring furiously. But the moment she saw the person before her, her face turned crimson with embarrassment.

Because it was still Su Cheng.

He held a voice changer in one hand and a lollipop in the other, which he was casually licking. His expression was one of mild surprise.

He’d only meant to tease Li Guanqi, but now both Zhao Yan and Xuan Ying had woken up.

What baffled him, however, was that Li Guanqi was still pretending—shifting her position to lean against the wall, playing the part of a "sleeping beauty."

He frowned.

There was no reason for her to keep up the act now.

Even Zhao Yan, who’d been injected directly, had faked it. So why was Li Guanqi still asleep? It was beyond pointless.

With Li Guanqi’s sharp perception and intelligence, she must have realized his little prank was just to scare her.

Was she immune to embarrassment?

Or had she guessed it was him?

Was there some deeper scheme behind this?

Meanwhile, on the bench, Xuan Ying jolted awake from the sudden commotion caused by Zhao Yan standing up. She blinked in confusion at the sight of Zhao Yan and Su Cheng.

"Huh? Li Guanqi, why are you here too?"

After a quick glance around, Xuan Ying’s gaze landed on Li Guanqi, and she froze before exclaiming in realization.

"Well… it’s a long story," Su Cheng said, deciding that an apology was the best way forward.

He turned to Zhao Yan with a remorseful expression. "Sorry. I panicked and did something stupid earlier."

Seeing his sincerity, Zhao Yan couldn’t bring herself to stay angry. She waved it off. "I was pretending to be unconscious too. I’m not blaming you, so don’t worry about it."

"What’s going on?" Xuan Ying asked, utterly lost. She then pointed at the "sleeping" Li Guanqi. "And why is she suddenly napping here?"

Zhao Yan glanced at Li Guanqi, equally puzzled about why she was still pretending.

But since Li Guanqi hadn’t exposed her earlier, she saw no reason to call her out now. Instead, she addressed Su Cheng. "After all this, I understand your intentions. You went to such lengths for our sake—must’ve been exhausting. But from now on, we’ll handle things ourselves. No need for you to intervene!"

Xuan Ying, finally catching on, pursed her lips in displeasure and shot Zhao Yan a look but stayed silent, merely nodding in agreement.

After all, letting Su Cheng mediate would only make things more awkward—mortifyingly so.

Especially when one of them had secretly given Su Cheng a hair tie behind the other’s back…

Now that the truth was out, they’d argued over it.

Zhao Yan had her pride. How could she let Su Cheng know about such a thing?

Xuan Ying couldn’t possibly bring this up in front of Su Cheng either, as it would indirectly reveal that she’d been betrayed by her best friend—hence the cold shoulder.

Besides, both girls found the idea of Su Cheng finding out utterly mortifying!

So neither of them planned to mention it.

"But…"

"Enough."

Zhao Yan glanced at Su Cheng, noticing his hesitant expression, and quickly cut in: "There’s really nothing between us. It’s such a trivial matter, not even worth mentioning. Don’t worry about it."

"Yeah, just a little disagreement," Xuan Ying chimed in, playing along.

"Then can you two shake hands and make up?"

Su Cheng’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, as if hoping to witness their reconciliation firsthand.

Both girls stiffened slightly, but Zhao Yan reached out and clasped Xuan Ying’s hand.

Xuan Ying, however, was reluctant. She had no desire to shake hands with this two-faced hypocrite, but with Su Cheng watching, she couldn’t refuse. Forcing a smile, she squeezed Zhao Yan’s hand half-heartedly.

"Great! How about a hug next?"

Su Cheng pushed his luck, his hopeful expression leaving Zhao Yan and Xuan Ying stunned, their emotions a tangled mess.

"A hug? That’s… unnecessary, isn’t it?"

"Can’t you?"

Su Cheng’s face fell, and he sighed softly. "I knew it… Whatever happened between you two must be really serious."

"Of course we can."

Seeing this, Zhao Yan opened her arms, and Xuan Ying had no choice but to comply.

Yet the moment they touched, Xuan Ying recoiled slightly, a visceral discomfort flashing through her. But under Zhao Yan’s pleading gaze, she reluctantly pulled her into an embrace.

On the rooftop, the faint scent of citrus lingered in the air.

"I’ll head out first. You two get along now, okay?"

With a cheerful wave, Su Cheng descended the stairs, leaving the two girls behind.

The second he was gone, they sprang apart, shooting each other icy glares. Xuan Ying turned away with a disdainful snort, while Zhao Yan folded her arms and huffed in the opposite direction.

For a moment, the rooftop air grew thick with tension, the silence oppressive.

Finally, Xuan Ying slowly turned back, her voice dripping with scorn. "If it weren’t for Su Cheng, do you think I’d ever shake hands with a liar like you? You two-faced snake!"

Just thinking about how Zhao Yan had also given Su Cheng a hair tie made her blood boil!

She’d asked Zhao Yan point-blank multiple times—and every time, Zhao Yan had denied it. Yet she’d done it anyway!

The betrayal was unbearable.

All that talk about supporting her, and her rival had been lurking right beside her all along!

A simple hair tie might seem insignificant, but with it went her trust in their friendship—and her joy in life.

What she’d believed was unbreakable had shattered in an instant, leaving her heart heavy.

"I admit lying was wrong, but…"

Zhao Yan spoke coolly. "Let me explain one more time. I only gave it to him on a whim. And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to ruin our friendship."

Xuan Ying scoffed. "You’re still acting so self-righteous after what you did? What kind of attitude is that? I’ll never speak to you again, and I’ll never forgive you!"

"Fine by me. At least I won’t be the one crying into my pillow tonight."

Zhao Yan shrugged. "I’ve got things to do. I’m leaving."

Xuan Ying gritted her teeth, her face flushing red as she watched Zhao Yan walk away.

But then—Zhao Yan froze. Footsteps echoed from the stairwell.

Her heart plummeted, but she forced herself to stay composed, quickly moving back to Xuan Ying’s side. Xuan Ying tensed up too.

A moment later, Su Cheng reappeared at the rooftop entrance, scratching his head sheepishly as he gestured to the sleeping Li Guanqi. "Forgot about her."

Relief washed over them—Su Cheng didn’t seem to have overheard their argument.

Zhao Yan exhaled inwardly, though a new realization struck her: she’d completely overlooked Li Guanqi earlier.

Which meant… Li Guanqi had heard everything.

Unaware that Li Guanqi was feigning sleep, Xuan Ying tilted her head curiously. "What’s wrong with her? Why’s she sleeping here?"

"She passed out accidentally."

Su Cheng gave a vague answer, then eyed the two girls suspiciously. "Wait… I thought I heard arguing just now. Was that you two?"

"Of course not!"

"Definitely not!"

They answered in unison. Zhao Yan even pointed at Li Guanqi for good measure. "We were just discussing whether to take her downstairs to rest."

"Oh, but I can handle that."

Su Cheng walked toward Li Guanqi, pausing as he passed them. "You two really made up?"

"Yep, totally!"

"We’ve grown up together. We’ve had tons of fights like this—we always patch things up fast."

Su Cheng nodded, though he still seemed uneasy. "But… I feel like there’s something missing between you now."

He tapped his chin thoughtfully, and Zhao Yan’s eyes flickered with guilt. "Missing? Like what?"

Xuan Ying perked up, ears straining for his answer.

Su Cheng just shook his head. "Never mind. It’s probably nothing. You two chat; I’ll take her down."

He approached Li Guanqi, and to their astonishment, effortlessly scooped her up in a princess carry.

"I’ll get her settled," he said, turning his back to them as he headed for the stairs.

But then—Li Guanqi’s eyes fluttered open. She blinked at Su Cheng, mouthing a silent instruction: Put my hand around your neck.

Catching on, Su Cheng adjusted her arm so it draped over his shoulder before continuing downstairs.

Just then, the hand around his neck formed a small "V" for victory—then waved lightly, as if bidding farewell.

The two girls gaped.

Xuan Ying’s eyes widened in disbelief as Su Cheng disappeared. "Wait… was she pretending to sleep this whole time?!"

"Yes. The entire time," Zhao Yan confirmed, the truth dawning on her.

Xuan Ying stood frozen, bewildered by the gesture.

As usual, she turned to her ‘dear friend’ for answers. "What was that supposed to mean?"

"Who knows? Maybe she’s staking her claim. Or maybe she’s just laughing at us, fighting over scraps while she’s already got Su Cheng wrapped around her finger."

Zhao Yan’s tone was flat, but Xuan Ying paled. "How could she—"

"It’s obvious, isn’t it? She’s mocking us for squabbling like this. Meanwhile, Su Cheng’s practically her devoted husband already."

Zhao Yan interrupted Xuan Ying and then walked straight off the rooftop.

"Married man Su Cheng?"

Hearing this term, Xuan Ying’s body shuddered violently, her face turning deathly pale as panic instantly took hold.

No!

"Wait!"

Xuan Ying gritted her teeth, and Zhao Yan halted her steps, turning around to silently await what she had to say next.

Xuan Ying took a deep breath, then spoke with grave seriousness, "If you apologize now and promise never to deceive me again, I’ll let bygones be bygones. Otherwise... you know my temper. I’ll never forgive you again."

She delivered the threat, then added, "And you still have to keep the promise you made to me before."

What promise, exactly?

Nothing more than helping her win over Su Cheng.

But now, that task had become significantly more difficult.

Hadn’t Li Guanqi’s quick-wittedness and keen insight just moments ago effortlessly manipulated Xuan Ying like a puppet?

If one had to describe her, the only fitting words were sharp-minded, perceptive, and someone who relished creating opportunities to observe others. Unassuming at first glance, yet the moment she stepped in, she seized control of the situation.

Even Xuan Ying had been kept in the dark. But Li Guanqi’s true motive was to position herself as an even greater adversary. With a little added exaggeration, she had instilled an unprecedented sense of crisis in Xuan Ying, forcing her to reconcile and join forces against Li Guanqi.

It was like the old saying: "Brothers may quarrel inside the walls, but they unite against external threats."

An analogy for two siblings who, despite their disagreements, would band together to face a more powerful outside enemy.

"No problem."

Zhao Yan agreed readily, though she didn’t understand why Li Guanqi had chosen this method to reconcile them. In essence, it was a display of sheer disregard for them.

"We can’t let that scheming woman succeed!"

The memory of Li Guanqi’s smug, triumphant gesture made Xuan Ying’s blood boil. She had deliberately faked sleep just to get Su Cheng to carry her.

"Damn it, why didn’t I think of that?"

"Ugh. How despicable!"

"I’d never stoop to such tricks!"