The Next Day
Early morning.
After Cornelia left yesterday, he took a shower, charged his phone, and then collapsed straight into bed.
When he woke up, he found the balcony filthy from the mess the crows had made.
Fortunately, the flock had already flown away.
Yaya, however, was flapping its wings vigorously beside him, as if trying to apologize. He rubbed its head and sighed at the disaster zone that was his balcony.
There was nothing to do but grab the cleaning supplies and get to work.
Yaya helped too, picking up fallen feathers with its beak and tossing them into the trash bin.
The whole ordeal took a full half hour. By the time he finished, it was already 7 a.m., so he hurriedly got dressed and rushed off to school.
Morning classes passed without incident. After they ended, he received a message from Li Guanqi.
Today, she and Xuan Ying were having lunch together.
Which meant, once again, he was on his own.
He wandered aimlessly across campus, eventually finding himself outside the library—where he paused.
The thought of Sister Qin crossed his mind.
He decided to go inside.
Given the lunch hour, the library was nearly empty.
But then, by the animal-themed bookshelves, he spotted a familiar figure.
It was Gu Ruoxue.
She was scribbling something in the margins of a book, completely absorbed in her task.
Her focus was so intense that he couldn’t help but watch for a moment, unnoticed.
About ten seconds later, she finished writing, closed the book, and only then did he catch the title:
The Complete Guide to Feline Home Medicine.
Before he could process this, Gu Ruoxue looked up and saw him. Her expression remained as cool and detached as ever. "What a coincidence."
Curious, he asked, "Didn’t expect to run into you here. What were you reading so intently?"
She gave him a brief glance, her tone indifferent. "Just studying animal ecology. I have things to do, so I’ll be going now."
With that, she walked past him and out of the library.
Su Cheng frowned as he watched her leave.
Then, he stepped over to the shelf where she’d been, pulled out The Complete Guide to Feline Home Medicine, and headed for the checkout counter—partly to borrow it, partly to test Sister Qin.
But when he reached the counter, he found not Sister Qin, but a middle-aged woman handling the desk.
After checking out the book, he decided to head to the Social Practice Club.
The lawn and rooftop weren’t worth visiting right now.
As a club member, having lunch there was perfectly normal.
Just as he neared the club building, though, a familiar voice called out from nearby.
"Hey, wanna go gaming at lunch?"
Su Cheng turned to see Chai Hao talking to a petite, sweet-faced girl, his tone dripping with the confidence of someone who thought he’d already won her over.
Notably, the girl had a system marker above her head.
Su Cheng couldn’t help but stare.
"I don’t want to. Last time I went to the esports club, I just played out of boredom. It’s not like I actually enjoy it. Find someone else."
The girl sounded annoyed.
Chai Hao’s smile faltered, but he quickly recovered. "Well, if you ever change your mind, just let me know!"
"Ugh, you’re so annoying. I said I don’t like it. Stop being so clingy—it’s gross!"
She stormed off, muttering, "I never should’ve gone to that stupid esports club. Who even likes those dumb games?"
"They’re not dumb! Fine, I’ll leave you alone!"
Chai Hao snapped back, clearly offended.
Just as Su Cheng was about to step in and console him, two familiar sighs came from behind.
He turned to find Wang Guancong and Gao Ye standing there, watching the scene unfold.
"What’s your take on this?" Wang Guancong asked, eyes fixed on Chai Hao’s retreating figure.
Gao Ye shook his head. "Pathetic. He taught her how to play once and now thinks she’s into him."
"What happened?" Su Cheng asked, confused.
"Su Cheng," Wang Guancong redirected, "what do you think of Chai Hao?"
Su Cheng blinked, taking a moment to consider. "I don’t like judging people. But since you asked…"
The two waited in silence for his answer.
After a pause, Su Cheng finally said, "After careful thought and past interactions, my conclusion is… exactly what I said earlier. I don’t like judging people."
"……"
Upon hearing his response, the two fell silent.
Noticing their expressions, Su Cheng couldn’t help but ask, "What’s with those looks?"
"Ever considered that what you just said was complete nonsense?"
"And here I thought you had something profound to say!"
The two of them bantered back and forth, joking together.
He chuckled helplessly and said, "Heh. Anyway, back to the topic—what exactly happened to him?"
"Yesterday, a second-year senior came to the esports club looking for the president. The president wasn’t there, so she waited around. Then Chai Hao went over and tried to teach her how to play games. Maybe because she was bored or just being polite, she agreed to play with him."
Hearing their explanation, Su Cheng had a sudden realization. "So, that gave him the wrong idea?"
Gao Ye added, "The main thing is, Chai Hao’s been dying to find a girlfriend who’s into gaming."
As soon as he finished speaking, Su Cheng understood.
No wonder Chai Hao had been so persistent earlier.
"Long story short, he got rejected," Wang Guancong chimed in.
"Huh? Seriously? They only just met two days ago!" Su Cheng exclaimed in disbelief.
How could that even count as rejection?
"You don’t get it. Yesterday was the first time a girl who matched his criteria showed up, and she was even from a similar background. Plus, gaming together felt like progress—of course he didn’t want to let it go," Wang Guancong shrugged, looking exasperated.
"Honestly, I saw this coming," Gao Ye shook his head and explained. "That senior had zero interest in gaming, and she was clearly uncomfortable around Chai Hao. If she hadn’t been trying to be polite, she probably wouldn’t have even acknowledged him."
"So, should we go comfort him?"
"Comfort my ass. A couple rounds of gaming and he’ll forget all about it."
"Come on, it’s been ages since we played together. If Chai Hao knows you’re here, he’ll drop this whole thing."
With that, the two of them looked at Su Cheng expectantly, waiting for his agreement.
Unable to refuse their enthusiasm, Su Cheng nodded.
And so, the three of them walked shoulder-to-shoulder into the esports club. Since it was lunchtime, the room was nearly empty, with only a few male members present. Chai Hao was sitting alone in an open area, playing a game.
Hearing footsteps behind him, he looked up. When he saw Su Cheng among the newcomers, the gloom on his face instantly brightened into a wide grin.
"Su Cheng, what brings you here today?"
Su Cheng smiled. "Just free at noon, thought I’d come play some games. Gonna have to trouble you guys to carry me again."
"This time, you support me—I’ll definitely carry you!"
After some lighthearted teasing among the four of them, they settled into their seats and started a match.
Since there were only four of them, they could only queue for a casual game.
As usual, Su Cheng’s skill level was neither impressive nor lacking. He knew these three were the competitive type—after every match, they’d basically say some variation of: "If I hadn’t carried, we’d have lost."
Soon after the game ended, more club members trickled in, and the atmosphere grew livelier. To an outsider, it might’ve looked more like an internet café than a school club.
"President! We’re one short for ranked—you in?"
Just as they finished a match, Wang Guancong, sharp-eyed as ever, spotted someone entering and immediately called out.
Su Cheng also looked up, following his gaze.
A girl in a school uniform walked in, her knee-high socks somehow looking shorter than they should. She appeared around his age, with delicate, pretty features, snow-white skin, and an unmistakable aura about her.
How to describe it?
This aura was unlike anyone he’d ever met.
She walked with confidence, her presence almost oppressive.
In short, she radiated the energy of a boss.
You’d think she was some kind of villainess.
Worst of all, she gave off the vibe of someone who despised socializing—domineering and unapproachable, as if crossing her would result in being kidnapped after school and thrown into a river to feed the fish.
Hearing Wang Guancong’s call, the girl glanced over, then slowly made her way toward them. Her eyes swept across the group before finally settling on Su Cheng.
Their gazes met.
Was today finally the day their paths would cross?
Originally, he’d had no intention of coming to the esports club. But with Chai Hao’s rejection, it only made sense to be there as a friend.
So here he was.
And now that he was here, some interaction with the club president was inevitable.
Especially since it looked like they’d be gaming together.
Su Cheng mused to himself. Plus, the system marker above this girl’s head was way too conspicuous.
She was the only A-rank or higher character he knew of but had never interacted with. What kind of rewards would she bring?
This had to be an S-rank reward, right?
The esports club president held Su Cheng’s gaze, her expression not one of dislike or annoyance, but rather intense curiosity.
"Yeah, I’ve got time," she nodded, her tone indifferent.
With that, she took a seat.
Gao Ye and Wang Guancong also sat back down.
"This is the classmate we mentioned before—Su Cheng."
"President, you know him, right?"
As the president settled in, Wang Guancong and Gao Ye immediately launched into introductions.
Just as Su Cheng was about to nod politely in response, he suddenly noticed a familiar, graceful figure at the door.
He froze, lifting his head.
"Su Cheng."
That icy voice, cold as an arctic gale, belonged to none other than Gu Ruoxue, whom he had just seen moments ago.
With her words, the esports club fell into dead silence.
Even members who had been engrossed in tense and thrilling team battles now looked up at the figure standing by the entrance.
Though she stood alone, the doorway seemed to transform into the center of the world, drawing everyone’s gaze. She was as cold as an Arctic iceberg yet as mesmerizing as the aurora.
Faced with such a presence, the entire esports club was momentarily stunned into speechlessness.
"Uh, I should get going."
Su Cheng abruptly stood up, offering an apologetic wave to the others.
Beside him, Wang Guancong snapped out of his daze and hurriedly rose as well. "Oh! Right, since the club president is looking for you, you should go."
"Yeah, have fun."
With that, Su Cheng gave the esports club president an apologetic nod before standing and leaving the room with Gu Ruoxue.
Gu Ruoxue, from start to finish, didn’t spare a single glance at anyone else.
Only after Su Cheng and Gu Ruoxue disappeared through the door did the club finally regain its liveliness.
Gao Ye couldn’t hold back. "Holy crap, is this the first time Senior Gu has come to the esports club?"
"Yeah…" Chai Hao chimed in.
"So jealous…"
Wang Guancong started to say but abruptly cut himself off, his expression stiffening.
His club president was standing right beside him. If he finished that thought…
Wouldn’t that make his president feel awful?
Realizing this, he immediately shut his mouth and glanced at his president, only to find their expression had indeed darkened. He nearly jumped in alarm.
…………………………
"How did you know I was in the esports club?"
After following Gu Ruoxue to the Social Practice Club, Su Cheng couldn’t resist asking.
He also had this strange feeling—as if Gu Ruoxue had deliberately intervened to prevent the esports club president from interacting with him.
Gu Ruoxue glanced at him. "Tracking your whereabouts isn’t particularly difficult."
"So how did you find out?"
"I saw you walk in."
Gu Ruoxue sat down, her tone indifferent.
Su Cheng was momentarily speechless before asking, "Well, President, what did you need me for?"
"The photos from our outing on Sunday have been developed."
As she spoke, she opened a drawer and pulled out two brown paper envelopes, handing them to Su Cheng.
He took them and looked at Gu Ruoxue.
She remained seated, her gaze fixed on the computer screen, her voice cool and detached. "Give Ji Qingyi’s set to her."
"I’ll go deliver them to her now, then."
He stood up.
Gu Ruoxue didn’t stop him but instead eyed the book in Su Cheng’s hands—The Complete Cat Encyclopedia—and said flatly, "Leave the book here."
"No. If you want to read it, go borrow your own copy!"
Ignoring Gu Ruoxue’s reaction entirely, Su Cheng clutched the photos and the book, turning to dash out of the Social Practice Club.
............
After leaving the club, Su Cheng headed toward the Archery Club, holding the two paper envelopes. His expression grew increasingly odd as he stared at them.
He distinctly remembered the group photo…
So, he opened the first envelope.
Pulling out a photo, he was immediately met with the sight of the three of them standing together—him in the middle, flanked by the two girls, each pinching his waist with their fair, delicate hands.
Though their faces were expressionless, their eyes were subtly glaring at him. And there he was, stuck in the middle, red-faced and wincing in pain—utterly embarrassing!
"What are you looking at?"
Just then, a familiar voice suddenly spoke up beside him.
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
pression Bureau] Transported to a fantasy world overrun by demons and monsters, Gu Qingfeng becomes a jailer in the Demon Suppression Prison of the Great Yan Dynasty's Demon Suppression Bureau. From this point on, bizarre cases frequently occur in the Demon Suppression Prison, once known as hell on earth and infamous for its gloomy, terrifying atmosphere! Why do the demons and monsters in the prison wail miserably every night? Why has the corpse demon, capable of transforming into various beauties, donned black stockings and switched careers to become a foot massage therapist? Why has the eye demon, expert in soul-snatching and illusions, turned into a VR headset? Why is the fox spirit performing otaku dances? Are all these occurrences a twisted expression of demonic nature, or a descent into moral depravity? After peeling away layer upon layer of mystery, all clues ultimately point to a jailer named Gu Qingfeng. Gu Qingfeng: "Hehehe... My dear demons and monsters, whose card shall we flip today?"
