Embarrassing Things and the Unconsolable Ji Qingyi

Wednesday

The sun was shining brightly today, with not a single cloud in the sky—a rare, clear day.

"Hey, New Year Crow, good morning."

After waking up, washing up, and dressing neatly, Su Cheng noticed Crow Crow, now clad in a festive red sweater, cheerfully watching TV in the living room.

The TV was playing some animated show.

"Caw~"

Hearing the greeting, Crow Crow, dressed in its stylish red outfit, turned its little head to glance at Su Cheng and let out a sound before turning back to fix its gaze on the TV again.

The TV held an almost irresistible allure for Crow Crow these days. It would even wait in front of the screen at specific times for its favorite cartoons. Thanks to its daily TV sessions, it was becoming smarter and more knowledgeable by the day.

The red sweater it wore was a new outfit Su Cheng and Li Guanqi had put on it yesterday after returning home.

As for the item Li Guanqi had claimed only she could procure—well, Su Cheng found it incredibly awkward and embarrassing to even think about.

It turned out to be stockings from a certain high-end brand.

After searching online, he realized they were indeed nearly impossible to buy. The purchasing window had already closed, and the next pre-order wouldn't open until next year.

But since he’d already promised, he had no choice but to steel himself and either approach President Ji at noon or find another way to get them.

Still, the thought was mortifying!

Having to ask President Ji for women’s stockings!

Even Li Guanqi had seemed somewhat embarrassed about it yesterday. She’d waited until she got home before texting him the details—color code, size, and specifications.

After sending that message, she never replied again.

She’d effectively dumped all the awkwardness onto Su Cheng, leaving him in a daze the entire evening. He’d wished President Ji goodnight but then agonized over whether to bring up the request. In the end, he decided to first see if he could find another way to get the stockings.

By morning, the tension had eased slightly, but he was still in a sour mood. After all, he’d never expected this to be the item he’d have to procure.

After breakfast, he took out the trash and rode his bicycle to school.

"Screech—"

Pulling to a stop near the building, he tossed the garbage into the bin and continued riding, his mind still preoccupied with how to get the stockings without making things awkward or giving President Ji the wrong idea.

Arriving at school, he parked his bike and straightened his clothes.

But the moment he turned around, he came face-to-face with Hoshino Mirai, the "Disciplinary Committee Member." She was holding a small notebook, scrutinizing Su Cheng’s appearance with a slightly odd look, as if frustrated that he was impeccably dressed today.

Su Cheng, in turn, began sizing her up—and then his eyes lit up.

He noticed the stockings she was wearing were from the exact brand he needed, even the same color.

Thanks to Li Guanqi, he’d done some research last night. He knew this particular product from the Ji family was nearly impossible to obtain outside their annual online pre-order event. The only other way was through the Ji Group’s internal commercial channels, and even then, they were exorbitantly expensive—tens of thousands for a single pair, with limited supply making them hard to get even if you had the money.

Hoshino Mirai and Li Guanqi were about the same height and build. If he could somehow get a pair from her...

A plan instantly formed in Su Cheng’s mind.

Kill two birds with one stone—prove he wasn’t the "Penguin Prince" and get his hands on a pair of stockings. Perfect, right?

But this scheme required an accomplice…

Someone to play the role of the penguin…

If he asked Li Guanqi for help…

Ugh…

The two of them teaming up to trick someone out of a pair of stockings…

Just thinking about it was unbearably embarrassing!

Even if Li Guanqi agreed, his image in her eyes would undoubtedly plummet.

If only Senior Sister Liu were at school right now…

While he was lost in thought, Hoshino Mirai turned and walked away.

Sighing, Su Cheng headed to class.

No solution had come to him yet, but he decided to focus on class for now and mull it over later.

…………

The moment he stepped into the school building, he spotted a lone, frosty figure walking ahead—aloof, elegant, and radiating an icy aura.

If legs could be graded, the pair encased in black stockings before him would undoubtedly rank SSS-tier. The way she walked, light and graceful as if treading on snow, only accentuated their length, straightness, and perfect proportions.

Yet no one dared to admire the sight. Those around her hurriedly stepped aside, afraid of provoking her wrath.

Because her name carried far too much weight.

She was—Ji Qingyi.

Seeing her, Su Cheng immediately composed himself and quietly followed. As he drew closer, her signature scent grew stronger, stirring something in him—though he quickly suppressed it.

"President Ji."

Once they were side by side, he greeted her politely.

Ji Qingyi didn’t react.

Not even a flicker of expression. She didn’t so much as glance his way, as if he didn’t exist.

No response at all?!

"Is she mad at me?!"

Su Cheng couldn’t read her, but her demeanor screamed displeasure. He wracked his brain, trying to recall if he’d done anything to offend her yesterday.

Had she found out about his little scheme?

Uneasy, he decided to turn on the charm. "President Ji, you look absolutely stunning today. I noticed you from afar—it’s almost unreal how beautiful you are…"

He deliberately left the sentence hanging, hoping she’d bite and ask why it felt unreal.

But Ji Qingyi remained unmoved.

His flattery didn’t so much as crack her icy composure. Her gaze stayed fixed ahead, her tone distant and cold as she replied, "You flatter me."

With that, she stepped past him and headed upstairs in the opposite direction.

Su Cheng stood frozen for a second before it fully sank in—President Ji was genuinely upset with him.

And judging by her attitude…

Candy and dumplings definitely wouldn’t cut it this time.

Now, he was faced with an even more vexing problem:

How to get back in her good graces.

Maybe lay on the sweet talk at noon?

But he quickly dismissed that foolish idea. He knew better than anyone that flowery words were useless against President Ji—she wasn’t the type to fall for them.

At this point, his head was starting to hurt. No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t figure out how to appease her.