End Here or Start Now

The scene rewinds to several dozen minutes earlier.

Fourth period.

When Su Cheng noticed Li Guanqi swaying drowsily in class, nearly collapsing onto her desk after staying up all night for him...

An indescribable surge of emotions overwhelmed him, as if every feeling had been struck to its breaking point at once.

He couldn't put this sensation into words—not even he himself understood what it meant.

Eventually, Su Cheng averted his gaze, his eyes clouded with complicated emotions.

This tangled mix of feelings was impossible to decipher.

He lowered his head, staring blankly at the desk, his hands trembling slightly as they clenched and unclenched repeatedly. After several cycles, his gaze drifted to the small hair tie around his wrist.

Whenever a critical moment approached, President Ji would personally tie this hair tie around his wrist.

And this time, that moment was tomorrow.

The day he, a transmigrator, would uncover the truth!

Su Cheng took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and lifted his head to gaze at the sky outside the window.

If he regained his memories, would his current mindset change?

Like someone who’d lost their memory long ago suddenly remembering everything—would his values, life goals, attitudes, and beliefs undergo a profound shift?

If so, his perspectives on people, events, and things might transform, reshaping his subjective experiences and judgments.

For example...

Right now, he wanted Li Guanqi to rest properly at noon, preferably sleeping on his lap. He saw this as natural, something he ought to do.

But if his memories returned, would he still act this way?

He didn’t know. He truly didn’t.

This uncertainty gnawed at him.

What if, in those recovered memories, his feelings for Gu Ruoxue ran deep? What if his past emotions resurfaced?

The complexity of this question made his head throb.

It was like having a girlfriend before amnesia, never breaking up, then finding another after losing his memory—only to remember everything later. How would he choose then?

Could he just clench his fists and deliver some iconic line?

And if he entertained even darker possibilities... What if recovering his old memories erased his current ones?

He’d forget everyone he knew now.

It’d be as if he’d never set foot in Flame City Private Academy.

This scenario wasn’t impossible.

The only thing he knew for certain was that time was running out, and this realization only fueled his agitation.

Unconsciously, he turned to look at Li Guanqi in the corner. She now sat upright at her desk, listening attentively to the lecture, as if the drowsy girl from earlier had never existed.

Watching her, fragments of their time together flashed through Su Cheng’s mind. He suddenly realized that though only half a year had passed, their bond had grown incredibly close—

"I can’t keep hesitating like this!"

Now was the time to act like a man—to launch a decisive offensive and lay bare his heart!

Su Cheng’s fists slowly tightened, his resolve steeling itself. He’d made his choice.

Though fear and uncertainty still lingered, that very uncertainty clarified one thing: No matter what the future held, cherishing the present was paramount.

He would voice his truest thoughts and feelings. He would make them known.

"Tomorrow’s Friday... and Valentine’s Day, too..."

……………………………………

"Sorry, but I’ve already made plans to have lunch with Li Guanqi today."

When these words reached the ears of Xuan Ying, Zhao Yan, and Li Guanqi, their expressions shifted dramatically—except for Li Guanqi, whose face stiffened slightly.

Because in Su Cheng’s eyes, she saw something unshakable. A man’s determination and stubbornness.

Zhao Yan pressed her lips together, standing up awkwardly with an unnatural tone. "In that case, Xuan Ying and I will head out first. You two take your time..."

With that, she hastily grabbed Xuan Ying’s arm—still dazed—and hurried away, sensing Su Cheng had something important to discuss with Li Guanqi.

Staying any longer might risk irritating him.

As for Li Guanqi, she lowered her head like a child caught misbehaving, avoiding Su Cheng’s gaze.

She knew he’d noticed her odd behavior. Otherwise, he’d never have openly declared his lunch plans with her in front of the entire class...

"Let’s go."

Su Cheng’s voice was calm.

Li Guanqi nodded obediently, silently following him out of the classroom.

But as they passed the stairwell, Su Cheng suddenly stopped and turned to her. "Wait here for a bit. I need to use the restroom, okay?"

Li Guanqi blinked, nodding reflexively.

Su Cheng entered the men’s room, confirmed it was empty, then drew his ghost blade to vanish into stealth before heading straight for the rooftop.

He’d just remembered—there was a delivery to collect on the rooftop at noon.

Meanwhile, Li Guanqi stepped into the women’s restroom, studying the dark circles under her eyes in the mirror. Her brows knitted tightly as she massaged her temples, biting her lower lip.

"I didn’t have these this morning..."

………………………………

After scaling walls and climbing through windows to reach the rooftop, Su Cheng found the siblings already waiting.

Hoshino Mirai held an exquisitely wrapped gift box—its craftsmanship alone hinted at something valuable inside. Her expression was a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

Hoshino Yikui, however, was on another level. He cradled four equally lavish boxes, clearly from the same high-end brand.

"Bro, why do you have four pairs?" Mirai gaped at her brother’s haul.

Yikui scratched his head sheepishly. "Called in a favor yesterday. Got a junior from Class 1-3’s Ji family faction to hook me up. These things sell like crazy—had to swallow my pride and pay a premium just for these four."

"Bro~" Mirai rolled her eyes. "You’re too greedy. The demon might refuse to deal with you."

As if on cue, a solemn voice echoed across the rooftop: "It seems you’ve come prepared."

The siblings stiffened, immediately adopting respectful postures as they presented the stockings with both hands. "Please, accept these."

"Good."

With those words, Mirai’s box vanished into thin air. Her face lit up, eyes sparkling with hope as she swallowed hard, fighting to stay composed. "Um... could you tell me... where the Penguin Prince went...? Will he ever come back?"

Her voice trembled, stumbling over the words, but she held her breath, staring intently at the empty space before her.

After a pause, His voice responded.

"…The Penguin Prince you speak of has vanished from this world forever… However, you share a certain bond with them. If you live each day happily and content, the Penguin Prince may sense it and perhaps return."

"Really?!" Hoshino Mirai's eyes widened with joy. "Thank you!"

"Don't thank me… Thank yourself… I am merely an emotionless transaction machine…" Its voice was calm and serene. "Now, good luck."

With that, its voice faded into echoes before disappearing entirely.

"Wait! I want to make a trade too—look, I have something as well!"

Hoshino Yikui grew frantic, hastily raising his box and shouting.

"You also wish to trade with me?"

Its tone carried a hint of surprise, though nothing more. Then it spoke again: "Are you certain?"

"Yes! Absolutely!" Hoshino Yikui was overjoyed, eagerly offering the four additional boxes in his possession. "Look, I have four sets!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the four boxes vanished from his hands. But what appeared in their place left him frozen in shock, his entire body stiff as stone, unable to believe his eyes.

In his palm now rested: a nail clipper, beauty scissors, a nail file, and tweezers…

He blinked once. Then again.

And again.

Finally, he rubbed his eyes, confirming the absurdity before him. Even as a grown man, Hoshino Yikui couldn’t hold back the flood of emotions—years of grievances and frustrations erupted as he burst into loud, childish sobs.

"Brother!"

Hoshino Mirai, seeing her usually brave and composed older brother reduced to a bawling mess, felt a headache coming on and quickly tried to console him.

Yikui’s crying abruptly stopped. He wiped away his snot and tears, shooting his sister a resentful glare. "I wasn’t crying! I just hate my greedy, forgetful self!"

"Brother, look—you’ve completed the five-piece set."

Mirai’s eyes sparkled as she noticed the four items in his hand, quickly pointing it out.

"Huh? Five-piece set?"

Yikui hurriedly looked down, then remembered something. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a carefully wrapped handkerchief, unfolding it to reveal—an ear pick.

"Do you think combining these five things might create a miracle?"

Mirai’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Set effect?"

Yikui pondered for a moment. "Should I try?"

He arranged the four items around the ear pick in a neat line.

"I’ll count down—three… two… one… then clap my hands."

Closing his eyes, he began:

"Three… two… one!"

A crisp metallic clang echoed across the rooftop.

But nothing happened. Not even the slightest reaction.

"These are just ordinary grooming tools!"

"Brother, maybe it doesn’t work today because the demon already appeared. Try again tomorrow."

…………………………………………

Meanwhile

At a rented patch of lawn

Su Cheng and Li Guanqi sat in a secluded corner. Su Cheng handed a slice of cake to the silent Li Guanqi. "Here, lunch."

"Mm." Li Guanqi accepted the cake, taking a slow bite before lapsing back into silence, her gaze fixed on the grass, lost in thought.

"Did you sleep last night?"

Su Cheng suddenly broke the quiet.

"No…"

Li Guanqi shook her head, lifting her gaze to stare ahead. "I just…"

Her words cut off abruptly as Su Cheng unexpectedly wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close against him.

The bold move left her momentarily stunned—Su Cheng had never initiated such intimacy before unless she did first.

Even on the subway, he’d only done so under the pretense of protection.

But this sudden embrace caught her off guard. And then came something even more shocking—his hand, which had been on her shoulder, slid down to her waist.

The motion nearly made her drop her cake.

"After you finish eating, rest like this for a while."

Su Cheng’s voice was a tender murmur.

She had expected him to scold her for staying up all night or react in some other way. Instead, he simply said this—softly, gently.

And this marked only the second time Su Cheng had ever hugged her on his own.

"Okay."

Leaning against his shoulder, she gave a small nod and continued eating her cake with delicate, squirrel-like nibbles.

A few minutes later

Su Cheng took a tissue and gently wiped away a smudge of cream from Li Guanqi’s lips. "Get some sleep now."

She nodded obediently again.

But in that instant, Su Cheng suddenly tightened his hold on her shoulders and leaned back—

The two of them ended up lying side by side on the picnic blanket, his arm serving as her pillow.

The audacity of the act made her body tense slightly. Though her expression remained unchanged, her cheeks gradually warmed, and her heartbeat quickened.

Lying together like this, their pulses were audible to each other. Su Cheng’s scent filled her nostrils, and Li Guanqi couldn’t help but take a deep breath, her heart pounding even harder.

The tables had turned!

Su Cheng, who had always been passive, now took the initiative. He wrapped an arm around her neck, pulling her closer, then leaned in to whisper by her ear: "Sleep."

The warmth of his breath against her skin sent a scorching heat through her body. She bit her lip, forcing out a strained reply: "I… I can’t… fall asleep…"

"Hm?"

Su Cheng lowered his head, and Li Guanqi lifted hers—their faces now mere centimeters apart, breaths mingling. A fraction closer, and their lips would—

Li Guanqi instinctively shut her eyes.

Su Cheng swallowed hard but teased instead: "According to the usual script, someone would interrupt us right about now."

Hearing this, Li Guanqi opened her eyes—only to squeeze them shut again immediately as Su Cheng suddenly pressed his lips to her forehead in a fleeting kiss before pulling away just as quickly.

The lingering warmth on her forehead made her heart feel like it had stopped. Her legs, clad in black stockings, involuntarily straightened, her feet lifting slightly off the ground.

"Sleep."

Su Cheng licked his lips and closed his eyes.

"Mm…"

Li Guanqi nodded and shut her eyes again, lying as still as a sleeping beauty—though her cheeks burned ever brighter, and her heart raced as if trying to escape her chest.

She knew Su Cheng was likely compensating for what happened last Friday, taking out some form of insurance.

For example—

He had kissed her.

And before that, he had hugged her on his own.

Their relationship had undeniably progressed.

But where would the story go from here?

Would his boldness end here—or was this just the beginning?