Start with the Guide

"Hello, Su Cheng."

The young girl smiled and extended her hand to Su Cheng.

"I'm sorry, which senior are you?"

Su Cheng hesitated before shaking her hand. It felt extremely soft and delicate, but he quickly let go.

From her school uniform, he could tell she was definitely an upperclassman, as freshmen wouldn't dare to dress like that.

"I'm from Class 3, grade 2. Liu Qingyue."

The girl introduced herself softly.

"Oh, Senior Liu."

A bright smile appeared on Su Cheng's face, but his eyes showed no emotion. Clearly, he wasn't used to such enthusiastic greetings.

"Isn't the News Society awful?"

Liu Qingyue suddenly asked, staring intently at Su Cheng.

"Hm?"

Su Cheng was puzzled but politely nodded.

Seeing Su Cheng nod, Liu Qingyue continued: "I understand how you feel. For ordinary people like us, such malicious rumors are indeed infuriating and angering. We're all students, we all have dignity, we all hope to study well without being bothered by these gossips. It's a terrible thing that can easily condemn someone with just a few words. To me, this is absolutely not justice!"

Liu Qingyue spoke with her eyes slightly closed, her expression full of pain, as if recalling being wrongly accused herself. She kept her eyes shut, making it hard to discern truth from falsehood.

But since Su Cheng's system only displayed character data panels after failed confessions, he didn't know if this senior had good intentions or some ulterior motive.

"Um... Senior, what they reported seems to be factual though..."

Su Cheng hesitated but still spoke the truth.

Hearing this, Liu Qingyue's eyes suddenly snapped open. She stared at Su Cheng with wide, disbelieving eyes, then grabbed the newspaper and pointed at the words 'social climbing', saying excitedly: "Is this factual too?"

"That part isn't," Su Cheng shook his head. He had always hoped the other party would reject his confession.

"I can understand how you feel now because I've been through the same thing before."

Liu Qingyue clutched the newspaper excitedly, pointing at Su Cheng's photo inside: "It's been less than a week since school started, and you'll have to face three years of rumors, isolation, and mockery. This will seriously negatively impact your studies."

After speaking, Liu Qingyue looked at Su Cheng with deep concern.

"You're right, Senior. But as you said, as ordinary people, we can't stop these things. If we can't stop them, why try to block them?"

"That's exactly why I came to find you,"

Liu Qingyue said, putting away the newspaper. "Because I empathize, and we're both ordinary people, so I want to lend you a hand."

Liu Qingyue's words were sincere, and Su Cheng felt touched, but he still shook his head: "There's no need to trouble yourself, Senior. Just let them be."

He still had to confess later, so there was no point in owing someone a favor for no reason.

"How can you say that?"

Hearing this, disappointment flashed across Liu Qingyue's face. Her pretty face fell, looking dejected and somewhat exasperated. Then she raised her head, saying seriously: "We absolutely cannot compromise on this!"

She lowered her head again, her body trembling slightly as she spoke: "School should be a place that makes people happy, but this kind of thing..."

Suddenly, she looked up: "I can't stand it, so I want to help you, to make sure you're not alone, so that when you look back on your school days in the future, it won't be so painful!"

Her voice was soft but exceptionally firm. Her eyes glistened as she clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.

"Senior..."

Su Cheng was deeply moved, not expecting such meaningful words.

What a gentle person she was, to actively approach someone isolated and ostracized like him, even wanting to ensure he wouldn't be lonely.

At this moment, he couldn't help thinking: "If someone like this had appeared in my previous life, perhaps I wouldn't be in this world now."

But the world has no 'what ifs'. Now that he had the system, someone as gentle as the senior would only slow down his speed of getting rewards, so he had to refuse her kindness.

"Senior, I..."

But before he could finish, the bus suddenly arrived.

"Junior, the bus is here,"

Liu Qingyue rubbed her cheeks and smiled brightly, reminding him.

"I'm taking this bus too."

"Then let's continue on the bus."

Liu Qingyue said as she boarded, and Su Cheng had no choice but to follow.

As soon as they entered, Liu Qingyue patted her skirt and turned to Su Cheng with an embarrassed look: "Junior, I forgot my bus card. Could you swipe for me?"

"Of course, Senior."

Su Cheng instinctively glanced at her stockinged legs with a gentlemanly gaze, then smiled and took out his bus card, swiping twice.

"Junior, sit here!"

Liu Qingyue pointed to the seat beside her.

Su Cheng had no choice but to comply. Seeing Su Cheng sit next to her, Liu Qingyue smiled contentedly.

"I'll transfer the money to you. Let's add each other on WeChat too. If you have any problems in the future, you can always ask me. I'm on your side, you know~"

Liu Qingyue smiled like it was her first love.

"Oh, okay."

This moment suddenly made Su Cheng feel like he was "falling in love". Startled, he quickly agreed.

This girl's destructive power was too great. He had to stay away from her, or he'd surely be conquered.

Su Cheng silently made up his mind.

Soon, they exchanged contact information.

"If you don't want my help, there's another way,"

Liu Qingyue seemed to sense that Su Cheng didn't want to trouble others, so she changed her approach.

"What way?"

"Join a club. Get the protection of a club. They'll have some reservations and won't write these reports recklessly."

"Ah..."

Hearing Liu Qingyue's suggestion, Su Cheng was suddenly struck by a solution.

That is, to fight fire with fire!

Since the S-rank Archery Club had caused him trouble, he could seek protection from another S-rank club. This way, at least his personal safety could be guaranteed.

After all, you don't hit a dog in front of its owner!

Ugh, what a crappy metaphor!

"So, Senior, do you have any recommendations?"

Su Cheng looked expectantly at Liu Qingyue. After all, this was about whether he'd get beaten up after confessing in the future.

"Clubs like archery, kendo, and martial arts aren't suitable for ordinary students like us, so I suggest you choose a club with lower economic costs. For example, the Board Game Club, or the Far East Magic Nap Society, or even the Service Club, Food Research Club, Neighbors Club, Light Music Club, and so on."

"Did you just mention some strange club names?"

Su Cheng paused, still a bit stunned.

"Eh, strange?"

"Um... just that some names sound familiar."

"Is that so?"

Liu Qingyue was surprised but then smiled: "Club names are basically like this all over the world. It's normal if they sound familiar. Have you decided?"

"I want to join a club with few people, that will accept my application, and can even protect me."

Su Cheng pondered for a moment before expressing his thoughts.

"Then there's only one that meets your conditions."

Liu Qingyue stared at Su Cheng without blinking, as if examining him.

"Which is?"

"The Social Practice Club."

Liu Qingyue slowly uttered the club name, her eyes flashing with a strange light.

"Social Practice Club..."

Su Cheng muttered, then looked up and asked: "How many members are in the club? Will they accept my application?"

"Due to her special status, the club only has one member. I think as long as you have the courage to go, she will definitely accept you!"

"Special status?"

"The daughter of the Flame City mayor — Gu Ruoxue."

"!!"

Su Cheng was shocked and unconsciously swallowed.

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

In a luxurious villa.

"Young Mistress, I'm back."

Liu Qingyue, no, Ji Yuewu, wearing a long maid dress, respectfully walked into the hall and bowed to the person reading in the study.

Ji Qingyi sat at the table, one hand holding a scroll, the other flipping through it. She heard Ji Yuewu's words but didn't look up, merely asked indifferently, "How so?"

"Reporting to the eldest young lady, he will join Gu Ruoxue's club tomorrow," Ji Yuewu stood straight and replied.

"His reaction?"

Ji Yuewu recalled and said, "At the time, Gu Ruoxue used her real name when interacting with him. But strangely, he showed no reaction to the name, as if he had never heard of her, but was very shocked by the background."

"It sounds like selective amnesia. It seems the shock of Gu Ruoxue leaving was very great for him. In self-protection and avoidance, he selectively forgot some things he didn't want to remember or wanted to escape from."

Ji Qingyi put down the scroll in her hand and a sly smile curved her lips, "However, that's not important. As long as Gu Ruoxue didn't lose her memory, it's fine."

"But I think he might have been possessed."

Ji Yuewu explained.

"Possessed?"

Ji Qingyi raised an eyebrow, another new term.

"I'll say this one last time, stop reading all that nonsense. I don't want to hear anything I can't understand again, do you understand?"

Ji Qingyi coldly glanced at Ji Yuewu, and after saying that, she continued reading.

Ji Yuewu heard this and quickly lowered her head, nodding repeatedly, "Understood."

She originally wanted to say something more but swallowed it back, not daring to mention it in front of Ji Qingyi.

Because breaking the eldest young lady's fixed mindset could only be done slowly. Explaining everything at once would only backfire.