Without hesitation, ignite the spark of memory.

The Lawn

In a secluded corner of the lawn, Su Cheng lay sprawled on the grass, with Li Guanqi nestled closely beside him. Neither moved, both quietly savoring the fleeting tranquility as if time itself had come to a standstill.

Having stayed awake until dawn, Li Guanqi finally succumbed to overwhelming drowsiness, resting her head on his arm as the warmth beside her gradually steadied. Soon, she drifted into sleep.

Yet, her eyelashes trembled faintly—even in slumber, her heart remained unsettled, caught in some unspoken emotion.

Time slipped by minute by minute. Sunlight filtered through the green leaves, casting dappled patterns over the two figures as their shadows stretched longer with the passing hours. A breeze rustled the nearby branches, and eventually, their silhouettes merged into one, indistinguishable.

……

Time rewound to long, long ago…

Shortly after the start of the semester.

Li Guanqi had taken an interest in Su Cheng, the scholarship student who had made it in through ordinary education. Surrounded by boys and girls who had received elite training, each excelling in one or multiple fields, his presence stood out like a sore thumb.

Though she was just an unnoticed figure in class, she held strong pride in her class’s reputation—especially when it came to someone like Su Cheng, who had earned his place through sheer effort. So, her attitude toward him wasn’t cold.

But when Su Cheng fully entered her radar, her first impression of him was tinged with prejudice.

During the opening ceremony, he had publicly confessed to an upperclassman—Cornelia.

His audacity left her deeply uncomfortable, and she felt it tarnished the class’s image. Determined to correct his behavior and curb his disruptive influence before it spread, she resolved to teach him a lesson in her own way.

Yet… she had severely underestimated Su Cheng.

The day after the opening ceremony.

Noticing Su Cheng seemed to be up to something again, she hid nearby to observe.

To her shock, she discovered he had gone straight to the Archery Club—

To confess to the eldest daughter of the illustrious Ji family conglomerate!

The act left her utterly stunned, and a flurry of labels flooded her mind:

Madman. Lunatic. Idiot.

Each one was promptly slapped onto Su Cheng.

But what she couldn’t fathom was—where did he get the courage?!

Was this some desperate ploy to grab the attention of the Ji family’s princess?

No matter how she looked at it, she couldn’t make sense of Su Cheng’s actions. At the same time, she grew worried for him. After all, the Ji family’s princess was no ordinary heiress—they were a clan that disregarded laws and treated human lives as expendable.

Before she could even process the incident, Su Cheng pulled yet another jaw-dropping stunt the very next day.

Overnight, every girl in their class received a confession from him.

Though it was sent through an account named "Eddie," no one in class doubted the authenticity. Regardless of social class, Su Cheng’s recent antics had already earned him the collective disdain of the entire class.

Whenever other classes brought up Su Cheng, they’d refer to him as "Class 1-2’s Confession Maniac," a label that filled everyone with shame.

Normally, a confession wouldn’t be a big deal—it was his right.

But now?

Su Cheng had crossed the line into outright insanity!

The class rallied together, ready to drive him out before the entire group became a laughingstock.

Including her.

But before they could act, an unexpected visitor arrived at noon—

Ji Qingyi, the Ji family’s princess.

Her presence alone was enough to make Eddie crumble under her imposing aura, forcing him to confess his crimes and reveal the truth.

When the facts came to light, the entire class was dumbfounded.

No one had expected this twist—the self-proclaimed "hero" turned out to be the villain!

They had all wronged Su Cheng.

Including her.

And so, their intertwined fate began.

………………

Much later

Li Guanqi’s lashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes, only to find Su Cheng’s profile inches away.

His eyes were shut, his breathing deep with sleep.

But the next second, he suddenly stirred awake and met her gaze. "You’re up?"

"Mm..." Li Guanqi gave a faint nod, though her mind still felt hazy.

"Class starts in about ten minutes." Su Cheng sat up, pulling her along with him—forcing her system to reboot.

Now seated, he withdrew his hand.

"Thanks." Li Guanqi lowered her eyes, her voice slightly hoarse.

"I’ll go to the restroom first." With that, Su Cheng hurried off, leaving Li Guanqi alone.

She watched his retreating figure for a few minutes before finally standing, neatly folding the blanket into her bag, smoothing out her clothes, and heading toward the restroom.

……

At the sink, Li Guanqi pulled out a facial spray from her bag and misted her face. The cool liquid instantly refreshed her skin as she gently dabed it dry with a cotton pad—though she carefully avoided her forehead, leaving it untouched by the spray.

In the mirror, her dark circles were nearly invisible, and her usual composed demeanor carried an unexpected allure.

Perhaps it was because of earlier.

Her cheeks held a faint flush, lending her a bewitching charm that could make hearts skip.

After washing up, she combed her hair, revealing her slender neck and delicate collarbones, then turned and exited.

But when she returned to class, she found Su Cheng talking to the class monitor, Li Wen, seemingly asking for leave from that afternoon’s swimming lesson.

She took her seat just as the bell rang. The class rose and headed for the swimming pool—except for Su Cheng, who remained at his desk.

Instead, he pulled out a palm-sized notebook and began jotting something down, occasionally pausing to frown in thought or glance out the window.

Just as she wondered what he was writing, two graceful figures approached and stopped before her.

"Guanqi, let’s go."

"Time for class."

Xuan Ying and Zhao Yanran spoke in unison.

At the same time, Su Cheng glanced over.

Li Guanqi could only respond with a quiet "Mm," rising to follow the two. But before leaving, she stole one last look at Su Cheng—only to see him already bent over his notes again.

………………

The three walked in silence, but Li Guanqi keenly noticed the growing oddity in Xuan Ying and Zhao Yanran’s gazes—hints of resentment and jealousy lurking beneath.

But her focus was no longer on them.

She had already deduced what Su Cheng was recording. If she wasn’t mistaken, his notes were about—

Documenting crucial information, so that even if he lost his memory, he could recover it through these records.

The realization sent a chill down her spine, and her steps unconsciously grew heavier. Though this was merely a precaution—not a certainty—the mere possibility filled her with dread.

What if Su Cheng really forgot?

What if he never came back?

Li Guanqi bit her lip, her mind in turmoil. What would she do if Su Cheng no longer remembered her?

Would he just… disappear?

These thoughts flickered through her mind, unsettling her so much that her footsteps slowed.

"What's wrong?" Xuan Ying and Zhao Yanran noticed her odd behavior and immediately asked with concern.

"N-nothing," Li Guanqi shook her head, forcing herself to steady her emotions before continuing toward the swimming pool.

But—

"The problem is, a little notebook just isn’t reliable enough."

At that moment, she resolved to do everything in her power for the person who mattered most.

……………………

About ten minutes later,

Li Guanqi emerged from the swimming pool and headed straight for the Publicity Department, returning with a digital camera in hand.

Holding the camera, she turned on the recording function and began filming as she wandered through the campus, narrating in a soft voice.

"This lawn is where you…"

"This building is…"

"You once…"

She paid no attention to the strange looks from passersby, nor did she care if her image was ruined. She simply followed her own will, documenting every place Su Cheng had frequented or cherished, recounting even the smallest details he might have overlooked.

Just then, she suddenly bumped into a boy—tall and slender, dressed in blue athletic wear, his delicate features marred by exhaustion.

The boy froze for a moment upon seeing her talking to herself while filming, then quickly averted his gaze, seemingly embarrassed.

"Wait, please."

Li Guanqi hurried after him, blocking his path.

The boy looked at her in confusion, hesitantly asking, "Are you talking to me?"

"Yes, hello. I’m filming a documentary about Su Cheng. So…" She paused. "You must know him, right? Would you mind being interviewed?"

"Su Cheng?"

The boy hesitated briefly before nodding. "Sure."

"Thank you. Come with me—let’s talk somewhere else."

Li Guanqi led him to a quiet corner of the school building, then adjusted the camera’s focus, pointing it at him.

The boy fidgeted nervously but didn’t shy away, only rubbing the hem of his shirt.

"May I ask your name? And how did you meet Su Cheng?"

"I’m Zhao Feifei, from Class 4, Grade 1. I’m from the neighboring county. He ranked first in the high school entrance exam, and I was second, so I… Well, a while ago, I was heartbroken and struggling, and he suddenly showed up to comfort me… Later, because of him, our ordinary group started getting noticed… So I really admire him…"

………………………………

After the interview, Li Guanqi borrowed a key from the disciplinary office and went up to the rooftop, where she began recounting the story of the Hoshino siblings and the Penguin Prince.

Ding-dong~

The bell signaling the end of class rang.

Li Guanqi waited at the library entrance for Xuan Ying. When she found her, she explained that she was making a documentary about Su Cheng to show at his hometown orphanage.

Xuan Ying, thrilled by the idea, immediately agreed.

She also realized that this must have been why Su Cheng had sought out Li Guanqi at noon.

Next, Li Guanqi found Zhao Yanran practicing on the parallel bars at the gymnastics club. Upon hearing the request, Zhao Yanran quickly changed back into her uniform, applied light makeup, and accepted the interview.

At the E-sports Club, she tracked down Wang Guancong, Gao Ye, and Chai Hao. After hearing her explanation, they enthusiastically set aside their game to participate, recording their friendship with Su Cheng.

Everything went smoothly, and soon half the documentary was complete. Li Guanqi grew more excited—but thinking about the next person she had to approach, she couldn’t help but frown and sigh quietly.

Still, she didn’t stop. As she walked toward her destination, she continued narrating.

"The next person is your club president. She’s accomplished in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and has notable achievements in martial arts—especially archery. She was your first mentor in kyudo, a teacher and a friend."

With that, Li Guanqi arrived at the Archery Society. She made no sound, so none of the members noticed her.

Quietly, she approached a wooden door and knocked without hesitation.

"Enter." A cool, authoritative woman’s voice answered from inside.

Taking a deep breath, Li Guanqi pushed the door open and stepped inside, her gaze immediately locking onto the solitary figure seated at the tea table.

"Senior Ji, hello. I’m Li Guanqi," she said respectfully.

Ji Qingyi lifted her head slightly, her eyes sweeping over Li Guanqi before lingering briefly on the camera. Then she took a sip of tea and replied indifferently, "Sit."

Her tone carried approval, yet remained aloof—as if she already knew why Li Guanqi had come.

"I’m just doing what little I can."

Li Guanqi bowed her head humbly, placing the camera on the table.

Ji Qingyi glanced at it, then poured a cup of tea and slid it toward her. Li Guanqi hurriedly accepted it with both hands, offering a polite thanks before taking a sip.

"You are one of the people Su Cheng respects most in this world—his friend, and in many ways, his teacher. So I hope to have your permission."

Ji Qingyi nodded slightly, signaling her to continue.

"If one day, he forgets everything—forgets all the time he spent with everyone—I want to use this to help him remember who he was."

Ji Qingyi fell silent for a long moment before finally uttering a single word: "Fine."

"Thank you."

"Since you’ve already taken it upon yourself to declare me his teacher, then this is only natural."

Having said that, Ji Qingyi stood, looking down at the girl beside her with a grave expression. "Even if you hadn’t come, I would have found my own way."

Li Guanqi blinked in surprise, then picked up the camera again, adjusting the focus before pressing record.

But just as she was about to begin the interview, footsteps echoed from the doorway. A poker-faced woman in a butler’s uniform entered.

Noticing Li Guanqi’s presence, the woman turned to Ji Qingyi for instructions.

Ji Qingyi gave a slight nod. "Speak."

Li Guanqi lowered the camera.

The butler stepped forward, her expression solemn. "Miss, at approximately 4:15 p.m., Su Cheng trespassed into your garden and took a potted plant."

Ji Qingyi’s brows furrowed. "Which one?"

"White peony."