Su Cheng's Battle Plan

The time rewinds back to noon.

Su Cheng wanted to leave a memorable gift for Li Guanqi and Ji Qingyi before this Friday.

However, since he had previously told Li Guanqi that "the night scenery is beautiful"—a phrase both clearly understood—Li Guanqi had given no response. After some reflection, Su Cheng concluded that he had been too rash.

He realized that a confession was something profoundly meaningful, yet he had carelessly tossed out a vague, ambiguous remark, treating it with little respect. No wonder he received no reply—Li Guanqi was someone who valued self-respect, self-love, and dignity.

How could she possibly respond to such a lack of sincerity and disregard for proper sentiment?

Once this dawned on him, he grew even more frustrated and remorseful, deciding to attempt another confession.

But now, the question loomed: How should he do it? What should he say?

Romance was foreign to him. He knew nothing about grand gestures or meaningful rituals—he had never even been in a relationship before.

After parting ways with Li Guanqi during the lunch break, Su Cheng found himself agonizing over the matter. After much deliberation, he resolved to seek advice from the most handsome guy in his class.

So, he retreated to the restroom, staring at his reflection in the mirror, his face etched with worry as he pondered his next move.

"Hey, Su Cheng, why are you still here? Class is about to start!"

Just as he was about to splash cold water on his face, Gao Ye emerged from the restroom entrance, calling out to him.

"Huh?" Su Cheng turned blankly, then blurted, "Do you know anything about romance?"

"Romance?"

Gao Ye paused, momentarily taken aback, before breaking into a grin and patting Su Cheng’s shoulder. "So, even you're stressing over Valentine’s Day tomorrow?"

"Yeah, it’s bothering me," Su Cheng admitted honestly.

Gao Ye shrugged. "In my opinion, a bouquet of flowers is enough."

"A bouquet?" Su Cheng frowned and shook his head. "Don’t you think that’s too… unromantic?"

Gao Ye spread his hands. "Works for me."

With a resigned sigh, Su Cheng followed him out of the restroom and hurried toward the classroom.

Unexpectedly, a group of girls in class were also huddled together, discussing plans for Valentine’s Day.

"If you want real romance, look to the ancients," Xu Tianyi chimed in. "Classical culture is rich with poetry and prose. Imagine someone gifting you a love poem so profound it would be remembered for millennia—how would you feel?"

"I’d die happy on the spot," someone immediately agreed.

"Exactly! The ancients understood romance."

"Modern people are too shallow," another girl retorted.

"A… poem?"

A bold idea flashed through Su Cheng’s mind.

Though his understanding of romance was limited to books, perhaps borrowing from classical poetry—lines steeped in deep meaning—could work for his confession.

Both Ji Qingyi and Li Guanqi were literary girls, after all.

This might just be the perfect approach.

Then, an even more fantastical vision unfolded in his mind—a plan so brilliant it could kill two birds with one stone.

But executing it would be a monumental task.

So, he skipped afternoon classes and even excused himself from club activities.

Instead, he holed up in the classroom, meticulously drafting his grand scheme for the evening.

[1. Get Li Guanqi’s attention—create an illusion for her.]

[2. Make Li Guanqi seek out Ji Qingyi.]

[3. When they meet, steal a peony from Ji Qingyi to draw both their attention. (P.S.: Return a pot of white peonies by midnight.) Inspiration drawn from the poem Admiring the Peonies.]

[4. Incorporate elements of surprise, delight, and romance.]

[5. Fireworks, crows, and the Flame City Emperor.]

[6. Privatize Flame City Private Academy for the night!]

[7. Finally, a dreamlike climax!]

As each detail fell into place, Su Cheng’s excitement surged, his focus entirely consumed by the plan’s creation.

The only hiccup? Buying fireworks.

Fireworks were banned within the city limits—he’d have to venture to the suburbs.

So, after swiping the peony, still in his school uniform, he hopped on his bicycle and raced to the subway station.

Somewhere in the suburbs…

"Hey, check his uniform—isn’t that Flame City Private Academy’s?"

As Su Cheng walked down the street, he caught the attention of a few idle hoodlums loitering around.

Their eyes gleamed as if they’d stumbled upon a rare treasure.

"No doubt—it’s Flame City Private. This one’s a big catch."

One of them whipped out a phone and dialed a number. "Boss Wang, listen… yeah… we’ve got a golden goose here. Bring the car. After this, we’re set for life."

Su Cheng, meanwhile, was following his GPS in search of a fireworks shop. But after wandering around, he found all the shops closed. To make matters worse, his phone died, leaving him stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Just then, a white van screeched to a halt in front of him.

The driver leaned out. "Hey, kid! Need a ride? No taxis around here!"

"Thanks! Do you know where I can buy fireworks?"

"Oh, we know a place."

But as Su Cheng was about to ask for directions, two thugs stepped out of the van, flanking him and pressing knives against his sides.

"Get in the car, kid. Don’t make this hard."

"…Huh?"

Su Cheng froze for a second before it clicked—This is a kidnapping. The absurdity of the situation was so cliché that he only believed it once the knives were on him.

Yet, instead of panicking, he felt a strange thrill. This was way more interesting than his original errand. Plus, he hadn’t eaten lunch.

So, with eerie calm, he asked the driver, "Um… I get carsick. Can I sit in the front?"

A heavy silence followed.

The driver exchanged a glance with his accomplice before muttering, "Damn, rich kids these days—got nerves of steel."

The thugs on either side smirked. "Quit stalling."

They shoved Su Cheng into the backseat, forcing him down as they climbed in on either side, pinning his legs apart and tying his hands.

The van started moving.

Su Cheng watched the scenery blur past the window, making no attempt to struggle. Instead, he casually remarked, "Can you turn the AC away from me? I’m cold."

The driver: "…"

Cold?!

You’re not even scared of us?!

An odd sense of defeat crept over them.

"Take off his mask! Use his phone to call his family," the driver ordered, urgency creeping into his voice. Something about this kid’s eerie composure didn’t sit right with him.

Upon hearing the order, the two accomplices immediately removed Su Cheng's mask and began searching his phone. After rummaging for a while without finding it, they grew furious: "Damn, who the hell doesn’t carry a phone these days?!"

"Damn it!" the driver cursed angrily, glancing at Su Cheng through the rearview mirror. "Not bad-looking, though. Hold a knife to his face. If he doesn’t cooperate, just slash him—force him to give us his family’s phone number!"

"Got it."

The two accomplices immediately pressed their daggers against Su Cheng’s cheeks.

Seeing this, Su Cheng spoke up: "What if I tell you? Can you ask for more? Split a little with me afterward."

His words plunged the car into an eerie silence. The three kidnappers exchanged glances, momentarily stunned.

Then, they burst into laughter, one of them even wiping tears from the corner of his eye.

"Ahaha!" Laughing too hard, he suddenly clutched his stomach and bent over.

The driver frowned in annoyance. "What the hell are you laughing at?!"

"Boss, this kid’s actually got guts," one of the kidnappers managed between laughs, pointing at Su Cheng, nearly wheezing.

"HAHAHAHAHA… HAHAHA… HAHAHA…"

Wiping his tears, he looked at Su Cheng: "No problem. Hand over the number."

"Can we stop at that stall up ahead? I’m kinda hungry—I want a jianbing guozi."

Noticing a street vendor selling the savory pancake nearby, Su Cheng casually brought it up.

"No way!" the driver snapped, speeding up instead.

"I want it! I’m not saying a word unless I get one!"

Su Cheng started thrashing around, even throwing a tantrum. But the moment he moved, a sharp blade pressed against his neck.

"Stop moving!" the man beside him growled.

"No! I want my jianbing!"

Su Cheng showed no fear, even leaning his neck into the blade, startling the man so much he nearly dropped the knife. "Holy shit, you’re really got a death wish, huh?!"

The driver, watching from the rearview mirror, finally relented in exasperation. "Fine, go buy it. Hurry back."

Pulling over in a secluded alley, the driver glared at Su Cheng. "Stay put. Don’t move!"

"Got it." Su Cheng nodded, then called out to the guy heading out: "Extra bacon, egg, veggies, ham, and two cloves of garlic!"

Turning back to the driver, he added, "It’s stuffy in here. Can you play some music? I like ‘Turbo DJ’!"

The driver’s face darkened. "Kid, don’t push your luck! I swear, if I lose my temper, you’ll be crying for your mommy!"

"Oh~"

Su Cheng shrugged, then asked, "Hey, Mr. Hothead, do you know where I can buy fireworks? After we’re done here, I need to grab some."

"You got a death wish or what?!"

"Just asking. After our ‘collaboration,’ I’ll need fireworks."

Gritting his teeth, the driver pointed ahead. "Straight to the bridge, turn left, then you’ll see it."

"Thanks~" Su Cheng chirped.

"Don’t try anything funny, or I’ll chop you to pieces!" The driver’s glare was venomous.

"Relax. By the way, what’s your day job?"

"Shut the hell up!!"

"I’m getting my driver’s license soon. Mind if I take the wheel?"

"Gag him with a towel!!"

"Mmph—!"

Su Cheng’s mouth was muffled just as the jianbing was brought back. The guy handed it over. "Here’s your damn pancake."

As the others loosened their grip, Su Cheng mumbled, "My hands are tied."

"Fine, I’ll feed you."

"No need to be so polite."

With that, Su Cheng effortlessly snapped the ropes binding his wrists.

………………

Much later, Su Cheng stepped out of the car, stretching while munching on his jianbing. He glanced back at the three groaning men inside, clapped his hands, and grinned with satisfaction. "Let’s do this again sometime."

"……"

They lay in the car, moaning in agony, their limbs dislocated by this demonic kid. Sweat poured from their bodies as they writhed in pain.

Never in their wildest dreams did they expect this scrawny kid to be so freakishly strong—snapping ropes like twine and shattering their arms with a single punch.

Even more terrifying was the suffocating pressure he radiated with just a glance, paralyzing them with fear. They couldn’t even muster the will to beg or run.

The sheer intensity of his aura crushed any thought of resistance.

Now, they realized—they’d messed with the wrong person.

"If you call the cops and waste my time, I’ll finish the job."

Su Cheng took another bite and strolled away, leaving the three kidnappers whimpering in his wake.

"Who’s the damn kidnapper here?!"

………………………………

Soon, he arrived at the bridgehead, bought a pile of fireworks, and picked the most exquisite white peony from a florist before heading home.

On the way, he ran into Cornelia and Ailiya.

After helping them with their issue, he returned home, dyed the peony black, then dripped red potion onto both flowers.

Next, he had his crow summon others, and the avian army gathered.

Since ordinary crows weren’t the brightest, he enhanced each one with his ocular abilities. Then, indoors, he taught them to light matches and set off fireworks. Finally, he rehearsed their formation—transforming them into a bridge of black wings…

He was certain both Ji Qingyi and Li Guanqi would understand the depth of this gift.

……………………………………

Nightfall.

Ji Family Villa.

Ji Qingyi sat by the window, gazing at the full moon, a trace of melancholy in her eyes.

"Young Mistress, you’ve been staring outside for over an hour."

A maid in a long dress stood behind her, gently combing her cascading hair.

"Any news?"

Ji Qingyi’s voice was soft as she withdrew her gaze.

She was referring to Ji Yuewu, whom she’d summoned back yesterday.

"None."

"I see…" Ji Qingyi nodded slightly.

Just then, her phone vibrated.

She picked it up and read the screen.

[Ji Yuewu]: "Su Cheng arrived at Flame City Private Academy at midnight, entered your garden directly, placed a white peony where the white peony originally was, then left immediately."

The brief message carried weight.

Ji Qingyi narrowed her eyes, lost in thought.

She quickly grasped the meaning behind Su Cheng's actions.

Taking away the peony and presenting a white peony instead.

It brought to mind the poetic lines, "The peonies in the courtyard are enchanting yet lack refinement; the lotus in the pond is pure but devoid of passion. Only the peony is truly the queen of flowers, captivating the capital when it blooms."

The implication was clear—though the garden's peonies were vibrant, they lacked elegance, so he deliberately replaced them with a white peony.

After all, the peony is the king of flowers. And a white peony evokes an aura of grace, dignity, and noble elegance, exuding an air of regal majesty and untouchable authority, symbolizing lofty integrity and unassailable dignity.

Gifting a white peony to a woman carries the meaning of praising her poise, unparalleled beauty, intellectual elegance, and radiant charm. It is the highest form of admiration one can express toward a woman, conveying the deepest respect and affection.

Ji Qingyi closed her eyes.

A maid standing behind her inquired, "Miss, shall we retrieve the peony?"

"Hmm... no need."

"Understood."

"I'll go myself."