What is Li Guanqi's Confession Reward

Su Cheng was well aware that everything he had now was bestowed by the system—except for his admission to Flame City Private Academy, which he achieved through his own efforts.

Thus, he was just a small-town bookworm—unremarkable, socially awkward, lacking vision, and with no outstanding abilities. A mere "nerd" who only knew how to study.

He knew he wasn’t particularly intelligent or clever, nor did he have any family background—just an orphan who buried himself in textbooks. Beyond that, he had nothing.

He also knew that from the very beginning, whether in class or at school, everyone secretly despised and excluded him. The world seemed full of ill-wishers. But with the help of the system, he gradually improved, earning respect bit by bit, and the people around him all turned into kind souls.

Equality, mutual benefit, and cooperation—everything was built upon the foundation the system provided.

He had once asked himself seriously: If I never had the system, would these people still respect and treat me kindly?

The answer was undoubtedly no.

Where did the system come from?

What was its purpose?

He had pondered these questions deeply, even excessively, but in the end, he found no clues whatsoever.

Perhaps the system existed solely to nurture its host.

As for its true purpose?

No one knew.

So, when Li Guanqi—

"Can I be your heroine?"

—suddenly spoke those words, accompanied by the long-absent voice of the system ringing sharply in his mind, followed by the fleeting sensation of cool, soft lips against his, three distinct emotions surged within him. They eventually dissolved into a blank void, leaving only an overwhelming joy he couldn’t suppress.

In that moment, he understood—

There were no "what-ifs" in this world, no hypotheticals in life.

The system had granted him the qualifications to stand on equal footing with them.

As for why?

Because when emotions run deep, only the most instinctive reactions remain!

…………………………

Under the moonlight, the two shared a brief, tender touch before parting. The crows that had been trailing Su Cheng now circled joyously around the horse, their wings fluttering in excitement.

Amidst the night, they rode together on the majestic steed—Flame City Emperor—with her nestled in his arms. One looked up, the other down, their gazes locked in a silent, profound exchange under the vast, starry sky, as if the entire world had faded away, leaving only each other.

After a long while…

"Hehehehe…"

Li Guanqi turned her face forward again, hugging the peony in her arms, and let out a bell-like laugh. Though her expression remained blank, her cheeks flushed pink, and the corners of her eyes crinkled with unmistakable delight.

"What’s so funny?"

Su Cheng, however, felt a little awkward. Truth be told, this was the first time he had ever heard Li Guanqi laugh. Forgive him—his memories of her were dominated by her stern, expressionless demeanor.

"Because of you!" Li Guanqi declared matter-of-factly, wiping away the tears that had welled up from sheer excitement. Her tone, usually cool and detached, now carried a hint of coquetry. "I had a feeling you were up to something, but I never expected you to go all out like this…"

She peeked over his shoulder at the school staff chasing after them in the distance. Thankfully, they were still far behind. Any slower, and they might have been caught red-handed—leading to a humiliating school-wide announcement the next day.

"Well, it did take some effort. I paid quite a price for this. Indulging a little is only natural."

Su Cheng chuckled, then tugged lightly on Flame City Emperor’s reins. The horse let out a spirited neigh and surged forward, swiftly weaving through branches and tall grass before vanishing into the night.

The crows scattered as well, and silence reclaimed the surroundings.

"A single flower would’ve been enough," Li Guanqi muttered, though it was unclear whether she was complaining or simply musing. She fiddled absently with the peony petals. "What was the point of all this… Even if you…"

"It’s meaningful, isn’t it?" Su Cheng interrupted softly, gazing down at her with warmth and affection. "Something as important as a confession—shouldn’t it convey your sincerity and create a special memory?"

"...Mmm~" Li Guanqi lowered her eyes, her voice barely above a whisper, but her fingers continued to trace the petals unconsciously.

Just then, Flame City Emperor came to a halt beside the ditch where Su Cheng had earlier abandoned his bicycle. He helped Li Guanqi dismount, and the two stood facing each other at the edge of the ditch, the air between them thick with unspoken tension.

"So… about us now…"

Su Cheng hesitated, struggling to find the right words. They had already exchanged signals, even crossed boundaries far beyond ordinary friendship. Yet…

He couldn’t shake the worry that Li Guanqi might have simply been swept up in the moment. He needed confirmation.

"Su Cheng." Li Guanqi suddenly lifted her head, her eyes fixed on the bright moon above, and murmured, "The moon is beautiful tonight."

"Yeah." Su Cheng’s heart leaped, and he was about to respond when a sudden gust of wind roared past, whipping his clothes violently.

Startled, he turned—only to freeze at the sight of a short-haired girl standing silently behind Li Guanqi, her dark eyes gleaming like distant stars.

"Indeed. Not just beautiful, but lively too."

The girl smiled, revealing a pair of sharp, pearly-white canines. "On a night like this… perhaps I shouldn’t be here?"

"Wha—Senior?!"

Su Cheng jolted at the familiar voice, his eyes widening in shock.

"Huh…?"

Li Guanqi turned slowly, her pupils dilating as she took in the face before her—short hair, youthful charm, and those striking phoenix eyes. There was no mistaking it: Liu Qingyue.

"Senior, why are you here?"

Su Cheng was baffled. Wasn’t she supposed to be in the countryside?

"Well…" Liu Qingyue’s grin turned mischievous as she deliberately drew out her words, closing the distance between them step by step until she was barely half a meter away. Then, with a playful flourish, she pointed into the distance.

"Look over there… Care to guess who that is?"

"Uh…"

Su Cheng gulped and followed her finger, only to suck in a sharp breath.

Li Guanqi, still holding the peony, also turned—and immediately stiffened, her expression unreadable but her composure quickly regained.

There, bathed in moonlight, stood a woman who seemed to have descended from the heavens. Clad in a white dress, her hair elegantly coiled like clouds, she cradled a pot of white peonies in her arms. Her fingers were slender as scallion roots, and her face bore a cold, dignified grace that commanded reverence.

Under the moon’s glow, her aura was as pristine and untouchable as the celestial body itself—aloof, noble, and utterly divorced from mortal trivialities. Every step she took seemed to transcend the earthly realm.

It was Ji Qingyi.

When Li Guanqi noticed the white peonies in Ji Qingyi’s arms, her expression grew even more peculiar.

She glanced at Su Cheng, then down at the vibrant peony she held, as if everything had suddenly fallen into place.

Just as Ji Qingyi had once told her:

"You seem to think you understand him well. Then allow me to make a prediction of my own. I believe he will return the flower—perhaps even one of greater nobility."

Though the underlying meaning was different…

Between peonies and white peonies, the hierarchy was clear.

The two of them had not settled their competition.

Originally, everyone thought Su Cheng's visit to the garden district was just to create an unexpected surprise, but now it seemed there was more to it—instead, he had presented an even more exquisite peony.

"President… at this hour… you…"

Su Cheng was stunned when he saw Ji Qingyi. Shouldn't she be at home or asleep at this late hour?

Why was she here now?

"I heard you gifted me a peony, so I came to see it."

Ji Qingyi spoke calmly, her gaze drifting past him to the peony cradled in Li Guanqi's arms. She frowned slightly. "But what exactly were you doing, making such a mess of the school?"

As her cold, indifferent words fell, the already tense atmosphere among them grew even heavier.

All eyes turned to Su Cheng, each gaze carrying a different emotion.

Su Cheng pressed his lips together before speaking slowly, "Because I’m running out of time. There’s something urgent I need to do, and I have to make a decision before Friday."

"You mean giving flowers to two different women on Valentine’s Day?" Ji Qingyi raised an eyebrow, her tone laced with displeasure.

Li Guanqi also furrowed her brows.

Su Cheng nodded, not denying it.

Meanwhile, Liu Qingyue stood to the side, tapping a finger against her lips as she murmured to herself, "Hmm… I personally prefer roses… though… carnations aren’t bad either."

Su Cheng glanced at Liu Qingyue. For some reason, the way she was looking at him felt strange—almost as if she, too, wanted to receive flowers.

But…

"I know my actions are terrible, but I wanted to leave something behind before I go. I’m afraid I might not get another chance." Su Cheng’s voice was quiet as his eyes lingered on Ji Qingyi’s face before shifting to Li Guanqi. "You’re all the most important people to me. Words aren’t enough, so I chose flowers as a special gift."

As he spoke, he suddenly conjured an iris out of thin air and stepped toward Liu Qingyue, placing the flower in her palm.

"I was planning to give this to you later, but since we’ve met here, I might as well hand it over now."

Liu Qingyue stared at the flower in silence for a moment before lifting it gently and nodding at Su Cheng. "Thank you."

"It’s precisely because of this that I found the courage to follow my heart and give them to you." Su Cheng’s expression remained calm, but the determination in his eyes was impossible to ignore.

Seeing that the three women’s expressions hadn’t softened, panic surged in his chest—time for Plan B: escape!

"Alright, my mission’s complete. I’ll take my leave now. Goodbye." He waved at them and turned to walk away.

"Don’t go!"

"Stop!"

Li Guanqi and Ji Qingyi both called out to halt him simultaneously.

Liu Qingyue, however, merely toyed with her flower, staying out of the matter.

Su Cheng paused, realizing he wouldn’t get off so easily. He forced a bitter smile and turned back with an apologetic look. "Please, let me be selfish just this once."

After all, giving flowers on Valentine’s Day was normal—but giving them to multiple people? That was just bizarre.

And now he’d been caught red-handed.

No matter how he spun it, this was textbook scumbag behavior!!

There was no way out!

But just as he was about to make his choice—

"Selfish?"

Li Guanqi looked directly into Su Cheng’s eyes and said, "I don’t think so. There’s nothing wrong with giving flowers to an elder, a friend, and a classmate like me."

Her words plunged the trio into silence.

Unlike what one might expect, Li Guanqi hadn’t been overwhelmed by the scene, letting her emotions take over and forcing Su Cheng to confess. Instead, she remained rational and composed, keeping her feelings in check—even attempting to steer the situation.

This turn of events made Liu Qingyue’s face briefly flicker with disappointment before she schooled her expression back to neutrality.

Meanwhile, Ji Qingyi narrowed her eyes, her dark, jade-like pupils gleaming with an unfathomable light.

Su Cheng stared blankly at the unassuming Li Guanqi, never expecting her to still be helping him clean up his mess. A wave of shame washed over him.

He’d thought Li Guanqi would be swept up in the moment and join the fray, but even in this critical moment, she remained steady and unshaken.

For Li Guanqi, Su Cheng giving flowers to two women at once was indeed absurd, and she was furious.

However, she also knew that if Liu Qingyue and Ji Qingyi had appeared so suddenly, they must have come prepared.

In this situation, she had to tread carefully—because the real priority was Friday.

Now wasn’t the time to clash with Ji Qingyi. Instead, she needed to maintain a delicate balance—neither friendly nor hostile, but a neutral distance.

There were too many uncertainties about Su Cheng’s return on Friday. If she couldn’t handle it alone, she might still need Ji Qingyi’s help to resolve things.

The most important thing now was to wait until Friday!

After all… wasn’t she the heroine?

"This gift is quite unique. I’m satisfied."

Ji Qingyi leisurely walked up to Su Cheng and patted his shoulder with an elegant smile. "Relax. We’ll discuss this properly after you return."

Then she turned to Liu Qingyue and said, "See Miss Li home."

"Yes, Mistress." Liu Qingyue nodded before raising her flower and calling out to Su Cheng, "Junior, I’m very happy with the flower too. Thanks~"

"I’m also satisfied."

Li Guanqi added softly, gently stroking the peony in her hands as if caressing a lover.

After a long silence,

The three women disappeared from Su Cheng’s sight, and he finally snapped out of his daze.

He realized his back was drenched in sweat.

Gasping for breath, his legs felt like lead, refusing to move.

Honestly, he had originally planned to announce his relationship with Li Guanqi.

But he never expected that Li Guanqi would stop him, insisting they keep it a secret.

"Well, now’s the time to check the rewards…"

Su Cheng decided this was the perfect moment to review his system rewards and calm himself down, so he opened his host panel for the first time in a while.

[Ding—]

[Character information loading…]

[Target: Li Guanqi]

[Intelligence: 8]

[Charm: 8]

[Stamina: 5]

[Status: Daughter of the president of Flame City’s largest publishing house]

[System Description: Born into a scholarly family—gentle, kind, and dignified with strong empathy. Reserved yet principled, composed under pressure, clear-headed and decisive. Values rationality over emotion. Distinctive trait: A faint, elusive presence. Often heard before seen. (Facial nerve damage due to alcohol poisoning in childhood.) Hobby: Desserts.]

[Character Rank: A]

[Ding—]

[Host confession successful]

[System Note: A-rank rewards are not randomized but tailored to the host’s current needs.]

[Reward successfully distributed.]

[Ding dong—]