Life-Sized Figure of Su Cheng

A Small County Town

Hotel

Saturday

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled patterns on the floor. Su Cheng, lying on the bed, rolled over and slowly opened his eyes, his gaze bleary and unfocused. After a moment of blankness, he abruptly sat up.

Then, it dawned on him—he had returned to his hometown county.

His hand instinctively reached out, groping for his phone beside the pillow. When he turned on the screen, he saw unread messages from senior sister Liu and Li Guanqi.

Li Guanqi’s message read: "Today, we explained the situation to the class monitor and got the leave approved. We also contacted the welfare home in your name and confirmed their needs. Today’s plan is mainly to purchase supplies in the county and visit your school."

Reading this, Su Cheng froze for a moment before letting out a soft sigh. A ripple of emotion flickered in his eyes—warm, sweet, yet tinged with an inexplicable ache. But soon, this feeling transformed into joy and gratitude.

He picked up his phone and typed a reply: "I’ll thank them properly in person when I’m back at school."

Next, he opened Liu Qingyue’s message: "Junior, we’re spending the whole day exploring the county today. You’d better not run into us, or else you’ll have to call the young mistress ‘sister’—and in the most affectionate way possible! You’ll even have to give her a big, excited hug when you meet!"

His brows furrowed at this, then relaxed again. He recalled that Ji Qingyi’s current persona was supposedly his sister.

But a hug?

There was no way Ji Qingyi had consented to that!

With that thought, he opened Ji Qingyi’s chat and sent a direct message without hesitation: "Sister, are you there?"

It wasn’t like he was losing anything.

Ji Qingyi was older than him, after all.

And having a sister from a wealthy conglomerate was seriously cool!

Seeing no immediate reply, he got up and started his morning routine. After washing up, he checked his phone again.

Ji Qingyi had responded—

Ji Qingyi: "?"

Though it was just a single question mark, he knew it carried a world of meaning. So, without missing a beat, he forwarded Liu Qingyue’s playful message to her.

Let the master and servant sort it out themselves.

After sending it, he began getting dressed.

"Ding-dong~"

Just as he finished dressing, his phone chimed again.

Liu Qingyue: "Haha, too late! I’ve already hyped up your relationship with the young mistress in front of Xuan Ying and the others. Just so you know, if you run into her and don’t act enthusiastic enough, even an airhead like Xuan Ying will get suspicious!"

Su Cheng: "???"

What the hell was this woman playing at?!

Did he really have to spin her around in a hug or something?

But the real problem was—if they did cross paths, Li Guanqi would definitely be there too!

So he’d have to hug Ji Qingyi right in front of her?

"Ding-dong~"

Suddenly, another message arrived.

Li Guanqi: "We’re about to head out now!"

Then, Li Guanqi sent a live location share.

"Gulp—"

Su Cheng swallowed hard. Within minutes, Li Guanqi sent another message—another location share.

What did this mean?

She hadn’t said a word.

But the implication was crystal clear—

Li Guanqi didn’t want him to run into Ji Qingyi!

Su Cheng quickly typed back: "Got it, I’ll be careful."

After sending it, he turned off his phone, put on a mask, and grabbed his breakfast voucher to head to the hotel restaurant.

As for Gu Ruoxue next door?

He briefly considered knocking to invite her for breakfast but decided against it.

For all he knew, her room might be empty—she could’ve left already!

He stepped out and waited at the elevator.

When the doors opened, four or five young men stood inside.

One of them glanced at Su Cheng but showed no reaction, continuing his conversation with his friends: "Dude, you guys missed out by skipping breakfast earlier. I saw this girl—like, I don’t even know how to describe her. She was insanely beautiful, way prettier than any celebrity!"

"No way, prettier than a star?"

"Come on, are you that desperate? Acting like you’ve never seen a girl before!"

The other two teased him.

"I was eating a fried dough stick, and when she walked past the window, I was so stunned I didn’t even notice it fell into my lap."

"Pfft—"

His friends burst out laughing.

"Why not say you got a nosebleed while you’re at it?"

"Yeah! Did the ‘explosion’ hurt you?"

"Seriously, how is that even possible?!"

"Hey, don’t believe me if you want, but she was legit fairy-level gorgeous!" the guy insisted earnestly. "You’re going to breakfast now—maybe you’ll see her. Just don’t embarrass yourselves when you do."

The elevator reached the floor, and Su Cheng stepped out.

But a thought crossed his mind: "Could it be Gu Ruoxue?"

Soon, he arrived at the restaurant.

It was a buffet-style breakfast, with an array of dishes laid out.

He grabbed a bowl of congee with pickles, a fried egg, a dough stick, and a carton of milk.

Looking for a quiet corner, he noticed an inner room in the restaurant and headed toward it.

The room was elegantly decorated, with classical paintings on the walls and a finely crafted table draped in plush carpeting. A faint, soothing fragrance lingered in the air.

Clearly, this was reserved for VIPs.

Su Cheng slowed his steps, about to turn back—

Then his pupils contracted.

Because there, sitting perfectly upright with an air of serene elegance, was Gu Ruoxue, quietly eating her breakfast.

A beam of sunlight slanted across her, casting an almost divine glow over her, as if she were a goddess descended from heaven.

Her beauty felt surreal, as though approaching her might tarnish her purity.

It seemed as if nothing in the world could ever capture her attention—except herself.

Recognizing his club president, Su Cheng didn’t hesitate and walked straight toward her.

Clatter!

Just then, one of the young men from the elevator—also carrying a tray—froze the moment he spotted Gu Ruoxue inside.

His tray slipped from his hands, crashing to the floor, scattering bread and pastries everywhere.

Yet, he seemed oblivious, gaping at Gu Ruoxue in stunned silence, his mouth hanging open.

His friend, hearing the noise, turned and immediately tugged at his sleeve, whispering urgently, "Stop embarrassing yourself! Clean this up and let’s go!"

But the second he glanced at Gu Ruoxue, he too froze, staring dumbstruck, as if enchanted.

Another friend, noticing a staff member approaching from the restroom, grew frantic seeing his pals rooted in place and rushed over to hurry them along.

Yet he couldn't help but glance over, and in that instant, his vision blurred. His eyes locked onto Gu Ruoxue, unblinking, utterly transfixed.

"This area is not open to the public. Please dine outside."

Despite the staff member's request, the three men remained frozen in place, completely ignoring the instruction.

The staff member's irritation flared. He stepped forward and warned, "Gentlemen, please leave now! Otherwise, I’ll have security escort you out!"

Blocked from their view, the trio finally snapped out of their daze. They scrambled to pick up their belongings and hastily retreated, looking thoroughly disheveled.

Only after they were gone did the staff member frown and glance inside the restaurant. He noticed Su Cheng entering but said nothing, simply standing by the entrance.

Meanwhile, Su Cheng carried his tray over and took a seat across from Gu Ruoxue. "Good morning, Minister."

"Hm." Gu Ruoxue lifted her gaze briefly before returning to her meal, scooping another spoonful of congee as if the earlier commotion had never happened.

Su Cheng watched her silently, sighing inwardly. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but she also carried an aura that drew attention wherever she went—radiant, untouchable, adored by all.

It was…

So enviable!

With that thought, he began eating his own breakfast.

About ten minutes later, Gu Ruoxue dabbed her lips with a napkin.

"Could you wear a mask?"

Su Cheng spoke up, his tone laced with concern.

After a brief pause, Gu Ruoxue retrieved a mask from her bag and replied calmly, "I was going to, even without you saying so."

"Then why didn’t you wear one when you arrived?" Su Cheng pressed.

"Because…" She hesitated slightly before answering softly, "I forgot."

"Fair enough. Habits are easy to overlook."

Su Cheng shrugged in understanding.

"Meet me at the room entrance at nine. Don’t be late."

Gu Ruoxue reminded him before standing to leave.

"Got it." Su Cheng nodded.

As her tall figure disappeared around the corner, he couldn’t help muttering under his breath, "Didn’t expect her to be so rebellious."

With time to spare before nine, he decided to visit the neighboring souvenir shop—partly to browse, partly to support her business.

In the elevator, a phrase suddenly crossed his mind: Stand right in front of me—do I still look like the person you once knew?

His skin was smoother now, his physique several times stronger than before. With a mask on, she probably wouldn’t even recognize him.

Heart pounding with anticipation, he stepped into the souvenir shop.

"Welcome! How may I assist you today?"

A clerk greeted him with a cheerful bow.

"Just browsing, thanks!"

Su Cheng smiled warmly while scanning the shop for any sign of the girl from yesterday.

Soon, a sign caught his eye: [Xiaoxue’s Handmade Accessories].

Behind the counter-slash-workstation sat a beautiful girl with a single ponytail, her head bent low as she meticulously crafted a small ornament.

Dressed in a white work apron, her delicate fingers moved with practiced ease, her bright eyes wholly absorbed in her task.

Her features were exquisite, but her skin was unnaturally pale—sickly, almost—giving her an air of fragility that made one instinctively want to protect her.

Just as he observed her, she finished weaving a bracelet and took a sip of water. Seizing the moment, Su Cheng approached politely.

"Excuse me—"

"Hello! What can I get for you?"

Before he could finish, she hastily capped her bottle and stood up, offering a sweet smile. Yet against her pallid complexion, the expression seemed oddly jarring.

"Ahem…"

Realizing she didn’t recognize him, Su Cheng felt a flicker of awkwardness, though his expression remained neutral. He lowered his voice slightly.

"Just looking around, thanks."

He began wandering through the displays, skimming the shelves. Most items were small accessories, but the highlight was undoubtedly the collection of lightweight figurines—miniature versions of himself in various poses, all from past competitions.

"Wait—"

A realization struck him. He whipped his head toward the girl at the counter, only to find her already staring back.

Their eyes met.

In that split second, he knew—she recognized him.

Every figurine held a bow. She had watched his matches. She had sculpted them based on his tournament appearances.

Which meant… she was familiar enough with his transformation to recreate his likeness so vividly.

His scalp prickled. A dull ringing filled his ears.

Just as panic set in—

"Xue-jie! Why didn’t you wake us up this morning?"

A familiar voice—paired with a signature pair of golden twin tails—rang out from the shop entrance.

Ah. Cornelia.

Trailing behind her was the older mixed-race girl she’d once pranked.

Su Cheng immediately turned away, pretending to examine a figurine with intense focus.

This time, he didn’t dare look back. He could only pray the golden-haired menace wouldn’t spot him.

Luckily, Cornelia’s attention was elsewhere. The moment she entered, her gaze zeroed in on a Su Cheng figurine at the counter.

She dashed over, pressing close to the display with sparkling eyes.

"Wah! I want it! I’ll buy it! All of them!"

Her childlike excitement drew amused glances from nearby customers and staff.

"You two must be tired from traveling. I didn’t want to disturb you."

The girl behind the counter explained gently.

After learning Cornelia was Su Cheng’s schoolmate yesterday, she had warmly invited both girls to stay overnight at the welfare center. Though, admittedly, Cornelia had proven… a handful.

"Xue-jie! How could you not tell us you sell such amazing stuff!?"

But Cornelia was already lost in the world of Su Cheng figurines. She whirled around, scanning the shop for more.

Then—

Her eyes landed on a motionless figure with a very familiar silhouette.

She blinked.

"Huh?"

"Eh!?"

Cornelia’s double take made the other two girls follow her gaze.

One’s doubtful expression shifted into certainty. The other frowned.

Cornelia’s hands trembled as she clutched the figurine. Her face lit up with exhilaration as she slowly pointed at Su Cheng’s back and gasped:

"Oh my god… Is that a life-sized figure!?"