Unreachable Love

【Host: Su Cheng】

【Intelligence: 8】

【Charm: 8】

【Stamina: 7】

【System: A great vessel will be tasked with heavy burdens; a swift steed will journey far.】

【Status: Archery Champion, Son-in-law of the Ji Family.】

【Club: Social Practice Club】

【Wealth: 199,560】

【System Skills: Hungry Ghost Path, Time Stop, Asura Path】

【Charm Talent Skill: Abyssal Charisma】

【Intelligence Talent Skill: Adaptive: Sensory Enhancement】

【System Items: Mystical Cigarettes (Hard) 8/stick, Mystical Cigarettes (Soft) 15/Ring-headed Knife, Red Potion, Mystical Glasses.】

A small county town.

Under a dilapidated, abandoned bridge, the river lay still and serene, with only a faint breeze rippling the water’s surface.

Then—

"Twang—"

A sharp, piercing note from a broken zither echoed across the sky.

On the bridge, a young girl fiercely plucked the strings of her guzheng, each note slicing through the air like a blade, sending waves of sound rippling outward, disturbing the calm water below.

But just as—

The song was about to reach its end—

Something strange and eerie happened.

The guzheng’s tail, originally marked with a single stroke, suddenly vanished. Then, countless cracks spread across its body, and in an instant, the entire instrument disintegrated into sawdust, dissipating into nothingness.

It was as if the guzheng had never existed—or perhaps had never belonged to this world at all.

The girl slowly opened her eyes, showing no surprise or regret at the guzheng’s disappearance.

Instead, she stood up and walked toward a withered phoenix tree by the riverbank. Standing beneath its dead branches, she gazed at the tranquil water, her expression calm—yet her eyes betrayed a hint of nervousness and unease.

Suddenly—

Ripples spread across the river’s surface.

Then, from the opposite bank, a shadowy figure emerged. He stood there, staring at the girl with a complicated gaze, filled with longing and nostalgia.

For Su Cheng, fragmented memories surged into his mind—complete scenes and events flashing like a film reel, replaying before his eyes.

These memories felt as fresh as yesterday. He could still recall how bitterly cold the river had been when he jumped in that winter.

And now…

It was already midsummer. That leap had been two and a half years ago.

Back then, they had agreed to erase the memories of the "transmigrator." But in the end, what was erased were his own memories of this world—so he had forgotten the girl standing before him.

He had once believed that his transmigration was triggered by the original host’s suicide.

But now, with his memories restored—

He finally understood the truth.

Why did Gu Ruoxue know him so well?

Why did Gu Ruoxue possess supernatural abilities?

Why did Gu Ruoxue even know about the system?

Because the girl standing on the opposite riverbank had been watching him in secret all this time. Even the two wishes tied to her guzheng had been used—for him.

They stood facing each other across the water.

After a long silence—

A choked voice finally broke the stillness.

"Xiao… Xiao Xue."

"Mm."

Gu Ruoxue’s body trembled slightly.

Su Cheng took slow, deliberate steps onto the bridge, walking toward her with reverence in every movement.

Finally, he stood before her. He reached out, trying to take her pale, delicate hand—

But the moment his fingers brushed her cold skin, Gu Ruoxue instinctively pulled back, putting distance between them.

Her voice was icy.

"Our agreement is over."

With that, she turned to leave.

But Su Cheng grabbed her wrist, gripping it tightly. His voice was hoarse as he spoke.

"I’m sorry."

"You don’t need to apologize to me—"

Before she could finish, Su Cheng interrupted again.

"Thank you. Truly… thank you."

His voice trembled with emotion, but he kept his grip firm, speaking slowly and earnestly.

"Because of you, my fate was changed. You showed me a future full of wonder, made me see the world—and myself—in a new light."

Then, his expression hardened with resolve, his tone unwavering.

"And because of me… your life was twisted. Today, I must take responsibility for that."

"So!"

His voice rose sharply.

Gu Ruoxue turned back, staring at him in stunned silence, waiting for his next words.

Su Cheng met her gaze, his expression solemn and unwavering.

"Please—let me take responsibility for distorting the course of your life!"

This was the second time.

Gu Ruoxue opened her mouth, wanting to speak—but no words came. Finally, she glared at him, her eyes sharp with anger.

"So, do you think this is fair to me?!"

"I…"

Su Cheng faltered, lowering his head, his cheeks flushing with shame.

Seeing his flustered expression, Gu Ruoxue scoffed.

"When you’ve grown enough to stand before others and say these things without hesitation—then we’ll talk."

With that, she turned away without another glance.

She left—but not without leaving him with the pain he deserved.

Su Cheng stood frozen, watching her retreating figure, unable to speak.

Because he understood what she meant.

Because…

His relationships with everyone had become far too complicated.

Su Cheng let out a bitter laugh. The moment his memories returned, his mind had been thrown into chaos—especially when he saw the words "Son-in-law of the Ji Family" in his status panel.

For a moment, he thought it was a hallucination.

But the system’s information confirmed it—this was likely the butterfly effect of that contract from before.

And Gu Ruoxue’s reaction made it clear: she expected him to resolve these matters properly.

But how?

How could he possibly handle this?

Every choice felt impossible.

Just thinking about it made his stomach twist in pain.

Unbearable!

It hurt—so much!

"Haah…"

Finally, he sighed deeply, exhaustion etched across his brow. He rubbed his temples, but the headache only worsened.

He pulled out a handkerchief from his system inventory, wiped his face, then smoothed back his hair. Taking out his phone, he dialed Li Guanqi’s number.

He needed to talk to her.

Meanwhile—

At an open-air opera performance.

The actors were performing a beggar’s lament, kneeling onstage to thank their "patrons" in the audience.

The crowd below was lively, tossing money, food, snacks, instant noodles, cured meats, live chickens and ducks, fruits, and even crates of drinks onto the stage.

Amid the chaotic yet joyous scene, the lavishly dressed performers showed no fear—only pure delight as they gathered the offerings.

Not far away, beneath a tree, stood a group of strikingly beautiful girls, quietly observing the performance.

The one at the front was especially striking—cold, aloof, and solitary, like a snow-capped goddess from legend.

It was Ji Qingyi—in disguise.

Beside her, another sweet-looking girl with an inexplicable air of a devoted wife was explaining to the group: "This is the finale of the opera, a begging scene, and also their only source of income. The audience can give whatever they want—it’s entirely voluntary."

"So, we’re their benefactors?"

A golden-haired, youthful girl beside her mused aloud.

It was Zhao Yan.

"Let me see what valuable things I have."

With that, Xuan Ying began rummaging through her bag.

"Hmm, they deserve a reward."

Ji Qingyi’s words, spoken with the tone of a superior addressing subordinates, instantly made Xuan Ying and Zhao Yan turn their heads in confusion.

Ji Qingyi seemed to realize something and quickly explained, "They performed well. Since this is their only income, I believe tipping them is the highest form of praise."

Xuan Ying paused, then immediately nodded. "Right, then let’s give them more."

"So, Sister Ji, what do you plan to give?"

Liu Qingyue took over the conversation, looking at Ji Qingyi.

After a moment of thought, Ji Qingyi dug through her bag for a while before pulling out a stack of loose change and handing it to Liu Qingyue. "This will do. Please deliver it for me."

At the same time, Xuan Ying opened her bag, gathered all her spare change, and handed it over as well. "Senior Liu, this is my tip."

"And mine."

Zhao Yan also pulled out a handful of coins and stuffed them into Liu Qingyue’s palm.

Liu Qingyue counted the money with a smile, then nodded approvingly. "As expected of young ladies—so generous."

"Oh, it’s nothing. Just some spare change."

The two girls humbly brushed it off, though their moods were clearly uplifted.

Then, from the corner, Li Guanqi suddenly spoke. Her expression was calm as she held out a stack of coins to Liu Qingyue. "Senior, mine too."

Liu Qingyue accepted the money and beamed at everyone before heading toward the stage with the cash in her arms.

But just then—

Li Guanqi felt her phone vibrate.

She glanced up at Ji Qingyi beside her and noticed that the latter had first studied her expression before shifting her gaze to the pocket containing the phone. A strange light flickered in those indifferent eyes.

Li Guanqi immediately understood—Ji Qingyi must have guessed that the message was from Su Cheng.

Yet she made no attempt to hide it. She pulled out her phone without hesitation and turned on the screen.

A message from Su Cheng appeared:

[Fireflies.]

Just those two words.

But they filled her with an inexplicable sense of foreboding—one that grew stronger by the second.

The meaning was clear: Meet where the fireflies were last time.

Li Guanqi’s grip on the phone tightened. She took a few deep breaths, forcing herself to stay composed.

She was certain that whatever had happened between Su Cheng and Senior Gu Ruoxue was over, and the truth about his memories must have come to light.

But how would Su Cheng treat her now?

She didn’t know.

It was easy to imagine her current state—uneasy, even bordering on panic. She had no idea what attitude Su Cheng would take, but the feeling was undeniably ominous.

"You look pale."

Ji Qingyi’s voice was cool as she observed her.

Li Guanqi quickly lowered her head, steadying herself before forcing a light tone. "Just a little tired, perhaps."

"I see."

Ji Qingyi gave a slight nod, then reached out with her fair, slender hand, resting it gently on Li Guanqi’s shoulder. Her voice softened. "Since the performance is over and it’s late, let’s all return to the villa to rest."

"Agreed!"

Xuan Ying and Zhao Yan answered in unison, just as Liu Qingyue returned.

Noticing Li Guanqi’s unusual demeanor, Liu Qingyue chimed in, "Yes, the night breeze is chilly. Guanqi seems to be feeling unwell—we should head back quickly."

And so, the five of them boarded the car and left for the villa.

Later, while everyone else rested, Li Guanqi slipped out of the villa.

"Miss Ji, should we follow her?"

Liu Qingyue and Ji Qingyi stood on the villa’s balcony, watching Li Guanqi’s retreating figure. Her steps were heavy, as if weighed down by something immense. Unable to ignore it, Liu Qingyue made the suggestion.

"No need."

Ji Qingyi’s gaze remained fixed on Li Guanqi’s back as she murmured, "We’ll have our answer when she returns."

Anyone could tell something was off about Li Guanqi right now—let alone them.

"If Su Cheng has regained his past memories, then there must be history between him and Gu Ruoxue. That means he’s now trapped in a dilemma where he can’t abandon either side. The only thing he can do is confess everything to Li Guanqi."

Liu Qingyue lowered her head in thought, analyzing aloud. "If my guess is correct, well..."

She trailed off, but the implication was clear.

Gu Ruoxue had gone to such lengths—surely, it was to her advantage.

If Su Cheng’s feelings for Gu Ruoxue were rekindled...

Then the only path left for Li Guanqi would be—

To say goodbye.