After a brief moment of awkwardness, the two girls redirected their attention to Su Cheng.
Gu Ruoxue's delicate brows furrowed slightly. She had clearly sensed the discomfort and unease in Su Cheng's words earlier. Yet, her nature made her both critical and puzzled by such a peculiar ability, even as she understood his predicament.
However...
"I must admit, today's events were unexpected. But whether intentional or not, the fact remains that you used this ability on Vice President Ling!" Gu Ruoxue's voice was stern, her gaze fixed on him without wavering.
Su Cheng's heart skipped a beat. Though he had braced himself for reprimand, he couldn't help muttering under his breath, "I didn’t offer it—she insisted! It really wasn’t my fault..."
Seeing this, Gu Ruoxue took a deep breath, steadying her emotions before carefully choosing her words. "Su Cheng, I can understand why you used this ability under these circumstances. But the ability itself violates ethical and moral principles."
She paused, studying him with a slightly severe expression.
Su Cheng lifted his head, meeting her gaze with pursed lips, remaining silent.
"Have you considered the potential harm your actions could cause her? The consequences might even be irreversible," Gu Ruoxue pressed, her tone growing sharper, her voice rising. "From what I know, Vice President Ling has never been in a relationship before!"
As her words landed—
Su Cheng froze, his face paling before flushing with guilt.
An overwhelming sense of having defiled an innocent girl washed over him. A wave of remorse tightened his chest, leaving him restless and flustered.
The implication was clear: she had never been involved with anyone, meaning his actions could become a strange turning point for her. There was a chance she might develop deep, inexplicable feelings for him because of this first-time experience.
What if she fell in love with him?
Would he have to take responsibility for that too?
With his family matters already unresolved, adding another complication would only make things messier.
Su Cheng cursed inwardly, guilt gnawing at him. He glanced at Li Guanqi beside him, only to find her already watching him, her eyes glinting with an unreadable light.
When their eyes met, Li Guanqi calmly averted her gaze, picking up a glass of water from the table and taking a sip before speaking. "Senior Gu, everyone makes mistakes. He’s realized his, and I believe he won’t repeat it. Right now, the priority is addressing the issue at hand."
Gu Ruoxue’s expression softened slightly at Li Guanqi’s words, though she still shot Su Cheng a displeased look before shifting the topic back to its roots. "Fine. Let’s discuss how someone’s excessive confidence and attention-seeking behavior led to this..."
Before she could finish, Su Cheng hastily cut in, admitting fault. "In short, this is entirely my mistake. I’m sorry for causing you both trouble!"
Though his apologies were frequent, they were always delivered with such sincerity that it left others at a loss.
In essence—
He’d already apologized, so what more could they demand?
Gu Ruoxue sighed, shaking her head. "Your apologies may be cheap, but I don’t dislike that about you."
"I think the most pressing matter right now is Vice President Ling," Li Guanqi interjected abruptly, drawing their attention.
After being ignored earlier, she now spoke louder.
"Her situation doesn’t look good. This might be far more complicated than we imagined, and we need to discuss it carefully."
Her voice was calm, but her gaze at Su Cheng carried a trace of reproach.
"Her thoughts, emotions, and consciousness have all been affected. What kind of reaction do you think she’ll have toward you in the future?" Gu Ruoxue asked, enunciating each word. "Given her personality, she’ll likely feel confused first, then embarrassed and shy. Eventually, she’ll choose one of two paths: either distance herself from you... or approach you."
Li Guanqi picked up where she left off. "But it’s worth emphasizing—if she chooses to approach you, it could escalate into harassment or inappropriate behavior."
Their tones were eerily composed, as if discussing something mundane, yet the implications sent chills down Su Cheng’s spine.
His face drained of color, fingers clutching the hem of his shirt. He swallowed hard before asking cautiously, "So... she won’t turn into a yandere, will she?"
At this, both girls gave him odd looks.
"Yandere? That’s an... apt description. But in psychological terms, what you’re referring to is 'Obsessive Love'—a form of compulsive attachment," Gu Ruoxue explained.
She paused before adding, "Based on her behavioral patterns, if she can’t process her emotions, she’ll seek you out. This could lead to emotional dependency or infatuation. Whether it evolves into compulsive behavior depends on her psychological development, your response, and the choices you both make."
"Wait, so it’s actually possible?!"
Su Cheng was now caught between shock and dread, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
He’d only thrown out the term casually—who knew something straight out of anime could happen in real life?
Sure, with his red potion and reflexes, he wasn’t afraid of a yandere. Even if she came at him with a knife, he wouldn’t flinch.
But the real danger was if she targeted his friends or family. That was the worst-case scenario.
"There’s no need to panic so much," Li Guanqi suddenly said, snapping him out of his spiral.
He looked up to find both girls watching him with amused expressions.
"Are you messing with me?" Su Cheng couldn’t help but grumble. "Come on, this isn’t a joke—people could get hurt!"
Gu Ruoxue shot him a sidelong glance. "We’re just presenting a possibility, not a certainty. Don’t forget, she’s a professionally trained chess player. She has the resilience to handle pressure."
"But what if she chooses to approach me?"
Li Guanqi answered lazily, "If it comes to that, it’ll probably be because you did something else to confuse her."
Su Cheng choked on his words, giving them both an exasperated look.
Now he understood—it turned out they had just been messing with him? Just to make him realize the trouble and danger of his eye ability?
Su Cheng slumped in his seat, completely drained.
His gaze swept over the two girls, only to find them both sitting as still as meditating monks, not a trace of concern on their faces. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
But then, something suddenly occurred to him.
He looked at Li Guanqi, sitting upright.
He realized—Li Guanqi was currently in the Practice Department!
Li Guanqi had never come here before!
Besides, Li Guanqi hadn’t joined any clubs!
What if she joined the Practice Department?
The idea flashed through his mind, and Su Cheng immediately stood up, addressing the two with utmost seriousness. "I think there’s something more important right now."
They looked at him in confusion. He cleared his throat and said, "About Li Guanqi joining the Practice Department."
Li Guanqi raised an eyebrow at this, while Gu Ruoxue clearly hadn’t expected this topic. But since she had no such intention, she refused outright. "Li Guanqi isn’t suited for our Practice Department."
"How do you know without trying?" Su Cheng hurriedly argued. "And you know she’s a very intelligent girl. Plus, we’ll have follow-up discussions. She’d definitely bring unexpected help."
"First of all, this club is the Social Practice Department, not the 'Solve Su Cheng’s Problems Department.' And during recruitment, we made it clear we’d only ever accept one member, now or in the future," Gu Ruoxue patiently reasoned. "If we make an exception now, others will follow suit. What explanation will we give then?"
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to agree, but if Li Guanqi joined, more people would inevitably try to join later, disrupting the club’s normal operations.
Li Guanqi remained silent, quietly listening to their debate.
"Second, she can come to the club anytime for discussions. There’s no need for her to officially join."
Gu Ruoxue continued, then fixed her gaze on Su Cheng. "Don’t you think?"
Su Cheng opened his mouth to argue but ultimately shut it.
He realized he really had no way to persuade Gu Ruoxue—and what she said did make sense.
If Li Guanqi joined, how would the inseparable duo of Xuan Ying react?
"Um… excuse me…"
Just then, Li Guanqi timidly raised her right hand, looking small, pitiful, and helpless, as if struggling to speak up.
Su Cheng’s eyes lit up. "What is it?"
"Why are you two discussing this," she pointed at herself, "while ignoring the person in question?"
"Uh—"
The question left Su Cheng speechless, momentarily stunned.
"Actually, if you’d just asked me, I would’ve told you—I have no intention of joining any clubs." Li Guanqi pressed her lips together, shaking her head slightly at the two of them. "I don’t think you need to waste any more time or energy on this."
"Fine."
Seeing that neither of them was interested, Su Cheng sighed and gave up on the idea.
"I’m going to the restroom."
Feeling awkward, Su Cheng stood up and left. In the bathroom, he splashed water on his face and stared at his reflection in the mirror, deep in thought.
Then he took out his phone and sent Li Guanqi a message:
[OrangeHater: "Sorry for acting on my own earlier."]
[Li Guanqi: "It’s fine."]
Her reply came moments later. Seeing it, he let out a relieved sigh and checked the time—less than three minutes had passed since he left.
After washing his hands again, he prepared to return to the Practice Department, but after just a few steps, he suddenly stopped.
He was passing by another clubroom, and the faint sound of conversation inside caught his attention.
"Does this make me look like the heroine from XX?"
"Wow, such an adorable catgirl!"
Hearing this, he paused and looked up at the club’s sign—it was the Drama Club.
But the content of their discussion made him frown.
Heroine… and cat ears?
It reminded him of how Li Guanqi had once wanted to be his heroine.
And cat ears… for some reason, his mind immediately jumped to Gu Ruoxue.
If you combined the idea of a heroine with cat ears…
With that thought, he strode straight to the clubroom, knocked politely, and after receiving permission, pushed the door open. Inside, three girls turned to look at him simultaneously.
They recognized Su Cheng—he was quite famous at school. Even among the many talented, good-looking guys, he stood out.
"Oh~ What brings you here, Su Cheng?"
The speaker was a short-haired beauty with a cat-ear headband. Paired with her cute, doll-like face, she really did resemble a catgirl.
"Yeah, Su Cheng, need something?"
A long-haired girl also smiled as she asked. Though not quite as pretty as the short-haired one, she had her own charm—especially in a certain prominent area that would make any guy’s eyes widen.
The third girl was plain-looking, dressed not in the school uniform but in some kind of theatrical costume.
"Um… seniors, could I borrow that cat-ear accessory?"
Su Cheng forced himself to ask.
"Huh?" The short-haired girl blinked, then burst out laughing. "This?"
She reached up and touched the cat ears on her head, tilting her head playfully. "If you want to borrow them, you’ll have to wear them for us first."
"That’s right. Everything comes at a price. Put them on, and they’re yours!" The bangs girl chimed in with a mischievous grin.
The girl in the costume nodded too. All three stared at Su Cheng with eager, excited eyes—especially the cat-eared girl, whose fluffy ears even twitched.
The cat ears looked incredibly realistic. Su Cheng had to admit, he was a little charmed. So he nodded, though he added a condition: "Fine, but no photos."
All three answered in unison: "Deal, no photos!"
"Quick, quick, put them on him!"
"Let’s see how he looks!"
"Come here, Su Cheng!"
The short-haired girl eagerly took off the cat ears and patted the seat beside her.
Su Cheng nodded, sat down, and lowered his head. She was skilled—in no time, the cat ears were securely on his head. When he looked up again…
All three girls’ eyes sparkled as they stared at him.
Su Cheng felt a little unnerved under their intense gazes.
Now wearing the cat ears, he radiated an overwhelming cuteness, his charm instantly skyrocketing.
Just as the short-haired girl was about to reach out and touch him, Su Cheng quickly stood up. "Alright, I’m leaving now."
With that, under the regretful gazes of the three girls, he took off the cat ears and hurriedly turned to leave.
As soon as he stepped out of the club, he found a secluded spot to hide and immediately pulled out his phone to contact Li Guanqi.
"Not a Fan of Oranges": "I'm at the bottom of the stairs on the first floor. Come here—I have something to discuss."
Before long, Li Guanqi descended from the second floor.
"Is something important going on?"
Seeing Su Cheng's unusually serious expression, Li Guanqi couldn't help but ask.
"Well…" Su Cheng carefully chose his words, hiding the cat ears behind his back as he organized his thoughts before finally saying, "Close your eyes first."
"Huh?"
She let out an adorable, puzzled sound, tilting her head curiously and even rising on her tiptoes, eager to catch a glimpse of what Su Cheng was hiding behind his back.
Su Cheng quickly took a few steps back, urging, "Close your eyes. Hurry up and close them!"
"Fine." Li Guanqi blinked, then reluctantly complied.
"Don’t open them until I say so."
Once she closed her eyes, Su Cheng slowly approached her, gently placing the cat ears on her head while murmuring, "This hairband suits you perfectly. I’m putting it on for you."
"Hairband?"
With her eyes closed, Li Guanqi could feel something cool resting atop her head, light as a hairband, which struck her as odd.
She couldn’t fathom where he’d gotten a hairband from.
Still, she obediently kept her eyes shut.
"Yeah…" Su Cheng hesitated for a moment. "A new kind of hairband. I think it fits your vibe—something every female lead should have."
"Really?"
She tilted her head slightly. "In that case, thank you."
"You’re welcome."
Su Cheng composed himself, and once the hairband was securely in place, he quickly retreated several steps to admire the effect from a distance.
But the next second—
What he saw left him utterly stunned.
Limited Edition Catgirl—Li Guanqi.
"I’m deceased!!"
Gazing at Li Guanqi’s new "skin," his breathing grew rapid, as if he’d just witnessed the cutest thing in the world.
His eyes were completely glued to her, and just then, the fluffy cat ears twitched a few times—a sight so overwhelmingly adorable that Su Cheng’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Barely containing his excitement, he forced his voice to remain steady. "Alright, you can open your eyes now."
Li Guanqi slowly opened her eyes to find Su Cheng staring at her with an intense, burning gaze.
Instinctively, she raised a hand to touch her head, but Su Cheng intercepted it. "Don’t touch it yet!"
"W-what’s wrong?"
She withdrew her hand in confusion and looked at Su Cheng again, but before she could speak—
Su Cheng quickly explained, "Don’t touch it. I spent a lot of effort getting it just right."
"Alright."
Li Guanqi nodded obediently.
But under Su Cheng’s fervent, almost feverish stare, she couldn’t help but feel self-conscious. In a moment of adorable clumsiness, she instinctively tilted her head upward, as if trying to see what was on top of it.
This cute gesture nearly sent Su Cheng over the edge—so much so that he felt like he might actually get a nosebleed. He desperately wanted to pull Catgirl Guanqi into his arms and give her a good squeeze.
Yet, somehow, he managed to restrain himself. Suppressing his restless urges, he calmly instructed, "Uh… don’t look either. You can’t take it off until you get home."
"So, is this a gift from you?"
Catgirl Guanqi blinked her bright eyes, her usual composed expression now paired with cat ears, giving off the vibe of an unflappable old cat—which left Su Cheng momentarily dazed.
In short—absolutely, devastatingly cute!
He shook his head vigorously, scolding himself internally for being such a simp, then solemnly added, "Yes. You’ve given me so many hair ties, so this is my way of returning the favor. But remember—no peeking or removing it until you’re home."
"Got it, you nag."
Catgirl Guanqi pouted slightly, clearly annoyed by his repetition. Once would’ve been enough, but he’d said it twice.
This only made her curiosity burn even stronger.
But since she’d already promised Su Cheng, she had no choice but to suppress it and wait until she got home to examine the mysterious hairband.
"Let’s head back to the club. There’s something else I need to discuss with everyone."
Su Cheng cleared his throat, masking his earlier flustered state, and took the lead as they walked back.
When the two returned to the clubroom, Gu Ruoxue glanced up—but the moment she did, her gaze locked onto Li Guanqi and refused to budge.
Her eyes were practically glued to Li Guanqi, utterly transfixed.
Gu Ruoxue’s Kryptonite—Catgirl Guanqi!
Naturally, her reaction didn’t escape Li Guanqi’s notice. She paused mid-step and turned to Gu Ruoxue. "Senior, is something wrong?"
Though she suspected it was the hairband’s doing, she had no idea what exactly was on her head. So, she played dumb, hoping to glean some clues from Gu Ruoxue’s response.
But as soon as she spoke, the pair of fluffy cat ears on her head twitched again, as if alive—instantly elevating her cuteness to celestial levels.
The sight left Gu Ruoxue staring at Li Guanqi like a moth to a flame, completely oblivious to anything else, including the fact that Li Guanqi was calling her name.
Catgirl Guanqi quickly pieced things together and took a few steps forward—only for Gu Ruoxue’s gaze to follow her like a tracking missile.
At that moment, Su Cheng heroically stepped between them, blocking Gu Ruoxue’s line of sight.
Yet, to his surprise, Gu Ruoxue didn’t snap out of it. Instead, she craned her neck, bobbing left and right like a curious owl, trying to peek past Su Cheng’s shoulder at Catgirl Guanqi.
"President, control yourself!"
Su Cheng feigned ignorance, frowning disapprovingly. "There are outsiders present."
"Huh? Outsiders? Who?"
Only then did Gu Ruoxue snap back to reality. She coughed lightly and resumed her usual aloof demeanor. "Understood."
Standing to the side, Li Guanqi observed the exchange between Gu Ruoxue and Su Cheng, her eyes glinting with realization. She seemed to have a rough idea of what was on her head now—though she wasn’t entirely sure.
Once Su Cheng confirmed Gu Ruoxue had looked away, he shifted aside—instantly exposing Catgirl Guanqi to the open air again. Predictably, Gu Ruoxue’s gaze snapped right back to her.
This time, she stared with laser focus.
And just then—
"Ding-dong~"
The bell signaling the end of club activities rang.
But shockingly, Gu Ruoxue didn’t seem to hear it. She remained fixated on Catgirl Guanqi, utterly entranced.
"President."
Su Cheng, already aware that neither of them was in the mood for club matters, suggested, "Should we create a group chat? It’ll make communication easier."
"Oh. Whatever."
Gu Ruoxue’s eyes never left Catgirl Guanqi, as if she were wrestling with an internal dilemma—debating whether or not to reach out and touch those ears.
Li Guanqi stood rooted to the spot like a Gu Ruoxue trap crafted by Su Cheng, motionless, her face expressionless, only her pitch-black eyes fixed unblinkingly on Gu Ruoxue.
"Alright, I’ll head back first then."
Seeing this, Su Cheng immediately turned and left, taking the cat-eared chess piece with him.
Once the two were gone, Gu Ruoxue finally snapped out of her daze. She lowered her head, arms crossed over her chest, still lost in thought about what had just happened. Muttering to herself, she pondered, "Would it be even cuter if I made a meowing sound?"
……………
Meanwhile.
After parting ways with Li Guanqi, Su Cheng realized that even with cat ears, Li Guanqi remained practically invisible to ordinary people. Unless someone was deliberately paying attention or already knew her, her presence went entirely unnoticed.
"Sigh."
He let out a sigh and pushed his bicycle, ready to head home. But just as he reached the corner—
A luxury car slowly drove past. Curious, he glanced over, and his pupils instantly constricted. Inside the car, he spotted a familiar figure!
Vice President Ling of the Go Club.
She sat prim and upright in the back seat, her profile turned toward the window. But the next second, as if sensing Su Cheng’s gaze, she suddenly turned her head, locking eyes with him. Her face stiffened for a split second before she swiftly snapped open a folding fan, hiding her entire face behind it. The car then sped away, leaving only the fleeting glow of its taillights.
Su Cheng stood frozen in place for a long while. After Vice President Ling concealed her face with the fan, his gaze instinctively wandered to the rest of her figure—only to realize that the black tights she had worn during their earlier match were now mysteriously missing.
So, the question remained.
Where were the tights?
Su Cheng’s throat went dry as he swallowed hard. He quickly pedaled home, his heart racing the entire way. A startling possibility dawned on him—she might have been going commando!
Once home, after dinner, Su Cheng’s first order of business was to apologize to Li Guanqi.
After all, forcing her to wear a cat-ear headband was undeniably embarrassing, so he wanted to make amends.
Not fond of oranges: "Hey, are you mad?"
…………
At the same time.
In a certain courtyard.
Inside the bathroom, a girl with a single ponytail sat soaking in the bathtub. Steam swirled around her, blurring her silhouette, though hints of her curves faintly peeked through the mist.
"Ding dong."
Her phone chimed.
She reached out, brushing aside her damp bangs, and glanced at the screen. Seeing it was a message from Su Cheng, she ignored it, letting the steam continue to rise, clouding the air.
Clearly, she was still upset about the cat-ear incident!
"Ding dong~"
Another message arrived.
She turned her head and saw Su Cheng had sent another text:
This afternoon, when I was on my way to the restroom, I happened to pass by the drama club. I overheard students discussing the female lead and cat ears, and I couldn’t help but think of you.
I went inside and borrowed the cat ears, thinking they’d suit you perfectly.
And sure enough, the moment you put them on, my heart started racing. My breathing grew uneven, like my entire chest was overflowing with emotion.
You’re the destined heroine—the kind who makes everyone’s heart skip a beat!
Li Guanqi was taken aback by his words, yet for some reason, an inexplicable warmth bloomed in her chest.
She had initially assumed Su Cheng made her wear the cat ears just to further his own agenda—like creating that group chat. But now, it seemed there was more to it.
Li Guanqi picked up a towel, drying her hands before grabbing her phone to reply.
………………
[Li Guanqi: "I’m in the bath, so typing isn’t convenient."]
Seeing her response, Su Cheng let out a relieved sigh. At least she was still willing to talk to him.
But as a considerate boyfriend, he couldn’t just leave it at text. An apology needed sincerity—words alone wouldn’t cut it.
So, he decided to take it up a notch and sent a video call request!
After all, a proper apology had to be face-to-face.
"Du— du—"
But after just two rings, Li Guanqi declined.
Undeterred, he settled for the next best thing—a voice call.
Thankfully, she accepted.
"Hmm?"
The phone transmitted Li Guanqi’s muffled voice, accompanied by the sound of dripping water. The acoustics of the enclosed space made it hazy yet undeniably alluring, enough to leave anyone parched.
"Um…"
Su Cheng gulped, gathering his thoughts before speaking softly, "I’m sorry for putting the cat ears on you without asking first."
His voice was gentle and earnest, dripping with sincerity—as it always was when he apologized.
"I know. It’s fine, really."
Li Guanqi’s tone remained as calm as still water, betraying no anger over the incident or his ulterior motives.
While she did find it a bit embarrassing, the cat ears were, after all, a gift. She didn’t mind keeping them.
"Thank you."
Su Cheng exhaled in relief before adding, "By the way… you looked absolutely adorable in them!"
"Let’s just forget about this by tomorrow."
Clearly still flustered, Li Guanqi swiftly changed the subject. "Go to bed early tonight."
"But it was so adorable that even Director Gu couldn’t take her eyes off you this afternoon!"
Su Cheng exaggerated shamelessly. "She was staring at you, completely mesmerized! Like she’d been utterly captivated!"
Misinterpreting her request to "forget by tomorrow" as permission to keep talking about it now, he plowed ahead.
But the moment Li Guanqi heard this, she recalled the way Gu Ruoxue had looked at her earlier—those sparkling eyes, the slight pout, as if waiting for Li Guanqi to strike up a conversation.
The memory sent her into a fluster. She quickly set the phone aside, covering her face with both hands and squealing, "Stop talking about it! Just drop it already!"
"But you said to forget by tomorrow, right?"
"Eeeek—!"
Li Guanqi thrashed in the water like a petulant child, sending droplets flying. "No more! No more! Forget about it right now!"