Evening
Su Cheng lay on his bed, staring at the sliver of light seeping through the door crack when suddenly, he sat up.
He had forgotten to turn off the lights.
"Forgot to turn off the lights again."
Frowning, Su Cheng muttered to himself as he walked to the door to switch them off. But just as he did, a familiar tapping sound reached his ears.
Thud, thud, thud…
Wasn’t that Yaya’s signature rhythm of knocking on the glass?
Only then did he remember—there was still a crow in the house!
Su Cheng paused for a moment before stepping outside, where he found Yaya hovering outside the balcony window, pecking at the glass.
Clearly, Su Cheng had forgotten to open the window for her.
Though he had indeed forgotten, admitting it was out of the question. In fact, he even felt the need to lecture her about it.
Such was the dignity of a guardian!
Hands on his hips, Su Cheng feigned displeasure. "You finally decided to come back? Whose child stays out flying around this late?"
As he spoke, he opened the window to let Yaya in. Once she landed, he kept a stern expression, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "If you come back this late again, don’t bother coming back at all!"
Perched on the balcony, Yaya looked aggrieved, tilting her head and rubbing it with her wing as if pondering what she had done wrong—her demeanor pitiful, like a child barely weighing three pounds.
Meanwhile, Su Cheng filled a bowl with milk and snacks for her before turning to head back to his room. "Keep the TV volume down tonight," he called over his shoulder.
"Caw~"
Yaya, mid-sip of milk, lifted her head and responded.
…………
Back in his bedroom, Su Cheng pulled out his phone, troubled by the idea of creating a group chat. Forming the group was easy—but deciding whom to invite was the real challenge.
The list of people who knew about and understood the "system" was as follows:
- Classmate and lover: Li Guanqi
- Club president and lover: Gu Ruoxue
- Society president and fiancée: Ji Qingyi
- Package-deal senior: Liu Qingyue
Liu Qingyue was definitely off the list. With her knack for stirring trouble, her presence could easily pit the four women against each other.
As everyone knew, a triangular relationship was the most stable.
That left only Gu Ruoxue, Li Guanqi, and Ji Qingyi as potential invitees. The first two already knew about his plan to create the group, but Ji Qingyi remained unaware.
Thinking it over, Su Cheng decided to notify Ji Qingyi first to avoid complications later. Besides, he had something to discuss with her—today’s incident involving Senior Sister Si.
He opened the chat interface and found Ji Qingyi’s contact.
As aloof as ever.
If he didn’t message her, she would never initiate the conversation.
Even though Ji Qingyi had helped him resolve the issue with Si Jing earlier, she hadn’t brought it up afterward. Their last exchange was still from the previous night.
After carefully choosing his words, he sent her a message.
OrangeHater: "President, have you eaten?"
Simple and straightforward.
Though "President, have you eaten?" might seem like a casual greeting, it was a cornerstone of his relationship with Ji Qingyi.
Ji Qingyi often treated him to meals.
And he frequently made desserts for her in return.
So, this wasn’t just small talk—it was a manifestation of their long-standing friendship, deeply rooted in their interactions.
…………
Meanwhile.
Ji Family Villa.
The Garden.
Ji Qingyi sat on a stone bench in the pavilion, where a poised young woman in a formal black attendant’s uniform stood nearby, exuding an air of loyalty and selflessness.
She was preparing tea for Ji Qingyi.
Her slender, jade-like fingers moved gracefully as she poured boiling water into the teapot, the entire process silent and seamless.
Once finished, she bowed and retreated from the pavilion, standing respectfully outside, ready to attend to Ji Qingyi’s needs—a servant who prioritized her mistress above all else.
Ji Qingyi’s gaze remained fixed on the vibrant flowers in the garden, unmoving and silent.
Even at night, the garden was brightly lit, as radiant as daylight, devoid of any gloom.
After a long while, Ji Qingyi raised a hand and lightly tapped the stone table.
The attendant outside immediately approached, bending slightly to ask in a hushed tone, "What are your orders, Young Mistress?"
Ji Qingyi finally spoke, her voice icy and devoid of emotion.
"Phone."
"As you wish, Young Mistress."
The attendant bowed before quietly departing. She approached the villa’s entrance, where a maid in a long dress stood guard. After exchanging a few words, the maid turned and entered the house.
As an attendant, she wasn’t permitted to enter the master’s private quarters, so retrieving the phone required coordination with the personal maid.
Moments later, the attendant returned to the pavilion, presenting the phone with both hands.
"Young Mistress."
Her head lowered, she spoke in a whisper, handling the device as if it were a priceless artifact—something she dared not touch carelessly or even glance at for too long.
In reality, the phone was an outdated model most people would scoff at if given as a gift.
"Mm."
Ji Qingyi gave a slight nod and reached out with delicate fingers to take it. But the moment her skin made contact, the screen lit up.
A message from Su Cheng.
The attendant withdrew to her post.
This surprised Ji Qingyi slightly. Normally, Su Cheng only messaged her between nine and ten at night—and always just to say goodnight.
Yet this time, he had broken the pattern.
Still, she quickly composed herself and checked the message.
OrangeHater: "President, have you eaten?"
Her slender fingers traced the screen for a moment before she replied with a single word.
Ji Qingyi: "Yes."
OrangeHater: "About today… Thank you, President. I really didn’t know what to do."
Ji Qingyi: "You were the one who surprised me today. Winning that game of chess was unexpected."
OrangeHater: "Uh… That was pure luck. You know I don’t actually know how to play. So, it was basically cheating."
Ji Qingyi: "Hmph."
OrangeHater: "Also, how did you handle things with Senior Sister Si?"
Ji Qingyi: "Come to the club tomorrow at noon."
OrangeHater: "Uh… Got it."
OrangeHater: "Oh, President, I was thinking of creating a group chat. I’d like to invite you. Would that be alright?"
"A group?"
Reading this, Ji Qingyi’s expression shifted almost imperceptibly, a flicker of intrigue passing through her eyes.
Yet her face remained as composed as ever.
She had often overheard classmates discussing group chats—class groups, friend groups—but had never paid them much attention.
Now, however, she found herself mildly interested.
From what she understood, a group chat was a collective communication method.
Which meant Su Cheng intended to invite others besides her.
But how it functioned exactly, she had yet to see for herself.
Now, upon suddenly seeing this message, she paused in thought before suddenly speaking up and asking the attendant behind her, "What exactly is the function of a group chat?"
"Replying to the young mistress, a group chat is a collective communication method that allows multiple people to participate in a conversation simultaneously, interacting through text, voice, or video..."
The attendant, like an all-knowing encyclopedia, swiftly explained the features of group chats: "To summarize, a group chat is a convenient and efficient way to communicate, suitable for various occasions and purposes. It plays a crucial role by facilitating message sharing, collaboration, and social interaction. However, its effectiveness is influenced by multiple factors and requires active participation and proper management from group members to achieve optimal results."
Ji Qingyi frowned slightly before dismissing the attendant. She picked up her phone again and replied to the message.
Ji Qingyi: "How many people do you plan to invite?"
Su Cheng: "Three, all acquaintances of the club president."
Looking at the message, Ji Qingyi narrowed her eyes, her gaze carrying a scrutinizing tone. After a moment, she continued typing.
Ji Qingyi: "Go ahead."
DoesNotLikeOranges: "Alright, I’ll create it now."
Yet, in less than a minute, an unfamiliar group chat window suddenly popped up on her screen.
The group name was: 【An Extraordinary Group Chat】
Su Cheng: "Good evening, everyone!"
Seeing Su Cheng’s message in the group chat, Ji Qingyi pressed her lips together before relaxing them again, as if nothing had happened.
She tapped the three-line icon in the upper right corner, and the group settings interface soon appeared before her.
Group Name: An Extraordinary Group Chat
Group ID: 897516082
The member list was also displayed.
Aside from herself and Su Cheng, there was one person with a book as their profile picture.
And another person…
Upon seeing this person’s profile picture, her expression stiffened, and her finger hovered over the screen for a long time without tapping.
Because the other person’s profile picture was… a pig!
Slowly and with great difficulty, she moved her index finger and tapped on the avatar. The person’s detailed profile soon appeared before her.
Their username was just a string of numbers.
And the profile picture…
Upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn’t actually a pig.
But a fat cat that looked like a pig.
She had already confirmed the identities of these two people.
Then, she returned to the chat interface.
Su Cheng’s "Good evening, everyone" remained the only message, with no one responding. Not that she planned to reply either.
…………………………
"This is a bit awkward."
Su Cheng stared at the silent group chat. The excitement he had felt upon creating the group had now been doused with cold water, leaving him completely sobered.
"Maybe everyone’s just busy," he consoled himself.
However, after several more minutes passed, his expression gradually froze before finally turning into a bitter sigh.
The group was empty, with only him trying to liven things up. He even began to wonder if the others were actually in the group at all.
……………………
Meanwhile, in a certain courtyard.
Inside an independent and exquisitely decorated bedroom.
Li Guanqi, fresh out of the shower and dressed in pajamas, sat at a wooden desk, holding her phone as she scrolled through the group member profiles.
"What a chubby cat," she couldn’t help but comment upon seeing the avatar.
"This is Senior Gu."
"And this is President Ji."
Li Guanqi carefully added notes to the two girls’ profiles. Then, after glancing at Su Cheng’s message in the group, she turned off her screen without any intention of replying.
She was still upset.
She stood up and walked to the window, bringing a pot of pure white peonies into her bedroom. She then turned on a small lamp nearby, providing the nocturnal flowers with some light.
Since these peonies had been enhanced by Su Cheng with a special red solution, they emitted a faint fragrance and a soft glow even in the dark, their vitality exceptionally vigorous.
She examined the peonies closely—their lush foliage seemed even more beautiful than when they had been gifted to her. Satisfied, she nodded before heading to bed.
Her bed was rather plain, with only the basic necessities—pillows, sheets, a blanket, and a single Doraemon plushie.
After lying down, she took out her phone again.
The group chat remained unchanged.
Unable to help herself, she turned her gaze toward the dressing table.
On it lay a pair of cat ears.
A gift from Su Cheng earlier that day.
She stared at the cat ears, lost in thought.
………………
Meanwhile, not far from Li Guanqi’s residence.
Inside another bedroom.
Gu Ruoxue was holding an orange cat in her arms, gently placing it on a weighing scale.
Standing up, she picked up a notebook and began meticulously recording the cat’s weight changes, writing with great care.
The orange cat lay on the scale, eyes closed in a feigned nap, even sticking out its tongue in exhaustion—clearly worn out. Nearby lay an assortment of cat toys and climbing structures.
Gu Ruoxue paused in her writing, lifting her head to stare at the cat’s fluffy little head for a long moment.
She realized that the path to weight loss was long and arduous. Seeing no immediate results, she decided to explore other approaches and opened a book titled Feline Home Medical Care, reading intently.
But just then—
Her phone, a gift from Su Cheng, lit up.
From: An Extraordinary Group Chat
DoesNotLikeOranges: "Good evening, everyone."
Her pupils constricted as she suddenly realized something. Quickly opening her chat interface, she saw her own profile picture—the fat cat avatar—and smacked her forehead in frustration.
But she didn’t bother changing it to cover up. After a brief glance at the member list, she turned off her screen and set the phone aside, returning to her book.
………………………………
Half an hour passed.
The group chat remained silent, with no one responding to Su Cheng.
Su Cheng stared at the chat interface, utterly bewildered.
What had been the point of creating this group?
To talk to himself in it?
He fell into deep contemplation.
Then, tentatively, he sent another message: "Is everyone asleep?"
Still, no response.
He got up from his bed, opened his computer, and browsed through a dozen or so adorable cat pictures. He compiled them into a folder titled: "Adorable Cats Showcase!"
Without hesitation, he sent it to the group.
Sure enough, in less than half a minute—
『Gu Ruoxue has successfully received the file.』
"So they are lurking, just not responding."
This revelation enlightened Su Cheng. However, the other two girls still hadn’t reacted. He decided to test Li Guanqi and Ji Qingyi one more time.
He stood up from his bed, walked over to the couch where Yaya was watching Animal Planet, and scooped her up.
Then, without delay, he marched toward the bathroom, scolding along the way: "You went outside—why didn’t you take a bath when you got back? What kind of child doesn’t care about cleanliness?"
With that, he dumped the bewildered Yaya into the bathtub, turned on the water, and squeezed shampoo and body wash all over her. Finally, he started recording a video, declaring: "You’re a big girl now. Learn to bathe yourself."
Yaya stood in the bathtub with a bewildered expression, tilting her head in adorable confusion, completely clueless about what was happening.
"Hurry up, I'll dry you off after your bath."
Hearing Su Cheng's urging, Yaya obediently lowered her head, using her wings to rub shampoo and body wash onto herself before pecking and preening her feathers.
Meanwhile, Su Cheng held up his phone, recording the adorable sight of Yaya bathing herself.
Soon after, the sound of running water filled the room. Su Cheng wrapped Yaya in a towel, carried her back to the living room sofa, and said, "Wait a few minutes."
With that, he returned to his desk, edited the video into a file titled "Yaya's Bath Time," and promptly sent it to the group chat.
After finishing, he went back to the living room to blow-dry Yaya's feathers before retreating to his bedroom.
But when he returned, the outcome was unexpected.
All three girls had accepted the video!
『Li Guanqi has successfully received the file.』
『Gu Ruoxue has successfully received the file.』
『Ji Qingyi has successfully received the file.』
Originally, he had only intended it for Li Guanqi, but who would have thought the other two would also receive it?
Clearly, all three had been lurking in the chat!
He sent another message: "Alright then, I'm going to sleep. Goodnight, everyone."
Though none of the girls replied, their lurking proved they cared deeply about the group.
And so, he simply collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep.
…………………………
Thursday
As usual, he woke up early.
Riding his beloved bicycle, he leisurely made his way to school.
"I never expected you to have such profound skill in Go."
The moment Su Cheng parked his bike at the school lot, a tall, black-haired beauty appeared beside him, speaking with genuine admiration.
It was Hoshino Mirai.
"Senior, you're exaggerating. Yesterday, the vice president wasn't feeling well, so the match was called off. Otherwise, I definitely would've lost," Su Cheng replied humbly, as if he had already accepted defeat.
Hoshino Mirai scoffed lightly. "Stop being so modest. Haven’t you checked the school forum? Your performance yesterday caused quite a stir. There were even professionals analyzing your skill level."
Su Cheng blinked in surprise.
His skill?
What skill?
He didn’t even know the rules of Go!
He decided to check the forum later when he had time.
"Is that so? Thanks for the heads-up, Senior. I’ll take a look at the forum later," he said with a smile. "Well, I should head to class now."
"Mm."
Hoshino Mirai watched his retreating figure before responding indifferently.
As Su Cheng entered the school building, he noticed students glancing his way—only for their gazes to quickly shift toward a distant figure.
Following their line of sight, he spotted a tall, slender figure walking gracefully ahead, her hands clasped elegantly in front of her, holding a closed folding fan.
Her delicate profile, high nose bridge, and rosy lips stood out, her long, silky black hair swaying gently in the breeze.
Poised and dignified, she exuded an intellectual charm—like a refined Yamato Nadeshiko.
Her demeanor was elegant, gentle yet composed, natural without being rigid.
Wasn’t that Vice President Ling, his opponent from yesterday?
Thankfully, he was walking behind her today. Otherwise, running into her would’ve been awkward—like "hiding behind a pipa to cover half her face."
Just… really awkward.
As he reached the entrance of Class 1-2, before he could even glance toward the quiet Li Guanqi in the corner, he was intercepted by Wang Guancong and his friends, who had just returned from the restroom.
"I really didn’t expect this," Wang Guancong said, staring at Su Cheng with an expression of disbelief, as if he didn’t know how to react.
"Yesterday, I was just there as a spectator. There’s nothing to be surprised about—the match didn’t even finish," Su Cheng shrugged.
"Stop downplaying it," Gao Ye interjected firmly. "Someone analyzed that your Go skills are at a professional level. And what’s more—" He paused for emphasis. "The Go club members even replied, confirming your strength and saying the original post severely underestimated you."
"Huh?"
Su Cheng was stunned.
Who could’ve guessed?
He didn’t even know how to play Go, yet here he was, being hyped up as some kind of prodigy.
"Come on, tell us—how good are you really?"
"Yeah, no need to be so humble with us, right?"
"We’re friends here!"
"Just spill it."
Wang Guancong, Gao Ye, and Chai Hao bombarded him with questions, their faces filled with anticipation, as if they’d punch him if he kept being modest.
"Ahem…" Su Cheng pretended to clear his throat before speaking deliberately. "Well, I’m not one to brag, but since you’re all asking, I’ll share a little something."
The four of them began discussing right outside the classroom, drawing the attention of passing students from other classes, who stopped to listen.
At that moment, a black-haired girl walked past the crowd without pausing.
But Su Cheng noticed her immediately.
It was Li Guanqi.
Ah, time for some "Logical Orange" reasoning!
Li Guanqi was amazing at Go.
He was Li Guanqi’s boyfriend.
Therefore, they were practically one and the same.
Thus, her skill was his skill.
After this flawless deduction, Su Cheng began speaking, deliberately exaggerating. "Let me tell you guys—I’m not actually that skilled. But I do have one thing."
"What? What thing?"
"A special move?"
"A strategy?"
"Or a set pattern?"
The three pressed eagerly.
Su Cheng smiled mysteriously and walked into the classroom, with the others following closely, refusing to let it go.
Once seated, he motioned for them to lean in.
"It’s only because of her that I’m this good."
He spoke in a hushed, dramatic tone, as if revealing a grand secret.
The trio grew even more excited.
Wang Guancong’s face flushed with anticipation, as if he was about to uncover Su Cheng’s greatest mystery.
Meanwhile, the rest of the class, seeing the four whispering—especially with Wang Guancong and the others looking so worked up—leaned in, trying to eavesdrop.
Even Li Guanqi, who had just sat down, glanced subtly in their direction. In fact, the entire class was doing the same.
Satisfied with their attentive postures, Su Cheng finally nodded, cupped his hand near his mouth, and whispered in a low, dramatic voice—
"I have a move that can slaughter even professionals."