A Special Compound
In the Bedroom
Two beautiful girls sat in front of an LCD TV.
One of them had breathtakingly gorgeous features, with skin so delicate it seemed almost translucent, paired with a hime-cut hairstyle that made her look like an angel descended to earth—so beautiful it stole one’s breath away.
Dressed in white pajamas, her curves strained against the fabric in a way that was impossible to ignore.
It was worth mentioning that Su Cheng was secretly a fan of hers.
The other girl wore a black dress as she sat on the edge of the bed. Her face was expressionless, but her eyes shone like dazzling black gemstones. With refined features and an elegant demeanor, she exuded an air of grace.
At the moment, the two stunning girls held game controllers in their hands, their eyes fixed on the TV screen.
Displayed on the screen was a classic game—
Super Mario.
Clearly, the two were playing it.
"Do you have any plans for tomorrow?" Li Zhaohao asked casually as she played, her attention still on the game.
"I do," Li Guanqi replied without hesitation.
"Going out with him again?"
Li Zhaohao bit her lip lightly, her tone carrying a hint of sourness.
Lately, every weekend, Li Guanqi had stopped accompanying her for games, movies, or shopping trips—instead, she kept going out with Su Cheng. It left Li Zhaohao feeling bored and a little neglected.
"Yeah, we're going to the amusement park on Saturday."
Li Guanqi nodded.
"Ah… the amusement park?"
Li Zhaohao’s eyes sparkled with envy—clearly, the idea held a strong appeal for her.
"Well, never mind. I wouldn’t want to be a third wheel."
She quickly shook her head.
After all, this was obviously a date.
"There are three of us."
Suddenly, Li Guanqi’s words stunned Li Zhaohao, making her widen her beautiful eyes in surprise.
"For real?"
She blinked, as if unable to believe it.
"If it's real, it can't be fake. If it's fake, it can't be real."
Li Guanqi mimicked her tone in response, then raised a slender hand to rub her temples, looking weary.
"What kind of date is this?"
Li Zhaohao was silent for a moment before muttering in disbelief, then cautiously asked, "Is it Gu Ruoxue from next door?"
"Yeah."
Li Guanqi nodded and said no more, focusing on the game. But beside her, Li Zhaohao fell into silence, her eyes flickering with unreadable thoughts.
Still, she didn’t press further.
……………
Half an Hour Later
Li Guanqi returned to her own bedroom and began preparing for tomorrow’s trip to the amusement park, starting by gathering the things she would need.
Then, suddenly, she remembered something.
Her… unique situation.
If the three of them went together, as long as Su Cheng didn’t interact with her, to outsiders, it would look like—
Su Cheng and Gu Ruoxue were the ones on a date.
The thought made her frown slightly.
Even if this outing had taken an unexpected turn, it was still a date in essence. Yet, as the female lead, she would fade into the background while Gu Ruoxue took center stage.
Her lips pressed together, and she walked to her wardrobe.
Opening it, she crouched down and pulled out a high-tech case from a hidden corner, studying it carefully, hesitation flickering in her eyes.
This was a gift from Su Cheng.
Out of embarrassment, she had never worn it.
But now, she couldn’t afford to be shy anymore.
This item came in handy at just the right time.
As she pondered her outfit for the next day, suddenly, the phone on the nearby desk vibrated.
She walked over and picked it up to check.
It was a group message.
And not just any group—it was a message from the "high-stakes group chat."
Ji Qingyi: [@NotAFanOfOranges. I’ll send someone to pick you up at 9 p.m. tomorrow.]
Instantly, Li Guanqi’s delicate brows furrowed, her grip tightening on the phone.
The implications of this message were overwhelming.
9 p.m. tomorrow?
The amusement park closed at exactly 9 p.m.
This couldn’t be a coincidence. Clearly, Ji Qingyi knew about their plans to visit the amusement park.
She had deliberately chosen that time.
But that wasn’t even the most pressing issue. The real problem was—tomorrow night at 9, Ji Qingyi was sending someone to pick up Su Cheng!
Where could they be going at such a late hour?
And what were they planning to do?
The more Li Guanqi thought about it, the more agitated she became.
For some reason, an intense sense of crisis welled up inside her.
Her boyfriend being taken away in the middle of the night—how could that not feel like a crisis?
Yet, despite her unease, she didn’t act immediately. Instead, she chose to wait and observe.
Because she knew someone else would be even more anxious than her.
Right then, Su Cheng suddenly replied in the chat.
NotAFanOfOranges: "Understood, President."
………………
Meanwhile, two kilometers away from the Li family estate.
Inside a secluded, ancient-style mansion.
In the living room.
Gu Ruoxue held a book titled The Complete Guide to Understanding a Cat’s Mood in one hand while resting the other under her chin, deep in thought.
Beside her chair, an enormous cat sat pleadingly on the floor, its two front paws pressed together in a begging motion, bobbing up and down like it was bowing.
It was as if the chubby cat was saying, "Please feed me!"
Such an adorable display would usually have Gu Ruoxue pouncing on the cat immediately, scooping it up and showering it with treats.
But today, she pretended not to see or hear it.
Because earlier that afternoon, Su Cheng had doubted her.
He had openly questioned whether she could successfully help Orange Cat lose weight, and it had been gnawing at her ever since.
Now, she was desperate to prove him wrong.
"Meow~"
Orange Cat let out another pitiful cry, staring at Gu Ruoxue with wide, hopeful eyes, its paws moving even faster.
Gu Ruoxue’s resolve wavered at the heartbreaking sound, and she finally looked down at the cat by her feet.
When she saw its round, plump figure, she softened her tone and coaxed, "No, if you eat any more, you’ll really become too fat."
"Meow~"
The cat whined, its big, watery eyes brimming with expectation, hoping she’d change her mind.
But alas.
Gu Ruoxue remained firm.
"Meow~"
Suddenly, Orange Cat’s big, doll-like eyes welled up with tears of sorrow.
"Don’t cry, don’t cry!"
Seeing the cat actually shedding tears, Gu Ruoxue immediately comforted it, using both hands to rub its head, then stroking its throat, followed by its whiskers, and finally giving its paws a gentle squeeze.
This masterful display of cat-petting was truly a sight to behold.
But unfortunately, Orange Cat wasn’t having it. Without food in sight, it just stared at Gu Ruoxue with a pitiful, dejected expression.
"Good kitty, good kitty~"
Gu Ruoxue continued to soothe it gently.
"Meow meow meow~"
The orange cat meowed several times, its tears flowing even more fiercely—plop, plop—as if threatening to drown itself right before her eyes if it wasn’t fed.
Seeing this, Gu Ruoxue had no choice but to relent. With a sigh, she went back to her room and fetched a piece of catnip.
She had originally wanted to save this trick for later, as the more frequently catnip was used, the weaker its effect on cats became.
But now, there was no other option.
Just as expected, the moment the catnip appeared, it immediately excited the orange cat. The feline began rolling around on Gu Ruoxue’s lap, purring and rubbing against her, even attempting little jumps in its exhilaration.
Seizing the opportunity, she used the catnip as bait to get the cat moving. Just as the two were thoroughly enjoying their playtime, the screen of her phone on the table lit up.
She glanced at it and was surprised to see a message from the group chat she had created a few days ago. Initially assuming Su Cheng was putting on another solo show in the group, she was taken aback to find that it was actually Ji Qingyi who had sent the message.
She secured the catnip on the wall at a height where the cat would have to jump to reach it, letting the feline entertain itself.
Then, she sat on the table and opened her phone.
Ji Qingyi: [@NotAFanOfOranges. I’ll send someone to pick you up tomorrow at 9 p.m.]
Reading this, Gu Ruoxue narrowed her eyes slightly.
Soon, Su Cheng responded to Ji Qingyi.
Seeing this, she exhaled softly before typing out her own reply: [We’ve been busy all day. I suggest everyone go home and rest properly. Otherwise, things might get messy before we even accomplish anything.]
Ji Qingyi: [It’s fine. It’s just a minor matter.]
Gu Ruoxue: [Oh? Seems like President Ji is quite confident. I wonder if you’ll really be able to handle it if something unexpected happens?]
After waiting a while and receiving no response, she decided to ignore Ji Qingyi.
So, she directly typed another message: [@NotAFanOfOranges, do you have a detailed plan for tomorrow?]
…………
Meanwhile—
“Huh?”
Su Cheng, who had been watching the sudden argument in the group without understanding what was going on, was caught off guard when he saw Gu Ruoxue’s @mention.
He froze for a moment.
Then, steeling himself, he sent a message: [@Li Guanqi, @Gu Ruoxue. Let’s meet at my apartment entrance tomorrow at 6:30 a.m.]
Li Guanqi: [Is there anything we need to prepare?]
Li Guanqi, who had been lurking silently until now, finally surfaced.
Seeing this, Su Cheng quickly replied: [No need, I’ve already got everything ready.]
Gu Ruoxue: [Got it. I’ll be there on time.]
Li Guanqi: [Understood.]
Just as Su Cheng was about to wrap up the group chat and let everyone rest, Li Guanqi suddenly sent another message: [I remember many amusement park attractions require specific time slots. Do you have a detailed plan for which ones we’ll visit?]
And so, the three of them began discussing their upcoming amusement park trip in the group, chatting and planning out the itinerary for the next day.
Finally, the group chat started to feel lively.
Only Ji Qingyi remained silent.
Ji Family Villa.
Master Bedroom.
Seated at her desk, Ji Qingyi stared at the messages in the group that stood in stark contrast to her own, her expression unreadable yet inexplicably shadowed.
She knew very well that the conversation between the two girls wasn’t just casual chatter—it was a direct response to her earlier actions.
As expected, it didn't take long before she received a message from Li Guanqi tagging her.
Li Guanqi: [@Ji Qingyi. President Ji, would you like to join us?]
Su Cheng: [Yeah, President Ji, come along! Let’s treat this as a group gathering. You’ve been working hard guiding me all this time—it’s good to relax a little.]
Ji Qingyi stared at the messages in the group chat, her expression growing increasingly gloomy. Though the invitation seemed warm, the underlying intention was clear: if she went, they would have a perfect excuse to prevent the overnight stay from happening.
So, even if she wanted to go, she couldn’t!
With that in mind, she replied coolly: [Thank you both for the kind offer, but my schedule is quite packed tomorrow. I won’t have time.]
Following her response, the group chat quickly shifted to discussing which amusement park rides they should try and what food to eat…
Watching the lively conversation unfold, Ji Qingyi’s face turned even colder. Eventually, she simply closed the chat.
Knock knock knock—
Just then, a knock sounded at her door.
Ji Qingyi frowned slightly and asked irritably, “What is it?”
Her tone was sharper than usual—her mood was already in turmoil.
“Young Mistress, I’ve brought the item Head Steward Ji requested.”
Outside, a maid spoke cautiously.
Hearing this, Ji Qingyi recalled what the item was, and her expression softened slightly. “Come in.”
The door opened, and a maid entered, carefully carrying an exquisite gift box in both hands. She respectfully presented it to Ji Qingyi.
Ji Qingyi glanced at the box before accepting it. “You may leave.”
Once the maid had gone, she placed the box on the table and opened it.
Inside lay a square plastic package.
The packaging was pink, devoid of any text or branding.
It sat neatly in the center of the box.
However, the middle of the package bulged outward, forming a distinctly round shape.
“So this is… a Durex?”
She picked it up with her fair, delicate fingers, examining it closely with a puzzled expression. “No text or logo…”
As she pondered, her phone lit up again.
Another message from the group chat.
Ji Qingyi’s eyes flickered as an idea crossed her mind—she could take a photo of this item and send it to the group.
Considering its nature…
This was an essential item for an overnight stay.
Perhaps it would make them show some interesting expressions—and at the same time, demonstrate her determination on the matter.
Once the thought formed, she didn’t hesitate. She opened her phone’s camera, aimed it at the package, and snapped a picture.
Then…
Ji Qingyi: [@NotAFanOfOranges, I’ve prepared a gift I’d like to personally give you.]
Su Cheng: [A gift?! What is it?]
Just as Ji Qingyi was about to hit send on the photo, a video call suddenly popped up.
She paused, then hesitantly accepted.
The next second—
Liu Qingyue’s delicate face appeared on the screen.
“Young Mistress, did you receive the item?”