The Action Plan of a Ruthless Protagonist (Part 1)

Afternoon

What was supposed to be a leisurely lunch break while strolling around was completely ruined by Su Cheng’s bizarre antics.

After the three of them left the parade float, Gu Ruoxue coldly announced that she was heading to the shopping arcade to buy souvenirs and walked off without even looking back.

Which raised the question—wasn’t she going to eat lunch?

No, she already had.

She was full—full of anger thanks to Su Cheng!

Well, more accurately, she was so mad at him that she lost her appetite.

And so, lunch was left to just him and Li Guanqi.

Su Cheng and Li Guanqi exchanged a glance. Scratching his head awkwardly, he offered sheepishly, "Let’s grab something to eat first. After that, we can go find her?"

"Mm."

Li Guanqi’s expression remained as calm and unreadable as ever, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. She nodded and walked side by side with Su Cheng.

But deep down, she knew Gu Ruoxue’s sudden departure wasn’t out of anger—it was to give her and Su Cheng some time alone.

Throughout the morning at the amusement park, Su Cheng had been focusing entirely on Gu Ruoxue—whether it was picking souvenirs or watching the parade.

Naturally, Gu Ruoxue had noticed this, which was why she deliberately feigned anger, giving the two of them a chance to spend time together.

Perhaps Su Cheng understood this too, which was why he didn’t try to coax or persuade her as he usually would.

Instead, he quietly accompanied Li Guanqi to a dessert shop.

"Today, you’re eating to your heart’s content!"

Standing in the shop, Su Cheng planted his hands on his hips and made this grand declaration to Li Guanqi.

"While I’m flattered by the offer..."

Li Guanqi looked up at him, her tone a mix of hesitation, slight excitement, and a touch of distress. "The problem is, I get full after just one."

But Su Cheng seemed prepared for this. Turning to her with a grin, he said, "Today, you’re the dessert connoisseur."

With that, he strode into the shop. Though puzzled, Li Guanqi followed.

The dessert shop was cozy and inviting, exuding a sweet, cheerful atmosphere from every corner.

Su Cheng booked a private booth.

He had Li Guanqi sit inside while she idly pulled out her phone to check messages. Just then, Su Cheng suddenly returned and plopped down beside her, announcing, "All set."

"What did you order?"

Before she could finish her question, a staff member walked in carrying six plates of different flavored puddings.

Once the server left, Li Guanqi frowned at him. "This place is expensive. Why did you buy so much?" She added firmly, "Just so we’re clear, I can’t possibly finish all this. If it goes to waste, don’t blame me!"

"Don’t worry."

Su Cheng picked up one of the puddings, scooped a spoonful, and held it to her lips. "Try it."

Obediently, she parted her cherry-like lips and took the bite. Instantly, a wave of sugary bliss flooded her senses.

"How’s the pudding here?"

"Not bad."

Li Guanqi nodded, but before she could say more, Su Cheng fed her another spoonful. "One more bite."

This time, however, she shook her head. "You have some too."

"Two more bites, then I will."

"Fine."

After her third bite, Su Cheng set the spoon down. Just as she expected him to finally eat, he instead tilted his head back and swallowed the entire pudding in one go, cheeks puffing out like a chipmunk. Rubbing his stomach with a blissful expression, he sighed, "So good!"

Li Guanqi: ".........."

Now she finally understood what "dessert connoisseur" meant—she took three bites, and Su Cheng devoured the rest in one gulp.

What kind of imperial treatment was this?!

"You’re going to make yourself sick."

Li Guanqi pursed her lips disapprovingly.

She wasn’t fond of this method—not only would it leave Su Cheng stuffed, but it was also a waste of money and food.

"I won’t."

Su Cheng shook his head, then leaned in to whisper, "When I can’t eat anymore, we’ll pack the leftovers. Once we’re outside, I’ll secretly store them in my system space."

No sooner had he finished speaking than another server arrived with several tubs of ice cream. The two resumed their routine—three bites for her, one gulp for him.

Then came an assortment of cakes and cookies.

And so, they spent a delightful afternoon indulging in sweets, chatting, and enjoying each other’s company.

Eventually, Su Cheng reached his limit.

He set the remaining desserts aside to pack up later.

An hour later, they left the shop.

Li Guanqi had never felt so satisfied—to the point where she was actually sick of sweets for the day.

Though this kind of indulgence wasn’t financially burdensome for her, she had been raised to avoid extravagance and waste—a principle instilled in every well-bred individual.

"My stomach hurts..."

Suddenly, Li Guanqi clutched her abdomen with a grimace. "I only had three bites of each thing, so why am I so full?"

"I brought digestive tablets. Have one."

"Okay."

"Though my stomach’s the same."

Su Cheng rubbed his own belly and looked at her. "Feel mine—it’s easily twice as bloated as yours."

At this, Li Guanqi reached out and pressed her hand against his stomach through his clothes, patting it a few times.

"Now let me feel yours."

Seizing the opportunity, Su Cheng made a move—but Li Guanqi swiftly dodged, denying him the chance.

With a resigned sigh, he withdrew his hand. "Let’s go walk it off and find Gu Ruoxue."

He knew exactly why Li Guanqi was so guarded—their relationship was in a delicate state. Unless he made a clear choice, she wouldn’t allow any intimacy.

That was her bottom line.

The shopping arcade was located on "Sweet Avenue," offering the widest selection of souvenirs and gifts in the entire theme park.

And Gu Ruoxue was somewhere inside, browsing through them.

Though their meal had taken an hour, it was nothing for Gu Ruoxue—this arcade was packed with items she adored, and she was probably still agonizing over choices.

As they approached the entrance, their eyes were met with vibrant mosaic murals of beloved characters—from Xiangxiang to the Calabash Brothers, Black Cat Detective, and even Shuke and Beita. The selection was endless.

Inside, the arcade was a dazzling array of toys, plushies, artworks, jewelry, and more.

"Are you planning to buy gifts for anyone?"

Li Guanqi’s seemingly offhand question snapped Su Cheng out of his search for Gu Ruoxue.

Though he had already prepared a cake as a gift for Ji Qingyi’s visit tonight, why not pick something extra from the shopping arcade?

But as he thought about it, his expression dimmed.

What could he even give her?

A hair tie?

No way!

The amusement park was full of cute-themed items, and she probably wouldn't wear any of them.

He knew Ji Qingyi liked those cheap little trinkets, which made him glance around the entire shopping arcade.

But everything he saw was exquisitely beautiful—there wasn’t a single simple, plain gift that would suit her taste.

Su Cheng lowered his gaze, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, Li Guanqi stood quietly beside him, waiting.

Finally, she spoke up: "Let’s split up and look around separately. We can also try to find Senior Gu Ruoxue along the way."

"Okay."

Su Cheng immediately looked up and nodded at her.

Li Guanqi left, and he began wandering aimlessly.

After a while, he stopped in front of a display case, picking up a brooch and rubbing it between his fingers for a moment.

It was a set of three brooches.

Pink in color, each featured the word "Xiangxiang" with different expressions.

He felt tempted to buy them, imagining the three of them wearing these cute brooches in the afternoon—preferably with him helping to pin them on.

But the problem was, Gu Ruoxue would absolutely refuse. She was still upset right now.

Let alone allowing him to personally pin it on her—just hearing him suggest it might make her turn and walk away on the spot. At this point, if you strapped a plow to her, she’d probably till an entire field out of sheer frustration.

After hesitating for a moment, he decided to buy them anyway.

The set cost 99 yuan.

Normally, he wouldn’t even glance at something like this, but today he didn’t want money to be a concern. If they were going to have fun, they might as well enjoy it properly.

After picking up the brooches, he continued browsing other shelves.

But when he reached the second aisle, his eyes landed on a set of pet clothes in the daily essentials section.

It occurred to him—this would be perfect for Orange Cat.

He bought it, planning to give it to Gu Ruoxue later.

Even though there wasn’t a size big enough for Orange Cat’s robust frame, hadn’t Gu Ruoxue mentioned she’d help the cat lose weight?

Once slimmed down, the outfit would fit just fine.

"Ah..."

Su Cheng sighed. After wandering around for so long without finding a gift for Ji Qingyi, he couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed. He slumped onto a nearby sofa chair and pulled out his phone.

To his surprise, the group chat had exploded with dozens of unread messages!

He quickly tapped to open it.

After carefully reading through everything, he suddenly closed his phone, shut his eyes, and let out a faint smile.

Because he finally knew what to get Ji Qingyi!

He swiftly made his way to the electronics section.

There, his eyes landed on a disposable camera from a well-known brand.

Only 88 yuan.

As a gift, it carried a strong sense of ceremony. Plus, its design was simple and unpretentious. The camera could take 39 photos before becoming useless.

That meant every shot—whether perfect or flawed—would hold special meaning.

The reason he chose this was entirely inspired by the group chat messages he’d just read.

After all, if Ji Qingyi truly didn’t care about the photos in the chat, her personality would’ve made her ignore them completely.

But what actually happened?

She’d gotten into a heated debate with the other two girls in the group!

It was clear she cared—deeply.

So, a camera was the perfect gift.