Approaching eight o'clock.
By now, quite some time had passed since Su Cheng's outrageous declaration of "wanting it all."
The two girls had brushed off his words as a joke, not pressing the matter further—but that didn't mean the unresolved tension between the trio had dissipated.
He knew exactly what his reckless outburst represented.
Twisted, selfish, arrogant—shallow and repulsive. He had imposed his own ugly self-indulgence onto the two girls, even attempting to justify his absurd behavior by making them tolerate each other.
And so, he still had to make a choice.
But making a choice meant someone would get hurt.
No matter how desperately he racked his brain, he couldn’t find the "right" answer. He didn’t know what the best decision was.
Yet—
The one thing he did know was that all of this was his own doing.
……………………………………
The amusement park’s fireworks display was about to begin. With their passes, the three secured a prime viewing spot.
"I heard this year’s fireworks show is bigger than ever!"
"Yeah, it’s also meant to mark the end of summer."
"Summer’s already ending? Feels like more people came this time."
"Not just us—even some celebrities are here."
Listening to the chatter around them, Su Cheng scanned the packed square. The crowd stretched endlessly, a living testament to the phrase "the sheer scale of popularity is immeasurable."
Most people nearby were dressed lavishly, exuding an air of wealth. Some even had bodyguards standing stiffly behind them—expressionless, rigid, almost robotic, their presence alone enough to unsettle anyone.
"My youth’s about to end too~"
Su Cheng couldn’t help but mutter under his breath.
Beside him, Gu Ruoxue tilted her head upward, gazing at the sky above the white castle as if waiting for the fireworks to bloom there.
Meanwhile, Li Guanqi fiddled with her camera, seemingly intent on capturing the spectacle.
The atmosphere between the three was unnervingly tense—nothing like the ease they’d shared earlier in the day.
"It’s time."
After much deliberation, Su Cheng decided to bring out the cakes he’d prepared for the girls.
None of them had eaten dinner, after all. What better way to pass the time before the fireworks than with dessert?
"Are you two hungry?"
Su Cheng suddenly broke the silence, prompting both girls to turn toward him. They said nothing, simply waiting for him to continue.
Seeing this, he nodded.
"I brought these." He slung his backpack around, pretending to rummage through it while actually retrieving two exquisitely packaged cakes from his system space.
Their reactions differed. Gu Ruoxue wasn’t the least bit surprised—she had been the one to teach Su Cheng how to make this cake.
But Li Guanqi’s eyes widened in shock and confusion. "This is… cake?"
"These are cakes I made with Minister Gu."
Su Cheng handed one to each of them, then adjusted his backpack again.
"I didn’t make it with you. At most, I just gave you some guidance." Gu Ruoxue accepted hers, her tone icy and detached.
Ever since Su Cheng’s infamous declaration, she had reverted to her original demeanor—aloof and untouchable, like snowflakes drifting in the sky.
Distant. Cold.
Any goodwill she’d held for him had reset to zero the moment he spoke those words. The damage was irreversible.
After tonight, their relationship would likely regress to nothing more than a basic superior-subordinate dynamic. She might even leave their group chat. The "Orange Cat" might no longer be hers.
Su Cheng noticed the change, of course. He could only bow his head in guilt and anguish. He understood why Gu Ruoxue was acting this way—knew she was probably just as upset, disappointed, and furious with him. That was why she was drawing this line so coldly.
Yet even knowing this, he had no solution.
Well, there was one way.
To choose again.
And this time, choose Ruoxue without hesitation.
"You made this yourself?"
"Sort of."
"Can I open it?"
"Go ahead."
Li Guanqi cradled the cake in her hands, staring at it with barely contained excitement. The moment he gave permission, she lifted the lid—only to freeze when she saw the tiny fondant figure inside, shaped like her, with her name written beside it.
Unlike Gu Ruoxue, Li Guanqi hadn’t outright cut ties with him. She’d just teased him a little. But that didn’t mean she approved of his indecision.
Unless he made a choice, she wouldn’t let their relationship progress beyond friendship.
"Go on, eat."
Su Cheng’s gaze shifted from Li Guanqi to Gu Ruoxue, watching her expectantly.
Gu Ruoxue bit her lip lightly, her eyes conflicted as she unwrapped the cake. After a brief hesitation, she took a small bite, savoring it slowly, as if it were a rare delicacy.
Beside her, Li Guanqi also took a bite, closing her eyes to fully appreciate the taste.
The sweetness of the dessert, combined with the love she felt—two joys overlapping should have created a dreamlike flavor. Yet in her mouth, it carried an inexplicable bitterness.
The two girls ate in silence, focusing entirely on the cakes.
They knew Su Cheng needed space to sort through his thoughts alone.
......
"Haah..."
Su Cheng stared blankly at the castle ahead, exhaustion and confusion clouding his eyes. For some reason, his mind drifted to the Gu Ruoxue of the past—pure, untainted, like a beam of light piercing through his darkest moments.
Then, Li Guanqi’s image surfaced with equal clarity. He realized she had long become irreplaceable in his life—always there, quietly supporting him, standing by him, helping him. And him? He only ever turned to her when he messed up, seeking her comfort and aid.
The two images flickered relentlessly in his mind, each stroke of memory deepening his torment. His feelings for them were a tangled thread, coiled tightly around his heart—agonizing, inescapable.
The weight was suffocating.
Especially here, in this square, surrounded by countless people eagerly awaiting the fireworks. The oppressive atmosphere was unbearable.
The world seemed dyed in shades of darkness.
Click, click—
Suddenly, the square’s lamps and decorative lights all switched off, plunging everything into blackness.
Then, the soft strains of classical music began to play, elegant and soothing.
Hearing it, Su Cheng instinctively looked up—toward the castle in the night sky.
And in that instant—
The entire castle, rendered by projections, became hazy and mysterious, followed by a sudden display of lasers, fountains, balloons, and fireworks unfolding before him.
Grand fireworks rained down into the night sky like droplets, bursting and blooming into dazzling lights of every color. One after another, breathtaking fireworks blossomed overhead, illuminating the square in a dreamlike splendor, immersing everyone in their radiant glow.
Yet, unexpectedly, amid the flickering lights and shadows, Gu Ruoxue and Li Guanqi weren’t admiring the spectacle. Instead, their gazes were fixed on Su Cheng.
He stood there, staring blankly at the fireworks in the sky, his face pale, his entire being exuding sorrow—as if trapped in some deep anguish.
But the next moment, he closed his eyes, as though focusing intently on something within, and his demeanor grew eerily calm.
This version of Su Cheng seemed to have made a decision, as if he had resolved himself to something.
Time passed slowly, and as the fireworks finally ended, leaving behind silence and desolation, Su Cheng lowered his head—like a storm brewing just beneath the surface.
The two girls watched him nervously.
What choice would he make next?
What would he decide?
Finally—
He slowly raised his head and opened his eyes.
At the same time, the oppressive, deathly stillness around them dissipated instantly. All the lights brightened, replaced by an atmosphere brimming with clarity, brightness, vitality, and hope.
Su Cheng stood there, his expression composed, his gaze clear—as if nothing had happened at all.
Beside him, the two young women showed no change in expression, yet their hearts raced. Their hands clenched unconsciously from tension, their eyes locked onto him, as if afraid he might make a decision that would shatter them.
And now, Su Cheng had made his choice. Even though it might alter the course of his life, he had chosen this path—because only this way would no one be hurt because of him.
Using a system item to erase all social ties.
Only this way.
No one would suffer because of him.
"Ahem."
Just as he was about to speak, a dry cough shattered the tense atmosphere, making them turn toward the source of the sound.
A woman in a butler's uniform approached, adopting a perfectly respectful posture. "Young Master Su Cheng, it's time to return with me. The young mistress has been waiting for you."
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
e, Immortal Body, Transmigration, System, Progression Fantasy, Academy Setting, Third-Person Perspective. Alternate Title: Transmigrating into a High Martial World and Reading Live Comments. Bad news: I transmigrated. This is a terrifying high-martial world, and my original, pathetically weak body fell into a coma and never woke up. Good news: I got a Popularity Points system upon arrival. I can see live comments and even create an unkillable alternate identity. Starting out, the alternate identity has all stats at 1. The system tells me that to grow stronger, I must participate in the plot, gain popularity points to allocate stats and grow stronger, and ultimately awaken my original body. And so, carrying my original body on my back, I officially entered Huaqing Academy, where the story's protagonist resides. From that moment on, Chen Guan kicked the original plot to pieces. Live Comments: [Doesn't anyone find this mysterious coffin guy creepy? He can summon indescribable grey misty hands.] [Is this guy a hero or a villain? What kind of onion became a spirit?] [By the way, does anyone know who's in the coffin? Shouldn't the debt for saving his life be repaid by now?] [According to unofficial histories, the person in the coffin was Chen Guan's first love. Their love was once passionate and earth-shattering, but they were separated by life and death due to worldly circumstances. What a star-crossed pair.] ... Years later, the world knew of a demon god born from a coffin, shrouded in grey mist, impossible to gaze upon directly. His foremost divine emissary often wielded a scythe, reaping lives like the god of death. As war approached, facing former friends and a boundless sea of enemies, Chen Guan merely raised his scythe. "Would you like to dance as well?"
