"Chen Qingyue, huh..."
Su Cheng gazed at the unusually large black bow in his hands, silently repeating the name in his mind.
Chen Qingyue—literally meaning "to sink Qingyue"—evoked the image of a maiden named Qingyue being drowned in the sea, forever submerged in the depths, denied reincarnation.
Judging by the name, the club president clearly harbored deep resentment toward the senior, otherwise she wouldn’t have chosen such a name.
"Good name," he couldn’t help but murmur in admiration as he raised the Chen Qingyue bow.
"It’s Chen Yue."
Ji Qingyi glanced at the bow in his hands and corrected him with a serious tone. "It’s derived from a legend of the Flame Country."
"Oh..."
Su Cheng nodded in realization, but after racking his brain, he couldn’t recall any similar stories. So he asked, "What’s the legend about?"
"You’ll know when it’s time for you to know. For now, focus on getting familiar with that bow."
Ji Qingyi sidestepped the question and instead pointed at the already demolished archery target, signaling him to shoot again. "This time, try not to close your eyes. Aim properly."
Su Cheng immediately complied, drawing the bowstring without hesitation. He didn’t care if he’d collapse afterward—because if he did, the president would take care of him.
Ji Qingyi’s personal care.
He was probably the first in the world to receive such treatment.
Logically speaking, if the senior served the president, and the president served him, then the moment he collapsed, he’d technically become the master of both Liu Qingyue and Ji Qingyi.
Seeing Su Cheng ready to shoot, Ji Qingyi stood unusually close this time—partly to prevent accidents, but mostly because she wanted to take a commemorative photo!
A snapshot of Su Cheng shooting with his eyes open, his profile sharp and focused.
So she stepped aside, pulled out a disposable camera, and adjusted the lens to frame him perfectly.
At that moment, Su Cheng’s face was etched with nothing but concentration and confidence, his handsome features accentuated by his unwavering stance.
Seeing this, Ji Qingyi felt a brief daze, realizing that Su Cheng was no longer the frail boy he once was.
Now, he stood tall and heroic, capable of holding his own. His once-small frame had transformed into that of a spirited young man, exuding the aura of a rising hero.
For some reason, the image of a child growing into a hero became vividly clear in her mind. It wasn’t just admiration for Su Cheng’s growth—it resonated with something deeper within her.
"Shoot when you’re ready!"
Snapping out of her thoughts, Ji Qingyi suddenly reminded him.
"Mm!"
Su Cheng responded, and in that instant, an invisible energy seemed to surge through him, radiating an irresistible force.
At the same time, the taut bowstring reached full draw. He stood with an unshakable presence, his posture and gaze exuding an overwhelming charisma.
Click—
She pressed the shutter.
Simultaneously—
Whoosh—
The arrow, loaded with immense kinetic energy, shot forth at an unbelievable speed, almost as if teleporting.
The moment the arrowhead struck the concrete, it exploded with a thunderous boom.
A powerful shockwave rippled through the air, instantly blasting a gaping hole through the wall and leaving a web of cracks in its wake. Dust billowed, and smoke filled the air.
At the same time, Su Cheng suddenly collapsed, his strength completely drained. He could only gasp for breath as his vision blurred and his consciousness faded.
Twice in one day, his body had been pushed to its limits...
He simply couldn’t take it anymore.
In his dazed state, he even hallucinated—a familiar, soul-deep fragrance wafted into his senses.
He could’ve sworn there was a soft, warm bun right in front of him. Driven by instinct, he mustered all his remaining strength to lurch forward, mouth open, ready to take a bite.
"…?"
Ji Qingyi, who had been bending down to help him up, froze in place, her beautiful eyes widening in disbelief.
First, she felt a soft, warm pressure against her cheek—then, sharp pain spread across her face, sending a jolt through her entire body.
In that same instant, the camera slipped from her hand. As it hit the ground, the shutter accidentally activated.
Click—
The moment was forever preserved.
The next second, she shoved Su Cheng away. He lay sprawled on the floor, smacking his lips as if savoring the taste.
Ji Qingyi raised a slender, jade-white hand to cover the spot where Su Cheng had bitten her, her expression shifting through a myriad of emotions.
He… bit her?!
Su Cheng actually bit her!
At first, she had thought he’d fainted and rushed to help, so she hadn’t reacted in time. Only when the bizarre sensation registered did she realize what had happened.
Hmph.
Even now, she stared at the unconscious Su Cheng with wide eyes, a mix of shock and fascination swirling in her gaze.
Still, she snapped out of it quickly. The priority right now was Su Cheng.
She turned to the maid by the door and ordered, "Bring high-calorie food and a mirror. Quickly."
"Yes, Young Mistress!"
The maid immediately rushed out, returning moments later with an assortment of high-calorie, high-fat, high-protein snacks and drinks.
Ji Qingyi stopped the maid from feeding Su Cheng herself, motioning for her to leave the items and exit.
Once alone, she pulled out a small mirror from her skirt to inspect her cheek.
In the reflection, her snow-white skin bore a reddened mark with two neat rows of teeth imprints. A mix of embarrassment and irritation flared within her.
Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to scold Su Cheng harshly.
After all, it had clearly been an instinctive reaction.
Right now, the most important thing was feeding Su Cheng. If he couldn’t eat normally, she’d have to resort to tube-feeding him liquid nutrients.
The poor fool had fainted from exhaustion.
Without further thought, she picked up a plate of high-protein food and brought it to Su Cheng’s lips.
Fortunately, the moment he smelled the food, his mouth instinctively opened, and he eagerly devoured the offering, swallowing it in one gulp.
Thus began Ji Qingyi’s feeding session.
This time, after a few successful bites, a mischievous urge took over. She teasingly brought the food close to his lips, lightly tapping them before pulling away just as he tried to take a bite.
Su Cheng’s mouth chased after the retreating food, his movements comically exaggerated, like a puppet on strings.
Suddenly—
Su Cheng’s consciousness gradually returned, his eyes fluttering open.
Noticing this, Ji Qingyi immediately dropped her playful act, stuffing the food into his mouth as if she’d been diligently tending to him the whole time.
"Mmm..."
Su Cheng chewed slowly as his vision cleared. When he finally focused, he saw Ji Qingyi with one hand covering her cheek and the other feeding him.
"What happened to your face?"
Su Cheng couldn’t help but ask. Ji Qingyi was known for her cold, aloof demeanor—why was she making such an adorable, bashful gesture?
A faint blush tinged Ji Qingyi’s cheeks, but she maintained her composure, answering calmly, "Nothing. Just got splashed by something."
"Oh."
Seeing that she didn’t want to elaborate, Su Cheng didn’t press further and simply continued eating.
He was still famished.
"Lend me your red potion."
Ji Qingyi's sudden request made Su Cheng freeze. He even forgot about eating, immediately raising his head to look at her as she covered her face. "Did your face get hurt? Let me see!"
He assumed it was a consequence of the arrow's explosion earlier, which filled him with regret and guilt.
"No. There’s a flower in the courtyard that got nibbled by a bug. Only your potion can restore it."
Ji Qingyi lied without batting an eye, while Su Cheng believed her and sighed in relief. He even summoned the potion while cursing the wretched insect.
"That thing dared to eat the club president’s flower? I’ll help you exterminate them later—I’ll wipe out its entire family!"
As a transmigrator, he had to commit to insect genocide—no mercy, no survivors!
At this point, Su Cheng was too starved to think straight, only knowing he had to avenge Ji Qingyi.
"Thank you. But the servants have already taken care of it."
Ji Qingyi took the potion without lingering, covering her face as she stood and walked toward the door.
Su Cheng watched her retreating figure. For some reason, though her silhouette was as elegant and noble as ever, there was a faint trace of disarray and agitation, giving him a sense of unease.
However, too consumed by hunger, he didn’t dwell on it and instead turned his attention to the food beside him, devouring it ravenously.
…………
Once outside and around a corner, Ji Qingyi leaned against the wall and finally exhaled in relief.
She touched her cheek, then pulled out a mirror to inspect the spot where Su Cheng had bitten her earlier.
The teeth marks were still there, slightly swollen, but not too severe.
She put away the mirror, dabbed a drop of the potion on her fingertip, and applied it to her cheek. Within moments, the marks faded until they vanished completely.
Only then did Ji Qingyi compose herself and head toward the archery range.
Inside, Su Cheng was still stuffing his face.
"Is the flower okay now?"
Seeing her return, he couldn’t help but ask.
"Mhm."
Ji Qingyi nodded, handing him the red potion bottle. "Do you have anything you’d like to do this afternoon? Any particular plans?"
Su Cheng blinked in surprise before answering, "Aren’t we continuing our chess game?"
"A little break wouldn’t hurt."
Her reply was casual as she bent down to pick up the camera from the floor. After checking it thoroughly and confirming it wasn’t damaged, she relaxed and tucked it into her arms.
"Being with you, President, is the best relaxation for me."
Su Cheng spoke through a mouthful of food, his words muffled.
Ji Qingyi stiffened slightly at his words but maintained her indifferent facade. "In that case, let’s resume our game."
"Sure."
Su Cheng nodded and went back to eating, completely oblivious to the shift in her expression.
Ji Qingyi watched him, her gaze unreadable. She had expected reluctance when she suggested continuing chess, but instead, he seemed perfectly willing.
It seemed his earlier words—that being with her was his greatest comfort—weren’t empty flattery but genuine sentiment.
And so, after Su Cheng finished eating, they played chess together until evening.
………………
"I should head back. I have class tomorrow."
Su Cheng bid farewell, and Ji Qingyi didn’t try to keep him, instead choosing to escort him. They shared a car as they left the villa.
The night was deep.
In the narrow, enclosed backseat, they sat side by side, both gazing out the window in silence.
The car radio played a cheerful tune, but Su Cheng stiffened upon hearing it.
It was the opening music from yesterday’s fireworks show at the amusement park—the one where he had watched the spectacle with Gu Ruoxue and Li Guanqi.
His expression darkened at the memory.
Suddenly, the car stopped at a traffic light.
"What’s on your mind?"
Ji Qingyi broke the silence, her tone light.
"Nothing."
Su Cheng shook his head, collecting himself. "Just remembering yesterday’s fireworks at the amusement park."
"Oh?"
Her brow arched slightly, but she didn’t press further. Instead, her voice took on a peculiar edge. "Yesterday must not have been pleasant if a single song can make you look like that."
Su Cheng’s expression shifted.
What did she mean by that?
Unable to decipher her words, he frowned and fell silent again.
"How did you feel today?"
Ji Qingyi continued.
Su Cheng replied, "Being with you, President, brings me peace and contentment. It’s been incredibly fulfilling."
Hearing this, Ji Qingyi gave an almost imperceptible nod of satisfaction before asking, "Then how was your weekend overall?"
Su Cheng tensed, alarms blaring in his mind, but he forced a bright smile. "Today especially was one of the happiest days of my life."
Realizing how exaggerated that sounded, he quickly added, "But… President, I was just wondering…"
Before he could finish, Ji Qingyi cut in, "I’ll send someone to pick you up again next weekend."
Su Cheng froze.
But he recovered and continued, "No, what I meant was… You could also come visit my place sometime. Stay over, maybe…"
"Then tonight it is."