About Li Guanqi

Li Guanqi was an incredibly adorable and lively young girl.

From a young age, her greatest love was all kinds of desserts. As she once described it in words she’d picked up from who-knows-where, "90% of my body is made of sweets."

However, as a young lady from an old-fashioned, upper-class family, she was naturally subjected to strict, scientifically-backed health management.

Thus, opportunities for her to indulge in desserts were rare. And after a medical check-up revealed a wide range of allergens, she was watched even more closely—her family always made sure someone was keeping an eye on her to prevent her from accidentally making herself sick.

Yet, undeterred, she engaged in a constant battle of wits.

As the saying goes, "Walk the night path too often, and you’ll eventually meet a ghost." And so, she too fell victim to an unfortunate accident.

It happened one evening.

At a banquet.

This was a state banquet.

Distinguished guests from over eighty countries were invited, with a total attendance of 4,647 people—an unprecedented scale that showcased the grandeur and dignity befitting the Flame Country.

The banquet hall was bustling with energy. Every guest raised their glasses in toasts, chatting elegantly and gracefully.

Many political elites and CEOs of international conglomerates moved about the hall, busy with networking.

Meanwhile, their children—or other younger attendees—gathered in small groups in the corners of the hall, whispering among themselves. Every now and then, a boy or girl would steal glances at one another, as if assessing their own advantages.

"Look, she’s so beautiful!"

"Yeah, stunning!"

"I’ve never seen such a pretty girl before."

The group of boys murmured in admiration as two figures entered through the doors.

"She’s absolutely gorgeous!"

"Whose daughter is she?"

"How can someone be this cute?"

Even the adults were slightly awed, while the women couldn’t resist the urge to scoop her up and smother her in affection.

The subject of their admiration was none other than the Li sisters—Li Zhaohao and Li Guanqi.

The adults were busy exchanging toasts, while Li Zhaohao kept a close watch on her foolish younger sister.

As a child, Li Zhaohao was sweet and lovely, like a pure white lily—so adorable it was breathtaking. Meanwhile, Li Guanqi had her hair tied up in two round buns, her chubby cheeks making her irresistibly endearing.

However, the boys’ attention was fixed on Li Zhaohao.

Though Li Guanqi was also pretty, she paled in comparison to her sister, which was why all eyes were on Li Zhaohao.

Li Zhaohao held Li Guanqi’s hand as she led her toward the girls’ area, but Li Guanqi kept squirming, her gaze locked on the dessert section. Li Zhaohao tightened her grip, leaving Li Guanqi no choice but to stare longingly at the shelves laden with all kinds of sweets, swallowing her drool.

Under their parents’ instructions, Li Zhaohao had promised to keep a tight leash on Li Guanqi—not because she was mischievous, but because she couldn’t control her sweet tooth. If it was sweet, she’d shove it into her mouth without hesitation.

Worse, Li Guanqi was born with an allergy to alcohol. Even the slightest contact would trigger an unbearable reaction, so Li Zhaohao had to be extra vigilant.

Soon, she brought Li Guanqi to the girls’ area and scanned the surroundings, spotting many familiar faces from school.

For instance, there was the young Ji Qingyi, standing alone by the window, lost in thought—her demeanor aloof and detached, as if she had no interest in anything or anyone around her.

Then there was Gu Ruoxue, sitting by herself on a sofa, absorbed in a fairy tale book. Though she kept to herself, if someone approached her, she would politely close the book, exchange a few words, and then return to her reading.

"I want to eat this!"

Li Guanqi piped up in her childish voice, pointing at a delicate and adorable ice cream displayed on the counter.

"Fine."

Li Zhaohao agreed immediately, then led Li Guanqi to take a seat—right next to Gu Ruoxue.

But even seated, Li Guanqi couldn’t sit still. She craned her neck to peek at Gu Ruoxue, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"You’re reading a book?"

Li Guanqi blinked and asked.

"Mhm."

Gu Ruoxue responded softly, her gaze never leaving the fairy tale book.

"Can you read it to me?"

Li Guanqi pressed on, her face full of anticipation—even revealing two tiny dimples when she smiled.

Gu Ruoxue turned to look at her, meeting those bright, clear eyes and the dimples on her cheeks. A strange feeling welled up in her chest. She pursed her lips, then shifted her focus back to the book and said, "If you want to listen, I’ll read it to you."

Gu Ruoxue’s voice was slightly hoarse, but pleasant to the ear.

This made Li Guanqi’s eyes light up even more. "Yes! I want to hear the story you’re reading!"

Gu Ruoxue glanced at her once more, then returned her attention to the book and began to narrate—her tone steady and unhurried, weaving the tale with quiet grace.

At this moment, Li Zhaohao walked over holding an ice cream. Seeing this, Li Guanqi eagerly took it and began eating while listening to Gu Ruoxue tell a story nearby, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Li Zhaohao stood quietly by her side, watching Li Guanqi’s enthusiastic eating with a faint smile on her lips.

However, soon a few boys approached and struck up a conversation with Li Zhaohao.

Though she wanted to refuse outright, out of politeness, she forced a smile in response. But when she turned back again, Li Guanqi was nowhere to be seen.

"Where did she go?"

Li Zhaohao quickly scanned the surroundings, her face flashing with worry.

"Over there."

Gu Ruoxue pointed toward the dessert area and said, "She finished her ice cream and went straight there."

Following the direction, Li Zhaohao spotted Li Guanqi slowly climbing onto a small stool, trying to reach the desserts on the higher plates.

Alarmed, Li Zhaohao rushed over and pulled her down from the stool, exclaiming urgently, "Tell me what you want to eat! You can’t just grab things yourself!"

"Mmm… I’m hungry…" Li Guanqi mumbled pitifully.

Li Zhaohao glanced at the plate’s label—it was liquor-filled chocolate. Her eyes widened in horror, and she immediately dragged Li Guanqi away to wash her hands.

"I want to eat this."

"You can’t!"

"But I want it!"

Li Guanqi stubbornly insisted, her fair little face flushing red with defiance, as if she’d burst into tears if denied.

Her obstinance gave Li Zhaohao a headache, leaving her at a loss for what to do.

"Big sis… I really, really want to try it…"

Li Guanqi stared up at her with teary eyes.

But Li Zhaohao firmly shook her head. "If you keep this up, I’ll call Uncle over!"

The threat worked.

Li Guanqi immediately subdued her expression, reluctantly lowering her head. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, as if they might spill any second.

Soon, the sisters returned to Gu Ruoxue after washing up.

This time, Li Zhaohao kept a close eye on Li Guanqi, afraid she’d vanish again under her watch.

Before long, the banquet ended.

After returning home by car, Li Guanqi immediately dashed toward her own courtyard.

Li Zhaohao was puzzled—normally, Li Guanqi clung to her relentlessly. Why was she leaving on her own today?

"Something’s wrong!"

With that thought, she quickly chased after her.

But when she caught up, she saw Li Guanqi with her back turned, pulling a candy from her pocket. Before Li Zhaohao could stop her, she unwrapped it and popped it into her mouth.

"Spit it out!"

Panicked, Li Zhaohao grabbed her shoulders and shook her, hoping to make her spit it out.

But Li Guanqi ignored her, chewing stubbornly.

Desperate, Li Zhaohao pried her mouth open—but it was too late.

The moment the candy slid down her throat, Li Guanqi’s face twisted in discomfort, her skin flushing red. She began coughing violently, sneezing, and soon, red rashes visibly spread across her body.

"Uncle! Auntie!!"

Li Zhaohao screamed for help upstairs.

Three figures rushed down—Li Guanqi’s parents and grandfather. Their faces paled as they hurriedly carried her to the hospital.

The adults left, leaving Li Zhaohao alone.

Overwhelmed with guilt, she blamed herself.

No one would hold it against her, but she couldn’t shake the crushing regret. If only she’d been firmer in shooing those boys away, Li Guanqi wouldn’t have sneaked the chocolate.

But there was no cure for regret. All she could do now was pray for Li Guanqi’s safety.

...

The next day, devastating news arrived.

Due to the allergic reaction, Li Guanqi had developed idiopathic facial paralysis—severe enough to cause transverse nerve damage, making recovery extremely difficult.

In the following days, Li Zhaohao watched helplessly as the once-vibrant Li Guanqi lost nearly all ability to express emotions.

Her heart ached, wishing she could bear the suffering in her sister’s place. But modern medicine offered no direct cure—only endless grief and self-reproach.

Acupuncture could help, but progress would be agonizingly slow, requiring years of treatment for even slight improvement.

For a child in her formative years, facial paralysis was especially cruel.

Gone was Li Guanqi’s lively charm, replaced by an emotionless mask.

As a result, she grew distant from her peers. The warmth and friendliness they once showed her vanished—no one wanted to play with someone who always wore a cold, expressionless face.

For Li Guanqi, who longed to build relationships at school, this was undoubtedly a massive blow.

Some even whispered behind her back, calling her a weirdo.

Others went so far as to mock and ridicule her for her physical flaws.

This only deepened Li Guanqi’s sorrow.

From that moment on, her heart grew increasingly withdrawn, sensitive, and even somewhat closed off.

Because of this, she had no choice but to retreat into silence, finding solace in books and turning her focus inward to search for her own worth and meaning.

As time passed, what began as deliberate indifference gradually became subconscious detachment. From then on, she wrapped herself in layers of isolation—no conversations, not even with her desk mate. Rarely speaking, she became so immersed in her own world that her presence faded into near invisibility.

During high school, she would sit alone in the corner of the classroom, quietly observing the new student who had been ostracized by the class.

Su Cheng.

Seeing Su Cheng.

Her thoughts drifted back to childhood, when her heart had still been full of hope—longing for a warm embrace to lean on. But now, she realized it had all been nothing more than a futile wish.

She felt no particular sympathy for Su Cheng’s isolation. After all, his behavior was downright absurd.

Yeah, the "Confession Maniac."

Just when she thought this boy would never cross paths with her, that very night, a sudden friend request popped up on her phone. A stranger, out of nowhere, began confessing his feelings to her.

Faced with this for the first time, she felt both fear and a flicker of anticipation, so she exchanged a few words.

He claimed to be Eddie from their class.

Said he’d noticed her a long time ago and really liked her.

This left Li Guanqi deep in thought.

"He… sees me?"

But before she could reject this joke of a romantic overture, Eddie sent another message:

"That last text? Su Cheng—the confession maniac—grabbed my phone and sent it! It wasn’t me!"

She was utterly bewildered.

Su Cheng?

The same Su Cheng who had been shamelessly confessing to everyone since school started?

"Well, that tracks."

Li Guanqi shook her head, not doubting it for a second. Su Cheng’s behavior perfectly matched this kind of nonsense. He wasn’t worth another thought.

Even someone as invisible as her had heard the rumors circulating about the new student.

Though she was practically a ghost in class, she still cared about the class’s reputation.

Besides, Eddie had never spoken to her before.

Had probably never even noticed her existence.

So how could he claim to have "noticed and liked" her?

After deleting Eddie, she put the whole thing out of her mind.

Little did she know, that single message would become the turning point of her fate—the beginning of an earth-shattering change.

……………………………………

The next day.

Every girl in class launched a full-scale attack on Su Cheng.

The situation left Li Guanqi speechless.

This guy had confessed to everyone in class?!

It was beyond ridiculous!

But the absurdity didn’t end there. The situation took an even wilder turn when Ji Qingyi arrived and exposed the whole thing as a scheme orchestrated by Eddie.

The furious backlash immediately shifted onto Eddie.

And Li Guanqi, who had also misunderstood Su Cheng…

She chose to step forward.

The girl who never interacted with the outside world, who lived entirely within herself—Li Guanqi, against all odds, stood up in the midst of this mess.

Because—

She, too, had been a victim. She, too, had misjudged Su Cheng.

This was the first time she, a silent observer who avoided all interaction and ignored everything around her, turned her attention to someone else.

To that so-called "Confession Maniac."

Su Cheng.

…………………………

A few days later.

Fate brought them together on the school lawn.

She was reading a book. Su Cheng sat nearby, eating and muttering something cryptic under his breath.

After he finished his lunch, Li Guanqi—for reasons even she didn’t understand—handed him a tissue.

Su Cheng took it, thanked her, and only then seemed to realize what had happened.

Their eyes met for a single second.

And then—Su Cheng jumped in surprise.