Probing

Su Cheng’s Apartment.

"Knock, knock, knock~"

Liu Qingyue rapped on Su Cheng’s door.

"Coming!"

A familiar voice called from inside, followed by the sound of rustling movement before the door swung open.

Su Cheng welcomed her in, taking the luggage and a bag of desserts from her hands with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that!"

Liu Qingyue studied Su Cheng closely, finding him as unassuming and earnest as ever. Unable to resist teasing him, she shook her head in mock disappointment. "What a shame. I was planning to cook dinner for you when you got back from school today."

She sighed, brushing a hand through her shoulder-length bob, her expression tinged with faint melancholy.

"Alright, then," Su Cheng said, carrying the items toward the living room. "Have you eaten yet?"

"When would I have had time to eat?" Liu Qingyue followed him, slipping off her shoes as she walked. Her slender legs, sheathed in black thigh-high socks, stepped onto the plush carpet—she didn’t bother with slippers, instead padding barefoot behind him with light, playful steps. "Between tidying up and covering my tracks, I didn’t even have time for a sip of water!"

"Then I’ll make you some noodles."

Su Cheng paused, setting the suitcase beside the sofa and placing the desserts on the coffee table before gesturing for her to sit. "Take a seat for now. How about beef noodles?"

"Sounds good~" Liu Qingyue agreed, plopping onto the sofa with childlike abandon. She crossed her legs, resting them on the coffee table, her back slouched against the cushions as a mischievous grin curled her lips. "No scallions, though."

"Got it."

With that, Su Cheng disappeared into the kitchen to get started.

"Hmm… so boring…"

Left to her own devices, Liu Qingyue quickly grew restless. Her gaze drifted to the balcony, where a crow huddled in the corner. Sensing her attention, it immediately ducked its head, pretending to be dead.

After watching it for a moment, Liu Qingyue’s lips curled into a wicked smile. She sat up straight and beckoned the bird with a crook of her finger.

"Caw!"

The crow flapped its wings nervously, clearly wary and unwilling to approach.

"Little thing~" Liu Qingyue extended her fair, slender right hand, coaxing it closer. "Come play with me~"

"Caw~" The crow shrank back further.

"Come on~" She wiggled her finger again.

Plop—

Liu Qingyue pulled a candy from her pocket, its sour scent unmistakable to the crow—clearly poison! The bird immediately flapped its wings in panic, desperate to flee the danger.

"Hey, junior~" Liu Qingyue called toward the kitchen, her voice sweet. "I’ve got some tasty candy here. Want to try it?"

The crow froze, stiff as a statue, its tiny mind reeling—She’s trying to poison its master?!

"Ah, just a sec, the noodles are almost done," Su Cheng called back from the kitchen.

Cornered, the loyal crow had no choice but to surrender. It reluctantly fluttered over and perched on her palm.

"How about we play a game?"

Liu Qingyue peeled the wrapper off a tiny candy and popped it into the crow’s beak, grinning as it gagged in protest. "Let’s bet on whether he put scallions in the noodles. If you win, I won’t give him any candy. Deal?"

The crow’s eyes lit up—this seemed fair. It nodded eagerly.

"Okay, I’ll bet he did add scallions."

With that, she tossed the remaining candy into the trash, while the crow flapped its wings, signaling its bet on no scallions.

Soon, the aroma of cooking wafted from the kitchen.

Su Cheng emerged with a steaming bowl of noodles, setting it on the coffee table. "Go ahead and eat. I’ll clean up the kitchen first."

Then he was gone again.

The moment he left, the air grew thick with tension.

The crow and Liu Qingyue locked eyes. The bird held its breath, staring at the bowl, its tiny heart pounding like a drum.

There, on the table, was a flawless bowl of beef noodles—no scallions in sight, just fresh greens, a soft-boiled egg, and slices of ham, arranged perfectly.

Thump-thump-thump!

The crow’s heart raced, its wings twitching with excitement—Victory!

But its triumph lasted less than a second before Liu Qingyue’s icy voice cut in:

"I don’t eat beef."

The crow: "Caw—?!"

"Here, junior~"

She plucked another candy from the table and lobbed it toward the kitchen. Su Cheng turned, reaching to catch the airborne treat—

In a flash, the crow launched itself like a missile, snatching the candy midair and gulping it down before Su Cheng could react.

"Guess it really likes candy," Su Cheng remarked with a shrug before heading back to the kitchen.

Gulp.

The crow shot Liu Qingyue a reproachful glare—You cheated!

But she ignored it, leaving the bird to sulk on the balcony, burying its head in its feathers while keeping a wary eye on her.

Having dispelled her boredom, Liu Qingyue turned her attention to the noodles. Sitting up properly, she picked up her chopsticks, her gaze growing intense as she eagerly took her first bite.

"Mmm, just as good as last time." Her brows relaxed, a blissful smile spreading across her face. "Delicious."

As she ate, her eyes drifted toward Su Cheng in the kitchen. On the surface, he seemed no different than usual, yet her instincts whispered otherwise.

Liu Qingyue lowered her gaze. She was a woman who trusted her intuition—it was part of her unique gift.

She tried to dismiss the feeling, but instantly, beads of sweat formed on her forehead, growing heavier by the second.

This only happened when she made the wrong choice.

Hastily wiping her brow with a tissue to keep the sweat from dripping into her bowl, she took a deep breath, suppressing her shock. Then, feigning calm, she lifted another bite to her lips, savoring it slowly.

"Senior, your constitution doesn’t seem like a ‘9’ at all," Su Cheng remarked suddenly, emerging from the kitchen. Noticing her sweat, he frowned and handed her a glass of water. "Here, have a drink."

Liu Qingyue shook her head but accepted the water, downing a large gulp before clearing her throat. "It’s just… too delicious. Threw my qi and blood into chaos. How are you going to make it up to me?"

"Huh?"

Su Cheng was momentarily stunned by her words and took a while to respond, "Your period came? And you just said that so casually without feeling any shame?"

"It's a normal physiological reaction—nothing to be ashamed of."

Liu Qingyue pursed her lips slightly, hummed in agreement, and then continued eating her noodles, completely ignoring Su Cheng's strange and complicated expression. "It's delicious. Your cooking skills have improved, junior~"

"Don’t say such ambiguous things in the middle of the night."

Su Cheng couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he sat down beside her and pulled out his phone to reply to messages.

"I'm full." Liu Qingyue set down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth with a tissue, and said, "My period’s here, and I’m in a terrible mood—irritable and angry. What do you suggest I do?"

"Want me to make you some brown sugar water?"

Su Cheng asked without looking up from his phone, "Might help a bit?"

"I appreciate the thought, but you can go do your own thing. I brought something to ease the discomfort." Liu Qingyue waved her hand dismissively and pulled out a small red container from her suitcase.

"Alright."

Seeing this, Su Cheng put away his phone, stood up, and picked up the dishes from the table to take them to the kitchen.

"Oh, I brought dessert for you guys."

"Thanks, I’ll put it in the fridge for now."

"By the way, don’t you want your reward tonight?"

Suddenly, Liu Qingyue noticed that it was almost midnight and couldn’t help but remind him.

Hearing this, Su Cheng paused briefly but didn’t stop moving. "No rush, we can talk about it tomorrow," he said indifferently.

"Did you run out of chances again?"

Liu Qingyue raised an eyebrow and immediately stood up to follow him.

"Tell me, what did you get today?"

She leaned against the wall behind Su Cheng, arms crossed, asking with keen interest.

"Oh, I got an attribute point."

Su Cheng casually dropped an answer that left her utterly stunned—all while continuing to wash the dishes.

His honesty surprised her.

He wasn’t lying to her?

But earlier today, he had deceived Li Guanqi and Gu Ruoxue!

So why was he being truthful with her now?

"What kind of attribute point?"

Liu Qingyue couldn’t resist asking.

"Intelligence." Su Cheng answered calmly while scrubbing a bowl. "Now I can control my emotions at will. If I want, I can make them appear however I choose."

"Wait…"

Liu Qingyue was shocked. "You’re saying you can command your emotions now?"

Su Cheng finished washing the dishes, dried his hands, and said casually, "Yeah. I’m going to bed—got class tomorrow."

With that, he headed toward his bedroom.

"Hold on, junior."

Liu Qingyue suddenly called out to him.

"Hmm?" Su Cheng stopped in his tracks.

"It’s almost midnight—the count will reset. Are you sure you don’t want your reward?" Liu Qingyue smiled faintly.

"Thanks, senior." Su Cheng shook his head in refusal and explained, "You’re on your period, and your emotions are unstable right now. There’s a chance a confession might fail, and I don’t want to risk punishment. Let’s wait until your ‘relative’ leaves."

She had truly shot herself in the foot.

That was the perfect way to describe the situation.

Liu Qingyue’s expression stiffened slightly, and she forced a dry laugh. "You’re really thorough with your considerations, huh?"

"Yeah, get some rest." Su Cheng nodded and left the living room, heading to his bedroom. Before closing the door, he added, "I’ve already prepared your room."

Liu Qingyue stood frozen for a moment before snapping out of it. Frustrated, she ruffled her short hair and sat on the sofa, deep in thought.

Her mind raced at lightning speed as she analyzed the situation. After careful consideration, she concluded one thing—Su Cheng hadn’t lied. Everything he said was true!

Because the moment she doubted his words, her body reacted involuntarily, confirming his honesty.

"He didn’t lie… but he did withhold something."

Liu Qingyue fell silent for a moment before sighing and muttering, "This guy…"

"Why didn’t he just lie to me selectively?"

She stroked her chin thoughtfully but quickly dismissed her speculations—her intuition told her that wasn’t the reason.

"Hmm… Could it be that he only used the attribute point this afternoon and gained a new ability?"

Liu Qingyue frowned in contemplation. Just as she was about to dismiss the idea, an intense premonition surged through her again. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, but unlike before, this time it sent a bone-chilling cold through her entire body, leaving her pale.

Using this ability so frequently in a single day was pushing her body to its limits.

Right now, she needed to get to bed immediately—otherwise, she’d pass out!

And for a while, she wouldn’t be able to use this skill again.

After all, this was a life-or-death decision-making ability—one that required activating her subconscious to issue warnings.

Naturally, there were side effects. Overusing it would lead to memory loss, slower thinking, and impaired judgment.

So, maintaining a balanced and healthy subconscious was crucial—things like proper sleep, a good diet, emotional management, and stress relief were essential.

For her, reading web novels and taking baths were the simplest and most convenient methods.

"That’s enough for now."

Though there were still hidden aspects to uncover, she decided to hold off for the time being. Suppressing her curiosity, she returned to her room, slipped under the covers, and closed her eyes to rest.

She was utterly exhausted, her brain drained. The moment her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep.

But the next second—

Her eyes flew open, filled with shock and confusion. She frantically groped under the blanket until her fingers brushed against something warm. Pulling it out, she stared in disbelief.

"A hot water bottle?"

Her pupils constricted as a buzzing noise echoed in her head. "When did he put this here?"

She pressed it against her forehead—the temperature was just right, neither too hot nor too cold. It must have been tucked in for at least three hours. But there was no way it was there yesterday.

A hot water bottle on the lower abdomen could ease period cramps.

But three hours ago, she was still at the Ji family villa.

She hadn’t even mentioned her period to Su Cheng!

She only brought it up after returning!

And the whole "period" excuse was just to cover up her sweating!

"Was this a coincidence?"

……………………………………

The next day.

5:00 AM.

Liu Qingyue woke up on time, placed the now-cooled hot water bottle on the coffee table, and then took a long, hot bath before getting ready.

6:30 AM.

She started preparing breakfast.

7:00 AM.

Su Cheng emerged from his bedroom.

"Good morning." Liu Qingyue, wearing an apron, greeted him with the poised and graceful smile of a perfect housewife.

"Morning." Su Cheng nodded in return.

"Thank you for the hot water bottle yesterday. I really wouldn’t have slept well without it," Liu Qingyue said with a smile as she placed the prepared breakfast on the table, addressing Su Cheng.

"Oh, as long as it helped."

Su Cheng walked into the bathroom indifferently to freshen up. By the time he finished and came out, Liu Qingyue was already seated at the dining table.

"Did you know my period was coming?"

"No."

"Then why did you put a hot water bottle in my bed beforehand?" Liu Qingyue looked at Su Cheng in surprise.

"Oh, there happened to be one lying around, so I put it under your blanket before going to bed last night, just in case your stomach hurt in the middle of the night."

Su Cheng replied while eating.

"I see..."

Hearing this logical explanation, Liu Qingyue didn’t feel relieved. On the contrary, she suspected that Su Cheng had some kind of ability to foresee events.

If this was indeed his hidden ability, then it was truly extraordinary.

The hot water bottle last night might very well have been a warning.

As for whether it was true or not, she remained skeptical. She decided to wait a few days, replenish her own abilities, and then verify it.

"I’m heading to school."

"Mm, come back early in the afternoon."

With that, Su Cheng hurriedly left.

Meanwhile, Liu Qingyue sat at the table, staring thoughtfully at the spot where Su Cheng had disappeared before lowering her head to continue eating her porridge. With her other hand, she pulled out her phone and reported her findings to her young mistress.

…………………………

Flame City Private Academy.

Li Guanqi quietly made her way toward her classroom, ascending the stairs. The greetings and passing students grew more numerous, but she paid them no mind.

Others couldn’t see her, and she didn’t care about them either.

However, the staircase she usually traversed effortlessly felt unusually long and difficult today.

Because Su Cheng was right behind her.

She slowed her steps, stopping on the landing to turn and gaze at Su Cheng following her. Her lips parted slightly as she spoke in a calm, measured tone. "Good morning."

"Morning."

Su Cheng quickened his pace to catch up, then tilted his head to study her exquisitely flawless face, a faint smile playing on his lips. "What a coincidence running into you on the stairs today."

Li Guanqi tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her voice light and airy. "Did you feed Ya-Ya before leaving this morning?"

As she spoke, her sharp eyes bore into Su Cheng’s expression, as if trying to pierce through his exterior and peer into the depths of his soul—her gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny.

Su Cheng blinked in surprise before nodding. "Yeah. I’ll have him come find you after school tonight."

"Mm." Li Guanqi gave a slight nod before ascending the stairs with graceful, measured steps. Su Cheng followed leisurely beside her, the two walking side by side.

"Do you have any plans for lunch?"

Li Guanqi asked softly.

"I might go to the rooftop first to settle things with Hoshino Mirai," Su Cheng paused briefly before adding, "Then I’ll head to the Archery Club to practice Go."

"I see."

Before they knew it, they had entered the classroom. Li Guanqi went straight to her seat by the wall, while Su Cheng made his way to the "King’s Domain," where he struck up a conversation with Wang Guancong and the others.

On the surface, everything seemed normal, but Li Guanqi couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. She pressed her lips together, neatly stacking her books before lifting her gaze to observe Su Cheng.

Su Cheng was still engrossed in conversation, occasionally glancing her way.

At a glance, nothing seemed different from before.

She decided she would have a proper talk with Liu Qingyue tonight.

The morning classes passed quickly.

Li Guanqi politely declined Xuan Ying and her companion’s invitation.

Once the classroom had emptied, she approached Su Cheng from behind and asked in an even tone, "Are you turning into a penguin at lunch?"

"Huh?"

Su Cheng turned around, then awkwardly raised his phone, where a message from Ji Qingyi was displayed on the screen.

Ji Qingyi: "Urgent matter. Come to the club at once."

"Can’t make it to the rooftop today."

Su Cheng sighed, then hesitated before looking at Li Guanqi with an almost pleading expression. After a moment, he said, "How about we grab lunch at the Archery Club together?"

Li Guanqi shook her head gently. "No, an uninvited visit would only cause trouble for others."

"Then… could you do me a favor?"

Su Cheng’s expression turned earnest as he lowered his voice. "Could you go invisible, head to the rooftop, and tell Hoshino Mirai that you’re one of the Penguin Prince’s close companions—and that you don’t approve of her being with him? Please!"

Even someone as unflappable as Li Guanqi couldn’t help but twitch at the absurdity of his request. She hadn’t expected Su Cheng to ask her to do something so ridiculous.

"I can’t do that."

She shook her head slightly. "And what’s this about being a 'close companion'? Don’t you think that’s disrespectful to me? Besides, what kind of conflict did you two have that requires such a method?"

"Last time we parted, she confessed to me. I told her I already have many close companions to discourage her, but she didn’t believe me. She even said she’d only back off if one of my female friends came to see her in person."

Su Cheng wore a troubled expression before adding irritably, "So, this is the only way."

Li Guanqi simply stared at him, her face as impassive as ever, seemingly unaffected by Su Cheng’s distress.

After a moment, she suddenly reached out with her slender, jade-like fingers, pinching Su Cheng’s cheek and pulling hard enough to distort his face. He yelped in pain before she finally released him.

"I’ll need a full explanation afterward."

Her tone was flat.

Su Cheng rubbed his cheek, surprised. "Does that mean you agree?"

"I’m leaving."

Li Guanqi walked straight out of the classroom.

Su Cheng hurried after her, following closely until they reached a secluded area—a blind spot for surveillance cameras—before stopping.

"Here."

Su Cheng handed her a ring-pommeled sword with both hands, his expression sincere. "I really appreciate this."

Li Guanqi took the sword, and in an instant, her figure vanished. Before disappearing completely, she left one last remark: "I’ll head to the rooftop now. You go handle your business."

"Got it!"

Su Cheng pumped his fist before stepping out of the shadows and heading toward the school building’s exit.

Li Guanqi, now in a state of superposition, was completely undetectable to anyone unless she chose to reveal herself.

She didn’t go to the rooftop immediately. Instead, she tailed Su Cheng all the way to the Archery Club, slipping unnoticed into the training hall.

Only after seeing Su Cheng and Ji Qingyi enter a private room did she finally relax and prepare to leave.

She trusted Ji Qingyi to keep Su Cheng in check.

But just as she was about to head to the rooftop to deal with that absurd task, two familiar voices reached her ears. Zhao Yan and her companion, along with Sister Qin, were walking leisurely in her direction, apparently on their way to the cafeteria.

Li Guanqi frowned slightly and was about to continue forward when the content of their conversation made her freeze in her tracks.

Xuan Ying: "Ugh~ (frustrated), I haven't made any progress lately. If only there were a potion in this world that could make someone devoted to me forever."

Sister Qin: "You could try using a child as leverage."