Strange

Archery Club

In an elegantly antique private room, the rich aroma of food filled the air. The space itself was modest, furnished with just a table and two chairs, adorned with simple feng shui paintings and flowers.

Yet, despite the understated surroundings, the innate nobility and grace of the room's occupant remained unmistakable.

This was Ji Qingyi's exclusive dining area, where she took her lunch every day at school.

No outsider had ever set foot in this room before—she cherished solitude and disliked interruptions during meals, so even her personal attendants waited outside.

However, today, two people sat facing each other at the table, which was set with several delicate dishes and a pot of hot tea.

At this moment, Ji Qingyi sat upright at the table while an attendant stood beside her, holding a basin of rose-petal water for handwashing.

Observing this, Ji Qingyi extended her fair, jade-like hands, dipping her fingers one after another into the water, rinsing them lightly before drying them gracefully with a towel.

Across from her sat Su Cheng, who had opted for a far less ceremonious approach—he unceremoniously picked up his chopsticks, plucked a vegetable, and chewed slowly while fixing his gaze on Ji Qingyi.

"President, is there something urgent?" His voice carried a mix of curiosity and confusion.

Ji Qingyi draped the towel over the basin and replied indifferently, "We'll discuss it after the meal. There's no hurry."

"Alright."

Su Cheng nodded and resumed eating heartily, completely unbothered by any perceived rudeness. Ji Qingyi, in turn, paid no mind to his behavior and simply watched him in silence.

Long ago, she had told Su Cheng not to stand on ceremony—to act as he pleased.

After all, if eating became a source of pressure, anyone would instinctively grow resistant. So, Ji Qingyi accepted and tolerated his mannerisms.

Just then, as the attendant bowed and prepared to leave, Su Cheng called out, "Rice! A big bowl of rice!"

"Of course. Please wait a moment," the attendant replied respectfully before exiting.

The room fell silent once more.

Soon after, another attendant entered carrying a large wooden bowl filled to the brim with fragrant rice, enough to satisfy any appetite.

"Thanks," Su Cheng said to the attendant.

"You're welcome."

With that, Su Cheng grabbed his chopsticks, picked up a piece of tofu, and began devouring his meal with gusto.

Neither spoke during the meal.

Once finished, the two left the room and moved to the adjacent tearoom for tea.

Ji Qingyi sat with her usual cool elegance, her slender legs clad in black stockings poised gracefully. She took a sip of tea, closed her eyes briefly as if deep in thought—or perhaps savoring something.

Meanwhile, Su Cheng sat obediently to the side, waiting for his stunning yet aloof president to speak.

After a long pause, Ji Qingyi finally opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on Su Cheng, uttering slowly, "Regarding what you mentioned earlier—about wanting to become a penguin to resolve the issue. Did it work?"

She already knew everything about Su Cheng's situation, including his new ability, thanks to Liu Qingyue.

Now, she wanted to see if he would lie to her.

"Well, it's resolved... but not entirely," Su Cheng admitted, nodding to indicate that while he had dealt with the problem, a new one had arisen.

"Oh? How so?" Ji Qingyi asked with interest.

"It's... complicated."

He elaborated, "Last time, I turned into a penguin to properly say goodbye to Hoshino Mirai, but I underestimated her determination. She’s practically sworn to marry me..."

At this, Su Cheng scratched his cheek awkwardly and coughed. "Ahem. Anyway, I was planning to deal with it again at lunch today, but since you said it was urgent, I came straight to you."

Ji Qingyi frowned slightly, pondering for a moment before saying, "If she’s sworn to marry you, does that mean you triggered a reward?"

"As expected of the president—you picked up on the key detail with just a few words." Su Cheng gave a thumbs-up in admiration. "Exactly. I gained attribute points—intelligence, to be precise—and unlocked a new skill."

Ji Qingyi arched a delicate brow. "So there was an unexpected gain from this. What was the reward?"

"Yep." Su Cheng nodded in agreement. "I can now control my expressions and emotions."

Hearing this, Ji Qingyi nodded thoughtfully. She had already known about this but wanted to test whether Su Cheng would deceive or withhold information from her. To her surprise, his answer aligned with what Liu Qingyue had reported.

"Emotional control..." Ji Qingyi murmured, then narrowed her eyes slightly, scrutinizing Su Cheng's facial muscles. "Try... happiness."

The moment she spoke, Su Cheng's microexpressions visibly shifted, his face lighting up with unmistakable joy.

This gave Ji Qingyi pause—she genuinely couldn’t tell whether it was feigned or real.

When she reopened her eyes, Su Cheng had already reverted to his usual expression, though now with a hint of smugness. "Well?" he asked with a grin.

She still couldn’t discern whether this was an act or his genuine emotion, and an inexplicable sense of defeat briefly surfaced in her chest before she suppressed it.

"An impressive ability," she remarked coolly.

But then her tone shifted, carrying a warning. "Though it’s useful, don’t assume this skill can fool everyone. Remember one thing—nothing in this world can escape my notice."

Su Cheng’s smile froze.

After a long silence, he took a deep breath and said, "I would never dare to deceive you with such tricks."

"Good."

Ji Qingyi’s voice, alluring and mesmerizing, filled the air once more. Her gaze drifted to her empty teacup, and just as she reached to refill it, Su Cheng stood up first, intending to pour for her.

But the teapot, too, was empty.

Su Cheng gave it a light shake. "I’ll brew a fresh pot."

"Much obliged," Ji Qingyi replied indifferently before closing her eyes again.

About ten minutes later, Su Cheng returned with a new pot of tea. He poured for Ji Qingyi first, then himself, before taking his seat.

Ji Qingyi opened her eyes and examined the tea in her cup—its jade-green hue was as clear and translucent as fine emerald.

Yet, her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she stared at it in silence.

Noticing this, Su Cheng asked, puzzled, "Something wrong?"

After a long pause, she lifted the cup, took a sip, and set it down, lowering her gaze.

Su Cheng frowned. "Does the tea... not suit your taste?"

"The flavor is no different from before."

Ji Qingyi shook her head lightly. She raised the cup again, bringing it to her lips for another sip before murmuring, "But the clarity is gone. It’s murky now—far from what it once was."

"Eh?"

Su Cheng stared at the tea in his cup in surprise, then lifted it to his nose for a sniff before taking a small sip. Almost immediately, his face twisted into a troubled frown. "Isn’t it the same as before?"

"Whether it is or not, shouldn’t you know best?" Ji Qingyi shot him a cold glance, her tone icy.

"……" Su Cheng opened his mouth as if to speak but hesitated, finally letting out a defeated sigh. "Fine, I admit it. I shouldn’t have used tap water from the bathroom to brew the tea…"

The moment those words left his lips, Ji Qingyi’s expression visibly stiffened. She stared at the teacup on the table in silence for several seconds before a flicker of anger surfaced.

"It’s not like I wanted to," Su Cheng whined, his face the picture of misery. "But what else was I supposed to do? The bathroom was the only place I knew had water."

Ji Qingyi took a deep breath, then lifted her gaze to fix him with a frosty glare. Abruptly, she said, "You know exactly what I’m referring to."

"……"

The gloom on Su Cheng’s face instantly evaporated, replaced by an awkward chuckle. "If the club president wants to know something, she can just ask directly."

"As far as I know…" Ji Qingyi narrowed her eyes, her voice cool. "Your special abilities always come in pairs—like last time, when they were divided into active and passive. So why are you deliberately hiding it this time? What exactly are you scheming?"

Su Cheng’s expression turned serious. "President, you’ve misunderstood. There’s a reason I kept this one to myself."

"Oh?" Ji Qingyi countered. "Then enlighten me. What’s the reason?"

"To spare you discomfort," Su Cheng said hesitantly, biting his lower lip. "Because this ability is too dangerous. It puts me in a… peculiar state."

"……"

Ji Qingyi’s demeanor softened slightly, but she pressed on. "What kind of ability?"

Su Cheng hesitated for a long moment, visibly conflicted, before finally taking a deep breath. "Once activated, it forces me into an objective state—where I perceive everything and every problem with absolute objectivity."

"Absolute objectivity?"

Ji Qingyi froze, stunned.

What most people called "objective" was inherently subjective. As humans, true absolute objectivity was impossible—unless one was God. At best, people could only achieve relative objectivity. But from Su Cheng’s description, his ability reached absolute objectivity.

For a human to truly attain absolute objectivity meant transcending all limitations, standing above everything, devoid of self, observing existence from a detached vantage point.

In philosophical terms, it could only be described as—"unity of heaven and man."

Put simply, if a human ever reached this state, it would mean the dissolution of the self. In other words: enlightenment.

Ji Qingyi inhaled sharply, forcing down the shock and excitement surging within her. After a long silence, she finally asked, "Have you used it?"

"Yeah."

Su Cheng nodded, flashing an innocent, harmless smile.

Ji Qingyi’s beautiful eyes widened instantly, locking onto him with an intense stare. After what felt like an eternity, she murmured, "Then… have you noticed any changes?"

"Nothing major. Just that things I used to laugh off suddenly feel… more profound. Like…"

"Like what?" Ji Qingyi cut in urgently.

Su Cheng blinked. "Like how Liu Qingyue mentioned that you restored the contract and carry it with you every day."