Going Home

Li Guanqi harbored no ill intentions in her heart. She simply wanted to give Xuan Ying a similar gift, which was why she had been quietly shopping alone all this time.

However, she hadn’t expected her actions to be witnessed by Su Cheng.

"Sorry," Li Guanqi said, her eyes tinged with a hint of regret and sorrow, as she struggled to meet Su Cheng’s gaze.

Yet, to her surprise, Su Cheng responded with a soft laugh, saying, "I knew you’d choose to come here too. The public restroom was too crowded."

"Huh?" Li Guanqi was momentarily taken aback.

"Wait here for a bit. I’ll just use the restroom," Su Cheng said, taking her hand and leading her into the watch shop while whispering, "I remember they have a lounge here. Since we’re buying something, they’ll probably serve us tea and snacks, right?"

"Well, that’s true…" Li Guanqi began, but Su Cheng had already let go of her hand and walked straight toward the restroom, quickly disappearing from sight.

At this moment, Su Cheng’s behavior resembled that of a clueless male protagonist, completely oblivious to her little secret.

Then, Li Guanqi approached a shop assistant.

"How may I assist you?" The assistant recognized Li Guanqi immediately and greeted her warmly.

"I’d like to rest here for a while," Li Guanqi replied calmly.

"Please follow me," the assistant said, guiding her to the seating area. After she sat down, the assistant promptly served her tea and a platter of fruits and pastries.

Li Guanqi glanced at the clock on the wall—it was still early, just past five in the afternoon—so she relaxed lazily on the sofa as she waited.

Only a few minutes later, Su Cheng emerged from the restroom, only to be surrounded by several shop assistants asking for autographs.

Clearly, word had spread among the staff that Su Cheng was in the store buying a watch.

Even passersby outside, hearing the commotion, began streaming in, eager for signatures and photos.

This little incident gave Li Guanqi a chance to observe Su Cheng. Despite being swarmed after leaving the restroom, he remained unfazed, handling the crowd with effortless grace, smiling as he signed for each fan and staff member without a trace of irritation.

Watching him, Li Guanqi nodded inwardly, thinking how composed he seemed in any situation.

"Sorry for the wait."

Su Cheng’s lips curled into a warm smile as he gently took a seat beside Li Guanqi.

Crossing his legs elegantly, he surveyed their surroundings before turning to her. "This place has a nice atmosphere. Let’s rest here for a bit."

Li Guanqi nodded in agreement, her gaze settling on a plate of fresh tangerines on the table. "Alright," she replied softly, picking one up and carefully peeling it. Once done, she offered a segment to Su Cheng. "Try this."

"Thanks," Su Cheng said, accepting the piece. He pulled down his mask slightly and took a small bite, closing his eyes as he savored it. After a moment, he opened them and praised, "Perfectly sweet. Delicious. You should try some too."

Li Guanqi smiled, lifting the remaining segments with refined grace and taking a delicate bite, as if savoring a rare vintage wine.

After tasting it, she handed Su Cheng another segment, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Su Cheng accepted it with a smile. "So, how is it?"

"Good," Li Guanqi answered simply.

Su Cheng chuckled. "The tangerines here are really high quality. They must source them from somewhere special. Maybe we can ask where they get them—it’d be nice to have some at home for guests."

Li Guanqi gave a slight nod of agreement.

In this quiet corner, the two chatted and laughed together.

About ten minutes later, they rose from the comfortable sofa and prepared to leave. Before going, they asked a staff member about the source of the tangerines and learned it was nearby—a detail both silently noted.

"Do these tangerines grant immortality or something?"

Su Cheng stepped into the citrus shop, staring at the varieties priced at over a hundred per pound, and couldn’t help but click his tongue in disbelief. He turned to Li Guanqi with a wry remark.

"Hmm, way too expensive," Li Guanqi agreed, standing beside him with the same sentiment.

The tangerines they had eaten at the watch shop had tasted pleasant, but neither had expected such an exorbitant price.

It was far beyond what they had imagined.

"Let’s go," Su Cheng said, turning first and taking her hand as he headed for the exit. "The ones at the fruit shop near my place taste just as good, and they’re only three yuan a pound."

"Okay," Li Guanqi replied obediently, following behind.

Outside, the glow of the setting sun bathed them, yet it filled Li Guanqi with an inexplicable melancholy. For some reason, today’s sunset carried a sorrowful air.

On the bus back to Su Cheng’s apartment, they took their usual seats—but this time, with one obvious difference:

Their hands remained tightly clasped the entire ride, like a couple deeply in love. Even seated, neither loosened their grip, as if it symbolized their mutual reliance and trust.

"Aren’t you worried?"

Li Guanqi suddenly grew pensive.

"About what?" Su Cheng countered.

"You know what I mean."

Her expression turned serious.

"You mean President Ji and Minister Gu?" Su Cheng asked in return.

"They might have already finished their discussion—maybe even agreed on how to deal with you," Li Guanqi reminded her.

"It doesn’t matter. As long as you’re with me, nothing else does." Su Cheng’s voice was tender as he tightened his grip on her hand, his emotions as firm and deep as his hold, as if to say that with her by his side, everything else was insignificant.

Li Guanqi felt a rush of shyness and helplessness. She looked down at their intertwined hands and lightly pinched the back of Su Cheng’s hand, murmuring in mock reproach, "I really don’t know what goes on in that head of yours…"

Su Cheng tilted his head with a grin, meeting her gaze. "What’s in my head?"

Then, with a playful chuckle, he placed his other hand gently over hers. "You, of course."

Heat rushed to Li Guanqi’s cheeks, but she forced herself to maintain a stern tone. "Can you be serious for once?"

"Alright, alright," Su Cheng conceded, immediately straightening up with an obedient nod.

Seeing him finally behave, Li Guanqi relaxed slightly before sighing, her voice laced with concern. "Xuan Ying and Zhao Yan might come looking for you tomorrow."

"Huh? What do you need me for?" Su Cheng blinked, his face full of confusion.

"They want to help you buy formal wear," Li Guanqi explained patiently. "Both the class gathering and her birthday require formal attire. They figured you might not have anything suitable, so they decided to personally pick something out for you."

Hearing this, Su Cheng looked surprised, but his expression quickly shifted into one of contemplation.

"How do you plan to respond?" Li Guanqi asked, her tone laced with concern and a hint of anticipation. "Are you going to accept their kindness?"

Su Cheng nodded, his expression pensive. "They’re being thoughtful… They actually noticed I don’t have formal wear and went out of their way to consider me. That’s rare…"

However, Li Guanqi’s beautiful eyes widened as if she’d just heard something shocking. She stared at Su Cheng in disbelief. "What did you just say?"

Her gaze was incredulous, clearly stunned by his words.

"Uh…" Su Cheng lightly scratched his cheek, hesitating before tentatively asking, "Do you not like the idea of them helping me pick out formal wear?"

"What do you think?"

Li Guanqi took a deep breath and countered with a hint of exasperation, "You’re teasing me on purpose, aren’t you?"

Long ago, she had already had a custom-made formal suit tailored for Su Cheng. Yet here he was, claiming he didn’t own any. The disappointment and confusion in her heart twisted into an uneasy knot.

"Haha, are you getting a little jealous~?"

Su Cheng released one hand and gently pinched her cheek with the other, a playful smirk on his face. "You could’ve just told them I already have formal wear. So why didn’t you?"

"Hmph." Li Guanqi pulled her face free, turning away with a haughty pout. "They didn’t tell me—I overheard it by accident," she grumbled.

Then, her tone shifted, turning cold and distant. "And stop teasing me like this. If you keep it up, I’ll really get angry!"

"Stay at my place tonight." Su Cheng’s sudden suggestion caught Li Guanqi off guard, freezing her mid-aloofness. She turned back, startled. "What?"

"You handle them," Su Cheng clarified. "I’m not good at navigating complicated situations like this."

"That’s not a good enough reason," Li Guanqi shook her head firmly. "I can just come early tomorrow morning. There’s no need to stay overnight."

Su Cheng’s expression faltered. After a brief silence, a subtle emotion flickered in his eyes. "I wasn’t talking about them."

Li Guanqi’s pupils constricted. Her voice trembled as she asked, "You mean…?"