Wish

At dusk, the bus stop.

The sun had lazily begun its descent, the temperature gradually dropping. A swirling breeze carried a quiet desolation, bringing with it a slight chill.

A weary bus slid into the station, halting hurriedly amidst the flickering streetlights. Then, two striking figures—a man and a woman—stepped out side by side, standing together as a picturesque silhouette against the twilight backdrop of the bus stop.

As the bus drove away, the dust kicked up by its exhaust swirled past, as if waving farewell to the two lonely figures.

They stood shoulder to shoulder, the air frozen in an almost palpable silence—either brewing an unknown storm or so empty that nothing would happen at all.

The large screen at the bus stop played advertisements, their noise blending into the clamor of passing traffic.

Then, the words from one of the ads sliced through the delicate atmosphere like a dagger.

["Yancheng Fertility Center—We Are Born for Pregnancy."]

["Yancheng Fertility Center—The Modern-Day 'Goddess of Fertility.'"]

As if to accentuate the ad’s message, a cold breeze brushed against Li Guanqi’s neck.

She wore only a thin dress and leggings, offering little defense against the chill, and she shivered involuntarily. Unfortunately, Su Cheng had no jacket to offer her at that moment—unlike the chivalrous gentlemen in stories who could warm a lady’s body and heart in times of need.

Yet, Su Cheng always found a way to work miracles.

With a wave of his right hand, a jacket seemed to materialize out of thin air, landing neatly in his grasp before draping gently over Li Guanqi’s shoulders. He patted it lightly and murmured, "Put this on."

But instead of warmth, Li Guanqi felt only a deeper, bone-chilling cold. Her body trembled uncontrollably, her face rapidly paling—a clear sign of her plummeting mood.

Ever since she saw Ling Ning’s message on Su Cheng’s phone, she had remained silent.

She resisted the urge to confront him, quietly waiting, hoping he would explain on his own.

But he never did.

And her heart grew colder by the minute.

To an outsider, it might have seemed like just a simple message from Ling Ning. But to her, it felt like something that could decide her future, rewrite the course of her life.

The means to obtain certain "items" could be face-to-face, through voice calls, or even written messages.

At that moment, Li Guanqi suddenly realized—Su Cheng might have already obtained at least three A-rank items from Ling Ning.

Though it was just speculation, she couldn’t shake the suspicion. And now, even knowing there were surveillance cameras around, Su Cheng had openly summoned a jacket from his system space without hesitation.

What did that imply?

It was undeniably a message—one meant for her.

Li Guanqi now understood she had no power to stop any of this.

Her only choice was to accept the truth. But even if she did, she still couldn’t comprehend how things had come to this.

She was utterly bewildered.

Hadn’t she already chosen to stand by his side?

Then why was Su Cheng so determined to act this way, so indifferent to her feelings?

"Am I no exception?"

Her voice was faint, laced with sorrow. The words laid bare her unease and tension as she turned to him, eyes filled with hope and pleading.

"Mm." Su Cheng’s reply was simple.

A car passed by, carrying his response away with it—but Li Guanqi had heard it clearly. Her face remained expressionless, yet her eyes darkened under a heavy, lifeless gray.

The bus stop was now draped in the curtain of night, enveloped in an indescribable tension.

If forced to put it into words, one could only call it despair and loneliness.

The two stood as still as statues until another bus arrived, paused, and opened its doors automatically.

Neither moved. The bus lingered briefly before closing its doors and slowly departing.

"Let’s go home," Su Cheng said, lifting his gaze as if he could see their destination beyond the darkening sky dotted with stars.

He took a few steps forward, his voice calm and unreadable. "They’re waiting for us."

Li Guanqi remained rooted in place, a statue amidst the dust, silently watching Su Cheng’s retreating figure in the night. Thoughts swirled until, at last, she voiced the question that had haunted her for so long:

"Why?"

Su Cheng paused slightly, then turned back when he realized she hadn’t moved. He approached, gently guiding her to sit on the bench at the bus stop before speaking in the softest tone possible:

"Digging deeper won’t do you any good."

"But I want to know!" Li Guanqi’s voice trembled with sudden emotion. Though her words were quiet, the resolve behind them only deepened the blow.

This was the first time she had ever been so willful. She lowered her head, as if trying to hide her crumbling composure, but the trembling in her shoulders betrayed her vulnerability.

"I... I don’t even know what I’m hoping for anymore..." Her voice faded into a whisper, dissolving into quiet sobs.

"Do you really want to know?" Su Cheng crouched before her, his tone solemn.

Without hesitation, Li Guanqi lifted her tear-filled eyes and nodded. She wanted to understand his thoughts—even if knowing wouldn’t change anything.

The desire was so overwhelming that tears spilled freely. She tried to hold them back, but grief had already taken hold. The pain in her heart unleashed a flood she couldn’t contain.

"I’ll write it in my diary for you."

Su Cheng’s voice was steady amidst the chaotic air between them. He took out a clean tissue and gently wiped her tears away.

"Didn’t we already agree on this?"

Li Guanqi fought to suppress her tears, but the torrent of emotion shattered her defenses.

Finally, she bowed her head, surrendering to the tears streaking down her delicate face. In a broken voice, she managed, "Can’t we... just talk to Junior Sister Gu? If we... if we just explain... I’m sure we can... we can..."

Her usual composure had been swallowed by emotion and the weight of her love.

Reason had nearly collapsed, exposing her helplessness, her despair, and the terror of losing him—of being powerless to stop it. So much so that she was now suggesting something completely out of character, something absurd.

"You need to calm down." Su Cheng’s response was firm as he gripped her shoulder, his gaze sharp as diamonds. "The system’s evaluation of you was: dignified without cowardice, assertive yet composed, clear-minded and discerning, with unwavering principles. Look at what you’re doing now."

Li Guanqi was stunned by his shout, but then she stubbornly lifted her head and stared at him with wide eyes.

"As the female lead, acting like this will cost you fans," Su Cheng said, picking up a tissue again to wipe away Li Guanqi’s tears. He continued, "Who knows how many fans are already saying your character is ruined. So, you need to issue a press release immediately, addressing everything head-on. Use self-deprecating humor to poke fun at your recent ‘character collapse’ moment."

Li Guanqi was baffled by his sudden remark, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. Gradually, her emotions settled, and she said quietly, "I... I was just letting my scheming side take over, trying to play pitiful to soften you up. I wanted to buy time so you’d temporarily drop that ridiculous plan and give everyone a chance to work together against it!"

"Wow~"

Su Cheng made an exaggerated, almost fearful expression, shaking his head repeatedly. "As expected of the female lead—calm, composed, and sharp-minded. No wonder so many people are switching sides to become your fans!"

His teasing made Li Guanqi’s expression dim again, but Su Cheng had a trick up his sleeve to turn things around. He reached out and grabbed her right hand.

Just as she looked up at him in confusion, an unexpected development made her pupils dilate instantly, her breath catching in her throat.

Su Cheng’s other hand now held a ring.

A ring that looked exactly like Gu Ruoxue’s!

Could it be… Gu Ruoxue’s ring?!

"This is my answer to your expectations."

Su Cheng held her trembling wrist with one hand while slowly sliding the ring toward her finger with the other. "It’s new. It belongs to you."

Li Guanqi was so shocked by his actions that she froze. As the ring drew closer, she stared blankly, unsure what to do. Instinctively, she pressed her index and middle fingers tightly together, leaving only her ring finger slightly raised—terrified he might put it on the wrong one.

The moment the ring was about to slip onto her ring finger, an overwhelming surge of emotion rose from the depths of her soul, nearly shattering her consciousness. Time itself seemed to stop.

The ring’s gleam reflected on her finger, and the world paused in its rotation just for this instant.

Finally—

The ring settled perfectly onto her ring finger.

The cool touch sent a jolt through her mind, making her eyes fly open. In that split second, her heart was flooded with sheer joy—yet a faint trace of fear lingered.

Around them, a sacred, solemn atmosphere enveloped the two, as if they had silently reached an unspoken understanding. Neither spoke a word.

"Even if you forget, I still hope a trace of me remains in some corner of your heart. That one day, you might remember me again."