Discourse

After Liu Qingyue left, the room fell back into silence.

Standing by the windowsill, Ji Qingyi remained lost in thought for a long while, pondering how to handle the marriage certificate.

She did have a treasure chest—hidden beneath a floorboard under her bed. Inside were items she cherished deeply, so much so that even Liu Qingyue didn’t know of its existence.

Storing the marriage certificate in the treasure chest seemed like a good idea, since no one else knew about it besides her.

Lost in her thoughts, the sound of a door closing echoed from outside.

Ji Qingyi snapped back to reality, realizing Su Cheng had returned. This immediately stirred the emotions she had just managed to calm, and she tensed up, turning her gaze toward the door.

After all, the two of them had just confirmed their relationship on the rooftop. She had even accepted the ring and said something embarrassing. The memory filled her with a thief-like sense of shame.

But more than that, she didn’t know how to face Su Cheng. Should she keep her distance as before, treating him with calm indifference? Or should she inch a little closer and open up to him?

After much deliberation, she decided to maintain their usual dynamic—neither cold nor overly affectionate. After all, she wasn’t even sure if Su Cheng would come looking for her. So, she resolved to wait a while longer.

If he didn’t come, then so be it.

If he did, she would act as usual.

But she overlooked one crucial detail—

Whether Su Cheng would change his approach toward her!

And so, she stood by the window, waiting quietly for several minutes. Yet, no knock came. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly.

"Could it be… Su Cheng is also afraid to face me?"

Ji Qingyi muttered to herself, unable to suppress her curiosity. She tiptoed to the door and pressed her ear against it, listening for any movement outside.

"These oranges are pretty good, right?"

That was Su Cheng’s voice.

"He went out to buy oranges?"

Ji Qingyi frowned at the thought.

"Mhm, they’re sweet."

That was Li Guanqi’s voice.

"You didn’t just go out for oranges, did you?"

Gu Ruoxue chimed in.

"Alright, out with it—what were you really up to, junior?"

Liu Qingyue took over the questioning. Then, the living room fell silent. Even without seeing, Ji Qingyi could tell everyone was waiting for Su Cheng’s answer.

She, too, bit her lip lightly and pressed closer to the door, straining to hear his response.

Yet, to everyone’s disappointment, Su Cheng deftly changed the subject: "By the way, is the club president asleep?"

Hearing him mention her, Ji Qingyi held her breath, her entire body tensing like a drawn bowstring as she eavesdropped intently.

"Not yet."

Liu Qingyue’s voice sounded somewhat weary. "Probably standing by the windowsill catching a cold breeze."

"Then I’ll bring her some oranges."

At this, Ji Qingyi quickly straightened up, smoothing her clothes and tucking loose strands of hair behind her ears.

Soon, footsteps approached, followed by three knocks on the door. Then, Su Cheng’s voice: "President, may I come in?"

Hearing this, she rose onto her tiptoes, careful not to make a sound—lest Su Cheng realize she had been listening at the door.

"Come in."

Ji Qingyi returned to the windowsill, lowering her voice as she responded. She tilted her head slightly to gaze out the window. Though there was no moonlight, the soft glow from the room outlined her delicate features clearly.

Click—

The doorknob turned, and Su Cheng stepped inside.

Ji Qingyi feigned composure. "What is it?"

As she spoke, she kept her eyes fixed outside, as if nothing could unsettle her. But only she knew—her heart was fluttering just a little.

"I bought some oranges earlier and thought I’d bring you a few."

Su Cheng walked over as he spoke, stopping beside her. Under the warm lamplight, they could see each other’s faces clearly—especially Ji Qingyi, whose beauty seemed to glow in the soft light.

She had a knack for choosing backdrops, at least no worse than those who spent their days wallowing in melancholy.

"I appreciate the gesture, but it’s not advisable to eat before bed."

Ji Qingyi shook her head, declining politely.

"Oh."

Su Cheng sounded disappointed, but his hands didn’t stop moving. Instead, he peeled an orange right then and there, its sweet fragrance instantly filling the room.

"Earlier, while picking out gifts, I tried a few oranges and found them unexpectedly delicious. So, I went back to buy some more…"

He began chatting casually, as if making small talk. Though Ji Qingyi’s expression remained neutral, she was listening intently.

When he finished, she even turned to ask, "So you went out just for oranges?"

This was what puzzled her.

After all, Su Cheng had avoided answering the girls’ question earlier. Now, she wanted to see if he would give her a straight answer.

But his next move caught her off guard. Su Cheng lifted a segment of orange to her lips, grinning. "They’re really good—want a taste?"

Seeing the orange so close, Ji Qingyi instinctively took a step back, avoiding it.

Being fed by someone else—she wasn’t ready for that. Even if she had fed Su Cheng many times before, being on the receiving end was entirely different.

"Was I too forward?"

Noticing her reaction, Su Cheng awkwardly withdrew his hand, offering an apologetic chuckle.

His response eased Ji Qingyi’s tension, but it also reminded her of the first time she had rejected him—

Back then, after being turned down, Su Cheng had said the exact same thing!

And recalling how, on the rooftop earlier, he had brought up their first meeting…

She couldn’t help but replay the memory in her mind.

There won’t be a second time.

With that thought—

"No, I was just startled by the sudden gesture."

Ji Qingyi shook her head, denying that she had meant to refuse.

"Then… say ‘ah~’"

Seizing the opportunity, Su Cheng eagerly raised the orange again.

This time, Ji Qingyi elegantly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, then leaned forward slightly. Her small, rosy lips parted as she delicately took the orange segment, covering her mouth with one hand as she chewed slowly—exuding both grace and an unconscious allure.

"Mhm, the sweetness is just right. Quite good."

Under Su Cheng’s expectant gaze, she nodded in approval.

"Ah~"

But the next moment, Su Cheng handed her the remaining orange, then opened his mouth wide, clearly waiting to be fed in return.

Ji Qingyi froze.

"Ah~"

Su Cheng repeated the sound, his meaning unmistakable—Your turn to feed me now.

Staring at the half-eaten orange in his hand, Ji Qingyi hesitated briefly before finally reaching out. After all, they had just confirmed their relationship on the rooftop. Indulging him a little was only fair.

That was how she rationalized it. With a composed expression, she plucked a segment and held it out. "Here."

Her tone suggested this was merely returning the favor—a transaction with no lingering implications.

"Mmm… delicious."

Su Cheng closed his eyes in satisfaction as he chewed.

"You still haven’t answered my question."

Ji Qingyi handed the rest of the orange back to him, steering the conversation elsewhere.

"Well, I also bought some cold medicine."

Su Cheng produced a box of medicine, holding it up as proof.

This left Ji Qingyi utterly astonished. "You caught a cold?"

In her memory, aside from his past heart condition, Su Cheng had always maintained good health. How could he possibly fall ill now?

A flicker of nervousness stirred within her.

This was uncharted territory for her—she had no idea how to handle such an unexpected situation.

"Yeah."

Su Cheng even theatrically sniffled for effect before asking, "Do you know why I got sick?"

"Did you catch a chill?"

"No."

Su Cheng shook his head, then fixed Ji Qingyi with a solemn gaze, declaring with utmost seriousness, "It’s because I have no resistance against you."

With those words, the room fell into abrupt silence, as if even the air had frozen, thick with an eerie tension.

Su Cheng had just unleashed his ultimate move: [Cheesy Pickup Line]!

Cheesy pickup lines, as the name suggests, are those cringe-inducing, overly saccharine declarations of affection that reek of clichéd romance—so nauseating they could make listeners gag.

Deploying this tactic typically ruins the mood, leaving the recipient uncomfortable, awkward, or even humiliated. The success rate for such attempts is a mere 9%—unless, of course, the deliverer is exceptionally attractive, in which case it skyrockets to 90%!

But here’s the catch:

While Su Cheng is undeniably good-looking—

His opponent is the heiress of a corporate empire!

Had he lost his mind?

Intentionally sabotaging the pleasant atmosphere to make her squirm?

So, the question remains:

How would Ji Qingyi respond to this cheesy line?

A faint blush gradually spread across Ji Qingyi’s porcelain cheeks. She quickly turned her face away, as if to hide her flustered state. "Stop spouting nonsense. Cut the sweet talk!"

Her voice trembled slightly at the end, betraying how thoroughly she’d been affected, though she still struggled to maintain her haughty demeanor.

This reaction, however, made perfect sense. While cheesy pickup lines might come across as unbearably corny and revolting to women who spend a lot of time online, they happen to be the deadliest weapon against a very specific demographic.

And as fate would have it, Ji Qingyi was a card-carrying member of that group!

Beneath her icy exterior lay a heart of pure innocence. Even with a smartphone, she only used it to look up information, living like a girl completely detached from internet culture.

Having gleaned most of her knowledge from books, when had she ever encountered such lighthearted, playful, and affection-filled words? No wonder she was caught completely off guard!

Absolutely justified!

"Ah, President Ji, you’re just too adorable…"

In the next instant, Su Cheng rested his chin on his hand, tilting his head slightly as he gazed at Ji Qingyi, delivering a remark that struck like a precision-guided missile.

Ji Qingyi’s flushed face instantly darkened. She turned back with a stormy expression, her voice icy. "Do you really find this amusing?"

Her tone was sharp and frigid—clearly, she was furious!

To her, this was outright mockery. After the scrambled eggs incident, she harbored a deep aversion to that word.

And "adorable" didn’t suit her at all.

This was undeniably ridicule!

"Adorable?"

"Yes, exactly—adorable!"

Yet Su Cheng doubled down, adopting a matter-of-fact tone as he stood by his statement. "It’s the most fitting word for you. I think you’re adorable!"

"Then let me make one thing clear—I despise—"

Ji Qingyi gritted her teeth, ready to unleash her wrath.

But before she could, Su Cheng cut her off with a retort that left her speechless.

"President Ji, I genuinely can’t think of a better word to describe you than ‘adorable.’ If I used terms like ‘beautiful,’ ‘elegant,’ or ‘graceful’… what if one day I saw a less-than-perfect side of you? The disillusionment would be devastating!"

Here, Su Cheng’s expression grew earnest, his voice solemn and slightly louder as he pressed a hand to his chest and declared, "But ‘adorable’ is different. No matter what you do, I’ll always find you adorable!"

"Faced with someone as adorable as you, how could I possibly resist?"

This line perfectly bookended his earlier cheesy pickup line, leaving Ji Qingyi frozen in place. The words echoed relentlessly in her mind as she stared blankly at Su Cheng, her anger crumbling in an instant, replaced by sheer mortification.

"President Ji, so adorable~"

"Get out!"

"Right away."