Just as the master and servant were discussing how to confess their feelings, the bathroom door in the living room suddenly creaked open with a soft "squeak."
Immediately after, Li Guanqi stepped out, wearing a black nightgown, her expression unreadable.
Her long hair, protected from the water by a shower cap, gleamed dark and lustrous under the light behind her.
As she emerged from the bathroom, her fair skin carried a faint, elegant fragrance, and paired with her picturesque beauty, she exuded a unique charm that stirred the heart at a glance.
The moment she stepped out, her gaze landed on the young woman quietly reading on the sofa.
This girl's presence was even more extraordinary—merely sitting there under the lamplight, absorbed in her book, yet somehow radiating an overwhelming impact.
It was as though, even if the world were ending at this very moment, she would remain unshaken, unmoved even if Mount Tai crumbled before her.
Her confidence and composure suggested that, even in the face of catastrophe, she would remain calm and unfazed.
Even as Li Guanqi approached with light steps and sat down opposite her, the girl remained engrossed in the small booklet in her hands, not sparing a glance.
"Senior Gu, I've drawn the bath for you," Li Guanqi said politely, her tone measured.
Since this was Gu Ruoxue's first time staying overnight—and because she was doing so as a favor—it was only natural for Li Guanqi to take care of her.
Hearing this, Gu Ruoxue finally closed the book and looked up. "My apologies, I was lost in thought just now… Did you say something?"
"You can go take a bath now. I’ll head back to the room to prepare the bedding. We’ll be sharing a room tonight."
As she spoke, Li Guanqi gestured toward the vacant room next to them to explain the arrangement.
Su Cheng’s apartment was a standard three-bedroom unit, so sharing a room was the most practical option.
Of course, squeezing two people into one bed was out of the question—someone would have to sleep on the floor.
After all, even between girls, boundaries and mutual respect were necessary.
"Could you show me the room first?" Gu Ruoxue stood up with a faint smile.
"Of course."
Li Guanqi then led Gu Ruoxue to the bedroom. Upon seeing that there was only one bed—though spacious enough for two—Gu Ruoxue’s brow lifted slightly.
"Don’t worry, Senior. I’ve prepared another bed."
Li Guanqi delivered the line with deadpan nonchalance before crouching in an empty corner and, as if by magic, producing a fully furnished bed out of thin air.
Faced with this sudden turn of events, Gu Ruoxue was momentarily taken aback.
She hadn’t expected such a move—storing an entire bed inside a spatial ring. But she quickly recovered and praised sincerely, "You’ve come well-prepared, Junior."
"I thought bringing just the bedding would be enough," Li Guanqi admitted as she adjusted the sheets. "But I accidentally packed everything and only then realized how spacious the ring’s storage is."
"I’ll go freshen up first, then."
Gu Ruoxue nodded without further questions and turned to leave for the bathroom.
Once Gu Ruoxue was gone, Li Guanqi sat on the bed in thought for a moment before finally standing up and heading out as well. She paused briefly outside another guest room, hesitating, before finally knocking on the door.
Knock—
The door soon opened, revealing Liu Qingyue's soft voice from inside: "Who is it?"
"Senior, it's me."
Li Guanqi spoke up, but her gaze instinctively drifted past Liu Qingyue, landing on Ji Qingyi, who was sitting on the bed behind her.
At that moment, Ji Qingyi sat by the bedside, cradling a phone in her hands, her eyes fixed on the screen. Yet, her expression was uncharacteristically hesitant and conflicted, as if she were grappling with some thorny issue.
But the next second, as if sensing Li Guanqi's stare, Ji Qingyi suddenly turned her head to look at her, her piercing gaze locking onto her with an intensity that made Li Guanqi deeply uncomfortable.
So, she averted her eyes and turned back to Liu Qingyue, asking, "I’ve finished tidying up my side. I wanted to check if you needed any help here?"
"We appreciate the thought, but we won’t trouble you for now, Junior Li," Liu Qingyue replied, her tone carrying a note of urgency. With that, she shut the door with a bang, leaving Li Guanqi standing outside.
Hearing the sound of the door closing behind her, Li Guanqi blinked in mild surprise but said nothing more. Just as she was about to return to her own room—
"Miss, have you made up your mind yet?"
It was Liu Qingyue's voice.
Li Guanqi paused mid-step for a few seconds before continuing toward her room. However, after walking a short distance, she turned back—this time heading toward the kitchen cabinet.
She retrieved a few apples from her ring, washed them carefully, sliced them, and placed them into a blender. Setting the blender to its highest speed, she soon produced a glass of fresh apple juice.
Then, holding the juice, she stood outside Su Cheng’s door.
After a brief hesitation, she reached out and knocked.
Thud…
A moment later, Su Cheng’s voice came from inside: "The door’s unlocked. Come in."
Hearing this, Li Guanqi took a deep breath and pushed the door open. She saw Su Cheng sitting at his desk, a pen in hand as he scribbled something, his lips moving slightly as he muttered to himself.
Noticing the movement, Su Cheng turned around and frowned at Li Guanqi. "What are you doing here so late at night instead of resting?"
"I noticed you hadn’t left your room all evening, so I made you some juice. Drink up and get some rest."
Li Guanqi walked over and placed the glass on the desk, though her eyes briefly flickered to the diary lying there. She only glanced at it for a second before deliberately looking away.
The handwriting was small and densely packed, making it impossible to decipher the contents. But her goal wasn’t to read it—it was to confirm…
Whether this diary was The Fundamental Laws!
And now, it seemed her suspicions were correct.
Which meant this diary was meant for her.
"Thanks. You’re always so thoughtful, Guanqi."
Su Cheng gave her a smile before picking up the juice and taking a sip. After finishing it, he licked the lingering drops from the corner of his lips, looking thoroughly pleased.
"I’ll leave you to it, then. Get some rest."
As she spoke, Li Guanqi’s gaze unconsciously shifted to the phone on the desk. Ji Qingyi’s troubled expression while holding her phone earlier had left her feeling uneasy.
Ding-dong~
As luck would have it, the moment she turned around, the phone screen on the table lit up. Li Guanqi's beautiful eyes flickered slightly, but before she could get a clear look, Su Cheng also turned, appearing ready to check the phone.
This triggered a reflexive reaction in Li Guanqi—she stepped forward swiftly, snatched up the phone, and powered it off.