Teasing

Yet only after doing all this did she realize the absurdity of her actions, leaving her at a loss for how to explain herself. A faint blush crept up her neck.

She tucked her phone behind her back and raised her head to meet Su Cheng’s amused gaze. Instantly, her eyes flickered with unease—an unusually flustered expression that was oddly endearing.

But in the next moment, her face smoothed over, regaining its usual composure and calm. "You’re so focused on your writing," she said evenly. "Don’t let this distract you. I’ll bring your phone back tomorrow morning. I should go now."

With that, she clutched the phone and practically bolted for the door, her hurried steps betraying the lameness of her excuse—uncharacteristically out of sync with her usual demeanor.

Sure enough, before she could even step out, Su Cheng called after her, "Wait a second!"

Li Guanqi stiffened mid-step, though her face remained the picture of serenity. She turned back slowly, her eyes feigning innocent confusion, as if she couldn’t fathom why Su Cheng had stopped her.

"Take the cup with you too."

Su Cheng gestured toward the empty glass on the table.

"Right, of course."

Li Guanqi nodded calmly, picked up the glass with practiced nonchalance, and headed for the door again. But just as one foot crossed the threshold—

"Hold on!"

Su Cheng’s voice rang out once more.

Li Guanqi’s posture wavered slightly.

"Is there something else?" she asked, turning back with forced composure.

"Could you grab me an iced cola from the fridge?"

Su Cheng offered her a small smile.

"No carbonated drinks at night."

"Then coffee. I’ve got more writing to do."

"Fine…"

Li Guanqi exhaled quietly and strode out without hesitation. As she passed the bathroom, the light was still on, the sound of running water unmistakable. Her gaze flickered toward it—a shadowy figure visible through the steam, likely finishing up a shower.

She didn’t linger, though, making straight for the fridge. After stashing the glass in her ring storage, she pulled out a bottle of coffee and returned to Su Cheng’s room, placing it quietly on the desk.

"I won’t disturb you further. Get some rest soon."

She turned to leave, but—

"One more thing!"

Su Cheng’s voice halted her again.

Li Guanqi pivoted smoothly, her expression unreadable. "Yes?"

"My hand’s sore. Can’t open the cap."

Su Cheng rubbed his wrist apologetically. "Mind helping me out?"

"...Oh. Sure."

She twisted the cap off and handed the bottle back. Su Cheng took a small sip, set it aside, and resumed scribbling in his notebook.

"I’m going to bed now."

After a brief glance at him, Li Guanqi turned toward the door. But just as her fingers brushed the handle, she felt the weight of a scorching gaze on her back.

When Su Cheng stayed silent, she feigned indifference and pulled the door open—only to freeze at his devilish voice before she could step out.

"Where’s my phone?"

Hearing the word "phone," Li Guanqi's pupils constricted slightly. She gritted her teeth, turned to face Su Cheng, and said with displeasure, "Shouldn't you have asked me about this first?"

She had figured it out by now—this Su Cheng was deliberately making things difficult for her, clearly just teasing her!

And yet, he had promised her just this afternoon at the bus stop!

This anger—she absolutely had to let it out today!

With that thought, Li Guanqi grew even more upset. Her cheeks puffed up adorably, like an inflated mushroom, as she stomped over to him. From her ring, she conjured a rolled-up newspaper stick, raised it high, and brought it down hard on Su Cheng's head—

A solid whack!

"Thwack!"

A crisp, satisfying sound echoed through the room.

"Hmph."

Li Guanqi tossed the newspaper stick aside, then turned and plopped onto the sofa, deliberately turning her face away in a sulk. Despite her anger, the faint blush on her cheeks was unmistakable.

This was her current activated skill: [Sulking].

Its effect? To steer the conversation away from the topic of the phone, preventing Su Cheng from pressing further—otherwise, all her efforts would be wasted.

Given that Su Cheng, who possessed evasive abilities, hadn’t dodged, her move had clearly worked.

Now, she just had to wait for him to coax her.

As a girl who usually kept her emotions under wraps, her ability to express feelings was practically zero. Normally, it was impossible to tell whether she was happy or upset. But now, with this gap moe behavior, she was certain Su Cheng would be completely captivated!

Still, while this tactic was effective, it wasn’t foolproof.

Because—

She had to achieve her goal!

"I shouldn’t have teased you. Don’t be mad."

After a moment, Su Cheng’s voice reached her. He sat down beside her, his tone placating.

Hearing Su Cheng yield, Li Guanqi’s heart softened instantly. Deep down, she was an easy girl to appease.

But remembering her objective, she suppressed the warmth bubbling in her chest. She kept her face stern, covered her ears, shut her eyes, and shook her head—

A full-blown tsundere display: I won’t listen, I won’t look, I won’t speak, I won’t even think about it!

Seeing this, Su Cheng reached out and gently stroked Li Guanqi’s silky hair, then leaned in close to her ear.

"Don’t be angry," he murmured.

The warmth of his breath brushed against her sensitive earlobe, sending a faint shiver through her body.

"Eek—!"

Realizing she was on the verge of crumbling and forgiving him, Li Guanqi snapped her eyes open. In one swift motion, she twisted away from Su Cheng’s touch, stood up straight, and fixed him with an intense, unblinking stare—like a spinning zoetrope.

She had switched modes. The previous adorable, sulky mode had allowed Su Cheng to get too close, making it too easy for her to soften and forgive him on the spot.

This new mode, however, was all coldness and detachment—creating enough distance to keep Su Cheng at bay.

In this state, she could feel her mind sharpen, as if doused in liquid nitrogen, becoming unnervingly clear.

"Sorry," Su Cheng shrugged, putting on an innocent face. "I know I was wrong."

"Oh? So you’ve already forgotten what you promised me this afternoon?"

Li Guanqi glared at him, her voice icy. "You always forget the promises you make."

"I think it’s pretty normal for couples to joke around harmlessly," Su Cheng countered.

"Oh, so that's how it is. I'm truly honored then," Li Guanqi said in a faintly melancholic tone, her expression darkening with visible dissatisfaction toward Su Cheng's attitude. After all, Su Cheng had broken their promise yet again, leaving her feeling wronged.

Noticing this, Su Cheng quickly stood up in an attempt to make amends, stepping in front of her so they stood face to face. With a solemn expression, he spoke, "Alright then, I sincerely apologize for my actions. Please go easy on me."

As he spoke, Su Cheng raised his hand, pressing his index and middle fingers against Li Guanqi’s forehead. He continued, "I'm sorry, Guanqi. This is the last time."

"You’re apologizing, so why are you suddenly throwing in anime references?" Li Guanqi shook off his hand, struggling to keep her voice steady as she pressed her lips tightly together.

"But this really is the last time," Su Cheng insisted earnestly, his eyes locked onto hers.

"You—"

Li Guanqi opened her mouth but ultimately averted her gaze, unable to bear the intensity of Su Cheng’s unwavering sincerity.

Deep down, she wished he really was just joking around with anime tropes.

The room fell silent again.

A few seconds later—

"I… I don’t want this to be the last time," she finally relented, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Then let’s do it again!"

With that, Su Cheng reached out and gently brushed his fingers against Li Guanqi’s forehead, his movements slow and tender. This time, however, the moment seemed to stretch into eternity.

Su Cheng’s gaze held an unfathomable depth, as if teetering between farewell and reluctant acceptance, making her breath slow almost unconsciously.

But then, his hand shifted from her forehead to the back of her head, pulling her gently forward until their foreheads touched.

Their breaths mingled in the air between them,

as though sharing not just the moment, but their very fates and emotions.

Time seemed to freeze—thoughts stilled, senses suspended—leaving only the wild, exhilarated pounding of their hearts to fill the silence.

A long moment later—

"This is the last hundred million times."

"Isn’t that still just once?"

"With the 'human' radical."

"That’s fine then."

They pulled apart, and Su Cheng turned away first, his voice laced with amusement as he said, "Alright, you can keep my phone for now. I’ll keep writing and hand it to you tomorrow."

Li Guanqi responded with a quiet, obedient hum before turning and leaving the bedroom, closing the door behind her as she headed to her own room.

But the moment she stepped inside, the bathroom door creaked open, and Gu Ruoxue emerged in her white pajamas. Instead of returning to her room, she made her way to the rooftop, staring into the pitch-black night in silence.

She hadn’t been there long when footsteps interrupted her thoughts. Turning, she saw Su Cheng approaching with a cup of warm milk in hand.

"Is this the only trick you know how to play?"