Affection can be accommodated but not indulged

The scene rewinds two hours earlier.

On the deck of a luxurious cruise ship, two young women stood by the railing, gazing thoughtfully at a distant figure perched on the reef. Their expressions were calm, but their eyes flickered with unspoken emotions, as if burdened by too many hidden concerns, lending them an air of solitude and melancholy.

"What are you thinking about, Young Miss?"

The girl on the left, with short hair, asked softly.

She was Liu Qingyue, though she wasn’t wearing her usual maid attire. Instead, she was dressed in casual sportswear that hugged her flawless curves, her youthful beauty radiating vitality. Clearly, she had just finished exercising.

The girl on the right wore a plain white dress, her long hair fluttering in the wind. Her dull, indifferent eyes exuded an aloofness, as if the entire world held no meaning to her—yet a faint warmth surfaced whenever she glanced at the distant figure.

This was Ji Qingyi.

"What do you think he’s thinking about?"

Ji Qingyi’s voice was cool and detached as she watched her fiancé in the distance, though a trace of curiosity lingered beneath her words.

"Probably pondering the meaning of life?"

Liu Qingyue answered uncertainly, then narrowed her eyes as she continued, "After all, everything he’s worked so hard for has just crumbled. That’s a devastating blow for anyone, let alone when it was his sole purpose. He must be struggling."

“And that’s your reason for calling him decadent and fallen?”

Ji Qingyi frowned slightly.

"Exactly."

Liu Qingyue nodded and explained, "In the past, he was practically like a zealot—convinced that hard work alone could achieve his dreams, that pouring a hundred times more effort than anyone else would guarantee success."

She paused before adding, "And he believed his transmigration had a purpose, a mission. Even if he couldn’t articulate it, he was certain. As long as he kept striving, he’d make it happen."

At this, she sighed. "How pitiful."

"Is the outcome really that important?"

Ji Qingyi’s voice lowered.

"To him, of course. Remember how he won that championship? Only because the system backed him up. Without it, he never would’ve stood a chance."

Liu Qingyue shrugged, smiling faintly. "Now he’s facing the same dilemma. The foundation he built his entire life on has collapsed in an instant, leaving him with only two choices."

"What choices?"

Ji Qingyi asked curiously.

Liu Qingyue tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and murmured, "Either rebuild… or perish with it."

"So you think he’d choose death?"

Ji Qingyi pressed.

"I never said that."

Liu Qingyue shook her head. "He might give up, or he might confront his deepest vulnerabilities and rise again. Ultimately, it’s his decision."

"Fine. Then I’ll decide for him—he won’t choose death."

Ji Qingyi declared abruptly, her gaze fixed on the distant figure with inexplicable confidence. She turned with a faint smile. "Because only by living can one create miracles, no?"

"Honestly, now I’ve got no choice either."

Liu Qingyue pouted, then glanced toward Su Cheng, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Still, this feeling… it’s nostalgic."

And so, they stood silently by the railing, watching the lonely figure in the distance, their gazes filled with complex emotions—yet all softened by a shared tenderness, as if silently wondering what choice he would make.

They couldn’t intervene.

This was Su Cheng’s moment to find his own answer—and to give them one as well. All they could do was respect his decision, even if he chose death. They wouldn’t panic. Why?

First, they wouldn’t rob him of the chance to try. And second, just because they weren’t stopping him didn’t mean others wouldn’t.

For instance, three factions were already observing this very scene—

Just then—

Ji Qingyi’s sharp senses caught a gaze. She turned, only to find Cornelia and her companion watching.

The discovery disappointed her.

She had hoped it was someone else.

But after a moment, she relaxed. Even if she couldn’t detect it, she was certain—someone else was watching from the shadows.

"Do you think Gu Ruoxue is keeping an eye on this?"

After a long silence, Ji Qingyi finally couldn’t resist asking.

She suspected Gu Ruoxue had also regained her memories and was monitoring them, using some method to conceal her presence—otherwise, Ji Qingyi would’ve sensed her.

"Her uniqueness hardly needs elaboration."

Liu Qingyue withdrew her gaze and looked at Ji Qingyi, speaking slowly and clearly: "She’s probably observing everything from the sidelines right now, acting as a 'spectator.' Since she hasn’t shown herself, we don’t need to take any drastic actions for the time being."

"Also, I’ve already sent someone to keep an eye on Li Guanqi. Any signs of awakening will be intercepted immediately. But your words just now reminded me of something."

Liu Qingyue rubbed her temples, looking slightly exhausted. "Based on their conversation in the living room that night, I suspect Su Cheng has given all the system items to Gu Ruoxue. That’s why we can’t detect anything. Gu Ruoxue is a ticking time bomb—if she wants, she could cause chaos at any moment."

Moreover, according to her investigations, in this world, Gu Ruoxue is still Su Cheng’s first love!

There are likely many reasons why she hasn’t appeared:

First, she’s also observing Su Cheng, who hasn’t regained his memories or the system.

Second, she’s focused on preventing the Ji family from taking any extreme measures, keeping them from acting recklessly.

Sending Cornelia abroad, for example, falls under the category of extreme actions.

For now, this matter will have to be put on hold.

Hearing this, Ji Qingyi’s expression turned serious. She took a deep breath, suppressing her irritation, and looked into the distance again. "Do you think she’ll help Li Guanqi?"

"I don’t see any reason for her to interfere."

Liu Qingyue shook her head. "The only way Li Guanqi could regain his memories is through Su Cheng. But as long as Su Cheng is in our hands, there’s no chance of that happening."

"Mm."

Ji Qingyi nodded and turned her gaze back to the distance. Beside her, Liu Qingyue also looked ahead, both lost in thought, their expressions contemplative.

Time passed swiftly.

Before they knew it, dawn broke. As the sun rose, a beam of light suddenly descended, enveloping a distant figure.

The dreamlike, breathtaking scene made Ji Qingyi and Liu Qingyue widen their eyes in awe, their breaths catching as they stared intently at the person.

"Miss, the budget’s being spent on some strange things!"

Liu Qingyue suddenly exclaimed, pointing at Su Cheng, who was bathed in the special spotlight of sunlight. "This has to be an effect he added for himself!"

However, Ji Qingyi ignored her. Instead, she had already pulled out her phone at some point and was carefully recording the beautiful moment.

Seeing this, Liu Qingyue grew anxious and hurried over. "Your phone’s camera isn’t good enough—use mine!"

Ji Qingyi shot her a glance. "Quiet!"

"..."

Liu Qingyue’s face darkened, but she then turned her attention back to the figure and raised her own phone, aiming it at the scene to take a photo.

Unfortunately, she didn’t capture the divine moment. Instead, she got a shot of someone tripping and falling in a rather silly manner.

"Tsk..."

She sighed regretfully, murmuring to herself as she stared at the figure. "No matter how high the resolution is, it’s useless."

"That one’s not bad either. Send it to me later."

Ji Qingyi leaned over to glance at the photo and nodded in approval.

Liu Qingyue immediately brightened. "No problem—let’s trade."

She quickly tried to send it to Ji Qingyi, but Ji Qingyi outright refused. "No, this one’s for my personal collection."

Liu Qingyue’s expression stiffened further, but she forced a smile. "Miss, you could send it to me first. I’ll touch it up for you—it’ll look even more beautiful afterward."

Ji Qingyi seemed to hesitate for a few seconds before nodding. "Fine, I’ll send it to you."

At the moment, Ji Qingyi lacked the photo-editing skills that most young women possessed.

Liu Qingyue let out a relieved sigh and quickly forwarded the photo she’d just taken. After completing their exchange, both of them wore satisfied expressions, as if the earlier tension had never happened, and they resumed admiring the beautiful morning scenery.

Suddenly, Su Cheng left the rocky shore and walked straight into a 24-hour fast-food restaurant. A few minutes later, under their watchful eyes, he came out holding a bag of fries.

"It seems I’ve won."

Ji Qingyi smiled faintly as she eyed the food in his hand, but then her tone turned puzzled. "But... what is that he’s holding?"

"Fries."

Liu Qingyue glanced over and replied flatly. "They’re not bad. Eating them plain might be a bit dull, but you can dip them in ketchup or mayo—adds more flavor."

"Why would he go out of his way to buy something like that?" Ji Qingyi couldn’t wrap her head around it. "Is it because it’s cheap and filling?"

"It’s neither cheap nor filling."

"Then why...?"

This was the first time Ji Qingyi had seen Su Cheng buy something like this, especially at such a moment. It left her baffled—was there some hidden meaning or backstory to it?

"Maybe this is just what he wanted to express."

Liu Qingyue frowned slightly and murmured, "In a narrow sense, it's about living in the moment. Broadly speaking, both the seagull with lofty ambitions and the seagull content with the present can be happy."

"Seagulls?"

Ji Qingyi grew increasingly puzzled.

"Miss, let's buy some fries and go feed the seagulls at the pier. Then I'll explain it to you properly."