Something Is Not When It Is

In the bustling locker room, students fresh from the ordeal of gym class hurriedly rinsed off.

Only Su Cheng sat alone on a bench, chin resting on his hands, his gaze vacant as if lost in thought.

What awaited him next was an encounter with Senior Liu Qingyue—an uncertainty that left his mind swirling with unease.

Around him, classmates chattered excitedly about after-school club activities and evening plans, their chaotic conversations like noise cutting through his contemplation.

"Tch…" He sighed, picking up the sweat-soaked gym clothes he needed to wash before heading home.

Just as he stood, a sudden burst of cheers erupted from a group of boys nearby. "We won, we won!"

Su Cheng instinctively turned and saw them huddled around an expensive handheld console, celebrating a victory in their game.

"Youth is so shallow," he muttered, this time with a heavier, more complicated sigh. Though silent, the rise and fall of his chest betrayed his tangled emotions.

Watching those carefree classmates, envy prickled inside him. Denying it would be a lie.

He longed for that same reckless, untroubled adolescence, yet fate seemed determined to oppose him, forcing him to tread carefully every day, afraid of drawing attention by making the slightest misstep.

If everyone had a youth—

when would his ever shine?

...

At three in the afternoon, sunlight bathed the bus stop as vehicles streamed past.

Beneath the shelter stood an elegant figure beside the timetable, her hair and skirt dancing in the breeze. The black thigh-high socks accentuating her graceful legs made her all the more striking, drawing glances from passersby.

"Su Cheng, junior~"

Liu Qingyue waved, her smile radiant as she called out to him.

But the moment Su Cheng stepped out of the school gates, his expression darkened—especially at the sight of that smile, which filled him with disgust and irritation.

After all, he was being blackmailed by the very woman before him!

To him, she was already branded in his mind with multiple labels: unpredictable, chaotic-evil, honey-tongued, hiding knives behind her smiles.

A wicked, vile woman—Liu Qingyue!

Approaching the stop, her artificial grin stoked his anger, though he quickly suppressed it. With a cold snort, he ignored her.

As a transmigrator, he knew better than to yield easily, even in dire straits.

"Why so cold?"

Liu Qingyue feigned hurt, pouting. "Did you forget what you did to me this morning?"

As she spoke, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing pale skin and the elegant curve of her neck—an alluring gesture dripping with charm.

Su Cheng shot her a sidelong glare and waved impatiently. "Cut to the chase. I need to get home for dinner."

"Ah, is someone waiting for you?"

Liu Qingyue teased.

"None of your business," he retorted flatly.

Yet inwardly, his stomach dropped. Of course she knew everything—he had no secrets from her.

Just as Liu Qingyue prepared another provocation, a bus pulled up beside them with a honk.

"Come on, let's talk on the ride. No need to rush," she said with a smile.

Cornered, Su Cheng could only nod in reluctant agreement.

...

Su Cheng sat by the window, and as expected, Liu Qingyue took the seat beside him, leaning in uncomfortably close.

"Well, do you have any questions?" Liu Qingyue whispered into his ear.

A chill ran down Su Cheng's spine. He could clearly sense the seductive tone of her voice and the vivid redness of her lips, prompting him to instinctively shift away.

"Stay away from me!"

His voice was stern as he demanded, "Why are you investigating me?"

Liu Qingyue's eyes shimmered with amusement as she teased, "Why don't you tell me how you're feeling first?"

"What kind of feeling do you expect from being threatened?" Su Cheng snapped, though his guard was at its peak.

"So you see it as a threat..." Liu Qingyue murmured to herself before lazily meeting his gaze. "The letter bore a mark of love, yet you accuse me of threatening you. How disappointing."

"Cut the act!" Su Cheng glared at her. "What’s your real motive? Why did you help cover up my illness? Are you trying to push me into a pit of fire?!"

"How could that be?"

Liu Qingyue batted her eyelashes, pouting in mock hurt. "We merely acted in accordance with your own wishes. Didn’t you want it kept quiet?"

"'We'?" Su Cheng’s pupils constricted at the word, a surge of alarm rising within him. "Who else is involved?"

He had assumed this matter concerned only Liu Qingyue, but now it seemed far more complicated.

"Well..." Liu Qingyue blinked playfully, her gaze lingering on him with a smile. "Fine. The truth is, we’ve been observing you for a while. We know everything about you—your dreams, your likes, your dislikes. But we’ve always respected you, never interfering or disturbing you..."

Su Cheng clenched his fists, his eyes locked onto her. "If this isn’t interference, then what is?"

Unfazed, Liu Qingyue met his glare and sighed softly. "Now, we have no choice but to step in. Your condition will only worsen if left untreated. If this continues, death is the only outcome."

"And what does that have to do with you?"

Su Cheng shot back, distrust dripping from every word.

"Of course it does."

Liu Qingyue’s voice was gentle. "Because, at least for now, you’re my young master."

She pulled a stack of letters from her bag and handed them to Su Cheng. "These are the only things your grandfather left for you. Read them, and you might understand."

"Young master?"

Su Cheng hesitated for a moment before finally taking the letters. He broke the seal and unfolded the paper, only for his pupils to dilate in shock at the sight of the document inside—a marriage contract. When he saw the signature, his breath hitched.

"You’re Ji Qingyi?!" He looked up at Liu Qingyue, horrified.

"Unfortunately, no." Liu Qingyue shook her head. "I’m just a humble maid sent by her to approach you. Your fiancée is the princess of the Ji Family."

"That’s impossible!" Su Cheng’s voice trembled with disbelief as he stared at the letter, his fingers shaking. "No way... I don’t even know who my grandfather was. You can’t just produce some random document and claim it’s connected to me. Who do you think you’re fooling?!"

"Why would we lie?" Liu Qingyue leaned closer, her breath warm against his skin. "Think about it—what reason would we have to deceive you?"

"I don’t understand, and I can’t comprehend it." Su Cheng stared blankly at Liu Qingyue, his mind in complete disarray. This news was simply too absurd for him to process.

The Ji Family was no stranger to him—it was the most powerful financial dynasty in the country, with businesses spanning the globe. Though he didn’t know the exact scale, it was undeniably a colossal entity.

And him? Just an ordinary guy from the countryside. Even if his grandfather were still alive, he would’ve surely passed away by now—otherwise, he wouldn’t have abandoned Su Cheng.

How could he possibly have any connection to the Ji Family? Was there any chance the girl before him had forged this marriage contract to deceive him?

Even if it were real, why would they ever take an interest in him? A sickly, worthless nobody—even if he had some academic talent—held no value to an elite family like the Ji’s. There was no benefit, no sentiment worth considering.

It all felt surreal, leaving him dazed and utterly lost. He couldn’t make sense of any of it. Why was something so bizarre happening to him?

Was this the start of his romantic comedy?

A future wife? A fiancée? Since when had his life taken on the hues of a teenage love story?!

Su Cheng fell silent, his gaze fixed on the marriage contract as he remained wordless for a long time. But Liu Qingyue didn’t give him the chance to dwell further. "Of course, to prove the authenticity of this document, we’ve prepared a gift for you first."

"Huh? There’s more?!" Su Cheng blinked in shock.

With a graceful motion, Liu Qingyue reached into her bag, rummaged briefly, and then pulled out a document folder, placing it on her lap with a playful smile. "Here, this is the agreement. All it needs is your signature to take effect and begin implementation!"

"What agreement?" Su Cheng frowned. "You’re not after my organs, are you?"

"Of course not."

Liu Qingyue pressed her lips together, then unfolded the document and slid it toward him, giving him a mischievous wink. "We know what you want. This is just a sponsorship agreement—to help create the conditions for your plans and ensure you achieve your goals."

Su Cheng remained skeptical. It was too much of a coincidence. Still, he lowered his head and began reading carefully.

The agreement was lengthy, with a table of contents listing dozens of items: investment projects, construction initiatives, education and training programs, healthcare provisions—nearly a hundred in total.

The more he read, the more his hands tightened around the paper, his eyes flickering with a mix of excitement, disbelief, and confusion.

This was a sponsorship agreement between the Ji Family and a county orphanage, detailing an array of welfare programs and generous benefits—each point so enticing he almost wanted to sign it immediately.

"Why?" Su Cheng’s breathing grew ragged as he clutched the document, his voice trembling. "What… do I have to give in return?"

Liu Qingyue sighed softly, her tone gentle. "I know this is sudden, but please calm down and let me explain. Rest assured, this is a legitimate investment. Once you agree, approval will come swiftly—within days. Then, everything can proceed."

Su Cheng took a deep breath, trying to suppress the excitement and elation in his heart. Steadying his voice, he said, "There's no such thing as a free lunch. Just tell me directly what you want from me. I need to know the reason, and I hope you’ll explain everything clearly. Otherwise… even under these circumstances, I won’t agree."

Liu Qingyue hesitated, clearly weighing the pros and cons. Su Cheng didn’t rush her, patiently waiting for her decision.

"The marriage contract exists because your grandfather once saved the current head of the Ji Family by chance. That’s how this agreement came to be. As for its authenticity, you can verify it yourself."

"However…"

After her brief explanation, Liu Qingyue paused, then looked at Su Cheng intently and said, "We do have a special request, and it’s one that won’t cost you anything. That is—"

"Breaking off the engagement, right?!"

Su Cheng cut in excitedly, his eyes burning with certainty, as if he’d already guessed it.

Whether in novels or TV dramas, this kind of plot was all too common—a wealthy young woman looking down on the male lead, sending someone with lavish gifts to pressure him into calling off the marriage.

For Su Cheng, a transmigrator well-versed in web novels, this trope was painfully familiar. He never expected such a clichéd scenario to play out in his own life.

Moreover, this was the only explanation that made sense to him—why else would the young mistress of the Ji Family suddenly offer him help? Clearly, it was to lure him into agreeing to terms he couldn’t refuse.

The truth was simple: they wanted him to initiate the breakup!

"No problem! Do we follow a formal process, or can we just cancel it outright?" Su Cheng turned and grabbed Liu Qingyue’s shoulders excitedly, his gaze intense as he declared with unwavering resolve, "A good-for-nothing like me is absolutely unworthy of your young mistress. So I’d be honored to call off this arrangement."

Then, his expression darkened, his voice dripping with indignation as he ranted, "Marriage is a lifelong commitment—how can it be decided by others? What era are we living in, where arranged marriages still exist? It’s absurd! Love should be free, and I’ll lead by example. This is my stance, and my choice."

"Wait!" Liu Qingyue interrupted Su Cheng’s impassioned speech, her beautiful eyes glimmering with suppressed amusement. "Don’t jump to conclusions. Listen to what I have to say first—"

"I get it!" Su Cheng interjected again, as if he’d already pieced it together.

At this point, Su Cheng fully understood—this wasn’t the kind of marriage he could simply walk away from.

Perhaps the only way out was death.

He wasn’t afraid of dying. He just didn’t want to die for nothing.

But if he had to die now, it would be for a cause greater than himself!

His thoughts surged with tragic determination. Lifting his head, he met Liu Qingyue’s gaze and declared solemnly, "In that case, you go ahead and make the arrangements. Once I’m sure you haven’t deceived me, I’ll pick a good day and find a nice, cool spot to die."

His words carried the weight of a man ready to face death with unwavering resolve, as if he were prepared to march to his doom.

"Shut up!" Liu Qingyue couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation. She glared at him and scolded, "I haven’t even finished speaking yet! Why do you keep interrupting?"

"Other than this, I can't think of any other reason," Su Cheng said with a pout. "Could it be she actually took a liking to me?"

"That depends on your skills," Liu Qingyue replied seriously. "Our young lady simply wants you to join her Archery Society so she can observe what kind of person you are—to assess whether she should honor this arrangement. And besides..."

"And besides?"

"Since you already know what kind of behemoth the Ji Family is, you should also understand that their influence and resources are among the greatest in the world. What you consider an incurable illness might not be beyond the Ji Family's reach. In other words, in this vast world, only the Ji Family can save you."

"Maybe I should just call off the engagement then?"