If You Seek Future Prospects, Do Not Act Rashly

Xu Tianyi was merely an insignificant supporting character.

Though she shared a class with Su Cheng, her screen time was even less than that of the big yellow dog outside Su Cheng's doorstep.

As a result, she had never been taken seriously by the Ji Family.

So, her sudden appearance left Liu Qingyue utterly astonished, even momentarily stunned.

Moreover, Li Guanqi had been under their surveillance the entire time, so he couldn’t possibly be in the car behind them either.

Immediately, she turned to Su Cheng and asked, "Aside from showing off in class today, what else did you do?"

But the next second, her beautiful eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Su Cheng, who had collapsed unconscious in his seat.

Then—

She extended her slender, delicate fingers and pressed them beneath his nose to check for breath. In that instant, her face turned deathly pale, her body trembled slightly, and her heart clenched with pain.

Su Cheng had stopped breathing.

One moment, he had been chatting and laughing, and the next, he was gone—just like that.

Fortunately, they had prepared for such a scenario in advance.

Her professionalism quickly kicked in, steadying her nerves. She hurriedly lifted Su Cheng and shouted at the driver, "Bring the defibrillator, now!!!"

After speaking, she gently laid Su Cheng flat on the hard, even surface of the aisle.

Then, with her hands overlapping, she began performing chest compressions—each press precisely five centimeters deep, at a steady rhythm of 119 compressions per minute. Her movements were practiced and flawless.

After thirty compressions—

Su Cheng’s heart still showed no signs of life.

Liu Qingyue gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stay composed. She tilted his head back and began administering standard rescue breaths.

Two breaths later, she resumed compressions—thirty more, followed by another two breaths.

By then, the driver had prepared the defibrillator and loosened Su Cheng’s collar, exposing his chest.

After confirming his skin was dry, Liu Qingyue—her eyes reddened—took the defibrillator and placed the electrodes on Su Cheng’s chest.

"Analyzing heart rhythm—"

The machine’s mechanical voice announced its assessment. If the next result read "No shock advised," it would mean Su Cheng’s heart had resumed normal function. Otherwise—

"Preparing to deliver shock—"

The moment she heard the alarm-tinted instruction, Liu Qingyue pressed the shock button without hesitation.

The jolt sent Su Cheng’s lifeless muscles into spasms, but he remained motionless, as if locked in an unbreakable slumber.

"Shock delivered. Continue CPR."

The defibrillator’s cold, robotic voice instructed, but Liu Qingyue barely registered it. Her gaze was fixed, unblinking, as if afraid to miss even the slightest change.

Because Su Cheng’s eyelashes had just twitched.

"Rhythm restored. Check pulse."

The machine prompted her to verify if Su Cheng’s circulation had returned on its own. Yet Liu Qingyue remained transfixed, staring intently at his face.

Only when she felt something damp on her forehead did she snap back to reality, hastily wiping it away before removing the electrodes and redressing him. Then, she helped Su Cheng sit up again.

After settling him back into his seat, she began examining his condition.

"Pulse stable… breathing normal again…" she murmured under her breath, an indescribable emotion churning inside her. She had pulled Su Cheng back from death’s door.

She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so she pressed her lips tightly together, struggling to suppress the surge of feelings.

"He really was pushing himself too hard…"

A cool, low voice tinged with concern sounded in her earpiece.

It was Ji Qingyi.

Liu Qingyue clenched her fists, steadied her voice, and replied, "He’s stable for now, but he’s unconscious. Thankfully, we had a contingency plan based on his medical history."

"But this isn’t a permanent solution. He needs intensive treatment and stricter monitoring…" The voice in her ear carried clear dissatisfaction with Su Cheng’s refusal to seek proper care.

"Then let’s start with a follow-up exam and real-time vital monitoring," Liu Qingyue said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out an electronic wristband. She motioned for the driver to retrieve medication from the car behind them.

After a brief silence, Ji Qingyi suddenly added, "You’ve worked hard."

Liu Qingyue pressed her lips together. "For the young mistress, for him… and for myself. It’s worth it."

Su Cheng hadn’t slept all night, and the day had been packed with too much—both crushing tragedy and soaring joy unfolding within hours. Even someone as strong-willed as him…

Had his limits.

And this time, with his greatest wish fulfilled, the fierce will to live had simply vanished. He was at peace, ready to go—and so, without warning, he did.

"Did I fall asleep?!" Su Cheng’s eyes flew open as he bolted upright, as if waking from a dream.

Then, noticing Liu Qingyue beside him, he blinked in realization and offered an apologetic smile. "Guess I was too exhausted and dozed off. How long was I out…?"

Mid-sentence, he caught sight of Liu Qingyue’s reddened eyes and froze. "Did you get dust in your eyes or something?"

Liu Qingyue quickly rubbed her eyes, forcing a casual tone. "You stole my line. What am I supposed to say now?"

"Alright, alright." Su Cheng shrugged with a chuckle. "But I’m usually a light sleeper—the slightest noise wakes me. This time, though, I was out cold. That’s rare for me."

Liu Qingyue’s expression turned stern. "Your emotional fluctuations were too extreme, triggering a relapse. You’re going for a check-up this weekend."

The mention of the hospital made Su Cheng grimace. "Can’t I just take my meds? I’ll stabilize."

"No. You signed the contract—you’re cooperating whether you like it or not. Unless you’ve changed your mind about helping the orphanage?" She grabbed the wristband and medication the driver had left on the seat and placed them on Su Cheng’s lap.

"Given your track record of negligence, real-time vitals and GPS monitoring are non-negotiable. Wear this. Only remove it for weekly charging—it’s part of your contractual obligations."

"Come on, I’ve just been a little tired lately. No need for all this fuss."

Grumbling, Su Cheng fastened the band around his wrist. Liu Qingyue unscrewed a water bottle and handed it to him, clearly expecting him to take his pills.

Sighing, Su Cheng swallowed the medication. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he turned to her. "By the way, who was tailing us earlier?"

"Let’s table that," Liu Qingyue countered, curiosity seeping into her voice. "What did you dream about just now?"

"Hmm." Su Cheng massaged his temples, trying to recall the sensations before blacking out. "I felt completely detached from my body, like floating in a void. Everything was white, but my senses and emotions were still there."

"Nothing else?" Liu Qingyue pressed.

"Mm... yes." Su Cheng paused. "I saw a door floating in the distance, slightly ajar, with something flickering inside. Then I immediately ran toward it."

"Oh?" Liu Qingyue grew even more curious. "And then? What did you see?"

Even Ji Qingyi, listening through the earpiece, fell silent, holding her breath as she waited for Su Cheng to reveal the answer.

"I don’t know how to describe what was inside the door. It was filled with dark hues, crumbling structures, indescribable patterns and symbols—everything reeked of death, as if an ancient, decaying presence was pressing against me."

Su Cheng recalled the scene with a bitter smile. "But the vision only lasted two seconds. The moment I stepped closer, someone pushed me out, and then the door vanished. After that, I woke up."

"Is that so?"

Liu Qingyue murmured to herself, frowning in thought before asking, "Did you get a good look at the person who pushed you?"

"Mm..." Su Cheng racked his brain but eventually shook his head. "I was grabbed by the arm and thrown out before I could see anything clearly. Then I was fully awake."

"I see."

Liu Qingyue nodded thoughtfully, then sighed softly and steered the conversation back to the earlier topic. "The one following us is Xu Tianyi, your classmate."

"Ah? That name sounds familiar." Su Cheng blinked, then his expression shifted as he quickly remembered.

That girl with braided pigtails, freckles, and thick glasses that reflected light—her plain appearance was something he couldn’t help but find amusing.

But the problem was, he’d never exchanged a single word with her, so there was no reason for her to be tailing him.

"She’s following you, isn’t she?"

Su Cheng ventured cautiously.

"Not at all. We don’t know her either."

Liu Qingyue shook her head and turned to the driver. "Is that car still following us?"

"Yes. When we stop, they stop at a distance. Their target is clear, and they’re persistent." The driver frowned. "Should we lose them?"

"No need. Let them follow." Liu Qingyue turned back to Su Cheng, her expression serious. "I think she’s after you."

"I don’t even know her." Su Cheng shook his head—there was simply no reason.

"Oh?" Liu Qingyue’s lips curled into a playful smile. "In that case, how about we make a bet?"

"No thanks."

Su Cheng tensed at the sight of that smile and firmly refused. "I never gamble."

"Tch, so boring." Liu Qingyue pouted before teasing, "If you keep acting this rigid and dull, you’ll never win the young mistress’s favor."

"Why should I even want her favor?" Su Cheng rolled his eyes. "All I want is to avoid displeasing her. It’s not like we’ll ever have any real connection. As for anything else, I’m not that opportunistic."

"Tch, you’re just unbearably dull right now." Liu Qingyue snorted, giving him a sidelong glance. "You radiate weakness and gloom. Don’t you think you need to change?"

"How?" Su Cheng smiled wryly. "Change is the hardest thing for people. I don’t have any special skills or talents. The only thing I’m decent at is studying—should I challenge your young mistress to an Olympiad?"

"You could try being funnier." Liu Qingyue’s eyes sparkled with sudden interest. "Act more goofy, or confident, arrogant, even domineering. If you’re willing to play the villain, I can teach you."

"Sorry, I can’t do that." Su Cheng refused without hesitation. "I have no basis for confidence or arrogance. For me, life is about treading carefully just to get by."

"Who says?"

Liu Qingyue widened her eyes in protest. "Right now, you’re practically the Ji Family’s future son-in-law. That alone means you could strut around school like you own the place. If anyone dares mess with you, just crush them without a second thought!"

"That’s still just speculation." Su Cheng laughed helplessly. "Even if it were true, I wouldn’t abuse my position. Besides, if I acted like that, not only would I hate myself, but your young mistress probably wouldn’t like it either."

"Ugh—"

Liu Qingyue sighed. "You’re so old-fashioned. Sometimes, you need to show your manly side. Like this morning—you were incredibly cool. I was totally smitten."

"Alright, alright."

Su Cheng coughed awkwardly. "The people on the bus this morning were all yours, weren’t they?"

"You’re not completely clueless."

Liu Qingyue grinned. "But I wasn’t lying. I really do admire you."

"Thanks for the compliment."

Su Cheng’s lips twitched.

"Still, I hope you’ll change." Liu Qingyue narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone turning serious. "If you really can’t, I can help you."

"Let’s drop this topic."

Su Cheng waved his hand to cut her off and shifted the subject. "What’s the deal with my classmate, Xu Tianyi?"

"That’s something you should ask yourself." Liu Qingyue raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with amusement. "What else have you done besides showing off in class once?"

"Ah, you even know about that?" Su Cheng asked in surprise. Earlier that morning, he had indeed flaunted his skills by solving a math problem on the blackboard.

"But what does that have to do with Xu Tianyi?"

Su Cheng frowned in confusion.

"Hmm… What are your plans after school today?" Liu Qingyue avoided answering directly and instead pressed further.

Su Cheng thought for a moment. "Buy a peony, then pick up some workbooks. After dinner, I’ll shower and sleep."

"Then I think I know the reason." Liu Qingyue suddenly looked enlightened before giving Su Cheng a meaningful glance. She then signaled for him to gather his things and told the driver, "Next stop."

"Pssht—"

The bus hissed to a halt, tires screeching against the pavement before the two stepped off.

"Where are we—" Su Cheng began, but Liu Qingyue cut him off, nodding toward a shop ahead. "To buy what you need."

Su Cheng hesitated, puzzled, but still walked toward the flower shop.

Liu Qingyue followed closely, her striking beauty drawing stares from passersby—making Su Cheng feel even more self-conscious.

"Buying flowers for your girlfriend, young man?" The shopkeeper greeted them warmly. "Take a look—we just got fresh roses. Giving one to your girlfriend would be so romantic."

"Uh, no—"

Before Su Cheng could explain, Liu Qingyue pointed decisively at a pot of blue irises in the corner, her expression and tone unusually solemn.

"I want this iris."

"Right away! I’ll wrap it up for you." The shopkeeper quickly obliged, carefully lifting the pot with a smile. "You’ve got great taste, miss."

"I’m not—"

Su Cheng hesitated, trying to explain himself.

"You came with me, and you won’t even give me a single flower?" Liu Qingyue cut him off, her cheeks puffing up in annoyance. Her tone was displeased as she added, "So stingy and lacking in romance. No one would ever like you like this!"

"...Fine."

Su Cheng reluctantly gave in—not because he was stingy, but because she hadn’t mentioned it beforehand, leading to this misunderstanding.

"Hehe, thanks! I’ll treasure and take good care of it!" Liu Qingyue flashed a radiant smile before turning to Su Cheng, blinking her dewy eyes. In a hushed voice, she said, "Well, since you’re giving me a flower, I’ll give you a little tip."

"What?" Su Cheng asked, puzzled.

"Buy a nearly dead peony, then ask the head of the Practice Department for help under the guise of a request. Your chances of success will be much higher!" Liu Qingyue tossed out this advice casually before walking over to the shop assistant. She took the freshly wrapped iris, brought it to her nose for a deep inhale, and her smile grew even sweeter.

"A nearly dead peony?"

Su Cheng frowned. Though confused, he still asked the shop assistant, "Excuse me, do you have any peonies that are about to wither?"

The shop assistant paused, then walked to a corner and brought out a pot of poorly maintained peonies. "Here, you want this?"

"Yes, I’ll take the whole thing—flower and pot!" Su Cheng glanced at it. The flower looked like it would be half-dead in a few days anyway, so there was no need to pluck it. Without hesitation, he paid and took it.

Worth mentioning: it cost exactly a hundred yuan.

Of course, the high price was mainly due to the pot.

"Whew—" Su Cheng panted heavily as he carried the large pot of peonies. The weight of the soil and the plant together was no joke.

"Alright, give it to me before you have a heart attack."

Liu Qingyue couldn’t help but laugh at Su Cheng’s exhausted state. She reached out and effortlessly lifted the pot, making it seem like she was holding a plastic model.

"You…"

Su Cheng’s jaw nearly dropped in shock.

"Let’s go. We’ll put this in the car first, then buy the workbooks." Liu Qingyue shot him a glance, holding the iris in one hand and the peony pot in the other as she strode out of the flower shop.

As for Su Cheng’s feelings?

Even if I’m holding a withered peony in my left hand and a blue iris in my right, I, Liu Qingyue, remain invincible in this world!

This severely wounded Su Cheng’s pride as a man. Gritting his teeth, he quickly caught up, snatched the blue iris from Liu Qingyue’s hand, and said firmly, "This is fair. We each carry one."

Without waiting for her reaction, he hurried toward the bus stop—partly because he couldn’t carry it any longer, and partly because pushing himself might actually trigger a heart attack.

Besides, he had a vague feeling that he hadn’t just dozed off earlier but had actually fainted, just like yesterday.

If this woman had such freakish strength, she could handle the pot herself.

Consider it owing her a favor.

However, Su Cheng didn’t notice that the moment he ran to the bus stop, an eager passerby approached Liu Qingyue, offering enthusiastically, "Miss, let me help you carry that to the car!"

"That’d be wonderful." Liu Qingyue grinned playfully. "Thank you~"

With that, she handed over the pot.

The helpful citizen, utterly enchanted by her smile, reached out without thinking—only to severely underestimate the pot’s weight. A sudden, overwhelming force yanked him down, and the vase crashed to the ground.

"Why isn’t she back yet?"

After waiting a while with no sign of Liu Qingyue, Su Cheng grew worried and decided to check outside.

Just as he stood up, he saw Liu Qingyue walking in, holding a peony whose roots were wrapped in a transparent film, with soil packed into a spherical shape inside.

"Where’s my pot?!" Su Cheng was stunned. He’d spent dozens on that pot, already planning to use it for future plant-growing to cultivate his refined tastes.

How had it vanished into thin air?

"Oh, some idiot insisted on helping me but ended up dropping and breaking it. This was the quickest fix." Liu Qingyue casually pulled out three hundred yuan from her skirt and handed it over. "Here, compensation from the idiot."

"Huh?" Su Cheng gaped at her. "You… you’re not lying, are you?"

"Of course not." Liu Qingyue smirked, tossing the money onto his lap before placing the makeshift flower arrangement on the seat beside her. Sitting down, she added, "Beauty is my deadliest weapon. He forced it on me—what could I do~?"

"Your tone is so punchable!"

Su Cheng rolled his eyes, but the sight of her delicate profile softened his irritation. He sighed. "Fine. I’ll take one hundred. The rest is yours—consider it earnings from your charm."

He took a single bill and tossed the rest back onto her lap. Seeing Liu Qingyue’s dissatisfied look, he quickly added, "I don’t like taking advantage of others. A hundred is my limit—call it payment for carrying the pot."

"You dare say you don’t take advantage?" Liu Qingyue shot him a sidelong glare. "Who was it that ran off and left me, a delicate girl, to carry the pot alone?"

"I never asked you to help. You insisted."

Su Cheng mimicked Liu Qingyue’s earlier tone, shrugging in an infuriatingly smug way. "Handsomeness is my deadliest weapon. You forced your help on me—what could I do~?"

As he said, his other skills were practically nonexistent, but his ability to learn was top-notch. This imitation of Liu Qingyue was spot-on.

Hearing this, Liu Qingyue’s face darkened. A soft scoff from her earpiece made her cheeks flush even redder. She glared at Su Cheng in embarrassment before changing the subject. "See? You’ve already changed. If you meet the young lady tomorrow, you can act like this with her too."

"I’m just copying you. That’s not change."

"It is change."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say."