Gratitude for Taking the Lead in Preparation

"Don't rush. You’ve taken the lead in these matters compared to her, and I’m not denying that."

Seeing Cornelia’s agitated state, Su Cheng quickly softened his tone to comfort her. "This situation did catch me off guard, but you can see for yourself—the gap between her and me is too vast. There’s no way anything could happen between us."

He was genuinely surprised by Cornelia’s intense reaction, as he knew he hadn’t handled the matter well.

"But I remember you two being very close in the future," Cornelia persisted, unwilling to let it go. "She visited you multiple times, and even everyone at school knew about your relationship!"

"That’s just a fragment from your memories. For me, the future is still full of uncertainties," Su Cheng explained. "Besides, according to you, you’re a reincarnator. With your influence, the future is even more unpredictable—constantly shifting."

His words made Cornelia fall into deep thought.

"Also…" Noticing Cornelia calming down, Su Cheng continued, "You said she took an interest in me because of my archery talent. But think about it—how much physical strength does archery require? The future version of me must have been free of heart disease to endure such intense training. Look at me now—weak and sickly. Would she still be interested?"

Cornelia froze, some color returning to her face, though her expression remained conflicted. "But if that’s the case… wouldn’t that mean…?"

The logic made sense, but if Su Cheng recovered and never pursued archery, wouldn’t he lose the chance to become a world-renowned figure?

In Cornelia’s eyes, Su Cheng possessed rare archery talent. If he gave up exploring his potential just to spare his feelings, wouldn’t that be a waste?

At this moment, Cornelia found herself torn like never before.

"All of this started because of me." Su Cheng, fully aware of her inner struggle, gently reassured her, "To me, archery isn’t important. What matters most right now is you. I want you to return to your original world."

Just as Cornelia wavered, locked in fierce internal conflict, Su Cheng’s low, tender voice reached her ears.

She abruptly turned to look at him.

"No, it can’t end like this." Cornelia’s voice brimmed with longing for the future.

Su Cheng was stunned, moved by her sudden intensity and the depth in her gaze. He smiled in response. "You’re right. I won’t let it end like this."

His reply was just as sincere.

"What are you thinking about? I’m talking about what just happened! You’ve already joined the Archery Club—there’s no point in saying all this now." Cornelia wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and grinned. "Don’t underestimate me. I’m pretty strong, you know."

With that, she skipped over to the fridge, pulled out a bottle of "Eight Walnuts," and downed it in one go.

Su Cheng watched curiously, wondering why she’d go out of her way when there was water right on the table.

But the next second, his eyes widened in shock.

After drinking the walnut milk, Cornelia’s once-naive, slightly dull eyes instantly brightened, as if a spark of wisdom had ignited within them.

Su Cheng even had the illusion that her IQ had shot up after the drink, making her seem sharper and more astute.

The transformation left him astonished. Could this walnut milk have some kind of magical power?

Intrigued, he walked to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of "Eight Walnuts," and took a few sips.

Unfortunately, nothing changed for him.

"Since she’s already come looking for you…"

Cornelia tossed the empty bottle into the trash and glanced at the medicine he’d brought home, her tone full of concern. "Your top priority now is letting her help cure your illness and improve your health. Everything else can wait."

She let out a light huff, clearly displeased with Ji Qingyi’s forceful attitude.

"I refuse to believe she’d have the nerve to make you train while you’re still sick."

Suddenly, she stepped right in front of Su Cheng, staring at him so intently that he grew nervous.

"But you have to promise me—once you recover, we’ll go outside first. I’ll find you the best coach. Try not to train at the Archery Club."

"Alright, alright! Can you act normal? The way you’re looking at me is making me nervous."

Su Cheng agreed hastily, just to get her to stop staring.

Satisfied, Cornelia took a few steps back and sat down on a chair, changing the subject.

"Earlier, you said I’m from a parallel world and you want to help me return. So…" She pointed at her head and continued, "Where is the ‘me’ of this world?"

Su Cheng froze. This was a tricky question. He had theories, but no proof.

"I’ve thought about it," he admitted with a wry smile. "My guess is that you two might have swapped souls. You’ve taken over the body of this world’s ‘you,’ while ‘she’ went to your world."

Cornelia nodded. When she woke up, she’d noticed her body had grown younger, and this world differed greatly from her memories. His theory was plausible.

But given the discrepancies in the timeline, it remained an unverifiable hypothesis for now.

Besides, to her, this was fate’s arrangement—the rebirth she’d always dreamed of.

Even if this world deviated from her memories in many ways, she found it exciting and worth exploring.

So Cornelia waved her hand dismissively. "Whatever the case, it’s not urgent. As long as I’m here, I’ll make sure you become even greater than in the future. That way, we’ll be the perfect pair!"

Seeing her determination, Su Cheng didn’t press further. He didn’t want to upset Cornelia again—forcing someone to act against their will was both cruel and selfish.

He shrugged. "Well… thanks."

Cornelia grinned, revealing her sharp little fangs. "No need to thank me. After all, we’re husband and wife~"

"Will I really become a champion in the future?"

Su Cheng asked uncertainly. Having never touched a bow before, the idea of winning championships felt unbelievable, so he couldn’t help but double-check.

"Absolutely. You’ll become a household name," Cornelia declared, patting her chest. "Now that you’ve joined the Archery Club, your short-term goal is to recover, and your mid-term goal is to win an archery championship!"

"But if that happens, wouldn’t Ji Qingyi…?"

Su Cheng trailed off, realizing the implication was obvious—if he became a champion, what if Ji Qingyi took an interest in him?

Wouldn’t that make the marriage contract valid?

"I already told you—focus on recovering first. Leave the rest to me. I’ll help you achieve even greater success than in the future. That’s what I want, and it’s what you need."

Cornelia smiled, standing up and walking toward him. Su Cheng thought she was going to glare at him again and instinctively tried to rise, but she pressed his shoulders, forcing him back into his seat.

"It’s getting late, and I should head back. But before that…"

Just as Su Cheng heard these words and let out a sigh of relief, ready to offer her a ride, his words were abruptly cut off by something soft, smooth, and faintly milky pressed against his lips.

Hmm, it was a familiar milky scent—so familiar, as if he had just tasted it moments ago.

What was it?

In that instant, this was the thought that flashed through Su Cheng's mind. Suddenly, a sharp pain on his lips interrupted his train of thought.

Instinctively, he pressed a hand to his mouth and turned his head, only to see Cornelia already stepping out the door. As she turned, he caught a glimpse of faint red streaks on her lips.

She licked her lips and flashed him a smile brimming with triumphant delight.

"This time, I've beaten Ji Qingyi again."