Greatly Shocked by Sudden Misfortune

"You're welcome. Helping each other is what classmates do."

Su Cheng responded with the same words the other had once used, taking the water bottle before adding, "I have something to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."

With that, he stepped forward, ready to walk away.

Li Guanqi nodded without another word, her demeanor as calm and reserved as ever—cool-headed and sparing with smiles.

On his way to the flower garden, Su Cheng walked while studying the notes in his small notebook.

Occasionally, he paused to ponder their meaning, only continuing forward once he had unraveled their significance.

His intense focus and serious expression struck others as odd, especially when his classmates caught sight of him, prompting hushed whispers and murmurs.

"Is this what they call a bookworm?"

Inside the tennis court, Xuan Ying, bored out of her mind in the rest area, spotted Su Cheng walking while reading and nudged Zhao Yan, who had just finished playing and was wiping sweat from her brow.

Hearing this, Zhao Yan set down her towel and glanced at Su Cheng, nodding in agreement. "Well, judging by how he tore up that love letter yesterday, he’s probably socially clueless—a textbook dogmatist."

"A textbook dogmatist… What’s that?"

Xuan Ying tilted her head in confusion.

Seeing this, Zhao Yan patiently explained, "It means someone who rigidly follows book theories, blindly applying them to real life without considering whether they fit, leading to a mismatch between their ideals and reality."

Xuan Ying nodded half-understandingly before asking curiously, "Then why would anyone like him? He seems so dull! And he’s got zero masculinity!"

The senior who had confessed to him yesterday—though Xuan Ying didn’t know her—was no less attractive than either of them. So why would she choose Su Cheng of all people?

This left her utterly baffled.

Were her standards for beauty just that different?

At this thought, Xuan Ying shifted her gaze to Zhao Yan, hoping for a plausible explanation.

"Hmm… Maybe…"

Faced with the question, Zhao Yan couldn’t immediately come up with a reason either and instead turned her attention back to Su Cheng. But this glance only deepened her confusion—if not more so than Xuan Ying’s.

The reason was simple.

Right now, Su Cheng was crouched under a large tree, one hand holding his notebook while the other scooped up a handful of dirt. He squeezed it in his palm, then brought it to his nose and sniffed, his expression thoughtful, as if analyzing something.

What kind of bizarre human behavior was this?!

"Is he out of his mind? Did he eat something bad?" Xuan Ying voiced the question on both their minds.

Zhao Yan watched Su Cheng play with the dirt enthusiastically for a good while before replying uncertainly, "He couldn’t have gotten tricked by a dog like Wang Guancong next door, right?"

"Tricked by a dog?"

Xuan Ying blinked, not following how someone could get scammed by a dog while eating.

"He took half a day off yesterday. Gao Ye mentioned that he has a habit of eating midnight snacks, so he keeps a lot of food in his fridge. And every time, he lets his dog taste it first—apparently, the dog has this quirk where it won’t touch anything spoiled. If it eats something, it’s definitely safe. But then…"

"But then?"

"But then both of them ended up with food poisoning. Gao Ye said he saw Wang Guancong outside, gnawing at the dog in his yard for ages—like the diarrhea messed with his brain or something."

"So you’re saying Su Cheng’s brain is messed up too?"

"I didn’t say that."

Zhao Yan quickly shook her head, though the two girls now looked at Su Cheng with a hint of pity.

…………………………

A pavilion.

In the center stood a stone table with a Go board atop it. Two girls sat opposite each other, clearly in the middle of a match.

"Senior Sister Si, I concede."

Xu Tianyi stared at the board, slowly setting down her white stone with a sigh before lifting her head. Her expression was respectful and humble, her tone laced with faint admiration. "Your skill is beyond comparison. Honestly, I think only the club president could make you focus seriously in this entire school."

The girl across from her had bangs covering her eyes, her entire being exuding a gloomy aura that seemed to chill the air around her.

After hearing Xu Tianyi’s words, the girl lifted her gaze slightly, her obscured eyes briefly visible through her hair—deep, dark pools that revealed nothing.

"Today, your mind is elsewhere."

Her voice was soft, almost ghostly. "This match holds no meaning."

"My apologies, Senior Sister. Let’s play another round."

Xu Tianyi stiffened at the rebuke, quickly bowing her head in earnest apology. But just as swiftly, she straightened, determination hardening her voice. "I promise to give you my full attention this time."

With that, she began resetting the board, forcing all distractions from her mind as she focused entirely on the game.

"Good."

Senior Sister Si nodded in approval, settling back into her seat before flicking a stone onto the board with effortless grace. "Begin."

Xu Tianyi took a deep breath and picked up her piece. But less than half a minute into the game, her peripheral vision caught a familiar figure passing by.

Instinctively, she turned her head—and there was Su Cheng, strolling leisurely while absorbed in his book.

Her heart lurched. The stone slipped from her fingers, clattering onto the board with a sharp tap.

"He’s this dedicated?"

A wave of panic and anxiety crashed over her, an overwhelming sense of crisis taking root.

Tomorrow was the exam. Su Cheng was clearly cramming, while she was here playing Go. The contrast couldn’t be more glaring. In her eyes, the gap between them had just widened immeasurably.

An inexplicable fear gripped her. Xu Tianyi shot to her feet, ready to bolt back to the classroom to finish her unfinished workbook.

But before she could move, Senior Sister Si’s icy voice cut through the air like winter frost, sending a shiver down her spine:

"What is the meaning of this?"

Xu Tianyi froze, lips trembling slightly before she swallowed her words.

"You’re fixated on him—but what I sense is resentment."

Senior Sister Si glanced at Su Cheng in the distance, her expression unreadable behind her hair. "He’s unfamiliar to me. A top student among this year’s freshmen, then?"

Xu Tianyi met her gaze and nodded honestly. "Yes, his grades are exceptional. The exam is tomorrow, and… I’m afraid of losing to him. That’s why I’ve been distracted today."

"I see."

Senior Sister Si’s tone remained indifferent. "If your heart isn’t in the game, you may as well return to your studies."

With that, she continued placing chess pieces, seemingly preparing to play against herself.

"Understood, Senior Sister."

Xu Tianyi let out a relieved sigh, the weight in her chest dissipating somewhat before she turned to leave.

However, she had barely taken a few steps when Senior Sister Si's voice called out again, "After the exam, remember to finish the game you owe me. One should always see things through to the end."

Hearing this, Xu Tianyi's heart skipped a beat, and her footsteps involuntarily halted. After a moment of hesitation, she turned back and replied, "I understand, Senior Sister. I’ll definitely make it up."

With that, she quickened her pace toward the school building.

Only after Xu Tianyi had left did Senior Sister Si leisurely rise to her feet, her gaze settling on a faintly concealed figure not far from Su Cheng, her eyes glinting with an inscrutable light.

This intriguing observation had piqued her interest.

Why would someone from the Ji family be following him?

And not in a trailing manner—more like surveillance, or perhaps even protection?

Now, this was far more interesting.

Ji Qingyi had never played chess with her. The reason?

Simply put, Ji Qingyi had an overwhelming drive to win. She was the type who would never tolerate defeat—not even once—which was why the two had never faced off across a chessboard.

But this boy might just be the key she needed.

She decided to probe his depths a little.

Perhaps she could lure the snake out of its hole.

With this thought, she strode forward on her long, slender legs clad in black stockings, heading straight for Su Cheng’s direction—

Sure enough, as she approached, the hidden members of the Ji family immediately took notice, their alert gazes fixed on her as if reporting the situation.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile curled at the corner of her lips.

It seemed this boy held some significance to Ji Qingyi.

With deliberate nonchalance, she took small, measured steps forward, her gaze bypassing the obstructing bushes to land on Su Cheng, who was just entering a small room.

Observing this, she paused briefly before lifting her foot—only to notice another figure nearby mirroring her actions, also watching the small room. However, the moment the boy entered, this figure turned and left.

"...Li Guanqi?"

Her eyebrows arched slightly. Just that afternoon, Li Guanqi had visited the club and played a match against her. Though she had won, it hadn’t been effortless—a rare occasion where she had to take the game seriously.

But before she could dwell on it further, movement nearby caught her attention. She swiftly composed herself and turned toward the source.

There, she saw a girl from her own grade approaching unhurriedly, giving her a slight nod.

"My lady requests your presence at the Archery Club for a conversation."

At the mention of "my lady," Senior Sister Si understood immediately. She nodded slightly, signaling for the girl to lead the way.

It seemed her guess had been correct.

…………………………………………

Su Cheng remained oblivious to the stir he had caused. Once he confirmed the flower was unharmed, his thoughts turned to his impending meeting with Ji Qingyi.

He had no idea how to face her or what to say.

Especially since Senior Sister Liu and Cornelia’s descriptions of Ji Qingyi were completely at odds—the former painted her as almost godlike, while the latter claimed she had lost multiple times to the seemingly airheaded Cornelia.

Regardless, Su Cheng had steeled himself. No matter Ji Qingyi’s temperament or personality, he was determined to get her to withdraw the surveillance on him today. Otherwise, he’d never feel at ease.

He returned to the locker room to change into his uniform, then headed back to the classroom to retrieve his school bag. Unexpectedly, a voice called out to him just as he was about to leave.

"Su Cheng."

Hearing his name, Su Cheng stopped and turned to see Xu Tianyi seated at her desk, dressed in her gym clothes, looking directly at him.

"Hm?"

He tilted his head slightly. "What’s up?"

"How late will you be studying tonight?"

The question came out of nowhere.

"Studying?"

Su Cheng blinked. "Why would I be studying?"

Xu Tianyi’s expression darkened. The same person who had been reviewing notes even while walking earlier was now asking why he needed to study?

This was a blatant lie!

"The exam is tomorrow. You’re not going to study?"

Still, she forced herself to explain patiently, "Don’t be fooled by how our classmates act during the day. Everyone studies hard at home to prepare for tomorrow’s test."

"There’s a test tomorrow?"

Su Cheng looked genuinely surprised for a moment before shaking his head. "Ah, thanks for the reminder. I’ll make sure to rest early tonight."

Without waiting for her reaction, he grabbed his bag and walked out of the classroom.

Leaving Xu Tianyi standing there, stunned.

"Tch." She clicked her tongue in annoyance, then stomped her foot. "Stubborn to the very end!"

……………………………………

Archery Club.

Standing at the entrance of the dojo, Su Cheng hesitated briefly before deciding to send Senior Sister Liu a message first—better to announce his arrival than risk barging in and causing a misunderstanding.

Su Cheng: "Senior Sister, should I just go in directly?"

Almost instantly—

Liu Qingyue: "Yes. Just look for the club president."

Reading the reply, he stepped inside.

The moment he entered, he was struck by the sheer spaciousness of the place—the shooting range was even semi-outdoors, resembling a vast plaza.

About a dozen club members were gathered on one side practicing archery, including several girls whose poised and spirited demeanor was truly impressive.

His eyes swept over them, searching for any sign of his so-called fiancée. Unfortunately, while each had their own distinct presence, none matched the unique aura Senior Sister Liu had described.

Su Cheng politely knocked on the door.

Knock, knock, knock—

"If you’re here to join the Archery Club, you’ll need to fill out an application form at the club office first."

A senior-looking member turned to explain with a friendly smile before immediately returning to his task, as if used to newcomers dropping by.

Su Cheng pursed his lips, feeling slightly awkward, before shifting his gaze to the other side—where he noticed a girl staring intently at him.

"Is the club president here?"

He raised his voice slightly, looking hopefully at the girl, hoping she could relay his request.

But the next second—

The entire club seemed to freeze at some unspoken command, every member turning in unison to stare at him, their eyes brimming with curiosity and confusion.

"You must be Su Cheng."

The girl who had been observing him quickly stood up and hurried over. "The president already informed me. Please follow me—I’ll take you to her."

"Thank you, Senior."

Su Cheng nodded gratefully, then followed her toward the inner area under the collective gaze of the club members.

"My surname is Li. You can call me Senior Li."

As she led the way, she introduced herself. Her appearance was striking—flawlessly fair skin, delicate features, and the white archery uniform only accentuated her refined demeanor.

Soon, they stopped outside a door. Senior Li knocked respectfully and announced in a deferential tone, "President, I’ve brought him."

"Come in."

As a familiar, indifferent voice rang out, the door was pushed open. Before Su Cheng could recall who it was, a white-clad figure entered his line of sight. His heart trembled involuntarily, his pupils contracting slightly. He opened his mouth, but no words came out for a long moment.

"How... how could it be you?!"