My Heart Is Entangled in Countless Chaotic Thoughts

Noon.

Facing Liu Qingyue's offer to exchange food, Li Guanqi declined once again, her gaze quietly fixed on the distant lawn.

To her, this was undoubtedly a test—a probe into her defenses.

Of course, her refusal was obvious. But based on her understanding, Liu Qingyue wasn’t the type to back down so easily.

Therefore.

She decided to follow the ancient etiquette of "three refusals and three offers."

If Liu Qingyue extended the food again, she would reluctantly accept it. If not, she would simply continue her break, ignoring Liu Qingyue entirely.

"You really are a boring person."

Liu Qingyue sighed softly, setting down the food in her hand before murmuring, "Being this dull not only makes it hard to find a boyfriend, but even if you do, it won’t last long."

"No need for your concern, senior." Li Guanqi replied without looking up, her tone cold and distant.

"You know, a lack of continuous novelty and excitement is a major factor in the breakdown of romantic relationships. As your senior, I’ll reluctantly demonstrate for you."

Li Guanqi found Liu Qingyue's words baffling and initially planned to let them go in one ear and out the other. But the next second, her body tensed up abruptly.

"Su Cheng, are you listening?" Liu Qingyue suddenly pulled out her phone, as if engaged in a video call, her tone warm and friendly. "I told you before—these homemade 'shady' rice balls of yours won’t be accepted by your classmates, especially not someone as aloof as Li Guanqi from your class."

At these words.

Li Guanqi’s body stiffened like a stone sculpture.

She slowly turned her head, her beautiful eyes widening as she stared fixedly at Liu Qingyue’s video call.

She could already imagine it—after this incident, the fragile friendship between her and Su Cheng would be severed by an invisible wall erected by Liu Qingyue, creating an insurmountable rift.

This wasn’t a test. It was a direct challenge!

At that moment, Liu Qingyue flashed a delighted smile and attempted to angle the video call toward Li Guanqi.

Panicked, Li Guanqi hurriedly adjusted her clothes, trying to maintain a dignified and graceful posture to avoid appearing flustered.

"Just kidding. Your reaction is adorable." Liu Qingyue continued with a laugh, her voice dripping with sarcasm, as if she found Li Guanqi’s naivety utterly amusing.

Only then did Li Guanqi notice that Liu Qingyue’s phone screen was completely black.

Relief washed over her, followed by anger and humiliation. She could no longer hold back and stood up, her voice laced with unmistakable irritation. "Senior, please stay away from me. You’re not welcome here!"

"I thought you never got angry, always so composed." Liu Qingyue remained unfazed, her bright smile never wavering—even carrying a hint of provocation.

Li Guanqi silently studied her for a moment before speaking slowly. "Since you already understand my feelings, do you really intend to continue this charade?"

She had realized that the other party might already know about her amnesia and was using this opportunity to pressure and warn her.

Yesterday, when she went out with her sister, they had noticed someone tailing them. She had warned Liu Qingyue about it, and now it seemed this was retaliation. They had an agreement—no one outside the ring bearers could know this secret, not even family.

"Oh, but there’s one thing I didn’t lie about."

Liu Qingyue took out another rice ball from the food box, chewing as she spoke indistinctly. "These really were made by Su Cheng. Sure you don’t want one?"

Hearing this, Li Guanqi’s gaze returned to the rice balls in Liu Qingyue’s hand.

They were shaped like Hello Kitty—adorable and charming, even without color.

"I just wanted to remind you—we all have our limits."

Liu Qingyue closed the lid, placed the box on the ground, then dusted off her skirt and knee-high socks before elegantly walking away, gradually disappearing from sight.

It was a classic tactic—striking first, then offering a sweet reward, balancing intimidation with favor.

But she had to admit.

The rice balls had shaken her resolve.

It wasn’t because she had a sweet tooth, but because accepting them might earn Su Cheng’s favor and bridge the gap between them. That was the real temptation.

She could save them and eat them in front of Su Cheng later, boosting his goodwill toward her. Only then would she have a better chance of uncovering the truth.

Su Cheng’s favorability +3

Li Guanqi’s eyes flickered with hesitation. After a long pause, she finally bent down and picked up the food box, cradling it in her arms.

Sitting back down, she opened the box, carefully plucked out a rice ball, peeled off the thin rice paper, and placed it in her mouth.

"Mmm…" As she chewed, her eyes lit up like a child who had just been given candy.

"But this isn’t enough." Soon after, her expression turned serious. She closed her eyes, lost in thought.

A moment later, she closed the box and tucked it into her bag.

Finally, she stood up and walked in a certain direction.

Toward the flower garden.

She knew full well—opportunities had to be created.

Yesterday, her sister had mentioned that Su Cheng had asked for advice on reviving peonies. She was certain he would return for more help.

So, she decided to take over her sister’s duties in the garden, using it as a chance to interact with Su Cheng more and recover her lost memories.

After all, whether it was events or people, everything seemed to intersect with Su Cheng. She didn’t want to take any more detours.

……………………

Meanwhile.

Su Cheng’s apartment.

After watering the plants, he was enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

That morning, he had slept in until nine, even booting up his long-neglected computer to play a few rounds of games in an attempt to relax. But he couldn’t sit still for long and eventually shut it down.

"Huh?"

After finishing another match, he suddenly noticed a friend request on the game interface—an unfamiliar ID.

He clicked to check.

Username: "Cute and Noble."

He froze.

Scrolling through his match history, he confirmed he had never encountered this player before, whether as a teammate or opponent.

"Probably a scammer," he thought.

He clicked reject, but the request came again, persistent.

Too lazy to decline a second time, he simply exited the game and shut down the computer.

Leaving his room, he headed to the balcony first, checking on the peonies before opening the window to gaze outside.

The city was beautiful, but he felt no real connection to it—just an inexplicable emptiness.

His eyes drifted to the kitchen.

Just days ago, Cornelia had been there, standing on a small stool, wearing an apron, clumsily preparing meals for him.

But now, that heartwarming scene existed only in memory.

He lowered his head, his eyes dimming.

"Sigh…" He exhaled heavily.

"I wonder how Cornelia is doing back in her country?" he murmured, a sudden pang of worry striking him.

He had no idea about her current state—whether she was happy, sad, or… suffering.

At this thought, Su Cheng couldn't help but rub his temples, his face weary and his heart aching faintly.

"Ah..." He sighed deeply once more.

At noon, he had no appetite to cook and decided to eat out. In the afternoon, he planned to visit an archery club to try his hand at the sport.

He adjusted the position of the peonies to ensure they wouldn’t get soaked even if it rained later. Then, Su Cheng changed into sportswear, grabbed his gym bag, and headed out.

The moment he stepped out of his apartment building, he spotted someone who filled him with delight—the female driver from before.

And most importantly—

Not far from her was a big yellow dog!

This discovery thrilled Su Cheng.

"Hey, Sister Qin!!" Su Cheng cheered as he ran over, excitedly saying, "What a coincidence! About last time—thank you so much, you and the dog."

Hearing his call, Sister Qin turned around, looking slightly surprised to see Su Cheng, before complaining, "You really kept me waiting!"

Tall, fair-skinned, and exquisitely featured, Sister Qin wore sunglasses, radiating a mix of elegance and bold charm that made Su Cheng suddenly aware of her allure.

"From the sound of it, you were waiting for me?"

Su Cheng asked, puzzled.

"Yes." Sister Qin nodded, removing her sunglasses to reveal bright, sharp eyes. "About Cornelia—I’m still completely in the dark."

"She’s already returned to her home country."

A flicker of regret crossed Su Cheng’s face.

"I see." Noticing his low spirits, Sister Qin patted his shoulder and swiftly changed the subject. "By the way, you’re quite the important figure, aren’t you?"

"Huh? How do you know that?"

Su Cheng was taken aback.

"Last time you fainted, the Ji family took you from me." Ignoring propriety, Sister Qin hooked an arm around Su Cheng’s neck, leaning in to whisper by his ear, "Back then, I wondered why people were following you. Now I get it—you’re the Ji family’s son-in-law!"

Her scent, mingled with a faint trace of tobacco, made Su Cheng’s head spin. The proximity of her soft lips to his ear only heightened his discomfort.

She’s even bolder than my senior.

He quickly pulled away, clearing his throat to mask his awkwardness. "Uh… please keep that a secret."

"Sure, no problem."

Sister Qin agreed breezily, her gaze shifting to the yellow dog nearby. "Speaking of which, doesn’t this dog look like the one Cornelia was always searching for?"

"All stray dogs look alike to me. I can’t say for sure. Besides, what’s wrong with this one?" Su Cheng glanced over and noticed the dog gnawing on a chicken leg, its usual liveliness gone, now resembling any ordinary stray.

His brow furrowed.

"It seems… just like any other dog now." Sister Qin added, "Earlier, when I approached without food, it acted hostile. If I hadn’t backed off, it might’ve bitten me. I checked—it’s just a dumb, aggressive mutt now."

Su Cheng observed for a long while.

Finally, he asked, "Could you be mistaken?"

"Hard to say. It looks identical." Sister Qin shook her head, pointing at the dog. "There aren’t many strays around here. How could there be two so alike?"

"Did it lose its memories?"

Su Cheng frowned, deep in thought.

"I was about to test it with a cigarette…" Sister Qin paused, eyeing him. "Want to give it a try?"

She pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, handing them to Su Cheng.

He hesitated before taking one, then pocketed the rest. Holding the cigarette in one hand and the lighter in the other, he crouched down, attempting to offer it to the dog.

"Why’d you take my cigarettes?"

Sister Qin’s expression darkened.

"Ah." Su Cheng startled, straightening up awkwardly. "Force of habit from childhood banquets."

He handed the cigarette back.

As a kid, he’d always pocketed cigarettes at banquets to give to the orphanage director later.

"Honestly, you don’t even smoke." Sister Qin shot him an exasperated look, tucking the pack away. "Fine, hurry up and try."

"Right." Su Cheng nodded, crouching again to coax the cigarette into the dog’s mouth.

"Grr." The dog resisted, twisting its head away with a low, defensive growl, as if ready to attack.

"Say something. Give it some face."

Sister Qin prompted from the side.

Blushing with embarrassment, Su Cheng forced out the words, "Uh… Big Yellow, do me a favor."

After all, he’d witnessed the dog’s extraordinary abilities before—maybe this was the key to triggering its transformation.

Sure enough—

The dog looked up at him. Though still reluctant, it hesitated before finally opening its mouth.

It actually gave him face—and bit down.

Su Cheng’s hair stood on end. He scrambled backward in panic, crashing into Sister Qin, who’d leaned in too close. Losing balance, he landed face-first on the ground.

"Watch out!"

Sister Qin had rushed forward to pull him back but was knocked off balance by the collision. Just as she grabbed his collar to yank him away, a spray of blood blossomed from the dog’s head—it collapsed, twitching violently.

"What the hell?!" Sister Qin whipped her head around but saw no one nearby, only a fleeting glimpse of another yellow dog in the distance.

"Was that really not the same one?"

Meanwhile—

Another big yellow dog slowly turned its head, its gaze eerily human, looking at them as if they were idiots.

…………………………

At the hospital.

Limping slightly, Su Cheng stepped out of the ward clutching a bag of medicated patches. He gave Sister Qin a wry look. "I’ve come to realize something about myself…"

Every time he’s just discharged, he ends up back in the hospital.

What kind of cursed cycle is this??

"Ah…" Sister Qin sighed, holding the payment slip, her tone tinged with guilt. "I’m the one to blame. If I hadn’t suggested it, this wouldn’t have happened."

She flashed an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that."

"Don’t worry about it." Su Cheng waved it off. "You covered the bills—I’m already grateful. No need to blame yourself."

"Alright then." Sister Qin grinned and slung an arm around his shoulder like a buddy. "I’ll make it up to you another time."

"No need." Su Cheng laughed helplessly, pushing her arm away. "I still owe you for last time. Let me treat you to lunch as an apology."

"Deal." Sister Qin agreed cheerfully.

Over lunch at a nearby restaurant, Sister Qin brought up how she and Cornelia had tailed Su Cheng before.

Su Cheng had been completely unaware, but Sister Qin held nothing back, recounting everything in detail.

"Anyway, we'll keep observing until dawn," Sister Qin said earnestly. "Cornelia is far too devoted to you—you mustn’t let her down."

"Don’t worry, I’ll bring her back!"

Su Cheng declared firmly.

The two chatted over their meal, enjoying each other’s company. Su Cheng noticed that despite being seven or eight years older, Sister Qin carried herself with even greater maturity, steering their conversation toward lighthearted and amusing topics.

………………

Archery Club.

A butler knocked on the door.

Ji Qingyi, who had been gracefully sipping her tea, frowned at the news. "Why is he always getting hurt so easily? Have all the stray animals in these areas cleared out."