Every Bully Meets His Match.

The group didn't even bother to change out of their riding uniforms before hopping onto the campus shuttle, heading straight for the club building to visit Gu Ruoxue's club.

Only when they reached the club's entrance did they exchange glances, as if silently debating who should knock and ask the question.

"I'll do it," Zhao Yan stepped forward, decisively rapping on the club door.

This matter was too important to her. If she couldn’t confirm it herself, she wouldn’t be able to eat or sleep peacefully.

Even if she knew the answer might hurt her, she was willing to try.

Thud, thud, thud—

Unconsciously, she even put extra force into her knocks.

The loud noise startled Wang Guancong and the others beside her. Xuan Ying, in particular, tugged at Zhao Yan’s sleeve and whispered nervously, "Don’t knock so hard! Tone it down a little."

"Ah, sorry." Only then did Zhao Yan realize she’d gotten carried away. She quickly withdrew her hand, took a deep breath to steady herself, and then gently tapped on the door again.

"Come in."

A distinctive voice responded, making Zhao Yan straighten up slightly. She inhaled deeply, pushed the door open, and stepped inside, the others following closely behind.

"Senior Gu, sorry to disturb you," Zhao Yan said the moment she entered, meeting Gu Ruoxue’s icy gaze. A shiver ran through her, but she quickly composed herself and bowed respectfully. "Hello, Senior Gu. I’m Zhao Yan, a first-year student."

"What is it?"

Gu Ruoxue responded indifferently.

Her eyes swept over the group before lingering briefly on Li Guanqi. But just as quickly, she turned her attention back to Zhao Yan, waiting for her to continue.

"Um… look." Just as Zhao Yan was about to explain, Xuan Ying suddenly gasped in surprise and tugged at Zhao Yan’s sleeve, pointing. "That flowerpot on the balcony."

Zhao Yan followed her gaze, and her eyes widened.

There, on the balcony, was the exact same flowerpot Su Cheng had been carrying earlier.

This is great…

A surge of inexplicable joy welled up in Zhao Yan’s heart. If this flowerpot was indeed a gift from Su Cheng, it would prove he hadn’t been lying—that he wasn’t just putting on a front. Maybe he really was a kind, upright, and respectable guy after all.

The thought made her mood lift even further, so much so that she momentarily forgot why she’d come here in the first place. She just stood there, staring blankly at the flowerpot.

Their odd behavior didn’t go unnoticed. Li Guanqi and the others exchanged puzzled glances.

Noticing this, Gao Ye seemed to piece something together and quickly asked, "Wait, is that the flowerpot you were talking about earlier?"

"If you have no further business, you may leave now," Gu Ruoxue suddenly interjected, her cold gaze sweeping over them.

Zhao Yan’s face flushed instantly. She hurriedly asked, "Senior Gu, is that uniquely shaped flowerpot on the balcony a gift from Su Cheng?"

The moment she spoke, everyone’s attention snapped back to Gu Ruoxue.

But the answer they were hoping for never came.

Gu Ruoxue shook her head, her expression unchanging. "No."

Zhao Yan’s face froze. Before she could process this, Gu Ruoxue added, "I lent him a flowerpot before. This is him returning it."

She emphasized the words lent and returning with deliberate clarity.

"Ah…"

"So that’s how it is."

"I knew it."

The room erupted into murmurs. Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief, their tense nerves finally relaxing. At the very least, this meant Su Cheng wasn’t a liar—a huge comfort to his classmates.

As the group chattered among themselves, Li Guanqi quietly observed Gu Ruoxue and the clubroom. As expected, Gu Ruoxue still wasn’t wearing her ring.

She must have shed her negative emotions, just like Ji Qingyi. Maybe she even recovered her memories too.

The clubroom itself was unexpectedly spotless—not a speck of dust in sight, only the faint aroma of black tea lingering in the air. The pristine, meticulous environment matched Gu Ruoxue’s personality perfectly.

The bookshelves, too, held only academic texts and reference materials, devoid of any unnecessary clutter.

"Senior Gu, we actually came to ask for your help," Zhao Yan finally said after hesitating, getting straight to the point.

"That depends on what you need."

Gu Ruoxue didn’t waste words, turning to her laptop as if ready to note down their request.

It took Zhao Yan about fifteen minutes to explain everything. When she finished, she looked at Gu Ruoxue earnestly.

The others stood by silently, waiting. With so many people crowded in, there weren’t enough seats, so they had no choice but to remain standing.

A few minutes passed.

Gu Ruoxue stopped typing and glanced up at them. "The Practice Department will only offer advice. We won’t get involved directly."

Zhao Yan and the others immediately perked up.

"Thank you, Senior Gu! Your guidance is more than enough," Zhao Yan said quickly, then added, "It’s just… this whole situation is so bizarre. If Su Cheng really isn’t lying, we want to uncover the truth and clear his name."

"Yeah, we need to get to the bottom of this."

"But if he orchestrated this whole thing himself, that’s just too much!"

Gu Ruoxue gave them a sidelong glance. "You all seem almost eager for him to be faking it."

"Not exactly," Gao Ye cut in, shaking his head seriously. "But if this is staged, then he’s dangerous. The sooner we find out, the better."

"Hmm. You’re quite vigilant. Regardless, what you choose to do is up to you."

Gu Ruoxue studied their animated expressions before dropping another piece of information.

"From what I know, Ji Qingyi’s horse once spent time with Su Cheng. But it seems he’s forgotten that experience. Which means…"

"Means what?"

"Su Cheng lost his memory due to some factor, making him unable to recognize the horse. Ji Qingyi is aware of this. If any of you are brave enough, you could ask her directly—whether that’s the case, and whether she specifically bought this horse for him."

"Senior Gu, are you saying… Ji Qingyi and Su Cheng know each other, and she deliberately bought this horse for him?!"

The revelation sent a shock through the group. This possibility was even more startling than Su Cheng staging an elaborate act.

Xuan Ying couldn’t help but blurt out the question, as if needing to confirm she hadn’t misunderstood.

Zhao Yan’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Gu Ruoxue.

She never expected Gu Ruoxue to reveal something like this. Was she truly clairvoyant? Or did she have some unusual connection to these two?

But more than anything, Zhao Yan felt an inexplicable weight lift from her chest. Her worries finally settled.

After all, Gu Ruoxue’s words carried undeniable weight.

But the moment she thought of Su Cheng's retreating figure just now, her heart couldn't help but twist in anguish, as if a thousand ants were gnawing at it.

For a moment, silence fell over the scene again, with only a peculiar glimmer flashing in Li Guanqi's eyes—as if she had received some exhilarating news, her expression brimming with excitement.

"Senior, forgive my bluntness," Gao Ye said unwillingly, "While we don’t deny your words, isn’t it too reckless for us to take such a big risk just based on your brief account to verify the truth?"

"Um… Gao Ye, stop."

Wang Guancong tugged at Gao Ye’s sleeve, whispering in protest, "Think about it carefully. Minister Gu probably knows more than we do. It wouldn’t be strange if she already knew about Ji Qingyi and Su Cheng’s past."

"About that, you can investigate it yourselves," Gu Ruoxue shook her head, refusing to explain further. "In any case, your request has been concluded. Please leave now. It’s not appropriate for me to discuss too much about him."

"But… this is just too…"

Gao Ye bit her lip in frustration.

"When I visited Su Cheng last time…" Suddenly, Xu Tianyi, who had been silent for a long time, couldn’t hold back any longer and stepped forward to interject, "I discovered he had another identity. But I promised to keep it a secret for him."

"What identity?" Xuan Ying immediately pressed.

Her emotions were in turmoil—it seemed she had misunderstood Su Cheng, yet he wasn’t the kind of person she had assumed. A tangled mix of guilt and fear swirled in her heart, making her both eager and afraid to ask.

"I can’t reveal specifics, but his joining the Archery Club is enough proof of his relationship with the club president."

Xu Tianyi took a deep breath, organizing her thoughts before lifting her head with unwavering determination. "I can guarantee he never lied to win anyone’s favor—because he had absolutely no reason to!"

Her words silenced the group. With Su Cheng’s motives now negated, there was no way to question whether he had lied.

Besides, would Senior Gu lie as well?

The thought filled them all with remorse.

After thanking Gu Ruoxue, the five of them left the club.

Why five?

Because Li Guanqi remained behind, unnoticed and forgotten by the others.

"What other identity does he have?" Xuan Ying suddenly asked Xu Tianyi once they were outside the club building.

Everyone turned to Xu Tianyi.

"I promised to keep it a secret. I can’t say."

Xu Tianyi shook her head.

Xuan Ying and the others deflated at her response, but then turned to Zhao Yan, their voices tinged with awkwardness and guilt. "So… judging by this, it seems we wronged Su Cheng?"

"If everything said earlier is true, then yes. We thought too poorly of him." Zhao Yan pressed her soft lips together, her delicate face full of regret. For a moment, she didn’t know what else to say.

"It’s not entirely our fault. Who could’ve guessed he had amnesia…" Wang Guancong, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up with a wry smile. "Let’s go apologize to him tomorrow, okay? It was wrong of us to misjudge him."

Zhao Yan and the others exchanged glances before nodding slightly.

"I still want to hire a private investigator to look into this," Gao Ye stubbornly insisted, unwilling to let it go. She even pulled out her phone, ready to call some contacts to dig into Su Cheng’s background.

"Enough!" Zhao Yan snapped, mimicking Su Cheng’s earlier tone—stern and unyielding. "This matter is settled. We should apologize to Su Cheng, not keep digging."

"With Minister Gu’s testimony and Xu Tianyi’s guarantee, isn’t that enough for you? What more do you want? To take this to court?"

Xuan Ying frowned in displeasure. "And don’t you think you’re being too obsessive about this?"

"Exactly. Senior Gu’s reputation is well-known. If you don’t trust Xu Tianyi, can’t you at least trust Minister Gu’s word?" Wang Guancong quickly added, "Just drop it already."

Gao Ye flushed under their scolding but ultimately sighed and gave up.

Only Xu Tianyi craned her neck, glancing around before noticing Li Guanqi’s absence. Her brows furrowed in thought before she bid farewell to the group and turned back toward the club building.

Soon, she returned to the Practice Department.

Just as she was about to knock, she overheard a conversation inside.

"Senior Gu, there’s actually something I wanted to ask you."

"Junior Li, someone is waiting for you outside."

Hearing this, Li Guanqi’s expression shifted, realizing today wasn’t the right time. She turned toward the door and saw Xu Tianyi standing there.

"I came back to look for you when I noticed you weren’t with us," Xu Tianyi explained as she entered, nodding politely to Gu Ruoxue.

Li Guanqi had no choice but to stand up and bid farewell courteously. "I won’t trouble you further today, Senior."

The two then left the Practice Department one after the other. Sensing the tension earlier, Xu Tianyi apologized, "Sorry, I think I interrupted your conversation just now."

"It’s fine."

Li Guanqi shook her head, unfazed. "It was just a small matter. I can ask another time."

"Is that so?"

Xu Tianyi frowned slightly but didn’t press further, instead shifting the topic. "I’ve always wondered why Club President Ji and Su Cheng became so close despite knowing each other for such a short time. Now it makes sense—Su Cheng just didn’t remember their past."

"Yeah."

Li Guanqi sighed softly in agreement.

A brief silence fell between them before Li Guanqi murmured with a hint of resignation, "Who would’ve thought his story would be so dramatic?"

"True, I never expected it either." Xu Tianyi nodded before voicing her curiosity. "But I also wonder how Gu Ruoxue knows so much. Did she investigate everyone connected to Su Cheng? It seems like he’s shrouded in mystery from head to toe."

……………………

Time rewinds half an hour earlier.

Archery Club.

As always, Ji Qingyi sat gracefully by the tea table, her expression serene, her beautiful eyes like still water—unfathomable and calm. Her slender legs, clad in black stockings, were crossed elegantly, while her fair, porcelain-like fingers lightly held a teacup, taking the occasional sip.

Suddenly, her ears twitched slightly, as if detecting something. She immediately composed herself, straightened her posture, and closed her ink-black eyes.

"President, I’m here."

Su Cheng walked in, looking somewhat awkward.

After all, his behavior of making the club president leave had been too abrupt. She had come to help him precisely because he had been wronged, yet not only had he failed to appreciate her kindness, but he had also essentially told her to leave—undoubtedly an act of ingratitude.

But he had his reasons. While the problem could have been resolved directly, it would have exposed both of their identities. He had to consider Ji Qingyi's reputation; this was no trivial matter.

Moreover, he wasn’t worthy of her now. If this matter reached the Ji family, the elders would undoubtedly disapprove of him. He had no desire to relive the pain of separation again.

"Sit."

Ji Qingyi opened her beautiful eyes and gestured lightly with her hand.

"I was a bit ungrateful earlier."

Su Cheng admitted his mistake with full self-awareness.

"Sit down first."

Ji Qingyi neither acknowledged nor dismissed his apology, simply motioning for him to take a seat. After a brief hesitation, Su Cheng complied.

Then, Ji Qingyi slowly lifted her teacup and took a sip before speaking in a composed tone, "I know you must have your reasons. I can understand."

"Thank you for your understanding, President. It's just..."

Su Cheng turned to look at Ji Qingyi but was momentarily stunned when he noticed the box placed on the table beside her.

It was the box of dumplings he had given to Liu Qingyue.

But didn’t the president dislike red bean paste?

Why was it here?

"She gave this to me."

Noticing his reaction, Ji Qingyi reached out and opened the box, revealing the adorable dumplings inside. "I heard you made these yourself last night?"

"Yes, that’s right."

Su Cheng nodded immediately in confirmation.

"Interesting, and quite delicious."

A faint smile curved Ji Qingyi’s lips—so subtle that Su Cheng almost doubted his own eyes.

"If you make them again in the future," she paused, her gaze drifting to the scenery outside, her tone carrying a hint of deeper meaning, "I hope you’ll bring me a portion as well."

"Huh?"

Her words left Su Cheng dumbfounded. He stared at her in disbelief. "But... don’t you dislike red bean paste?"

At this, Ji Qingyi turned back to him, frowning slightly in confusion. "When did I ever say that?"

"Eh?"

Su Cheng gaped at her.

The two locked eyes for several seconds before the truth dawned on them both.

Liu Qingyue/Ji Yuewu had played a trick!

"Attendants, bring Ji Yuewu to me."

Ji Qingyi closed the box and set it back on the table, issuing the command to those outside the door.

"Yes, Young Mistress!"

Two respectful female voices responded immediately from beyond the room.

"Um... I think Senior Liu must have had her reasons..."

Su Cheng instinctively tried to defend Liu Qingyue, but before he could finish, Ji Qingyi cut him off sharply. "Every single one of you acts this way—disregarding right and wrong, doing as you please, all while convinced you know best! Utterly self-righteous!"

The fire at the gate had burned the innocent fish.