How Many Times Have the World's Affairs Changed Like Wind and Clouds

Upon hearing these words, Li Guanqi froze in place, her hand holding the ring stiffening mid-air, lingering there for a long moment without lowering.

She stared blankly at Su Cheng before her, blinking her beautiful eyes before lowering her head dejectedly, her voice slightly hoarse: "Just now, you seemed to be struggling in pain, and I felt I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. So I tried to do something to change the situation. I wasn’t sure if reaching out randomly was the right thing to do, but now it seems my actions were indeed abrupt… I’m sorry for causing you trouble."

Su Cheng shook his head and reassured her, "The fact that you were willing to give me such a precious ring already leaves me flattered—how could I possibly blame you? Regardless, thank you for your trust. But I truly don’t have the fortune to accept it. Please understand."

Li Guanqi fell silent for a moment, tightening her grip on the ring, lightly biting her red lips before finally sighing and nodding. "If that’s the case, then I’ll take it back for safekeeping."

"You mentioned earlier that there’s a secret behind this ring, one that’s closely tied to me. Can you tell me what it is?" Su Cheng interrupted, a trace of gravity flashing in his eyes.

Ever since she had brought it up, this question had been gnawing at his mind, impossible to shake off.

Li Guanqi raised her head, her gaze earnest and resolute, as if summoning all her courage, and spoke solemnly, word by word: "Do you remember when you asked me about the ring at the hospital? At the time, I answered: 'For certain reasons, I don’t need to wear it when visiting you.'"

Su Cheng recalled how puzzled he had been by her response back then, so he immediately pressed further, "So, what exactly is the reason?"

"Because of you," Li Guanqi slowly uttered the three words.

"Because of me?" Su Cheng grew even more confused.

Li Guanqi’s eyes darkened as she fixed her gaze on him, calmly explaining, "If you’re not by my side, taking off the ring makes me feel intense restlessness, and negative emotions instantly flood my entire mental state. But as long as I’m near you, removing the ring doesn’t cause this discomfort."

"Me?!" Su Cheng was stunned. "Only me?"

"That’s right. I discovered this by accident after you accidentally knocked the ring off my hand during P.E. class last time," Li Guanqi affirmed. "That’s also why I said this ring is closely connected to you."

Su Cheng stared at her in a daze, countless thoughts rushing through his mind. After a long pause, he spoke with difficulty, "So… the reason you approached me was also because of this?"

If what Li Guanqi said was true, everything now made sense—why she had gone out of her way to interact with him despite the pressure from the Ji family, why she had been so eager to understand his thoughts and extend help to him.

So that’s how it was…

Su Cheng muttered to himself, his lips trembling slightly, "No wonder."

Li Guanqi didn’t miss the subtle shift in Su Cheng’s expression and immediately apologized, "I’m truly sorry. Due to certain circumstances, I couldn’t tell you directly before."

"It’s fine," Su Cheng waved his hand, forcing a bitter smile. But then, as if catching onto something crucial, he asked, "Wait a minute, Li Guanqi. If removing the ring causes negative emotions, why were you so insistent on giving it to me?"

"Because I thought that if I handed it to you, it might eliminate the negative effects of the ring," Li Guanqi answered without hesitation, then quickly added, afraid Su Cheng might misunderstand, "Ji Qingyi and Gu Ruoxue also have the same rings, and they’ve already rid themselves of the negative emotions."

This bombshell left Su Cheng utterly dumbfounded. His eyes widened in disbelief as he repeated under his breath, "Gu Ruoxue… Ji Qingyi… They have them too?"

Li Guanqi nodded. "Yes."

Su Cheng took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. The sheer volume of information made his thoughts sluggish. But upon closer consideration, it all seemed to fit.

"But they never gave me their rings?"

"I suspect they regained their memories, which is why the negative emotions disappeared."

"So you were taking a gamble?"

"You could say that. Even if it didn’t erase the negative effects, I thought you might be able to help me recover my memories."

Su Cheng closed his eyes, processing everything he had just heard. After a long while, he slowly reopened them. "So the reason they approached me was also because… I’m connected to the rings?"

"I’m not sure about that," Li Guanqi shook her head, but then continued, "But I suspect it’s because they, like me, lost their memories and later regained fragments of them. And in those fragments, you must have appeared—or perhaps you shared some past experiences together."

"Memory loss again?!" Su Cheng frowned. This whole situation was more convoluted, absurd, and dramatic than any novel plot, making him wonder if he had somehow crossed into a fictional world.

"Please stay calm. There’s one more thing I need to tell you," Li Guanqi said, noticing Su Cheng’s dazed expression. Then she dropped another bombshell—

"You’ve also lost your memories before. Based on my investigation and observations, you had a girlfriend back in your hometown."

The moment these words left her mouth, Su Cheng shot to his feet, staring at Li Guanqi in shock, momentarily unable to react.

Because it was true—except that girlfriend belonged to the original owner of this body. After he transmigrated here, he had no emotional attachment to her and hadn’t bothered learning much about her, only knowing she was supposedly beautiful.

What a joke. How pretty could a small-town school belle really be?

So he had never paid much attention, not even bothering to learn her name. And those around him, afraid of reopening old wounds, never brought her up in front of him.

Besides, he didn’t need to seek revenge for the original owner. Getting into Flame City Private Academy was revenge enough—that small-town school belle must have been kicking herself by now.

But then Li Guanqi continued—

"Gu Ruoxue once visited your hometown."

She nodded, adding, "I believe your ex-girlfriend is most likely her."

Su Cheng was stunned. His expression shifted from shock to bewilderment, then to deep contemplation, even revealing a trace of anguish. He didn’t know how to describe his emotions—his mind was a tangled mess, as if a boulder had lodged itself in his chest, suffocating his breath and thoughts, leaving his entire body rigid.

That small-town school belle… was Gu Ruoxue?

What kind of luck did the original owner have?!

He could almost understand now why the original owner had jumped into the river.

Wave after wave of revelations crashed into his mind, leaving him unable to digest it all at once. He needed time to sort through the logic, to slowly piece everything together.

Li Guanqi quietly observed his reaction, not interrupting, simply sitting beside him in silent companionship.

After a long while, Su Cheng gradually steadied himself. He bent down, rummaged through his school bag for medication, and swallowed a few pills with a sip of water before finally looking up at Li Guanqi, his gaze terrifyingly solemn.

"Why did you suddenly decide to tell me all this?"

"Because my sister told me that as long as you open your heart, any problem can eventually be resolved."

Li Guanqi answered with sincerity, the gentle light in his eyes softening Su Cheng's previously tense demeanor, dissolving the pressure between them into something tender.

"I can't give you an answer right now," Su Cheng said, standing with her hands behind her back on the rocky shore as she gazed at the shimmering sea in the distance, her voice tinged with quiet melancholy. "You've given me too much to process—I need more time to think."

"Mm." Li Guanqi watched her back in silence, saying nothing more. He simply held the ring lightly before slipping it onto his own finger.

A few minutes later—

"I should go home."

Su Cheng turned to bid him a brief farewell.

"Mm." Li Guanqi nodded in response.

Their conversation ended there,

but a new storm was only just beginning.