Newborn calves are not afraid of tigers.

The last rays of the setting sun filtered through the glass balcony window, casting a warm orange glow over the figure of a young man standing quietly by the window. His eyes were slightly closed, as if lost in thought, seeming out of place with the world around him.

"Su Cheng, dinner is ready." A gentle, melodious voice suddenly broke the silence from outside the balcony.

Su Cheng opened his eyes and turned to see Li Guanqi, an apron tied around her waist, stepping gracefully toward the balcony door. She waved at him, signaling him to join them at the dining table.

By now, the table was already surrounded by beautiful young women, but none had touched their chopsticks. Instead, they sat in silence, their cold and serious gazes fixed on the balcony, as if waiting for Su Cheng to arrive.

The reason Su Cheng had stormed off to the balcony alone was simple—his request had been unanimously rejected by the four girls. Their reasoning was straightforward: the conclusion was already clear, and they didn’t want him making a meaningless attempt, much less risking his life for it.

Frustrated, Su Cheng had snapped during the argument, "I’m not even the Su Cheng of this world! What right do you have to deny me the chance to pursue my own dreams?"

His words had plunged the room into silence. Su Cheng, seething, had stormed off to the balcony to sulk alone.

Deep down, the girls knew that given his current temperament, no amount of opposition would sway his resolve. If anything, their resistance would only fuel his defiance, worsening the conflict and achieving the opposite of what they intended.

"A glass of milk is enough. I’m going back to my own place," Su Cheng muttered stubbornly, his back still turned to Li Guanqi.

Ignoring his demand, Li Guanqi instead walked over and crouched beside him, gazing into the distance with him. "What were you thinking about just now?" she asked softly. "You seemed troubled. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nothing," Su Cheng shook his head.

"Then let me think through the problem with you," Li Guanqi suggested, turning her head to study his profile. "In the world you came from, there must have been a version of me too, right? Can I ask you something?"

Su Cheng turned to look at her and saw genuine curiosity and sincerity flickering in her eyes. Clearly, she had real questions on her mind.

"In return, you can ask me anything as well," Li Guanqi added calmly. "Whether it’s about me or about yourself—feel free to ask."

After a brief hesitation, Su Cheng nodded.

Truthfully, he had a question of his own: Why was Gu Ruoxue here? Perhaps the answers Li Guanqi had hinted at earlier could be found here.

"In your world, what was our relationship?" Li Guanqi clasped her hands together in front of her chest, lifting her gaze to meet his.

"Classmates? Friends?" Su Cheng weighed his words carefully. "We were on good terms, and we’d been interacting more frequently lately."

"I see," Li Guanqi lowered her eyes briefly before looking up again, her tone gentle yet cautious, like a caring mother. "Now it’s your turn to ask."

"Why is Gu Ruoxue here? Was she my ex-girlfriend?" Su Cheng cut straight to the point.

"I invited her," Li Guanqi admitted, a trace of disappointment in her eyes. "As for your second question… I’m afraid I can’t answer that. It involves another person’s privacy. You’ll have to ask her yourself. I’m sorry."

Unable to get an answer, Su Cheng couldn’t hide his frustration.

Just then, footsteps approached from behind.

Both of them turned to see Gu Ruoxue standing over them. Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, her school uniform immaculate, her slender legs encased in stockings. Her sharp gaze and cold demeanor made her seem like a rose wrapped in thorns.

"I can answer you," Gu Ruoxue spoke, her voice cool and slightly husky, carrying an air of aloofness. "But first, finish your dinner."

"I don’t want vague answers—I want a clear one," Su Cheng bargained.

"Fine," Gu Ruoxue nodded before turning and walking back to the dining table.

Watching her retreating figure, Su Cheng fell silent.

Beside him, Li Guanqi’s soft voice broke the quiet. "Shall we join them?"

Su Cheng nodded and followed her to the table.

By now, Gu Ruoxue had just taken her seat.

Ji Qingyi sat upright like a statue, her eyes closed as if meditating.

Liu Qingyue pulled out a chair beside her, gesturing for Su Cheng to sit. Li Guanqi, meanwhile, calmly took her place next to Gu Ruoxue.

Su Cheng sat down beside Liu Qingyue and glanced around the table. The dishes were lavish and meticulously prepared, each one tailored to his tastes.

He knew they had all been made by the girls’ hands.

Yet, at this moment, he had no appetite for the feast before him. Instead, he silently observed everyone present.

"Eat while it’s hot, or the food will get cold," Liu Qingyue urged.

"Mm," Su Cheng picked up a piece of meat and absentmindedly stuffed it into his mouth. Surprisingly, it was delicious—Liu Qingyue, Li Guanqi, and Gu Ruoxue’s cooking skills were truly exceptional.

But before he could even swallow, Liu Qingyue suddenly remarked, "Huh? Seriously? You’re actually eating?"

Su Cheng froze, looking around to find everyone staring at him.

"Didn’t you just say you weren’t close to us?" Liu Qingyue smiled faintly. "If you’re treating yourself as a guest, you should wait for the host to speak before picking up your chopsticks. Since when does a guest act on a servant’s suggestion?"

"My apologies," Su Cheng quickly conceded.

He knew he had brought this upon himself. Though irritated, he understood their reaction. After all, his earlier words had been hurtful. Even if he wasn’t the Su Cheng of this world, he shouldn’t have treated them like strangers.

Setting down his chopsticks, he scanned the table and voiced his confusion: "Tell me, who exactly is the master of this household?"

He expected the question to leave the girls in awkward silence, but Liu Qingyue answered without hesitation: "Since the true master isn’t here right now, the three of them are in charge. They’re all the mistresses of this house."

"What?" Su Cheng felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. He gaped at Ji Qingyi, Li Guanqi, and Gu Ruoxue, his mind buzzing, unable to process this shocking revelation.

Three of them?

What kind of situation was this?

"Don’t listen to her nonsense. Senior Liu just loves making these kinds of tasteless jokes," Li Guanqi reassured him, serving him a bowl of rice with a gentle smile. "No need to stand on ceremony. Just eat as you please."

Su Cheng numbly accepted the bowl, hesitantly glancing at the others before cautiously picking up another piece of meat and hurriedly shoveling down a few mouthfuls of rice.

The girls, too, picked up their utensils and ate in silence. The room was filled only with the clinking of dishes and the occasional sound of chewing.

About ten minutes later, Su Cheng abruptly set down his chopsticks.

Ji Qingyi, Gu Ruoxue, and Li Guanqi had long since finished eating and were waiting patiently.

"I’m done. Now, tell me the answer," Su Cheng said solemnly, his gaze fixed intently on Gu Ruoxue.

At this moment, only Liu Qingyue remained with her head bowed, seemingly engrossed in her meal. She picked at the grains of rice in her bowl, her eyes downcast and her expression detached, as if she were merely an outsider observing the scene.

"From an objective standpoint, based on the timeline you're referencing, I am Su Cheng's girlfriend—technically, before the breakup is finalized. Emotionally speaking, however, I believe the nature of my relationship with Su Cheng warrants reevaluation."