Healing the Body Begins with Healing the Mind

At the same time.

Halfway up the mountain, by a spring.

Liu Qingyue and Gu Ruoxue watched each other cautiously, a mere five meters apart. Between them flowed condensed water from the mountain, a small but steady stream in the quiet woods, pure enough to solve their drinking needs.

"You probably didn't go there just to persuade Su Cheng, did you?"

Liu Qingyue broke the silence first. Though her tone was reserved, her eyes were fixed directly on Gu Ruoxue. Her serious gaze even carried a hint of aggression.

"My highest priority has always been to ensure the system disappears completely and maintain social stability."

After a moment of silence, Gu Ruoxue finally gave a slight nod, admitting candidly, "Whether as a participant or a referee, if he still has the will and ability to fulfill his promise, I'll do my best to cooperate. If he lacks a bit of ability or courage, I don't mind giving him a hand either."

"After being together for so long, even a stone would have warmed up by now, right?" Liu Qingyue let out a sound almost like a sigh, but didn't forget to mock the person before her whose heart was harder than stone, her tone full of sarcasm.

"But in some people's eyes, without him, the world would return to an unchanging darkness."

"There are far more people than just him striving to live in this world."

Gu Ruoxue stated the fact in an icy voice, her expression like a frozen statue, devoid of any emotion.

"Some things require a fight to succeed, don't they?"

Liu Qingyue took a few steps forward to the edge of the spring's pool, scooped up a handful of crystal-clear water to drink, then looked up at Gu Ruoxue's exquisite face. "Just like last time with us, didn't a miracle happen?"

"You consider that a miracle?" Gu Ruoxue's voice was steady and unfluctuating, her expression having returned to its usual calm. She gazed coolly at the other. "In my view, it was merely the result of careful calculation."

"No, you misunderstand."

Liu Qingyue moved aside, gesturing for her to drink.

Without hesitation or polite refusal, Gu Ruoxue walked straight over, also scooping up a handful of cool, sweet stream water to quench her dry throat. She then began to close her eyes and rest, waiting for Liu Qingyue to continue.

Seeing this, Liu Qingyue slowly stated her meaning. "Last time, you could have chosen not to intervene. Letting him die would have been a clean end."

"I don't mind trying a few more times, but there's a limit. Things shouldn't be pushed past three." Gu Ruoxue still didn't open her eyes. Her voice sounded exceptionally calm, so calm it was as if she were discussing something unrelated to herself. "You sought me out, probably not just to chat about harmless topics to disguise your own purpose, right?"

"Talking with you is simple. No need to waste too much time." Liu Qingyue stated her intention plainly. "I have a way to persuade him, if you're willing to help."

"That depends on whether it affects my highest priority goal." Gu Ruoxue opened her eyes, a strand of black hair falling by her forehead, making her cheeks appear even paler.

………………

Just as the two were locked in their stalemate, by the stream below them, Li Guanqi stood beside a bicycle. She was quietly gazing at a shared bike, a faint trace of joy flickering in her dark eyes.

This bike hadn't been in the middle of the stream for long, and she was certain it was the one Su Cheng had been riding before. So, her heart was filled with hope.

Because this meant Su Cheng was nearby.

However, her heart was also filled with confusion. Why would he abandon the bike in the stream halfway up the mountain?

After all, this mountain path was difficult even for people to climb. Yet he had carried the bike up and then placed it in the stream?

Was there some special meaning or symbolism?

"A thermos?" Just then, on the bike's rear rack, she spotted a very ordinary silver stainless steel thermos. After a moment's thought, she bent down to pick it up, but was surprised by a sudden chill.

This thermos actually contained ice-cold water!?

A possibility occurred to her. She quickly unscrewed the lid, and a coolness carrying the sweet scent of fruit juice wafted out, causing her to freeze on the spot. For inside the thermos was her usual favorite juice.

This juice... she had once fed it to Su Cheng.

That day, Su Cheng had fainted on campus due to low blood sugar, and she had taken the initiative to feed him. Looking at it now, this cup of juice seemed like him repaying that favor from back then.

For a moment, her hands holding the cup trembled slightly, and an indescribable mix of emotions surged within her. Because the other party intended to repay this favor... this favor...

She suddenly felt lost.

Because she realized that even if she found Su Cheng, she had no way to persuade him. Nor was she like the others, qualified to advise him from some kind of position.

After he repaid this so-called favor, wouldn't they become what is known as mutually indebted?

By then, she would probably have no standing left to stand before him and try to persuade him of anything.

Girlfriend?

That was just her own wishful thinking.

Su Cheng hadn't recovered his memories, and she had only inferred it from various signs, with no direct evidence to prove it.

Thinking this, she felt a tightness in her chest, her breathing even becoming difficult. The cup in her hands inexplicably felt scalding hot. She hurriedly closed the cup, placed it back on the bike's rear rack, drank a few mouthfuls of stream water, and then continued on her way, searching for any sign of Su Cheng.

As long as she didn't accept it, then she still had a position.

She admonished herself this way, solidifying her resolve.

Then, a flash of determination passed through her eyes.

Half an hour later, her condition grew worse. She was so physically exhausted she barely had the strength to lift an arm. Yet she did not stop her search for Su Cheng.

A while later, the time had reached the afternoon. She leaned against a roadside rock to rest. She had now reached the mountaintop, and the view from the summit was exceptionally beautiful. The sky was ablaze, illuminating the mountain brightly and intensely.

Sunset clouds, each cloud looking as if ignited—a beauty hard to describe. Under the glow of these clouds, everything around became blurred and mysterious, all bathed in a golden and red halo by the blazing light.

And the sun in the west was slowly sinking, as if heralding something about to arrive, or perhaps something about to be destroyed, or maybe it was all just an illusion.

She had no leisure to appreciate the scenery, for within her field of vision, by the rocks to the west, a figure was sitting there.

His sitting posture was straight and imposing, his entire body enveloped in a golden halo, the sun echoing him from afar.

This scene left her in a daze.

An indescribable emotion surged from the depths of her heart. She couldn't help but call out, "Su... Cheng?"

Although her voice was very soft, the moment she called out, the other person actually slowly turned his head, his gaze fixed on her like a torch. In those pitch-black eyes, it was as if flames were dancing, or like the spark of a burning star.

He stood up, and as he walked step by step, the sunset scenery became more intense and saturated. Fiery reds, oranges, and golds intertwined, burning behind him like a giant fireball in the sky.

At this moment, it was as if heaven and earth were a crucible, all living things the fuel, with blood and tears simmering within, transformed into such magnificence.

He stopped, and the skyline's spectacle ceased with him.

The two stood silently facing each other across a distance of ten meters.

"I've been waiting for you."

Su Cheng spoke. His tone was no different from usual, as if he had simply been waiting for her. Only, with his back to the sun, his face was rendered indistinct.

"...Since you knew I would come, you must know why I'm here, right?" Li Guanqi's voice was very weak, her words faint.

"You should adjust your condition first."

With a wave of his hand, Su Cheng conjured a bottle of mineral water out of thin air and tossed it directly to land precisely upright at Li Guanqi's feet.

"How did you..." Li Guanqi looked at Su Cheng, surprised that he also possessed spatial abilities, then felt a flicker of delight. She hurriedly picked up the water and gulped down half the bottle.

She really did need to adjust her state.

Because she knew that the Su Cheng before her was likely no longer the Su Cheng of before, but a Su Cheng who had regained his memories. If so, the relationship between them was no longer an ordinary one.

She had the identity and the right to persuade him.

So, she needed strength—the strength to speak.

After half a bottle of water, Li Guanqi felt somewhat better. She straightened her clothes and appearance, stood up, calmed her mind, and then spoke: "Can we talk?"

Su Cheng didn't speak, just stood quietly in place.

Seeing this, Li Guanqi was about to speak, but a hot wind blew across the mountaintop. Ignoring her tousled hair, she asked in a hoarse voice, "Have you regained your memories?"

Su Cheng didn't speak, only gave a slight nod.

Seeing this, Li Guanqi let out a sigh of relief and continued, "Then, shouldn't the relationship between us change?"

Hearing this, Su Cheng quietly gazed at Li Guanqi.

After a long while, Su Cheng nodded. "It does need to change."

Hearing this, Li Guanqi nodded happily. "Mm!"

But before her joy could last a second, she heard Su Cheng say, "After I repay the favors and settle the interests, it will be over. So, there's no need for any further connection between you and me."

Hearing these words, her delicate frame trembled slightly, and she whispered in a shaking voice, "Why... why? Aren't we..."

At this point, she raised her head, looking nervously at Su Cheng, afraid to miss a single word. But Su Cheng only shook his head indifferently, offering no reply.

"I never accepted your charity, nor did I approve of your methods. That was just your wishful thinking."

Li Guanqi no longer hid her true feelings. "I really don't understand. Why do you deny our relationship?"

"Huh? What other relationship could we possibly have?" Su Cheng suddenly laughed, but his laughter held confusion and bewilderment. "Besides being friends, what other relationship could we have?"

Hearing this laugh, Li Guanqi felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. This laughter shattered the hope she had built up bit by bit, even making her doubt the conclusions she had previously drawn.

Was she not his girlfriend?

Thinking this, her figure swayed slightly, nearly causing her to fall. She steadied herself, trying hard to keep her voice from trembling. "I... don't understand..."

"You seem to have misunderstood something."

Su Cheng's tone was very flat. "Think about it yourself. You are so outstanding—not only from a cadre family but also a beautiful and academically excellent girl. And me? I'm an orphan. Even an ordinary family environment is a luxurious dream for me, and my personality is utterly terrible. Is it possible for us?"

"But all the signs indicated..."

"False. Since this world is a stage, why wouldn't another be the same?" Su Cheng interrupted her, his tone serious and sincere. "You can treat it as a game, or a farce. Off the stage, we are just ordinary."

"You didn't fall in love with me, nor do you like me."

Su Cheng reiterated once more, finally saying, "We were just actors, like those acting on a silver screen. Between you and me, it was merely a working relationship, nothing more."

"That's not true! Stop trying to bewilder me!" Li Guanqi retorted excitedly, losing her usual calm and elegant demeanor, like a child who had suffered all wrongs. She shouted, "Whether I fell in love or liked someone, I know it clearly myself! It's absolutely not something your few words can overturn!"

Su Cheng just silently watched Li Guanqi.

After a moment, Li Guanqi gently touched the ring on her finger. After her outburst, she calmed down again. "I know my background is enough to make everyone in Yan Country envious, but only I know the real situation."

Li Guanqi looked directly at Su Cheng and said slowly, "When I was very young, I contracted a rare illness. It caused the muscles in my face to not function normally. My expressions were frozen from that moment on."

As she spoke, she rubbed her face. "This facial paralysis not only brought physical discomfort but, more importantly, it caused me immense inferiority. I learned to escape and be alone from a young age. Over time, I began to be overlooked by people. Although my family didn't neglect me, they also overlooked my inner desires and dreams. Because they hardly ever came home once a year."

"Of course, I once tried to integrate into groups, but because of my facial defect, they always treated me as a strange existence. So, after feeling utterly lonely, my sense of presence, for some reason, grew weaker and weaker, as if I were just a silent shadow in this world."

Li Guanqi sighed. "Fortunately, the world within words offered an escape from reality's constraints, bringing me some solace. But that doesn't mean I liked books!"

"It's just that I had no other choice."

Li Guanqi shook her head, her tone filled with sorrow, a mix of loss and pain. "I don't know how to describe this feeling. I can only tell you that since childhood, it's as if I've been in a sealed space every day."

Su Cheng listened quietly, still not speaking.

After a long, long while, Li Guanqi stopped her narration. Her gaze fixed on Su Cheng, her voice turning flat, returning to its usual calm: "If someone could enter that secret room, even if just to repay a debt of gratitude, that would be enough. Because their presence would become the only spot of light in my sealed-off space. I think I would like them, care about them, depend on them, even fall in love with them. So no matter what, even if it happened countless times again, we would absolutely end up entangled with each other!"

"Getting to the point, you still need a cure, right? Easy enough. Drink this." Su Cheng conjured out of thin air a bottle containing a pale red liquid and shoved it into Li Guanqi's hand.

Li Guanqi stared at the bottle in her hand. The red liquid reminded her of the potion she had seen before.

She lifted her head, glaring at Su Cheng with displeasure.

"Are you planning to just brush this off like that?"

"Am I brushing it off? Isn't this repaying a debt? This is my way of repaying it. You said it yourself—even if it's just repaying a debt, you'd still fall in love with me. So why should I put in more effort?"

Su Cheng shrugged indifferently, completely missing the increasingly palpable low pressure emanating from Li Guanqi across from him, especially after she had endured hours of mental and physical torment.

Then, the low pressure reached its breaking point.

Li Guanqi hurled the bottle into the stream with force, her shout hoarse and unpleasant: "I don't want you to fulfill the promise this way! And I don't want to recover either! Because I know if I recover, you'll have to face the system alone! So I'd rather not recover! That way you can't fulfill the promise!"

"What's wrong with you?! That bottle was something I managed to cough up with great difficulty!"

"Cough up?!" Upon hearing this, Li Guanqi picked up a mineral water bottle from the ground and threw it at him.

Facing Li Guanqi's sudden outburst, Su Cheng dodged the water bottle and was about to get up to retrieve the other one when Li Guanqi suddenly pounced on him, knocking him over.

She knelt straddling his legs, her hands grabbing his head, forcing them to look directly into each other's eyes. Then, as if to vent all the resentment of the entire day, she spoke word by word: "Did you ever ask for my consent? You don't respect my opinion at all! Even if I recover, I won't feel the slightest bit happy, because if you're gone, who would I even smile for?!"

"That's not up to you!"

Su Cheng's voice cut off abruptly, replaced by the sensation of something soft and the taste of a word transmitted by a tongue tip.

Her beautiful eyes widened in shock, because Su Cheng had cupped her cheeks and planted a proper, grown-up kiss directly on her lips.

At this moment, Li Guanqi only felt her head burning as if with fever, dizzy and muddled. Before she could even react, countless memory fragments came surging up from the depths of her mind.

And those cheeks that had been in a tense state for over a decade gradually relaxed, softened, and regained a rosy hue...

The originally blurred, sealed memories in her mind gradually became clear. Those memory fragments assembled like a complete picture, unfolding slowly before Li Guanqi's eyes—

But because this influx of memories was too vast and complex, coupled with her body's extreme weakness, it only lasted for a brief few seconds before it all collapsed. Unable to bear it, she fainted.

Then, Su Cheng gently laid her on the ground. Looking down, he saw that although Li Guanqi had fainted, her face was flushed, and a strange, unique smile played on her lips.

Did she see something beautiful?

"Seems someone still needs to teach you how to smile."

Su Cheng stood up, conjured her small pillow, and placed it under Li Guanqi's head. He then stood up again, turned, and walked towards the direction of the sun. But after just a few steps, he paused, turned his head, and glanced at Li Guanqi lying on the ground.

Because, although her smile was strange and unique, it was absolutely the most extraordinary, one-of-a-kind smile in the world.