The air in the hospital ward always felt a little oppressive, so Shen Guang and Yan Qingxue went downstairs together to get some fresh air.

When he opened the lunchbox, he found an assortment of pretty little pastries inside.

Shen Guang was a little surprised. He hadn’t expected Yan Qingxue to be so skillful with her hands.

“I didn’t know you were so talented, Yan. These look delicious.” Teasing her, Shen Guang picked up one of the pastries from the lunchbox.

He took a small bite. The pastry was sweet but not cloying, and he found himself reaching for another.

Looking at the boy in front of her, Yan Qingxue couldn’t help feeling that something about him was unfamiliar.

“Shen Guang, I feel like you’ve changed a little since you were hospitalized.”

Shen Guang was just about to take another bite when he suddenly stopped. He looked up and met Yan Qingxue’s slightly puzzled gaze, then chuckled.

“Then tell me—what’s changed?”

“Ah! I didn’t mean you were bad before! I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea.” The girl seemed to realize she’d put her foot in her mouth and hurried to explain.

“Do you think I’m not as annoying as I used to be?”

“That’s not what I…”

Yan Qingxue’s face had gone red as she tried to explain herself. The corners of Shen Guang’s mouth lifted.

“I’m just kidding. I know what I was like before. I’m sorry if I ever gave you a hard time. But I’m still pretty happy we can be friends.”

With both hands on the chair, Shen Guang looked ahead and continued.

“Getting hit on the head must’ve cleared it a little. But what the class said about me threatening you with the rent—was that actually true?”

At that, Yan Qingxue hurriedly waved her hands and said earnestly,

“That’s absolutely not true! You’ve always been really nice to me, Shen Guang. Sometimes I think you’re… a little too nice. But I think you’re a good person!”

Wow, he’d just been handed a straight-up “you’re a good person” card. Shen Guang couldn’t help grumbling inwardly, though he kept smiling.

Still, some things had become a lot clearer. Maybe she really was connected to the change in his ending…

Yan Qingxue was a cheerful girl to begin with. Seeing how calmly Shen Guang took things, she let her guard down a little and happily chatted with him.

……

After several grueling days, Shen Guang was finally discharged. But Lin Qingqian didn’t come that day.

He heard something important had come up, but she’d asked him to wait at the hospital for a while. She’d come as soon as she could.

Shen Guang couldn’t help wondering how anyone could be so considerate. Had the old Shen Guang been blind? How could he have paid so little attention to someone this nice, right in front of him?

Still, who the old Shen Guang liked had nothing to do with him. He was Shen Guang now, and since there weren’t any flags in sight, he might as well enjoy himself.

Shen Guang gathered his things and was about to call a car when a sleek black sedan pulled up in front of him.

The window rolled halfway down, revealing half of a pretty, delicate face pressed against the glass. It looked downright comical.

The girl inside scanned the area warily, then urgently waved Shen Guang over.

“Shen Guang, get in!”

Shen Guang recognized her voice right away.

“Luo, what brings you here today?”

“L-Luo?” Luo Xiaoxiao looked surprised, but didn’t dwell on it. “Never mind. Hurry up and get in. It’ll be a problem if someone sees us!”

When she saw Shen Guang looking like he might refuse, a nameless anger flared up inside Luo Xiaoxiao.

So what if she’d rejected his confession? Did he really have to be so dramatic about it? And when she remembered that Shen Guang might be keeping his distance because he’d lost his memories, she got even angrier!

She flung the car door open and yanked Shen Guang inside.

The atmosphere in the car was a little awkward. Luo Xiaoxiao folded her arms across her chest and sat ramrod straight, not even looking at him.

Shen Guang had no idea what he’d done to offend this celebrity heiress, but she’d kindly come to give him a ride, so he didn’t know what to say.

He turned to look out the window, hoping to pass the time.

But Luo Xiaoxiao suddenly spoke up, her tone unfriendly.

“I was going to find someone to look after you these past few days, but you already had someone taking care of you?”

“Uh… she’s a friend.”

“I didn’t know you had any female friends.”

The more Luo Xiaoxiao thought about it, the angrier she got—and the more ridiculous she felt for getting angry in the first place.

‘I’m only angry because I feel bad for him! That’s it!’ Luo Xiaoxiao told herself.

But when she turned around, she found Shen Guang looking at her with an almost-smile.

“You don’t really know me, do you?”

Luo Xiaoxiao stiffened, her expression growing even more awkward.

Right. At most, she and Shen Guang were classmates. What gave her the right to interrogate him? Sure, he’d confessed to her—but she’d turned him down. If she kept pushing, she’d look like some master of fake sweetness!

“S-sorry.” Luo Xiaoxiao turned away to hide her embarrassment.

Watching her from behind, Shen Guang shook his head with a helpless smile.

By the time they finished talking, the car had come to a stop.

“Thanks for the ride. And don’t blame yourself about what happened before. I’m really not hurt that badly.”

Shen Guang’s words were so polite that Luo Xiaoxiao found them strange.

Could getting hit on the head really change someone’s personality this much? Before, he was always trying to show off in front of her.

She’d seen plenty of what their classmates were saying in the class group chat. Her first instinct had been to defend Shen Guang, but her position was sensitive. If she spoke up for him too readily, people might get the wrong idea.

Looking back now, maybe she wanted to do something for Shen Guang because she felt uneasy about what had happened.

As her feelings gradually came into focus, Luo Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, then said calmly,

“All right, then. Goodbye, Shen Guang.”

“Goodbye.”

After saying that, Shen Guang watched the car drive away. But as the black sedan disappeared into the distance, he didn’t feel much of anything.

Whether it was Lin Qingqian, Yan Qingxue, or Luo Xiaoxiao, their roles in the game were bound to bring him trouble.

After all, they were characters for players to romance. Who knew who the protagonist was supposed to be?

For now, all he had to do was get along with them and wait to see what happened.

He was pulling his suitcase and getting ready to head home when a woman’s startled cry suddenly rang out behind him!

“Oh! Xiao Guangguang, you’re back!!”

Her voice was coquettish—the textbook fake-sweet act. Shen Guang got goosebumps just listening to her.

He turned around and saw a tall woman dressed to the nines striding toward him in sky-high heels.

Her smooth, delicate legs were completely exposed, making it hard not to catch your breath.

But Shen Guang was more worried about whether her feet could really handle those heels.

As it turned out, Shen Guang had worried for nothing.

The woman could actually run in high heels. How long had she been practicing walking on a balance beam?

Before Shen Guang could react, the woman pulled him into her arms. The heavy scent of flowers left his mind blank for a moment.

But more importantly, he couldn’t breathe!!!