Popularity is everything; I play a super genius.

Qi Ji had taken off his heavy black trench coat, and now he was only wearing a thin, college-style white shirt.

A white shirt, a white mask, a white moon.

In Bai Lili's eyes, this scene was like something out of the most fantastical fairy tale, a miracle that had descended to save everyone in a moment of crisis.

[Prince Charming]

In fact, Bai Lili has rarely read stories like "Prince Charming" since she was a child.

Because from the time she could remember, her family had clearly told her—

When she grows up, she will marry into the Thousand Faces family.

Therefore, she cannot have her own "likes".

Bai Lili's marriage is part of her family's interests; it's a pre-written "script."

So, while other girls were just beginning to experience romantic feelings and dreaming of love, Bai Lili had already given up on such thoughts. She had someone she had to like and someone she had to please.

Bai Lili had no complaints about this, and even felt it was perfectly reasonable.

Because in the Bai family, she was a child who was cherished and pampered by everyone since she was a child.

She grew up surrounded by everyone's love and affection.

Compared to her peers who were either struggling to make ends meet or whose parents had died in war, she already had so much more.

She lived in a glass dome woven from honey and flowers.

Whatever she wanted, her parents would do their best to fulfill it.

Bai Lili even often felt slightly uneasy because she was too happy.

She often thought—

Does she really deserve this unreasonable happiness?

Compared to her peers who were unfortunate but hardworking or exceptionally talented, she was too ordinary.

Hearing is only of average talent, not particularly bright, and has a weak and indecisive personality, lacking assertiveness and courage.

Despite being such an ordinary person, I possess everything that 99% of children in the world do not have.

It was amidst this vague doubt and unease about her own worth that she learned of the marriage arranged for her by her parents.

At that moment, instead of resisting, she seemed to have finally found the answer, the value of her existence, and a way to repay her family—

For the sake of my family, and to live up to all the love and happiness I've received since childhood...

She strives to become a qualified "woman of a thousand faces" who can bring benefits to the family!

So let's start by liking classmate Shang Shi!

Bai Lili told herself this, and she earnestly did so.

She took the initiative to approach Su Shi, her classmate.

Show concern, understand, and cultivate "feelings" little by little, from nothing to something.

but.

She felt that she really was...

I still can't do anything right.

Because Su Shi seemed to dislike her at all.

Su Shi was always indifferent, rarely responding to her enthusiasm, and his gaze was always resistant...

She had clearly tried her best, carefully trying to please and ingratiate herself.

She didn't even know what else she could do or how she could do it to make Su Shi feel even the slightest bit of goodwill towards her.

So she went to ask her mother.

Her mother gently stroked her head and told her:

"Lili, when you're with Sushi someday and you find that feeling of your heart pounding like a deer's, then you'll know what to do."

"Love is something that doesn't need to be taught by others; it's an innate instinct that everyone is born with."

but……

What exactly is that feeling of "heart fluttering"?

She never found it when she was with Su Shi.

To be honest, when she was with Su Shi, she felt more cautiousness, even...

Are you scared?

She was afraid of not doing well, afraid of accidentally upsetting Su Shi again, and afraid that Su Shi would dislike her even more than before.

She was like a puppet held by strings by the words "arranged marriage," performing cautiously on a stage called "fiancée," but she could never gain the approval of the audience.

however……

Just now.

When Saki-kun descended from the sky and hugged her tightly...

When Saki took off her mask, revealing part of her true face...

When she saw that breathtakingly handsome half-face, hidden behind a mask, at such close range...

Her heart suddenly started beating very fast!

"Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump—!!!"

The sound was so loud it seemed to shatter her chest.

Blood rushed to my cheeks as if boiling.

My breathing became rapid, and my fingertips felt slightly numb, like I was being electrocuted!

That is……

That was a feeling she had never had before when facing her classmate, Su Shi.

Is it...

Is this what Mom meant by "my heart is pounding like a deer"?

but……

But this person is not a petitioner.

It's Saki Sakuya-kun.

It is that powerful, mysterious, seemingly unapproachable yet always unintentionally showing gentleness, making Saki Saku unpredictable.

It's that super reliable guy, the one you can't help but want to rely on, who always saves everyone from danger.

It's not a petition to the world!

and so--

No, no, that won't do!

Damn heart! Stop beating!

No, no, no, no...

If your heart stops beating, you'll die, right?

In short... please, please jump slower!

Don't let him hear! Don't let anyone find out!!

Bai Lili's mind was in complete chaos, and her face was burning hot, almost like a fried egg.

She leaned stiffly against Qi Ji's chest, not daring to move, afraid that the other person would notice her rapid heartbeat.

……

Blood spurted from his body!

It felt like a long time had passed, but it was actually just a fleeting moment.

Saki had no idea what kind of inner turmoil was unfolding in the girl's heart at that very moment.

All he knew was that he had to activate the mask's abilities as quickly as possible to save her.

[Blurring between reality and illusion]!

This is an echo engraved on the mask, which allows the wearer to enter a superposition state of "both existing and not existing" in a very short time, thereby avoiding most forms of attack.

It's very useful; this was the first method that Qi Ji thought of to save the girl.

However, the [Blurring of Reality and Illusion] also has limitations; it can only be activated and used by someone wearing a mask.

So he split the mask in two.

The lower half of the mask was pressed onto Bai Lili's face, covering the girl's delicate chin and soft lips.

Bai Lili was stunned for a moment by Qi Ji's action.

The mask felt slightly cool to the touch, and the inside fit snugly against the skin. It seemed to carry a faint, pleasant scent belonging to Saki-san...

Preoperative preparations are complete!

Without the slightest hesitation, Qi Ji activated the echo!

[Blurring between reality and illusion]!

Twice in a row!

Once, it affected the self wearing the upper half of the mask.

Once, through the lower half of the mask, the effect was on Bai Lili in his arms.

Almost the instant Qi Ji activated his ability, the powerful blood arrow pierced through the two of them!

"careful--!!"

"No--!!"

At that moment, gasps, screams, and desperate cries rang out all around!

Everyone watched as the arrow of blood, representing death, pierced through Qi Ji's back without any hindrance, and then through Bai Lili's chest in his arms!

Then, with its momentum undiminished, it slammed into the ground behind the two men!

"BOOM—!!!"

The earth shook violently! Smoke and dust billowed into the sky!

The hard ground was blasted open, creating a crater several meters wide and bottomless, with spiderweb-like cracks spreading everywhere!

The violent shockwave, carrying with it gravel and dirt, sent several people who were nearby staggering backward.

ended?

No……

Unable to bear it any longer, Huo Mu rushed forward anxiously, while Liu Li's fingertips dug deep into the ground.

……

……