Lady Qingyi Wants to Go Shopping

Ji Qingyi—the only daughter of the wealthiest conglomerate in Flame Country.

Her life trajectory was set even before she was born, or perhaps from the moment she entered the world.

Even ordinary routines like going to and from school were predetermined.

2580 times.

This was the number of times she had left the Ji Family Villa by car for school and returned home the same way.

In the past, she would simply read during the ride, showing no interest in the scenery outside. She never even glanced out the window.

But today, something seemed different.

She turned her gaze toward the window, staring at the bustling streets and the various shops lining them.

"Is it always this lively? Why didn't I notice before?"

Ji Qingyi's calm voice carried no hints of emotion, but it was clear her mood hadn't changed despite this unusual observation.

Inside the car, the driver remained silent, focusing on the road without a word. However, he was quite surprised. The young mistress had never spoken during the drive before.

Ji Qingyi slightly closed her eyes, appearing a bit drowsy.

At that moment, the phone in her bag suddenly emitted a notification sound.

She opened her eyes and retrieved her phone. It was a message from Liu Qingyue.

[Young Mistress, have you made your decision?]

Ji Qingyi read the message but didn't reply. She simply put the phone away and continued to gaze out the window.

"Ding dong~"

Another message came through, this time accompanied by a transfer along with a note: "It seems you've made your choice. Leave it to me."

The car slowed down and came to a stop at the entrance of the Ji Family Villa.

As Ji Qingyi alighted, two rows of maids stood in unison, bowing respectfully: "Welcome home, Young Mistress."

"Mm," Ji Qingyi nodded faintly, then stepped onto the red carpet and headed toward the lakeside, where she sat on a stone bench.

Soon, a maid approached with a wooden tray containing tea sets and a small gauze bag.

The world is never short of beautiful women, but those who are both beautiful and intelligent are rare. And those who are beautiful, intelligent, and possess a refined taste are truly extraordinary.

Ji Qingyi was just such a rare, extraordinary woman.

After the maid left, she reached out to place the tea leaves into the gauze bag, carefully wrapping it up. Then, holding the small bag, she walked toward the lotus pond.

Once there, she placed the gauze bag in the center of a lotus flower.

By evening, the lotus leaf would close.

The next morning, she would retrieve it and brew the tea with fresh spring water, resulting in a scent that was exquisite beyond measure.

This was the tea she usually prepared for Su Cheng.

It was her subtle mastery of nature's artistry.

After completing these tasks, Ji Qingyi returned to the stone bench and sat down, sipping her tea while pondering gift ideas. Her gaze occasionally drifted to the teacup, as if carefully weighing her options.

She remained like this until the evening.

"Young Mistress, it's time for dinner."

The gentle voice of a maid reminded her.

Ji Qingyi set down her teacup, slowly stood up, and walked toward the dining hall.

………………………………

At Su Cheng's home.

"I don't go out fighting injustice, so you want me to do something so despicable?"

Su Cheng had just sent Cornelia off when Liu Qingyue called him on the phone.

Just now, Liu Qingyue suddenly approached him with a request to do something very mischievous.

As a man of justice, how could he possibly do something so wrong?

"I'm not around right now, so it all depends on you. Also, this is helping your club president, you know~"

Liu Qingyue chuckled on the other end, her tone light and carefree, as if she knew Su Cheng would definitely agree.

Su Cheng rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Who's in the car, anyway?"

"It's your club president."

"What?"

Su Cheng couldn't help but raise his voice: "You want me to... poop on her head?"

Liu Qingyue just laughed and explained over the phone: "The driver of the car Young Mistress uses to school isn't her trusted subordinate but someone from the main family sent to monitor her. This was something Young Mistress tacitly approved of."

Su Cheng fell silent for a few seconds, then said, "Fine. If anything happens, I'll make sure to throw you under the bus. Send me the schedule and route later."

"I see, junior wants to go big?"

"Isn't that what the senior had in mind?"

………………………………

Nighttime.

At 9:45 PM.

Ji Qingyi was seated in her study, quietly reading, her expression serene, her eyelashes unmoving.

But she seemed to anticipate a message coming through and glanced at the phone beside her. Sure enough, a message from Su Cheng appeared.

Su Cheng: "Good night, President."

Every day at 9:45, Su Cheng was always the first to send this message.

Ji Qingyi glanced at the message, then replied with a single word: "Mm."

After that, she tossed the phone back and continued reading.

At 10 PM, it was time for her to sleep.

............

The next morning, a ray of sunlight illuminated the entire city.

In the deep courtyard of the Ji Family Mansion.

A black car approached, stopping at the gate. The driver got out and opened the door.

Shortly after, Ji Qingyi emerged from the mansion and walked to the other side of the car. The driver held the door open for her, and she got in.

The car started and slowly departed.

The car arrived at a street in the western part of the city, an area bustling with morning markets, filled with people and lively activity.

Ji Qingyi turned her gaze toward the various shops outside, eventually stopping at one in particular, her gaze flickering slightly, as if deep in thought.

This shop was a gift store, selling various small items.

What she wanted was not extravagant—as the sole young mistress, anything she desired could be swiftly brought before her, be it visible or unimaginable. However, she had little interest in such things.

The rare exceptions were these inconspicuous little gifts.

"Dong dong dong~"

Suddenly, a series of tapping sounds came from the roof.

Ji Qingyi lifted her head and subconsciously looked at the ceiling.

At the same time, the driver stopped the car in an unpopulated area and turned to say, "Young Mistress, let me go check."

Ji Qingyi gave a slight nod.

The driver got out of the car and walked around to the roof, only to find the entire car, including the trunk, covered in white bird droppings, with even a feather dangling there.

On the black car, it was particularly noticeable.

Driving such a car to school would definitely bring shame to the Ji family.

The driver's expression stiffened slightly, then he walked over to Ji Qingyi and said, "Young Mistress, the car has been stained by some... contaminants."

"Is that so?"

Ji Qingyi seemed to already understand what had happened. Her expression remained unchanged, but her stunning, almost lifeless eyes faintly revealed a hint of surprise.

"A replacement vehicle is being prepared for you. Could you please wait for a moment?"

The driver, expressionless, pulled out his phone.

Ji Qingyi nodded.

Then her gaze once again drifted toward the sky above the car's roof. At that moment, a black feather was blown in by the wind, drifting through the window and landing on her slender, fair fingers.

Ji Qingyi extended her finger, picked up the feather, and toyed with it.

A few minutes later, a white luxury car approached from the distance, slowly stopping beside the black car.

Two drivers were exchanging some information, then the new driver came over, opened the door, and bowed slightly, saying, "Young Mistress, please step over. I will take you to school from now on."

Just as Ji Qingyi was about to step out, she seemed to sense something and looked toward the sky behind her.

She drew her foot back.

Then, a group of black dots in the sky began to enlarge, revealing themselves as a flock of crows, demonstrating a remarkable "blanket bombing" attack.

Plop after plop, sable-colored, indescribable matter fell, covering not only the roof of the white luxury car but splashing onto the surrounding buildings as well.

Yep... very artistic.

Black car with white streaks, white car with black patches.

In an instant, the pristine white luxury car became soiled, though it wasn't specifically targeting the vehicle—buildings nearby were also splattered.

"Young Mistress, please..."

Even in such a situation, the driver remained expressionless, though she was interrupted before she could finish.

"That's enough. No need to go through more trouble. There's still time. Today, I'll walk to school."

Ji Qingyi's tone carried an air of authority that brooked no argument.

"How can this be?"

"How can this be allowed?"

The two drivers were instantly alarmed and quickly tried to dissuade her, but Ji Qingyi had already risen and stepped out of the car.

"At least let one of us accompany you, or else..."

The two drivers faltered, unable to continue, for they were well aware of the dire consequences if Ji Qingyi persisted in this action and word reached the head of the family and the matriarch.

Ji Qingyi paused upon hearing this. For these two stewards of the main household, while they seemed to serve as both protectors and drivers, every night they would report her day's activities to the family hierarchy, detailing where she went, who she met, what she ate, and what she did...

She was fortunate to have been born into a prestigious family from a young age and possessed a brilliance that others envied.

Yet she was also unfortunate. Her precocious intellect made her understand that the world offered no free lunches. To reap such bountiful resources, one inevitably had to shoulder an equal cost. When something was gained, something of equal value had to be lost. Her sharp mind had long since abandoned the low-probability gamble of resistance, for such actions were neither rational nor elegant.

She deeply understood that the sum of fortune and misfortune was equal. Therefore, the lucky her must also endure an equivalent amount of misfortune.

She had no friends, had never gone out alone, and had never traveled with her family...

Fortunately, the school was a place they did not follow, and it was the only place where she felt free...

But she did not grieve over this, for she had been like this from infancy, and had thus lost the ability for emotional expression.

Suddenly—

"We will look after the young lady. There is no need to trouble the two of you. We will remain by her side without leaving her side, ensuring her safety."

At this moment, two female stewards emerged from a corner. In the villa, they were maids; outside, they served dual roles as bodyguards and servants.

They had changed into their attire and naturally followed behind.

"Mm."

Ji Qingyi nodded indifferently and then strode forward, leaving the two female stewards standing in place, looking at each other in bewilderment.

Since further dissuasion would be impudent, the two female stewards exchanged looks and could only sigh.

Ji Qingyi's pace was neither hurried nor slow.

She continued forward, her eyes scanning the surroundings. Everything was unfamiliar to her, yet within that unfamiliarity, there was a strange sense of familiarity, as if...

As if she had returned to her childhood.

Full of curiosity for everything.

Her heart was filled with a mix of unease and anticipation.

"Young lady, please wear this."

At that moment, a steward handed her a mask, while another brought a coat.

"Did Ji Yuewu arrange this?"

Ji Qingyi took it, fastened the mask over her face, and the other steward draped the coat over her.

"Yes, young lady, it was personally ordered by Lady Ji."

"Mm, thank you for your trouble." Ji Qingyi nodded. Now, with her face concealed by the mask and her Yan Cheng Private School uniform hidden under the coat, she was less likely to draw attention.

"You are too kind, young lady. This is our duty. If there's nothing else, we will be on standby nearby, awaiting your summons."

"Alright."

Ji Qingyi nodded again and continued forward. The two stewards saw this and disappeared into a nearby alley.

Ji Qingyi strolled along the street at a leisurely pace.

After some time, she saw an elderly man selling candied haws and stopped. She awkwardly used her phone to scan a QR code, bought a candied haws, wrapped it, and placed it in her coat pocket before continuing on her way.

Soon, she arrived at the busiest and most bustling section of the market. Turning a corner, she merged into the densely packed crowds.

The place was noisy, with voices mingling in a cacophony. The street was lined with various shops, stalls filled with an assortment of goods, dazzling in variety and overwhelming in volume.

"Something highly suspicious just occurred, young lady. For your safety, please return with me."

Suddenly, a steward with a cold expression and stern face emerged from the side, blocking Ji Qingyi's path.

This person was the chief steward of the main household's trio.

There was no doubt that the previous two stewards had informed her.

Ji Qingyi raised her head, her gaze indifferent.

"Moreover, in such a crowded place, the servants might lose sight of the young lady. If anything were to happen to the young lady here, how could we account for it to the head of the family..."

The chief steward lowered her head, one hand resting across her waist, the other behind her back, speaking in a flat, emotionless tone.

Ji Qingyi, without replying, simply stepped around the chief steward and walked into the crowd, using her actions to convey her defiance.

The chief steward's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Her gaze remained fixed on Ji Qingyi's retreating figure. Then, she surveyed the surroundings, the bustling, lively sea of people. There was no hesitation in her eyes as she swiftly followed after Ji Qingyi.

Just as she took a step forward, her shoulder was suddenly squeezed from behind. She instantly reacted, grabbing the other's wrist, ready to turn and subdue them, when a voice suddenly spoke: "Give me face."