Ji Family Villa.
Ji Qingyi sat in the study, her legs crossed, her gaze fixed on her phone screen with a serious and focused expression.
On the screen before her was a large group photo.
The photo was filled with many people, with Su Cheng standing in the center, wearing a birthday hat, his clear black-and-white eyes filled with anticipation as he looked into the camera.
She was also in the photo, standing to Su Cheng's right, though her expression was cold and indifferent, almost like a robot.
"Knock, knock~"
A knock came from outside the door. Ji Qingyi put her phone away and called out, "Come in."
The door opened, and Liu Qingyue, dressed in a maid outfit, entered respectfully. "Miss, the matter with the family steward has been settled."
"Mm."
Ji Qingyi acknowledged with a light hum, then asked, "When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow morning at ten o'clock by plane."
"Mm, I see."
Ji Qingyi responded indifferently and then ignored her, picking up a book from the table and focusing on reading.
Seeing this, Liu Qingyue said nothing more and silently stood behind her, waiting for further instructions.
At that moment, Ji Qingyi's phone rang. She picked it up and glanced at the screen, noticing a text message.
"The gift, I really like it. Thank you so much."
The message was signed: Su Cheng.
Unexpectedly, when she saw this message, her eyes flickered, as if she felt somewhat embarrassed. She quickly turned off the screen and tossed the phone aside.
Liu Qingyue, standing behind her, naturally noticed this change but made no comment, simply bowing her head and remaining silent.
"What kind of gift did you send?"
As someone who had never given a gift to someone else before, Ji Qingyi felt a strange sensation and inexplicably wanted to compare. She looked up and asked Liu Qingyue.
"It's a gift that no boy could refuse," Liu Qingyue replied respectfully.
"He couldn't refuse it?"
Ji Qingyi fell into thought upon hearing this. After a while, she looked up and said, "Go make some tea."
With that, she turned back to her book.
From Liu Qingyue's vague response, it was clear she didn't want to elaborate, so Ji Qingyi decided not to press further.
"Yes," Liu Qingyue replied with a bow, then left the study, closing the door behind her.
Some time later, Liu Qingyue returned with a tray, placing it on the table. She took out a teacup, set it on the tea table, and poured a cup of fine tea.
"Miss, please have some tea," she said softly, her attitude humble and submissive, the picture of a perfect servant.
Ji Qingyi nodded, then looked up. "Mm, my shoulders have been overworked lately. Give me a massage."
"Yes."
Liu Qingyue was momentarily taken aback but quickly stepped forward and began gently kneading Ji Qingyi's shoulders.
"Miss, your muscles are quite tense. It seems like you've been feeling anxious, hasn't it?"
On the surface, Liu Qingyue's movements were gentle, as if handling a fragile object, and her tone was considerate.
But in reality, she was subtly mocking Ji Qingyi, implying that her dissatisfaction with her own gift had led to this pitiful state.
Ji Qingyi, however, didn't seem angered. She replied leisurely, "Indeed, my anxiety is my own doing. But because of it, I've experienced things I wouldn't normally have the chance to enjoy."
At the birthday party earlier, she had been terrified that Su Cheng would open the gift in front of everyone, causing her to worry for a long time.
But now, it seemed Su Cheng wasn't as thoughtless as she had feared. At least, when everyone urged him to open the gifts, he had refused outright, showing a decent level of respect for her.
Hearing about the gift, Liu Qingyue's expression turned slightly odd, but she maintained her smile. "As long as Miss is happy, that's all that matters."
"Apply a bit more pressure on the left side," Ji Qingyi instructed, then added, "Just enough to feel comfortable, understand?"
"Yes," Liu Qingyue complied, though she couldn't help but frown. It was clear Ji Qingyi was expressing her dissatisfaction through this.
"Good, just like that," Ji Qingyi said with satisfaction, then picked up the teacup. She admired the tea leaves swirling and unfurling in the water before sinking to the bottom. However, after taking a sip, she frowned in displeasure. "The flavor is too weak. Go make a fresh pot!"
She spoke sharply, then waved her hand dismissively, signaling Liu Qingyue to leave and prepare the tea.
Seeing Ji Qingyi's displeasure, Liu Qingyue's mood soured as well, but she obediently retreated.
After Liu Qingyue left, Ji Qingyi picked up her phone again, opened the message, and reread it. Then, with her fair fingers, she typed out a reply: "Although the gift is rather ordinary, I hope you still like it."
After sending the message, she tossed the phone aside and picked up the teacup to savor the tea.
The aroma of the tea filled the air, the delicate fragrance rising in wisps.
"Ding dong~"
A notification sound came from her phone. Ji Qingyi glanced at the screen and saw it was a message from Su Cheng. She opened it.
"President, I'm sorry. The previous message was sent to everyone. But your gift, I really, really love it. I've decided to hang it in my living room as a family heirloom."
"..."
Ji Qingyi's expression immediately darkened. She instinctively clenched her hands, but fortunately, she managed to control her strength in time, or else she might have crushed her phone.
Originally, she had intended for Su Cheng to carry and use the gift regularly. But now, Su Cheng was planning to hang it in his living room as a family heirloom. Did that mean she had given him a useless decoration!?
"Knock, knock~"
Another knock came at the door. Ji Qingyi took a deep breath to compose herself before saying, "Come in."
Liu Qingyue entered again, this time carrying a different set of tea utensils.
But this time, Ji Qingyi didn't even taste the tea. Instead, she waved her hand dismissively, instructing Liu Qingyue to make another pot, as if deliberately finding fault.
Liu Qingyue, seeing this, lowered her head and remained silent. However, as she held the tea set with one hand, her other hand slipped into her skirt and pulled out a cigarette...
…………………………
Su Cheng's Home
Su Cheng was sitting at his desk in his bedroom, recording something. His room was almost overflowing with various exquisitely wrapped gift boxes, each in different colors and materials, many of them quite valuable, and some even enormous.
In fact, he had needed to hire a truck driver to help transport all these gifts home.
But now, he was feeling overwhelmed.
The sheer value of these gifts was giving him a headache!
It truly embodied the saying, "After happiness comes pain."
For example, he randomly chose one gift to open and found a Montblanc pen inside.
He searched the price online and discovered it was a limited edition worth around ten thousand yuan.
Although many people at school used this brand of pen, for him, it was an astronomical sum!
"This thing..."
He sighed. He knew that the value of a gift shouldn't be measured by its price, but he couldn't help feeling that it was too extravagant. Such an item didn't match his status at all.
But since he had already accepted it, he had no choice but to record it.
He would have to return the favor with a gift of equal value when the giver's birthday came around.
Reluctantly, he checked for a name on the gift but found none.
Unconvinced, he opened another gift and found a pair of high-end headphones, but again, there was no name attached.
He continued opening gifts: a Go board, a scarf, a bow and arrow, a camera, a necklace, a bicycle, a graphics card, various electronic devices, and more—each one unique and lavish.
His head was spinning.
Some of the gifts he could guess who they were from.
But others left him completely clueless. It felt as if everyone had conspired to leave their gifts unsigned...
He couldn't help but laugh bitterly, his mood growing even more complicated and uncertain. He had no idea what to do.
Finally, he decided to note down everyone's birthdays and prepare heartfelt gifts when the time came.
With that thought, he opened another, more modest-looking gift box. As he pulled out the contents and opened it, his pupils suddenly contracted.
Inside was a simple paper folding fan.
When he opened it, he saw a Chinese idiom written in calligraphy in the center:
"The individual is the hundred."
A simple idiom, yet it carries a profound understanding and recognition of him. Though the price is negligible, the deep affection it embodies is truly moving.
The calligraphy is Ji Qingyi's.
It seems she wrote it herself.
The strokes are bold yet elegant, much like her personality, but with an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
He holds the fan in his hand, gently swaying it, and a happy smile unconsciously spreads across his lips.
He really likes this gift.
The idiom comes from *The Book of Rites·The Doctrine of the Mean*: "If others can do something once, I will do it a hundred times; if others can do something ten times, I will do it a thousand times. If one can truly achieve this, even the foolish will become wise, and the weak will become strong."
The meaning is that if others can do or learn something in one attempt, I will do it or learn it a hundred times. It metaphorically represents putting in a hundred times the effort to catch up with others.
The only pity is that this gift can only serve as a decoration. After all, pulling out a folding fan in public to fan oneself is such a pretentious act—he’d feel incredibly awkward!
At that moment, Ji Qingyi sent him a message. He replied briefly, then turned his attention to another gift.
"This one is..."
His gaze fell on a clothing-like package. He already knew who this gift was from.
It was from Gu Ruoxue, the enigmatic one.
This gift had been placed under his desk by Li Guanqi, who had brought it to the classroom earlier.
"It’s a bit heavy. What could it be?"
With anticipation, Su Cheng unwrapped it, only to widen his eyes in disbelief as he held up the "clothing."
Why was he so shocked?
Because it was a bulletproof vest!
And on the chest area was a handmade, adorable panda label.
"Who gives a bulletproof vest as a birthday gift?!"
Looking at the vest, Su Cheng couldn’t hold back his frustration and couldn’t help but complain.
"Wait a minute."
Just then, Su Cheng seemed to realize something. He quickly set the vest aside, and his expression gradually turned serious.
He realized that this enigmatic person wouldn’t just give him a bulletproof vest for no reason...
Could it be related to the past?
Or maybe he might get shot in the future?
At that moment, a flood of unpleasant thoughts rushed into Su Cheng’s mind, making him feel uneasy all over.
"What’s going on with this enigmatic person?"
He was starting to feel a bit frantic.
Although he now possessed a special ability to sense danger, if someone attacked him with a firearm, he wasn’t sure if his body could react in time.
After all, he had never tested it before.
"This should just be an ordinary bulletproof vest, right?"
He felt something was off, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. So, without overthinking it, he stored it in his system space and continued unwrapping the other gifts.
"Huh?"
When he opened the second large package, he found a three-piece suit, complete with a shirt, vest, tie, and even leather shoes. This left him stunned.
After all, suits like this need to be tailored. Who would give something like this as a gift?
And judging by the material, it seemed incredibly expensive...
If it didn’t fit, wouldn’t it be a waste of money?!
Su Cheng couldn’t quite wrap his head around it.
Though he had previously considered getting a custom suit made. After all, his classmates were all from wealthy families, and in the future, he couldn’t just show up to formal events dressed in casual clothes like some web novel protagonist, right?
Then get stopped by security?
And end up in some cliché scene of showing off and putting others in their place?!
That’s just ridiculous!
Wearing casual clothes to a formal event is just plain disrespectful!
"Let me try it on."
Su Cheng thought for a moment and decided to try on the suit to see if it fit. The fabric was incredibly soft and smooth to the touch, making it very comfortable.
After putting it on, Su Cheng moved around a bit and checked himself in the mirror. To his surprise, the suit fit him perfectly, as if it had been tailor-made for him...
"Isn’t this a bit too much?"
He could hardly believe it.
Because someone had perfectly measured his size.
He didn’t even know his own measurements, yet someone else had nailed it.
"So, this must be from Li Guanqi, right?"
Looking at the monochromatic suit, he swallowed hard, as she was the only one who could have had the opportunity to measure his size...
As soon as this thought crossed his mind, he was certain of it.
Then, he walked to the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. Wearing the suit, he appeared dignified and elegant, even exuding a bit of a noble air.
"This must have been expensive, right?"
He ran his fingers over the fabric, feeling a mix of emotions he couldn’t quite articulate. Finally, he took out his phone and sent a message to Li Guanqi: "It fits perfectly. I really like it. Thank you."
The moment he sent the message, Li Guanqi immediately replied.
Li Guanqi: "Please take a full-body photo. I want to see."
Seeing her message, Su Cheng was momentarily taken aback. He glanced at himself in the mirror, feeling a bit shy, but he opened the camera app.
Then, he struck a pose he was satisfied with.
"Click!"
A selfie was sent directly to Li Guanqi.
Afterward, he felt a bit embarrassed and turned off his phone. He took off the suit and carefully placed it in his wardrobe.
Aside from his school uniform, this was the first formal suit he had ever owned, so he naturally treasured it greatly.
"Alright, next up is this!"
"Is this a mask?"
Looking at the pure black mask, Su Cheng felt a sense of familiarity, as if he had seen it somewhere before.
This was the same style as Li Zhao’s mask!
Though hers was silver, and this one was black, the shape, design, and size were almost identical.
"Can this thing transform me?"
Thinking this, he quickly put it on his face.
"Hmm, nothing happened..."
After a moment, he took it off and stored it in his system space.
It was just an ordinary mask with no special effects.
However, in the future, he could pair it with colored contacts to enhance his mysterious aura when showing off.
"Next is the gift from my senior."
Su Cheng turned his attention to one of the gift boxes. He had seen Liu Qingyue hand it to him earlier, so he knew it was from her.
"I wonder what this gift is?"
Su Cheng was secretly excited.
He knew that his senior understood him well and would surely give him something he needed or something unique. However, he couldn’t guess what it might be.
He unwrapped it, only to find another layer of packaging inside.
"Huh?"
Su Cheng unwrapped it again, revealing yet another box. Unlike the previous one, this one was a blue-and-white striped square box.
"Are we playing nesting dolls here?"
A few lines of annoyance appeared on Su Cheng’s forehead, but he wasn’t too surprised.
After all, it was from the "pleasure demon."
As he unwrapped layer after layer, the true nature of the gift gradually revealed itself.
"This is..."
When he finally saw what was inside, Su Cheng was taken aback. There were three items:
A watch, a red bowtie, and a voice recorder.
These three items lay inside without any instructions or packaging.
"Could it be..."
Looking at the items, Su Cheng couldn’t help but frown as a familiar sense of déjà vu washed over him.
He quickly put the watch on his wrist and pressed a button on the side. To his surprise, the watch face popped open, startling him.
Inside, he saw a crosshair reticle, and his eyes widened in shock.
"No way..."
His lips twitched, and he pressed the button again.
Suddenly—
A beam of white light shot out from the watch, passing through his line of sight.
At that moment, he froze, his mind going completely blank.
He even forgot to breathe.
This was an utterly terrifying realization.
He stared at the watch in disbelief. He recognized it all too well—it was the same watch used by a certain famous detective!
Then he glanced at the red bowtie and gulped.
He didn’t need to test it to know what it did...
And when he thought about the glasses she had given him earlier...
Wasn’t this the iconic trio of gadgets used by a certain elementary school detective?
"Wait, what about this voice recorder? Does it have any special features?"
Thinking this, he picked up the recorder and turned it on. Inside, he found a voice file.
"Is it a message from my senior?"
Without hesitation, he pressed play.