"Qing, you went to Beijing and didn't even let us know. That's not very considerate!" The man's deep voice on the other end of the phone carried a hint of laughter.
Jian Qing let out a small chuckle, "Alright, how about if I take Luoluo with me? Would that be considerate enough?"
The man on the other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds, then his tone turned somewhat hurt. "Qing, it's not fair when you always use Luoluo to threaten me."
Does this mean our friendship can be so easily tossed aside?
Oh, I surely didn't make the right friends!
Jian Qing scoffed, "Really? Have I threatened you?"
The man on the other side of the phone seemed accustomed to this manner of conversation with Jian Qing and swiftly shifted the topic back to the main subject.
"Alright, Luoluo is worried about you. Take care of yourself and call us if anything happens."
A warm feeling flooded Jian Qing's heart, a softness filled her eyes, she hummed in response before making a playful jab at the guy on the other end of the phone, "I suppose Luoluo hasn't run off to your place again, has he?"
Her innocent little brother was too easily fooled in front of that guy. As his sister, shouldn't she give him a gentle reminder?
The man chuckled awkwardly then said matter-of-factly, "Not at all, I am over at your manor right now."
Jian Qing couldn't deny it, and her sleepiness crept up. Without much conversation, she ended the call.
...
Over the next few days, Jian Qing barely stepped outside. She ordered takeout for meals, and everything she needed was in the house, so she didn't need to go out for shopping.
While lounging in the living room and playing with her computer, she glanced at the view outside the floor-to-ceiling window. An idea crossed her mind.
With such great weather, why not go out for a stroll?
Without further ado, Jian Qing closed her laptop and put it aside, then went upstairs to change her clothes. Dressed in a casual black outfit and a duck-billed cap, she grabbed her vintage compact camera, put on a pair of canvas shoes, and headed out.
Shijin Haoting, located at the outskirts and away from the bustling city, offered a beautiful, natural view and fresh air that lifted Jian Qing's spirits.
This was her first time venturing out after moving in. She leisurely strolled around, appearing blissfully carefree, much like a lazy Persian cat, casually snapping pictures of the surrounding scenery now and then.
Photography was one of her few hobbies. Now, she habitually carried her camera wherever she went.
She disliked certain people in Beijing, but she held no grudges against these beautiful sceneries.
When she reached the lotus pond, Jian Qing stopped and clicked several pictures with her camera, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.
Holding the camera in one hand, Jian Qing propped herself up on the railing in front of her, swinging her feet in the air. The sense of suspension was so comforting that she squinted her eyes, her curled lashes flickering enchantingly under the sunlight.
It wasn't quite noon yet, and the sunlight wasn't too harsh; the warm rays felt pleasant on her skin.
"Miss, please don't seek death. If you have something to say, let's talk. Don't be so pessimistic."
Just when Jian Qing was about to doze off, a crisp voice resounded from behind, a puzzled expression crossing her face.
She turned around and saw several silhouettes in the glaring sunlight—two men and a woman. She looked around and didn't find any other women, which made her realize they were referring to her.
She's seeking death?
Jian Qing's lips twitched, and she didn't know whether to burst into laughter or tears.
That young girl sure let her imagination run wild!
Seeing Jian Qing showing no intention to get off the railing, the girl from earlier panicked and rushed forward as if she was afraid Jian Qing would jump off any moment.
"Feifei!"
The two men who were with the girl hadn't anticipated her sudden move and quickly yelled in alarm, anxiety lacing their voices.
Watching the hurried girl sprinting towards her, Jian Qing felt a throbbing headache. If she collided with her at full force, Jian Qing was sure she'd be knocked off the railing.
At this moment, she strongly wondered if this girl was actually trying to murder her!
"Oh my God, help!" The girl moved too fast, combined with the slippery ground around the lotus pond. She couldn't stop herself in time. Her pretty little face lost color as her arms wildly flailed in the air.
"Ah..."
The two were about to crash when Jian Qing, agile as a cat, caught hold of the girl's collar and spun her around, thus saving her from the momentum that could have sent her straight into the lotus pool. She also saved herself from falling into the pool.
"Phew, that scared me to death!" The girl patted her chest, murmuring with lingering fear.
Seeing that the girl was fine, the two men let out a sigh of relief. They exchanged surprised glances, then looked at Jian Qing with a hint of amazement in their eyes.
Such nimble movements were not something that could be achieved without years of practice.
Unaware of their thoughts, Jian Qing hopped off the railing, graceful as a gazelle, grabbed her camera, and was about to leave.
"Hey, wait!" Seeing Jian Qing leaving, the girl quickly blocked her path.
"Feifei, stop fooling around." A gentle voice rang out, filled with indulgence.
The girl pouted, looking up at the man who had come up to her, "Big Brother, I wasn't fooling around."
She was clearly trying to save someone, okay?
Although...
Alright, she was the one being saved earlier.
The man let out a light chuckle, flicked the girl's forehead, then turned to address Jian Qing, "Apologies, miss. My younger sister misunderstood that you were suicidal, which led to her reckless behavior. We hope you don't mind."
The woman's indifferent demeanor intrigued him. Her every move had a certain finesse to it, clearly a result of long-term cultivation. Woman of such bearing wouldn't contemplate suicide, it was clear that his sister had made a big blunder.
Jian Qing shook her head casually, pulling her cap lower, "It's okay. Since I have things to do, I will take my leave now."
Anyone who had access to Shijin Haoting must possess significant power and influence in Beijing. And she didn't want to entangle herself with them in any way.
Trouble was the last thing she needed!
Recognizing Jian Qing's aloof disposition, the girl didn't lose heart. A brilliant smile lit up her face, "Hello, thank you for saving me earlier. I believe that a great kindness deserves endless gratitude, so how about we become friends?"
Although she couldn't clearly see the woman's face, she felt inexplicably fond of her.
"My name is Quan Yifei. This is my older brother, Quan Yimo, and my second brother, Quan Mingxuan."
Upon finishing, Quan Yifei looked at Jian Qing with twinkling eyes, awaiting her response.
Although she had been in Beijing for only a few days, she had heard about the three super aristocratic families in the city. Among them, the Quan family held the top position, followed by the Chu family and the An family.
Almost every household in Beijing knew about the Quan family, and the saying 'Quan family products are always of excellent quality' was commonly heard. She wondered if she had just stumbled upon a lucky encounter by meeting the Quan family members on her first outing.
Jian Qing partially lowered her eyes, showing no intention of engaging in further conversation. She acknowledged them with a nod, maintaining her distant demeanor, "Sorry, I have things to attend to. I need to leave."