Among the onlookers still frozen in shock, the manager was the first to snap back to her senses. Her face flushed as fury burst from herself. "You!" she roared, jabbing a finger forward. "How dare you lay hands on security guards in broad daylight? Do you even know where you are? This is Royal Meridian Mall! You think knowing a bit of kung fu lets you run amok? You think you can play the hero here?"
The girl turned at last, unhurried. Her eyes lifted to him - cool, steady, and sharp, like a blade drawn halfway from its sheath. The noise around them seemed to dull beneath that gaze. "You insulted a customer," she said evenly. "You ordered violence. And now you shout as if you're the victim?" A faint curve touched her lips, not quite a smile. "You're very brave."
The manager curled her lips in a sneer. "So, what if I insulted her?" she scoffed. "Just look at the way she's dressed. A beggar, someone who doesn't belong in this store at all!" Wu Qingyi spoke then, her voice low and even, calm to the point of being unsettling. "What did you just call her?" "A beggar," the manager repeated, contempt dripping from every word. "And you—if you don't want trouble—" She never finished the sentence.
Slap.
The sound cracked through the air - sharp, clean, unmistakable, reverberating off glass and marble alike. Time seemed to stall. The boutique fell into a stunned silence as every face froze in disbelief.
The manager reeled backward, her head snapping to the side as a vivid crimson handprint bloomed across her cheek. She stared ahead in stunned disbelief, one trembling hand flying up to clutch her face, eyes blown wide. "Y-you…" Her voice shook with outrage and shock. "You dared to hit me?!" Wu Qingyi inclined her head a fraction, as if genuinely puzzled, her voice mild - almost innocent. "Was that not clear enough?"
Slap.
The second strike landed harder than the first, the sound ringing like a gunshot in the enclosed space. The girl stood where she was, posture relaxed, expression unchanged, yet her eyes were cold and sharp, and when she spoke again, her voice cut through the silence like ice.
"First slap," she said evenly, "for insulting an elder."
She did not raise her voice, nor did her expression change.
"This one just now," the girl continued, calm and precise, "was for calling someone a beggar."
Slap.
"And this one," she went on, her tone still light, almost casual, "is for abusing your authority."
Slap.
Her gaze darkened at last, a chill seeping into her eyes. "And this… is for attempting to lay hands on an elder."
The final blow sent the manager crashing back against a display rack. She slid down in a daze, face aflame, pride ground to dust. Around them, the remaining security guards stood rooted to the spot, rigid with fear, not daring to take so much as a single step.
Fang Liyun's heart hammered in her chest. She looked at the girl once more, but the gaze she wore now was utterly different from before. That strength, that fearlessness and beneath it all, a firm reverence for elders, tempered by righteous fury.
The corner of her lips lifted into a faint, knowing smile.
Interesting…Very interesting indeed…
She reached out and gently caught the girl's wrist. "That's enough," Fang Liyun said calmly. Her voice was not loud, yet it carried a natural authority that made everyone present instinctively draw themselves upright. "She's learned her lesson." The girl turned back at once, the icy chill around her dissolving in an instant, replaced by quiet concern. "I'm sorry, pretty sister," she said softly. "I couldn't stand seeing her bully you."
Something in Fang Liyun's chest softened completely. In that moment, she was absolutely certain of one thing - Whoever married this girl would be blessed for a lifetime. She did not yet know, however, that fate had already begun its silent work, threading their lives together.
The girl smiled at Fang Liyun, her features softening at once, as if the earlier storm had never been. "Pretty sister," she said gently, "if you don't mind, please sit down for a while. People like her aren't worth spoiling your mood." Then she turned back toward the manager. The warmth drained from her eyes, replaced by a biting chill. "You said this boutique's standards are so lofty that it wouldn't hire a beggar," she continued coolly. "Then from this moment on…" Her voice sharpened, each word cutting clean "…you will no longer be working here."
The manager let out a sharp, derisive laugh. "Who do you think you are?" she sneered. "Do you really believe you can decide something like that?" Just then, a trembling voice sounded from behind her. "M-Manager… the mall's regional director is on the way here…" At once, pride flooded the manager's face. Straightening her posture, she lifted her chin and said coldly, "Not only will I have the two of you thrown out of this mall, I'll make sure you're permanently banned from shopping here." With that threat delivered, she turned and strode forward to greet the approaching figure. But the regional director did not even spare her a glance, walking straight past her as if she didn't exist and in the next heartbeat, the manager witnessed a scene so shocking it shattered everything she thought she knew.
Wu Qingyi had already sent a message to the regional director the moment she saw the manager shouting at the pretty sister. When the message reached him, the blood drained from his face. A cold sweat broke out almost instantly. His mind raced as a single, horrifying thought took shape - Which fool was determined not only to destroy herself, but to drag him, his position, and his entire future down with him?
He knew all too well what kind of calamity Wu Qingyi represented when displeased. If she were offended or angry, no less on his premises, under his supervision, there would be no saving him from the fallout. That was a risk he absolutely could not afford. Without a second's hesitation, he dropped everything in his hands and rushed straight for the boutique the moment he received her message.
The regional director hurried straight toward Wu Qingyi and bowed deeply, his posture unmistakably respectful, even apologetic. "Please forgive us, Miss," he said at once. "This inconvenience is entirely our failure. If there is anything you require, anything at all, just give the order. We will do everything in our power to set matters right." A stunned silence fell over the boutique. Every person present stared in disbelief, their minds reeling. This was the regional director, someone who commanded the entire mall and yet here he was, bowing to a young girl, speaking with such care and deference. One question echoed through every shocked heart: Just who was she… to inspire such respect?
Then the girl spoke, lifting her hand and pointing calmly toward Fang Liyun. "This pretty sister here came looking for a job," Wu Qingyi said evenly. "Instead of interviewing her, the manager chose to insult her and trample on her dignity." The regional director's expression darkened instantly. He turned toward the manager, his voice sharp with fury. "How dare you tarnish the name of Royal Meridian Mall?" he barked. "Our policies demand equal treatment and respect for every individual. Who gave you the audacity to violate those rules and damage our reputation?" He did not hesitate. "You're fired."
Then he turned back to Wu Qingyi, his tone softening at once. "I'm truly sorry you had to witness this. Please rest assured, this matter will be handled properly. Your pretty sister will be hired immediately." After a brief pause, he added decisively, "In fact, she will assume the position of manager, effective immediately."
Wu Qingyi turned to Fang Liyun, her voice gentle as she asked, "Are you happy, pretty sister? You can work here as the manager now. There's no need to run around anymore, worrying about finding a job." Fang Liyun was momentarily stunned. She had never expected someone, especially someone she had only just met to care so deeply about her situation, to think so thoughtfully on her behalf. At that moment, the regional director finally got a clear look at the "pretty sister's" face.
His legs nearly gave out…. He recognized her instantly….
Fang Liyun - the eldest daughter-in-law of the Wang family….
A chill shot straight down his spine. His mind went blank as a single, horrifying thought took hold: Just whose face had the manager seen when she woke up this morning, to offend not only Wu Qingyi… but also the Wang family's madam? There was no one left in this world who could save that manager from her fall.
Fang Liyun quickly realized that the regional director had already recognized her. After all, he had seen her more than once at banquets and high-profile gatherings. She met his gaze and sent him a clear warning through her eyes alone. Do not say a word….