Chapter 61: The Meeting

Fingering the cold Black Pearl in her pocket, Yu Qing stood outside a venue called “Jingxin Yoga,” her expression calm.

She glanced at the time—just past eight o’clock—as more pedestrians began filling the street.

Today, Yu Qing wore only a simple white dress with a denim vest, her silky long hair flowing behind her like satin.

She wore no makeup, yet she constantly drew the eyes of passersby.

A gentle breeze lifted the ends of her hair and the strands across her forehead, revealing a delicate, indifferent face.

But her heart was far less calm than it appeared.

The conversation with that Stranger Man from last night was still fresh in her mind.

After returning to Yu Qing’s Apartment and thinking it over the whole night, Yu Qing finally made up her mind and accepted his invitation.

The morning sunlight was warm and gentle, but Yu Qing felt a wave of restlessness—not in her body, but in her soul.

Through the glass door, all was dark inside, making it impossible for Yu Qing to see what was happening.

The Stranger Man’s invitation had come so suddenly.

Though his tone was gentle, for some reason, it left Yu Qing with a sense that refusing him was not an option.

When he saw her hesitating, he became even more direct, clearly pointing out the existence of “Fu Yi.”

Of course, in this case, he was referring to Yu Qing—the Fake Fu Yi.

However, Yu Qing was also certain that the Stranger Man did not know she was the Fake Fu Yi.

Otherwise, he would not try to use her to invite the Fake Fu Yi.

Among a pile of bad news, this counted as one of the few good things.

Originally, Yu Qing had no intention of paying attention to this man who had suddenly appeared.

Even if he had followed the clues left by the Fake Fu Yi to find her, without conclusive evidence, there was no reason for him to act against her.

But the Stranger Man’s last sentence completely captured Yu Qing’s attention.

“I can help her completely replace Fu Yi.”

Replace who?

Fu Yi?

Did he even know what he was saying?

The words exploded in her ears like thunder.

Yu Qing was shocked from the inside out—her deepest schemes laid bare by a total stranger, and in such a casual way.

“Surprised? Of course. After all, replacing someone is an outrageous thing.”

The Stranger Man assumed Yu Qing was shocked by his offer, not thinking much of it. He organized his words and continued.

“I don’t need her to do anything too difficult. From the information I’ve gathered, your friend seems to frequent Fu Yi’s life often. She must envy her life, right? I can help her. As long as she follows my plan, I can guarantee she’ll get everything she wants.”

He then handed Yu Qing a photograph, clearly showing what Fu Yi looked like as a child.

Returning to the present, after a night of contemplation, Yu Qing finally came here, ready to see what the other party wanted.

And if he made any dangerous moves, she would immediately trigger the Alarm System set on her phone, sending the pre-recorded voice message straight to the Police Station—a complete mutual destruction.

It was undoubtedly a risky move.

Temporarily choosing to trust this Stranger Man who had shown her goodwill put her safety in a dangerous place.

One wrong step, and everything would be lost.

But danger often came with opportunity.

The Stranger Man clearly held a wealth of information and resources about Fu Yi, or else he wouldn’t dare promise he could help her replace Fu Yi.

It was easy to imagine.

If she had his help—if everything he said was true—

Then this would be a perfect chance for Yu Qing to delve into Fu Yi’s life, habits, and even Family background!

It would not only help her play Fu Yi more convincingly and reduce the risk of exposure, but also allow her to use his hand to remove the Fu Yi she currently had no leads on.

Moreover, since the Stranger Man had actively sought her out, it was obvious he already had some information about her.

There was no way to hide; she could only face him head-on.

So be it—a rare opportunity. She couldn’t let it slip away.

Yu Qing took a deep breath, pressed down her unease, and pushed open the heavy glass door in front of her.

The room inside was not the yoga studio Yu Qing had imagined. It was completely empty and silent, the lighting soft but with a hint of coldness.

A faint scent of incense lingered in the air—not the usual fruity or floral notes, but a deeper, more distant woody aroma.

Yu Qing looked around.

Only a large classroom at the back was still lit.

That had to be the meeting place.

Keeping the lights on during the day—typical of the wealthy.

Yu Qing grumbled inwardly, trying to distract herself and calm her racing heart.

While she was lost in thought, the door to the lit room opened from within.

A young man in a well-fitted suit, smiling, stepped out.

When he saw Yu Qing standing in the hall, he walked over with measured calm.

It was the Stranger Man from yesterday.

He looked refined and gentle, his gaze behind gold-rimmed glasses just the right amount of friendly.

Seeing Yu Qing wearing only a thin dress, he chuckled, took off his jacket, and draped it over her shoulders.

His tone was gentle.

“Xiao Yi, why didn’t you say anything when you arrived? You’re dressed so lightly. What if you catch a cold?”

“Mm, thank you!”

Yu Qing’s expression didn’t change.

She suppressed her discomfort, keeping her tone light as she did her best to fit the image of a Junior Yi.

“Heh.”

The Stranger Man suddenly chuckled at her reaction, unable to hold back a smile.

“That’s the first problem. The real Fu Yi would either ignore me completely, or glare at me like an angry kitten.”

Hearing this, Yu Qing frowned slightly, giving the Stranger Man a strange look.

Then, nodding thoughtfully, she naturally let the jacket slip off her shoulders and onto the floor.

The Stranger Man didn’t mind.

His warm smile remained as he picked up the jacket, brushed it off, and draped it over Yu Qing’s shoulders again.

“But it really is cold this morning. Wear more so you don’t catch a chill.”

He smiled, his tone gentle yet firm.

“I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself yesterday. I’m Fu Xuan, Fu Yi’s cousin, and also her greatest enemy. I’m glad you came on time. I hope we can work well together in the future.”

The man who called himself Fu Xuan smiled and extended his hand to Yu Qing, his eyes full of encouragement.

“My name is Yi Fu. I hope we can cooperate smoothly.”

Yu Qing hesitated briefly, then quickly smiled, reaching her small hand out from under the oversized jacket to shake Fu Xuan’s lightly.

She immediately let go and walked toward the classroom without looking back.

“Yi Fu, huh? That’s a nice name.”

Watching Yu Qing’s back, “Fu Xuan” showed a fleeting trace of amusement in his eyes, then followed at a relaxed pace.