Chapter 18: Traces

The two of them were strikingly handsome, attracting occasional glances from passersby, some even deliberately approaching. Gu Lingyi could easily avoid people just by tilting her head to the side. Fu Linyuan remained constantly vigilant, ensuring no one brushed past her.

After aimlessly wandering through one floor, Gu Lingyi found an electronic screen to examine. “Is there some kind of classification? Like one floor per category?”

There weren’t many shopping scenes in the original owner’s memories, so she looked up at Fu Linyuan with curiosity.

Fu Linyuan hesitated before answering, his eyes scanning the screen back and forth. “More or less.”

Gu Lingyi gave him a skeptical glance. “You’ve never been to a mall?”

“Mm,” he replied.

“In that case…” Gu Lingyi stared at his clothes, implying her question clearly.

Fu Linyuan raised an eyebrow and answered succinctly, “Custom-made.”

Gu Lingyi was speechless. This man’s lifestyle seemed beyond her comprehension.

“Women’s clothing is in the North Wing, on floors one through three,” Fu Linyuan quickly sorted out the layout.

The entire Y&one commercial district—from office buildings to hotels to shopping malls—was his personal property, unrelated to the Fu family. He was well aware of Y&one’s revenue and zoning plans in major cities. However, he wasn’t very familiar with the detailed distribution of brands and product categories within the shopping center.

Rarely did Fu Linyuan experience a subtle sense of frustration. Tentatively, he suggested, “How about having those brands send their styles over so you can choose at your leisure?”

“?”

Gu Lingyi stopped in her tracks, hands on her hips, chin slightly raised. “You don’t want to shop anymore?”

“No,” Fu Linyuan replied.

He had no idea how she came to that conclusion, so he gently pressed her head and led her toward the elevator.

Inside, two girls were already present. Seeing the two masked individuals with outstanding appearances, their words even stopped mid-sentence.

They exchanged a glance and gasped softly before resuming their previous conversation.

“A few people in the group have been waiting downstairs for her but haven’t seen her.”

“Does Gu Lingyi have a fan group? Maybe we can sneak in and ask.”

“She doesn’t have a fan group. But she’s really good at hiding—doesn’t even go home. Nobody knows where she’s hiding.”

Gu Lingyi remained silent.

Fu Linyuan looked down and saw her lift the brim of her hat with her index finger, flashing him a mischievous smile.

Then, she pulled down her mask, turned around, and smiled radiantly amidst the two stunned gazes. “I’m hiding right here!”

Her voice was full of triumphant mischief.

Fu Linyuan was speechless.

As the elevator arrived, the two girls were still in a daze. Gu Lingyi tilted her head, raised her eyebrows at them, then took Fu Linyuan’s hand and stepped out.

Once the elevator doors closed, she put her mask back on, hiding the blush blooming on her cheeks.

Fu Linyuan was displeased when she suddenly withdrew her hand. He firmly grasped her wrist. “Hold my hand.”

The warm, dry palm rubbed against her wrist. Gu Lingyi pouted, “Fine, I’m holding it. Why so tight?”

“Does it hurt?” Fu Linyuan frowned and lifted her wrist to examine it. A red mark stood out clearly against her fair skin. His voice was heavy. “It’s red.”

Gu Lingyi had been casually glancing around but widened her eyes at his words. “Red?”

Impossible!

She couldn’t have any marks on her body!

She stood on tiptoe and indeed saw a circle of redness around her wrist. She blinked in surprise and looked up, meeting Fu Linyuan’s deep, fathomless eyes.

He frowned, seeming both frustrated and regretful.

Gu Lingyi lowered her eyes, her emotions complicated.

There was now one more living being capable of harming her, besides her pet.

Fu Linyuan raised her wrist and instinctively leaned in to lick it, but upon realizing she was wearing a mask, he reluctantly stopped.

The next moment, they both turned their heads in unison, their sharp gazes locking onto a couple not far away.

Gu Lingyi narrowed her eyes, glanced over them casually, then pulled Fu Linyuan along with indifferent words: “Clowns. You’re not worth giving them a look.”

At a distance, Qin Yue felt a chill run down his scalp under their intimidating stares. He instinctively looked down at the photos he had just sent.

The man in the photo was tall and imposing, radiating the oppressive aura of someone long established at the pinnacle of power—unshakable and dominant.

He was certain there was no one like this in Jiangcheng.

Qin Yue shifted his gaze to the other person in the photo—though shown in profile and masked, she bore an uncanny resemblance to Gu Lingyi, whom he had seen not long ago.

Strangely, she stood beside the man without the slightest sign of retreat, completely unaffected by his formidable presence. Together, they formed an unexpectedly harmonious pair.

Just then, a string of replies popped up on the phone.

[Dog Bro: There's no way that's Gu Lingyi!]

[Dog Bro: Don’t you know how she treats Brother Qi? No man would ever be near her!]

[Dog Bro: If that’s really Gu Lingyi, I’ll wash my hair standing on my head!]

Qin Yue was speechless.

Fine, since Qin Xiao was so sure, it must have been a mistake.

Qin Yue put away his phone, losing interest in shopping with his companion. After leaving a card, he headed home.

Meanwhile, Gu Lingyi shopped with great enthusiasm, visiting almost every store.

This led to various photos of her from multiple angles circulating online.

At first, it was just a post by an internet influencer on Weibo.

The accompanying photo captured her full figure, with the camera also recording two people passing behind her.

One wore Melody slippers and strolled lazily in front, turning a simple white T-shirt and jeans into a runway look. Her long hair, as dark as ink, cascaded over her shoulders, each strand gleaming.

Behind and to the side stood a man of a completely different style. Black hair streaked with white, a black shirt subtly outlining his toned muscles, and long, powerful legs clad in suit trousers, exuding tension with every step.

Both wore identical black masks, their intertwined hands revealing a stark contrast of cool and warm complexions. Her delicate, pale hand was tightly enveloped by his large one, only the fingertips visible.

The influencer captioned:

“Who would’ve guessed! Ran into the leisurely heiress and her wolfish bodyguard at Y&one Mall!

PS: Several times she tried to let go, but the man wouldn’t allow it!

Swoon! Hurry up and go home for a big celebration!”

The influencer had many followers, and the post was shared across major platforms and marketing accounts, sparking a reaction that even surpassed the hashtag #GuLingyi#.

Comments varied widely:

“Put on some pants, you wild girl!”

“Same encounter [picture] Even if it’s a lingerie store, gotta stick with the wife.”

“VIP area of L House [picture]”

“Breaking news! The lady visits every store!”

“Hilarious, visits every store empty-handed—just pretending to be rich!”

“What’s going on upstairs? You don’t dare enter Y&one’s stores without some serious assets. Those slippers alone are officially licensed by D House and cost four figures!”

“Both wearing masks—could they be celebrities?”

One comment’s ID was clearly from a fan of Gu Yanyue: @YueBingRoundAndRound.

Below, someone timidly replied: “Is it possible… she’s the one you were just cursing?”

Ordinary netizens’ opinions didn’t cause much stir. The original poster dismissed it: “You mean Gu Lingyi? No way! She has that kind of aura?”

Yu Nuannuan was speechless.