After five bigwigs in Beijing's elite circle fell into their trap, I fled.

Chapter 222 The Ring on the Ring Finger

Ning Yunzhan, still on the plane, had no idea that the moment he stepped out the door, Li Yubai had blown up his lair.

Inside Misty Continent, after a bumpy ride along mountain roads, Jiang Shu and Feng Li arrived at the market.

Unlike those in international metropolises, this market resembled a commercial street from the Republic of China era, with its distinctive old architectural style. The shops were lined up, all brands Jiang Shu had never heard of or seen before: high-end clothing stores, dazzling jewelry shops, and also very down-to-earth street vendors selling plasters and rough handicrafts…

People came and went, including ordinary people who were common outside, as well as people from that strange race in Misty Continent.

Jiang Shu knew that her young master was delicate and frail, so she directly took him to the nearest clothing store:

"Pick up a thick coat for him. And a top underneath, nothing with a low neckline."

The shop owner was a local man with a pale face and red pupils, wearing reading glasses. He looked Feng Li up and down and spoke in broken Chinese:
"We haven't seen such a handsome man here in a long time. Do you prefer the new master style or the old master style?"

Feng Li: "...What are you saying? I don't understand a word you're saying."

Jiang Shu's curiosity was piqued again: "Boss, what are the new master style and the old master style...?"

"The new master and the old master are not only the two most handsome men in our clan, but their fashion sense is also outstanding, setting off countless fashion trends. The old master likes a cool and austere style, which can be categorized as either traditional Chinese style or classic black and white."

The shop owner paused for a moment, then continued, "The new owner likes color blocking, patchwork, and styles with a strong artistic feel. Every outfit he wears is worthy of being the finale at the top international fashion shows. Now we describe his style as the 'new owner's style' or the 'old owner's style'..."

Jiang Shu coughed lightly, her gaze thoughtful: "My Ali has always been domineering and doesn't like to copy other people's styles. Would you mind putting together an outfit for him—never mind, I'll do it myself! Let me take this outfit down and try it on first..."

Ten minutes later, Feng Li was wearing a dark purple cashmere coat over a black belted velvet shirt. A striking red iris embroidery on the shirt collar instantly added a strong alluring touch to the otherwise somber black.

Jiang Shu, watching from the side, became increasingly satisfied: "How about it, Ali? Is this your taste?"

Feng Li didn't speak, but just curled up the corner of his lips and lazily looked at himself in the mirror for a long time. Then he took out the tie clip that he had never parted with since he bought it and clipped it to the embroidered iris. Jiang Shu felt a strange tremor in her heart when she saw it.

"So this handsome young man likes the style of the puppet master!" The shopkeeper looked at Feng Li with amazement and sighed.

Jiang Shu: "...Why is another puppet show popping up?"

The shopkeeper adjusted his reading glasses, a hint of reminiscence in his red pupils: "No matter who the Puppet Master transformed into, his style of dress was always passionate, flamboyant, and dazzlingly colorful. It's a pity that after the war between the old and new masters, we've never seen the Puppet Master's style again..."

Jiang Shu scoffed, "Don't compare my Ali to a doll. I'll pay you whatever it costs."

After leaving the clothing store, Feng Li remained silent.

Jiang Shu scrutinized his expression: "Are you unhappy about being compared to others? Speaking of which, you've seen that puppet before, right? We made it together at the craft workshop last time, and you even taught me how to sculpt its legs and waist!"

Feng Li: "Oh."

Seeing his lack of interest, Jiang Shu tried to find a topic: "Their clan is strange, and their sacred objects are also strange. Can you imagine that an ordinary doll, after absorbing someone's blood, can transform into that person, and even DNA testing can't detect it? Let me tell you..."

Jiang Shu muttered to herself, picking and choosing from the rumors she had heard about the puppet from elsewhere.

Feng Li would occasionally give a perfunctory "hmm," it was unclear whether he was even listening.

Finally, Jiang Shu concluded with a sigh, "I wish I were a magic puppet. I could experience whatever life I wanted, without the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death. It would be like living the life of a god!"

"Not really."

"Hmm?" "The life of a puppet is not happy." Feng Li suddenly spoke, his tone very soft.

Jiang Shu tilted her head and looked at him: "What do you mean?"

Feng Li lifted his coat and placed Jiang Shu's slightly cold hand inside before slowly speaking:
"The puppet spends its entire life copying other people's lives. It perfectly replicates other people's appearance and abilities, as well as their illnesses and memories, but... it can't replicate emotions. Once the mission is complete, the dust settles, and it returns to its original form, without sorrow or joy, without the seven emotions or the six desires, what's the point?"

Jiang Shu exclaimed, "Really? Wouldn't that be so pitiful?"

"You should pity yourself instead." Feng Li subtly changed the subject. "Baby, whether we can even get out of Misty Continent is still a question."

Jiang Shu: "..."

Feng Li ruffled her hair: "Just kidding. Don't be a coward with your brother here."

The two continued strolling around, but Jiang Shu, having grown accustomed to the colorful sights outside, wasn't particularly interested in the market's offerings.

Feng Li, however, stopped again when he passed a jewelry store.

Jiang Shu kicked his long leg: "You young master, what good things haven't you seen? Let's not buy any jewelry. All the jewelry in the store combined isn't as valuable as the imperial seal you gave me back then!"

Feng Li pointed to his tie clip: "We've known each other for so long, and you've only given me one tie clip. It's not even unique; it's been given to four men at the same time."

Jiang Shu: "...So?"

“When other women present me with things that are unique in the world, I can’t even be bothered to look at them. As for yachts, planes, and cars, I only ever want the limited edition models that are one of a kind in the world.” Feng Li said with a resentful tone, “When have I ever suffered such humiliation?”

Jiang Shu paused for a moment, then said, "Okay, go pick one. Cough cough, don't make it too expensive, I don't have much money. This time I'll only buy one for you."

Feng Li was finally satisfied and pulled Jiang Shu into the jewelry store.

There weren't many people in the jewelry store. Jiang Shu looked at the jewelry and found that most of it was of poor quality and not from common brands. There was also a DIY customization area where several couples were tinkering with their own jewelry.

Feng Li was casually making his selections when he overheard a couple having an intimate conversation.

The girl said, "It's too tiring to DIY. Why not just buy a ready-made one? It would only cost a few hundred yuan more."

The boy stubbornly shook his head: "This is our token of love, and I want to make it myself."

Over there, Jiang Shu picked up a gemstone cuff and asked him like she was showing off a treasure, "How about buying this?"

“No good.” Feng Li pointed to the corner. “I don’t want a ready-made one. I want you to make one for me yourself.”

Jiang Shu: "..."

Feng Li: "It can save several hundred yuan."

Save several hundred?!
Jiang Shu decisively rolled up her sleeves, found a seat in the DIY area, picked up a craft hammer, and said, "Ali, tell me, what do you want!"

Feng Li paused for a moment: "A ring."

He extended his long, slender, fair hand and emphasized, "According to the size of my ring finger."