Ji Shiyou looked at the scene before him, feeling extremely strange. After a loud shout, he even tried blinking his eyes hard.
He felt it was somewhat unreal. Even Mingyue, who was usually composed, was filled with bewilderment.
All the way here, they had imagined many scenarios regarding the Old Madam's condition after being kidnapped by the Seven Fiends.
She might have been locked in a dungeon, or perhaps tortured and wronged, which was why Ji Shiyou had rushed here in such a panic.
However, they never expected to find the situation they were witnessing. This was clearly not a kidnapping.
Inside was a spacious hall, several hundred square meters in size, luxuriously decorated.
The Old Madam Ji was seated at the head of the table, leisurely sipping tea, with Steward Sun seated below her.
All the servants of the Ji family were present, sitting on chairs and feasting on the pastries and fruits laid out on the tables before them.
They were eating and commenting, this was hardly the state of being kidnapped; it was more like a sightseeing tour.
"Good grandson, why are you here?"
Seeing Ji Shiyou appear, the Old Madam Ji was quite surprised and asked with a puzzled expression.
"Grandma, you worried me to death. Weren't you kidnapped by the Seven Fiends? What exactly happened?"
Ji Shiyou, with a head full of questions, walked up to the Old Madam and asked anxiously.
"No need to ask, the Seven Fiends must all be dead. Master, did you do this?
Couldn't you have sent us a message? You made me worry myself sick, rushing over here. Was it fun?"
Mingyue, who was invisible, was initially as shocked as Ji Shiyou upon seeing everyone safe and sound.
But when she spotted the figure opposite the Old Madam, devouring tropical fruits, she immediately understood.
So, she removed the effect of the invisibility talisman outside the door and entered, saying.
"My dear disciple, son-in-law, why are you here!
There's so much delicious food here, do you want to try some?
Since you two young lovebirds have nothing else to do, you should go out more often. Consider it a honeymoon trip!"
The heavily made-up woman opposite the Old Madam Ji immediately dropped the fruit in her hand and ran over upon seeing Ji Shiyou and Mingyue.
It was none other than Master Qinglan of Seven Star Mountain, Mingyue's unreliable master.
"Who is this?"
Hearing Mingyue call her Master, Ji Shiyou was stunned. He had investigated Mingyue's background.
He knew Mingyue's master was the highly respected Master Qinglan.
She was widely renowned in the Imperial Capital, and everyone knew she was a devout Buddhist laywoman.
But this woman before him, dressed in designer brands, with heavy makeup, and jewelry weighing at least two catties combined,
He could not possibly connect her with the legendary Master Qinglan.
Seeing Mingyue catching up with Master Qinglan, Ji Shiyou could only turn to his grandmother for help.
"She really is Master Qinglan. This old woman only found out yesterday. I was as surprised as you were when I first confirmed it."
The Old Madam Ji let out a wry smile upon seeing her grandson's bewildered eyes.
She must have had the same expression on the plane yesterday.
Yesterday, when she boarded the plane, she saw a middle-aged beautiful woman in the seat next to hers.
At first glance, she seemed familiar, so she took a few more glances.
The noblewoman saw her and seemed flustered, turning her face away, not daring to meet her gaze.
But the Old Madam Ji and Master Qinglan had grown up together. Even through the heavy makeup, she noticed something.
Furthermore, behind Master Qinglan's ear was a pink birthmark in the shape of a butterfly.
When she turned her head, she was immediately recognized by the sharp-eyed Old Madam Ji.
Under the Old Madam's persistent questioning, Master Qinglan could no longer pretend.
She was a free-spirited person and readily admitted it, which in turn startled the Old Madam Ji.
Her bewildered expression amused Master Qinglan greatly, so she openly confessed.
She also told the Old Madam Ji that she had disguised herself to go abroad to attend her idol's concert.
The two were childhood best friends, so they chatted the entire flight.
Knowing that the Old Madam Ji had brought all the Ji family servants out for a trip to foster the relationship between Ji Shiyou and Mingyue,
Master Qinglan immediately offered to arrange the trip, ensuring the Old Madam Ji had a wonderful time.
Their interaction was intimate, and when they disembarked, they were mistaken by members of the Seven Fiends and taken to the island together.
Master Qinglan initially had no intention of intervening. She found being kidnapped quite thrilling.
However, upon arriving at the island, someone made advances towards her, which angered her.
Thus, she, who did not want trouble, accidentally wiped out the entire Seven Fiends organization.
From the leaders of the Heavenly Fiends to the sentries, all were annihilated, leaving no trace of their bodies.
Neither she nor the Old Madam Ji knew that before their demise, the Seven Fiends had already sent a message to Ji You,
Asking Ji Shiyou to come and exchange hostages. They had planned to tour the small island at their leisure,
Enjoy the food, and then leave to attend the concert. This resulted in Ji Shiyou and Mingyue's unnecessary panic.
"Ji Shiyou pays his respects to Master. Thank you for protecting my grandmother."
After learning the entire story, Ji Shiyou bowed respectfully to Master Qinglan and thanked her.
It took him a long time to decide to call Master Qinglan "Master." Technically, he should have called her "Grandma Qinglan."
After all, Master Qinglan and the Old Madam Ji were like sisters from childhood.
However, Ji Shiyou did not want to be a generation younger than Mingyue, so he followed Mingyue's lead and called her Master.
"No need to thank me. It was a small effort. You are not my disciple, so don't call me Master."
Master Qinglan shook her head indifferently, not taking the annihilation of the Seven Fiends to heart.
However, she was particularly bothered by Ji Shiyou's address to her. Hearing him call her Master, her expression became displeased.
"Yes, grandson knows his mistake. Grandma Qinglan!"
Ji Shiyou quickly changed his address, realizing that Master Qinglan placed great importance on seniority.
"Grandma?"
Master Qinglan spat out a mouthful of tea, her face filled with anger. Ji Shiyou actually called her Grandma?
This was unacceptable to her. Although she was indeed of grandmotherly age, did she look that old?
"You narrow-minded boy, I think you are very unsuitable for Mingyue. I want to break off the engagement.
Mingyue cannot be with you. You are like a block of wood, a piece of iron.
You completely don't understand women's hearts. Mingyue will not be happy with you!"
Master Qinglan inexplicably became furious, pointing at Ji Shiyou's nose and shouting loudly.
Ji Shiyou was startled by her and didn't know what to do. He quickly turned to Mingyue for help.
He was also wondering what he had said wrong that caused Master Qinglan to suddenly erupt in anger.
"What are you going crazy about? You're seventy or eighty and still think you're a young girl.
You were the one who told me to get married, and now you're the one breaking off the engagement. So what if he's a blockhead?
I like it. I hate sweet-talking men; they're unreliable.
I believe that eloquent words are not as good as a bowl of noodles.
More fake concern is not as good as everything being silently arranged for you.
I am willing to be with him, so what? Bite me!"
Seeing her master bullying Ji Shiyou, Mingyue couldn't stand it and retorted.
"Rebellious disciple, I am making the decision today. Divorce, you must divorce."
Hearing Mingyue's words, Master Qinglan was so angry she jumped up and down, shouting for a divorce.
This was their usual way of interacting as master and disciple. Neither she nor Mingyue felt anything was wrong with it, but it made Ji Shiyou, standing beside them, extremely anxious.