Born with a fate destined for toil, when will I finally be able to stay home until the end of my days?

She carefully wrote down the details of the incident—the beginning, the process, and the solution—and placed the paper in an envelope. With solemnity, she handed it to Uncle, reminding him to deliver it to Jun Yan personally, just in case. Who knew, perhaps Jun Yan might even be able to save her life in time.

As expected, Uncle teased her, asking if it was a love letter for Jun Yan. Used to such banter, she brushed her hair with a flourish and replied, her voice endlessly seductive, “How could that be? The one I’ve always loved is Young Master’s teacher—you, Uncle! Why is it you never understand my heart? I’m so sorrowful…” With that, she struck the classic ‘Xi Shi holding her heart’ pose and staggered dramatically out, leaving Uncle standing bewildered in the wind.

White Border City was truly vast, its origins rooted in an ancient battlefield. Now, it had grown to encompass ten subsidiary districts, expanding from a small patch of land into a sprawling expanse—calling it a small country would not be an exaggeration. She ran through the city, sweating profusely, cursing herself for choosing such a distant meeting place yesterday. Wasn’t this just pointless hardship?!

“Ouch!” Suddenly, someone bumped into her. Anger flared, but with urgent matters at hand, she suppressed her frustration, shooting a fierce glare at the person. Her eyes met a pair of familiar black pupils.

“Hey, what a coincidence—you’re out too, huh?” she said stiffly, waving awkwardly. She thought to herself that she really shouldn’t have gone out today—why did she run into this troublemaker again? His appearances were supposed to be used up already; he hadn’t shown up in the previous chapters.

Su Yi remained calm, clearly not here to argue. “Someone’s following you—take a detour.” With those words, he left without looking back.

“You…” She discreetly scanned her surroundings and indeed spotted a small group tailing her. She was about to thank Su Yi, but he was already gone, not even a trace left. Though she didn’t understand why, she silently thanked him in her heart, changed direction, and headed straight for the crowded areas.

Following her usual methods for evading pursuit, she suddenly crouched down, donned a black wig in a flash, applied two drops of potion, turning her irises black. She reversed her clothing, revealing her own handiwork—a “five-second transformation into a woman” outfit she had stitched over several nights. The Grant family’s jumpsuit instantly became a black dress; the color masked the original outfit while remaining unobtrusive. Quietly reciting a newly learned spell, water elements, infused with magical energy, enveloped her, completely sealing her aura. Now, she had vanished without a trace.

Finally reaching the appointed spot, she spotted Liang Yin’s silhouette in the distance and ran toward her. Suddenly—bang!—an ice ball grazed her face and shattered on the ground. Looking up, she saw Liang Yin watching her with fierce vigilance, full of suspicion.

How could I have forgotten about the disguise? She slapped her forgetful head and shouted, “Captain, don’t shoot—it’s me!”

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Liang Yin relaxed her stance and signaled her forward. She rushed up and, without explanation, stripped off her wig and clothes, handing them all to Liang Yin, along with everything sewn inside yesterday. A final application of potion transformed Liang Yin into a mirror image of her earlier disguise, blending modestly into the crowd.

The cold wind cut through; wearing only a thin shirt, she shivered, her voice trembling, “Quick, go—someone’s following me. Soon, I’ll… disappear.”

Despite the disjointed, trembling words, Liang Yin understood, gave her a hug, and darted toward the city outskirts.

“Couldn’t you have showered before hugging me?” she shivered, “Achoo!”

She had barely left the inconspicuous alley when a hand clamped onto her shoulder and a man’s voice declared, “You’re under arrest.”

Why do all the people who catch me strike the same pose? she grumbled internally, but said aloud, “Why? What crime have I committed?”

“You know very well.” The man who’d caught her clearly had no patience for pointless chatter, keeping her firmly restrained.

“Was it because I trampled the flowers yesterday and got caught, or maybe because I tricked a little girl out of her candy the day before?” she babbled, feigning ignorance. “Is that really enough to punish me, big brother?”

Unfortunately, the man was unmoved, his expression as stiff as a character from The Matrix, dressed all in black.

She was pressed forward relentlessly, unable to move except her mouth. “Look, everybody, White Border City’s officers are publicly kidnapping an innocent girl on the street! Is this a personal vendetta disguised as law enforcement, or a secret romance? Live broadcast—don’t miss it!”

Her shamelessness drew countless curious glances from the crowd. Seeing she had an audience, she became even more brazen, determined to disgust at least one person. “How can you, as the city’s warriors, snatch girls in broad daylight? Let me go, let me go—help, creepy uncle, boohoo!”

People gathered, staring at the burly men in White Border City uniforms, forcibly detaining a frail, helpless girl whose thin clothing left her shivering, making her look especially pitiful.

The crowd’s anger erupted. They surged forward, blocking the warriors’ path, loudly demanding the release of the poor girl.

The warriors exchanged glances, finding mutual helplessness in their eyes. One of them pointed toward a nearby building, clearly suggesting they take to the rooftops to avoid the crowd. With no other options, they agreed, and in a flash, displayed remarkable calm and skill, climbing onto the roof.

The crowd protested loudly, furious that they were taking her away.

The warriors ignored the commotion below, focusing on keeping the woman who kept inciting the crowd from escaping—no small feat. The warrior carrying her tightened the rope, afraid she might vanish again.

In the moment he was distracted, a water dragon appeared in the air near the display squad. It dove at incredible speed, a humid wind rushing past, followed by screams. The rope-binding warrior looked up to see emptiness where his teammates had stood; only the water dragon remained, staring at him, seemingly calculating the most efficient angle of attack.

Sweat broke out on his brow. He knew he couldn’t defeat the water dragon alone. Anyone capable of summoning one was at least a high-level mage. Was it worth offending such a person for a single mission? Even a fool could see it wasn’t. Suddenly, he felt a lightness on his back. Turning, he saw the woman he’d bound now free, smiling as she leaned against a young man with chestnut hair, waving cheerfully.

He felt a gust of damp wind behind him, and everything went black.

“Buddy, you’re so much better than your father, who burns bridges and won’t let anyone rebuild them. I’ve got high hopes for you!” she declared, her tone serious as she thanked Jun Yan.

“Aren’t you going to thank me, too, Little Mo Mo?” Uncle’s voice sounded at her ear.

She grinned widely, “How could I forget Uncle? You’re always more punctual than express delivery!”

Jun Yan stroked her short hair, “What now? In two hours at most, your wanted notice will be out.”

She glanced at the luggage in Uncle’s hand, still smiling, “What else? You’ve prepared my bags—so I’ll lay low, see the world. When you settle things with your father and gain all that money and power, I’ll come back to enjoy the fruits.”

Jun Yan lowered his gaze, full of apology, “I’m sorry—for you…and for Ada.”

He had only just taken over some family affairs, and it was clear that Jun Yuan wanted to ruthlessly clear away “irrelevant people” around his son, paving the way for him. The methods were harsh and unfeeling, but understandable. She was, after all, a new-generation young woman who’d watched countless business, espionage, and psychological thrillers; she understood Jun Yan’s predicament perfectly. With career in one hand and feelings in the other, did it really mean she had to fight Jun Yuan to the bitter end for a happy ending? Perhaps it was better to let things unfold naturally, let Jun Yan grow, and give herself a chance to see the world.

“Sorrow? What’s there to be sad about? I’ve been dismissed for no reason and didn’t shed a tear. You, the next head of the family, are still employed—how dare you feel sad!” She tried to stay calm, patting Jun Yan’s shoulder, feeling as dashing as Xu Wenqiang from Shanghai Bund. “Heroes raise heroes—don’t be timid, I’m counting on you to let me enjoy life someday!”

Jun Yan finally regained his composure, “Alright—I promise, at most three years. You and Ada will come back to enjoy as much as you like.”

“Then, farewell!” With her luggage on her back, she strode toward the city gate, looking for all the world like a gang leader off to a brawl. “Uncle, your dragon’s awesome!”

Uncle waved at her retreating figure, “When you return, I’ll teach you. Whatever you want to learn, Uncle will teach you. Mo Mo, take care!”

She didn’t look back, didn’t wave. She watched Liang Yin’s faint figure outside the city, fighting to hold back her tears. It seemed that stability wasn’t her calling, after all. She possessed a heart of idle clouds and gentle elegance, but was born with a fate of endless toil.

Running toward Liang Yin, she kept her smile bright and determined. Behind her was the road she’d traveled; ahead lay a future full of hope and uncertainty.

Stardust Chronicle 016_016—Born to toil; when will I finally be able to stay home until the updates are done!