The most suitable gift is the most desirable

Once they confirmed the gifts were indeed from Cheng Ya, Jiang Yunshu raised her hand and asked, “So, can we see what’s inside the small boxes?”

“No.” / “Sure.”

Ran Jiuyi and Meng Shan spoke at the exact same time, giving opposite answers.

Jiuyi was the first to interrogate him. “Why did you agree? These were sent by that twisted, ill-intentioned freak Cheng Ya. Who knows what kind of awful things are hidden in there?”

Meng Shan countered, “I don’t think so, mainly because she has no reason to. Cheng Ya is so much more powerful than us that she doesn’t need to use such roundabout methods to deal with us. Besides, the other two containers were clean, weren’t they?”

“I’m serious, Dahan, you actually trust that psycho? What has she ever done to earn your trust? Or is it just because she’s pretty and you’ve got a crush?”

“Then I have to say something to you, A-Jiu. Considering what Cheng Ya did to you, it’s normal to have a grievance. But you shouldn’t let your personal bias cloud your judgment.”

“Judgment? Dahan, you’ve barely dealt with her a handful of times and you’re lecturing me on judgment?”

“And you’ve dealt with her plenty, A-Jiu, yet it doesn’t seem like you know much about her at all.”

Seeing another argument brewing, Jiang Yunshu quickly stepped in to play peacemaker. “Alright, alright! At the end of the day, we’re just curious. With you two watching over us, just taking a peek won’t hurt, right?”

“She’s right, Yunshu-jie.”

“Yeah, I agree with Yunshu. We aren’t kids; nothing is going to happen.”

With Yi Ziling and Bai He’an backing her up, Meng Shan said appreciatively, “Well said. There are some things you’ll have to handle yourselves sooner or later anyway.”

Between Jiang Yunshu’s mediation and the consensus of the trio, Ran Jiuyi eventually nodded with a helpless sigh.

“Fine. Since you’re all so set on it, open them here so we can see.”

Unable to wait any longer, Jiang Yunshu rushed forward and immediately spotted a waist-high box with her name on it. Expectation bubbling in her chest, she tore open her gift.

“Whoa!”

Inside was a Lolita dress, predominantly pink with white and yellow accents. From the intricate craftsmanship and the silk-smooth fabric, it was clearly no budget knock-off. Alongside the dress were matching pink leather boots, elegant hair ornaments, bracelets adorned with precious gems, and even high-quality undergarments—everything perfectly coordinated.

Staring at the exquisite gifts, Jiang Yunshu was over the moon. “Is this really the dress?! This is amazing! I’ve wanted this Lolita set forever, but it was so expensive I could never justify buying it.”

Ran Jiuyi asked, puzzled, “Is it that expensive? Your salary as a Magical Girl shouldn’t be that low, right?”

“It’s not low,” Jiang Yunshu replied, “but this dress alone is over 50,000, and with all the accessories, the total is astronomical. I could afford it, but I just couldn’t bring myself to spend that much at once.”

“I see,” Jiuyi added. “So you’re satisfied? This is really what you wanted?”

Yunshu nodded vigorously. “Yes! I’ve been eyeing this for a month. I was planning to save up a bit more and then just buy a cheaper, similar style to get by.”

So she loves Lolita fashion that much? Jiuyi thought. It dawned on her then that she knew shockingly little about the “three little ones”—she didn’t even know their hobbies. She decided she’d have to change that during her stay.

“I’m next!”

Bai He’an chirped, making short work of the box with her name on it. Inside was… a model kit? Specifically, a humanoid robot model.

“What is this?” Jiuyi asked.

“A ‘G-dam’ model, and it’s a discontinued limited edition. I’ve been looking for this for months without luck. How did they find it?”

Checking the packaging, He’an gasped in surprise. “It’s so pristine… was this just manufactured?!”

“It looks like Cheng Ya had a defunct production line restarted just to make a new batch,” Meng Shan noted. “So, do you like it?”

“I love it! This was the only one missing from my collection!” He’an carefully tucked the model back into its box, cradling it like a priceless treasure.

Seeing the other two get exactly what they desired, Yi Ziling couldn’t help but feel a surge of anticipation. Her box was much smaller, about the size of three toothpaste boxes. She opened it to find… a winning lottery ticket?

“It’s the grand prize from the TV show my parents always watch!” Ziling beamed, holding the thin slip of paper. “This is the ‘Special Prize’—a one-month world tour. My parents say only one person wins this per month.”

“They told me that because of money, they haven’t been on a trip since they got married. Most of their holidays are spent working overtime. I know they’ve wanted this for so long, but they never buy tickets because they’re a waste of money.”

As she carefully stowed the ticket, she noticed something else at the bottom of the box: a note and a black card.

The note read:

“What a good girl, wanting nothing more than to fulfill her parents’ wishes. For such a rare, kind soul, how could I not provide an extra reward?

Take this card. It’s for a one-month trip for up to two people. It grants you top-tier treatment anywhere in the world. Use it whenever you like, but remember: it is for you alone. This is your personal reward.

By the way, I’ve upgraded your parents’ world tour. Just tell them to follow the dates on the ticket; I’ve already handled the logistics.”

Ziling stared at the black card in a daze. It was the most precious gift she had ever received in her life. Meng Shan gently ruffled her hair. “Well? Thought about where you want to go?”

“I… I don’t know,” Ziling stammered. “I don’t know where to go, or who to go with.”

“Keep it safe for now then,” Meng Shan said warmly. “Wait until the day you find a place you truly want to see and someone you want to see it with. Use it then.”

Ziling nodded firmly. “Mhm!”

Meng Shan turned his attention back. “A-Jiu, what about your gift? Surely you got one too.”

“My gift?” Jiuyi replied slowly. “You can look up my info. Every international warrant against me has been cancelled.”

“Really? That’s great news!” Bai He’an said. “Now Sister Ran doesn’t have to hide anymore.”

“I’d still rather keep a low profile. I don’t want the whole world knowing I’m here. I’m planning on taking a proper rest for a while.”

Jiuyi clapped her hands. “Alright, gifts are distributed and the day is done. You girls head home and get some sleep.”

“I’ll stay behind with Dahan to organize these three containers of gear. It’s going to be a long night.”

Bai He’an nodded. “Got it. See you, Dahan-ge, Sister Ran! I’m going home to start my model!”

“Bye! I can’t wait to try on this dress!”

“Me too. I need to think of an excuse to give this ticket to my parents.”

After a brief farewell, the trio headed home, leaving only Meng Shan and Ran Jiuyi.

Watching them leave, Jiuyi sighed. “Dahan, you know… I just realized I really don’t know them at all. I didn’t have a clue what they liked.”

“It’s only natural,” Meng Shan consoled her. “You haven’t been with them for very long. It makes sense that you wouldn’t know the deep stuff yet.”

“Or are you just annoyed because Cheng Ya, who only met them once, knows them better than you do?”

At the mention of Cheng Ya, Jiuyi snapped, “Shut up. I was not thinking that.”

“Your face says otherwise.” Seeing her about to blow a fuse, Meng Shan quickly backpedaled. “Fine, fine, you weren’t thinking that. But I have to ask: after all this, has your impression of Cheng Ya changed?”

Jiuyi sighed. “Honestly? A little. But just a little. My general impression of her is still ‘Masochistic Psycho Scientist.’ Then again, I don’t really know who she is under the surface, so maybe that’s just a narrow view.”

“But I’m sure of one thing: I can feel it in my gut—one day, she’s going to cause me a massive amount of trouble.”

Meng Shan asked, “And what about us? What’s your impression of me and the girls?”

“You lot? A bunch of weak but interesting weirdos.” Jiuyi smiled. “Especially you. It’s been a long time since I’ve met someone as interesting as you. Why else do you think I agreed to stay?”

“So, for the foreseeable future, I’ll be in your care, kind sir.”

“…At your age, I don’t think you can pull off the ‘helpless maiden’ act.”

“Get lost!”