"Mr Ji."
Ji Yunhe raised her head, a brilliant smile smeared on her palm-sized face as she softly said, "I didn't owe you nor the family anything for any worth that I have, you have squeezed dry throughout this passage of ten years. Now, it's my time to say goodbye."
As she made her last speech, not even once had she ever spared the pair of mother and daughter a glance as towards them, all she wanted to do was throw shit at them and tell them to get out of her face.
Ji Yunhe turned around and walked away, relieved that she had finally released all the weight off her chest when she heard a livid scream from behind.
"Ji Yunhe! Do you think that you can live without the Ji family? Without my support from back then, you would just be a poor and stupid orphan with no future other than dying from either hunger or sickness."
"NOTE THIS, JI YUNHE! WITHOUT ME, YOU'RE NOTHING!"
"You are wrong." Ji Yunhe didn't turn her back, her voice calm and allowing no seeds of doubt to sprout out.
"I, Ji Yunhe, have been capable enough to earn myself a bowl of meal since the age of 7. I can cook my own food, earn my own money, and obtain what I wish for with my own efforts. Without the Ji family, I, Ji Yunhe, is and will always be as great as I am!"
"Cih!" Mr Ji clicked his tongue, each and every word he spouted out dripping with nerve-wrecking venom.
"Ji Yunhe, as long as I spread out a word, do you think that anyone in the city would dare to take you in?"
At his poisonous threat, Ji Yunhe merely shook her head, her firm footsteps never halting for even once.
Ji Yunhe knew that Mr Ji's words held some truth to it.
Although the Ji family wasn't exactly a part of the top echelon powerhouses overlooking the city, they were prestigious enough to pull some strings and assert some of their influences across certain regions.
If Mr Ji was determined enough to trouble her, it wouldn't be easy for Ji Yunhe to fend for herself outside. However, there's one thing that he didn't know about Ji Yunhe, the poor girl who he thought was helpless.
That day when Ji Manman had deliberately pushed her into the gradually freezing river and threw her stones to stop her struggling body from surfacing, Ji Yunhe hadn't only survived but also awakened the Self-Saving System!
Through the magical life-saving system, she was able to collect points by fulfilling system-issued missions and exchange those hard-earned points with miraculous products from the system's shopping mall, even obtaining useful skills!
That explained Ji Yunhe's quick rise in her skills and talents in just the passing of one year!
It was unfortunate that the more Ji Yunhe showed off her talents, the more green-eyed Ji Manman became.
Ji Manman's patience finally snapped and she revealed the long-hidden secret of the Ji family's intention behind adopting the then orphaned Ji Yunhe into the family.
Turns out, 10 years ago, a shaman once warned Mr Ji of a misfortune that would soon befall the family.
This misfortune might grind their entire foundation into dust however, they could change the misfortune into a great fortune instead if they took in a fated child to be a sacrifice. Unsurprisingly, that fated child was none other than Ji Yunhe!
Ji Yunhe utterly lost all hope towards the family when she learnt of the truth.
That was why, when Ji Manman once again brought Mrs Ji to suppress her and force her to give in to their unreasonable demand, Ji Yunhe decided to bite back and make her counterattack!
She refunded all the lucky encounters she had bought for Mr Ji from the system's mall, posted the colourful compilation of Ji Manman's misdeeds throughout the years in the school forum, and purchased a rotten peach-blossom sticker for Mrs Ji.
This all, if she's not mistaken, would take effect in a few days and by then, she would like to see how the Jis would fare after offending her!
Ji Yunhe evilly laughed, her shoulders shaking up and down.
Once she left the Ji's mansion, she addressed the Self-Saving System.
"System, is the shopping mall open yet?"
The system was quick to answer her.
[It's open. Host, what would you like to purchase for today?]
Ji Yunhe raised her finger to scroll at the virtual screen hovering before her. As she scrolled the listed goods to the last bottom section, there she saw the item she was irresistibly attracted to since day 1.
[The Identity Switch Button. Host, are you sure about the purchase?]
"I am absolutely sure!" Ji Yunhe couldn't hold her excitement any longer. She didn't care if anyone was to take her place for she simply had enough!
[Host, are you sure that you…]
"Cut the bullshit. I told you that I'm absolutely sure and don't worry, I won't ask for any refund again." Ji Yunhe impatiently said.
[But host…] The system nearly cried. [You don't have enough points.]
Ji Yunhe stiffened on her place. Rigidly, she turned her head to scan at the price of the item then to the meagre 16,745 points that she had.
Right. She was lacking in points and not in a small amount at that.
150,000 points, ah!
Ji Yunhe's eyes nearly popped out at the staggering price.
"System, are you crazy? No, what kind of a black-hearted seller is behind this scam?"
That little flames of anger within her was quick to morph into despair when Ji Yunhe realized just what kind of a shitty hole she had just dug herself into.
Unfortunately, there's no use crying over spilled milk and, for once, the Self-Saving System lived up to its name as it quickly comforted Ji Yunhe.
[Host, don't worry. I've haggled the price for the item and the seller agreed to sell the inferior version of the Identity Switch Button for only 15,000 points.]
Ji Yunhe immediately came back alive and radiant. Suddenly, she squeezed her eyes in suspicion, carefully asking, "Only 15,000? What's the catch?"
[The pool will be greatly reduced and the identities switched will be randomized but don't worry host! You are allowed to raise one criteria.]
"One criteria? So be it then." Ji Yunhe raised her eyebrows, relieved. "I don't care if I'm thrown back to the dirt poor circle or once again be fated to despicable people. Whatever that I lack, I can make up with my own two hands."
"All I ask is only one thing, I want to be the pearl in the palm of my new family."
Ji Yunhe didn't even hesitate as she listed out her criteria, her eyes shining brightly like precious gems.
[Purchase is done! The Identity Switch Button will be activated in 3…2…1!]
The button worked like magic.
Without her knowing, her vision warped and her soul was soon pulled out to pass through both time and space.