The Young Miss Refuse To Love
Chapter 37: Grey horse

Chapter 37: Grey horse

Almost a week has passed since Qi Jianyi read the diary written by the original Qi Jianyi.

Since then, her relationship with her parents had taken a drastic turn. The already distant daughter suddenly became much colder, leaving both Mr.Qi and Mrs.Qi confused.

At first, Qi Jianyi tried to rationalise her feelings. She told herself that her parents weren’t at fault, that they, too, were victims in this cruel twist of fate—they had lost their daughter.

But as much as she tried, a part of her couldn’t let go of the resentment bubbling up inside her. It felt as though their neglect and coldness towards the original Qi Jianyi had somehow led to her life being stolen.

If they had been kinder, if they had shown more love, maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe she could have lived a normal life instead of being thrust into the role of the young miss of a wealthy family.

Thus, no matter how she tried, she couldn’t stop the hatred in her heart. She hated them for what they did to their daughter. As time passed, she began to loathe the idea of living as Qi Jianyi, the girl who had taken her place.

The nonstop calls from her parents went unanswered and Qi Jianyi no longer returned home, choosing instead to stay in her dormitory, isolating herself from everyone in the family.

Her sudden attitude left the family speechless. They had sent people to ask Qi Jianyi to return home, but nothing worked. Qi Jianyi was raised with absolute pampering before, thus it was not weird that she had a stubborn temper.

Now, standing in front of a horse stable, Qi Jianyi contemplated her next move. If she was to live as this wealthy young lady, she might as well take advantage of the situation until she could find a way to reclaim her own life. Horse riding seemed like a fitting choice.

It was something she had always wanted to try, and it would give her new experiences to draw from if she ever decided to continue her writing career.

She might not want to write now, but the thought of broadening her horizons was still appealing.

"Miss Qi, do you want to buy a horse?" Manager Li, the manager of the horse club, approached her with a businesslike smile.

The arrival of Qi Jianyi, such a wealthy customer was a stroke of luck, and he was eager to make the sale.

Qi Jianyi glanced at him, considering the offer. A horse of her own—why not? If she was going to play the part, she might as well do it in style.

"Show me all the horses you have on sale," Qi Jianyi responded, her voice firm as she waited for Manager Li to lead the way.

With a bright smile, Manager Li nodded eagerly and quickly gestured for her to follow, fearful that any hesitation might make her change her mind.

"This way, Miss," he said, leading her toward the back of the stable.

They walked in silence until they reached a shaded area at the rear of the property. Manager Li asked Qi Jianyi to wait as he hurried to bring out the available horses.

His hasty steps brought a small smile to Qi Jianyi’s lips. She shook her head in mild amusement and leaned against a tall tree, letting herself rest for a moment.

After a few minutes, a line of horses emerged from the stable, each one more stunning than the last. Qi Jianyi found herself captivated by the variety and beauty of the animals before her. This was her first time seeing such magnificent horses up close.

"Miss Qi, do you have any particular breed in mind? We have Thoroughbreds, Arabians, American Quarter Horses, and many more. Just let us know what you’re looking for, and we surely have it!" Manager Li asked enthusiastically, his smile wide and gleaming.

The sheer number of breed names left Qi Jianyi momentarily overwhelmed. She knew that animals had different breeds, but the distinctions between horse breeds were lost on her. Especially in this case.

Forcing a polite smile, she shook her head slightly. "I’m not looking for any particular breed. I’ll buy whichever horse catches my eye," she replied succinctly.

Manager Li wasn’t surprised by her answer. After years of dealing with wealthy customers, he knew that many second-generation rich kids bought horses purely for entertainment, with little concern for the specific breed or the responsibilities that came with ownership. Only a few ever showed genuine interest in the sport and cared for their horses themselves.

Without waiting for his response, Qi Jianyi began to walk toward the row of horses. She had already decided to choose the horse that appealed most to her, trusting in the club’s reputation not to sell poor-quality animals.

After all, a club of this caliber wouldn’t risk its name by offering anything less than the best. Her decision was made the moment she laid eyes on the horses.

Without hesitation, she moved toward a grey horse that stood quietly at the far end of the row. Qi Jianyi extended her hand, gently stroking the grey horse’s head. From the moment she saw it, she felt an undeniable attraction. It wasn’t as white and gleaming as some of the others, nor was it a striking, luminous black.

It was just grey—the only grey among the shining horses. And Qi Jianyi fell in love with it at first sight.

"I want this one," Qi Jianyi said with quiet determination, her decision firm.

Manager Li was taken aback. Although he knew Qi Jianyi would choose based on what pleased her, he hadn’t expected her to decide so quickly.

It had taken him twenty minutes to select the best and most dazzling horses, hoping to catch her eye with their golden and white coats.

But instead of choosing one of those, she was drawn to the simple grey horse.

"Manager Li?" Qi Jianyi called out, turning back when she didn’t receive a response.

Quickly regaining his composure, Manager Li nodded and stepped forward, ready to finalise the payment.

"I didn’t expect Miss Qi to be interested in this Arabian grey. It’s a fine horse, excellent for riding. Miss, would you like to take it home, or shall we continue caring for it here?" he asked as he led her to the lounge to complete the purchase.

"I’ll leave it here for now. I trust you’ll take good care of my horse," Qi Jianyi replied. She couldn’t bring the horse home, not when she herself was refusing to return.

Manager Li nodded in understanding. "Certainly. Would you like to ride it today?" he inquired, ready to arrange the best coach available.

"Sure. Do you have a coach available?" Qi Jianyi asked.

"We do. I’ll have him come over right away. Miss, please wait here for a moment." Manager Li bowed slightly before quickly heading to his office to make the call.

While waiting, Qi Jianyi leaned back on the couch, her eyes staring vacantly at the blue wall, her mind drifting.

"Qi Jianyi?"

A sudden voice broke through Qi Jianyi’s thoughts. She glanced over and saw two men standing at the door, looking at her.

"Cousin, Young Master Song, you’re here too?" Qi Jianyi greeted them politely, though inwardly she sighed.

Why did she always have to run into these two?

Meanwhile, Song Chengfeng beside He Zeqing observed her closely. He had heard from He Zeqing about her recent refusal to go home. And seeing her now, he felt that something about her seemed different, almost as if something had changed in Qi Jianyi.

Her eyes, once filled with a subtle liveliness, were now cold and distant. She had always been reserved, but now there was a hint of alienation, and even annoyance, in the way she looked at them.

"I didn’t expect to see you here. Are you interested in horse riding?" He Zeqing asked as he approached her.

"Just trying a new hobby," Qi Jianyi replied with a nod, straightening her posture from her earlier lazy slouch.