Chapter 126 - Exploring District 7 (1)

"S-stroll within our the district?!" Claire asked raising her eyebrow in disbelief. She stood near Sofia and placed the back of her hand on Sofia's forehead, checking her temperature.

"What are you doing?" Sofia frowned and pushed her hand. After she finally finished checking her face, Sofia looked Claire in the eye. "What are you touching my forehead. Those pimples will be provoked and maybe scatter!"

"I'm just checking if you have a fever! You do not sound like you are your own self. Hmmph!" Claire exclaimed. She just could not believe that Sofia would take a stroll in their district. This was something that was not part of their vocabulary unless there were events and special occasions.

"I'm not sick, Claire. I don't have a fever," Sofia calmly said.

"Yeah... you are perfectly healthy. But, this is the first time for me to hear you stroll in the district. You've never wake up early to stroll in our place! No, you have never gone down to the shopping places of the district!" Claire reasoned. In her mind, it was one of the many new behaviors that Sofia had exhibited from the past days.

She already suspected that this Sofia in front of her was totally a different person. One that was very sophisticated, well-organized, and knows what she wants.

The questions that runs into her mind were: Where is her friend go? Who is this person?

She wanted to interrogate Sofia badly. But, she was not confident of doing it.

Just by looking at the way Sofia's posture when sitting was enough to convict her as an impostor. The real Sofia would sit like a lotus in her chair. But this new Sofia was sitting sophisticatedly with her legs crossed.

"Ohh," Sofia also paused and was caught off guard by Claire's words.

Then, she remembered how the original owner of her body would stay up late or sometimes from dusk to dawn in her room to play the online game. No wonder, her memories of some places in their district were very bleak. It was indeed her first time today that she would explore district 7.

'This original Sofia is really an advance and ultra hardcore gamer! How could this lady stay on her room just playing the game!' She could not help but wonder. 

Surely, the original owner of her body was addicted to the online game. But she could not blame the young lady too. The game was indeed extremely entertaining. The only thing that she was sad about was that the young lady did not make a proper balance between the online world and the real world causing her soul to dissipate.

"Actually Claire, it gave me a realization that I don't know much about our district after we went to the Rrad Hotel last night. So, I figure, I'll see the shopping center and other places," Sofia reasoned.

"Oh, you won't bring me along? How about I'll be absent in my earlier subjects?" Claire giggled.

"Clark will be waiting for you at school for sure. Do you really wanna tag along with me!?" Sofia quickly made an effective diversion. 

"Ohh, we did agree to see each other early. Thanks for the reminder, you are the best!" Claire jumped and went her way back to her own unit.

"Ahh love is a great motivation for sure," Sofia smiled as she looked at her friend's figure dashing out of her place.

She could bring her teammates later, but for now, she wanted to make this trip as peaceful as possible. For her to concentrate on her goal, she needed to see the situation of the district with someone who is older. And there was one name that only came to her mind - Jing Jing.

She instantly told Jing Jing about her plan and the two quickly agreed to meet at one of the well-known 24-hour coffee shops in the district.

Sofia contacted Jing Jing about her errands when she was already in the cab. So, Jing Jing was not yet in the coffee shop when she arrived.

Inside the BEAN coffee shop, there were few office workers having their coffee as well. Three female staff were also standing behind the counter for the cashier. 

The BEAN Coffee shop was a well-established business with so many branches all over the globe. When she was still living the CEO life in her last life, she sometimes took coffee in this establishment. The design of their shop was perfect and the place was quiet.

After knowing that it existed in her new life and also had a branch in district 7, she was more than happy to choose the venue of her meeting place with Jing Jing.

"Good morning!" the cashier greeted her with a face full of smile.

Sofia nodded in acknowledgment. She then sat at the left side table near the cashier area and waited for someone to get her order.

However, minutes passed and no one had approached her table. Sofia looked around to scan the place. Then it dawned upon her, the service of the coffee shop was not what she had grown upon!

In the past, someone would quickly approach her table the minute she took her seat. But that kind of service was only because she was raised in district 2! The region was home to the elites. Thus, their service to them was also top-notch.

The cashier threw a weird glance at her, perhaps contemplating if she should call security on Sofia. The establishment does not cater to bystanders.

This rule was clear in the sign placed on the entrance door of the shop. And since Sofia did not make any order, instead, she directly occupied a table, the cashier was assuming that perhaps the young girl was making trouble in her work.

Just as she finally made up her decision to call their security guard, Sofia stood from her seat and walked towards the counter. The cashier breathed a sigh of relief.

"May I have a regular espresso and a pack of cookies?" Sofia politely spoke her order.

"Do you need a creamer and extra sugar?" the cashier politely offered. This lady was too young to get an espresso. Most of her age would order choco or vanilla and other sweets.

"It's fine," Sofia replied.

The cashier nodded before she proceeded to prepare her order.

Outside the BEAN Coffee shop, Jing Jing hastily parked her car and entered the place. She easily recognized the back of Sofia talking with the cashier.

"Sofia!" she called and waved at her.

"Sister Jing, sorry to bother you," Sofia responded. She was aware the Jing Jing would be working in the press company, but there was no other available person that she had for her to accompany.

"Ohh, Boss Wang agrees of me to join with you for the rest of the day... Hehe, I was just monitoring the social media anyway," Jing Jing stated.

Then, the cashier greeted Jing Jing and asked for her order.

"I'll have matcha please," Jing Jing quickly answered.

After they got their drinks, Jing Jing also frowned on the coffee choice that Sofia had ordered. But she did not say anything to it.

"You know, the online topic of you and that Krista19 had surpassed half a million votes. The netizens were voting to the pool and want to see you fight against her in one on one," Jing Jing reported.

"The girl really got what she wanted. The views... Well, the higher she climbed, the more harsher the winds would be. Her technique will maybe bring her to the top but it won't help her stay in the position," Sofia mumbled.

Jing Jing's draw dropped on the floor and her eyes widened. "You sounded like an ancient ruler!"

"No, haha. I just read it from some books," Sofia shrugged and drank her espresso.

"Oh... it's good that you already knew about her schemes! I meant to warn you today that this streamer is very sly," Jing Jing stated.

"Claire also told me about this illegal use of tools like map hacks and gaming cheats," Sofia stated. "When I have a time on her, I'll let her know that she picked the wrong person to offend."

"Okay. But what do you need? Do you want to go shopping dressed?" Jing Jing inquired.

"I'm trying to see the market of our place," Sofia admitted.

"Market and product? What do you mean?" Claire scratched the back of her head, unable to process what she just heard.

"Sister Jing, it's like this... I am exploring our district, trying to understand the situation of the market and the behavior of the consumer first, Then, my team will engage in the business. For me to decide which product or business we will open, we had to know first the right marketable product," Sofia explained.

"I... I'm still confused. Are you conducting a feasibility study by observing... while exploring the district?" Jing Jing clarified.

"Feasibility study is really the professional term. But, I'll just call it exploring the district," Sofia finished her coffee and felt like her body was fully energized. Her soul was excited to see and discover the potential of their district.