SAHBQT 06

“These people are clearly the latter.”

The system tactfully answered You Mingming’s unspoken question—

Yes, it would happen.

That was exactly how the coworker’s host had met her end. Afterward, she couldn’t even bear to look at meat and spent three months in the hospital undergoing desensitization therapy.

You Mingming felt a wave of nausea. Just then, the general’s wife said to her, “This is Lady Pingyuan, the wife of the nation’s leader. She’s heard of you long ago and has been wanting to meet you.”

You Mingming looked up. A woman stood before her, concealing half her face with a folding fan, revealing only a pair of squinted eyes smiling at her. Almost the moment Lady Pingyuan appeared, all those ill-intentioned gazes that had been sizing her up from the shadows withdrew.

And at that same instant, You Mingming’s heart began to beat faster, like an old, dampened, worn-out bellows, and even her breathing grew labored.

Her intuition told her that this woman before her was a very dangerous figure.

More so than everyone else in the hall combined.

“Squinty-eyed people are all monsters,” You Mingming said to the system. “I’ll have to stay far away from this leader’s wife.”

After speaking to the system, she greeted Lady Pingyuan with a very shy and bashful demeanor.

“What an adorable child,” Lady Pingyuan chuckled lightly. “So, has the engagement schedule been decided?”

“It’s set,” the general’s wife replied with a smile. “The fifteenth of next month is a good date.”

“I see…” Lady Pingyuan’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and she seemed about to say more when she spotted Bai Qiyao approaching in formal attire. Bai Qiyao was a young major who had risen to fame in the Federation—sharp-browed, starry-eyed, and exuding an air of integrity. As he walked over, he had already attracted the attention of many women.

“Madam,” Bai Qiyao said, “if you don’t mind, I’d like to take my fiancée elsewhere.”

He took You Mingming’s hand. She glanced sideways at him and read in his eyes a wariness and vigilance toward Lady Pingyuan.

“You child,” the general’s wife immediately scolded, “how can you be so rude to Lady Pingyuan?”

“It’s quite all right,” Lady Pingyuan herself didn’t mind. She chuckled a few times, her eyes curving as she said, “It’s always good for a child to be protective of someone they care about. I heard you recently purchased some new perfumes? Why don’t we go take a look at those first?”

“…”

Only after watching Lady Pingyuan leave did Bai Qiyao release You Mingming’s hand and turn to walk away.

“Wait,” You Mingming took a few quick steps to catch up with Bai Qiyao and asked, “Why?”

“No reason,” Bai Qiyao curled the corners of his mouth. His thin glasses caught the light from the bright chandelier, casting a gleam that half-concealed the sardonic look in his eyes. His attitude was just as cold and distant as it had been when they first met at the Pei residence. “Stay away from that lady—it’s for your own good.”

You Mingming thought to herself that she certainly knew she needed to stay away from Lady Pingyuan; for all she knew, that woman was the so-called fatal danger.

That was what she thought, but she didn’t show it on her face. Instead, she said, “Lady Pingyuan seems like a very nice person.”

“In high society, amid all the glitz and glamour, there are no good people,” Bai Qiyao paused, not elaborating further, and changed the subject. “Did you come here risking danger because you heard Pei Jingzhi would be attending?”

You Mingming couldn’t gauge how much Bai Qiyao knew about the relationship between those step-siblings, so she didn’t deny it. Instead, she said hesitantly, “There’s something else too. I ran into a problem while compounding a fragrance, and no one at home could help…”

“So you came here to try your luck?”

Bai Qiyao gave a knowing, half-smile. “There are indeed plenty of senior perfumers here. But have you considered that you could simply have the butler hire a perfumer for you from outside?”

“The Pei family isn’t short of money, is it?”

You Mingming: So the Pei family isn’t short of money?

That old butler sure is scheming.

“We both know the truth,” You Mingming said. “I’m not really the Pei family’s young lady. I’m living under someone else’s roof, burdened with massive debt—I don’t have the luxury of being willful.”

Bai Qiyao paused, the sardonic curl at the corner of his mouth softening slightly, his attitude no longer as mocking as before. He said, “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” You Mingming could tell this young major had a good heart—otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken her away from Lady Pingyuan despite the pressure. At the same time, however, he didn’t seem to think much of her as his fiancée, always maintaining a distant demeanor.

But didn’t the system say he had severe war trauma, and that being close to her would benefit him?

“Major,” a young man in similarly formal attire—though with fewer medals on his shoulders than Bai Qiyao—approached, lightly clinking his glass against Bai Qiyao’s before turning to look at You Mingming with a smile. “So this is Jingzhi’s sister? No wonder he’s been keeping her hidden.”

“Oh, by the way, Jingzhi is over there. Do you want to go? He’s currently got a woman on each arm—having quite the good time, I’d say.”

Bai Qiyao frowned and glanced at You Mingming, pausing for a moment before replying, “No. Among the perfumers here today… do you know any?”

The young man looked around and replied, “I know almost all of them. The most notable one is Wen Suyue—I heard she recently developed a new green-note fragrance.”

“Is that so.” Bai Qiyao showed no particular interest in this. He simply looked at You Mingming. “Go see your brother, or come with me to find other perfumers to solve your perfumery questions—which do you choose?”

You Mingming: Oh ho.

It seemed Bai Qiyao wasn’t too keen on her going to see Pei Jingzhi, and he didn’t really believe her stated reason for coming was primarily to meet excellent perfumers.

At least he was considerate enough not to suggest taking her to see Wen Suyue.

“I…” You Mingming bit her lip. “I haven’t seen my brother in a long time.”

Bai Qiyao’s lips curved slightly. He wasn’t surprised by this answer, and the warmth in his eyes cooled a little. “Then when you see him later, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Regret? What would I have to regret?” You Mingming said to the system. “Twenty million—I’d be a fool not to go for it!”