Chapter 22
The team’s excitement over team building quickly turned to dread at the prospect of spending their evening at the library.
Pagoda: “I haven’t been to a library since graduation.”
Xie Buyu: “I’ve never been to one.”
Pagoda: “…”
Zhuo Jinglan: “I just remembered I have some work to do at the club. You guys go ahead. I’ll join you later.”
Xie Buyu: “Lan-jie, that’s so unprofessional. Abandoning your team for ‘work’? Have you no shame?”
Lou Mi, who had been silently observing, interrupted. “Didn’t you guys want team building? Get going. Meet me at the library entrance in an hour. After we enrich our minds, I’ll treat you to dinner. Your pick, anywhere in the city.”
Zhuo Jinglan: “I just remembered I finished my work. I’m free now.”
Lou Mi: “…”
The audacity of this woman. It was a miracle Nine Heavens had survived under her management.
Lou Mi didn’t want to go to the library either. Whether or not that little brat was dating was none of her business.
But the little brat had started calling her “Sister.”
And that came with responsibilities.
As long as Chi Lin called her “Sister,” she had a duty to care for her.
After the meeting, Lou Mi logged off. Xie Buyu, gathering the others, whispered, “Mi-jie is acting strange. I think it’s related to her sister.”
“I agree!” Pagoda exclaimed.
Zhuo Jinglan winced. “Keep your voice down…”
Xie Buyu: “She’s probably using team building as an excuse to spy on her sister. The library, such an innocent location for a secret rendezvous. Our Mi-jie is so pure when it comes to love.”
Zhuo Jinglan: “Well, she’s never dated before. It’s understandable.”
Hu Hu: “Wait, Mi-jie has never dated? Seriously? So many people are dying to go out with her.”
Xie Buyu: “Even at the club. But she’s HighTowerMiyuki, the highest-paid esports athlete for three years running, earning more than the rest of us combined. Beautiful, talented, rich… who thinks they’re good enough? Everyone admires her from afar.”
Pagoda: “Mi-jie has always been exceptional, even in school. She’s never been interested in dating, focused only on her career.”
Zhuo Jinglan sighed. “Maybe some people just don’t need romance.”
Xie Buyu: “So Mi-jie is finally in love! I’m dying to meet this sister of hers.”
Pagoda and Hu Hu echoed her sentiment, eager to meet the person who had captured Lou Mi’s heart.
Zhuo Jinglan, having met Chi Lin, warned them, “Don’t get your hopes up.”
Xie Buyu: “So what if she’s a walking rainbow? If Mi-jie isn’t scared, neither are we.”
Their initial disappointment over the library trip turned to excitement at the prospect of meeting the mysterious “sister.” They logged off and prepared to leave.
Lou Mi, initially planning to go in casual clothes, changed her mind, applying light makeup and choosing a more stylish outfit.
An hour later, they arrived at the National Library.
It was a massive building, over ten stories high, divided into two sections.
Lou Mi stared at the map, unsure where to start.
Had Chi Lin gone to the North or South Building? Both had reading rooms and borrowing sections.
Why was it even divided? Wasn’t a single, unified library more efficient?
As she hesitated, Xie Buyu asked, “Mi-jie, haven’t you decided which building to infiltrate yet?”
Lou Mi, sensing an underlying meaning, said, “Let’s check the South Building first.”
The South Building had fifteen floors, with a restaurant in the basement and a closed archive on the 15th floor. The other floors housed foreign language books and periodicals.
Lou Mi doubted Chi Lin would be here. She could barely read English, let alone other languages.
But… what if she was trying to improve her English after the Ms. Hu incident?
They searched from the 14th floor down, but there was no sign of Chi Lin.
Okay, North Building it is.
The North Building, also fifteen stories high, with a similar layout, housed Chinese books. Its floors were twice as large as the South Building’s.
They continued their search, Lou Mi leading the way, the others trailing behind.
They circled the floors repeatedly, attracting curious glances from other patrons.
Finally, Zhuo Jinglan, her legs aching, suggested taking a break.
“Go find some books,” Lou Mi said, gesturing towards the nearest table. “Read whatever you like, and we’ll discuss it later.”
Her gaze, however, was fixed on a table across the room.
Xie Buyu and the others followed her gaze. A group of high school students, one boy and three girls, sat together. No one had spiky, multicolored hair.
Zhuo Jinglan, parched, offered to get drinks.
Hu Hu went with her to carry the drinks.
Pagoda and Xie Buyu, hiding their phones under the table, exchanged messages.
“OMG! The sister is studying with other people! Mi-jie is jealous! She came all the way here to spy on them!”
“So it wasn’t a date! It was a stakeout!”
“But which one is the sister?”
“Lan-jie isn’t here. We can’t tell…”
“I think it’s the girl in the blue dress.”
Pagoda looked at the girl in the blue dress.
The real “sister,” Chi Lin, was sitting with her back to them, facing Teng Jiang, with Tan Luo on her left and Liu Huixin, uninvited but determined, on her right.
The girl in the blue dress was Tan Luo.
Pagoda observed her for a few seconds. “She’s pretty, but… there’s something shady about her. Am I imagining things?”
“Nope, I see it too. Experienced, manipulative… probably had a lot of girlfriends. Wow, Mi-jie has interesting taste. I’m worried our innocent Mi-jie is no match for this girl.”
Pagoda: “…You can tell all that from just looking at her?”
Lou Mi, noticing their hushed whispers and furtive glances under the table, said, “What are you two doing? Go get some books.”
Xie Buyu and Pagoda, convinced Lou Mi was about to be heartbroken, felt less resentful about the library trip.
Pagoda placed her phone on the table and looked at Lou Mi with sympathy.
“Mi-jie, if you need to talk, we’re here for you.”
Lou Mi: “What are you talking about?”
Xie Buyu, standing up, smacked Pagoda on the head. “Idiot. Let’s go find some books.”
They walked off, whispering to each other.
Lou Mi, watching them, suddenly realized: Are they dating?
It made sense. Teammates turning into couples was a common occurrence.
When everyone returned, Lou Mi walked to the bookshelf opposite Chi Lin’s table, pretending to browse, while discreetly observing the group.
She was right. At least two of them, the boy and one of the girls, seemed very interested in Chi Lin.
And they were both quite attractive…
She returned to her table, suddenly feeling foolish.
Why had she come all the way here? Who went on group dates? It was probably a study group.
She tried to convince herself the library trip wasn’t a complete waste of time. They had explored the library, gotten some exercise, and now they could expand their minds with some light reading.
She looked down at the book she had randomly chosen: A Report on Ancient Chinese Sexology. The title, in large, bold letters, stood out against the plain yellow cover.
Lou Mi: “…”
What the…
She had assumed the thick, hardcover book was some serious academic work.
And it was, but…
Xie Buyu, Pagoda, Hu Hu, and Zhuo Jinglan all stared at the book.
Their expressions, initially shocked, turned to knowing amusement.
“Wrong book,” Lou Mi muttered, her face burning, wanting to disappear.
“It’s okay, we understand,” Xie Buyu said.
Lou Mi: “?”
“Really, it’s natural at your age,” Pagoda added. “We get it.”
What do you get? I don’t get it.
Unlike the bewildered Lou Mi, Chi Lin knew exactly what she was doing.
She had come to assess whether Tan Luo or Teng Jiang might be the Empress’s reincarnation.
She had prepared special tea blends, using herbs and tea leaves purchased online, incorporating the Empress’s favorite ingredient, Fu Xuan Zi, a herb most people disliked, but the Empress had loved.
The Empress had once said she had been drawn to its unique scent since childhood.
Chi Lin believed this was an innate preference, something that might carry over to her next life.
She planned to observe their reactions to the tea.
Liu Huixin’s presence was irrelevant. She couldn’t possibly be the Empress.
Throughout the study session, Liu Huixin had monopolized Teng Jiang’s attention, chattering incessantly and giggling loudly, oblivious to the annoyed glances from other patrons.
After an hour, Chi Lin said, “I’m thirsty. Does anyone want something to drink?”
Teng Jiang offered to get hot water. Chi Lin produced her tea bags.
“This is my favorite blend. Try it,” she said.
“I never drink plain water,” Tan Luo said, taking a tea bag. “Our Xiao Chi Lin is so thoughtful…” Her gaze lingered on Chi Lin’s neckline.
Chi Lin instinctively hunched over, trying to hide her chest.
Liu Huixin also took a tea bag and went with Teng Jiang to get hot water.
As the hot water steeped the tea, Teng Jiang grimaced.
“This is… interesting.”
Liu Huixin coughed, clutching her chest. “It’s so strong! I can’t handle strong smells. This is awful.”
She dumped out her tea and urged Teng Jiang to do the same.
“Don’t drink it. You’ll get sick. And it doesn’t even have proper packaging.”
“That’s rude,” Teng Jiang said.
“How is it rude? She gave us this weird stuff without even asking.”
Teng Jiang ignored her and filled their cups, carrying them back to the table.
Liu Huixin trailed behind him, complaining. He distributed the cups, and Chi Lin observed their reactions.
Teng Jiang took a sip, his brow furrowing, but he quickly forced a smile.
“Did you make this yourself, Chi Lin? It’s… good.”
Tan Luo also took a sip, her expression unchanged. She savored the taste, then looked at Chi Lin.
“Unique, just like you.”
Chi Lin shuddered at her cheesy remark.
She couldn’t die yet… she had to find the Empress.
Tan Luo seemed to genuinely enjoy the tea, unlike Teng Jiang, who was clearly forcing himself to tolerate the taste of Fu Xuan Zi.
Tan Luo finished her tea and went to get another cup, praising the blend and asking for the recipe.
“I’ve never tasted anything like this. I want to make it myself.”
Make it herself? Teng Jiang stared at her as if she were a martyr.
Did she really like it? Even Teng Jiang, with his smooth-talking ways, hadn’t dared to take another sip.
This tea blend had once incapacitated most of Dayuan’s high-ranking officials. Only the Empress had enjoyed it.
Even Chi Lin herself could only handle a small amount…
She observed Tan Luo, admiring her beauty. She was indeed striking, her features perfectly balanced.
There was a hint of regality in her demeanor, reminiscent of the Empress, who could switch effortlessly between playful charm and commanding authority.
Of course, Tan Luo couldn’t compare to the Empress, but the resemblance was undeniable.
Could the Empress have been reborn as this… cheesy senior?
The thought was unsettling.
Despite Tan Luo’s enthusiasm for the tea, Chi Lin couldn’t conclude she was the Empress’s reincarnation based on this alone.
The study session continued, Chi Lin subtly steering the conversation towards Tan Luo, observing her reactions.
She gradually realized Tan Luo’s initial enthusiasm for the tea had been mere flattery.
Neither Tan Luo nor Teng Jiang was the Empress.
Leave a Reply