In the end, the group still managed to enter the venue. They arrived neither too early nor too late, by the time they got there, the place was already bustling with people. The System had notified Jiu Yi in advance not to take Entrance 1, as Si Yining was currently waiting there.
Naturally, he was looking for Leng Xuelang to coax her into going back with him.
After all, Leng Xuelang was the female lead of the book. Even though she would be treated as a body double and tortured within an inch of her life by the male lead in the early stages, the two of them would still melodramatically end up together in a happy marriage. This just proved that neither of these two characters was quite sane.
Since Jiu Yi had taken on this mission, she naturally didn’t want to stand by and watch Leng Xuelang fall into a bottomless pit. She still wanted her to unleash her proper potential and realize her own self-worth.
She ultimately entered the venue through Entrance 5. Before doing so, she had leaked false information to the male lead’s side, claiming they were coming in through Entrance 9.
The distance between Entrance 9 and Entrance 5 was practically the equivalent of traveling from one residential neighborhood to another, it wasn’t close at all. It would probably take him an hour just to rush over, and by then, the auction would have started long ago. Even if the male lead wanted to come and find Leng Xuelang, he would be too late.
【Host, Leng Xuelang has been staring at your back from behind with a dark, resentful look. You need to be careful tonight.】 The System gave her a reminder, sounding genuinely a bit worried.
“What is the disgust value at right now?”
【88!】
“Oh? It dropped?”
【Yup~ I think the female lead has fallen deeply in love with you! The next step is wanting to have kids with you!】
“Do you artificial intelligences like eating ‘Pinduoduo budget meals’ too?”
“【…What do you mean?】”
“Your sudden delusion makes it look like you’ve eaten a cheap, sketchy meal. I suggest you go in for a maintenance check. I really don’t want to replace my system.”
However, before Jiu Yi could even reach their designated seats, she suddenly sensed an unfamiliar presence behind her. Immediately after, someone placed a hand on her shoulder. Jiu Yi almost reflexively threw the person over her shoulder!
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, it’s me! You don’t even remember me anymore?”
Jiu Yi’s hands had already clamped onto the other person’s arm, but when the voice spoke up, she stopped and looked back. She saw an Omega whose age was similar to the original body’s owner.
The System chimed in just in time to introduce her: 【Host, this female Omega is a good person. She’s also one of the few close friends the original owner had. She runs a winery and owns her own plantation. The original owner’s favorite wine was produced by her.】
“What’s her name?”
【Nie Yu.】
Jiu Yi didn’t ask further. She let go of Nie Yu’s arm and reached out to smooth the creases on her clothes. “Look at you, scaring me like that.”
“I was trying to give you a surprise.” Nie Yu was clearly very close with Jiu Yi and didn’t mind at all. On the contrary, she felt that Jiu Yi seemed even more attentive than before, and the smile in her eyes deepened.
“So where’s the ‘pleasure’ in the surprise?”
“Here, blue lilies, flown in just now. See if you like them~”
As she spoke, she actually took a large bouquet, a mix of blue lilies and other complementary flowers that had been prepared beforehand from her accompanying assistant and placed it into Jiu Yi’s arms, making the scene look even more pleasing to the eye.
“How come I feel like you’ve… become a bit prettier since the last time we met?”
“Is that not normal?” Jiu Yi lifted her gaze from the bouquet to look at her, an inadvertent hint of captivating charm and wildness slipping through her eyes.
“Tsk, your skin has gotten a lot thicker too.” Nie Yu knew her heart had skipped a beat, but she said nothing of it, choosing to tease her instead.
“Achoo!!!”
“Achoo!!!”
Just as the two were about to continue their conversation, Leng Xuelang, who was standing not far behind them, suddenly covered her mouth and sneezed twice. The sound wasn’t actually loud, but it was more than enough to catch the attention of the two people chatting ahead as if no one else was around.
“What’s wrong?” Jiu Yi looked toward her with concern and asked.
“It’s nothing. Maybe I’m just allergic to pollen. You two carry on… Achoo!!”
Though she said she was fine, she sneezed yet again, her eyes turning entirely red. She looked truly pitiful.
“System, is the female lead allergic to pollen?” Jiu Yi glanced at Leng Xuelang but didn’t act immediately, choosing to ask the System first.
【It didn’t seem to be mentioned in the book.】
“Alright, I get it.”
【But just because it wasn’t mentioned doesn’t mean she isn’t allergic! Host, watch your step! Our disgust value is still riding high!】
“I know what I’m doing.”
No… The System felt that its host had absolutely no idea what she was doing! Even if she did, it was a plan calculated for world destruction!
But before the System could advise her further, Jiu Yi had already handed the bouquet over to another assistant to take away, making sure to keep it as far from Leng Xuelang as possible. She didn’t approach her either.
Instead, standing at neither a close nor a far distance, she said to her, “Since you’re allergic, take some allergy medicine first. Once the allergy subsides, you’ll become energetic, or perhaps even hyperactive, and then you can start working on the task I left for you.”
Leng Xuelang: Are you a demon?
“Pfft, is this Omega lady your new secretary?” Nie Yu watched from the side and found it highly amusing, barely holding back her laughter as she asked.
“A prospective planner. Her name is Leng Xuelang.” Jiu Yi briefly introduced them to each other and handed the allergy medicine to Leng Xuelang. “Take it.”
“I’m fine now.”
By now, they had taken their seats. Originally, Jiu Yi wanted to go to a private booth on the second floor, but to liven up the atmosphere and enhance networking within the high-society circles, the organizers had canceled the private booths for this auction, seating everyone together downstairs.
Jiu Yi had brought many people with her this time, so she requested four tables. She and Nie Yu shared one table, while Leng Xuelang and Xin Tang sat at another, with no shortage of good food and drinks.
Yet, for some reason, as Leng Xuelang watched Jiu Yi and Nie Yu chatting and laughing merrily together, a profound sense of displeasure surged in her heart.
【Leng Xuelang’s disgust value +1】
Jiu Yi: ?