“Who?”
Bai Xia asked instinctively.
“A guy or a girl?”
But the next second, she immediately said, “Never mind…”
Mainly because she suddenly remembered—it didn’t matter if it was a guy or a girl. It was even hard to say which was worse.
So basically, no one was acceptable.
“Emmmmm, anyway, it’s just a classmate,” Bai Xiaoya said casually to brush it off.
“She looks very fragile on the surface, a little white flower that everyone loves, but in reality… in reality, she has a hidden true identity!”
Bai Xia raised an eyebrow.
Okay, now she knew—it was probably a girl.
A little white flower might be fine, but since she said everyone loves her, it had to be a girl.
For a moment, Bai Xia felt strangely conflicted.
Bai Xiaoya suddenly paying attention to an unfamiliar girl wasn’t a good sign, but on the other hand, at least it proved her taste was not off.
Wait, was it really not off?
Bai Xia stopped her wandering thoughts and said calmly, “It’s simple. It depends on what your purpose is.”
Bai Xiaoya blinked.
“Purpose?”
“If you want to expose her public image or complain to someone, you need to catch her in the act or have evidence…”
“That’s not necessary. I just need to know it myself.”
The task required exposing her face-to-face, meaning it was between Bai Xiaoya and Su Qingyu only—you know, me know, heaven and earth know.
Bai Xia slowly sipped her tea.
“In that case, it’s simple. You only need to know a little about her, plus some guesswork.”
Bai Xiaoya was slightly stunned.
“Guesswork? No evidence?”
The girl with long black hair chuckled lightly, “To truly understand someone, you don’t need to be comprehensive, which is why the word ‘impression’ exists.”
“…Emmmm.”
Though she didn’t fully understand why, it oddly sounded philosophical, leaving Bai Xiaoya dumbfounded.
Wait, it actually made sense because the task didn’t say you couldn’t be wrong—as long as you hit the mark, it counted.
Meaning, she could run up to Su Qingyu and say, “You’re this, that, and the other,” and as long as a few were correct, it would suffice.
“I get it now, thank you, Bai Xia,” Bai Xiaoya said sincerely.
“I didn’t expect you to be this capable.”
Hmph, of course…
Wait, why are you packing up?
Bai Xia watched as the big-chested white-haired girl put the books away, packed them back into her bag, and even handed it over herself.
“Tutoring…”
“It’s over. If you don’t understand something, just read the book,” Bai Xiaoya blinked.
“Sorry, sister, I have something urgent.”
“…”
Bai Xia kept a serious face and expressionlessly hugged her bag as she left.
This Saturday ended without any trouble, no picking fights, no bullying, and no task.
Nothing at all!
But Bai Xiaoya was happy. Closing the door, she lay on the bed staring at the ceiling.
The sunlight outside filtered in—it was Victory’s Dawn.
“Thanks, Bai Xia,” she said again, unable to help herself.
“You really helped a lot.”
After lying there for a while, Bai Xiaoya suddenly flipped over like a carp… no, like a white rabbit, jumped up, walked to the desk, picked up a pen, and wrote a few words on a blank sheet—
Trading Zone.
The first time she saw Su Qingyu was at the entrance of the Trading Zone.
Su Qingyu had just come out, followed by several adults who respectfully said goodbye to her.
This scene felt very familiar to Bai Xiaoya.
“Oh right, Zhang Butler!”
Now she knew why—it was because Zhang Butler always treated her like this: nodding and bowing, showing utmost respect, like a subordinate to their master.
So she wrote two more lines behind the Trading Zone words—has power, has background.
If she’s not the Lady of a Hidden Noble Family, then she must be the Heir of a Dark Power.
Such a complex character could never be a soft, fragile girl.
No doubt about it.
Bai Xiaoya tapped the paper and then wrote a concluding sentence: a lady from a mysterious force, pretending to be a delicate soft girl outside, hiding her true face.
Okay, now only one question remained—what exactly was her true face?
No need for details, just noticing anything unusual would do.
The big-chested girl pondered hard, then—
“Ha~~choo.”
Having worked so hard, better rest a while.
Zzzz.
Bai Xia originally planned to do something on Sunday, like find an excuse to tutor again and then casually show Bai Xiaoya her newly practiced pen spinning skills.
But then she thought, what if it scared Bai Xiaoya off?
Before she could decide, a message popped up on her phone from the Trading Zone.
The girl stared at the new message, her gaze darkening slightly.
“Dad, Mom, I’m going out today.”
After the dinner topic last time, Mr. Bai was a little overly alert.
“Are you going alone or with…”
“Dad, I’m not going to find a boyfriend either.”
Bai Xia was clever and immediately understood her father’s worries, tossed out this reassuring line, and walked out.
Madam Bai, who was watching TV in the living room, reacted belatedly, “Also?”
Wait, something was off about the two daughters.
***
Bai Xia had more than one business partner in the Trading Zone, and it wasn’t just one small shop.
Anyone who could pay the price could do business there.
This time, her business partner was Skinny Monkey, who sold liangfen at a stall at the crossroads.
Usually, people who came to gather information would casually ask him a few questions.
“Miss Bai Xia, a few people have come asking about the Pocket Watch recently. You know, Erdwins’s Pocket Watch, from a few years ago,” Skinny Monkey lowered his voice.
“I thought you might need to know.”
Those asking about it had also become his business source.
But this matter was quite conspicuous.
Erdwins’s Pocket Watch was from years ago, and its whereabouts were unknown.
Most people had given up on it; only Bai Xia was still inquiring.
Her inquiries made sense since the family company had invested back then, and her parents had been involved. But now, random strangers asking was suspicious.
People become wary for reasons they can’t explain.
“I do need it,” Bai Xia said.
She’d just found out the people in the Trading Zone had returned a few days ago, and now someone suddenly asked about an old matter.
It was probably connected.
She took out a stack of cash and placed it on the liangfen stall.
Skinny Monkey grinned and pulled out his phone.
“I sneaked some photos. Take a good look.”
After sending the photos, he noticed another stack of money on the stall.
Bai Xia pressed one hand on the money, lightly tapping with her index finger.
“‘I’m asking you about them’ has to stay confidential for at least a week, got it?”
With these photos in hand, a week was enough time for her to find the person.
Skinny Monkey pocketed the money and smiled even brighter.
“No problem, no cheating anyone, Miss Bai!”