โHello, Iโm the team leader, Swina.โ
The man with a monocle gave a slight bow. โPardon me, but if I recall correctly, the Ling Awakening Academyโs Shen Ning has white hair.โ
So why is there a big-chested girl with long, straight black hair and neat bangs showing up like some goody-two-shoes?
โYou remembered correctly, and Shen Ning didnโt dye her hair,โ Xu Chuyao replied with a perfectly serious face. โBecause Iโm not Shen Ning.โ
Laughter broke out among the foreign trade group. They didnโt know the context, but they thought this pretty girl had a great sense of humor.
Swina chuckled as well. โIโd heard about Shen Ningโs fame. I thought, after her impressive display during the previous attacks, she would be the leader of this student team.โ
Xu Chuyao laughed along, her smile especially sweet. โThen youโve underestimated us. Shen Ning may be the fierce tiger of our team, but the leading sheep needs more than just courageโit takes the wisdom to sniff out conspiracies.โ
Not only humorous but blunt too. The surrounding entourage was baffled, wondering if their trade group had somehow offended Ling Awakening Academy in the past. After racking their brains, they still couldnโt recall any grudge.
โIt seems this young lady is also a rare talent,โ Swina said smoothly.
He hadnโt found the person he wanted to see, and was ready to gloss things over, even pretending not to catch her veiled jabs.
But Xu Chuyao didnโt let him off the hook. โLetโs be honestโcoming here for a product launch at a time like this feels poorly timed. I donโt know whose decision it was, but it deserves a second look.โ
The product manager nearby turned green. He didnโt know what had happened exactly, but it was obvious this wasnโt just playful banter. She wasnโt the type to turn the other cheekโsheโd step on your face while smiling.
โThatโs enough, student,โ the product manager finally couldnโt help but speak up. โI donโt think weโve offended you. Why be so confrontational at every turn?โ
โIโm just stating facts. Recently thereโve been multiple attacks in the central cityโitโs hardly the time for a public event. Besidesโโ
Xu Chuyao glanced at him. He looked like he was in the dark about what his team leader had been up to. So what excuse should she come up with… hmmm… Got it!
โYour new product has something to do with spirit ore, right?โ
Spirit ore was the material mined in the excavation zones. Since the spiritual energy eruption, it had popped up like mushrooms after rain.
There were many kinds, with various usesโsome flashy but mostly useless, like the gravity rooms used in the academyโs training grounds, and others more practical, like spirit-energy batteries, which were safer and longer-lasting than conventional ones.
โYes, our latest product improves on capacitor technology. Compact and easy to carry,โ the product manager Xiao Wu said proudly.
Perfect! That gave Yaoyao the excuse she needed. She stood with her hands on her hips and snorted coldly:
โThen youโve got some nerve asking Shen Ning for help. Donโt you know she used to work in the mines? There was a mining disaster, and many of her friends and family died in it.โ
Xiao Wu froze. His pride from just moments ago evaporated instantly.
โNo way… thatโs true…?โ
โEver since the spiritual energy burst, tragedies like that have become common. No one wants them, but they keep happening,โ Swina said with a wistful sigh. โThankfully, Shen Ning survived the accident and has since walked a new, brighter path. A silver lining in a tragedy.โ
Tsk. What a clean way to wash his hands of it.
Just then, a white-haired girl came running up from the distance. She gave Xu Chuyao a once-over, only relaxing when she confirmed she was unharmed.
โShen Ning, what are you doing here?โ
โThey said you were here, so I came looking.โ
Perfect timing. Swinaโs target had arrived. He extended his hand politely. โHello, Shen Ning. Itโs an honor. Weโve all heard of your heroic deeds. One of our goals in coming to the main central city for the launch was to meet you.โ
Handshake?
Shen Ning looked at his outstretched hand, then at Xu Chuyao. Her girlfriend shook her head subtly, so she didnโt take it.
โI donโt understand. Why would you want to meet me?โ
Swina wasnโt offended by the rejection. He simply smiled. โThose terrorists who attacked students in the city have struck multiple major cities. Yet only you were able to drive them off single-handedly.โ
The group continued toward the exhibition booth as they talked. Seeing their leader engaged in conversation, the rest of the team deliberately slowed their pace.
Shen Ning didnโt want to discuss this topicโsheโd already had to explain it too many times. So she simply replied, โThey werenโt that strong.โ
โTrue,โ Swina said, then abruptly shifted his tone. โShen Ning, I heard the attackers wore clown masks and seemed to be organized with some kind of ideology. What do you think their purpose was?โ
Shen Ning frowned slightly. โHow would I know?โ
She wasnโt part of the Clown Gang.
โHave you ever speculatedโabout whether theyโre reacting to oppression, or if they have demands they want to express?โ
โI donโt know, and I donโt care to think about it.โ
Swina hit a wall. The girl clearly had no interest in the topic, and on top of that, she was getting silent cues from her girlfriend: Donโt entertain them too much.
So she complied.
As they neared the booth, Xu Chuyao tugged on Shen Ningโs hand, pulling her aside.
โThatโs enough. You guys go prepare your launchโweโve got our own jobs.โ
Swina looked surprised for the first time. โYouโre not coming to the booth?โ
Xu Chuyao gave him a sweet smile. โOur job is to maintain order in the plaza, not to guard your booth. We can go wherever we like.โ
With that, she took Shen Ningโs hand and walked off.
Swinaโs smile slowly faded as he watched their backs disappear.
โYou go ahead and prep the launch,โ he told the others.
He dismissed the product manager and team, leaving only one trusted guard behind. Once they were alone, he ordered, โFollow those girls. Donโt let them see you.โ
Meanwhile, the two girls walked toward the parking area. More people were arrivingโthe business plaza was a commercial hub, and nine in the morning was prime foot traffic. With the launch happening today, plenty of cameramen had arrived early to set up.
โWhy was he asking me all those weird questions?โ Shen Ning asked.
These people were strange. One kept pressing her for answers. Another seemed unable to look at her directly, stealing glances now and then, eyes filled with guilt. It was confusing.
โBecause he knows your background. He thinks you might sympathize with those attackers or have thoughts about the world,โ Xu Chuyao explained.
And because youโre the chosen oneโthe only person to awaken during the X Crystal outbreak.
Shen Ning was about to reply when suddenly, a sorrowful voice rang out beside her:
โSheโs still so smart. How nice.โ
The Broken Reflection? When did she get here?
They happened to pass a storefront, and the glass door reflected a sorrowful figureโher eyes, shaded by broken bangs, fixed on the two girlsโ joined hands.
โHer hand must be so warm. How niceโฆ how very niceโฆ I wish I could feel that again.โ
โโฆโฆโ
Shen Ningโs mouth twitched a few times before she managed to suppress her expression.
I lowkey kinda feel bad for the broken Shen Ning ๐ญ
I kinda do too, but the problem is that I keep laughing every time she comes up.