"Herta, where are we going?"
Herta froze. Without Bailu as their Luofu guide, she realized she wasn't all that familiar with the place.
"Ahem. Just follow me for now."
Ruan Mei had no choice but to follow Herta as she wandered aimlessly down the street.
Herta wanted to try taking Ruan Mei's hand. She absolutely wouldn't turn her head, and she had an excuse ready—"it was an accident." But every attempt fell short.
A lute's melody suddenly rang out. Herta finally snapped back to reality. Ruan Mei was holding her instrument.
What on earth am I, the great Madam Herta, doing?!
They arrived at what seemed like a scenic spot. Mist swirled around them, and the Arbor was visible in the distance. But a stern warning interrupted them.
"Halt. This is the skiff to the Divine Foresight. Unauthorized personnel, please turn back."
A Cloud Knight dares speak to me like this? Calling me unauthorized personnel?
"Go. Immediately. Inform Jing Yuan that Herta and Ruan Mei have arrived."
Sensing Herta's hostility, the Cloud Knight had no choice but to contact the Divine Foresight via jade abacus.
Ruan Mei glanced at Herta.
"Why are we going to the Divine Foresight?"
The question caught Herta off guard. But to save face, she feigned composure.
"I have a research breakthrough—one that could impact half the universe. I need to discuss collaboration with the Xianzhou high command."
"Normally, Asta handles these negotiations. I'm just passing through."
Ruan Mei saw right through it. Herta was making excuses for being lost.
But she did have the power to make the Xianzhou Alliance and IPC come running with just a single study.
The Cloud Knight confirmed their identities and quickly changed his tune.
"Apologies. I didn't realize it was Madam Herta and Madam Ruan Mei. Please board the skiff to the Divine Foresight."
"General Jing Yuan, General Huaiyan, and General Feixiao are about to return. General Yaoqing will also appear via holographic projection."
Herta frowned.
"Never mind the others. But if General Jing Yuan isn't even at the Divine Foresight right now, what's the point?"
"Well... you see, Madam Herta, General Jing Yuan is advanced in years. For every hour he works, he takes two hours to stroll about."
Herta crossed her arms.
"I don't want to see Yaoqing. Holographic projection or otherwise. Tell them not to bother coming. If they have business, contact Asta."
"Ah?!"
Herta turned and left with Ruan Mei. The Cloud Knight stared after them, dumbfounded.
"Sigh. Only you could toy with four Xianzhou generals like this."
Ruan Mei's comment fell on deaf ears. Herta still refused to admit she was lost.
"Nothing I can do. Yaoqing and I don't get along. More precisely, the entire Yuque doesn't get along with me."
As Herta and Ruan Mei passed by a mahjong parlor, a triumphant shout rang out.
"Look at that—I win!"
Ruan Mei turned toward the sound. Not far away, a girl in Xianzhou attire—brown hair, emerald eyes, bright and sunny—was gleefully tossing jade tiles. Qingque.
Herta followed her gaze.
"You know her?"
"You could say that."
Ruan Mei silently approached Qingque from behind and tapped her on the head.
Qingque froze. The jade tiles slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Grand Diviner! I was wrong! I know I was wrong!"
Ruan Mei's expression remained calm.
"Qingque. The Grand Diviner sent you to meet her at Starskiff Haven. And here you are, slacking off and playing jade tiles?"
Qingque spun around frantically. Seeing it wasn't Fu Xuan, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"You scared me to death! I thought you were the Grand Diviner. Who are you?"
"Ruan Mei."
Qingque scratched her head, searching her memory. Then her eyes went wide.
Ruan Mei? The one from the books?! Genius Society member #81? The absolute genius of life sciences?!
"You... you're really Ruan Mei?"
"Yes."
"But how did you know the Grand Diviner sent me to meet her?"
Herta, unwilling to be ignored, cut in.
"Fu Xuan glanced at you from the Star-Gazing Terrace this morning and muttered something. We happened to be there."
Qingque looked confused.
"Star-Gazing Terrace? The Luofu has a place like that?!"
Herta pointed to the tallest building in Changle, right in the middle of the Divination Commission.
"That's Fu Xuan's residence. The highest point is called the Star-Gazing Terrace. Every time you slack off and play jade tiles, Fu Xuan can see you."
Qingque's face went pale. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead. She swayed like a willow in the wind.
No wonder. No wonder I always felt like the Grand Diviner was watching me from behind.
It wasn't just in my head. She really was watching, all along.
Qingque slowly stood up. She stumbled, nearly falling. Ruan Mei caught her arm.
"Are you alright?"
"I... I don't think I'm okay. Thank you for telling me the truth. I... I need a moment alone."
Herta couldn't help but ask,
"That Little Xuanzi terrifies you this much?"
Qingque stared at Herta in disbelief. Someone actually dares call the Grand Diviner that?!
Little... Little Xuanzi?!
Herta grabbed Qingque and pulled her away, maintaining a safe distance from Ruan Mei.
"Little Xuanzi, Little Yaoqing—I say whatever I want. Why are you so afraid of Fu Xuan anyway?"
Qingque sighed deeply.
"Sigh. Does a mouse need a reason to fear a cat?"
Herta blinked. That falls under natural predator theory.
Ruan Mei asked softly, "Haven't you ever thought about changing your situation?"
"Please, don't tease me."
"I'm doing fine, really. But now that I know the truth... I'll just stop coming here."
"Give up jade tiles?"
Qingque shook her head slightly.
"I could never give up jade tiles. I'll just walk a little further to Starskiff Haven."
"I heard they opened a new jade tile parlor there. It's just farther from the Divination Commission and my home."
"Still, thank you for telling me the truth. Otherwise, I'd be living in the Grand Diviner's shadow forever. Until we meet again."
With that, Qingque turned and hurried away, as if afraid Fu Xuan might appear at any second.
Herta remarked, "Are you helping her? Or hurting her?"
"Work doesn't create value. Slacking off and living for oneself—that's what creates value."
Herta pondered this. Interesting perspective. A true genius.
"Every time I'm at the space station, I see researchers slacking off."
"So they're not creating value for the space station—but they're creating value for themselves? Does that hold up?"
"I believe it does."
Herta was speechless. Since Ruan Mei put it that way, she could only concede.
"Fine. I'll allow it."