Chapter 95: Re-test
A golden cage, hide-and-seek, jewelry.
A clear-cut provocation.
These were the kinds of games that low-ranking, down-on-their-luck nobles loved to play. He never thought they would one day be used on Jian Yu.
Pei Yin suspected that as soon as they gave the signal, all sorts of people with dark intentions would pile Jian Yu’s desk high with invitations in less than a day.
When someone with a pure aura is with a kind-hearted person, it tends to bring out the best in their personality.
Conversely, they also attract wicked people, provoking them into revealing their most vile and vulgar side.
His eyes narrowed at the Long Feathered Dove insignia tucked inside the letter, and Pei Yin let out a bitter laugh.
When he caught the person responsible, he wouldn’t just have them exiled from the Imperial Capital Star. He would make Si Xu expel them from the Feather Clan itself.
"???" Pei Yin stared in astonishment at the monitoring screen on his Star Brain.
In the short time he’d spent looking at the letter, Jian Yu’s emotional fluctuation value had suddenly skyrocketed.
And the number was still climbing.
’Is she angry?’
Pei Yin discreetly observed Jian Yu’s expression.
Her face was cold, her lips pressed into a tight line, and her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
’They’re talking about putting her in a golden cage. It must be fear mixed with anger.’
’Even when she gets mad, her face just gets cold. She’s so soft, completely harmless. Why does it just make her seem even easier to bully?’
Pei Yin’s fingers gently toyed with the earring she had just put on.
’She rarely shows her emotions. The two or three times a day she does, it’s because we’ve scared her, making her a little frightened and timid.’
’A cold face is her normal state. It’s not a problem with my equipment.’
’Uncertain. Hmm. I’ll just record it for now.’
He took a photo of the love letter to keep as evidence.
Pei Yin sent it to the other two men who were waiting for the results.
With a flick of his hand, he tossed the pink letter into the air, where his spiritual power crushed it into dust.
Jian Yu immediately squeezed her eyes shut and played dead.
She pressed her lips together, tried to keep her eyelashes from trembling, and struggled to control the rhythm of her breathing.
A single love letter, just a few short lines, had completely fired her up.
Too bad the sender was anonymous. She could only savor the excitement by herself for a little while.
’F7 are still too gentle with their methods. Why can’t they learn a thing or two from the person who sent this letter?’
Beneath her tightly shut eyelids, her eyes darted from side to side. Jian Yu could feel a cold, sharp gaze fixed on her, but it vanished just as quickly.
A figure moved, and a cool breeze brushed against her face.
"Cold," Jian Yu murmured, her brow furrowed as she buried her face aggrievedly in his chest.
He paused, slowed down, moved at a crawl, and then resumed his normal walking pace.
"I’m already going very, very slow. Other people are looking at me like I’m some pathetic old snail."
Pei Yin retracted his wings, not wanting to help the cleaning bots sweep the floor anymore.
He hooked his left arm under her legs and supported her back with his right hand.
Seeing her looking so wronged, the anger in his heart dissipated without him even realizing it.
He didn’t understand why Xi Yu and the others were always kissing her; he felt they had absolutely no self-control.
Sometimes he would maliciously wonder if Jian Yu was secretly pulling some strings, bewitching them until they couldn’t think straight.
But the person in his arms was so soft, softer and more delicate than ever before.
Pei Yin had always been disdainful of the overly exaggerated descriptions found online—words like "soft and delicate" or "adorably squishy"—he felt they didn’t even come close to describing a single strand of her hair.
In reality, he had simply never met anyone like that.
It turned out he just hadn’t met her yet.
’You really can kiss someone until their whole body goes limp. No wonder Xi Yu and the others love kissing her so hard.’
She had a small frame and didn’t weigh much, but when he squeezed her arm or stomach, he could feel a delicate layer of soft flesh that wasn’t the least bit cumbersome.
It was thin and soft, not flabby—just the right amount of softness, adding a gentle quality to the touch.
Pei Yin pulled her against his chest, holding her snugly in his arms.
’Much better.’
Their destination was the Zone 5 Experimental Institute.
"You don’t have class this afternoon. I’m taking you for another check-up, baby."
"Mm," Jian Yu replied, her eyes drooping. Her limbs felt weak, and she was too lazy to move.
She was thinking.
’What does "unshipped" mean?’
She’d had so many part-time jobs that the word "shipped" only reminded her of the days when she was dirt poor.
’Did the original owner fail to ship something, and now someone’s come looking for it?’
’No, wait, it’s something *I* owe!’
So much had happened recently that Jian Yu suddenly remembered there was indeed one order she had never explicitly rejected.
The other party probably hadn’t canceled the order, either.
On the very night she transmigrated, she had searched for this world’s level of medical technology and the cost range for treatments like heart surgery.
The prices were exorbitant; she couldn’t afford them.
So, Jian Yu chose to return to her old line of work.
She was rummaging through her Star Brain accounts when she happened to see a familiar profile picture.
An old client. He had taken the initiative to contact the dean. They’d done several shoots, and he’d never been satisfied with the photos, but he paid every single time, so the work was never wasted.
The original owner hadn’t lost the chain accessory. On her first day in this world, the client had rushed her for the delivery.
Jian Yu decisively put it on and sent the client a ten-shot photo series.
The man was very satisfied and placed another order, offering a huge sum of money and requesting that she show her face.
Showing her face was out of the question. In her head, Jian Yu was a trash-talking queen who’d welcome any good-looking, rich pervert with open arms.
In reality, she was terrified of attracting some vulgar nouveau riche. Her true love was for 2D men from comics.
She refused, but the client said he was willing to wait until she agreed.
Jian Yu secretly opened her eyes and turned onto her side.
She placed both hands on Pei Yin’s shoulders. "I’m sleepy."
A kiss landed on the skin beside her earlobe.
Pei Yin was in a good mood. "Go to sleep."
She opened her Star Brain, her fingers tapping rapidly.
Logging into the backend, Jian Yu found that the order was still there. The client hadn’t canceled it; on the contrary, he had placed a dozen more.
Life had become too comfortable. She wasn’t lacking for anything, and she had completely forgotten she even had an online shop for her part-time work as a foot and hand model.
The last private message was from half a month ago, with the client stating his willingness to wait for her consent.
’The dean was right, I don’t have access to the big shots in the upper circles.’
’So, this person can’t be F1.’
’The faces of Xi Yu and the others are too top-tier. I’m eating too well right now; I’m not interested in settling for less at the moment.’
Jian Yu furiously canceled the orders, one after another.
Just as she finished erasing her tracks, they arrived at the institute.
The door opened, revealing several people sitting inside.
Four men and one woman.
Each one’s expression was colder than the last.
Jian Yu turned her head.
One of her hands was loosely draped around Pei Yin’s neck.
Xi Yu jumped off the levitation platform, reached out, and squeezed her wrist and index finger.
"Did baby just wake up? Your eyes are all red from sleeping. So cute."
Pei Yin crouched down and let go.
"What a rare sight. What are you all doing here?"
Jian Yu’s feet touched the ground.
She ignored Xi Yu, who was gripping her hand, her gaze falling first on Ling Yanzhi, then on Duan Feiye.
Not bothering to pay attention to Yan Qin and her strange gaze, Jian Yu’s eyes kept darting toward the quiet man in the corner.
His white uniform was accented with a few touches of blue, and an adorably fluffy snow leopard was lying on Sheng Yue’s lap.
The man’s eyes were downcast; he never looked up to meet her gaze.
Xi Yu wanted to block her line of sight, and so did Pei Yin.
The two of them accidentally bumped into each other, creating the crisp sound of a bell.
"Come here," Ling Yanzhi said, but he was the one who stood up and lifted Jian Yu into his arms.
He said nonchalantly, "There are outsiders here. We’ll talk about baby’s matter when we get back."
Sheng Yue’s fingers curled.
Duan Feiye sized her up with an undisguised gaze.
Jian Yu thought for a moment, then calmly met his gaze.
It was only then that she noticed Duan Feiye’s face was very pale, as if he were seriously injured.
Pei Yin didn’t seem too surprised. "Did the Threshold Devouring Period start? Wasn’t it supposed to be tomorrow?"
He had even been wondering whether he should secretly help him out tomorrow.
"When has the onset ever been regular?" Duan Feiye replied listlessly, looking toward Yan Qin, his expression weary.
He rubbed his temples and explained why he had come. "Yan Qin felt a reaction in her body and wanted to come find you for another test."