Chapter 124: Misunderstanding
Duan Feiye looked at Pei Yin, a playful glint in his eyes.
His teasing gaze quickly returned to calm. "Money? A house? Or how about granting her noble status?"
Pei Yin scoffed in disdain. "You only offer things nobody wants."
He placed a hand on his hip. "Do you even know how to make a proper offer? Let me."
Pei Yin mused, "Two hundred Beast Fruits, none less than ten years old, and one Space Storage Device."
He gestured, and the trinkets on him jingled.
"My baby is still in school, so how about this: all the special privileges you have at the academy, including access to Area 4, transfer them all to my baby."
Pei Yin’s mouth opened and closed, just like a Gold-eating Beast. "And your personal assets... be generous. Transfer a good chunk to my baby."
Duan Feiye’s expression froze. The smile on his lips stiffened, then vanished.
His years of self-possessed calm completely crumbled.
"Such outrageous demands? For a few sachets, you people sure have a big appetite."
’Instead of looking out for your brothers when there are benefits to be had, you turn around and rob them blind.’
Duan Feiye felt he was incredibly lucky to have friends like these.
Jian Yu remained silent.
Only when she heard the word "sachet" did a subtle change flicker in her eyes.
’So they really didn’t come because of the Soul Ghost Body?’
’Then there were only two possibilities.’
’One, the sachet she gave to the female lead was accidentally smelled by the F4.’
’Two, the sachet she provided to Sheng Yue every seven days was discovered by the F4.’
’Judging by the timeline and Sheng Yue’s personality, the first scenario was more likely.’
The tension in Jian Yu, which had just eased for a moment, snapped taut again.
The breath caught in her chest.
Ling Yanzhi let out a laugh.
The corner of his mouth twitched in a slight smile. He was laughing out of pure exasperation.
’So after all this, it was Pei Yin who caused this mess.’
’He’d told him it was unnecessary to make so many sachets. If someone smelled them, did they really have to explain? Couldn’t they just deny it?’
Pei Yin’s anger suddenly faltered. "Sachets?"
He felt like a clown.
Duan Feiye also sensed something was off. "She’s not an Awakener. Eating Beast Fruits would be dangerous for her. Why are you asking for so many high-year Beast Fruits on her behalf?"
Ling Yanzhi lifted his eyelids slightly, his tone leisurely as he offered a cover story, "To feed a ling beast."
Duan Feiye had forgotten about that. Reminded, he fell silent again.
Pei Yin tried to recall what happened.
He’d been too worked up and couldn’t quite remember. "I asked you what you were here for, and you clearly said you wanted Jian Yu."
Duan Feiye spread his hands.
He wore a helpless expression, looking at Pei Yin as if he were a child. "I wasn’t finished speaking before you cut me off."
He had said that he wanted Jian Yu’s sachets.
’Could it be there was something else he didn’t know?’
’Besides her sachet-making and her unusual incubation ability, did Jian Yu have some other, even more special quality worth digging into?’
Duan Feiye narrowed his eyes.
His gaze was like a torch as he retorted, "And what did you think it was?"
Ling Yanzhi shrugged. "We were hungry, so we came down to eat."
He turned, picked up the food Lin Yu had delivered, and set it on the table.
Duan Feiye turned his head to observe Jian Yu’s expression.
’Not good. The girl has no expression.’
’This is a bit troublesome.’
Pei Yin, realizing there had been a misunderstanding, furrowed his brow.
He sat down across from Duan Feiye. "Then why did Xi Yu have such a cold look on his face when he came in?"
Duan Feiye glanced at Xi Yu with a meaningful look. "When does he ever have a smile on his face?"
As long as he’d known Xi Yu, the guy hadn’t gone a single day without that cold expression.
The words had barely left his mouth when Xi Yu, holding Jian Yu, sat down at a temporary dining table that had been set up nearby.
He wrapped an arm around Jian Yu’s waist, kissed her on the cheek, and giggled foolishly. "Hehehe, baby, time to eat. Baby is so cute."
Duan Feiye fell into a strange silence. "..."
Recalling the line that Sheng Yue was still "holding out" and hadn’t "boarded the ship," his eyes lowered thoughtfully.
He admitted that Jian Yu had a clean aura that nobles tended to like.
Her currently demonstrated sachet-making ability and incubation affinity were also well worth his investment.
But would someone like Sheng Yue really fall for a clinging vine like Jian Yu?
It was hard to say; after all, Jian Yu’s looks were definitely Sheng Yue’s type.
Duan Feiye considered himself a person who was attracted to strength.
Even if he was a little interested in Jian Yu, and her appearance was to his liking, he would never fight his friends over a person.
’With so many people already involved, why should I join the circus?’
’It’s far too crowded.’
Duan Feiye looked up at Pei Yin.
His voice was level. "Why are you shutting me out like this? Sheng Yue has a sachet too, doesn’t he?"
"Er." How was Pei Yin supposed to know he was after the sachets?
He leaned back and covered his eyes with his hand. "Sheng Yue was the one who first discovered that baby... knows how to make sachets."
In his moment of panic, his reason had fled. Now that it returned, Pei Yin realized just how ridiculous he’d been.
’Given Duan Feiye’s personality, there’s no way he would show up just to steal someone away.’
"Baby, this is delicious too." Xi Yu was frantically feeding her.
Jian Yu split her attention, eating while keeping an eye on the situation over there.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Duan Feiye get up and walk toward her.
Jian Yu pushed Xi Yu’s hand away.
She chewed quickly, swallowed the food in her mouth, and sat up a little straighter, looking slightly reserved.
Duan Feiye’s eyes swept over Ling Yanzhi, who was leaning back lazily in his chair.
Ling Yanzhi showed no intention of getting involved, resting with his eyes closed.
So, Duan Feiye focused his attention directly on Jian Yu.
He pulled out a nearby chair, sat down, and did his best to be at eye level with Jian Yu.
"For the longest time, solving the problem of the Threshold Devouring Period has been one of the Alliance’s top priorities. It’s also a challenge I’ve personally been researching for years."
"Whatever conditions and requests you have, please don’t hesitate to state them. I will do my best to meet any that are within my power."
"If Jian is willing, I would like to partner with you in the name of the Duan Clan. Of course, if Jian finds that too troublesome, I am also willing to buy out the formula for that sachet of yours."
Jian Yu’s eyes lit up.
’All I’d have to do is provide the finished product to make money?’
’It sounds very tempting.’
’However, once we entered a partnership, he would have the right to get involved. And if I take his money, my hands will be tied, and I’ll face even more restrictions.’
’Ling Yanzhi helped cover up most of my records, but whether or not I actually have sachet-making abilities would eventually be exposed due to various issues, even if it couldn’t be found in a search.’
’If I knew how to make them, I could probably bluff my way through.’
’But since I don’t, it would be purely and simply handing him leverage against me.’
The greedy look in Jian Yu’s eyes gradually faded.
’It’s fine. I have a lot of money already. I shouldn’t be greedy.’
She answered evasively, "If Chief Duan needs them, I can provide the sachets. But a partnership won’t be necessary."
Pei Yin’s voice cut in, "Right, right, right! I can be the one to hand them over."
He didn’t want Duan Feiye to be in contact with Jian Yu for too long.
"Baby, why did you stop eating?" It was as if Xi Yu’s ears were blocking everyone else out.
He stared anxiously at Jian Yu’s disappointed expression.
Ling Yanzhi clicked his tongue lightly and transferred a sum of money to her.
Her Star Brain lit up. Jian Yu glanced at it, then looked up to meet Ling Yanzhi’s teasing gaze.
The atmosphere was strange, and Duan Feiye didn’t want to stay any longer. "Thank you."
Even though he had secured Jian Yu’s promise to provide sachets regularly, he felt a faint sense of unease.
Pei Yin slung an arm over Duan Feiye’s shoulder and started pulling him toward the door. "I’ll see you out."