In a remote corner of the universe, on a planet without civilization.
The ship's hatch opened. Yu Qingtu descended leisurely, her lazy gaze sweeping the surroundings—then stopping on the figure at the manor gate.
"You finally came out of your lab. Did you sense my arrival and come to greet me?"
"I just came out for air," Ruan Mei said flatly, voice without ripple.
"At least I'm Genius Society #55. You make me look like I have no face."
"Your microexpressions tell me you don't care about 'face' at all. 'Not caring about pageantry' would be more accurate."
"…Tsk."
Yu Qingtu sighed and went straight to business.
"Any results?"
That taboo research that desecrated life.
People needed to fear something. Yu Qingtu herself wasn't exactly reverent toward life either.
But at minimum, she wouldn't do this.
And she wouldn't interfere in another's work.
"Not yet." Ruan Mei's tone remained calm. "I've hit a bottleneck."
"Are you seriously going to stand here and talk to me?"
"Follow me."
Ruan Mei led her into the manor, then into the back courtyard.
Before Yu Qingtu could speak, Ruan Mei removed her white coat and swiftly shed the rest of her clothes.
"You came at a good time. Fresh pastries will be out in ten minutes. Bathe first—wash away the dust of travel."
Yu Qingtu's gaze left the unfamiliar bath and landed on Ruan Mei's perfect curves—bare, luminous.
Unembarrassed, Yu Qingtu stepped forward. Her clothing dissolved as if decomposed, vanishing instantly.
"You know, that little one you raised is the same—always talking about 'welcoming guests.'"
"Did he take you to bathe?" Ruan Mei's eyes lifted sharply, darkness pooling within.
"What are you thinking? That kid is so polite he's unbearable. He'd never do something like that."
Yu Qingtu laughed.
Ruan Mei's gaze returned to calm.
"Rules must be dead, or everything becomes chaos. I taught him. I punished him. He won't cross lines."
"…So you're the culprit."
Yu Qingtu looked at her with a complicated expression.
"Since you're such a teacher, how about you call me 'Senior' once, Ruan?"
"I'm not a member of the Genius Society. Why would I?" Ruan Mei replied matter-of-factly.
"So if you ever became a member, you would?"
"I have no interest. But if that day came, I would say it once."
"Only once?"
"Besides seniority, you're my friend. In my judgment, friendship outranks senior-junior relations."
"I lose."
Yu Qingtu leaned back, arms resting on the bath edge.
"If you ever truly reach the point where your intellect can shake the universe's balance, whether you want Genius Society membership won't matter—because it won't be up to you."
"The moment Nous casts a glance your way, you lose the road back."
"The current last seat is #77. I'm betting on you. Here—"
A pink drink appeared in Yu Qingtu's hand.
"What is it?" Ruan Mei reached out.
A delicate high-heel glass held pink liquid, decorated with unknown grass and insect-like garnishes.
A hard-to-describe smell rose.
"I named it Pink Impact. You can drink it or treat it as a research sample."
"That insect is alive."
"Sharp eye. You're a life scientist—surely you aren't afraid?"
Under Yu Qingtu's amused gaze, Ruan Mei calmly tasted it.
"'Pink Impact'… that's one of your favorite songs from the Ancient Amber Era."
"Correct. How is it?"
"It's fine. Not worse than A-Mu's plum blossom liquor," Ruan Mei said.
"I can't deny that…"
Yu Qingtu gave it high praise.
"It's strange. The little one's plum blossom brew—its composition is obvious. Yet neither of us can replicate the taste. Has it become some sort of curio?"
"Speaking of the little one—you haven't seen him in over a century, have you? You came out to rest; not going to see him?"
"He looks calm and smiling, but he probably misses you."
"Not going," Ruan Mei answered without hesitation.
"He's your only student. One of the few people who lived beside you for decades. You really plan to die without ever meeting again?"
"After the research ends," Ruan Mei said, unmoved.
"He's short-lived, unlike you. If you bury yourself in research for decades or a century, he'll die of old age."
"He won't. I taught him more than ten ways to extend lifespan with no side effects."
"What if he doesn't use—"
Yu Qingtu stopped mid-sentence.
Then she remembered: a short-lived species surviving for over a hundred years meant he had already extended his life.
Right.
Also, aside from Elias Salas, who wouldn't want to live longer?
Yu Qingtu recalled Ruan Mei's "punishment," and the question she had once asked Qi Zhimu…
Curiosity flickered across her face. She leaned toward Ruan Mei, water rippling.
"Ruan—he tried to stop you from continuing that research. Yes or no?"
"Yes."
Yu Qingtu muttered as expected and stared in disbelief.
"And because of that, you threw him out?"
Ruan Mei fell silent for a moment, then admitted.
"More or less."
"That's insane!"
"It isn't." Ruan Mei's voice remained steady. "A-Mu denied my love for my family."
-------
My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
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