The blue screen slowly faded away, as if it had never been there. The room returned to its usual calm. The soft light of the gas lamp swung gently on the walls, and all around, there was only silence.
Ling Shaomiao stood still for a few moments. Then, she slowly put on the newly acquired glasses. Through the glass, the surroundings looked slightly different, as if a subtle layer of reality had risen over the ordinary world.
Her gaze then fell on the glass container resting on the table—
"An Adult Black Widow Spider Silk Gland."
The dark-hued, peculiar ingredient seemed to radiate a quiet, mysterious energy. Ling Shaomiao carefully picked it up and stored it inside her space ring.
After a moment of thought, a plan began to form in her mind.
She knew that at the Eye of Wisdom Gathering, various Beyonders often searched for potion ingredients.
According to the novel's information, once an unknown Beyonder had publicly mentioned searching for an "Adult Black Widow Spider Silk Gland"—likely for an associate or someone familiar.
A small smile tugged at Ling Shaomiao's lips as she murmured to herself,
"Friday…"
Her plan was simple—on Friday, she would attend the secret gathering and, if the opportunity arose, sell the ingredient.
If someone really needed it, she might easily find a buyer willing to pay a good price.
Outside, the night was slowly deepening.
---
By now, the gas lamps lining both sides of the street were already lit. Their soft bluish glow fell upon the fallen dry leaves scattered across the slightly damp cement, announcing the arrival of the city's night.
Klein Moretti walked slowly, cane in hand. He passed by Jurgens' house and reached Unit 15.
Seeing light spilling from the window of the neighboring unit, he paused for a moment.
"Seems… a new neighbor has arrived," Klein thought to himself.
But after a few steps, a sudden realization struck him. He had almost used up all the cooking supplies at home today.
If he returned now, tonight's dinner would be impossible to prepare.
Klein paused briefly.
"Ah… should I go to the butcher and fruit market, or just find a restaurant to fill my stomach?"
He hesitated for a moment. In the end, he decided to take a short break—dining out tonight would be simpler.
Many meals in this world were quick and easy to prepare, so there was no situation where five minutes of eating required an hour of cooking.
Still, cooking always had its inconveniences—the washing of dishes, cleaning knives and utensils… all of it fell upon him alone.
Feeling in his wallet, Klein turned and began walking toward the nearby restaurant he remembered.
As he passed Jurgens' house again,
Jurgens, standing by the open window, noticed a faintly puzzled look on Detective Sherlock Moriarty's face and raised his voice,"Mr. Moriarty… did you forget your keys again? Or did you leave them somewhere?"
Klein was slightly surprised internally at the remark. Then he smiled and replied,"No, nothing like that actually."
Jurgens nodded gravely and asked,
"Then why aren't you coming to me?"
"Once it's completely dark after dinner, then you may return," Klein said.
He hesitated for a second, then smiled lightly,
"It would truly be an honor for me."
---
Ling Shaomiao slowly lit the lamp. The silent shadows scattered in the corners of the room shimmered briefly in the glow. She opened the notebook in front of her—inside were sketches and drafts from the previous owner of this body. The designs on the pages weren't bad; in fact, some were strange yet creative. Ling Shaomiao muttered,
"Hmm… the work isn't too bad…"
Suddenly, the little girl from the screen appeared, as if a flicker of light had emerged from the invisible air. Her voice was calm, yet direct.
"Please note," the girl said, "by tomorrow morning, you must prepare an Osmanthus cake—or an equivalent—and deliver it to Klein and your five neighbors."
Ling Shaomiao's eyes reflected a mix of disbelief and confusion. She thought to herself,
"If I don't do this… what punishment will I face?"
"Yes," the girl replied simply, as if no argument could sway her.
"To make an Osmanthus cake, osmanthus flowers are required—but I don't have any here. What can I use as a substitute?" Ling Shaomiao asked herself.
After considering for a moment, she decided,
"Then I'll use alternatives… lemon bellflower, rose petals, and a hint of vanilla essence. Perhaps it will preserve both the taste and fragrance."
Ling Shaomiao lit the kitchen lamp. She plucked the colorful flowers from the rose plants and held them in her hands, a quiet joy filling her heart—as she began the task of preparing over a hundred traditional Chinese steamed rice cakes.
The touch of the roses, combined with the soft glow of the lamp, transformed the kitchen into a mysterious, serene, yet lively space. She quietly mixed the powders, added water, and created a smooth, thick batter for the rice cakes. As she steamed them one by one, the sweet aroma filled the room. She arranged the cooked cakes neatly in squares.
Each small cake was placed into tiny paper boxes. She put ten cakes in every box. Then, Ling Shaomiao decorated each box with paper flowers, giving them the appearance of delicate manuscripts—both beautiful and elegant.
By the time she had finished, the soft light of dawn was shining through the kitchen window. Though fatigue tugged at her limbs, Ling Shaomiao's eyes sparkled with the quiet satisfaction of accomplishment, tinged with the light traces of sleep. She took a deep breath, gave a gentle smile, and thought to herself, "Everything is just right."
She glanced at the clock—it was nearly five o'clock. There was no time left for sleep. She hurried toward the kitchen, carrying a cup of tea and some cookies. Sipping from the small cups and nibbling on the treats, she felt her energy return.
Then she stepped outside into the garden. Holding a basket in her hands, she watered the flowers, letting the cool breeze scented with damp soil soothe her mind. Inside the house, she arranged everything—tables, chairs, bookshelves—each item in its proper place.
For the remaining time, she picked a book from her shelf and read attentively, turning the pages slowly. After finishing, she took a bath and chose her outfit for the day—a light brown top paired with a soft, flowing skirt.
Finally, Ling Shaomiao grabbed a large basket and placed ten paper boxes filled with the sweet cakes inside. In her other hand, she carried a smaller basket to gather flowers from the garden.
Ling Shaomiao glanced at the clock and murmured softly,
"It's exactly eight o'clock now. I'm guessing Klein is still asleep. Let's start with his house first."
Taking careful steps, she walked up to the door of Unit 15. Holding the basket in her hands, she quietly made a small jumping sound in front of the door—as if someone had just arrived—and then pressed the doorbell.
After that, she carefully placed one of the paper boxes from the basket on a small stool beside the door. Next to it, she arranged the yellow and purple flowers she had picked from the garden, making the little gift look more colorful and bright.
Finally, Ling Shaomiao wrote a short note on a piece of paper and slipped it beneath the box of sweets and flowers.
---
Ling Shaomiao slowly stopped in front of Unit 17.
Morning had now fully awakened. The gas lamps along the street had long been extinguished, and the soft sunlight spread across the house walls and the slightly damp pavement. A gentle cool breeze carried the fragrance of flowers from the nearby gardens.
She reached out and gently pressed the doorbell.
Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Within moments, the sound echoed inside the house. The next second, a small wooden box above the door suddenly opened, and a tiny mechanical bird popped out.
The bird looked quite ordinary—made of wood and thin metal parts. Yet its movements seemed strangely lifelike. The little bird bobbed its head like a clock pendulum and repeatedly chirped,
"Cuckoo! Cuckoo!"
Ling Shaomiao stared at it in surprise for a moment.
Hmm… interesting system, she thought to herself.
A cuckoo clock instead of a doorbell…
The door slowly opened.Ling Shaomiao paused for a moment when she saw the woman standing in front of her.
She appeared to be in her early thirties. Her golden hair rested softly on her shoulders, and her blue eyes carried a calm yet lively sparkle. She looked remarkably beautiful, as if time itself had paused her youth.
In her hand, she held a silver-feathered royal fan, which she waved gently.
Ling Shaomiao spoke first. Politely, she placed her right palm against her chest and gave a slight bow.
"Hello, madam. I'm Aria Nightshade, your new neighbor."
The woman smiled warmly.
"Hello, Miss Nightshade. I'm Stellin Summer. How may I help you?" Miss Summer replied in a cheerful tone.
Ling Shaomiao extended the small paper box and several fresh flowers toward her.
"I made some sweets… I hope you'll accept them."
Though slightly surprised, Miss Summer happily replied,
"Of course, I would be delighted to accept them."
Then she asked with curiosity,"May I ask which unit you live in?"
Ling Shaomiao answered calmly,"I live in Unit 13."
"Oh, then you're quite close to us! Why don't you join us for breakfast, Miss Nightshade?" Mrs. Summer warmly invited.
Ling Shaomiao politely shook her head, "Thank you, Mrs. Summer. But I'm not hungry right now."
After leaving Mrs. Summer's house, Ling Shaomiao slowly walked toward the neighboring unit, it was the house of Lawyer Jurgens.
The morning sunlight had now spread across the street. A few windows nearby had opened, and some residents had begun their daily routines.
She stood before the door and politely pressed the doorbell.
After a moment, the door opened.The person who appeared looked like a young man in his twenties, though his eyes carried a certain mature steadiness. His eyes were a deep, bright blue.
The young man looked at Ling Shaomiao with mild curiosity.
Ling Shaomiao bowed slightly and said politely,"Good morning, sir. I'm Aria Nightshade, your new neighbor. I live in Unit 13."
Then she extended the paper box and a few flowers and said,
"I made some sweets. I'm giving them to the neighbors as a way of introducing myself. I hope you'll accept them."
A warm smile immediately appeared on the young man's face."Oh, I'm Jurgens Cooper, a lawyer by profession," he said.
Accepting the box, he added,"I'm truly pleased by your kindness. New neighbors rarely introduce themselves so politely."
Ling Shaomiao smiled gently.
Jurgens continued,"If you ever encounter any legal problems in the future or need advice, feel free to come to me."
"Thank you, Mr. Jurgens. I hope you have a wonderful day," Ling Shaomiao replied politely.