Facing the gazes of Screwllum and Ruan Mei, Mr. Yun Fan smiled calmly, gave a slight bow, and greeted the two with gentlemanly courtesy.
"Let me introduce myself. I am Yun Fan, Herta's boyfriend. I've heard about both of you from Herta. Thank you for taking care of her over the years."
Herta: '!!!'
Screwllum and Ruan Mei: "???"
"Wait! When did I agree to that?!" Lady Herta grabbed Yun Fan's arm, gritting her teeth as she spoke.
"Hm? Our Lady Herta must be quite forgetful. Last night, and just earlier in your private room, you agreed quite clearly and unequivocally."
"You, you, you… I, I…"
Herta pointed a trembling finger at Yun Fan, a bit flustered. By universal reason, what Yun Fan said wasn't wrong.
She had promised him that if he provided information about the Aeon of Causality's life, she would unconditionally grant him one request, no matter the cost.
The girl had imagined he might make some outrageous demand, like having her serve as his maid for a while or giving him a leg massage or shoulder rub.
But she never expected him to want to be her boyfriend. What a joke! Herta, over 200 years old, single since birth, had never been in a relationship! How could she just agree to this…
Tch! Why does this suddenly feel so irritating?!
"You… are you really Herta's boyfriend?"
Hearing Yun Fan's words and seeing Herta's silence, looking like a sulky little wife, a strange expression flickered across Miss Ruan Mei's usually icy face.
Could it be… Herta actually got a boyfriend? How is that possible? Has the iron tree finally bloomed?
At this thought, a spark of interest arose in Ruan Mei's heart.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Yun Fan. I'm Ruan Mei, Herta's friend. This is Screwllum, the leader of Screwllum's Planet."
Ruan Mei placed a hand on her chest, briefly introducing herself, then gestured to Screwllum beside her, who nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
"Would you like some cake, Mr. Yun Fan? I baked it myself."
With that, Ruan Mei handed her plate of cake to Yun Fan, giving him no chance to refuse.
"Well… alright."
Taking the cake and noticing the obvious signs of it having been eaten, Yun Fan's heart twitched slightly.
If he didn't know Ruan Mei's personality, he might have thought this stoic beauty was subtly flirting with him.
But speaking of which… hm, a cake Ruan Mei has eaten. If this were auctioned outside, her diehard fans would probably bid it to astronomical prices.
"Uh, then I won't hold back." Yun Fan used a small knife to cut a piece of the cake and brought it to his mouth with a fork.
Instantly, a soft, sweet, fragrant, and aromatic flavor assaulted his taste buds. Excited signals raced to his brain, releasing a flood of dopamine that carried waves of joy.
"It's indeed quite delicious. It's no less impressive than the work of a five-star chef—perhaps even better."
"But…"
Yun Fan looked up, giving Ruan Mei a half-smile as he spoke.
"But amidst the cake's deliciousness, there seems to be a discordant note. What do you say, Miss Ruan Mei?"
"Hm, you're quite perceptive, Mr. Yun Fan. I won't hide it—I added a truth serum to the cake. I'm quite curious about your relationship with Herta."
"But it seems my truth serum had no effect on you. As expected, with Herta's lofty standards, how could she choose an ordinary person?"
Ruan Mei showed no sign of backing down. A faint smile appeared on the icy beauty's face as she stood with her hands crossed over her abdomen, facing Yun Fan head-on.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the research lab grew slightly peculiar—not exactly tense, but… subtly off.
"Ahem!"
Seeing the situation veer into awkward territory, Lady Herta, one of the parties involved, finally couldn't take it anymore.
She quickly stepped in front of Yun Fan, snatched the remaining cake from his hand, and tossed it onto the table in a huff.
"Let's get to business. About the Aeon of Causality, Lord of Samsara."
Herta stiffly changed the subject, but though her approach was clumsy, it was undeniably effective.
Ruan Mei, who had been on edge, suddenly quieted down, her gaze turning expectant as she looked at Herta.
"What are you looking at me for?" Herta tilted her head, then nudged Yun Fan with her fist.
"Here, the person in the entire universe who knows the most about the Aeon of Causality, Lord of Samsara—no one else comes close. I brought him here for you."
Hearing Herta's words, Ruan Mei and Screwllum simultaneously turned their gazes to Yun Fan. The black-haired youth dropped his earlier confrontational demeanor, offering a smile instead.
"Let me reintroduce myself. I am Yun Fan, the first emanator under the Aeon of Causality."
— — — —
"That's how it happened. Mr. Velite and I were evading a giant true sting bug, which led to us accidentally rear-ending the Astral Express."
"For this, I deeply apologize. I swear in the name of the Pure Beauty Goddess 'Idrila' that if the Astral Express needs assistance, Argenti, Knight of Beauty, will not fail you."
The armored Argenti stood up, pounding a fist against his chest, pledging in the manner of a Knight of Beauty to the Astral Express crew.
"We understand your explanation, Mr. Argenti," Himeko, the navigator, said with a smile as she conversed with him.
"The Astral Express welcomes every guest. As long as your intentions aren't malicious, please don't worry about the rear-ending incident."
Hearing Himeko's words, Argenti's handsome face took on a solemn expression.
"Thank you for your generosity, Trailblazers. I will remember your kindness."
"But my earlier promise still stands. If you ever need assistance in the future, I, Argenti, on behalf of the Knights of Beauty, will provide it."
"Then thank you, Mr. Argenti."
Himeko nodded with a smile, not refusing further. The Astral Express, or rather the Trailblazers, always enjoyed making friends.
After all, no matter the world, the saying holds true: more friends, more paths.
=====
New Story posted:
Pirate Inventory: God Valley Collective Viewing of the Future!