In an instant, Herta's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes went wide as she stared at Ruan Mei in disbelief.
At this moment, the most unsettling thought surfaced in her mind—and grew stronger by the second.
A starry sleeve pendant. Embroidered by Ruan Mei's own hand. For Asta?
And Asta kept pressing for Ruan Mei's contact information... for a return gift?!
No. There was a chance it was for her. But... but Asta was the one who loved stars.
What about her?
She was just like Ruan Mei—no interests beyond research and her Path.
So... the star pendant wasn't for her, was it?
Sensing Herta's strange, wooden stare, Ruan Mei set down the unfinished sleeve pendant and approached her.
"What is it, Herta?"
Herta snapped back to reality. The shock, despair, and confusion in her eyes vanished in an instant.
She tried to calm herself, to compose herself. She crossed her arms, shut her eyes tight, and turned away with proud aloofness.
"Hmph. So you care about every pink-haired girl?"
Ruan Mei couldn't help but smile. She asked softly,
"Do you want one too? A sleeve pendant embroidered by my own hand?"
Herta's furrowed brow instantly relaxed. Her eyes regained their usual amethyst brilliance.
"Ahem. Since it's from you, Ruan Mei... I suppose I'll reluctantly accept."
Herta muttered to herself,
"Let me think. I should keep it with my curios. No—those curios aren't always safe. That Silver Wolf is quite the troublemaker."
"Fine. I'll reluctantly carry it with me at all times, to prevent loss. Here."
Herta closed her left eye and extended her hand, signaling for Ruan Mei to hand over the pendant immediately.
Ruan Mei blinked. A trace of surprise crossed her cool features.
Herta shut both eyes completely, anticipating the pendant's arrival with every fiber of her being.
"Well?"
Ruan Mei was speechless.
"This... I'll give it to you when we return to the space station."
Herta's eyes flew open. She grabbed Ruan Mei's hand.
"Then let's go back right now."
Ruan Mei shook her head.
"There are still six days left in the week."
Herta hesitated for a moment. She would rather die than admit Ruan Mei hadn't embroidered her pendant yet.
She kept telling herself: Ruan Mei must be preparing a surprise. Perfecting it.
Yes. That was it. Ruan Mei wasn't so bad. She was probably just like her.
"Fine. We'll return to the space station when the week is over."
Ruan Mei turned to leave. Herta stopped her again.
"Wait. What do you care about? And don't say the Starcrusher Swarm King!"
Ruan Mei thought for a moment.
"Plum blossom cake?"
Herta shook her head.
"No. Sweets and the Starcrusher Swarm King are both excluded."
Ruan Mei glanced at Wisteria Cake, who was watching them intently.
"Cat-cakes?"
Herta's mind raced through every possibility involving cat-cakes.
Did she want Herta puppets modeled after cat-cakes? Or pastries shaped like cat-cakes?
Ugh. Why is this question harder than her first audience with Machine Head?!
Herta maintained her composure, feigning nonchalance.
"Fine. I understand."
Herta turned and scooped up Wisteria Cake. Then, almost involuntarily, she asked,
"By the way. The sleeve pendant for Asta—did she ask you for it? Or did you..."
Herta's words trailed off. She truly didn't want to hear the answer.
Ruan Mei took the cat-cake and replied calmly,
"The answer is exactly what you most want to hear."
Herta's heart leapt. But her expression remained unchanged.
"Good. It took me so long to find a qualified station master."
"I wouldn't want her distracted by trivial matters, unable to focus on her work."
Bailu tugged at Ruan Mei and Herta's sleeves.
"Let's go somewhere else! The Luminary Wardance celebration is happening now. There are all kinds of activities outside."
Herta waved a hand dismissively.
"There might be some minor variables on the Luofu. Ruan Mei, beings like us should probably avoid—huh?!"
Before Herta could finish, Ruan Mei was already following Bailu down from the Star-Gazing Terrace.
"Take care of Fu Xuan. We'll be back soon."
"Meowmu. Don't worry."
---
Bailu led Ruan Mei and Herta directly to the Alchemy Commission.
Ruan Mei looked around. The atmosphere here was indeed different—stranger than elsewhere on the Luofu.
Not far away, a brown-haired girl with twin tails stood frozen in place.
Bailu walked up and greeted her.
"Afternoon, Sushang!"
"Lady Bailu? Ahem. I'm on duty. We'll talk later."
Li Sushang's goofy grin instantly vanished, replaced by a forced solemnity.
"Oh... well... alright."
"Wait. Who are these two?"
Herta glanced at Li Sushang. She immediately assessed her IQ—on par with March 7th.
"I'm Herta. She's Ruan Mei."
"Unless you're taking us to the Shackling Prison or the Hall of Karma, you have no authority to restrict our movement."
Sensing Herta's hostility, Li Sushang opened her mouth to retort. Bailu quickly shoved her phone in front of her, displaying a search result:
[Genius Society members #81 and #83. Both are geniuses. The Xianzhou Alliance and Interastral Peace Corporation regard them as honored guests.]
Li Sushang yanked Bailu aside and whispered,
"No way! Bailu, you brought two Genius Society members to see me?! I don't want to embarrass myself!"
"Relax. I didn't bring them here to see you."
"Oh. Good."
Li Sushang and Bailu returned.
"Madam Herta, Madam Ruan Mei. My apologies for earlier."
Herta closed her eyes and waved dismissively.
"Fine. Be more careful next time. And read more books. Don't emulate that short pink-haired girl."
Li Sushang scratched her head, confused.
"But the Grand Diviner reads every day? And she always quotes the classics."
"It's 'quote the classics'! And who said that short pink-haired girl was only Fu Xuan? You know March 7th? The Astral Express's number one fool."
"A little? Don't be like her!"
"Oh."
Before leaving, Ruan Mei handed a pastry to Li Sushang.
Li Sushang quickly accepted it.
"Tha... thank you."