vivo 500,000 Credits

The night was cool as water.

Bai Heng told Ruan Mei about his seven days on the Xianzhou. Of course, he never mentioned anything related to Jingliu.

Once the small talk was over, Ruan Mei brought up the real matter.

Namely, tomorrow's academic exchange conference.

In her words, that academic exchange conference was really just a pretext.

If she had merely wanted to attend the conference, there would have been no need for her to come to Punklorde in person.

Even from her own laboratory, she could have joined the forum held on the interstellar internet.

Her true reason for coming was actually the auction after the academic forum.

It was said that the auction's anonymous organizer possessed several curios with special significance.

Although the other party had not revealed any specific details about those curios, the fact that they had attracted the attention of the Genius Society was enough to guarantee the auction's authenticity and value.

The next day, in the auditorium converted from the Bololorenz Grand Hotel's hundredth floor.

Ruan Mei organized the papers on her tablet.

The girl with chestnut-silver hair elegantly crossed her legs in her reserved seat, gritted her silver teeth, and said, "Ruan Mei, so this was why you stood me up yesterday. It was for this guy."

Herta's gaze landed on Bai Heng, who was noisily slurping milk tea.

Her dark violet eyes held both irritation and amusement.

"Want one?" There were still two unopened cups of milk tea beside Bai Heng. He casually lifted one.

"I don't need it." Herta swept back her chestnut-silver hair and spoke coldly. She was clearly still upset.

Since she had said she did not want any, Bai Heng paid her no further attention. He continued slurping his milk tea while surveying the academic forum's venue.

Honestly, he had not expected even Herta to attend this event.

Even if this was only one of her mass-produced puppets.

Meanwhile, Ruan Mei finished organizing her materials, naturally sat down to Bai Heng's right, and chose one of the two milk teas: almond fragrant tea flavor.

Seeing this, Herta turned to Ruan Mei and said, "Why do you get to choose first?"

"Didn't you say you didn't want one?" Ruan Mei calmly asked back, looking at her as though she were an irritable kitten.

It was admittedly rather beneath two Genius Society members to argue over milk tea, but it really was happening.

At the root of it, though, Herta was still hung up over Ruan Mei standing her up yesterday.

After Ruan Mei picked a cup, Herta naturally refused to choose the one she had left behind.

So, she raised a hand.

A bodyguard in a black leather jacket walked over and asked, "Ms. Herta, what do you need?"

Herta rested her chin on one hand, lifted her delicate face, and said, "Buy out every milk tea and dessert shop near the Bololorenz Grand Hotel. Then bring their milk tea here for me to choose from one by one."

"Yes, Ms. Herta."

When she said that, Herta deliberately emphasized the last few words.

"You're childish," Ruan Mei commented blandly.

"I want to be."

A quarter of an hour later, several bodyguards returned with all kinds of milk teas and desserts, arranging them before Herta.

Watching this unfold, Bai Heng bit down on his straw and said, "Herta, so this is how that outrageous bill Topaz froze at the Space Station last time came about."

In response, Herta snorted coldly. "They're only a few milk tea shops. The money it takes to buy them doesn't even compare to the funding consumed by the Simulated Universe in three seconds."

Bai Heng raised a thumb. "Whoa, rich lady. vivo 500,000 Credits—proving your strength."

"Fine." A smile appeared on Herta's delicate face. "If you can kick Ruan Mei away and shout, 'Long live Ms. Herta!' then willingly become my research subject, I might consider it."

"Besides, this puppet only barely resembles me at seven-tenths of how I looked as a child. If you agree, I might even let you see my true appearance."

Bai Heng noisily slurped his milk tea and said, "Not interested."

Herta glanced at the foot Ruan Mei was stepping on and said, "Hmph. What a hypocrite."

At that moment, Ruan Mei suddenly said, "I have a photo with Herta's real body."

"Hey, Ruan Mei, that's cheating!" Herta's long lashes trembled, and even her tone changed.

Ruan Mei smiled faintly. "You were the one who broke the rules first."

Feeling the tension between the two sides rise ever higher.

Bai Heng could only lower his head and silently slurp his milk tea, pondering inwardly.

What was this? A rehearsal for a jealous showdown?

In the blink of an eye, it was time for the academic forum to begin.

Within the long-silent venue, the boundary between reality and illusion began to blur.

Particle projections appeared throughout the hall.

But if anyone looked around, they might have noticed that in the reserved seats on the second floor, three people were holding milk tea in perfect unison.

In roughly three minutes, the originally empty hall was filled with particle projections.

Among them were many prominent figures from academia. Organizations known across the cosmos, such as the Genius Society, the Erudition Society, and the Interastral Astronomical Society, had all sent representatives.

"I'll go up and get ready first." Ruan Mei looked at Bai Heng and said softly.

"Mm."

As the opening speaker of the academic forum, Ruan Mei would be giving the first presentation.

Everyone had their own specialty, and Bai Heng did not understand Ruan Mei's research.

But as he watched her stand in the center of the venue, elegant and graceful, every movement exuding poise and dignity.

Bai Heng suddenly felt the pride of being the man behind a rich lady.

Once her experimental report on resurrecting an Emanator of the "Propagation" had concluded, Bai Heng joined everyone present in applauding.

However, a small incident occurred during the following question-and-answer session.

After Ruan Mei's speech, a reporter from the Interastral Peace Weekly asked a question according to the usual procedure.

Ruan Mei answered his doubts with ease and grace.

But afterward, the reporter suddenly rubbed his nose and smiled somewhat sheepishly. "Ms. Ruan Mei, your academic contributions to the field of life sciences are recognized throughout the cosmos and beyond question. But I actually have another question today. If it is convenient, could I take a little more of your time?"

Ruan Mei's eyes narrowed slightly. "Please ask."

Seizing the opportunity, the reporter asked, "My question may involve your personal privacy. If you do not wish to answer, you may simply ignore it. In my eyes, Ms. Ruan Mei, your beauty is as peerless as your wisdom. I imagine you must have many admirers around you."

"So I would like to know whether you currently have someone you are fond of. And if so, is he here today, watching your lecture?"