You're Still as Silver-Tongued as Ever

Her hand moved downward, her fingers lightly brushing over his cheek before resting beneath Bai Heng's chin, then sliding down to his neck.

Feeling the warmth from her fingertips, Bai Heng instinctively wanted to retreat.

But the more he thought about backing down, the angrier he became. So he simply raised his hand and pinched Ruan Mei's fair, delicate cheek.

Not bad. It actually felt pretty nice.

Topaz and Charles, watching from the side, felt their hearts tremble as they thought:

It was over. Not only had the project been ruined this time, they would also get thoroughly chewed out by those people on the board.

After all, every member of the Genius Society was someone the Interastral Peace Corporation wanted to win over by any means possible.

When Miss Herta had agreed to cooperate with the Interastral Peace Corporation, the corporation had broadcast the news across the entire universe.

They had no idea why Madam Ruan Mei had suddenly taken an interest in Bai Heng.

But they did know that Bai Heng's offensive action would most likely make her lose that interest and even develop feelings of disgust.

Yet Bai Heng, the person involved, merely tilted his head slightly and chuckled.

"Now we're even, right?"

Seeing Bai Heng's expression, Ruan Mei's lips parted slightly, her gaze somewhat dazed.

Because the Bai Heng in her memories had teased her in this same frivolous manner.

His gaze, demeanor, and even his bearing were almost exactly the same.

"Sorry, Madam Ruan Mei. Bai Heng didn't mean to offend you," Topaz said, seeing a slight fluctuation in Ruan Mei's emotions and trying to speak up for him.

But to her surprise, Ruan Mei merely withdrew her hand and said:

"It's all right."

Her gaze left Bai Heng and turned to the others, her voice gentle and unhurried.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Ruan Mei. I hope my actions just now did not frighten you. It is simply my habit to awaken my senses through touch."

That was what she said.

But Bai Heng felt that Ruan Mei had seemed to be trying to confirm whether he was wearing a mask.

Moreover, there had clearly been a trace of suspicion hidden within those seemingly placid almond-shaped eyes.

So the events in the simulation really had happened...

Though he had long suspected as much, having it formally confirmed still stirred a strange feeling within Bai Heng.

If those twenty-two years of memories had truly been his own experiences, then what kind of relationship did he now have with the woman before him...?

While Bai Heng was still pondering that question, Ruan Mei continued.

"Everyone from the corporation, I understand the purpose of your visit. The Astral Society and the Simulated Universe were both founded, in essence, to study the Aeons. Since our goals align, I believe we can discuss this."

At those words, a trace of surprise appeared in Charles's weathered gray eyes.

"Madam Ruan Mei, you mean...?"

"I speak only for myself. As for the specific details, I will discuss them with the representative from the Astral Society." She looked at Bai Heng again, her expression calm and unruffled.

Just then, Herta, who had been sitting at the conference table and idly examining the pastries in front of her, spoke up.

"If that's the case, then leave this place to them. You two guests from the corporation headquarters can come tour the Space Station with me."

Since Herta had spoken, Topaz and Charles naturally had no objections.

Besides, one of Topaz's purposes for coming to Herta Space Station this time was to have Herta deal with last month's excessively frozen bill.

So the two followed Herta out of the conference room.

Only Ruan Mei and Bai Heng remained in the conference room.

"Please, sit." Ruan Mei gestured for Bai Heng to take a seat, while she went over to the tea and pastries and personally brewed him a cup of tea.

Bai Heng naturally did not stand on ceremony.

"Thank you."

"Try the pastries here. I made them all myself." She appeared exceptionally calm, without the excitement Bai Heng had imagined she would show upon meeting an old acquaintance.

But just as Bai Heng ate a begonia cake with half a cup of clear tea, she suddenly asked:

"Are you... him?"

The conference room was so quiet that they could practically hear each other's heartbeats.

He had not expected her first question to be this.

But after coming back to his senses, Bai Heng did not know how to answer.

His lips moved, only for him to realize that he did not know the answer himself.

After a brief hesitation, Bai Heng looked at his reflection in the teacup and spoke.

"I am him, and yet I am not him."

Upon hearing that answer, Ruan Mei imperceptibly pressed her lower lip between her teeth.

He was him, and yet not him... Did that mean reincarnation?

Her intuition told her that the person before her was not lying.

Although she could use Truth Serum to discern whether his words were true or false, Ruan Mei did not want to do that to him alone.

Repeating those words to herself, Ruan Mei asked her second question.

"Then... do you still remember me?"

Bai Heng noticed that when she asked that question, Ruan Mei's breathing had clearly become somewhat unsteady.

He looked into those clear, water-like almond eyes and answered with a smile in an easygoing tone.

"Of course I remember. When we were little, I held your hand during the first-grab ceremony. It was tiny, soft, and smelled nice. And there was that time you insisted on comparing the size of our lips, which got me beaten badly after I went home. The one that left the deepest impression, though, was when I forced myself to praise your pastries. You actually gave them to everyone in the manor to try, and the manor's latrines were packed that night."

Bai Heng said all of that in one breath.

At his side, a hint of relief flashed through Ruan Mei's eyes, because she could now be certain that the person before her was Bai Heng after reincarnation.

But at the same time, she wore such a faint smile that Bai Heng found it unsettling, while her elegant brows knit deeply together.

She began to regret not using Truth Serum on Bai Heng.

What did he mean, she had insisted on comparing the size of their lips? Wasn't that clearly the other way around?

Whenever she thought of how her first kiss... had nearly been so easily stolen by him, Ruan Mei's expression became much more animated.

And yet he had the nerve to claim, without even blushing, that she had taken the initiative. And as for that embarrassing incident involving pastries for all the servants in the manor, hadn't it been because he had praised them so sincerely that she wanted to share them with everyone...?

"Bai Heng, you're still as silver-tongued as ever," Ruan Mei said with a smile, her tone mild.

Bai Heng vaguely sensed that the atmosphere was slightly off. He paused, then said:

"Uh, thank you for the compliment. But Madam Ruan Mei, you..."

"Call me A Ruan." Ruan Mei interrupted him.

"Ah, ahem... But A Ruan, you've changed a lot. I mean your personality."

"Is that so?" Ruan Mei casually took out a silver cube. It spun and collapsed in her hand before transforming in an instant into a silver longsword around three feet seven inches long.

Though the blade bore many scars and chips left behind by battle, they only added to its sharp, chilling edge.

Ruan Mei held the three-foot sword, her expression "kind."

"This sword is called Nameless. It was left behind by an old acquaintance of mine. I have kept it for him for over six hundred years, longing for the day when I could return it to him."

"But I cannot understand why someone who clearly remembers what happened before was only willing to come see me now. Bai Heng, can you help explain that?"

If you enjoy this book, please remember to add it to your bookshelf so you won't have trouble finding it next time.