…Tsk? Liang Sheng composed herself, her smile fading.
“At least I’m not selfish about it. I only like one person. Isn’t that better than you scheming to conquer a harem of women?”
Su Ze noted her darkening expression and felt a rush of relief. “Ha? So I’m the one in a normal romance. What about you? What kind of warped idea of love is that?”
Liang Sheng laughed, though it was more out of anger than amusement. She had no desire to keep staring at Su Ze’s loathsome face.
“What’s right or wrong about loving someone? I’ve finally arrived in this world without any grand ambitions. All I want is to live freely and happily for the rest of my days. If I let something as trivial as gender shackle me, what’s the point of a joyless, loveless life?”
Su Ze wasn’t buying any of it. He sneered coldly. “Don’t feed me that twisted nonsense. Right is right, wrong is wrong. If most people agree on it, then it’s right. Your explanations are just empty excuses, no matter how you dress them up.”
Well now. Liang Sheng gazed at him with pity, as if he were some poor, lost soul. “I used to think you were rotten through and through. Turns out you’re also dumb as a sack of hammers.”
“You…!” Su Ze’s face darkened to pitch black once more. A few more barbs like that, and he’d rival a fully mature chameleon.
“Phew~” He took a steadying breath.
“Liang Sheng, I’m warning you—don’t get on my bad side.” Su Ze bristled with menace again. “Mark my words: stay out of my way, and you’ll walk away from this in one piece.”
“Heh, like I’d buy that crap?” Liang Sheng burst into laughter.
“I don’t think there’s anything left to discuss.” With a frosty expression, she rose to her feet and prepared to head back to the set. “Our ideals clash; no point forcing it.”
“Wait!” Su Ze’s voice spiked as he blocked her path. “Akino Kazuko, Favorability System—I know you’re here. Don’t you want to know where Akino Hoshiko is?”
“Hoshiko!?” Kazuko materialized abruptly in mid-air. Su Ze couldn’t see her, but Akino Wakako could.
“Long time no see.” Wakako appeared instantly afterward. Thanks to her glitchy invisibility, Liang Sheng spotted her too.
Akino Kazuko, aware she’d let her composure slip, vanished in a hurry.
“Heh~ Why run off without so much as a hello after all this time~?” Akino Wakako’s smile turned enchantingly sly. “That useless thing~ is right here with me~”
“…” Kazuko stayed hidden and silent. Wakako, left hanging, disappeared as well.
Liang Sheng took in the scene, then turned on her heel and strode back toward the set.
“What’s the deal between you all—no, between the systems?” Liang Sheng finally blurted it out. The question had been gnawing at her for ages.
“…” Nothing but silence.
“Sigh~” Frustrated yet powerless, Liang Sheng clamped her mouth shut.
“We’re probably sisters?” Akino Kazuko’s voice broke the quiet at last.
Liang Sheng let it drop. Everyone had their secrets; every family had its skeletons.
The dazzling special effects that looked so epic on TV came off as downright comical in person. Even Liang Sheng, with her sunny disposition, watched Bai Zhen and the others perform for a while and forgot all her troubles, casting them to the winds.
Just look at that backdrop behind them—nothing but green screen. Technology really had advanced by leaps and bounds. Liang Sheng let out a sigh straight out of an old-timer ambling through the neighborhood park with his pet bird, dog, or turtle.
That evening, once filming wrapped, Ou Lu drove Liang Sheng home. There was another scene to shoot tonight. Before they parted, she handed Liang Sheng a bottle of mint-scented perfume.
“Wow~~” Liang Sheng’s eyes sparkled like heart shapes as she threw her arms around Ou Lu. “Thank you so much, Sister Ou Lu! I’ll treasure it and make it last!”
Ding~ Favorability increased.
“Ou Lu’s Favorability toward Liang Sheng: 37”
“Come tour my Perfume Factory next time,” Ou Lu told her.
“What?! Me? Really?” Liang Sheng put on an exaggerated look of surprise. “It’s a deal then!” She jumped at the chance, not about to miss out on quality time with a beauty like this.
“So, when? Sister Ou Lu, I’m dying to see your Perfume Factory!”
Ou Lu pulled out her laptop and scanned her schedule. “Next Wednesday at 1 PM. I’ll come pick you up.”
“Yay!” Liang Sheng beamed, practically leaping three feet into the air with excitement.
“Mwah~” As she dashed toward home, she blew Ou Lu a playful flying kiss. “Sister Ou Lu~~~ See you Wednesday! Drive safe!”
Ding~ Favorability increased.
“Ou Lu’s Favorability toward Liang Sheng: 37.5”
“Haha.” Ou Lu chuckled. The girl was a bundle of energy.
After Liang Sheng had gone inside, Su Ze spoke up from the back seat. “Miss Ou Lu, mind if I tag along on Wednesday for the tour?”
“Sure,” Ou Lu replied without hesitation.
“Thank you for inviting me.” Su Ze kept his delight in check, stepped out, and slid into the passenger seat.
Ou Lu’s brow furrowed, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face, but she held her tongue. She climbed in after him.
“Miss Ou Lu, allow me to help with your seatbelt.” Su Ze leaned in courteously.
Whoosh~ Favorability decreased.
“Ou Lu’s Favorability toward Su Ze: 69.5”
“Stop—!” Ou Lu thrust out a hand, halting him cold, her expression impassive. “Su Ze, I’ve made it clear: I despise physical contact with creeps like you. I touched your leg earlier out of necessity, and I can forgive that—heck, I’m grateful. But knocking over that little girl? That’s beyond the pale.”
“Sorry,” Su Ze pulled back. “I’ll watch myself next time.”
“Mmm.” Ou Lu fastened her own seatbelt, her fingers lightly stroking the steering wheel. She glanced back toward Liang Sheng’s house, a cryptic smile playing on her lips.
Sure enough, folks drenched in fragrance were mostly women. Men? Eh… not so much. Su Ze’s scent was downright mundane, so why did she keep dealing with him?
Ou Lu drew a blank herself. Truth was, she preferred mingling with people who carried distinctive aromas—like Liang Sheng’s subtle, refreshing one.
Ou Lu smiled to herself. She’d just inspired the scent for her next perfume.
The moment she got home and cracked open her room door, a dark shadow pounced right at her.
“Eek!” Liang Sheng nearly fainted from fright. What in the world—a massive mutant rat?!
“Sheng-chan~”
Fine, this was worse than any overgrown rodent.
Hana pinned her flat in an instant.
Liang Sheng dangled like a helpless chick by her collar as Hana shoved her straight onto the bed.
