Chapter 241
After taking a bath, Ying'er felt completely refreshed, as if all the fatigue she had accumulated from working daily at Scent of Spring had vanished.
So miraculous.
Not only did it help maintain her figure, but it also improved her mood.
800 Mora was definitely worth it.
No wonder Ningguang came five times a week.
Unfortunately, she wasn't as wealthy as Ningguang. She couldn't afford to be so indulgent—no, relaxed.
After finishing her laundry and saying goodnight to everyone, Ying'er returned to her room on the second floor of the adjacent shop.
Since she wasn't sleepy yet, she decided to try recreating the boss's essential oil into a similar balm.
Ying'er lifted her hand and brought it close to her nose, inhaling the faint scent of essential oil still lingering on her skin.
She focused on identifying and analyzing the fragrances.
"Sumeru Rose, Cecilia…"
Her expression grew increasingly conflicted.
She could only identify a small portion of the ingredients. The rest of the scent was completely unfamiliar to her—she had no impression of them at all.
"What exactly are the missing ingredients…?"
Just as she was deep in thought, she heard a soft knock at the door.
She froze for a moment before getting up to open it.
Standing outside was the petite Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
"Miss Xia Ci?"
"Miss Ying'er."
"It's quite late. Did you need my help with something?"
"No, I just couldn't sleep. I saw your room was still lit, so I thought I'd come chat. Is that alright?"
"Of course. Please come in, Miss Xia Ci."
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata stepped inside and glanced at the assortment of perfumery tools and thick books on the table.
"Miss Ying'er, are you very interested in fragrances?"
"Yes."
"No wonder you have so many tools for making balms."
"These tools are rare nowadays. I'm surprised you recognize them, Miss Xia Ci."
"I happen to know a little."
Ying'er was slightly surprised but quickly reasoned that it made sense.
After all, the boss was a fragrance master himself, so he surely knew how to make balms. Since Xia Ci was his cousin and had grown up around him, she would naturally be familiar with these tools as well.
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata glanced at her and, noticing her shifting expression, seemed to understand what she was thinking. She simply smiled before walking over to the table and picking up a small bottle.
"This contains [Hundred Flowers Balm], doesn't it?"
"Yes. How did you know?"
"I can smell it in the air."
"But the bottle is sealed…"
"Even sealed, a faint trace of scent still leaks out. Ordinary people might not detect it, but I can."
Ying'er was stunned again, her eyes filled with surprise.
"Miss Xia Ci, your sense of smell is incredibly sharp!"
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata chuckled and looked down.
"This Hundred Flowers Balm—did you make it yourself, Miss Ying'er?"
"Yes."
"The original formula was incomplete, so you filled in the missing parts yourself."
"That's right."
"No wonder its scent is so close to the real Hundred Flowers Balm."
"Close? What do you mean, Miss Xia Ci?"
"The formula you completed isn't entirely accurate. The issue lies in the proportions of a few ingredients, and it's also missing one crucial component—pearl powder…"
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata patiently pointed out Ying'er's mistakes and carefully explained the correct methods. Along the way, she also shared advanced knowledge about fragrance composition.
The more Ying'er listened, the more astonished she became.
The more she listened, the more admiration she felt.
The young girl before her—who looked no older than Yaoyao—was actually a fragrance master as well!
Are all the Xia family members geniuses?!
After finishing her lecture, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata casually waved her hand, glanced at the thoroughly impressed Ying'er, and left, satisfied.
Ying'er walked her to the door before quickly rushing back to her desk, grabbing paper and pen, and furiously jotting down notes.
Her eyes gleamed with excitement, filled with the light of newfound realization.
Switching jobs was definitely the right choice!
---
Xia Zhi's Room.
After completing his daily tasks, Xia Zhi pulled out the [Master Key] and opened a door in the wall.
Shenhe was sitting on the bed, carefully applying nail polish to her fingers.
Her nails had already been done that morning, but during tonight's massage… they had accidentally been eaten off.
So now she had to reapply them.
Might as well switch to a new color.
Purple.
But applying polish on her own was a bit tricky, making the process slow.
"Still painting?"
"One hand left."
"I'll help you."
"Alright."
Xia Zhi walked over, sat beside her on the bed, and took the tools from her hands, slowly painting her nails.
Shenhe lifted her gaze slightly, watching his focused expression.
Her eyes softened as she murmured, "You came earlier today."
"I missed you."
"Mm… Do you like the purple?"
"I do. It gives off a mature and elegant vibe."
"What about my toenails?"
"Want me to paint them too?"
"Yes."
"Alright."
Shenhe's legs were beautifully shaped, and her toenails were clean and delicate.
Not only was there no unpleasant scent, but they also carried a faint fragrance of essential oil.
Even though Xia Zhi wasn't particularly into feet, he felt an urge to admire them in his hands.
"Don't move around."
"It tickles."
"I'm almost done."
"Mm."
"All done."
"Let's go."
"Wait, bring your uniform too—the summer one."
"I'll get it."
With the uniform in hand, they returned to Xia Zhi's room.
Not for any particular reason—mostly because the bed here was bigger.
Shenhe naturally changed into the summer uniform before getting into bed and clinging to him.
Xia Zhi kissed her and then took out a small black orb.
"Boss, what's this?"
"[Silence Orb]."
"[Silence Orb]?"
"It's just a small gadget, nothing major. But it creates a soundproof field within a small area."
Shenhe blinked, as if realizing something.
"I see."
"Here, wear it on your wrist."
"Mm."
And then—there was nothing more to say.
If anything… the summer uniform looked great, but its quality was subpar. ( ;-; )
It didn't compare to last night's [Mistveil Silk Robe].
Especially the black stockings—just a slight tug and they tore apart.
But the [Silence Orb] worked perfectly.
Five-star rating! ( ;-; yeah 5 star, for sure )
---
Second Floor, Adjacent Room.
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata lay in bed, unable to sleep.
Tonight felt… strange.
Unlike the previous nights, she hadn't heard those sounds coming from next door.
What's going on with Cousin?
Taking a break for a day?
She turned over, inhaling the lingering scent of essential oil on her skin.
Her mind drifted back to the delightful sensations of her evening massage.
Pressing her lips together, she let out a quiet sigh.
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