Chapter 26
Xia'er paused, seemingly catching the attention of a servant. The servant approached the grand iron gate and, peering through the bars, asked, “Miss, are you looking for someone?”
“I’m looking for Ai Mi. I’m her classmate, Xia'er,” she replied through the fence.
“Please wait a moment, Miss Xia'er. I’ll go inform the young lady.” The servant bowed slightly in respect upon hearing she was a classmate, then turned and hurried through the garden, entering the grand villa.
After waiting for about a minute, Xia'er saw a figure in a silk nightgown rushing toward the main door, followed closely by a maid who appeared to be in her thirties.
“Miss! Miss! You haven’t changed your clothes!”
At the maid’s call, Ai Mi suddenly looked down, realizing she had dashed out in her nightgown. Her face flushed bright red as she turned and bolted back into the villa. The maid offered Xia'er an apologetic nod before hastily following after her.
Another thirty minutes passed, and Xia'er’s legs were nearly numb from standing outside when the villa’s grand door finally swung open again.
Ai Mi emerged, wearing a light blue silk dress adorned with delicate lace. The petticoat flared out, giving her a voluminous silhouette, while a white lace shawl draped over her shoulders. A straw hat decorated with flowers and feathers perched atop her head, and her golden, wavy hair shimmered in the sunlight.
She opened a small door in the iron gate, reached out to pull Xia'er into the garden, then quickly withdrew her hand, clasping it behind her back. With her head lowered, she couldn’t help but steal glances at Xia'er’s curly hair.
“Xia'er... what brings you here? I was looking for you at the graduation ceremony yesterday, but I couldn’t find you...” Ai Mi asked nervously, accidentally biting her tongue in her haste.
Xia'er took a deep breath, her eyes drifting to the garden beside them.
These flowers really do look like flowers...
Ai Mi! With you acting like this, it’s really hard for me to bring up the subject of borrowing money!
**Chapter 26: Time for a Big Score!**
In the end, Xia'er couldn’t bring herself to ask Ai Mi for money.
She was pulled into having afternoon tea, sampling some pastries, and they chatted for nearly an hour before Xia'er took her leave.
Though the visit was brief, Ai Mi had been all smiles, only showing a hint of disappointment when Xia'er announced she was leaving. However, when Xia'er promised to visit again, Ai Mi’s smile returned.
What a wonderfully easy-to-please child.
Yet, Xia'er managed to glean some information about Ai Mi’s finances.
Currently, Ai Mi had about 30 sovereigns in savings. Although she received 5 sovereigns as pocket money each week, her spending was so extravagant that she hardly saved anything.
Hearing about Ai Mi’s weekly allowance made Xia'er reflect on the disparity between them.
Sister Li Qi worked herself to the bone in the factory, toiling for nearly 14 hours a day, earning only 11 shillings a week.
Meanwhile, Ai Mi’s weekly allowance was nearly nine times Li Qi’s salary, which was quite astonishing.
After asking Ai Mi for directions to 15 Jueqi Bridge, Xia'er left her home and headed toward Ai Wei Na’s residence.
As she crossed a street lined with embassies, the area opened up significantly. The villas here were no longer mere houses; they were estates—vast gardens and lawns between the houses and iron gates that dwarfed the entire plot of Ai Mi’s home.
Ai Wei Na... her family seems even wealthier than I imagined.
Xia'er stopped in front of number 15, showing the armed guard at the entrance the seal Ai Wei Na had given her, and was promptly admitted into the estate, waiting in the reception room adjacent to the hall.
Before long, Ai Wei Na entered, dressed in the same uniform and tall boots as the night before. She looked at Xia'er, who had risen to greet her.
“Miss Xia'er, we meet again.” After closing the door to the reception room, Ai Wei Na sat down across from Xia'er, her expression neutral. “I was just about to head to the police station; I almost missed you.”
Facing the unyielding Ai Wei Na, Xia'er felt a wave of relief wash over her—at least there was no moral pressure here.
“You said I could come to you for a favor.” Xia'er wasted no time and got straight to the point.
“Who do you want to kill?” Ai Wei Na seemed to have guessed Xia'er’s intentions, cutting through the small talk. “I can help you deal with any ruffians.”
Ai Wei Na pulled out a small black notebook and retrieved a pen from her pocket, ready to jot something down.
Xia'er: “I came to borrow money.”
Ai Wei Na: “...”
Ai Wei Na’s body stiffened for a moment, as if her mind hadn’t caught up.
After a long pause, she finally looked up at Xia'er, confirming that she wasn’t joking, and asked, “How much do you need?”
“How much do you have?” Xia'er thought for a moment and added, “If possible, it would be best if it’s all in gold sovereigns.”
“Are you trying to avoid trouble?” A hint of confusion crossed Ai Wei Na’s face. “I can arrange a place for you.”
Ai Wei Na had also done some digging into Xia'er’s background last night. If Xia'er intended to run away with her sister, it would indeed be like a fish disappearing into the sea—very hard to track down.
“No, I just want the money.” Xia'er revealed part of the truth. “I want to visit De Dun Manor.”
Then why only gold sovereigns?
Never mind...
Ai Wei Na didn’t press further. She simply asked Xia'er to wait a moment, stepped out of the reception room, and returned about ten minutes later, carrying a small, elegant silk bag the size of a fist.
“This contains 75 gold sovereigns,” Ai Wei Na placed the bag in front of Xia'er and explained, “The last time I acquired spiritual materials, it was only half a portion—not the main material, not a finished potion, and it didn’t come with the ritual or formula. It could sell for about 50 gold sovereigns at De Dun Manor.”
“The additional 25 gold sovereigns are a personal loan to you; you can pay me back whenever you like.”
Thud—
A hefty bag of coins was placed before Xia'er, and as Ai Wei Na loosened the drawstring, the golden coins shimmered, causing Xia'er to lean back slightly in surprise.
Gold... so much gold...
When Ai Wei Na placed the heavy bag of coins in Xia'er’s hands, she felt her breath quicken.
This was the first time she had seen so much money...
Though the total weight of the coins was only about 600 grams, the sheer weight felt like a ton to Xia'er.
“Don’t you want to count it?” Ai Wei Na asked.
“No, it’s fine.” Xia'er placed the bag into her handbag, steadied her emotions, and looked at Ai Wei Na. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.” Ai Wei Na shook her head lightly, then added, “If there’s nothing urgent, it’s better for you not to come looking for me this month.”
“The contract we signed is very unfavorable for me. To ensure my thoughts aren’t overly influenced by it, we can communicate through letters.”
“Sure thing.” Xia'er readily agreed.
After all, once you step out of the simulation, you wouldn’t know anything about the contract.
As Xia'er stood up, preparing to leave for De Dun Manor, she suddenly remembered something and turned back to Ai Wei Na.
“Ai Wei Na, do you have any unused sacks at home?”
75 gold sovereigns was indeed a lot for Xia'er.
But if she had to use 1 fate point to exchange for those 75 gold sovereigns, it would be quite painful.
Gold sovereigns could be earned again, but if she exhausted her fate points, Xia'er would no longer be able to enter the simulation.
If possible, she wanted to earn a bit more gold sovereigns at the bank.
“Oh, and one more question.” Xia'er thought for a moment and continued, “Do banks have extraordinary beings as guards?”
Ai Wei Na: “...”
Ai Wei Na: “Huh?”
In an instant, she found herself struggling to keep up with Xia'er’s train of thought.
First asking for a sack, then inquiring about extraordinary guards at banks... do you realize you’re speaking to a police officer?
“Are you planning to rob a bank?” Ai Wei Na’s expression turned serious as she warned, “Most major banks are controlled by families, and the internal dynamics are complex. If a supernatural bank robbery were to occur, you’d likely be apprehended that very night.”
“I was just asking! Why would I rob a bank? I’m not crazy,” Xia'er waved her hand, laughing as she explained, “I’m just curious.”
After a moment of thought, Ai Wei Na agreed.
Miss Xia'er usually acted with caution. Although she had only recently become extraordinary, she likely wouldn’t engage in such reckless behavior.
“Are you planning to go to De Dun Manor next, Miss Xia'er? If so, you might want to reconsider.” Ai Wei Na spoke up, “De Dun Manor operates on an invitation-only basis, requiring three members to vouch for you. Just having me as a guarantor isn’t enough.”
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