Shen Zhaozhao: "..."
Upon hearing the system's shocking conclusion, Shen Zhaozhao's almond-shaped eyes, which were usually filled with shrewd calculation, showed a rare moment of blankness and bewilderment.
She believed that people could be driven mad by love, after all, there was a whole bunch of them in her sect.
But... "pure love"?
That kind of thing that disregards costs, seeks no return, and has no ulterior motives...?
Shen Zhaozhao pressed her temples in frustration, a surge of inexplicable anger rising within her.
She preferred to believe that the immortal lord wanted to use her to overthrow the Heavenly Dao; at least that sounded like a plausible plan, rather than this kind of...feeling that she couldn't understand.
Just then, there was a gentle knock on the office door, and the impeccably made-up secretary entered, her voice respectful: "President Shen, the stylist has delivered the dresses for the cocktail party with President Lu tonight. Would you like to take a look?"
Shen Zhaozhao raised her eyes, suppressing the inexplicable restlessness in her heart, and casually replied, "Just put it there."
After the secretary quietly left, the system seemed to struggle to add something more: [Host, actually, the Immortal Venerable...]
"Alright."
Shen Zhaozhao interrupted her coldly, her eyes lowered to conceal all the turbulent emotions within them: "I will see the rest myself."
Shen Zhaozhao was incredibly astute.
From the moment she opened her eyes in this world and glimpsed that glaringly familiar date on the electronic calendar, she almost instantly knew that what she had fallen into was not a time travel, but a mental illusion.
After all, in both her lives combined, there were very few things that could be considered "fearful" to her.
If I had to say there was one... then it would only be this seemingly ordinary business cocktail party before I transmigrated into the book.
However, what she feared most was not being plotted against by her nemesis at the party. What truly terrified her was the messy debt she had incurred in her chaotic memories after the party, a debt she had yet to unravel.
...
That night.
The hotel banquet hall was glittering and elegant, filled with the fragrance of fine clothes and the aroma of wine and perfume, as well as insincere small talk.
Shen Zhaozhao wore a dark green velvet dress that accentuated her slender figure. With a distant and appropriate smile, she moved with ease among various business elites.
Everyone treated her with utmost respect, even with a hint of cautious flattery, because of her formidable position in the business world and the invisible, life-or-death pressure she exuded.
Only one person, holding two glasses of champagne, with a smile that seemed friendly but was actually provocative, danced directly in front of her.
Lu Jingchen, the most outstanding heir of the Lu family in this generation, is on par with her in terms of age, family background, and ability. He is also her arch-rival who has been fighting in this circle for many years.
"Mr. Shen, would you do me the honor of having a drink?"
Lu Jingchen handed her one of the glasses of champagne, his eyes carrying a tacit, competitive look. "You won't even give me this much face, will you?"
Shen Zhaozhao glanced at him, said nothing, but simply extended her hand, which was covered by a long black velvet glove, and took the glass of wine directly from him.
A triumphant smile had just flashed across the man's eyes when Shen Zhaozhao flicked her wrist, without even looking, and precisely shoved the glass of wine into the hand of the male assistant wearing gold-rimmed glasses, who was half a step behind him.
The movements were fluid and natural, as if they were meant to be.
Lu Jingchen's smile froze instantly. Although he tried his best to maintain his composure, his eyes turned cold: "What does President Chen mean by this?"
Shen Zhaozhao then leisurely raised her eyes, her red lips curving into a wicked yet playful arc, her gaze sweeping meaningfully back and forth between Lu Jingchen and his assistant.
"President Lu, please don't take offense. To be honest, I've always been a big fan of both of you."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the few people around her who were listening intently to the gossip: "If you two really get together, remember to... reserve a table for me at the wedding."
Lu Jingchen's smile vanished completely, his eyes darkening so deeply they seemed to drip water.
He stared intently at Shen Zhaozhao, as if trying to discern from her nonchalant expression how she had seen through his hidden thoughts.
The two exchanged a few more rounds of forced smiles and barbed remarks. Shen Zhaozhao, too lazy to waste any more breath on him, made up an excuse and turned to walk towards the secluded corridor she remembered.
The high heels made almost no sound as they stepped on the soft carpet.
However, just as she stood still, a series of slightly disordered and unsteady footsteps approached from afar.
Shen Zhaozhao looked up.
A tall, slender figure stumbled and staggered towards them, leaning against the gilded wall.
He lowered his head slightly, a few strands of dark hair falling across his forehead, partially obscuring his eyebrows and eyes, but his superior features and the aloofness and detachment that lingered even in such a disheveled state...
Shen Zhaozhao's eyelids twitched uncontrollably twice.
She took a deep breath, then without hesitation, she stepped forward, grabbed the man's wrist precisely, and with a clever move, slammed him against the cold wall.
"Hmm!"
The other person let out a suppressed groan, seemingly extremely displeased by the sudden offense, and struggled to raise their head—
Their eyes met.
Shen Zhaozhao looked at the face in front of her, and her breath hitched almost imperceptibly for a moment.
It really is that face.
His deep, peach-blossom eyes were misty from the effects of the medicine and the sudden impact, with an unnatural red tinge at the corners. But deep within them was an icy chill, carrying a sense of being disturbed, offended, and annoyed.
Those eyes, which always held a clear, bright light, now clearly reflected her image, as well as an undisguised impatience and disgust, as if touched by some filthy ant.
There was no trace of tenderness, nor the clingy, aggrieved expression of love that she later became familiar with.
It only contains the most primitive, coldness belonging to those in power and the displeasure of having one's territory invaded.
A very faint, self-deprecating bitter laugh escaped Shen Zhaozhao's throat.
It really is you!
Xie Linyuan.
She's not stupid.
The unique lotus pattern mark below the collarbone.
Murong Xiao's line, "Your Excellency was defiled by a demon in another world," is relevant.
The system's earth-shattering declaration of "pure love".
And then there's that person's insane behavior stemming from the "being slept with as a stand-in" script...
The clues were right there, but she chose to be selectively blind and refused to piece together the answer.
After all, if he were just an ordinary person, she could simply spend some money to support him, and the transaction would be settled without any further debts.
But it just so happens to be Xie Linyuan.
It's that immortal venerable who holds the order of the three realms but isn't quite right in the head.
What's more troublesome is that the system's phrase "pure love" is like a thorn stuck in her heart.
This kind of "emotion" that she couldn't exchange for using the logic she was familiar with made her instinctively feel troubled and inexplicably irritated.
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