Chapter 85 - Self-Rescue Manual of a Villainess

Having just said goodbye to Su Xiao Yu, Nan Yin wandered aimlessly at the banquet, not knowing what to do. After all, she didn't know anyone here. Given the pitiful connections of the original host, it was impossible for her to know anyone at this banquet. So, after tasting the food out of curiosity, she ended up sitting in a corner, bored and sipping on a drink. "What? Nan Yin can't drink? You don't understand, do you? There are plenty of underage young ladies and gentlemen at this grand noble banquet who can't drink. Therefore, a non-alcoholic beverage is specially prepared, with its taste mimicking that of alcohol. This drink is truly a blessing for the underage attendees." Unlike ordinary young people here, the underage drinking prohibition was a legal constraint. However, Nan Yin genuinely couldn't drink due to physiological reasons. So, she particularly enjoyed this non-alcoholic drink. It allowed her, who had loved drinking in her previous life, to experience the long-lost taste of alcohol. A beautiful girl with snowy hair, wearing an elegant evening gown, lazily sat in a corner holding a goblet filled with red liquid. She occasionally brought the edge of the goblet to her cherry lips, taking in the red liquid. This graceful and beautiful sight, along with the girl’s pure snowy hair and captivating red eyes, stirred the hearts of many men and women present. As more and more people noticed Nan Yin in the corner, the atmosphere at the banquet became lively. Many young men and women started inquiring about Nan Yin's background to their elders: Which family's young lady or young master she was, and more importantly, whether she had any engagement? Appearing to be a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, Nan Yin was the focus of concern due to her potential engagement. Unfortunately, those people were destined to be disappointed. They couldn't find out anything because Nan Yin was not the daughter of a tycoon, nor was she the young master of any prominent family. She was just an ordinary girl from the lower district of the Philo District. As for Nan Yin's nonchalant attitude at the banquet? It was simply a demeanor she had developed from attending such grand events in her past life. It had nothing to do with the original Nan Yin. While those people surveyed Nan Yin, Nan Yin, in turn, was also observing them. Just as she had sought allies and tools during a private banquet in the Renchen year, she was now looking for useful connections for her own small influence. However, her pursuit at this moment was merely to expand her own little power, and the banquet she attended couldn't compare to the one that determined the fate of a certain oriental nation. It felt like comparing apples to oranges. Before Nan Yin could find a suitable target, she saw Li Meng, whom she had just bidden farewell, walking into the banquet hall from the same entrance she had left. She was carrying a black box, but Nan Yin wasn't sure what was inside it. The host of the banquet had arrived, and naturally, there was no shortage of exchange and greetings with the representatives of various families. Afterwards, Li Meng hastily brushed off those people and came to Nan Yin's side. "Nan Yin, Nan Yin! Why are you sitting here alone? Where's Su Xiao Yu?" Li Meng asked, looking around, probably genuinely not knowing where Su Xiao Yu had gone. Upon seeing the innocent and lovely Li Meng, Nan Yin was suddenly moved. With a lazy expression on her face, she faintly smiled and said, "I'm here... of course, I was waiting for you. What else would I be doing?" Nan Yin saying this caught Li Meng off guard, and she blushed immediately, not even sure why she was blushing. "Waiting... for me? Have you been waiting for me all this time?" Li Meng asked, unsure. Seeing Nan Yin nod with a smile, Li Meng blushed even more, with her cheeks turning as red as her ears. "You... you're so silly! Why did you wait for me? You could have gone to find Su Xiao Yu." Wait... no, don't go find Su Xiao Yu. Uh-oh. Li Meng thought about this and a conflicted expression flashed across her face, which amused Nan Yin. Nan Yin hadn't expected that her casual remark would have this effect on the young lady. For a moment, she found it quite amusing. But she knew it was better to leave it at that rather than delve into the matter any further. So Nan Yin smiled and immediately changed the subject. "Right... Li Meng, what are you holding in your hand?" Nan Yin's approach was effective. Li Meng forgot about the previous playful banter and happily showed her the contents of the box. "This is a self-defense gadget my teacher gave me." Li Meng's teacher? Nan Yin tilted her head in thought. She couldn't recall this character. In the original work, Li Meng lost the use of her legs in that attack and became an emo girl, and then... she was taken into the harem by the male lead, Su Xiao Yu, turning this solemn and lovely young lady into a lovestruck individual. Well, the male lead sure had a wicked side. After making a mental note of Su Xiao Yu, Nan Yin didn't bother about who Li Meng's teacher was. Any character not appearing in the original work wasn't significant, as this world essentially revolved around the male lead, Su Xiao Yu. Nan Yin then became curious about what this "self-defense gadget" was. She deliberately revealed a puzzled expression and asked, "Self-defense gadget? What is it?" Sure enough, Li Meng was intrigued by Nan Yin's inquisitive expression. She immediately took out a ruby brooch from her pocket, looking mysterious. Nan Yin: ??? What's going on? Wasn't the self-defense gadget in the box? Why did she take out this thing? However, Nan Yin didn't remain puzzled for long. Seeing Li Meng's eagerness to show her teacher's gift, she explained the true nature of this gemstone brooch. Upon learning about the multifunctional nature of this little trinket, Nan Yin couldn't help but marvel at the advancement of technology in this world. While the real-time alarm system was understandable, the plasma shield that could resist mass destruction weapons at close range made Nan Yin visibly impressed. Nan Yin couldn't help but think of those old folks at the Chinese Academy of Sciences getting excited on seeing this brooch. It was her professional habit getting the better of her. However, she didn't get to dwell on it for long, because Li Meng then made a surprising proposition that left Nan Yin dumbfounded. "Nan Yin, my teacher gave me two brooches, one red and one black. One is enough for me, so how about I give the other one to you?" Giving her such a useful item? Nan Yin was momentarily taken aback. Upon hearing Li Meng's proposition, Nan Yin's immediate reaction wasn't one of surprise, but of caution. Why would Li Meng suddenly give her such a valuable gift? What was her motive? This wasn't Nan Yin being paranoid but rather a result of her long career and the resulting habits of thinking. Moreover, her speculation was quite logical. Firstly, she had indeed saved Li Meng, but Li Meng had already compensated her generously, and Li Meng's father, Li Yitian, had made relevant gestures. In this situation, Li Meng didn't owe Nan Yin anything. If the gift was purely out of friendship? Nan Yin felt it wasn't very realistic. She subconsciously believed that Li Meng, as the second young miss of a large conglomerate, was unlikely to be emotionally driven. Moreover, Nan Yin desperately needed this item. She was currently just a weakling, easily crushable by any high-level esper. In this scenario, Li Meng's unexpected gift made Nan Yin contemplate whether Li Meng had a hidden agenda. But before Nan Yin could further dwell on this, Li Meng's teacher arrived.