“Granduncle, boiling this medicinal herb is a usual thing to do. I can control how much effect the herb would have on its users and how much would get absorbed into people’s blood vessels. Still, it’s too difficult to manage its absorption after evaporation.”Austin felt helpless. “Based on your experience, is it possible for me to control the medicinal herb’s evaporation process entirely?”Dominic threw Austin a sideway glance and pursed his lips, smiling. “What? You haven’t solved such a simple problem even after being in that stupid lab for a long time?”“It’s not like that…” Austin heard that Lily had already solved this problem, but as he was competing with Lily, he had to figure things out independently since she would not give him her data.He must piece all the puzzles together by himself. Plus, he was doubtful, not entirely believing that Lily had solved the problem and thought it was just a cover-up on her end. ‘I know so much about these herbs, and I’ve spent so much t
“Granduncle, it’s my fault! I shouldn’t have asked so many questions! Don’t get mad, please. I’ll stop asking!”“Get the f*ck out of here! Don’t you understand what I’m saying?” Dominic looked around. It seemed he did not find anything to grab, so he picked up the woven fan again and threw it in Austin’s direction. “You brat! Why do you need to come over and piss me off so often? Do you believe you can dictate how I live my life when I’ve lived much longer than you? Get the h*ll out of here right now, and don’t ever show your a*s here again!”Austin dodged the woven fan every time Dominic threw it his way, even though it wasn't likely to hurt him much if it did hit him. He was anxious when he heard Dominic ban him from coming over again.“Granduncle, don’t be mad! I won’t ask any questions anymore, and I’ll leave now! Please calm down. Getting mad isn’t good for your health! I’ll go back now, and I’ll visit you again soon!” With that, Austin turned around and ran out the door like
“Who the h*ll are you?” Austin tugged at his collar as he spoke in a tone that contrasted with his usual gentlemanly appearance.“I-I’m Mrs. Moore. We’ve met before.” The woman sounded slightly upset but spoke in an ingratiating manner.Austin had no idea who she was. “Mrs. Moore? Which one? I don’t know a Mrs. Moore!”Besides his relatives and a few friends, Austin had little interaction with women, let alone someone else’s wife. As the woman said she was Mrs. Moore, Austin thought he would not know such a person. Plus, why would he be in contact with someone else’s wife? However, that did not apply to Lily.Maria could sense that Austin was going to hang up soon. She became anxious and spoke quickly, “Mr. Fike, I’m Mrs. Moore. We met at the seminar the other day and exchanged a few words. At that time, you were even…”She wanted to bring up that he had been splashed with a drink that night but realized that doing so would offend Austin. Hence, she quickly stopped and said, “
Then Austin hung up the phone and blocked the number immediately. ‘What the h*ll was that?’He started the engine and stepped on the accelerator, trying to calm himself down with the wind that blew in his face. …On the other hand, Maria, who had the call hung up on her, had a terrible expression. “You haven’t said everything. What’s wrong with you?” The man by her side inquired, slightly impatiently.Holding her phone, Maria pursed her lips. “He… hung up on me.”“What?” The man asked in a raised voice before he sneered. “What are you doing? You’re so unreliable! What did you tell me earlier? You said you'd get a miracle doctor to cure Anastasia’s illness! But look at what’s happening now. He doesn’t even want to talk to you!”The man emphasized his words to show his disapproval of Maria. She was upset as well. “I didn’t expect it to be so hard to get his help! I went through so much trouble just to get his phone number, and who do you think I did all that for? Do you think I
After some thought, Maria stood up and said, “What about this? I’ll look for him since he won’t answer my call.”That earned her a surprised look from Fabian. “He doesn’t even want to answer your calls, so are you sure he’ll be willing to meet you? Even so, would he agree to your request?”“We can’t talk things out on the phone. When we meet later, I’ll stop Mr. Austin from leaving, so he will have no choice but to listen to whatever I say.“I heard he’s busy with something at the institute’s lab, so I bet I could meet him if I wait long enough. Plus, I have a great gift for him, and I’m sure it’s something he’ll be interested in!” Maria pinched her fingers mid-air, smiling confidently.“It’s all talk now, and you’re planning to spend so much already? Do you think my money grows on trees?” Fabian was displeased after he learned that his wife would spend money on Austin.His business had not been faring well recently, so he wanted to seek help from Cameron, his brother-in-law, who
Lily looked around as she exited the car. It was not far from what she had imagined. With Cameron’s identity, it was not a good idea for him to live too extravagantly. Hence, he stayed in an ordinary, two-story bungalow which looked elegant from the outside.After entering the house, a maid served Lily some tea and desserts. “Ms. Rollins will be down soon.”Lily nodded, and the maid left to do her work. The house was spacious, and because there was not much furniture and appliances around, it made the space look even more prominent. She could see almost everything in the living room at one glance.There were not many luxurious or expensive things here, and it appeared that Cameron was just as Alexander had described. Cameron was a meticulous man in many aspects.There were a few decorative items in the living room as well. A few pots of bonsai were in sight, and the pots which contained them looked plain. While looking around, Lily heard slow and heavy footsteps coming from the sta
“I wouldn’t mind that.” Lily noticed Anastasia looked weak and appeared tired after saying just a few words. “Do you get tired easily?”With a pillow under her head, Anastasia nodded, her gaze lowered. “Yeah. I’m fat and lazy, so I get fatigued easily.”“Are you lazy? You’re not,” Lily pointed to the few bonsai pots in the corner. “You managed those plants, didn’t you? How could you call yourself lazy when you could care for and prune those plants so well.”Upon hearing that, Anastasia looked toward the plants. They had a lush appearance and were well-maintained. The most exciting thing about them was that Anastasia had pruned them into the shapes of cartoon animals.“How did you know I was the one who pruned them?” Anastasia smiled. “Why didn’t you think the maids did it?”Lily shook her head. “They wouldn’t have pruned the bonsai into such cute shapes if it were them. Only someone as innocent as a child would do something as such.”“Innocent…” Anastasia repeated the word softly
It was different from anything in the past. This time, Anastasia was not repulsed by those questions. There was no mockery in Lily's eyes. She could tell Lily was not asking her all those questions because she wanted to gossip or laugh about it, but because she was genuinely concerned. Anastasia eventually got the impression that Lily wanted to assist her in solving her issue after she patiently probed her about her illness.“Mrs. Russell, do you know how to cure an illness?” Anastasia asked out of the blue.Lily was surprised, and after two seconds of silence, she shook her head. “No, I don’t! I’m a perfumer, not a doctor.”“Oh.” Anastasia appeared to be disappointed. “I thought you were a doctor because you might be able to help me that way.”“How could I be…” Lily laughed. “It’s best for you to get a consultation from the professionals.”“I’ve met many of them and tried every possible way. Maybe because I’m lazy, but I’ll puke every time I exercise. Later, I had to give up on
Lily tilted her head up to fight back her tears, saying, “There’s something I find strange.”“What is it?” Mike asked after comforting his son.“Instead of detaining Prince Ross, Her Majesty has sent him back to Yudonia. If so, why couldn’t we reach him?”After some thought, Mike answered, “There are two possibilities. It’s probably due to poor signals, or he doesn’t want us to contact him.”The two shared a look, knowing what each other was wondering.‘Why can’t we contact Ross? Is he planning something?’…Three days later, Lily inserted the last needle into the queen’s leg and looked up at her, saying, “You should start feeling your legs tomorrow. Still, it’ll take some time before you can stand.”Suddenly, Lily chuckled.“Why are you laughing?” Yasmin touched her legs. She had begun to regain sensation in her legs over the last two days. She then began to believe that she could get up. However, the queen was hesitant when the queen heard Lily chuckle.Lily shook her head
Lily straightened up and said without resentment, “Of course, you wouldn’t.”“That’s… quite a pity,” the queen murmured thoughtfully.“Well, there’s a price to pay for everything. That’s how the world balances itself,” Lily continued, “I can’t stop you if you must carry on with R10. Still, I won’t witness whether or not it succeeds. I just wish the outcome isn’t something you’ll regret.”Lily smiled and turned to head out the door.Rick heard their conversation as he stood guard outside. After exchanging looks with Lily as she brushed past him, he entered the room and saw the needles in Yasmin’s legs. “Your Majesty, those needles—”The queen waved dismissively. “It’s okay. Lily will remove them later.”Even so, Rick was wary. “You’re being too careless, Your Majesty. What if that woman—”“She wouldn’t,” Yasmin interjected, shaking her head."Why do you trust her so much?" Rick asked despite himself. The queen fell silent. If Rick had not asked her that, she would not have rea
Lily took out a cloth and unfolded it, revealing a row of silver needles inside. Yasmin was surprised she carried the needles with her.“Tell me. What do you want?” The queen took a deep breath to calm herself. She then reminded herself that she could always say no to Lily’s request. Still, Yasmin was cautious about Lily trying to trick her.Lily casually said, "I left because Prince Ross wanted to help me. I hope you don’t punish him.""That's it?" Yasmin thought she had misheard Lily. 'Is she trying to talk terms with me just so that I won't punish my son?' she wondered in disbelief."Ross is my son. I won't harm him. Don't you think you've wasted an opportunity by making such a request?" The queen shook her head. "I wasn’t sure if you’d blame him, but he did rescue me once. If I don't do anything, it would be ungrateful of me," Lily said gently, "Also, didn’t you already lock him up?"Yasmin was puzzled. "No, I only sent him back to Yudonia. He kept trying to get me to sto
"Three days," Lily replied.“That’s it?!” Yasmin was in disbelief. She thought Lily would try to buy some more time and suspected she would say the process would take several months or even years.‘I haven’t felt my legs for over a decade. I wouldn’t mind waiting for three more days.’“Are you sure I can get up and walk in just three days?” Yasmin pressed her legs hard but felt nothing. She would have treated her legs long ago if it were that easy.The queen had visited many famous doctors from various countries, but they could only stop her legs from getting weaker. However, Lily confidently told Yasmin that she could fix her legs so quickly.Yasmin wanted to believe it.After some consideration, Lily said, “I can’t guarantee that you’ll walk as fast as you once could. After all, you haven’t used your legs for a long time, and your muscles have atrophied. Still, you’ll recover slowly.”Yasmin nodded repeatedly, thinking it was good enough. She never dreamed of walking as well a
“Because only our opinions matter." Lily thought of something and said, "Unless you choose to believe Rhea.""I… don't trust anyone." Yasmin’s expression stiffened as she turned her wheelchair away."Your Majesty, I know you're dedicated to the experiment, but there are other things in life. Have you ever considered letting go of your burden to sightsee? You’ve done enough as a queen over the last few decades. Aren’t you tired of living a lonely life?”Lily gently spoke as she gazed at Yasmin’s back.The older woman caressed her knees with both hands and stared down at her legs, murmuring, “Sightsee, huh? I’ve forgotten what that’s like.”Yasmin had not used her legs for many years. Initially, she could still stand up and sometimes took a few steps. However, she could no longer get to her feet.She had grown accustomed to sitting in a wheelchair, but she felt a pang of sorrow after hearing Lily’s suggestion.Lily asked, “What if I can help you stand again? What if you can walk a
"Yes, I returned not just for him but also for you," Lily said, "I'm sure you were anxious for my return, weren't you?"Yasmin scoffed dismissively. "Why would I be? I have my bargaining chip. Besides, did you honestly think I couldn’t bring you back?""Bargaining chip? Do you mean Nick?" Lily shook her head with a smile. "Don't forget that he's not my son. Do you think he'll be much of a bargaining chip to you if I choose to ignore him for my three children?"She did not wait for Yasmin to reply and continued, "Besides, Nick still has a father who’s willing to die for him. If Mike decides to take drastic action against you— Yes, you're a queen, and you don't care much about an insignificant businessman.“However, don't forget that his business spans worldwide. There's no guarantee what he might do. Who knows, he might spread information that can affect Your Majesty and Yudonia's reputation?""You…" The queen was exasperated but could not retort.Lily noticed it and casually said
Rick could only remain silent at that moment.Yasmin then turned her wheelchair around and blandly said, “Bring Lily over. I’d like to see what excuses that sly woman can come up with.”"Your Majesty?" Rick was puzzled. "You know she'll just lie to you. Why must you—"Yasmin interjected, "I'd like to hear what she has to say."Rick had no choice but to leave and do as she said.As Lily was about to doze off, she heard noises from outside and opened her eyes. Immediately after, the door opened, and Rick appeared. He glared at her and spoke coldly, “Her Majesty wants to see you.”Lily glanced at Rick calmly and stood up as if she had expected his appearance. On the other hand, Mike rose before her and headed out.However, Rick stopped him as he reached the door. “You stay.”"But we came together!" Mike glanced over his shoulder at Lily, signaling her to persuade the man. Rick added, "The queen doesn’t wish to see you. Just stay here!"Lily patted Mike's shoulder and said gentl
Everyone was shocked when Lily returned to the embassy with Mike. One of the staff members quickly left to report the news to Queen Yasmin.Meanwhile, Lily saw people peering at her and Mike from the corner. Afterward, several guarded-looking men appeared. Lilt recognized them as the queen’s attendants. They brought Mike and Lily inside and then gave the duo a thorough search.The men only relaxed after finding nothing suspicious about the duo. Even so, Lily could not see the queen as the men told her to wait in an innermost room instead.After returning to the embassy, Lily felt a sense of strange familiarity. Although she knew the place well, her mindset had changed.She previously hated the embassy and simply wanted to escape. However, she had returned with a critical mission. Not only did she have to complete it, but she also needed to leave the place in one piece.While she was calm, Mike was somewhat anxious. He clasped his hands on his knees and glanced around as he sat dow
"I promise I'll do anything you want, okay?" Mike begged. He was desperate to see his son, so he decided to follow Lily when she insisted on returning to the embassy.Mike continued, “If any of you go with her, they might stop or suspect you. They won’t do that to me. It’s natural for me to want to see and rescue my son. I’m the best candidate because it makes sense for me to sacrifice myself for him.”After a short silence, Lily said, “You’re right.” She then looked at Alexander, who pondered before slowly raising his head and saying, “Me too.”Dominic tapped the table. "So do I."Cameron thought for a moment before saying, "I've no objections."Seeing this, Austin spread his arms and said, "Since you all agree, what else can I say? Let's do it!"It did not matter whether or not he agreed, but he just wanted to support Mike. The latter nodded and became emotional, saying, “Thanks, you guys!”"Why are you thanking us? Just be careful, and don’t be rash like you promised," Aust