"You must be Miss Ruan Mei, right? What a coincidence!"
"Your appearance truly lives up to Herta's description, remarkably serene, utterly beautiful, a sight that brightens one's eyes~"
At the Herta Space Station's platform, under the guise of "chance," Lumina immediately spotted Ruan Mei standing at the edge, her gaze fixed on the azure planet The Blue in the distance as she quietly savored a pastry.
Well... fine, it wasn't a coincidence at all. It was entirely due to Lumina's divine sense scouring the entire space station, precisely pinpointing Ruan Mei's location and orchestrating this "chance encounter."
Whether it was a genuine coincidence or not, Lumina couldn't care less. She approached with a radiant smile and waved a greeting.
"Hm? You're... Lumina?"
Lumina moved with utmost stealth, intentionally concealing her aura. Consequently, Ruan Mei remained unaware of the sudden presence behind her.
After daintily wiping away the pastry crumbs from the corner of her lips, Ruan Mei turned around.
Her gaze swept over Lumina from head to toe. Even her eyes, usually as still as a frozen lake, flickered with a hint of surprise as she instantly recognized the person before her.
"Miss Lumina, you flatter me. When it comes to truly brightening one's eyes, you alone deserve such praise."
Having confirmed the identity of the person before her, Ruan Mei smiled faintly and said softly, "Miss Lumina, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've been looking forward to this."
If one were to overlook her membership in the Genius Society, she would appear, from every angle, to be a refined young lady cultivated by a top-tier aristocratic family.
"Hmm?" Lumina merely hummed in response to Ruan Mei's praise, offering no further comment. Her gaze remained fixed on Ruan Mei, silently awaiting her next words.
Sensing Lumina's expectant stare, Ruan Mei knew the other woman was waiting for her to speak. However, Ruan Mei remained unhurried. Instead, she extended a small dish holding several pastries toward Lumina.
"Miss Lumina, this is osmanthus cake. It's quite delicious. I'll share half with you."
Ruan Mei's face maintained its gentle smile, radiating warmth and sincerity that concealed any trace of ulterior motives.
Seeing this, Lumina said nothing, reaching out to pinch a piece of cake between her fingers and placing it directly into her mouth.
The moment the cake touched her tongue, Lumina experienced a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture, like a gentle autumn breeze caressing her taste buds. The flavor blossomed within her mouth. Perhaps because Ruan Mei had made the cake herself, Lumina detected an additional, unique flavor—one that set it apart from ordinary osmanthus cakes.
Hmm... It doesn't smell like any special drugs. It seems Ruan Mei hasn't drugged me like she did to Stelle in the storyline.
Perhaps she's being mindful of my status, or perhaps she's wary of my strength...
Lumina mused inwardly.
But Ruan Mei is truly overthinking this. Lumina has endless patience for beautiful girls. Even if she did slip me a truth serum, I wouldn't mind in the slightest!
"Did you make this yourself? It's absolutely delicious!" Lumina never hesitated to praise truly delicious food.
Besides, this delectable treat was made by a super-genius beauty from the Genius Society. Even if it tasted like trash, Lumina would still have to compliment it!
Of course, if it really tasted like trash, I wouldn't eat it...
"Yes, I made it myself." Ruan Mei's smile deepened as she watched Lumina eat the pastry and let out a satisfied murmur.
"Exquisite pastry: ten grams of sugar cubes, a premium osmanthus blossom... Baking and cooking follow the same principles as cultivating the Cosmos. One must master the heat, maintain meticulous precision, and remain calm under any circumstances."
"Otherwise, a moment's carelessness could ruin an entire box of pastries..."
As Ruan Mei spoke, a hint of tenderness flickered in her usually cold eyes.
Of course, this tenderness wasn't directed at Lumina, but at the pastries themselves.
Lumina: ̄へ ̄
"Miss Ruan Mei truly adores pastries," Lumina remarked with a smile, having observed the subtle change in Ruan Mei's expression.
From the beginning, Ruan Mei had maintained a polite smile, but her demeanor and gaze remained utterly detached.
Only when she spoke of pastries did a faint spark of color light up her otherwise unchanging eyes.
"Indeed," Ruan Mei replied, her tone softening slightly. "Sweet pastries always remind me of flowers blooming. With each bite, the fragrance lingers on the palate..."
Hearing Lumina's words, Ruan Mei smiled, her voice becoming a touch gentler.
But the next moment, as she glanced at the crowd milling around the platform, she reverted to her usual air of detachment, as if indifferent to everything in the world.
Shaking her head, she said, "Unfortunately, there are still too many people in the Space Station. The noise and bustle are hardly a fitting accompaniment to such delicate treats..."
Ruan Mei murmured to herself, sighing softly before her expression returned to its usual composure. Her gaze settled on Lumina's face, and she placed a hand over her chest, a faint smile playing on her lips as she said:
"Miss Lumina, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Ruan Mei. When you pronounce my name, please remember to pause briefly between the syllables."
"Miss Ruan Mei, it's a pleasure to meet you too. I'm Lumina. When you pronounce my name, please remember there's no need to pause between the syllables~"
Listening to Ruan Mei's introduction and observing her poised demeanor, Lumina smiled and introduced herself, echoing Ruan Mei's words.
However, as Lumina spoke, her gaze kept drifting toward Ruan Mei's jade-white hands, as if plotting some hidden scheme.
Well, any discerning observer could easily see what Lumina was scheming.
Still, whatever her intentions, they seemed destined to remain unrealized.
"Tch... Why aren't handshakes and hand-kissing universal greetings across the Cosmos...?"
Seeing Ruan Mei withdraw her hand from her chest, Lumina inwardly grumbled in frustration.
If handshakes and kissing hands were universal customs throughout the cosmos, Lumina would have a legitimate reason to...
Such thoughts raced through Lumina's mind.
"Miss Lumina is quite the interesting person," Ruan Mei remarked, observing Lumina's expression. Whether she didn't understand the meaning behind Lumina's gaze or simply didn't care, Ruan Mei showed no anger or displeasure. Instead, she praised Lumina.
Hearing this, Lumina tucked away her slight disappointment, waved her hand, and chuckled, "To be praised as 'interesting' by a member of the Genius Society? I am truly honored beyond words."
"Miss Lumina, you jest. Your status far surpasses that of any Genius Society member," Ruan Mei countered with a serious shake of her head.
Ruan Mei's statement contained not a shred of modesty. No matter how powerful the members of the Genius Society were, they remained aloof geniuses, far beyond the reach of ordinary people.
But Lumina was different—she was someone everyone could relate to...
If the entire Cosmos were to vote—choosing between Lumina and the Genius Society—the majority would likely choose Lumina...
And this wasn't just about one member; it encompassed the entire Genius Society.
Even Ruan Mei, who paid little attention to such matters, had heard of Lumina.
In Ruan Mei's eyes, even as a fellow partner in the Simulated Universe, Lumina's status far surpassed that of the other members.