Qingque had, indeed, never considered it.
Even when the Grand Diviner exploited her, made her work overtime, and engaged her in a daily battle of wits, Qingque had never once thought of revenge.
Qingque truly was pure of heart. Just like Kiana, she was a genuinely good and kind girl.
But just as people don't turn bad because they want to, it is often the environment that shapes them.
Ye Feng's goading, to be honest, was incredibly tempting.
For a brief moment, Qingque's thoughts started down a slippery slope...
No, no!
Qingque took two steps back, shaking her head as she clutched it with both hands.
What am I thinking!
"How about it? Isn't it interesting? Alright, you seem a little uptight. I'll do all the bad things, and you just need to watch, Qingque. Now, don't keep your head down. Look, your superior is rolling her eyes back."
Ye Feng's voice slithered into her ear like a thin snake. Qingque dared to peek...
"Hiss—"
This was truly... was that still the Grand Diviner?
The high and mighty Grand Diviner of the Xianzhou, one of the Luofu's Six Charioteers, majestic and revered...
To think she could make such a depraved expression...
"Want to touch it? Fu Xuan's third eye."
"...Huh?"
Qingque's voice trembled as she looked at Fu Xuan's forehead. In the center of her smooth, fair brow was a diamond-shaped, pinkish-purple crystal, radiating a brilliant light.
Ye Feng said, "It's scorching hot right now."
"...."
Qingque stared at the glowing third eye, momentarily speechless.
She could only feel a sense of doing something forbidden quietly growing in her heart.
Lady Fu Xuan's third eye... has a temperature?
She had never thought about that before.
What should I do? I really want to touch it.
At this moment, Qingque was like a cat whose curiosity had been piqued.
But this was incredibly disrespectful!
But just a little touch wouldn't hurt, right?
And besides, why should I respect Lady Fu Xuan?
I wish she would just fire me and transfer me to some forgotten corner.
At this thought, a wicked impulse sparked within her.
But in the next second, reason regained the high ground.
No! I can't do this.
Qingque had a feeling that this path led to hell!
If she really did as Ye Feng said, she might fall into an abyss from which there was no return.
"But it could also be a paradise," Ye Feng's voice pulled the struggling Qingque back to reality.
"Everything has at least two sides. Don't just look at the bad side. You need to consider the problem from multiple dimensions."
"No, absolutely not!" Qingque shook her head vigorously.
It was less a refusal to Ye Feng and more an attempt to convince herself.
"Alright, if you're not willing, I won't force you. Let's have a quiz with a prize, then. Qingque, can you guess why your Lady Fu Xuan's third eye is so hot?"
"I... I don't know, I don't know! Don't ask me such a vulgar question."
And—what do you mean, 'my' Lady Fu Xuan?
They were just colleagues, and a superior she didn't get along with very well at that.
Ye Feng chuckled. "If you don't know anything, why do you say it's vulgar?"
"Eh?"
"Just say what you're thinking. No one will blame you here. You are absolutely free. You can do what you want, say what you want."
Qingque froze for a moment, then hurriedly said, "I can really do whatever I want?"
"To be able to grasp the main point at a time like this, no wonder Fu Xuan likes you so much. Yes, you can do whatever you want. But, only when I'm not around."
"Lady Fu Xuan likes me...?"
"It's the recognition of a superior for a subordinate. Don't get the wrong idea."
"...."
You're the one with the wrong idea! That's what I meant from the start!
Ye Feng said, "You didn't really think you could hide it, did you?"
"What?"
"In the entire Divination Commission, you're probably the only one who thinks you've hidden it well. After all, no matter how much a piece of gold tries to hide its worth, it can't conceal its brilliance."
"...Being praised by you so suddenly is actually a bit embarrassing." Qingque scratched the back of her head.
Hm, wait a second?
"The entire Divination Commission?"
"Just kidding."
"Phew~ You scared me."
Qingque had three main principles at work:
First, never exceed the mission requirements. Complete the tasks assigned by superiors at a steady pace before the deadline. Never, ever deliver early.
Second, never take the initiative to take on work. If a superior doesn't explicitly tell you to do something, it has nothing to do with you.
Third, never work alone, and never fight for credit. If you can pull someone else in to share the burden, never carry it alone just to show off your ability.
As the saying goes, the capable do more work.
If others found out about her abilities, all the hard and tiring work would surely come her way.
That was the last thing Qingque wanted.
Ye Feng smiled. "Only the top brass of the Divination Commission know."
"Huh?"
Qingque was instantly petrified.
"Alright, no more work talk here. Let's talk about something happy. Want some Skewered Jade Abacus?"
The moment Ye Feng mentioned eating, Qingque had a stress reaction.
She subconsciously covered the area below her abdomen with her hands. "Um... we're not playing tiles today, are we?"
Ye Feng pulled Fu Xuan, who was wearing only white silk, out from his body and simply tossed her onto the floor. The sight made Qingque's eyes tremble.
Ye Feng asked with a smile, "Do you want to play a few rounds, my friend?"
At this moment, all of Qingque's attention was on Fu Xuan.
Her eyes were vacant, and her slick, glistening body trembled like a broken automaton from the Artisanship Commission.
"Lady Fu Xuan, she..."
"I thought you didn't care about her."
"Ah? Y-Yes, it's none of my business, but... um... how should I put it? We're colleagues. I can't just turn a blind eye..."
"Relax, she's fine. Look—"
As soon as Ye Feng's voice fell, Lady Fu Xuan pushed herself up with both hands and, with a "Hah!", shot to her feet with a perfect kip-up.
"?? "
Wait, Lady Fu Xuan, what are you doing?
Is this the time for an acrobatic performance?
She even flung off two drops of sweat, which splattered onto Qingque's fair thigh.
Qingque was completely dumbfounded.
"See? Full of spirit."
"...."
Qingque's little brain, which had short-circuited, didn't want to think about anything anymore.
Ye Feng put his clothes back on. "In consideration for you bringing Fu Xuan in, I won't play any punishment games today. I'll just focus on playing a few rounds of Celestial Jade with you."
But at this moment, Qingque had lost all desire to play.
Her mind was completely filled with the image of Lady Fu Xuan's kip-up.
---o---
The second night.
Kiana went to bed early, as usual.
Although she hated Ye Feng to death, sleeping early and waking early was a good habit, and she wouldn't change her healthy routine for his sake.
However—
[ACCESS DENIED]
Kiana's consciousness could clearly perceive these two words.
"?? "
Wh-What's going on?
Kiana started to panic.
I can't go to Ye Feng's world anymore?