Herta slowly closed her eyes. She silently reached out and grabbed the corner of Ruan Mei's robe. Her voice was barely audible, but this time she did not retreat.
"Ruan Mei... could you preserve another plum cake for me?"
Ruan Mei's lips curved slightly. A faint glimmer of victory crossed her usually cool, distant face. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and replied unhurriedly.
"Herta, eating too many sweets will make you gain weight. Your carbohydrate intake today has already exceeded the normal limit."
Herta froze. A hint of frustration flickered across her peerless features. She feigned composure with a cough, her voice full of pride.
"Ahem, fine, fine. If it's exceeding, then I'll just skip tomorrow's share. Let me have today's in advance."
Hearing this reasoning from Herta—words that did not sound like they came from a supremely rational, unmatched genius, but rather from a somewhat petulant little girl—
Even geniuses can change when love is in full bloom?
Ruan Mei couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh. She rose, walked to the table, and prepared an oak cake roll, handing it to Herta.
Herta took the cake roll. The first thing she noticed was its strange shape and the scent of oak—no sweetness at all. Confusion and hesitation were written all over her face.
She glanced at Ruan Mei, whose expression remained calm as still water, and silently reassured herself.
It's a pastry preserved by Ruan Mei herself. It may not look good, but I have to taste it to truly understand.
Bam.
The moment Herta tried the oak cake roll, her entire body went stiff as if turned to stone.
What?! What is this?!
Ruan Mei took a sip of tea and asked softly, "Herta, how is it?"
Herta quickly finished off the entire oak cake roll and forced a smile, praising it repeatedly. "Perfect. The color, aroma, and taste are all there. As expected of your pastries."
Ruan Mei shook her head with a sigh. "A taste of bitterness makes the sweet sweeter, even in dreams. This is an oak cake roll—a delicacy from the dreams of Penacony. I recreated it. Oak is bland, bitter, and lacking. They say only one girl in the entire universe likes this pastry. Now there is one more. But the oak cake roll is actually the best food for balancing carbohydrate levels."
Herta's smile slowly froze. Ruan Mei!! Is she making a fool of me, a great genius?!
She gritted her teeth and said, "I see. Then I should be grateful for your kindness? But you did it for my own good. Just don't make me oak cake rolls again."
Ruan Mei said nothing. She simply sat beside her and continued reading a book.
Herta sat next to her and looked at the book. Between the lines, she saw four characters: "Virtue Friendship."
In sum: mutual recognition, mutual achievement, becoming each other's "second self" in life. And this kind of friendship was the true meaning of violet orchids and lilies.
"Ruan Mei, why are you reading this kind of book?"
Ruan Mei glanced at her from the corner of her eye and gestured for her to be quiet.
Herta wanted to argue, as usual, but the words "Virtue Friendship" flashed through her mind. She fell silent and sat quietly beside her, without further fuss.
Yes. I must become her second self.
So... did she show me this book on purpose?