Chapter 20: Running Errands

"No, nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?" Fang Yuan felt perfectly fine at the moment, aside from not feeling quite full. Thinking back to the package he had received earlier, and remembering that Chong Chong had warned him the smell inside could be bad for one's health, he wondered if Pei Xi was calling to check on his condition.

"I'm at the hospital now. After eating your noodles tonight, I started feeling terrible—vomiting and diarrhea. Luckily you're alright, so it must not have been the food," Pei Xi replied weakly, her voice so strained that it seemed every word was an effort.

It was clear just how exhausted she must be. Fang Yuan had originally wanted to ask about the package, but hearing how much it cost Pei Xi just to speak, he decided not to bring it up. He could pretty much guess the answer anyway; even if Pei Xi hadn't sent it herself, it must have been someone close to her. Best to wait until tomorrow and see for himself.

What kind of scene would he witness tomorrow? Although this was the top floor, the pleasant and quiet environment meant the whole floor was fully occupied.

At the break of dawn, Fang Yuan couldn't wait to get up and wash. Determined not to miss a single detail, he went early to wait by the elevator. Since this was the top floor, most people would need to use the elevator to come and go, making it an ideal spot for observation.

"Be alert—someone's coming," Chong Chong whispered. Fang Yuan was tempted to remind it that it could speak as loudly as it wanted since only he could hear it, but whether out of a desire to create a special atmosphere or simply because it was single-minded, Chong Chong always spoke in a hushed tone in quiet environments, as if afraid someone else might overhear.

The first to arrive was a beautiful young woman. Whether she was here on vacation or for work, she was alone, which suggested she was single. Of course, that was wishful thinking on his part—her relationship status hardly mattered to him.

As she stepped into the elevator and saw Fang Yuan already inside, she visibly hesitated before quietly standing in a corner. From the thirtieth floor down to the first—he hoped no one else would enter during the ride, allowing him to spend a little time alone with this lovely stranger.

As the elevator descended to the twentieth floor, Fang Yuan thought he heard a noise—a sound everyone would recognize. He held his breath, afraid to miss any detail, but the quieter he grew, the more uncomfortable the woman behind him seemed.

He was sure the sound had come from her, so, not wanting to appear improper, he tried to put a little distance between them. He had just taken a step when—

"Poof."

What was that sound? The action and the noise were nearly simultaneous. Unable to help himself, Fang Yuan glanced back to see the young woman's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Given his movement to step away, it was obvious he was trying to distance himself from her. She looked on the verge of tears.

Fang Yuan prided himself on being a gentleman, especially in front of a beautiful woman. Not wanting to seem disgusted, he reversed his step and even moved a little closer to her as if to reassure her—but this only made her look even more mortified.

What now? Fang Yuan had never had a girlfriend and was at a complete loss seeing her so close to tears.

At that awkward moment, the elevator doors opened and a well-dressed man stepped in, exuding an air of professionalism, his hair perfectly styled.

His arrival provided Fang Yuan with some relief—at least he wouldn't have to face the awkwardness of being alone with the woman any longer. He resolved that if she lost control again, he would shoulder the blame himself, sparing her any further embarrassment.

But the presence of the gentleman only made the woman look even more uncomfortable.

When the elevator reached the sixteenth floor—

"Poof."
"Poof."

What had he just heard? It was as if two identical sounds had rung out at once, both hauntingly familiar. Standing almost shoulder to shoulder with the woman, Fang Yuan heard them quite distinctly.

Now she hung her head even lower, and Fang Yuan could hardly bear to watch.

"Well? The effect is obvious, isn’t it?" Chong Chong’s schadenfreude-filled voice sounded in his mind.

Fang Yuan had no time for its teasing; the not-so-spacious elevator was beginning to fill with a pungent odor.

"This smell… someone must have eaten garlic last night. It's overpowering," Chong Chong complained.

If he had to guess, Fang Yuan would have pegged the source as the gentleman—the woman looked too delicate to touch something as strong as garlic.

But just as he thought this, the young woman beside him suddenly looked up, her throat emitting a now-familiar sound.

So, he had wrongly accused the gentleman after all.

Who would have thought such a thing from her?

The gentleman seemed to notice something, glanced back, and Fang Yuan stepped forward as if to take the blame. The man nodded politely and then stood motionless until the elevator reached the ground floor.

As soon as it stopped, both the man and the woman hurried out without looking back.

Wait, hadn’t there clearly been two sounds? So why did the man act as though nothing had happened?

Goodness, it seemed that whatever was in that package was remarkably potent.