Taming The Hidden Bigshot By Kissing Him-Chapter 628: Have You Fallen for Her?

Opposite Yingyue Pavilion.

Lu Yingxue stood by the window, taking everything in with sharp eyes. She set down the binoculars in her hand, turned around, and said, "Is this what you meant by failproof?"

The manager of Yingyue Pavilion looked grim. "I clearly instructed Mrs. Pei, but I didn’t expect her to be so useless. This trick has always worked flawlessly before; we just hadn’t used it at an opening ceremony."

Normally, when a person finds something in their pocket, they would take it out for a look.

Once fingerprints are left behind, many things become difficult to explain. Coupled with the Lu Family exerting pressure behind the scenes, those beauty salons won’t last long before collapsing.

Lu Yingxue’s red lips parted slightly. "It’s because Qiao Xi is too smart. She’s guarded against me, so she’s especially cautious."

"Exactly, way too calculating," the manager quickly tried to make amends. "At least Mrs. Pei used the excuse of standing up for Pei Chun, without implicating us directly. That’s somewhat fortunate..."

"Fortunate? Hardly!"

Lu Yingxue reached out and gently stroked the swollen and painful wound hidden under her mask, saying, "Didn’t you see Furong Beauty Salon’s grand success? At this rate, they’ll soon be on par with us at Yingyue Pavilion. By then, it’ll be too late."

Her deep eyes shifted slightly. "Did you get the thing I told you to get?"

"I did."

The manager produced a small paper packet and handed it to Lu Yingxue with both hands.

Lu Yingxue took the packet, unfolded the crumpled paper, and saw a lump of pale green ointment inside.

It smelled of various traditional herbs.

Lu Yingxue pinched a bit with her fingertip and brought it to her nose to sniff.

Several of the medicinal ingredients were familiar.

She could tell at a glance.

Closing her eyes in thought, Lu Yingxue immersed herself in memories of her 20-plus years in Chinese medicine. From the age when she first learned to read, she had begun studying this discipline and was exceedingly knowledgeable about medicinal herbs.

"Altogether, eleven ingredients, all very common herbs."

"Miss Lu, you’re incredible. Just by smelling, you can identify the ingredients. I bet Yingyue Pavilion will soon have its own whitening and scar-removing product. By then, those customers will surely come back to us. After all, we’ve been operating in Imperial Capital for so many years..."

Lu Yingxue tilted her head slightly. "Don’t let this leak. I’ll spend the next few days at home figuring out the proportions and the exact method behind this Jade Skin Ointment."

The manager nodded repeatedly. "Furong Beauty Salon across the street is extremely strict; my people could only snag this bit of the final product. If we could get the complete formula, you wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble. We still don’t know the precise ratios or preparation methods."

"This is enough! Qiao Xi would never let the formula leak! But with this sample, I can understand seven to eight parts of it."

Lu Yingxue was brimming with confidence.

She had ulterior motives for wanting to recreate the Jade Skin Ointment.

The ointment had been able to heal Qiao Xi’s severely burned arm, so it was certain to work wonders for the wounds on her own face.

She suspected the results would be even more effective on new wounds than old ones.

She had to recreate it as quickly as possible!

She couldn’t let scars remain on her face, nor could she lower herself to beg for that wretch Qiao Xi’s help!

"Report the salon’s daily revenue figures to me regularly from now on."

With her orders given, Lu Yingxue took the paper bundle and left.

She was sure she could recreate the Jade Skin Ointment!

...

Night fell.

The moonlight was like water; the streets were bustling.

A red sports car pulled up outside the Guan Family’s Prince’s Mansion. Huo Sijiao stepped out, wearing a tight, high-neck corduroy dress layered with a classic Chanel coat. She carried a delicately packaged gift box in her hand, standing in front of the imposing and solemn Guan Family gate.

She had to admit.

The Guan Family’s heritage was indeed extraordinary, even surpassing the grandeur of Haicheng’s Huo Family.

No wonder they had secured their place among the Four Great Families of the Imperial Capital, thanks to the riches accumulated by their ancestors and the efforts of subsequent generations, even with their dwindling lineage.

Though this generation only had Guan Jingtan to hold the fort, the Guan Family had managed to survive in the wolf-packed Imperial Capital for so long. There was undeniable strength there.

Huo Sijiao walked forward.

The Guan Family’s butler greeted her politely. "Miss Huo, our young miss is in the living room waiting for you. Allow me to guide you..."

Standing at the door, Huo Sijiao handed her gift to the butler and said, "This is a present from Furong Beauty Salon for our VIP customers. I won’t be coming in today; I’m here to look for... for Shen Xuanzhi. Can you ask him to come out? I need to ask him something."

"Please wait a moment; I’ll inquire with Mr. Shen."

"Thank you."

Huo Sijiao remained at the Guan Family’s ancient gate.

The early winter wind was rather cold, and her outfit was too thin for the weather. The chilling breeze seemed to seep into her bones, leaving her both cold and aching.

She couldn’t help but pull her coat tighter around herself.

The Imperial Capital’s climate was colder than Haicheng’s, with winter arriving noticeably earlier.

Taking out her phone, she absentmindedly scrolled through it and noticed a weather warning about an incoming cold wave.

It was expected to snow tonight in the Imperial Capital.

No wonder it was so cold; she felt as though she’d turn into an ice sculpture any moment.

After a while.

The sound of footsteps grew closer, and Huo Sijiao looked up.

Shen Xuanzhi’s face came into view, clearer with each step he took. The motion revealed the string of Buddhist prayer beads she remembered seeing the first time they met.

Apparently, he’d managed to reclaim them so quickly.

Huo Sijiao watched as he stopped two meters away from her, unable to resist commenting, "Do you really have to keep such a distance? If I wanted to do something, you wouldn’t be able to avoid it anyway."

Shen Xuanzhi’s expression remained detached, his brows shadowed by a heavy, concealed melancholy.

He said, "What do you need me for?"

"There’s something I want to ask. If I don’t find out, I won’t be able to sleep tonight." Bracing against the icy wind, Huo Sijiao’s cheeks were flushed red, nearly frozen.

"Go ahead," he said.

Summoning her courage, Huo Sijiao looked at him and asked, "Shen Xuanzhi, people gossip that you’re staying at the Guan Family to take care of the old master’s health. But there are also whispers claiming you’re marrying into the Guan Family. Is that true?"

As soon as she spoke, Shen Xuanzhi’s hands clenched tightly at his sides.

Feigning indifference, he responded, "What difference does it make whether it’s true or not?"

"It matters to me! I want to know. Can’t you even say just one word about it?"

Seeing him so indifferent made Huo Sijiao more frustrated and a bit aggrieved. Back in Haicheng, Shen Xuanzhi had been far less toxic to deal with. But here in the Imperial Capital, he seemed to reject her outright, spurning even her kind gestures with contempt and disdain.

Shen Xuanzhi’s chest felt uncomfortably heavy as his gaze met hers. "It’s true. I will marry into the Guan Family. I’m about to register for marriage with Miss Guan."

Huo Sijiao’s eyes grew wet with unshed tears.

Struggling to force a smile, she whispered, "Didn’t expect it to be so soon... May I ask one more question? Do you love Miss Guan?"

Shen Xuanzhi’s throat tightened before replying, "It’s hard not to love her."

Huo Sijiao’s heart tensed, throbbing with hidden pain.

She worked to maintain her smile. "Congratulations. Once you’re with the Guan Family, you won’t return to Haicheng anymore, right?"

"No, I won’t."

"Then there’s no one left in Haicheng for you to miss? Not even your mother..."

Dodging her eyes, Shen Xuanzhi said, "After the wedding, I plan to bring my mother to live in the Imperial Capital. I won’t ever return to Haicheng again."

So that was his decision.

Huo Sijiao had truly wanted to ask him whether she held even a sliver of his affection.

Her voice trembled slightly, but she fought to keep steady and asked, "Shen Xuanzhi, let me ask one last question. After you answer, I promise I’ll never bother you again."