Stealing ML’s White Moonlight C27

Chapter 27

Shen Lihuan, having finished her morning run, unexpectedly encountered her parents at the dining table. Remembering the conversation she had with the Chang siblings last night, she quickly stepped over to sit in the chair to Gu Qinglan’s left and greeted her parents, “Good morning, Mom and Dad!”

“Good morning. Hurry and wipe the sweat off your face with a tissue. Don’t let the cool breeze give you a cold.”

Gu Qinglan leaned back in her chair while sipping on chicken congee. Seeing her daughter return from her run, she put down her spoon, pulled out a few soft, white tissues, and stuffed them into her daughter’s hand.

Shen Lihuan accepted the tissues with a smile and carefully wiped the sweat from her forehead and neck.

Shen Jiashu placed a plate of shrimp dumplings in front of her, silently expressing his concern.

“Dad, your adorable daughter needs your help with something.”

Shen Lihuan took the plate, made a heart shape with her fingers at Shen Jiashu, and acted overly fawning.

Shen Jiashu adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. “Go ahead, what do you need me to do?”

“There’s a guy at our school named Qin Aochen. He used to pester Chang Qing, and now, even though he has a girlfriend, he’s been trying to flirt with me. I want you to take care of him.”

Shen Lihuan glanced at her father, who, after putting on his gold-rimmed glasses, exuded the aura of a refined scoundrel. She diligently massaged his shoulders.

In reality, Qin Aochen never had the chance to get close to Shen Lihuan. Lin Ruyi kept a strict watch over him, interrogating him whenever he was around any female. Moreover, since Qin Aochen was trying to break into the entertainment industry, he rarely even went to Ming High, making it nearly impossible for him to run into Shen Lihuan.

However, he had attended the banquet hosted by the Shen family last time, and Shen Lihuan had definitely noticed how disgustingly he looked at her—eating from his own bowl while eyeing the pot, as if he wanted every woman in the world. Who did he think he was?

What’s more, after gaining power, he even tried to force Chang Qing into his harem. How could she stand by and watch him grow stronger step by step? The best way to deal with an enemy was to crush them while they were still budding.

“This guy dared to pester Chang Qing and now even you? Who does he think he is?”

Shen Jiashu almost snapped the fork in his hand. Forget that Chang Qing was his future daughter-in-law—his daughter was his precious jewel. There was no way he would tolerate some man harassing her. If this scumbag still dared to flirt even while having a girlfriend, he would make sure he couldn’t be a man anymore!

Gu Qinglan also frowned in disgust. “He already has a girlfriend and is still fooling around? That says a lot about his character.”

“Lihuan, leave this to me. You just focus on your studies. He won’t bother you or Chang Qing anymore.”

Shen Jiashu raised an eyebrow and assured his daughter.

“Thank you, Dad! You’re the best—strong, powerful, and super handsome!” Shen Lihuan sweet-talked him. Shen Jiashu curled his lips slightly, looking calm and composed, but Gu Qinglan saw right through his smugness beneath that indifferent facade. She couldn’t help but shake her head with a smile.

“Mom, I’ve been the only child in our family for so many years. Have you ever thought about giving me a little brother or sister?”

With one task settled, Shen Lihuan moved on to her next question.

Gu Qinglan was stunned for a moment and turned to look at her daughter in confusion. “Why are you asking this all of a sudden? Do you want a sibling?”

“I’m just worried that in the future, I’ll be stuck in the lab all the time and won’t have much time to keep you and Dad company. I don’t want you to be lonely, so I thought it would be nice to have a little brother or sister around to keep you company. That way, I’d feel more at ease.”

Shen Lihuan spoke with a touch of guilt and secretly vowed to make more time for her parents in the future instead of focusing solely on work.

After discussing it for a while, Gu Qinglan and Shen Jiashu finally decided, “Having another child sounds like a good idea. With just Lihuan at home, it does feel a bit empty when she’s not around.”

“Alright, then let’s go to the hospital this weekend and apply to have a boy. One son and one daughter—it’ll be perfect. This time, we’ll have a son.”

Since both her daughter and husband wanted another child, Gu Qinglan naturally wouldn’t refuse and made the decision on the spot.

Shen Lihuan blinked in admiration at her parents’ efficiency and felt a surge of excitement in her heart. “I’m really going to have a little brother? That’s amazing!”

In her past life, she was an only child. Whenever others boasted about their siblings, she never had anything to contribute. But now, she was finally going to have a little brother! He would definitely be as adorable as Chang Hong.

Filled with joy, Shen Lihuan hummed a tune on her way to school. But as soon as she saw You Changqing wiping her desk next to hers, she recalled last night’s unexpected kiss, and her expression stiffened.

Noticing her arrival, You Changqing looked up and greeted her with a warm smile. “Good morning, Lihuan!”

“Good morning.”

Shen Lihuan lowered her gaze, avoiding eye contact. After greeting her, she quickly sat down at her seat, pretending to be busy—taking out her books, stuffing her backpack into her desk, even dampening a tissue to wipe the desk—all just to avoid looking at You Changqing.

The smile on You Changqing’s face gradually faded. She was extremely sensitive to Lihuan’s emotions, so how could she not notice that Lihuan was avoiding her?

Just last night, they had chatted so happily, and Lihuan had been so gentle when carrying her back to her room. Why was she suddenly ignoring her today?

You Changqing’s eyes gradually reddened. Seeing that Shen Lihuan still refused to look at her, she felt deeply wronged. Fine, Shen Lihuan, if you don’t want to talk to me, then don’t expect me to talk to you either!

By the time Shen Lihuan finally calmed herself down, pushing past her awkwardness so she could face You Changqing as usual, she realized—

When she tried to talk to Changqing, Changqing ignored her!

What was going on? Hadn’t Changqing greeted her when she first arrived in the classroom?

Shen Lihuan racked her brain but couldn’t figure it out. However, if Changqing wasn’t speaking to her, it had to mean she was angry. Could it be that she remembered their kiss from last night?

Panic set in. If Changqing felt awkward about it, how were they supposed to remain good friends?

Having ignored the clueless Shen Lihuan for three entire class periods, You Changqing secretly stole a glance at her anxious face. The grievance and anger in her heart dissipated considerably. Hmph, serves you right! Now you’re panicking, aren’t you?

When school ended, You Changqing didn’t wait for Shen Lihuan and instead slung her backpack over her shoulder and left by herself. Shen Lihuan hurriedly chased after her.

Curious about the two, Cheng Ziqian pointed at their departing figures and asked Bo Wen’an, “Did they have a fight?”

Cheng Ziqian curiously pointed at the backs of the two people and asked Bo Wen’an, “Are they arguing?”

“Maybe,” Bo Wen’an answered briefly.

“That can’t be. They’re usually so sweet together. Do they actually argue?” Cheng Ziqian stroked his chin, striking a Sherlock Holmes-like pose.

Bo Wen’an shrugged, indicating he had no idea either.

Shen Lihuan had no idea that her classmates already saw her and Chang Qing as a couple. She quickly caught up with You Changqing and called out to her with grievance, “Changqing, why didn’t you wait for me to walk together?”

You Changqing crossed her arms and looked at her with feigned indifference. “Didn’t you not want to talk to me? Then why bother walking together?”

After saying that, she turned her face away, refusing to look at Shen Lihuan.

“When did I not want to talk to you? Isn’t it you who’s been ignoring me? I tried to talk to you, passed you notes, and you wouldn’t even look at me!”

Shen Lihuan protested her innocence.

“Hmph, I told you good morning, and you didn’t even glance at me. Since you didn’t want to talk to me, I decided not to talk to you either.”

Shen Lihuan felt wronged, but Changqing felt even more wronged!

“I was just feeling a little awkward about last night! But I adjusted quickly and came to talk to you, didn’t I?”

Seeing You Changqing accusing her, Shen Lihuan’s confidence faltered.

“Last night? What happened last night? Did I get drunk and make a scene?”

You Changqing’s heart tensed. She had a vague feeling she had forgotten something important.

“You don’t remember?”

Shen Lihuan, realizing that Changqing wasn’t ignoring her because of last night, let out a sigh of relief. She couldn’t tell whether she felt disappointed or something else, but she decided to seal last night’s events away. It was best not to let them come between her and Changqing.

“After you got drunk last night, you kept saying… saying you were the most beautiful person in the world. You even insisted that I praise you too. When I refused, you tried to pry my mouth open. I had to coax you for a long time before you finally fell asleep. So, when I saw you this morning, I remembered last night and felt a little awkward.”

Shen Lihuan had originally made up an excuse casually, but as she spoke, it started to sound quite convincing. In her eyes, Changqing really was the most beautiful girl she had ever seen—though the most beautiful woman, of course, was still her mother.

You Changqing had the urge to cover her face. How could this happen? So embarrassing! She had laughed at Chang Hong for making a drunken scene, but she had done the same thing! Should she be grateful she hadn’t forced Lihuan to become her captive bride while drunk?

“Now you know you were wrong, right? You ignored me the whole morning, making me anxious like a spinning top, circling around you non-stop.”

Shen Lihuan reached out her fair fingers and tapped You Changqing’s forehead. You Changqing pouted but didn’t dare to complain.

“From now on, you’re not allowed to ignore me for no reason. Otherwise, I’ll really get mad.”

Shen Lihuan demanded a promise. You Changqing obediently nodded. “I remember now. But you have to do the same. If you ignore me like today, I’ll ignore you too.”

“After today, do you think I’d dare to ignore you? You’re such a petty one.” Shen Lihuan wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pinched her perky nose, and smiled helplessly. You Changqing wrinkled her nose and then grinned foolishly.

Behind them, Cheng Ziqian, who had witnessed their argument turn into reconciliation, looked up at a 45-degree angle in melancholy. “Officer, please come quickly. There’s public dog abuse happening here.”

—

Saturday arrived quickly, and the test results for Shen Lihuan’s creams and pills were finally out.

When Gu Qinglan went to collect the results, the head of the testing institute was so excited that he held her back, talking endlessly. Gu Qinglan was a little dizzy from all the words but managed to understand one key point: the skincare products developed by her daughter contained no harmful substances, had remarkable effects, and were suitable for all skin types.

As for the specifics—acids, alcohols, and all that—sorry, she hadn’t remembered any of it.

“So, does that mean these creams and pills passed the quality tests?”

“Of course! A hundred percent approval.” The head of the institute handed the report to Gu Qinglan, hesitated for a moment, then whispered, “Madam Shen, do you happen to have extras of these creams and pills? Could you sell me a set?”

“?” Gu Qinglan looked at him in confusion. The director scratched his head sheepishly. “Well, I accidentally mentioned them to my wife, and now she insists I ask you.”

A considerate and devoted husband always leaves a good impression, so Gu Qinglan agreed to his request. “I can give you a set for free.”

The director quickly waved his hands in refusal. “How can I accept that? Skincare products with such effective results could be sold for a fortune. I can’t take advantage of you—that’s my principle.”

Gu Qinglan’s smile became even more genuine. “Director, hear me out. I can give you a set for free, but in return, I’d like your wife to help spread the word about our upcoming skincare product launch. With her as a walking advertisement, we’ll save on a round of promotional costs.”

The director immediately understood that Madam Shen was giving them a chance. If he continued refusing, it would only make things awkward for everyone. “Then I’ll shamelessly accept it. I’ll make sure my wife gives Madam Shen plenty of promotion.”

“Then I’ll thank you in advance, Director. I’ll have my staff deliver the full skincare set to you tomorrow.”

“Sounds good. Take care, Madam Shen.”

Gu Qinglan stored the test report away and shook hands with the director before leaving the institute in high spirits.

—

That day, Shen Lihuan visited the hospital to check on Wang Qingqing.

She brought along a pot of bear paw succulents she had grown herself. The tender green “bear paws” with pink-tipped claws were utterly adorable. The moment Wang Qingqing saw them, she fell in love.

“Thank you for visiting me and for bringing such a cute bear paw plant!”

Wang Qingqing smiled brightly, hugging the pot as if it were a treasure.

“As long as you like it. How are you feeling now? Do you still feel unwell?”

Shen Lihuan pulled up a chair and sat down, picking up Wang Qingqing’s little brother and holding him in her arms. The little guy still remembered the big sister who had given him toys and obediently let her hold him.

“I feel great! I used to have low-grade fevers and nausea, but now I feel full of energy!”

Wang Qingqing put the plant aside and stretched lazily, her voice full of excitement. “Lihuan, did you know? When I did my latest test, the doctor said the virus in my body seemed to have gone dormant—it’s not showing any activity at all! That means for the next few years, I won’t have low fevers, weakness, night sweats, or swollen lymph nodes all over my body. I won’t turn into some half-human, half-ghost monster anymore!”

She was already very satisfied that she could live a normal life like before. Although she could no longer attend school, she wouldn’t fall behind in her studies. Even in the hospital, she never put down her books, reading them with great interest.

“Congratulations, Qingqing. This is the best news I’ve heard.”

Shen Lihuan looked at her, seeing her eyes curve into crescents as she smiled, and felt happy along with her.

“Qingqing, I will study medicine in the future, specializing in researching drugs to cure cancer. When the time comes, would you be willing to be my patient?”

Wang Qingqing was stunned for a moment before smiling again. “I’d be willing. If it weren’t for you saving me, I would have been nothing but rotting flesh by now. My life is in your hands. I just hope you won’t make me wait too long.”

“I won’t, Qingqing. I swear I will do my best to cure you and let you run freely under the sun again.”

Shen Lihuan’s firm words brought tears to Wang Qingqing’s eyes. “I believe in you!”

They looked at each other and finally laughed together. The little one in Shen Lihuan’s arms, not understanding what was happening, chewed on his fingers while watching them and also laughed along. His innocent laughter softened the hearts of those who heard it.

Outside the door, Wang Guodong listened to the laughter coming from the hospital room, his eyes turning red. But deep inside, he was still filled with hope. This silent man, as steadfast as a mountain, was just as resilient.

After returning from the hospital, Shen Lihuan went to tend to her medicinal herbs in the garden. The little seedlings that had already sprouted and grown branches swayed in the wind, looking adorable.

General and Overlord were rarely at home, lying quietly by her feet, watching as she watered and loosened the soil for the herbs.

General’s leg had already healed, but it was unclear whether it was naturally mischievous or if it had been influenced by Overlord. It used to love staying by Shen Lihuan’s side, begging for kisses and cuddles. But ever since Overlord took it out to see the world once, its entire demeanor changed.

General and Overlord were a perfect pair of troublemakers. One dog and one snake caused chaos every day, leading a group of little followers to tumble around the garden or outside, getting themselves filthy. When Shen Lihuan bathed them, they were always unwilling, shaking water all over her every time.

Fortunately, General didn’t destroy the house or mess up the furniture. Otherwise, Shen Lihuan would have really had to properly discipline them.

That night, when Shen Lihuan turned on her computer to browse the Sky Net, she found that today’s trending searches were all about Qin Aocheng.

“Qin Aocheng’s Prince Charming image collapses as intimate photos with multiple women leak.”

“Is he deeply affectionate or just a beast in human clothing? The true face of Qin Aocheng exposed.”

Shen Lihuan raised an eyebrow, suddenly realizing that this must have been her father’s doing.

Her father had just mentioned dealing with Qin Aocheng, and now, the results were already showing.

In the entertainment industry, whether one was popular for good or bad reasons, personal reputation couldn’t afford to take a massive hit. Qin Aocheng’s scandal was enough to completely destroy his public image.

Shen Lihuan clicked into the articles and browsed through the pictures. The women in them all had different faces.

Although Qin Aocheng was only eighteen this year, ever since he was bound to the system, he had already been with more women than he could count on his fingers. He wasn’t worried about exhausting himself either—oh, but that made sense. Qin Aocheng was the male lead of a harem novel; he didn’t have to worry about that problem. Maybe the author himself had never had the experience, which was why he loved writing male protagonists as well-endowed, highly skilled, and tireless in bed.

Shen Lihuan couldn’t help but mock this in her mind.

The explicit, uncensored photos spread online, causing a massive uproar.

Qin Aocheng had built his career as both an idol and a talented artist—he handled composing, songwriting, and singing all by himself. Almost every one of his songs had entered the top fifty on the A-list charts, with some even dominating the rankings for months, earning him widespread fame.

To his fans, he maintained a melancholic and devoted image. Aside from male fans, most of his supporters were girlfriend fans who spent crazily on his merchandise, magazines, and albums. His success was largely thanks to this devoted group of female fans.

But now, with the release of his scandal, most of these girlfriend fans turned into haters. Some refused to believe it was real, insisting that someone had framed Qin Aocheng and that the pictures were photoshopped.

Qin Aocheng was now in deep trouble, too scared to leave his house for fear of being pelted with rotten eggs.

Since the photos were real, his agency could only weakly condemn the invasion of his privacy, unable to provide a clear explanation for the scandal.

Seeing pictures of his residence splattered with paint, Shen Lihuan smirked. Qin Aocheng, your miserable life is just beginning.

—

On Sunday, Shen Jiashu and his wife went to the hospital to apply for an artificial womb pregnancy. The entire process was quick—they retrieved their sperm and egg, combined them into a fertilized embryo, allowed it to develop in its early stages, and then transferred it into the artificial womb. After ten months, the baby would be born.

However, once the fetus reached about four months and was mostly formed, the parents would need to visit the hospital regularly for prenatal education and bonding.

Knowing that she had to wait another four months before seeing her little brother, Shen Lihuan sighed. There were still 122 days left. She needed to figure out how to pass the time.

In a little over ten days, there would be a grand jadeite trade fair in the Imperial Capital. Nearly a thousand jade merchants from fifteen surrounding countries would participate. She planned to join the event and make some money.

Betting on jade required a significant initial investment, but fortunately, Shen Lihuan had saved up quite a lot over the years. Her parents always gave her money during holidays, and she had two bank cards filled with savings. She had never checked the exact amount, but she was sure it was substantial. So, she had the capital she needed.

For now, all she had to do was wait for the trade fair.

—

The director of the testing institute was named Fu Yannian, and his wife was named Li Yuehong. Ever since Gu Qinglan gifted a complete set of skincare products to the director’s wife, she had been using them every day—applying them to her face and body without missing a single day.

Li Yuehong was forty-six years old. She had always maintained a skincare routine, but the results were never very obvious. Her complexion was naturally darker, and if she ate high-calorie foods, she would wake up the next morning with breakouts, which frustrated her to no end.

A while ago, she overheard her husband mentioning that Madam Shen had sent some medicinal ointments and pills for testing. The results showed that these products had significant effects with no side effects, which immediately piqued her interest.

So, she shamelessly asked Old Fu to buy her a set of skincare products. The moment she got her hands on them, she was immersed in their refreshing fragrance—it was a light medicinal scent, rather than the overpowering artificial fragrance found in most skincare products on the market.

As soon as she smelled it, she knew it had to be something good. Unable to wait, she eagerly applied the ointment to her face as instructed. The effects were remarkable—within just a few minutes, her skin had absorbed the ointment, becoming smooth and delicate, and even looking noticeably fairer.

She was overjoyed and refused to go outside, fearing that she might get tanned.

One day, she indulged herself and had hot pot. The next morning, her face broke out with acne. She screamed so loudly that she nearly shattered the mirror.

Panicking, she quickly grabbed a bottle of Tao Rong Dew and applied it to her face with high expectations. After about ten minutes, she started feeling an itch. At first, she thought she might be having an allergic reaction to the ointment, but when she looked closely in the mirror, she saw that her pimples were actually scabbing over, and the once bright red bumps were shrinking.

She was absolutely thrilled.

By the next morning, all her pimples had scabbed over, and one or two had even disappeared completely.

She cheered on the spot. What kind of divine skincare product was this? The effects were so amazing it made her want to cry!

On the third day, as soon as Li Yuehong woke up, she ran to the mirror. Most of the acne on her cheeks had vanished without leaving a single mark, with only two of the largest pimples stubbornly remaining.

But she was confident that in two more days, those would disappear as well.

By the fourth day, all her acne was gone, and her complexion had brightened significantly.

She had to admit—fair skin truly enhanced beauty. With her newfound fairness, she could now wear clothes she had always liked but couldn’t pull off with her previously darker skin tone.

That day, her friends invited her out. She deliberately skipped putting on makeup, only applying some Rouge Powder and lipstick. She dressed in a pink floral qipao, topped it off with a black lace aristocratic hat, and slipped into a pair of newly purchased high heels. Perfect.

The temperature was over thirty degrees, so she brought a handkerchief to wipe away sweat if needed. However, to her surprise, she didn’t sweat a single drop despite being naturally prone to sweating!

Then, she recalled that she had applied the ointment all over her body. A sudden realization hit her, and she instantly felt even better.

When she arrived at the café where she was meeting her friends, Li Yuehong greeted them with a smile. “You guys are early today! I’m usually the first one here.”

Tan Yuni, who was engrossed in studying the dessert menu, didn’t even look up. “Yeah, I happened to visit a beauty salon today, so I arrived a bit earlier.”

Yuan Suchen, who had been checking herself in the mirror, suddenly caught a whiff of a fragrant breeze. She turned to see a beautiful woman in pink sitting next to her.

She stared at Li Yuehong’s face, which seemed to have shed over ten years, and gaped in disbelief. “You… You’re Yuehong?”

Li Yuehong leisurely looked at her. “Of course it’s me. Can’t you tell?”

“How could I tell?” Yuan Suchen grabbed Tan Yuni’s arm excitedly. “Yuni, stop looking at desserts! Look at Yuehong! Is this really her?”

“Aiya, we all have the same eyes and mouths…” Tan Yuni started to say sweetly, but when she looked up and saw Li Yuehong’s face, she went silent.

“No way! Yuehong, did you get plastic surgery? You look like a completely different person!”

Tan Yuni was so shocked she abandoned her usual delicate tone and even slapped her thigh like a boisterous bandit.

She was slightly nearsighted but disliked wearing glasses, so she squinted and leaned in, grabbing Li Yuehong’s chin to examine her face. “Wow, Yuehong, did you change your makeup artist? Your makeup today is so natural—it doesn’t even look like you’re wearing any!”

Yuan Suchen, who was sitting on Li Yuehong’s right, reached out and touched her face, exclaiming, “Oh my god, Yuehong, your skin is so smooth! What kind of skincare products have you been using lately?”

Li Yuehong playfully curled her red lips and wagged her finger in a flirtatious manner. “Yuni, you’re mistaken—I’m not wearing any makeup today.”

“No makeup? Impossible!”

Tan Yuni and Yuan Suchen scooted their chairs closer, scrutinizing her face in disbelief. Li Yuehong let them inspect her as much as they wanted—after all, no matter how they looked, she truly wasn’t wearing any makeup.

“This is incredible, Yuehong! How did your skin improve so much overnight? Did you use a new skincare product?”

Once Tan Yuni confirmed that her friend wasn’t wearing any makeup, she asked curiously.

Li Yuehong tilted her face playfully and smiled. “What do you think? Notice how much fairer my skin looks even without makeup?”

“Yes, yes, yes! Yuehong, stop keeping us in suspense. If you’ve found such an effective skincare product, hurry up and share it with us! Good things should be shared among friends!”

Tan Yuni and Li Yuehong had been best friends for decades, so she spoke without reservation, unafraid of offending her.

Yuan Suchen also looked at her expectantly.

Li Yuehong basked in the attention, enjoying the feeling of being admired. She reached into her handbag and took out a jade-white porcelain bottle. “My secret weapon is this—Tao Rong Dew.”

“Tao Rong Dew? Is this a new product from some brand? Why haven’t we heard of it before?”

Tan Yuni and Yuan Suchen were quite familiar with beauty products and had tried many high-end brands, but they had never heard of anything called Tao Rong Dew.

“Of course, you haven’t heard of it. It’s a newly developed skincare product, and you’ll never guess who created it.” Li Yuehong grinned. “Remember when we had hot pot together a few days ago?”

“Yes, and we didn’t invite you out afterward because we knew you’d break out from it.”

Tan Yuni prided herself on being thoughtful.

Li Yuehong rolled her eyes. “I did break out the next day—my face was covered in pimples! I almost smashed my mirror out of frustration. Then, I used this Tao Rong Dew. Within just ten minutes, I could feel my pimples scabbing over and shrinking.”

“By the second day, they had completely scabbed over. By the third day, almost all of them were gone, except for two of the biggest ones. And today, on the fourth day, every single pimple has disappeared—without leaving a single mark!”

Li Yuehong explained to the two sisters in an engaging tone. If Tan Yunyi and Yuan Suchen didn’t know that their sister never lied, they would have suspected she was a salesperson sent by some company.

Because they knew Li Yuehong’s character, they were shocked by the effects of this Taorong Dew. In just four days, all the acne on her face had disappeared without leaving any scars. What kind of miraculous skincare product was this?

Li Yuehong opened the bottle cap, and a light, refreshing fragrance filled the air. Tan Yunyi and Yuan Suchen were instantly captivated by the scent.

“Oh my god, let me smell it! This scent is amazing!” Tan Yunyi eagerly reached out to grab it.

“No rush. Let me ask you a question first. After you answer, I’ll let you smell it.”

Li Yuehong cruelly moved the porcelain bottle away, keeping it out of their reach.

“Fine, hurry up and ask. I’ll answer right away.”

Tan Yunyi and Yuan Suchen were itching with curiosity, urging Li Yuehong to stop dawdling.

“If this skincare product were for sale, would you buy it? What do you think its price should be?”

“With such heaven-defying effects, only a fool wouldn’t buy it. Even if this Taorong Dew is sold at a sky-high price, I’d still think it’s reasonable.”

“That’s right! If its effects are really this good, I’d be willing to pay 20,000 per bottle.”

Seeing how highly Tan Yunyi and Yuan Suchen praised the Taorong Dew, Li Yuehong smiled in satisfaction.

Handing the porcelain bottle to them, Li Yuehong said, “This is a new product developed by Madam Shen. It’s about to go into production, but I was lucky enough to get it tested at my husband’s research institute, so I got to use it first.”

“Madam Shen? Which Madam Shen?”

Now that she finally had the bottle and could smell it properly, Tan Yunyi asked in confusion.

“Who else? How many Madam Shens are there in the Imperial Capital?”

Li Yuehong glanced at her, and Tan Yunyi’s mouth formed an O-shape. “No wonder the effects are so amazing! When I attended a banquet before, I was envious of how well Madam Shen maintained herself. She doesn’t even look thirty. Could this be her secret weapon?”

“This Taorong Dew is just one of the products. I have the full skincare set—whitening, spot-removal, slimming, everything. Just look at my face. I only used a product called ‘Hongyan Powder’ for a few days, and my skin tone has already lightened by more than one shade.”

Li Yuehong spoke in a dreamy tone, “My long-desired fair skin has finally appeared on my face.”

Since childhood, Li Yuehong had a darker complexion and endured a lot of ridicule because of it. Having fair skin had always been her dream, and now that it was becoming a reality, how could she not be excited?

“If we’re truly sisters, share some of your skincare products with us first. Once they hit the market, we’ll pay you back.”

Tan Yunyi showed no hesitation, while Yuan Suchen felt slightly embarrassed.

Li Yuehong gritted her teeth in pain. “I’ll let you use them for a week at most. I still need them for myself!”

“Fine, fine! A week is good enough. Let me transfer you 10,000 first as payment for the skincare products.”

Tan Yunyi pulled out her phone, and Yuan Suchen, seeing she was included, smiled and took out her phone to transfer money to Li Yuehong as well.

Li Yuehong quickly stopped them. “No, no, no! These skincare products were given to me for free by Madam Shen. She asked me to help spread the word. I just thought that as good sisters, we should share good things together. If you really want to show gratitude, thank Madam Shen. Help spread the word about her products. When the new ones hit the market, we might even get first dibs.”

“That’s a great idea! As long as the effects are good, I’ll make sure the entire Imperial Capital knows about them.”

Tan Yunyi’s husband was a government official with extensive connections, so her words weren’t an exaggeration.

“I can help too. Lin Yu is a famous writer with millions of fans. If she promotes it on SkyNet, its reputation will skyrocket.”

Yuan Suchen was referring to her wife, Yao Linyu, a highly renowned author with countless die-hard fans.

“Then I’ll thank you in advance. Once you try it, you’ll understand why I’m so excited.”

While Li Yuehong was busy promoting Shen Lihuan’s products, Shen Lihuan herself wasn’t idle either.

This Friday, Ming High School was holding a parents’ meeting for all students. In addition to reporting on the recently concluded monthly exams, they were also organizing an event themed “Improving Psychological Resilience for Healthy Student Growth.”

Some time ago, Wang Qingqing’s suicide attempt had inevitably spread. Since the police were called at the time, even though the situation was resolved before they arrived, word still got out. It even reached SkyNet, nearly causing a major online uproar.

The keywords “teacher,” “student,” and “suicide attempt” always drew public attention. Some unscrupulous reporters even tried to interview Wang Qingqing, but thanks to the hospital’s strict security, they couldn’t get inside to disturb her.

As the involved teacher, Ms. Chen faced scrutiny and criticism from netizens. Even Principal Cheng was harshly scolded, accused of shielding Ms. Chen by merely suspending her for reflection. Some even called him complicit in her wrongdoing.

Realizing the situation, Ms. Chen explained everything on SkyNet—except for Wang Qingqing’s illness—taking all the blame upon herself and urging netizens not to target innocent people.

Nevertheless, Principal Cheng still delivered a thorough self-criticism speech at Monday’s flag-raising ceremony, apologizing to the entire student body for his negligence.

Principal Cheng had been the head of Ming High for over a decade. He deeply cared for and protected his students, often eating with them in the cafeteria and chatting to understand their thoughts and needs. He even set up a principal’s mailbox where students could anonymously share their worries, promising to be their best listener.

He had maintained these practices for over ten years, earning deep trust and respect from both students and teachers. When netizens attacked him, and students heard his self-criticism, many emotional students cried.

Ming High’s parents didn’t blame Principal Cheng either. Their children liked and defended him, even arguing with online critics. If he weren’t a good principal, why would their kids be so fond of him?

As the controversy gradually subsided, when the parents’ meeting was announced, all parents voluntarily adjusted their schedules to attend on time.

The one attending the parent-teacher meeting from the Shen family was Gu Qinglan. Shen Jiashu happened to have an important contract negotiation and couldn’t make it.

As soon as Gu Qinglan entered Ming High, she noticed that the school had put up many banners with slogans like “Half of good health is mental health,” “Strengthen mental health education, promote students’ harmonious growth,” and “Mental health concerns all of us!”

The school’s bulletin boards, special columns, and culture walls were filled with numerous posters and handwritten reports.

Gu Qinglan nodded in approval—the school was putting in real effort.

By the time she arrived at Class 1-2, many parents were already there. Seeing her mother, Shen Lihuan quickly waved her over. Gu Qinglan smiled and walked to her. Shen Lihuan gave up her seat for her mother.

“Mom, you sit for a bit first. When the loudspeaker outside calls, we’ll go down to the school auditorium for the meeting.”

“Alright, I’ll listen to you.” Gu Qinglan nodded while scanning the classroom. You Changqing’s mother had also come, but Ms. Yang Yingzhi had gone to the restroom to wash her hands and hadn’t returned yet.

You Changqing stood up and greeted her, “Hello, Auntie Gu.”

“Oh? So Changqing and Lihuan sit this close? No wonder you two get along so well.”

Gu Qinglan smiled gently, but inwardly, she thought—so her daughter had the advantage of proximity.

“Yes, Lihuan has a great personality and is excellent. She’s always the one accommodating me more.”

You Changqing smiled, pressing her lips together.

“As long as she knows how to accommodate you, that’s good. Changqing is such a lovely girl—if Lihuan doesn’t take care of you, who else would she take care of?”

Gu Qinglan held You Changqing’s hand as if giving instructions to a daughter-in-law. “If Lihuan ever makes you upset in the future, just tell me. I’ll take care of her for you.”

Shen Lihuan: …??? (confused Black man meme face)