VBNWDW - Chapter 1
Chapter 1
The wind swept through the treetops, stirring a wave of emerald green. A meticulously maintained manor lay hidden in the woods. A bird took flight with a beat of its wings, its sharp cry carrying into the distance.
The ornate main door was pushed open, and a butler in a three-piece suit stepped out. He wore a formal, polite smile as he called out in a low voice, "Dr. Luo."
"The young lady has been waiting for you in the study for a long time."
As the aged, hollow voice faded, long, curly hair swayed with her movements, as light as a flower petal and tinged with the faint scent of red wine.
The stunningly beautiful woman glanced unintentionally at the round glass window beside her, gaining a new, profound understanding of the top-tier family the System had described.
Even the hallway outside the room was covered in hand-woven wool carpets, silencing the high heels that stepped forward.
"Host?"
The mechanical voice in her mind piped up with a question after a long period of silence.
Luo Yueqing pulled her attention back, her tone calm. "Continue."
"This is the original body's first meeting with the villainess. Because the villainess is extremely guarded and has been resisting the original's mental power treatment, they only met briefly, and nothing significant happened."
The System paused, then added reassuringly, "This is a good thing for you. You can have a brief initial contact with the villainess, just to get acclimated."
But Luo Yueqing spoke with an unreadable tone, "Is that so?"
It was unclear which part of the statement she was referring to. Before the System could ask, the butler, who was half a step ahead, suddenly stopped. Standing before a dark, heavy wooden door, he knocked lightly and briefly. Only after a sound came from within did he cautiously report, "Miss, Dr. Luo is here."
He bowed slightly, listening intently to the movements inside. Once he heard a voice of assent, he dared to push the door open and gestured for Luo Yueqing to enter.
The space inside was immense. Rows upon rows of bookshelves were arranged neatly, enclosing the person sitting in a wheelchair. Despite the floor-to-ceiling windows just a few meters away, through which the warm sun shone brightly, and the burning red-brick fireplace, the room felt dark and oppressive. The air was thick with the musty smell of decaying paper.
Luo Yueqing raised an eyebrow and said, "Miss Xi, I am the Mental Guide you invited."
The word "invited" was deliberately emphasized. Compared to the butler's humble tone, Luo Yueqing's was merely polite, the upward lilt of her voice both alluring and nonchalant.
She was unfazed by the luxurious decor and unaffected by the atmosphere.
The woman with her back to them closed her book. She unhurriedly raised a hand, skillfully turned her wheelchair around, and then lifted her eyes to look at Luo Yueqing.
The tip of her tongue pressed against the roof of her mouth, a light flick capable of stirring a slight itch. Luo Yueqing finally revealed a flicker of a different emotion.
If all villains looked like this, then destroying the world didn't seem like such a big deal.
The woman before her was remarkably beautiful. Her excessively pale skin complemented her light gray-blue eyes, making her appear delicate and fragile. Her features were so exquisitely perfect they could have been framed for admiration. Every gesture carried the noble air of a high-born scion, and an eternal frost seemed to settle in her eyes.
If some people's beauty was only skin-deep, then this woman's was a perfect fusion of flesh and bone—enough to make one's heart tremble at a glance, yet not dare to reach out and touch.
"Hello," Xi Zhoulu said, retracting her own assessing gaze and nodding slightly.
Her voice was extremely cold, her enunciation clear and crisp, like ice pellets from a waterfall striking stone.
"Please, have a seat," Xi Zhoulu gestured toward the leather sofa in front of her.
Luo Yueqing walked forward. Before she could reach her, she saw the wheelchair slide backward slightly, deliberately increasing the distance between them.
She wasn't surprised. After all, in the System's description, this family heiress was extremely guarded, requiring four or five bodyguards to accompany her whenever she went out. Right now, it seemed they were alone in the study, but if Miss Xi had the slightest suspicion, a press of a button on her wheelchair's armrest would summon a group of security guards bursting through the door.
If it weren't for the fact that she refused to find a partner and had been using inhibitors to suppress her pheromones long-term, causing serious problems with her mental power and forcing her to hire a doctor, the original host would likely never have had the chance to meet the meticulously cautious Xi Zhoulu.
The firewood in the fireplace continued to burn, occasionally spitting out sparks that landed on the expensive carpet.
After sitting down, Luo Yueqing didn't speak. Instead, she first adjusted herself into a comfortable position, leaning back against the soft backrest and crossing one leg over the other. The black silk stocking was pulled taut, the tip of her foot pointing slightly upward, forcing the black pencil skirt to ride up.
She looked more like the master of the house than the prim and proper Xi Zhoulu.
And not only did she not correct her posture, she even spoke with a beaming smile. "Miss Xi, please relax. We're not going into surgery; no scalpels are involved. Why so tense?"
Xi Zhoulu's gaze darkened, her lips pressing into a thin line. She subconsciously reached for the ebony cane beside her, her thumb rubbing against the silver filigree on its head.
Even a CEO who commanded the world of business would find a shameless rogue difficult to handle.
"Let's begin," she said, seizing back control and abandoning any pretense of courtesy, wanting to shorten this treatment as much as possible.
"If you continue to resist, it won't be effective even if we force it," Luo Yueqing said, tilting her head slightly as strands of her wine-red hair cascaded down.
A smile played on her lips as she offered a suggestion, as if about to concede. "Perhaps we could just chat for a bit first. About the book in your hand, for example."
She glanced at the title and added, "A book about pheromones? Is Miss Xi very worried about your condition?"
Luo Yueqing had a peculiar way of speaking. She didn't deliberately enunciate every word clearly; sometimes, she would even unconsciously blur them, creating a winding, seductive feeling, like a bent rose brushing against the water's surface.
Xi Zhoulu didn't answer. Her other hand closed the book, even covering the title in an undisguised show of resistance.
Meanwhile, the System in Luo Yueqing's mind was blaring.
"Host, what are you doing?! Just follow the original plot!"
"Xi Zhoulu is an extremely guarded person. If you provoke her this time, it will be very difficult to get another chance to see her!"
"Don't say anything, just do as she asks! It's not too late to act later! Don't be impatient."
Luo Yueqing heard it, of course, but she continued to speak with a beaming smile. "You don't need to be so anxious. This kind of problem isn't incurable. However, Miss Xi should also pay more attention to resting and relaxing your mind."
What should have been a formal and official expression of concern somehow sounded like deliberate teasing when it came from her.
"I know, thank you, Doctor," Xi Zhoulu finally replied, her voice growing even colder. Shadows fell across her cool eyes, adding a touch of gloom.
She repeated once more, "Let's begin now."
A complete rejection of the other's suggestion.
Luo Yueqing didn't get angry. Instead, she asked abruptly, "Can you still feel anything?"
What?
Xi Zhoulu frowned slightly, but she understood in the next second.
A black high heel hooked the cuff of her suit trousers, its sharp point grazing across her overly pale skin. It was unclear whether Luo Yueqing had deliberately applied more force or if Xi Zhoulu's skin was simply too delicate, but a faint pink mark appeared instantly.
The charcoal in the fireplace suddenly lost its stability, tumbling down with flames still clinging to it, scattering a crackle of sparks.
A flash of fury crossed her light gray-blue eyes. Xi Zhoulu gripped her cane tightly, her pale knuckles nearly piercing through her thin skin.
For a person in power with a physical disability, this was undoubtedly the greatest provocation.
Before she could make her next move, the mental power of an S-Class Alpha crashed toward her like a tidal wave, surging directly into her mind.
Xi Zhoulu instantly clenched her jaw. A moment of carelessness had cost her her defenses.
And just like that, the top-tier family heiress known for her coldness and strength was pinned to her wheelchair, clutching her ebony cane as if it were a piece of driftwood.
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