Mu'en was in a taxi headed for the Central District.
The many roads and streets in Norzin were like a wide spreading spiderweb. Thus, for convenience purposes, there were many taxis. However, after entering the Central District, public transportation vehicles were much fewer because in the Central District where the nobles were, almost every household was equipped with expensive cars.
The girl in the taxi soon became the center of attention.
Mu'en's expression didn't change. She was as nonchalant as ever in this old and rundown taxi.
She had nothing to worry about. These tools, in her eyes, were just like humans—everything equal.
However, the ordinary driver didn't feel the same. In the surroundings were expensive luxurious vehicles and even horse-drawn carriages that were popular among some ancient noble houses. An accidental scrape might easily cost him an amount he would never come close to in several lifetimes. He picked up a towel and wiped the sweat off his forehead, feeling immense pressure as he parked his car at the heart of the Central District.
The driver glanced at Mu’en. This girl, who was calm like water, had an extraordinary air about her. One look and he could tell that she was the eldest daughter of a noble family which he wouldn't dare offend.
With a nod and bow, he said, "Um, miss. My shabby little car can't enter the area ahead. I'm sorry but you'll have to get off here."
Upon hearing this, Mu'en tilted her head slightly and thought about what was the normal thing to do here. Then, she took out some money from her bag and handed it to the driver. "Thank you, this is the place."
This was the first time Mu'en had left the bookstore and returned to the Central District. It was impossible to say that she didn't feel anything deep down, but her personality was usually calm. Right now, she only felt some slightly inexplicable emotions.
It had been more than half a year ago when she had escaped from the Truth Union laboratory in the Central District and had been in an extremely sorry state.
But now, she could return to this area so openly.
Of course, these were mere ripples in her heart that calmed in no time.
Her main purpose for coming this time was to transform the villa Ji Zhixiu had given into a branch of the bookstore and officially start their plan.
Mu'en had already informed Vincent about the important undertaking that was the opening of a branch. However, when Mu’en got out of the car and counted the house numbers, she didn't see Vincent even when she reached Area A, No. 48.
However, there was still a while before the designated time, so there was no hurry.
Area A, No. 48. This had originally been the residence of the Fred Family, but unfortunately, their second son had offended Boss Lin.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe Fred Family that was rather renowned throughout the Central District had been instantly destroyed. A large part of their manor had been instantly set ablaze and reduced to ashes.
However, the Fred manor in front of Mu'en had been bought over and renovated by Ji Zhixiu. It had regained its magnificent appearance that hadn't changed at all because of the passing of its former owners.
Boss Lin was really cruel sometimes…
However, his cruelty was not that of humans, but the gentle cruelty like that of time.
Mu'en stood in front of the Fred manor in thought.
Through her binoculars, Eliza, the noble lady of the Morgandi Family next door, spied a girl of about 15 or 16 standing before the abandoned Fred Family mansion.
Her expression revealed a slight hint of doubt.
"Possan, what's the current status of the Fred Family mansion now?" Eliza raised an eyebrow and asked the butler beside her. "As a noble, it's necessary to know if our future neighbor is decent."
"I remember that the Fred manor was bought by the Ji Family of Rolle Resource. Have they resold it?"
The butler replied, "No. It's as you know it. This manor still belongs to the Ji Family. There hasn't been any news of the ownership being transferred."
Eliza frowned. Could this fair-skinned, clean, and petite girl, who was dressed somewhat impoverished, be from Rolle Resource?
She didn't look like a maid or servant—servants couldn't be that beautiful. And at the same time, which rich family would dress their servants so plainly. Servants were important assets of the nobles and represented the face value of a noble household...
"Is this girl from the Ji Family?" Eliza asked with a raised eyebrow.
Possan moved forward and bent down slightly to take a good look at Mu'en. After thinking for a bit, he shook his head. "Madam, this girl isn't from the Ji Family."
Eliza covered her face with her feather fan and lifted the hems of her skirt, then said, "Come, let's go have some fun."
Staying home all the time was way too boring.
These sorts of fun-seeking actions were Eliza's only pastime.
Mu'en observed the manor expressionlessly as she patiently waited for Vincent and the help she needed to arrive.
While the original manor was gorgeous, it wasn't suitable for operating a bookstore and needed to be modified.
"It's quite a fine day, huh?" An exaggerated female voice suddenly came from Mu'en's side.
Eliza, wearing a feathered hat and followed by an entourage of servants, came up to Mu'en and said with a giggly voice, "What a beautiful girl. May I ask what you are doing here? Is there anything you need help with?"
Mu'en glanced at Eliza, then ignored her.
"Miss, what are you doing here? If you wish to take a look at houses, just know that the prices here are really expensive," said the grinning Eliza. "Well, it's fine for little girls to have dreams."
Mu'en instinctively wanted to stop her from talking nonsense, but at this moment, she remembered Boss Lin mentioning before that building a good relationship with neighbors was also a secret recipe for doing business.
Hence, after a moment's hesitation, she said, "I'm here on behalf of my boss to open a bookstore branch."
"Eh?" Eliza acted as if she heard an unexpected answer. "I just said that property prices here are very expensive..."
"Miss Ji Zhixiu has already given this house to my boss." Mu'en really didn't want to continue talking to her, so she directly cut Eliza off.
Eliza's fan-flapping hand halted as she recalled what the butler had said previously. With a snide smile, she said, "Lying isn't a good habit. Things would be bad if the Ji Family hears this. You've got to be careful with your words and actions."
Before Mu'en had even said much, Eliza's imagination had already run wild as she imagined a plotline of 'an unscrupulous and evil boss making use of child labor and having her suffer for his own entertainment.'
But fortunately, the child had met her. As long as she exposed the lies of this boss, wouldn't this beautiful child be eternally grateful to her? At that time...
Eliza couldn't help breaking into a grin, but she quickly used her feather fan to hide it.
"I say, you've really met a baddie..." Eliza continued her ridicule. Unfortunately, she was interrupted once more, this time not by Mu'en but by another group of uninvited guests.
Eliza blinked in bewilderment at the group that had hastily come over.
Vincent, in white prayer robes, walked over from somewhere. On his robes was an embroidered sun made of golden threads. Behind him were a dozen of followers who knelt and bowed when they reached Mu'en.
"O Great Moon, you shine with the night, eternal in time."
Eliza's eyes widened in surprise. "...Huh?"
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmVincent came before Mu'en and bowed with his hands to his chest. "I'm really sorry, Lady Mu'en. I just received news that Wilde's aura had appeared and was delayed for a bit."
"It's alright. I came early."
Mu'en seemed accustomed to Vincent's formalities and nodded in response.
Eliza couldn't hide her surprise and her mouth was now agape. She knew who Vincent was—the pope of the recently founded Sun's Faith. Because of the religion's rapid expansion and preaching, Father Vincent had become a hot topic amongst the nobles of Area A. Of course, there were some that loathed him.
But even Eliza's husband, the head of the Morgandi Family, had a hard time even trying to make an appointment with him.
Yet, such an esteemed figure had actually bowed to this shabbily dressed girl. In her bewildered stupor, Eliza felt a rude tug on her arm.
"Who?" Eliza glared. But before she could flare up, she saw that it was her always-reserved husband.
"Who asked you to come out?" Morgandi chided.
He nervously wiped beads of perspiration off his forehead and gave Mu'en an apologetic smile. "My wife is insensible and has disturbed you, lady."
Mu'en glanced at him, not even taking this matter seriously at all. She shook her head. "Not at all. It was just a casual conversation."
Seeing that Mu'en didn't really care about him, Morgandi didn't wish to embarrass himself anymore, so he dragged Eliza home.
As soon as they returned to their own manor, he pressed Eliza's shoulder and sat her down on the sofa. He heaved a sigh of relief and chided vehemently, "Did you know that I just received news that the Fred Family manor has been transferred by the Ji Family to a person called Lin Jie? And that guy's assistant is the legendary Saintess of the Sun's Faith! Those are people from the Sun's Faith. Ordinary people might not know, but you understand clearly that it was those crazy fellas that annihilated the Church of the Dome!"
Morgandi took a deep breath, trying his best to keep a straight face. "Tell me, had you been about to act out again just now, like those little ladies you raised in the past?"
That's right, the filthy ways of nobles were commonplace, and Elisa, this noblewoman, had a fetish for raising beautiful girls.
"I didn't know. I just found that girl very beautiful..." Eliza changed the topic aggrievedly and said, "That Lin Jie person… Who is he?"
This question stumped Morgandi. How would he know why some bookstore owner was valued by the Ji Family and somehow became the boss of the dignified Saintess of the Sun's Faith?
"In any case, he's a very powerful person! Somebody that no one can afford to offend!
"By the way, I've heard that he's working together with the Ji Family and sold five books. Now that the auction is about to begin, I wonder how it will turn out…"
She definitely had to take a look at this auction.