Twin female zombies come to the door: My lord, please have mercy!

At the buffet table on the other side of the banquet hall, the sounds of clinking knives and forks and chewing filled the air.

Ayougu shamelessly occupied the entire long dining table, her flat stomach already slightly protruding.

The bone china plate in front of me was piled high with Boston lobster claws, slices of M9 Wagyu beef, and colorful French macarons.

With her left hand she held a large shrimp claw, and with her right hand she used a small silver spoon to scoop up a dollop of dark caviar and stuff it into her mouth. After chewing it a couple of times, she immediately turned her mouth away in disgust.

"City people are really not picky eaters. This black caviar is so salty it's bitter, and it's soft and mushy when you bite into it. It's not even half as crisp as the black beetles I raise."

Ayougu tossed the spoon back into the plate, the Miao silver necklace around her neck jingling as she shook her head.

Froststar held a tall glass filled with ice and bright red watermelon juice.

The little girl stood barefoot on the leather seat, sucking on a straw and making slurping noises.

"What do you know? This is called high-end ingredient."

Froststar spat out the straw, her heterochromatic blue and red eyes revealing a cunning and treacherous nature.

"If you don't like it, give me that plate of raw red meat. I'll add some ice and freeze it; it'll be a decent late-night snack."

"Dream on! This girl has a huge appetite. If I can't finish it, I'll pack it up and feed it to the Gu worms!"

Ayougu protectively wrapped her arms around the plate and glared back at him without any politeness.

Lin Ye, with one hand in his suit trouser pocket, leaned against a marble Roman column and smiled as he watched the two girls bickering.

The pretense and formality of the upscale dinner were completely dispelled by these two foodies.

A series of crisp sounds of high heels clicking on the polished marble floor came from behind.

Lin Ye turned his head.

A young woman in a moon-white fitted evening gown is slowly walking towards them, lifting the hem of her dress.

She was extremely beautiful, with gentle features and an air of elegance befitting a lady from a prominent family.

Having just recovered from a serious illness, her cheeks still bore a faint pallor of weakness, yet she moved with graceful poise.

This is Song Ruobing, the apple of Song Zhenguo's eye, the Song family's daughter who was cursed with the Soul-Locking Nail by the Yinshan Sect.

She came alone, carrying a flat, purplish-black brocade box in both hands.

Song Ruobing stopped two steps in front of Lin Ye, bowed slightly, and performed a solemn ancient salute.

"Mr. Lin, a few days ago Ruobing was on the verge of death. It was thanks to your help that the death curse was lifted. The large sum of money prepared by my grandfather is the Song family's token of appreciation. This small gift is Ruobing's way of expressing her gratitude."

Her voice was soft, and her moist eyes quietly observed the tall and handsome young man in front of her.

She had seen many young men in Jiangzhou's high society, whose arrogance was built entirely on money and designer brands.

The man before them exuded a profound and unwavering composure; his mere presence alone was enough to suppress the frivolity of the entire scene.

Lin Ye straightened up and his gaze fell on the purplish-black brocade box.

"If you take someone's money, you should do their bidding. Miss Song has just recovered from a serious illness and should rest at home."

Lin Ye spoke calmly and did not take the brocade box.

A slight blush rose to Song Ruobing's cheeks.

She boldly took half a step forward and took the initiative to unfasten the clasp of the brocade box.

"Sir, your methods are extraordinary; ordinary gold and silver items are hardly worthy of your attention. This is a rare item that the Song family's auction house acquired from the southwestern border half a year ago."

"Even the most experienced appraisers couldn't identify this plant after searching through countless ancient texts. It emits a strange fragrance year-round, and its aroma chills the body when one gets close. I think you might find it useful, sir."

The brocade box is opened.

A withered, twisted vine, its entire body a dark purple, lay quietly on the yellow silk.

The surface of the vines is covered with fine, blood-red veins.

The moment the lid was lifted, a pungent, pungent smell mixed with a strong earthy odor wafted out.

The temperature of the surrounding air dropped several degrees.

At this moment, light flowed in front of Lin Ye's retina.

"Ding! Your Excellency, please exercise self-restraint. System notification: A wealthy heiress has been detected offering a gift, a harbinger of impending doom. Please decide on your acceptance of this gift within three minutes and handle this thorny flower properly!"

The light screen unfolds, clearly listing three options:

[Option A: Physical Severance – Coldly push the brocade box back. Loudly declare, "I, Lin Ye, only accept cash and do not accept in-kind discounts," and immediately demand that the other party list the item on Xianyu (a second-hand marketplace) for cash transfer.]

[Reward: Iron-willed Straight Man Titanium Alloy Medal. Consequence: Song Ruobing publicly humiliated, weeping bitterly, the Song family utterly disgraced.]

[Option B: The Sea King casts his net, taking everything in—He reaches out and grasps her hand holding the box. Gazing deeply into her eyes, he says, "Compared to these vines, Miss Song is the most precious gift."]

[Reward: A complete collection of scumbag quotes. Consequence: Leng Yue immediately ignited the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, burning the entire hotel to the ground, and you and Peach Blossom turned to ashes.]

Option C: Outsource the technology, shift the focus – maintain a cool and aloof image, and have a Miao technical consultant take over. Utilize Ayougu's expertise to appraise the treasure; this will allow you to legitimately accept the spoils while simultaneously shattering the other party's unrealistic fantasies.

[Reward: 200 Official Points, Ayougu's professional skill proficiency increased.]

For Lin Ye, this situation didn't even require much thought.

I choose C.

Lin Ye took a half step back, creating a slightly dangerous social distance between the two.

"This thing is extremely cold and yin. Miss Song's constitution is more yin, no wonder she feels cold."

Lin Ye turned his head and shouted towards the dining table.

"Ayougu, stop eating crabs and come get to work."

Ayougu, who was desperately fighting with a king crab leg, immediately dropped the crab shell upon hearing the summons.

She casually wiped her oily hands on her jeans and swaggered forward.

She peeked into the brocade box.

His previously nonchalant gaze suddenly sharpened, and his eyes instantly lit up.

"Bloodline Dragon Vine!"

Ayougu exclaimed in surprise and snatched the brocade box from Song Ruobing's hands.

She leaned closer to the withered vine and inhaled deeply the pungent, earthy smell.

His face lit up with ecstatic joy.

Song Ruobing was startled by the Miao girl, who was covered in silver ornaments and behaved rudely, and stood there helplessly.

"Boss Lin, you've struck it rich!"

Ayougu held the brocade box in both hands, jumping up and down with excitement.

"This thing only grows in the extremely yin burial pits of the Hundred Thousand Mountains in our Miao region, surviving by sucking the blood of corpses underground and the morning dew. It takes a hundred years for it to grow even this small section!"

She turned to Lin Ye and quickly explained the value of this strange object.

"If a living person were to accidentally ingest even a tiny bit of it, their intestines would immediately burst and their stomach would rot, beyond saving even by a god. However, when used in medicine or to make soup, it becomes a top-grade tonic for feeding high-level Gu worms and refining the corpse path! The toxicity of this stuff can directly wash away all the impurities within a corpse demon's body!"

Upon hearing the words "Refining the Corpse Path".

Leng Yue, who was standing not far away, turned around.

She held a glass of champagne in her hand, the glass already covered with a fine layer of frost.

She walked slowly in, wearing high heels.

The dark blue velvet dress swayed under the lights, and the large expanse of openwork white back attracted attention.

That overwhelmingly cold and aloof aura forced Song Ruobing to instinctively hold her breath.

Leng Yue walked to Lin Ye's side.

She didn't look at Song Ruobing, but instead focused her gaze on the blood-thread dragon vine in Ayougu's hand, and nodded slightly.

"It is indeed an extremely Yin object, my lord. This object will greatly benefit Frost Star. With it, the Netherworld Corpse Qi within Frost Star's body can be completely stabilized."

With a cold and clear voice, Leng Yue immediately took the initiative to decide on Lin Ye's behalf, placing this precious treasure into her own family's treasury.

She turned her face, her deep red eyes gazing silently at Song Ruobing.

"Miss Song, your kindness is appreciated. My husband will accept this gift as a token of our gratitude. The night air is chilly, and Miss Song is not in good health; please go back to your room and rest early."

With just a few words, Leng Yue brought out the oppressive feeling and assertive power of the "official wife" to the extreme.

Song Ruobing is an intelligent woman.

Seeing the unspoken understanding and chemistry between the two that no one else could interfere with, the budding feelings in her heart were instantly extinguished by a bucket of ice water.

She raised the corners of her mouth into a polite smile and bowed slightly to Lin Ye again.

"Since it's useful to you, sir, this thing has found a good home. I'll take my leave now and not disturb you any longer."

Song Ruobing lifted her skirt and turned to walk into the crowd.

Her back view remained dignified, but her steps were slightly unsteady.

"Ding! Option task completed, official points +200, current points: 4650."

"Technical consultant Ayougu's loyalty has increased, cutting off a bad romantic interest, and resolving the crisis of trouble at home."

Lin Ye took the brocade box from Ayougu's hand and snapped it shut, cutting off the biting cold.

"You can handle this. Later, prepare some milder medicinal herbs, brew them into a decoction, and give it to Froststar."

Lin Ye tossed the brocade box back to the Miao girl.

Ayougu hugged the brocade box as if it were a priceless treasure, nodding repeatedly.

"Leave it to me! These are the perfect ingredients for making top-grade Gu soup; I guarantee it will cure everything!"

Froststar, who had been squatting on the chair, narrowed her dark blue heterochromatic eyes when she heard the words "administer medicine."

The little girl dropped the watermelon juice in her hand, slid barefoot down the ground, and hid directly behind Leng Yue.

He gripped Leng Yue's skirt tightly with both hands, peeked out with half his head out, and stared warily at the purplish-black brocade box.

"Froststar won't drink bitter medicine! That bug breeder is definitely going to poison my soup and kill me!"

Leng Yue gently ruffled the little girl's silver hair, unusually refraining from scolding her, a faint smile curving her lips.

The banquet was drawing to a close.

Lin Ye did not linger in the world of fame and fortune.

After saying a brief goodbye to Song Zhenguo and Bai Yu, he led the three women away through the hotel's private passage.

The night was deep, and the autumn rain had stopped.

The streets of Jiangzhou City were still covered with puddles, reflecting the colorful neon signs.

The commercial vehicle was driving on the wide main road.

With Fatty Wang absent, Lin Ye personally acted as the driver.

Ayougu and Shuangxing were sitting in the back row, engaged in a heated verbal battle in hushed tones over the ownership of the brocade box containing the Blood-Thread Dragon Vine.

In the passenger seat.

Leng Yue took off the high heels that bound her ankles, revealing her bare, snow-white feet.

She adjusted the backrest of her seat and sank lazily into the soft leather seat.

The lights were off inside the carriage.

The dim yellow streetlights flashing past rapidly along the roadside occasionally swept across her stunning profile.

Lin Ye gripped the steering wheel with both hands, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

A cool, soft hand reached out from the side.

Leng Yue's fingertips slipped inside the cuff of Lin Ye's suit jacket.

The moment their skin touched, the scorching heat of pure Yang and the icy coolness of drought demons quietly converged in the dark carriage.

Leng Yue remained silent.

She rested her head on the neck pillow of the chair, facing Lin Ye.

The rich, cool fragrance of red spider lilies, mixed with the faint aroma of red wine emanating from her, quietly fermented in this enclosed, cramped space, creating a sticky feeling that made it hard to breathe.

Lin Ye slowed down the car.

He glanced at the woman beside him out of the corner of his eye.

The dark blue velvet dress shimmered faintly in the dim light, and their clasped hands conveyed a silent dependence and possession.

The bickering in the back row gradually subsided.

Ayougu hugged the brocade box and began to snore softly, while Shuangxing curled up in the corner of the chair and fell into a deep sleep.

Inside the car, only the low rumble of the engine and the "swish" of tires rolling over the puddles remained.

Lin Ye gently stroked Leng Yue's delicate hand with his thumb.