Qi Zhimu cursed himself, why couldn't he control his mouth from subconsciously saying polite words?
If Ruan Mei still agreed, it would be asking for trouble.
One was a genius accustomed to living as a recluse with almost no social interaction, while the other was a Galaxy Ranger who traveled everywhere like the Knights of Beauty. Sitting down for a meal together would be a conversational desert.
"I appreciate the thought, but I... have another experimental project. Perhaps another day," Ruan Mei politely declined.
Qi Zhimu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, exchanged a few formulaic pleasantries, then parted ways and returned home.
Ruan Mei retracted her gaze.
She never expected such a coincidence...
She wasn't ready yet; there was no need to rush.
Tomorrow, A'Mu would be hosting, and she wanted to present herself in the most perfect way to him, leaving a good impression.
Current methods could not help A'Mu recover his past life memories. Should she really consider... no, absolutely not.
That method was too risky.
Inviting someone to watch a life movie where the protagonists are oneself and the other person, and after watching, saying—
"The 'us' in the movie is your previous life."
Most people's first reaction wouldn't be to believe or doubt, but to think you're crazy.
Even more seriously, they might think you fabricated his past life with ulterior motives.
A'Mu was no longer the obedient student he once was. Now he was very opinionated and maintained social distance from unfamiliar people.
Even with familiar people... he would still keep his distance. Yelena was a prime example.
He wouldn't accept a straightforward confession from the girl she raised herself, let alone... the teacher who once hurt him?
...This matter still needed long-term deliberation.
Ruan Mei returned to her residence, entered the bathroom, removed her clothes, and poured bottle after bottle of unknown liquids into the bathtub.
The clear warm water quickly turned pure white. She then sprinkled a handful of plum blossoms, tied up her hair, and stepped in.
The water covered her shoulders, concealing her incredibly alluring curves.
"A'Mu..."
With two fingers, Ruan Mei skillfully pulled out a memory scene from in front of her.
The young man stood behind the bathtub, blushing as he massaged his teacher's shoulders, his arms held straight, afraid his gaze might touch forbidden areas.
As she watched, Ruan Mei gradually lost herself in thought.
When she closed her eyes, it felt as if a pair of hands were truly pressing on her shoulders, gently kneading.
In her memory, what happened next...
Just as Ruan Mei's hand moved downwards, preparing to seek a moment of solace, a communication call came in.
"Ah Ruan, it's me."
"Are you done with your affairs?"
"Almost. I'll be heading to Herta Space Station in a few days," Yu Qingtu's voice came through.
Ruan Mei hummed in response, but inwardly she was struggling.
Should she tell Yu Qingtu about A'Mu's existence?
Yu Qingtu's field of expertise overlapped with hers; both had accomplishments in biology, it was just a matter of who had gone further.
Perhaps Yu Qingtu could formulate a potion that would make A'Mu remember his past.
Or perhaps, like her, she would be at a loss.
Unless A'Mu knew and revealed his method of reincarnation, finding his memories could only be done through exploration.
And the last alternative... Black Swan.
As a Memokeeper of the Garden of Recollection, anything related to memory was undoubtedly her specialty.
But once she informed them, it meant competition was inevitable.
They had agreed back then that whoever found Qi Zhimu had no obligation to inform the others, but must not interfere with Qi Zhimu's thoughts.
If one could make him choose only one and abandon the rest, that would be a testament to one's charm and ability.
Ruan Mei did not doubt her own charm and had sufficient confidence.
However, her confidence could not escape the fact that she had deeply hurt Qi Zhimu in the past.
She thought she understood love, but in reality, she was still a blank slate when it came to romantic relationships, with only theory and no practice. She knew very well what kind of situation she might face.
Leaving Yu Qingtu aside for now, Black Swan was different; she knew what it meant to love someone.
Black Swan had accompanied A'Mu through his final moments, which made her, as his teacher, deeply jealous.
After the jealousy came powerlessness and regret.
"Ah Ruan? Ah Ruan?" Yu Qingtu called out several times.
"I was just thinking about some things," Ruan Mei replied, snapping back to attention.
"I took some time to find information about Herta, Screwllum, and Stephen. The first two have some, but there's almost nothing on the latter."
"No need to look. With your personality, you don't need to worry about not getting along."
"You misunderstood. I just wanted to prepare a personalized gift for each of my colleagues who are about to become partners."
Yu Qingtu's tone carried a hint of exasperation, as if troubled by Ruan Mei's emotional intelligence.
"Five geniuses collaborating hand-in-hand—this is an unprecedented spectacle since the Genius Society was founded."
"Furthermore, before my arrival, you all had already conducted several tests. As a senior, it wouldn't be right to enjoy the shade of the tree cultivated by my juniors without showing some appreciation."
Hearing this, Ruan Mei understood Yu Qingtu's intention in contacting her.
"Give Herta your latest developed potion. Regardless of its effect, she only picks things she hasn't seen before, things that are interesting."
"Screwllum is a Mechanical King, so I presume I don't need to say much. As for Stephen, give him a potion that can reduce his presence, and he will thank you."
"Alright. By the way, Ah Ruan, you also participated in several simulated universe tests. What's your evaluation?"
Yu Qingtu changed the subject.
"It's true that I'm interested in the secrets of the Aeons, but I'm more interested in whether this technology can be used to find Xiao Mu."
"…"
Ruan Mei fell silent.
Yu Qingtu waited for a long time without a reply, thinking she had spaced out again. Just as she was about to speak, she heard a rather unexpected and strange answer.
"Perhaps it can, perhaps it cannot. It all depends on... fate and destiny."
"Hearing the words 'fate and destiny' from your mouth gives me an indescribable sense of absurdity," Yu Qingtu teased.
Ruan Mei's heart tightened.
Did Yu Qingtu figure something out?
In fact, she was overthinking; Yu Qingtu hadn't even considered that Qi Zhimu had already been found.
"Let's stop here for now. I'll contact you in advance when I'm close to the Space Station. Remember to tell Herta not to make a fuss; I don't want unrelated people to know my movements."
"Mhm."
After hanging up the communication, Ruan Mei lost her interest in seeking a moment of solace. Her heart was filled with anxiety, hesitating whether to disclose Qi Zhimu's existence.
After careful consideration, she leaned towards actively informing her.
The reason was not complicated: A'Mu and Yu Qingtu's relationship couldn't be described as romantic.
At the very least, A'Mu had no romantic feelings for her; this much was certain.
And it was only just before... just before his lifespan ended, that he changed his address to 'Sister Qingtu'.
At most, their relationship was like that of an elder sister and younger brother, not love. It was purely Yu Qingtu's unrequited love.
In summary, by informing Yu Qingtu of Qi Zhimu's existence and working together to help him recall his past, Yu Qingtu would have no advantage in the subsequent competition.
"...I'll think about it more these next few days..."
Ruan Mei sighed softly.
Although her advantage was quite clear.
A'Mu loved her, and she loved A'Mu.
As long as A'Mu remembered everything and forgave her, everything would fall into place naturally.
But...
Who would complain about having more advantages?