Although They're Mentally ill, They're Extremely Easy to Comfort - Chapter 2

The world built of concrete and steel was restless. The early summer in Xuan City was not refreshing; the scorching sun and the oppressive heat were overwhelming.

Ling Xi propped up her long legs, sprawled like a lump of mud. The Heart Sutra played on repeat in her Bluetooth headphones. At a young age, she had already grasped the supreme state of “Buddha-like” philosophy, which was essentially just “slacking off.”

“Ling Xi, ah, Ling Xi, how can you still be sleeping in?”

The Dean of the Archaeology Department burst into the office, lifting the ancient scripts textbook covering Ling Xi’s face. His raised voice shattered the subtle wonder of her dream journeying to the Pure Land.

Disturbed from her rest, her willow-leaf eyes—streamlined and slightly upturned at the corners—were hazy and drowsy. Her classic, level eyebrows were peaceful and carefree.

She glanced disdainfully at the Dean’s greasy, nearly bald head, then her eyes shifted to the class schedule in his hand.

Ling Xi had expected this. She teased, “It’s just that my elective has zero sign-ups, right? I’m not worried, so why are you so anxious?”

“You!” The Dean was momentarily speechless, infuriated by Ling Xi’s couldn’t-care-less attitude.

A sudden phone ring cleverly broke the stalemate.

Too lazy to even change the position of her crossed legs, Ling Xi leaned forward to reach for the incessantly buzzing phone on the desk.

“Would it kill you to change your posture? Even someone with late-stage ‘lazy cancer’ is more salvageable than you.” The Dean couldn’t stand her slothful behavior, scolding her as he tossed the phone into her lap.

Seeing the caller ID, it was her friend, Xiao Mo.

“Hello? Are you on campus right now?” The other person’s tone sounded anxious, but the only response she got was a bland, drawn-out—”Mmm…”

Xiao Mo couldn’t tolerate Ling Xi’s inherent nonchalance either. He lowered his voice and urged, “Stop dawdling, hurry to the studio, something’s happened.”

“$epsilon=(text{o}`)text{ Alack…}$ The sky hasn’t fallen and no one’s dead. What major thing could have happened?”

The Dean shook his head when he heard Ling Xi’s half-hearted tone. He slammed the class schedule heavily onto the desk, rambling, “Come to my office when you’re free. Out of sight, out of mind. Just looking at you makes me upset.”

Watching the Dean slam the door shut, Xiao Mo’s voice came through the phone again: “Ah Zhe accidentally crushed a valuable collectible that a client brought in for appraisal.”

This news struck Ling Xi like a thunderbolt. She instantly sat bolt upright, “What?”

“The client is waiting to discuss compensation. It’s an absolute emergency, hurry over!”

…

Ling Xi sped through Xuanhai Boulevard in her convertible Beetle.

The whistling wind messed up her neck-length, wolf-tail haircut. The fine fringe half-covering her eyes flew in the breeze. Her smooth hairline connected to a straight nose bridge, its contours sharply defined under the sunlight, adding a hint of handsomeness to her classically beautiful features.

She was usually relaxed and unflappable, but now her lips were pressed into a straight line, showing slight anxiety. By the time she rushed into the studio, she was drenched in sweat.

“What treasure was broken… let me see…” The fact that this “Buddha-like” master was running so breathlessly indicated that the situation was exceptionally tricky.

Xiao Mo brought a glass of ice water and gently patted her back to help her calm down, “Drink some water first and settle down.”

“No, let’s not keep the client waiting.”

Since Ling Xi was showing such rare concern, Xiao Mo had no choice but to lead her into the reception room.

The moment she stepped in, her gaze was instantly drawn to the other person, whose platinum blonde, long, curly hair was too striking to ignore.

In the instant Ling Xi caught a glimpse, a sudden illusion arose: time seemed to be shackled, seconds flowing slowly like a trickling stream.

The woman had a high nose bridge and wore retro-modern sunglasses. The scorching afternoon sun poured through the window onto her smooth, delicate shoulders, making her tender skin glow. Her fiery red lips created an extreme contrast.

Her natural platinum hair color accentuated her almost bloodless skin, giving a visually cold, exaggerated, and eerie impression. But more than that, it highlighted an air of noble dignity and intimidation that warned people to keep their distance—a powerful sense of detachment.

Even with her face largely obscured by sunglasses, her mesmerizing charm was undeniable, a charisma that naturally exuded from her very core.

Three strange words inexplicably popped into Ling Xi’s mind—Vampire.

Yes, the kind of mysterious creature that only appeared in American TV shows, the kind that stole the show and stunned the world upon their arrival.

Now that this “monster” had suddenly stepped into reality, Ling Xi wondered why she wasn’t afraid of the sun. Weren’t vampires supposed to fear the sun?

Was she a Vampire Progenitor? No, the Progenitor was afraid, too.

Ptooey, what nonsense was she thinking?

The woman’s fashion sense was all about the details. A long, deep-V, cinched-waist dress made of ink-splattered silk perfectly outlined her graceful and elegant figure.

Her back and waist were held rigidly straight, immediately suggesting a background of education and etiquette. Her beauty made her carefully selected jewelry look even more expensive.

This beauty was not limited to her facial features and bone structure; it was more like a vintage wine, aged perfectly in a Burgundy manor’s cellar, mellow and rich, worthy of careful savoring.

With her sexy red lips slightly pursed, the woman rested her chin on one hand, expressionless, likely bored from the wait. Her other hand was also occupied, her long, slender fingers, with their distinct knuckles, deftly twirling an expensive-looking fountain pen.

Ling Xi felt a strange, sharp jolt against the door of her heart. The feeling was truly odd.

Snapping back to reality, she quickly paused with her mouth slightly open, then leaned over and whispered to Xiao Mo, “What is the lady’s name?”

“Her surname is Qiao, she’s called Qiao Bo’er.”

Understanding dawned on Ling Xi. She moved over, pulled out the chair next to the woman, and sat down, offering a brief self-introduction: “Hello, Miss Qiao, my name is Ling Xi, and I am also the person in charge of the studio.”

“I will negotiate with whoever is in charge here.” Qiao Bo’er’s voice matched her face, satisfying the ability to find a mysterious beauty just by listening with one’s eyes closed.

However, her cold and severe demeanor made Ling Xi’s spine tingle, and she even secretly shivered. She had a gut feeling that this person meant trouble.

Ling Xi awkwardly looked at Xiao Mo again, but the fellow had disappeared. Under the oppression of the other woman’s powerful aura, Ling Xi’s reply instantly lacked any conviction: “Um… I’m the one who calls the shots.”

Glancing at the fountain pen in Qiao Bo’er’s hand, a look of surprise flashed across Ling Xi’s face. She then nervously rushed into the main topic: “Miss Qiao, which of your collectibles was damaged?”

Qiao Bo’er did not speak, simply pointing blandly to the shattered object placed on the edge of the table.

Ling Xi followed the direction and saw an antique European aristocratic handheld eyeglass.

Taking out the white cotton gloves and monocle she carried, she put them on, gently picking up the object to examine the details. Her lazy disposition instantly changed, becoming professional and rigorous.

The handle of the glasses was a pure gold, coiled-snake design. The craftsman’s skill was incredibly exquisite, with the snake scales carved lifelike.

Despite the owner’s careful preservation, there were still slight signs of oxidation. Diamonds covered the entire snake’s tongue, and two gemstones were set for the snake eyes, but only one ruby remained now.

The emerald lens was shattered due to external pressure, and the frame was deformed. Even ignoring its historical value, its materials, craftsmanship, and gemstone specifications suggested an astonishing price tag.

Sunglasses were a good thing. Qiao Bo’er could openly admire Ling Xi’s beautiful profile.

In her eyes, Ling Xi was like a lazy cat forced to work, a mix of earnestness and timidity, yet with an undeniable, hidden temper.

If only I had a feather wand, she thought. She wanted to tease this little cat and see if she was still adorable when she got her fur up.

A delighted smile settled under her brilliant starry eyes, hidden behind the lenses, known to no one.

Not even the cat who was so close.

It seemed that Qiao Bo’er was not overly concerned about her damaged treasure.

Ling Xi focused intensely on the appraisal, finally forcing herself to make a judgment, “Is this from the 17th to 18th century?”

“It was a personal item of the Princess of Fascido in the 17th century. It has a certificate from the IAO (International Artifact Certification Organization, a made-up name, don’t take it seriously).”

Upon hearing the assurance of a certificate, Ling Xi’s pitiful shred of confidence was completely drained: “Um… is one of the snake eyes missing a gemstone?”

“It’s missing a sapphire. Your people searched for a long time but couldn’t find it.”

“Was it appraised?”

“Yes, the estimated market value is between 3 to 4 million.”

Getting the answer, Ling Xi’s eye socket ached from the pressure of the monocle, but her heart ached more, bleeding profusely.

She couldn’t understand how her staff could make such a basic mistake. Finally showing a hint of a boss’s demeanor, she slammed her hand on the table, preparing to explode: “Bring Ah Zhe to me…”

“What’s the use of calling him over? Can he afford to pay for it? You are the person in charge here. It’s better to discuss compensation directly.” Qiao Bo’er interrupted Ling Xi’s outburst.

She then took off her sunglasses. In the deep-set sockets were a pair of light amber eyes, magnificent like gemstones, yet also like a bottomless pit that concealed inscrutable, strange thoughts. Paired with her high nose bridge and a sharply defined jawline, it was easy to discern her mixed-race background.

This overly sophisticated and aloof face finally revealed its full picture, breathtakingly exquisite, making one mistakenly believe she was a work of art left on earth by a god.

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