But as time passed, it became increasingly difficult for Su Chen to sweat.
Finally, Meng Ling called for a Tea Server named Xiao Luo.
"Meng Ling, you called for me..." Xiao Luo was a bit puzzled by the scene before her.
It was normal for Xiao Luo to look puzzled, as Meng Die hadn't told her the reason she had been called.
"Xiao Luo, Meng Die needs your help, otherwise, she will die..." Meng Ling finally spoke up.
She wouldn't have brought Xiao Luo here if it wasn't a matter of life and death for Meng Die.
Xiao Luo's face turned pale upon hearing this.
Although she came out originally for...
But she was lucky and hadn't succeeded before encountering Sister Red.
Who then trained her to become a Tea Server.
Though Tea Servers don't have the best reputation, at least she was guilt-free.
She earned money through her craft.
Later, she met a man she liked, who also treated her well, and they got married.
Now she was pregnant, planning to work for a few more months before her belly really started to show and then tell Aunt Red that she wanted to leave the Red Building.
To live a normal life.
Three months in, her pregnancy wasn't very obvious.
She planned to wait until five months when her belly would be clearly visible and could no longer be hidden by clothes, before leaving the Red Building for good.
But she hadn't expected such a situation to arise today.
First, Aunt Red left the Red Building.
And then she was called here...
"Meng Ling, I..."
If she hadn't found her true love, hadn't gotten married, wasn't pregnant with her beloved man's child,
She would have agreed to save Meng Ling's life.
But now...
But if she didn't do it, Meng Die would die...
As one of the earliest Tea Servers who followed Aunt Red, Meng Ling and Meng Die took great care of them.
"Xiao Luo, please, help us..." Meng Ling gently shook Xiao Luo's hand.
Xiao Luo's expression was torn.
On one side was the man she loved deeply, on the other were Meng Die who had been like a sister to her and had showed her kindness.
She truly didn't know how to choose.
There were only minutes left, and soon Meng Die would succumb to the poison.
Never mind that!
Saving a life was what mattered!
In the end, Xiao Luo decided to save Meng Die.
But at that moment, the door was pushed open.
A figure walked in slowly.
"Sister Ruifei!" Meng Ling showed a look of joy.
Meng Die abruptly stopped what she was doing.
A guilty expression crossed her face.
"Sister Ruifei... I..."
"No need to say anything, I know all about it, Xiao Jiu told me." Yan Ruifei's face was still veiled, her expression serious.
Xiao Jiu had told her about Meng Die and Meng Ling consuming the Luoshen Tears.
So, she came back.
"Alright, all of you go out," Yan Ruifei said lightly after glancing at the three women in the room.
"Sister Ruifei, in a few minutes, Meng Die will..." Meng Ling said anxiously.
"Don't worry, leave it to me," Yan Ruifei waved her hand.
The three of them walked out of the room.
"Meng Die, wait for me at the door," Yan Ruifei said as they were about to leave.
"Okay."
...
Outside the room, Xiao Luo had left, leaving Meng Ling and Meng Die.
"Don't worry, Sister Meng Die, with Sister Ruifei here, there won't be any problems. She will definitely be able to save you," Meng Ling comforted Meng Die, holding her hand.
"Mm..."
Time passed second by second.
Actually, Meng Die had little hope left in her heart.
After all, there were only three minutes left.
Even for Yan Ruifei, it might be impossible...
...
Inside the room, Yan Ruifei finally removed her veil.
Su Chen at last saw Yan Ruifei's true face, the mythical top-grade Poria who was renowned for her beauty.
She indeed possessed a face that was perfect to the extreme.
It was arguably one of the most beautiful faces Su Chen had ever seen in his life.
But that was only her right side.
On her left cheek was tattooed a character.
A character for "Slave"!
Su Chen was stunned.
Who would be so cruel as to mar such a perfect visage?
It was like a priceless piece of jade being chipped.
Su Chen felt extremely upset.
"Disappointed, aren't you," Yan Ruifei's expression, however, remained calm.
Everyone thought the face beneath the veil would be breathtakingly flawless.
But who could have imagined that such perfection would be branded with a word?
"Slave"!
A word filled with malice.
Signifying that you have lost your freedom.
Even if one day you gained your freedom,
You could not hide the past humiliation.
You are a Slave, a lowly being.
Su Chen looked at the character but found himself speechless for a long time.
Beneath her seemingly strong exterior was, in fact, a fragile heart that she could hardly disguise.
She was very scared.
Especially scared of men.
And while that "Slave" mark marred the perfection of Yan Ruifei's face,
It also gave Su Chen a very peculiar feeling.
The feeling was that the woman before him was not a goddess, but a Slave, an exquisitely beautiful Slave belonging to him, at his disposal.
Goddess and female Slave were completely opposite concepts.
One was noble as the heavens; the other was humble as the dirt.
It was hard to imagine what the combination of the two would be like.
Now Su Chen knew.
Yan Ruifei was such a woman.
Once a Slave, now a goddess.
When veiled, she was the unattainable goddess whom even a million would not assure a glimpse of.
Once unveiled, she became a Slave.
At least, she had lived such a life before.
Actually, in this era, there were no longer Slaves.
So who was it that tattooed such a derogatory character on Yan Ruifei's face?
Su Chen did not know.
All he knew was that he had to save Meng Die now.
The three minutes quickly passed.
Su Chen's estimation was accurate; Meng Die could feel the poison stirring in her body, on the verge of erupting.
"Ling'er... I don't want to die..." A look of fear appeared on Meng Die's face.
No one is not afraid of death.
And no one wants to die in vain.