Upon hearing Ling Qingyu's na, the staff promptly led her and Xiao Yue to a private room with an elevated scenic view. Or so the advertisent wrote it down.
A high-rise vantage point, surrounded by towering buildings and overlooking a long rectangular park. Nothing particularly special, Ling Qingyu thought—just another stretch of urban infrastructure.
She whistled softly as she followed behind the staff mber's graceful figure. The voluptuous sway of the woman's hips was undeniably pleasing to the eye—balanced proportions, elegant curves beneath the fitted uniform.
Ling Qingyu's nerves relaxed instantly. Though she was already surrounded by many beauties and had grown sowhat immune to visual temptation, she still appreciated the different allure brought by other nationalities.
After all, most of the "goddesses" around her shared the sa nationality—except for Sofia. She still hadn't had the ti to properly speak with the captured Persian cat.
Right—Sofia was also present, going to be seated at a separate nearby table with her partner.
anwhile, Xiao Yue's forehead throbbed visibly as she watched her overly appreciative confidante. She genuinely worried about how their subordinates perceived their flirtatious boss. Fortunately, most of the girls had long since adapted to Ling Qingyu's harmless quirks.
In any case, their boss never bullied or exploited them—if anything, she pampered them excessively. They all knew Ling Qingyu possessed desire, but lacked the audacity to act on it.
Thus, Sofia and her partner exchanged amused smiles and followed along, while the other two guards remained in the vehicles outside, having brought als to pass the ti.
Despite her wandering gaze, Ling Qingyu noticed a few passing staff mbers casting strange looks. Their expressions ranged from pity to subtle mockery, even though they tried to conceal it.
Naturally, Ling Qingyu understood that their attention wasn't directed at her—but at the staff mber guiding her group.
Her brows furrowed slightly. The beautiful staff mber seed to be the subject of workplace tension. Still, it wasn't her concern. Work environnts were never free of grievances.
At the sa ti, Ling Qingyu refrained from imdiately assuming fault lay with the woman. She had seen and experienced too much to judge hastily. There was no need to look far—her own half-sister had endured similar treatnt: doing nothing wrong, yet blad and crushed by an ignorant crowd.
Perhaps, she mused, the "beauty filter" that generated favoritism also worked in reverse. And perhaps that sa filter was at work on her own perceptions.
In her opinion, beautiful and attractive faces often elicited more tolerance and acceptance—even for minor misconduct—so long as moral boundaries weren't crossed.
Once the elevator doors closed, Ling Qingyu noticed the smile plastered across the staff mber's face. Yet her eyes lacked luster, silently crying out with exhaustion and a fading sense of hope.
Staring at the reflection in the mirrored wall, Ling Qingyu spoke softly. "My dear, you look very beautiful."
"Ah—" The staff mber patted her chest in surprise, visibly startled. "Thank you, Miss. You're far more beautiful. Compared to your group, I'm nothing but a mayfly."
"Don't underestimate yourself," Ling Qingyu replied gently. "I don't know whether others' opinions are affecting yours, but believe in yourself—and in nature's gift."
"Your words made my day, Miss." The staff bowed gratefully, her face brimming with appreciation.
Even so, Ling Qingyu still sensed reluctance beneath the gratitude—a subtle detachnt, as though the woman was rely going through the motions. Ordinarily, Ling Qingyu would not pry when soone preferred silence.
But the nagging in her chest refused to subside.
Intuition—the most mysterious tool of humanity—often wielded by mystics and dismissed by skeptics.
Several tis in the past, it had guided her well. Once she stopped forcing logic to dominate it and instead allowed herself to ride its tide, logic and evidence would follow naturally to complent her instinct.
Her perception had changed. She noticed what she previously overlooked. Just as Xiao Yue had read her so easily earlier, wasn't intuition simply another facet of calculation sharpened to its peak?
"Usually, I wouldn't interfere when soone clearly wants to be left alone," Ling Qingyu said calmly. "But this ti, I must insist."
Her words startled the staff mber, who instinctively stepped back and folded her arms as if shielding herself. "Miss, with all due respect—"
"It's just my intuition nagging ," Ling Qingyu sighed at the guarded posture. "Otherwise, why would I step beyond my boundaries and risk being misunderstood?"
She didn't withdraw her gaze. There was no aggression in her eyes—only understanding, warmth, and a quiet form of care.
The staff mber hesitated. Why would a stranger show kindness when familiar faces only kicked her down?
Ling Qingyu glanced at the ascending floor numbers and waited. If the woman truly didn't want help, she would stop. Forcing assistance upon soone often led to counterproductive results. She had already extended the opportunity; whether it was accepted lay in the other's hands.
"Sorry, Miss. I didn't want to talk about it because I thought… I thought…"
"You thought I'd judge you from a moral high ground. Yes?" Ling Qingyu offered a faint smile.
Xiao Yue and the others listened quietly, careful not to add pressure. They were long accustod to Ling Qingyu's sudden involvent in others' affairs. Most of the ti, such encounters were anything but simple.
"I—I didn't an it like that."
"Hey, calm down," Ling Qingyu said gently. "Why don't you tell us about yourself?"
Athena remained silent; Ling Qingyu had given no signal yet. So, she knew nothing about the woman's information. Sotis, knowing too much did more harm than good.
"Actually… it doesn't matter if Miss knows," the staff mber said after a pause. "They look at like this because I was one of the redacted victims exposed in those files."
"You're not referring to the files we're thinking of, are you?" Ling Qingyu glanced at Xiao Yue, whose eyes sparkled with curiosity. Sofia frowned faintly, pity flickering across her features. The other Spirit Fox mber looked completely confused. What files?
"Yes," the staff nodded. "The scandal that's been ongoing for so long and only recently exploded."
"I'm sorry," Ling Qingyu replied softly. "I shouldn't have asked and reopened old wounds."
"No, it's fine, Miss." The woman seed relieved to finally speak without sensing judgnt.
Many had sympathized with her, but she could still feel bla hidden beneath their words. After enduring darkness, her senses had sharpened.
Very few had offered genuine concern or practical help. Like now—she had secured this job at the hotel through a friend's network after escaping a forr colleague whose gaze alone filled her with pain.
But sohow, they had found her again. She couldn't simply move away.
"Can you tell more?" Ling Qingyu placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
The earlier admiration in her gaze had long since faded. In its place was quiet resolve. Whenever her intuition stirred, the matter was never simple.
The staff mber drew a slow breath.
"It wasn't anything. I was just stupid… or maybe I deserved it."
"Hey," Ling Qingyu interrupted gently, her tone firm but warm. "Everyone goes through monts only they themselves can truly understand. No one else has the right—or the moral ground—to look down on you."
She held the young woman's gaze. "You live for yourself. Not for others."
The staff mber nodded slowly, swallowing whatever self-condemnation lingered in her throat. "Years ago… I worked as a young model."
Before she could continue, the elevator chid and the doors slid open. Instantly, she straightened her posture, smoothing her expression into professional composure as she guided the group toward the private room.
Fortunately, no one had arrived yet. The panoramic view outside the glass walls looked impressive at first glance—but in Ling Qingyu's opinion, it was rely another arrangent of steel, glass, and trimd greenery.
With ti to spare, Ling Qingyu gestured for the staff mber to sit beside her and motioned for her to continue. Xiao Yue, Sofia, and Sofia's partner also took seats nearby.
Technically, Sofia and her partner were ant to dine outside while securing the room's periter as internal security. But at this mont, they remained within earshot.
The beautiful staff mber looked flattered—and slightly panicked—to be invited to sit among them. Life had long since crushed her youthful arrogance. Harsh lessons had hamred into her the rigid reality that classes existed—and that crossing invisible boundaries could invite consequences.
Seeing such a rare humane side from soone among the wealthy elite made her question her long-held perceptions.
This young, beautiful, affluent lady—with her soothing aura—reminded the staff mber of her mother from childhood. So gentle. So reassuring.
Bit by bit, her defenses lowered.
Simply speaking to Ling Qingyu felt healing, as though the weight pressing against her heart had finally found a place to rest.
With supportive gazes, Ling Qingyu and the others listened as she summarized her story.
It was nothing unusual. A teenage girl longing for freedom and wealth, striving to climb upward.
Her beauty, figure, and natural charisma—gifts she had been born with—smoothed her path.
But such gifts also attracted the gaze of predators.
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