CHAPTER 136: CHAPTER 136 MO YINHE: SUCCESSFUL THEFT OF FRAGRANCE 1

Mo Yinhe strode over to the drawer, took out the Silver Needle, and handed it to her.

Si Mingjing’s small paws were clumsy. Struggling to hold the Silver Needle, she pricked herself a few times and quickly broke through the restriction, instantly changing back.

No sooner had she regained her freedom than the sound of footsteps came from the corridor outside. Ye Siyuan’s loud voice was also heard yelling, "Qu Liushang! Stop right there! I already told you my brother is catching up on sleep, yet you insist on barging into his room. Why are you so persistent?"

In the bedroom.

Hearing Ye Siyuan’s voice, Mo Yinhe quickly lay down and muttered, badmouthing his rival, "I told you Qu Liushang is relentless, didn’t I? Hurry and leave through the dressing room. Go out past Xiaobai’s room."

Mo Yinhe’s and Xiaobai’s bedroom dressing rooms were connected, allowing one to pass directly through.

Si Mingjing made her decision in an instant.

Xiaobai wasn’t in his bedroom; he was in his small study doing homework. As Si Mingjing left through Xiaobai’s bedroom, she saw Qu Liushang push open the door to Mo Yinhe’s bedroom and go inside.

As soon as Qu Liushang opened the bedroom door, he saw Mo Yinhe lying on the bed, apparently asleep.

Aside from Mo Yinhe, there was no one else in the room. But Qu Liushang could vaguely smell a faint scent in the air. It was Ajiu’s fragrance!

Could Ajiu really be back? This wasn’t the first time Qu Liushang had smelled dragon pheromones! Mo Yinhe had fooled him last time, but Qu Liushang wasn’t a fool!

Ye Siyuan’s heart leaped into her throat! She quickly scanned the room, confirming her brother was in bed, pretending to sleep, and that no one else was there. Only then did her racing heart begin to settle.

In the next instant, Ye Siyuan exploded. "Qu Liushang, see? My brother is sleeping! Get out and don’t disturb his rest!" She then kicked him.

Qu Liushang, however, was unwilling to give up and thoroughly searched Mo Yinhe’s bedroom.

"Qu Liushang, what are you doing? Do you think this is your house? Believe it or not, I’ll have someone throw you out! Brother! Brother..." Ye Siyuan shouted, waking Mo Yinhe.

Ye Siyuan said dramatically, "Brother, Qu Liushang tried to steal from your room! He’s turned it upside down, not even sparing under the bed!"

Mo Yinhe, appearing to understand, squinted at Qu Liushang. "Qu Liushang, if you’re looking for trouble, I don’t mind sending you to Yanwang Temple!"

"I smell Ajiu’s scent. Has she come back?" Qu Liushang was also scrutinizing Mo Yinhe.

Ajiu was his fiancée. If she had returned, he had the right to know!

"What did you say? Darling’s back? Where is she?" Mo Yinhe shot up, his reaction even more dramatic than Qu Liushang’s. He sniffed the air and frantically re-searched the areas Qu Liushang had disturbed. Then, he turned to Ye Siyuan, "Is your sister-in-law back?"

"No!" Ye Siyuan replied, a consummate actress herself.

"Search! Maybe your sister-in-law is back! I think I smell Darling’s scent in the air!"

Everyone knew Mo Yinhe’s search for his wife had never paused for a single day; he wouldn’t overlook the smallest clue. The words of Qu Liushang seemed to have given him new hope.

Ye Siyuan wiped her tears. "Brother, Qu Liushang is lying to you! Don’t get agitated. If Sister-in-law came back, she wouldn’t hide from you. Calm down, please don’t let this drive you to obsession again."

But Mo Yinhe didn’t believe her. If his wife wasn’t in the bedroom, he would search elsewhere, looking utterly possessed.

Ye Siyuan watched, her heart aching terribly.

Then, she kicked Qu Liushang hard. "Are you insane? Don’t you know my brother is so obsessed with finding my sister-in-law that he’s on the verge of a breakdown? Now he’ll search for three days and nights straight, unable to sleep until he finds her! Are you deliberately trying to destroy him?"

Qu Liushang: "..."

This brother and sister definitely weren’t acting.

「Meanwhile.」

After returning to her small building, Si Mingjing looked for something to occupy her mind and prevent it from wandering.

She sat at the computer desk by the window, concentrating on writing a paper about the treatment of cancer with yellow bark powder.

Although she had never formally attended school, a postdoctoral advisor imprisoned on Prison Star had taken pity on her. He taught her many academic subjects through one-on-one, specialized instruction. That advisor had brought a computer to Prison Star, its memory filled with vast amounts of knowledge. He taught her everything he thought she should learn and called her the most talented genius he had ever encountered.

So writing a paper was not difficult for her.

Si Mingjing got so absorbed in her writing that she lost track of time. By the time she finished, the evening lights outside the window cast a charming glow.

She stretched lazily and glanced at the time; it was already nine-thirty.

Si Mingjing sent the paper to her Senior Brother, Zhang Muguang, then went to the kitchen to make herself something to eat.

While she was in the kitchen cooking noodles, she received a call from Zhang Muguang. "Junior Sister, I don’t understand. Did you write this paper? Why send it to me with specific instructions to publish it under my name in a medical journal? As your Senior Brother, I can’t steal your research!"

Standing at the kitchen counter, Si Mingjing added noodles to the pot as she replied, "Senior Brother, please listen. This major breakthrough in treating cancer with yellow bark powder doesn’t belong to me; it belongs to our Master. You’re his grandson, so it’s only right that you publish it under the Zhang Family name."

"Even so, I can’t take credit for your paper!"

Zhang Muguang was a man of principle. In modern society, plagiarizing someone’s research is shameful!

Si Mingjing then explained her situation and her reasons for returning to Earth to Zhang Muguang. She trusted him; as her Master’s grandson, he was like a brother to her.

"Senior Brother, my father feels nothing for me but wants to use me as a cash cow. I refuse to let him have his way. It’s better if you publish this paper, not me."

"Besides, I didn’t write it alone. Master and I worked on it together on Prison Star. I’ve only reconstructed it from memory."

"So, you see, it’s not stealing my work. How about this: publish it under Master’s name, just don’t include mine. And please, make sure you submit it to the most authoritative and renowned medical journal in the world."

Zhang Muguang listened, understanding her concerns. He felt a surge of sympathy for her. Wanting to help, he asked softly over the phone, "Junior Sister, what can I do for you?"

"Just help me publish the paper," she said.

"Alright, I’ll do as you ask. Junior Sister, what are you doing? I hear a gurgling sound."

Si Mingjing laughed. "I’m cooking noodles."

Zhang Muguang was surprised. "You haven’t eaten yet?"

"No, I just finished the paper."

Zhang Muguang’s concern for her deepened.

"Junior Sister, come out. I’ll treat you to a late-night snack."

Si Mingjing smiled faintly and shook her head. "No, it’s too cold out tonight. I’ll just make do with these noodles. Treat me another time—I want a feast! There are so many delicacies on Earth I still haven’t tried."

"Alright. Since you don’t have family here on Earth, let’s spend New Year’s Eve together. I have two tickets to a New Year’s Eve gala. I’ll take you. Many stars will be performing; it’ll be very lively. You’ll definitely enjoy it."

Si Mingjing genuinely loved lively events, so she readily agreed. On Prison Star, she’d heard other prisoners talk about New Year’s Eve on Earth—the brilliant fireworks, diverse delicacies, and vibrant celebrations—and had longed to experience it herself.

As Si Mingjing chatted with Zhang Muguang in the kitchen, her sharp ears caught the sound of footsteps outside. Turning, she saw Mo Yinhe’s tall frame leaning lazily against the kitchen doorjamb.

The kitchen light spilled onto his face but failed to illuminate the shadows that clung to one side, giving him a somewhat sinister air.