Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Pavilion at the Heart of the Lake (II)

The maid looked at her with a puzzled expression, unable to make sense of her actions. Was this young lady truly… was there something wrong with her?

Ying Yue was utterly shattered. This really was Heart-of-the-Lake Island—the name that young master had so eagerly anticipated, and it fit perfectly.

Because, all around the building was the lake; there was simply no way out, unless one had a boat.

Heavens, had she traveled through time?

Was she the lettuce girl, trapped in a tower?

Did she need to grow her hair long to escape from here?

She stared blankly at the maid and asked, “What year, month, and day is it today?”

The maid, hearing her question, was finally certain that this dazzlingly beautiful and seemingly clever young lady was, indeed, a little… she touched her own head, there was a problem here.

Yes, she thought to herself, nodding ever so slightly. She must report this to the young master.

She answered respectfully, “It is year X, month X, day X.”

Ying Yue gave a bitter smile. Indeed, she was still on Earth; she hadn’t traveled to another world.

The maid glanced at Ying Yue again and spoke, “Miss, if you feel bored, you can explore the other floors. Heart-of-the-Lake Pavilion has eight in total. The first floor is the main hall, used for receptions—though few are qualified to enter. The second floor is the gym with all kinds of equipment. The third floor is the conservatory, where rare flowers and precious small trees are cultivated. The fourth floor is the recreation room, filled with a variety of entertainment facilities. The fifth floor is the library, with books on world history, geography, politics, and human interest. The sixth floor is the fashion studio, featuring seasonal clothing. The seventh floor houses the bedrooms, each in a different color—you may choose according to your style. And the eighth floor is the astronomy observatory, should you wish to visit.”

Ying Yue felt her head buzzing and nodded to indicate she understood.

“How does this place communicate with the outside world?” she asked.

“Every Sunday, the young master sends a ship to deliver supplies,” the maid replied, seeming to anticipate Ying Yue’s question. “This week’s supplies arrived just this morning.”

Ying Yue was speechless. People always manage to be too clever at the wrong times.

And so, Ying Yue began her lettuce girl’s life.

While she lived her tower-bound existence, she had no idea that outside, people were frantically searching for her.

Xiahou Yu stared at his phone all day, even taking it into the bathroom, terrified he’d miss any news about Ying Yue.

Yuwen Xi paced anxiously in the CEO’s office atop the Roman branch of the company. Days had passed without a word from Ying Yue—she had vanished without a trace, as if evaporated from the world.

In a hidden manor in Rome, the young master in black sat calmly on the sofa, holding a glass in his pale hand. The transparent glass contained a reddish-brown liquid, swirling gently.

“Young master, in the past few days’ investigation, we found that after Miss arrived in Rome, a group had been secretly following her. But they never found the right opportunity. On the night she disappeared, they acted; however”—he glanced up, but the figure before him kept his face tightly concealed by his hat, expression unreadable—“they did not succeed. After they made a move, another group appeared, snatched Miss from their hands, and vanished without a trace, as if they had evaporated.”

“Bang—”