What was this?
Qu Ling cast a subtle, sideways glance at Bai Ci.
She had assumed a common NPC like Bai Ci would be doing well just to not drag them down; she hadn't expected to encounter one who could actually play a positive role.
Was the system afraid that the players' conversation skills would be too terrible, or that the player who came might have a stuffy nose, so it specifically arranged such an NPC to push the dialogue forward?
A chemistry major.
No matter what Qu Ling was thinking, Bai Ci silently noted this piece of information.
Now that they had finally touched upon a topic Shen Tan was willing to talk about, even a fool would know to keep steering the conversation in this direction.
“No wonder the blend and texture are so outstanding. It turns out you have a professional background.”
“I've always loved a saying: fragrance is never just a simple scent; it is concrete memory.”
“Many times, when we forget a scene or a vague emotion, simply smelling a similar scent can instantly pull us back to that original moment.”
“It's a memory that lasts longer than images or sounds.”
These words hit the mark once again, perfectly aligning with Shen Tan's interests.
Her stiff shoulders completely relaxed, and her entire state visibly livened up, gradually shedding her doll-like dullness and lifelessness.
“You're absolutely right.”
Her tone was noticeably lighter, filled with the joy and validation of meeting a kindred spirit, and she began to speak more.
“My original intention when I fell in love with perfumery was to preserve memories.”
“Many fleeting scenes and feelings can't be captured in photos or precisely described with words, but scents can.”
“Every perfume I blend is a specific memory.”
“The one I'm wearing right now replicates the warmth of a sunny midday, with sunlight flooding the hills. It's my favorite state of being.”
Bai Ci smiled gently and chimed in, “No wonder it smells exceptionally comforting and healing.”
Listening to this while focusing on applying the makeup, Qu Ling also figured out the trick.
So this seemingly cold and aloof bride NPC's soft spot and breakthrough point lay in perfumery and scents.
No wonder she had hit a wall at every turn earlier; she had simply chosen the wrong angle to strike up a conversation.
Having found the right rhythm, Qu Ling smoothly joined the conversation, offering praise and agreement to match the atmosphere. “So it's a self-blended perfume. No wonder it has such texture. It's a scent with warmth.”
“I've bought several award-winning salon perfumes before. While they smelled sophisticated, they always felt like they were lacking a bit of depth. They had fragrance but no story, completely lacking the soul of your blend.”
Qu Ling's combination of flattery and comparison was perfectly balanced. Though it was pure praise, her tone sounded incredibly sincere, striking right at Shen Tan's creator mindset.
Hearing this, Shen Tan's emotions became even more vibrant. She even showed a hint of a young girl's pride, her tone cheerful.
“My 'Warm Sunlight' blend indeed won an award at a domestic perfumery competition. It's considered one of my most mature works.”
After saying this, she paused slightly, as if remembering something, and took the initiative to invite them: “Wait here for a moment.”
Before either of them could respond, Shen Tan stood up, walked with light steps toward a room on the second floor, and quickly returned.
When she came out, she was carrying an exquisite, small black leather briefcase, just the right size to be held in one's arms.
She gently placed the case on the table and opened the latch with a click.
The inside of the case was lined with black shockproof foam, neatly displaying dozens of glass perfume vials. Each was small and delicate, sealed at the top, and filled with liquids of varying shades.
On the outside of each vial was a hand-written white label, the handwriting neat and elegant, marking out names full of imagery.
Rainy Night, Falling Snow, Evening Breeze, Fog Walk, After the Rain, Late Autumn Sunset, Summer Night Fireflies...
They were all fleeting natural scenes and minute moments of the world. Just looking at the names allowed one to picture the corresponding scenes.
“These are samples I brought back to the village this time. They are all highly polished works of mine, and several of them have won awards and have never been sold to the public.”
Shen Tan's voice was gentle and light, her eyes shining with the joy of sharing her passion. She looked entirely like a bright young girl, a world away from the lifeless doll she had been just moments ago.
“You can twist them open a crack to test the scent, and pick one you like to take with you.” She was very generous, her tone sincere and open.
“Perfume must be given to those who know how to appreciate it and can read the story within; only then does it live up to its meaning. If you like them, you can take two or even three.”
Seeing that Qu Ling and Bai Ci were hesitant to start, Shen Tan even unscrewed the bottles herself, handing them first to Qu Ling, who then passed them to Bai Ci.
After Bai Ci smelled them, she tightened the caps and handed them back to Shen Tan.
Fortunately, the fragrance escaping from just a tiny crack was very faint; otherwise, after sniffing a whole round of different scents, their sense of smell would have temporarily gone on strike.
After smelling her way through, Qu Ling finally chose a sample labeled “Summer Wind.”
“Refreshing and clear, like a late summer evening breeze blowing through the woods. It's so vivid. I'll choose this one.”
Bai Ci hesitated for a moment, her gaze finally landing on a vial in the corner labeled “Butterfly's Dream.”
This was one of the few in the case whose corresponding concept was a fictional image rather than a real-world scene.
She still remembered the fragrance she had just caught—not strong, not showy, but carrying a hazy, misty quality.
Like fleeting light and shadow, like a hazy spring afternoon drowsiness, and like the fluttering silhouette of a butterfly rising and falling in a dream.
As it lingered at the tip of her nose, it carried a faint sense of lightheadedness, making her lose herself slightly. It was gentle and dreamlike.
“I'll choose this one,” Bai Ci said, picking up the sample.
Seeing that both of them had chosen their favorite perfumes, the smile in Shen Tan's eyes deepened, and she enthusiastically began to introduce them.
“'Summer Wind' was something I made during my sophomore year. The evening breeze that summer was exceptionally gentle. It won the Silver Award for Rising Perfumers, and it was my first work to go viral.”
“'Butterfly's Dream' is my work from last year, which won the Gold Award in the domestic elite category. It was inspired by Zhuangzi's butterfly dream. I wanted to evoke the feeling of dreams and reality intertwining, gentle and ethereal. It's also my most satisfying creation.”
When she reached this point, her voice faltered slightly.
“I've basically won all the domestic awards by now. I'm just short of the ultimate prize at the International Perfumery Competition to complete all the honors in the youth division.”
Hearing this, Qu Ling naturally followed up: “So, do you have any inspiration yet for the work for that international award?”
Perhaps Qu Ling's words reminded her of something, because all the brightness and vitality on Shen Tan seemed to be put on pause. “Not yet. Inspiration is very hard to come by; it's something you can only hope to find, not force.”
She sat back down in her chair, her spine stiffening into a straight, rigid line once more.
Rate on N.U.
