As everyone knows, Hong Kong is an international metropolis, a hub connecting East and West.
To the left, it links Europe; to the right, the Pacific; and to the north, the mainland—a truly advantageous geographical position.
Because of this, Hong Kong International Airport is bustling every single day. Here, you can see people from every corner of the world, from every country, of every race, and in every profession.
So, running into anyone here really shouldn't come as a surprise.
It really shouldn't…
"No, this is definitely surprising!" Platinum shakily raised a hand to point at the person standing in front of her, gritting her teeth as if holding back a scream.
"Surprise! Hahaha, you're so slow—I've been waiting at the airport for two whole hours."
Shoulder-length dark hair looked a bit tousled, and the signature benzene-ring-shaped accessories dangled from the ears atop her head.
Those crimson eyes always gave off a sly, somewhat sinister vibe.
Add to that the clearly ill-fitting sweater she'd thrown on haphazardly…
Agnes Tachyon stood with her hands on her hips, laughing freely, thoroughly amused by Platinum's expression, which looked as if she'd just swallowed a spider. Her laughter drew quite a few sideways glances.
"Tachyon, you're here too." Agnes Digital scratched her cheek, feeling somewhat relieved.
Honestly, who knew how Agnes Digital had managed to suppress her inner excitement all this way?
Sitting to her left was one of her favorites, and to her right, another.
Seated between them, there were occasional touches—a snow-white arm brushing against hers and quickly pulling away, or soft little hands resting close on the armrest…
And with such a long flight, one of them might even get drowsy and rest their head on her shoulder…
Just the thought was enough to make her feel like she was about to explode.
If Tachyon hadn't been here, traveling alone with those two fillies without any restraint would have been pure torture for her mental state.
"I'm here for a medical exchange forum." Agnes Tachyon patted the briefcase in her hand. "An old professor from Cambridge, Mr. Underwood—a leading authority in the field of medicinal plant resources. I just happened to have some questions for him."
As she said this, Agnes Tachyon gave Platinum a meaningful wink.
Platinum clicked her tongue. Even she couldn't miss the hint now—Agnes Tachyon was running around for the sake of her Soul Dissolution Syndrome.
"Then… why didn't you come with us?" Leap of Faith tightened her clothes, glancing around uneasily as if she felt someone watching her.
"Obviously because seeing your reactions is just too fun." Agnes Tachyon stated it frankly, even proudly. "With expressions like these, waiting two extra hours at the airport was totally worth it."
Platinum's face soured, looking as though she'd indeed swallowed that spider.
She'd thought that once they reached Hong Kong, she'd be free from Agnes Tachyon's clutches, if only temporarily, and could finally experience a lazy, relaxed life again.
That "I'll kill you if you don't win" line before they left was scary enough, but now Agnes Tachyon had gone so far as to fly all the way to Hong Kong.
Even if her main purpose was the academic forum, still…
Maybe that "I'll kill you if you lose" wasn't just a joke.
Now the pressure was really on.
I don't want to come to Hong Kong only to never leave!
"I-I'm going to the restroom… wait for me."
Before anyone could stop her, Platinum dropped her luggage and bolted.
No, I need to calm down. This kind of mental whiplash—going straight from heaven to hell—isn't something you can accept in just a second.
"Hey, Platinum…" Leap of Faith reached out, but Platinum was already gone. "At least go with me…"
Watching the spot where Platinum had vanished, Leap of Faith lowered her hand awkwardly. "You… don't speak Chinese…"
Agnes Digital moved closer to Agnes Tachyon, covering her cheek as she asked, "Tachyon, did we… scare her?"
"Let her be. She's not a grade-schooler—it's not like she'll get lost forever." Agnes Tachyon shrugged.
"If it comes to it, we can always page her over the loudspeaker."
Isn't that exactly what you do with a lost child?… Agnes Digital thought to herself.
"In that case, I'll go ahead and call a taxi. Do we have a hotel reservation?" Leap of Faith pulled out her phone. "By the time Platinum gets back, the taxi should be here."
"No, there's no need for a taxi or a hotel."
Just then, a mature male voice cut in. A man in a meticulous black suit and round sunglasses walked over, waving.
"Little Faith, over here. Have you collected all your luggage?"
"Uncle Francis…" Leap of Faith's face instantly fell. "I should've known…"
"A pleasure to meet you all. I'm Golden Sixty's trainer."
The man stepped forward, handing business cards to both Agnes Digital and Agnes Tachyon. "You must be Miss Agnes Digital. Little Sixty has missed you dearly. And you are…"
"Just call me Agnes Tachyon." Agnes Tachyon nodded.
"That name sounds somewhat familiar."
"Haha, must be your imagination." Agnes Tachyon chuckled lightly. "I've come along as a pharmacist. I'll be imposing on you for a while—my apologies."
"Not at all."
If Platinum were still here, she'd surely exclaim in disbelief—This can't be Agnes Tachyon! How can she speak so normally? She must be an imposter!
"Uncle Francis… why are you wearing sunglasses all of a sudden?" Leap of Faith puffed out her cheeks, clearly displeased. Her mood had been off ever since they landed in Hong Kong.
It's just… how do I put it?
It's not that they look bad, it's just… with those on, he kinda looks blind. Like someone would guide him to the tactile pavement if he walked down the street.
Uncle Francis, having finished his greetings, touched the sunglasses on his brow and gave a wry smile.
"Your older sister insisted I wear them… She said they're definitely going to be trendy soon."
"That woman, forcing things on people again!" At this, Leap of Faith let out a cold snort. "Where is she, anyway? Her own sister is back, and she can't even be bothered to show her face?"
"Well… she came too. But she said she had something more important to take care of first…"
Meanwhile, on the other side, Platinum emerged from the restroom after splashing water on her face, only to stare thoughtfully at the crowded, bustling airport.
Now… which way had she come from again?
Ah, well, being bad with directions isn't the end of the world. If you know Chinese and English, you can go anywhere.
Platinum was still a bit socially anxious. She stood by the entrance for a long time before finally deciding to approach someone who looked friendly.
The woman had deep blue hair, crystalline and flowing down to her waist, with gleaming golden earrings that somehow didn't look tacky.
She wore a simple, form-fitting one-piece dress reminiscent of a cheongsam, with long legs subtly visible through the slits.
A pair of round sunglasses rested on her nose—a combination that should have clashed, but on her, it only added a playful charm.
Pretty people are definitely nicer.
"Hello, could you tell me which way leads to the exit?" Platinum spoke to her in fluent Mandarin.
The deep-blue-haired woman turned, lifting her sunglasses to reveal gentle eyes.
"Can't find your way, eh? Happens a lot. Hong Kong Airport's huge, after all. Good thing I waited here just for you." (In Cantonese)
Hearing the woman's words, Platinum's face went blank as she took a step back.
Damn it, why?
She'd forgotten—sometimes the gap between different kinds of Chinese is wider than the gap between Chinese and Japanese.
"…Can you speak English?"
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.