Chapter 175 Part 2: Countess
Chen Xiaolian and Roddy circled around the club and were discussing and making preparations to secretly enter through a certain area…
At that moment, the middle-aged butler brought two security personnel over.
Chen Xiaolian and Roddy soon noticed them.
“Gentlemen,” The middle-aged butler maintained a polite demeanour. However, his eyes were looking only at Chen Xiaolian. Clearly, the middle-aged butler too, was able to recognize Chen Xiaolian. “May I inquire what is it that the two of you are looking for?”
Chen Xiaolian and Roddy did not say anything. Chen Xiaolian stared at the middle-aged butler. He felt that the butler was vaguely familiar – back when he was in Tokyo, all his attention was upon Miao Yan. Thus, he did not place too much attention toward those who were beside her.
“We are just looking around,” Roddy answered.
The middle-aged butler smiled. “My employer wishes to invite the two of you in. Is it perhaps convenient for you two?”
Hearing that, Chen Xiaolian and Roddy immediately exchanged glances with one another.
Could it be… did Qiao Yifeng send them? Has he already noticed our arrival?
That was what both Chen Xiaolian and Roddy were thinking.
However, Chen Xiaolian was quick to come to a decision. If Qiao Yifeng had sent them, that meant they had been discovered. Since that was the case, they should simply walk inside in broad daylight. If their discussion failed to bear fruit… should the need to make a move arose, they will just have to act accordingly.
“Let’s go then. We humbly accept this invitation,” Chen Xiaolian spoke with a heavy tone.
As they re-entered the lobby of the club, the butler like staff member at the entrance revealed a calm smile on his face. Even after seeing Chen Xiaolian and Roddy walk past him, he maintained that same expression. It was as though he could no longer recall the earlier incident where the two of them had tried to bribe him off.
The interior of the club was decorated entirely in the image of an aristocratic British palace; the furniture and furnishings inside were from the Victorian era and oil paintings hung from the walls.
Everything inside exuded an atmosphere of luxurious extravagance.
After walking into a lounge, the middle-aged butler pushed open a door and Chen Xiaolian’s face turned shocked!
His gaze fell onto the figure seated upon the surface of the sofa, Miao Yan!
“How… how could it be you?” Chen Xiaolian blurted.
A cup of tea rested before Miao Yan, who did not say anything. She silently observed Chen Xiaolian and Roddy.
The middle-aged butler gestured for the two of them to walk over and sit down. Instantly, some people came over to pour tea for them.
“I wish to speak with these two gentlemen. Please leave us alone for a moment,” Miao Yan raised her head and spoke to her butler.
The middle-aged butler slowly walked out of the room. Before moving away, he lightly closed the door.
“Miao Yan?” Chen Xiaolian stared at the woman seated before him.
The enchanting face, the exquisite facial features, the familiar pair of smiling eyes and also the slender figure. Even when seated, the slender contour of her legs could not be concealed.
Even if he were beaten to death, Chen Xiaolian refused to believe that there would be someone who could look so similar in this world!
This woman before him must certainly be Miao Yan!
Or perhaps…according to the discussion they he had with Lun Tai and Bei Tai back in Japan…
If Miao Yan was a Player…
Then, this woman was Miao Yan’s Exclusive Account within this world!
This woman before Chen Xiaolian silently observed Chen Xiaolian. Her expression was indiscernible, one of calmness and silence. Chen Xiaolian noted that the woman’s body was exuding an aura of British aristocracy. Despite her young age, her body innately possessed the special feeling of profound tranquillity and conservativeness.
The same was true of her dress.
The Miao Yan from the instance dungeon had worn a tight leather suit, one that was more enticing compared to this.
After a few seconds of silence, Miao Yan finally spoke up.
Her eyes continued to lock onto Chen Xiaolian as she did.
“I believe this is not the first time we’ve met.”
A gentle voice and a calm tone, and an aristocratic air of coolness.
Chen Xiaolian noted that her words contained the standard accent of British people.
He thought about it and asked tentatively. “You are talking about our encounter in Tokyo, right before the elevator?”
Miao Yan – or more accurately, this woman nodded her head.
Chen Xiaolian recalled the information about this woman that Qiao Qiao had managed to obtain back then.
From what he could recall, this woman was an aristocrat of Britain, something along the lines of a Countess of the Norman family.
“I remember, back then when we met in Tokyo, you had mistaken me for someone else,” The Countess slowly said. “The name you used… Miao Yan, is it not?”
When she said the words ‘Miao Yan’, her pronunciation of it was very strange and awkward. Clearly, this woman’s pronunciation of Chinese was very stiff.
After saying that, the Countess directed her pair of smiling eyes at Chen Xiaolian. She slowly asked. “Can you tell me, who is this ‘Miao Yan’?”
Chen Xiaolian did not reply.
The Countess smiled and pulled out a folded piece of paper from a small purse. Spreading open the paper on the surface of the table, she slid it forward.
It was an ordinary piece of white paper. Two words were written upon its surface.
Miao Yan.
It was written in Chinese. However, the strokes were done in a crooked manner as though the one writing them was someone who did not understand Chinese.
“This was written by me,” The Countess’ voice was calm, but she gave a slight frown. “My understanding of Chinese is limited. I had to specifically learn these two words.”
“I do not follow your meaning,” Chen Xiaolian made the decision to act conservatively just in case.
“You see, since I invited you over, it means that I sincerely want to know about something,” The Countess appeared to be smiling as her eyes looked at Chen Xiaolian – her eyes appeared profound. “Truth be told, being mistaken for someone else like what you did in Tokyo – this is not the first time something like this had happened.”
The Countess’ eyes revealed what appeared to be frustration. “If this had only occurred once, then I may be able to dismiss it as a coincidence. However, it had happened more than once. When different people keep mistaking me as someone known as ‘Miao Yan’, I believe that this matter is no longer that simple, am I right?”
Chen Xiaolian kept his silence yet again.
He was gradually suspecting that his speculation was likely to be correct!
This Countess before him was most likely Miao Yan’s Exclusive Account in this world – she was the exclusive NPC dedicated to Miao Yan alone.
“The fact that you are keeping mum on this only proves that you know something,” The Countess gave a light sigh. “Can you tell me about it?”
“Is this issue giving you problems? Or is it simply due to curiosity?” Chen Xiaolian gestured with his head. He did not answer the question directly and instead asked her back.
“Curiosity? Problems?” The Countess pondered the question and answered. “Perhaps both.”
She sighed gently. “Lately… or more accurately, since the past one year, something has been causing me distress. I… I am uncertain on how to explain this feeling.”
She seemed to be trying hard to recall something before gently saying. “It is a very strange feeling. It is just like… just like, at some point in time, my memories… something peculiar would happen, a minute of…”
“Interruption?” Chen Xiaolian supplied her with the word she was looking for.
The Countess’ eyes lit up. “That is right! An interruption, that word is most appropriate!”
She sat on the surface of the sofa and fidgeted a little as she changed her posture. “There were some minute changes that no one else could detect. I am the only one who could feel it.”
“For example?” Chen Xiaolian looked into the woman’s eyes and smiled. “I am not trying to infringe upon your privacy. If it is inconvenient, please just forget about my question.”
“No, I want to find an answer from you. Besides, it appears that you know something. This… I will tell you,” The Countess appeared distressed. She then hesitated for a moment before speaking up. “For example, sometimes, I was obviously in the middle of combing my hair while holding the comb in my hand. However, the next instant, I found that my hair had been completely combed and that I was sitting blankly in front of the mirror.”
“Some other times, I will feel thirsty. However, before I could go get a cup of water, in just an instant, I would realize that I… no longer feel thirsty. It was as if I have had my fill of water already.
“There are many, many more incidents that are similar to this.
“The one that left the deepest impression on me was one that happened last year. Back then, I was standing in the stands watching a polo competition – I actually do not like this type of sports. Thus, my mind was simply not there. However, when I came to, I found myself standing up, clapping my hands because one of the players had scored in a goal.”
The Countess’ eyes revealed confusion. “I… I do not know how to describe the specifics of what happened. There had been many more of such similar incidents since then. All of these happened since one year ago. This issue had been constantly troubling me. I had even visited a psychiatrist before, but no solution came from it. Only that I may have had too tense of a life… causing me to hallucinate.”
Chen Xiaolian looked at the Countess. “Then… this name, Miao Yan. Where did you hear it from? What I mean is, before we met, where did you hear this name?”
“It was six months ago,” The Countess quickly said. “The first time someone mistook me for Miao Yan happened in Switzerland. I was there to attend a friend’s wedding. Outside the church, a stranger mistook me for Miao Yan and left soon after. Back then, I did not think too much about it.
“The second time it happened was two months ago. I was attending an equestrian club event when a stranger came up to me. That was the second time a stranger had mistaken me for someone else. However…”
“However, what?”
“Something special happened with the second one,” The Countess tried her best to recall it and said slowly. “Back then, the other person was specifically looking for me. Hmm, it would be more accurate to say that he came to my room to look for me.”
“He went to your room to look for you?” Chen Xiaolian was stunned – this could no longer be considered as ‘mistaken for someone else’.
“In the equestrian club, the fellow took the initiative to look for me, believing me to be the one known as Miao Yan. After I told him that he had made a mistake… the man acted in a peculiar manner. He said…”
“What did he say?” Chen Xiaolian asked.
“He said: I am sorry. It seems I came at an inappropriate time. I will contact and meet up with you at the appropriate time.”
Chen Xiaolian’s eyes flickered!
Those words… clearly, the person did not make a mistake! It was obvious that the person knew that this Countess was Miao Yan’s Exclusive Account!
“That person… how does he look like?”
“A Caucasian,” The Countess pondered and answered. “He had an average looking face. However, he appeared to be a well-educated person. Oh, right, he was wearing equestrian attire. There was an insignia sewn into his harness. It was a thorned flower.”
…