502: Vacation time is up

Ling Qi's eyes shifted slightly, and she said with understanding, "In that case, it also just happens to deepen the significance of the first private message to Zhulong."

"If two factions want a long-term relationship, a relationship based on mutual interests is the most solid."

Shang Wan Ning: "Exactly."

She leaned back against the chair, "Once the relationship becomes closer, Zhulong might just feel that this transaction was incredibly worthwhile."

Chen Yu blinked her eyes, tilting her white-haired head, "Your Majesty, you have far too many schemes."

Shang Wan Ning shot her a side-glance, "This is called strategy, you silly roe deer!!!"

"Alright, that's all for today." She stood up, stretching her somewhat stiff shoulders and back, "Dismantle the command center; go do whatever you need to do."

The water mirror floating inside the warm pavilion dissipated, and the temporarily deployed communication equipment was quietly taken away by the maids.

Ling Qi saved the last few annotations in her virtual notebook and pushed up her glasses, "If Your Majesty has no other instructions, this Subordinate will go arrange for the Research Institute to organize the classic texts."

"Go ahead." Shang Wan Ning waved her hand and added, "Remember to eat your 'love meal' on time; don't get busy until midnight again."

Ling Qi's lips curved slightly, "Your Majesty as well."

She bowed to take her leave, the hem of her dark green cheongsam brushing across the threshold before disappearing beyond the beaded curtain.

Chen Yu still lingered in the warm pavilion, not leaving, and leaned close to Shang Wan Ning, asking eagerly, "Your Majesty, what about me? Can I have a vacation too?"

Shang Wan Ning looked at her expectant expression and reached out to pinch her cheek, "You? Have you finished the daily official business for the Prefecture City God? Have you finished the 'Low-Level Beast Management Regulations' from last time?"

"And, have you spot-checked the brick-moving progress of Big Dog and the others for this month?"

Chen Yu's expression stiffened, and a flash of guilt appeared in her red eyes, "That... almost there, almost all there..."

"Almost means not finished yet." Shang Wan Ning let go of her hand, her tone brooking no argument, "Go back to work. When you have handled these things properly, then we can talk about a vacation."

"Ah—" Chen Yu dragged out the sound, her whole face drooping, "Your Majesty, you're biased! The Secretary-General gets to go to work, but I have to go back to work..."

"The Secretary-General's is legitimate work; yours is making up homework." Shang Wan Ning was merciless, "If you dawdle any longer, your allowance for next month will be cut in half."

"I'm going! I'm leaving right now!"

Chen Yu cowered immediately upon hearing about her allowance, clutching her head as she dashed out, her white hair leaving an afterimage in the air.

The warm pavilion finally quieted down.

Shang Wan Ning walked to the window, watching the lotus pond shrouded in underworld mist outside, and let out a long sigh.

Her nerves, which had been strained for over half a month, finally relaxed at this moment.

Zhulong's true form had finally been hooked.

For the subsequent pulling and tugging, with Star and the team watching and Ling Qi coordinating, she, this Empress, could finally be a hands-off boss for a while!

Vacation mode, activated.

She turned and called out, "Qing Dai."

Qing Dai, who had been waiting under the corridor, responded and entered, "Your Majesty."

"Go, bring me that set of tea ware I ordered from 'Fusheng Pavilion' in the Underworld Market last time." Shang Wan Ning thought for a moment, "Also, have the Imperial Kitchen Department send some snacks, something light. Also..."

She stretched out her hands, her fingertips spreading slightly in the light of the warm pavilion, "Change my manicure. I'm tired of the previous color."

Qing Dai's eyes lit up, "What style would Your Majesty like? The nail salons in the Underworld Market have recently released several new popular styles, and I've kept track of them."

"Tell me about them."

Shang Wan Ning walked over to the daybed and sat down, leaning lazily against the cushions.

Qing Dai leaned in, reciting them like a treasure, "There's a style called 'Galaxy Crushed Diamonds,' using a sheer purple base, layered with crushed diamond gel, and then sprinkled with aurora powder; under the light, it looks like the galaxy is wrapped around your fingertips."

"There's also 'Blooming Nether Lotus,' with a gradient from the fingertip to the base, transitioning from light pink to smoky purple, with added shell fragments and gold foil; it really suits the scenery of our Chenfeng Palace."

"The most popular one is 'Wangchuan Flowing Light,' using cat-eye gel as a base, with fine water patterns painted on top, sealed with a layer of flowing gel; when you move your fingers, it really feels like shimmering water..."

Shang Wan Ning listened attentively.

After a while, she spoke, "I want 'Blooming Nether Lotus,' but change the base color to sheer pink, and make the smoky purple part a bit lighter. Don't use too much gold foil, just a few scattered specks will do."

"Choose small shell fragments, the kind with irregular shapes."

Qing Dai noted them down one by one, "Understood, this servant will go get the tools and nail polish gel right away."

"No rush." Shang Wan Ning stopped her, "Brew a pot of tea first."

"Yes."

Qing Dai withdrew to make arrangements, and before long, returned with a set of plain white tea ware.

The tea ware had a sky-blue-after-rain glaze, the body was light and thin, and a few sparse strokes of ink bamboo were painted on the cup walls. Hot water was poured down, the tea leaves unfurled in the cup, and a clear fragrance rose with the steam.

Shang Wan Ning held up the teacup, the warmth passing through the porcelain walls to her palms.

She took a sip; the tea was clear and smooth, with a lingering sweet aftertaste.

Outside the window, the underworld mist flowed slowly, and the Nether Lotus in the lotus pond emitted a faint purple light; occasionally, an underworld fish would leap out of the water, creating a ripple.

This is how a vacation should be.

No mountains of official documents, no endless requests for instructions from various departments, no layouts that require repeated weighing and maneuvering.

Only a cup of tea, a scene, and a manicure about to begin, purely to please herself.

Qing Dai soon returned with the manicure tools.

It was an exquisite multi-layered toolbox, with various colors of nail gel, a light-curing lamp, a nail drill, brushes of various sizes, and small compartments filled with gold foil, shell fragments, and glitter neatly arranged inside.

She set up the array beside the daybed, first laying down a protective mat, then placing the tools, her movements as skilled as if she had done it a thousand times.

"Your Majesty, your hand."

Shang Wan Ning extended her left hand.

Qing Dai held her fingertips and began the preparation process with gentle movements. Buffing the nail surface, pushing back the cuticles, cleaning the nail grooves... every step was done meticulously.

The warm pavilion quieted down, with only the low hum of the nail drill and the occasional soft sound of tools clinking.

Shang Wan Ning closed her eyes, letting Qing Dai fuss over her hands.

Her thoughts emptied, and she didn't think about anything.

I don't know how much time passed before Qing Dai said softly, "Your Majesty, it's time to apply the base color."

Shang Wan Ning opened her eyes.

The five fingers of her left hand had already been coated with a layer of transparent base gel, which, after being cured under the light-curing lamp, glowed with a lustrous shine.

Qing Dai took out a bottle of sheer pink nail gel, dipped a small brush into it, and applied it layer by layer, starting from the fingertips.

The color was very faint, like the touch of pink on the tip of an early spring peach blossom petal, revealing the healthy luster of the original nail surface.

After curing, she took out a bottle of very pale smoky purple and began the gradient from the middle of the nail. She gently patted with the brush, allowing the two colors to blend naturally, creating a soft, misty feeling at the transition.

"Your Majesty, now I will apply the shell fragments and gold foil."

Qing Dai used tweezers to pick up the tiny shell fragments and applied them one by one onto the nails. The fragments were of different shapes—some curved like a new moon, others crushed like stars—arranged in an orderly yet varied manner.

The gold foil was torn into even smaller pieces and scattered sparingly between the shell fragments.

Finally, she applied the top coat and cured them under the lamp.

After finishing the left hand, she switched to the right.