Bai Qingqing happily accompanied Madam Qiao to choose a shop. After visiting several places, she finally selected a modest storefront in a fairly decent location.

  To support her daughter's enthusiasm, Madam Qiao handed over full authority to Bai Qingqing. Whether it was hiring staff or decorating the shop, she did not interfere in the slightest.

  Bai Qingqing was indeed brimming with excitement. Having never run a shop before, everything was novel to her, and she genuinely wanted to do well, putting extraordinary care into every detail.

  She visited nearly every fragrance shop in Xuancheng, meticulously studying them. After careful thought, she personally sketched the design of her envisioned shop and had it set up exactly as she had imagined. It took nearly a month of hard work, but the shop finally began to take shape.

  Though the shop hadn't officially opened, Bai Qingqing was overjoyed. Just then, someone invited her to a banquet. Without much thought, she agreed, considering it a chance to give herself a break.

  However, only when she arrived did she learn that the banquet was hosted by the Princess Consort of Prince Ping.

  Luo Lanqi, linking arms with Bai Qingqing, smiled brightly. "I’ve been wanting to invite you, but you've been so busy. This time, I finally got to bring you along. The entertainment at this banquet is everything you used to love. I thought you'd be happy."

  Bai Qingqing… wasn't happy at all.

  Had she known the Princess Consort was the host, she would have found an excuse to decline.

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  However, Luo Lanqi had been her childhood companion. In her past life, when the Bai family fell into ruin, it was Luo Lanqi who secretly sent someone to warn her. Bai Qingqing didn’t want to dampen her friend's spirits, so she kept a smile on her face and accompanied her.

  Luo Lanqi was lively and particularly fond of talking. Some found her too noisy, but Bai Qingqing thought she was just right—one talking and one listening made the perfect pair.

  "Look, look! There's a fragrance appreciation area over there. Don't you love this kind of thing? The moment I heard about it, I thought of you. Let's go take a look."

  Pulled along by Luo Lanqi, Bai Qingqing felt a twinge of unease. This seemed somewhat out of character for the Princess Consort of Prince Ping.

  Her banquets were always refined and aloof, never indulging in common amusements. Why would she go out of her way to set up a fragrance appreciation corner? It was indeed strange.

  Still, Bai Qingqing's curiosity won out, and she followed along. To her surprise, the area was quite crowded.

  "Qingqing, can you tell what fragrance this is? It's so sweet—I feel like I've smelled it somewhere before."

  Bai Qingqing sniffed lightly. "Yulan Pavilion's Thousand Flowers Drunk. Only thirty boxes are sold each month. I once bought one and sent you half."

  Luo Lanqi's eyes lit up in realization. "Oh, right! I vaguely remember. But I hardly used it—it wasn’t as nice as what you gave me. I don't even know where I put it."

  In the fragrance hall, a soft-spoken woman was explaining the ingredients of Thousand Flowers Drunk and how its scent unfolded in layers. Bai Qingqing stood quietly in an inconspicuous corner, listening attentively.

  When she looked up, she unexpectedly met the gaze of the Princess Consort of Prince Ping.

  Annoyance flickered in Bai Qingqing's heart. She hadn't anticipated the Princess Consort would be here. However, she maintained a composed expression, offering a modest smile before naturally shifting her gaze elsewhere, already considering an excuse to slip away.

  "They say the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Ying is skilled in fragrance-making—even Princess Huaifu speaks highly of her. Why not have her share what makes Thousand Flowers Drunk so special?"

  Bai Qingqing: "…"

  The Princess Consort’s gentle voice carried through the room, drawing everyone's eyes to Bai Qingqing.