The Alien Prince Has Fallen for Me

Chapter 2: Undercurrents Before the Masquerade

The bespoke fashion boutique was steeped in the signature fragrance of luxury brands and a quiet air of superiority. Gorgeous gowns were displayed in windows and on racks, like splendid dreams waiting to be claimed. Yue Yao—or rather, Yue Yao wearing the shell of Mei Guo—stood stiffly as a respectfully deferential designer took her measurements.

Fu Yuan took a sudden phone call. The person on the other end seemed to say something like, "Believe me or not, I'll tell Mei Guo you're the commander of First Flame." His expression shifted slightly, and he lowered his voice to reply, "You wouldn't dare!! You just wait!!" Then he hurried over to Yue Yao, planted a kiss on her cheek, and said, "Baby, something's come up suddenly. I can't stay with you. See you tonight at the Moonshadow Hotel."

Yue Yao couldn't have been happier for him to leave. This facade of intimacy kept her nerves on edge. "Okay, see you tonight." She watched Fu Yuan's retreating figure and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

But this brief respite was soon shattered.

"Well, well, if it isn't Yue Yao from the coffee shop," a sharp, familiar female voice rang out, dripping with undisguised mockery.

Yue Yao's heart tightened. She turned to see Shirley sashaying in, a contemptuous sneer plastered on her face.

"A high-end boutique like this—is it really the kind of place you should be?" Shirley walked closer, her gaze sweeping over Yue Yao's simple attire. She waved dismissively at the designer. "Designer, stop taking her measurements. Even if she maxed out her credit card, she couldn't afford a single gown here!"

The designer's movements faltered hesitantly as he looked at Yue Yao with a questioning expression.

Yue Yao suppressed the panic and humiliation rising within her, forcing herself to stay calm. *She's Mei Guo now. Not that coffee shop girl anyone can bully.* She cast a cold glance at Shirley, her voice low but carrying an unmistakable authority: "You've mistaken me for someone else."

Fu Yuan wasn't here. She had to face this alone.

"Who do you think you are! Don't you dare be rude to my darling!" A somewhat exaggerated male voice cut in. To Yue Yao's surprise, Fu Yuan had somehow turned back and happened to overhear Shirley's words. He stepped in front of Yue Yao, his face dark with displeasure.

Shirley laughed brazenly. "Heh heh! So she found herself a sugar daddy. Ah, handsome, you've got some peculiar taste, falling for a coffee shop girl."

Yue Yao took a deep breath. Without sparing Shirley another glance, she addressed the designer directly: "Designer, please check my ID. I am Mei Guo!"

The designer froze for a moment, then quickly picked up the scanner beside him and scanned Yue Yao's face. When the results appeared, his face turned deathly pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He bowed repeatedly in apology: "Miss... Miss Mei Guo! You are our store's top VIP. Please forgive my negligence! I was blind not to recognize you!"

Yue Yao's heart steadied. She waved her hand, deliberately mimicking the tone of someone in power: "It's fine. Don't mind that snob who judges people by their clothes. Let's continue!"

The smile froze on Shirley's face, replaced by disbelief and shock. "She... she's really not Yue Yao?"

Fu Yuan seemed to be pressed by another phone call. He answered impatiently with a few words, bid Yue Yao farewell again, and left.

Shirley was skeptical but decided to pick out a few gowns that caught her fancy. She gestured for the designer to adjust the measurements, then pulled out her terminal to pay.

Just then, Yue Yao spoke. Pointing at every gown Shirley had chosen, she said in a light, dismissive tone laced with provocation: "I want all of those gowns. I'll pay triple the price." She looked at Shirley, a smirk curling at the corner of her lips.

Shirley was taken aback, then fury surged through her. "I'll pay quadruple!"

"Six times!"

"Seven times!"

"Nine times!"

"Ten times!" Shirley nearly screamed it. Yue Yao's smug, determined expression had thoroughly enraged her.

Yue Yao laughed, a cat-taunting-mouse kind of amusement. "Fine, buy them then! If you don't, you're a dog!"

Shirley's face turned livid, her chest heaving violently. "Buy them I will!" She viciously swiped her face to pay the tenfold extortionate price on the terminal.

Gloating, Yue Yao picked up her own one-of-a-kind top-tier gown and flaunted it elegantly in front of Shirley. "Hahaha, some i***t just paid ten times the price for some cheap dresses. One of my gowns is worth a hundred of yours! But come to think of it, what you paid for those few might just about cover this top-tier gown of mine! Pretty, isn't it?"

Shirley stared at the magnificent gown, then thought of the astronomical sum she'd wasted. She nearly went mad, pointing a trembling finger at Yue Yao. "Just you wait! I'll get my revenge!"

At the boutique's entrance, a tall man in sunglasses—Xing Hun—happened to be passing by. He stopped, peering through the glass door at Yue Yao, who was laughing like a little fox inside. The corner of his mouth lifted involuntarily, revealing a tender yet complex smile. Then he adjusted his cap brim and quickly vanished into the crowd.

Carrying the expensive gown, Yue Yao walked through the mall with mixed emotions. The thrill of getting back at Shirley quickly faded, replaced by anxiety about the unknown night ahead and a sense of bewilderment at her own false identity.

Suddenly, a sharp shriek exploded behind her: "Yue Yao!!!"

Yue Yao reflexively turned around—it was that persistent Shirley! In her hand, she held the leash of a modified electronic pet dog, its head connected to a flashing antenna, looking unusually ferocious.

"So it really is Yue Yao! Doggy, bite her! Don't stop until she's dead!" Shirley commanded with a twisted expression.

The electronic dog's eyes flashed red, a low hum emanating from it as it lunged at Yue Yao!

Yue Yao was terrified out of her wits. She turned and ran. Just then, a huge commotion erupted from the other end of the mall. Many girls were screaming: "Ah! It's the superstar Xing Hun! Ah! Xing Hun!" A tidal wave of frenzied female fans surged in one direction.

Quick on her feet, Yue Yao immediately blended into the running crowd of girls. The electronic dog lost its target, pacing anxiously in place. Taking advantage of the chaos, Yue Yao slipped away from the crowd and, in her panic, pushed open an inconspicuous door. She ducked inside and shut the door behind her, leaning against it, panting heavily.

Inside was a dimly lit storage room, stacked with boxes of merchandise. The air smelled of dust and cardboard. Several unactivated bio-AI robots stood silently in the corner like statues.

Still shaken, Yue Yao didn't notice that shortly after she closed the door, the noisy mall outside seemed to have been muted. All the running crowds, the pursuing electronic dog, even the dust particles floating in the air—everything froze in an instant.

The storage room door slid open silently. Xing Hun walked in calmly. He glanced at Yue Yao, who was leaning against the door catching her breath, a glint of amusement flickering in his eyes. Then he walked over to the row of AI robots, took the place of one handsome male robot, and assumed an identical standing posture.

Time resumed its flow.

Yue Yao, her heart still racing, gradually calmed down. She surveyed this temporary refuge, and her gaze soon fell on the lifelike AI robots. She walked over, curiously examining them, and finally stopped in front of the "handsome robot" Xing Hun.

"These robots are getting more and more realistic these days," she murmured to herself. Unable to resist, she reached out and touched the robot's cheek and chest. "The feel is amazing. These pecs, this face—tsk tsk tsk! Handsome! And these lips are really nice..."

A mischievous impulse rose within her. *It's just a robot anyway.* She stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around the robot's neck, strained to reach those full lips, and kissed it boldly. Not satisfied, she groped and kissed it all over.

"Haha, not bad taste!" She giggled foolishly to herself, completely unaware that the "robot's" body had stiffened slightly, and beneath its closed eyelids, its eyeballs were involuntarily rolling, barely suppressing a laugh.

"Sigh, I won't be able to go out for the rest of the afternoon. I'll just have to change into my gown and do my makeup here in the storage room," Yue Yao sighed. Without a shred of wariness, she began changing into her evening gown right next to the "robot," meticulously preparing herself.