Volume One, Chapter 17: Shen Qingzhu Steals Her Perfume Recipe!

The host asked off-camera, "D&R's perfumes have become increasingly famous over the years, with sales far surpassing other domestic brands. I've heard that your fragrance formula was improved from an ancestral recipe by a master perfumer from a family with a thousand years of perfumery heritage. Everyone is curious about this master perfumer. Why have you refused to let her be interviewed in recent years?"

Shen Qingzhu took a sorrowful, deep breath. "Because she has passed away."

The reporter quickly apologized, "I'm sorry..."

Shen Qingzhu forced a smile and shook her head. "It's okay. My master passed away two years ago. At first, I really couldn’t accept it. I often dreamed of her in the middle of the night and would wake up trembling and crying until dawn. This year, I’m much better."

The reporter seized the key point. "That master perfumer was your teacher?"

Shen Qingzhu’s eyelashes trembled, and her voice quivered. "Yes, she was my master. I studied perfumery under her for a few years. But my time was too short—I didn’t inherit all of her skills. When she passed, the only thing she couldn’t let go of was me. The new perfume that D&R just launched was the last fragrance she created before she died, named after me—‘Morning Bamboo.’"

"She wanted me to live shining like the morning light without her."

At this, Shen Qingzhu could no longer control her emotions and buried her face, weeping bitterly.

Suddenly, with a loud clatter, Shu Ya stood up and knocked over her chair.

The loud noise drew everyone’s attention.

But Shu Ya’s eyes were fixed tightly on Shen Qingzhu on the screen, her temples throbbing furiously. Her chest heaved in anger, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. She was on the verge of losing her reason to fury, feeling an impulse to grab a knife and stab Shen Qingzhu right then and there.

That perfume was created for her by her mother before she passed.

Her mother had died of illness.

Even though two years had passed, the image of her mother lying in bed, gravely ill in the final stages, was as clear as yesterday. Her mother was so thin she barely weighed over seventy pounds, with hollow cheeks, and her frail hands trembled as she pressed a fragrance formula into Shu Ya’s palm.

“Mom is dying.”

“Don’t be sad.”

“I’ve watched you grow from such a tiny baby into the graceful young woman you are now. I’m so happy, yet so heartbroken because I won’t be there to accompany you in the days ahead. You will have to walk your path alone, and just thinking about it makes my heart ache.”

“I created this fragrance formula with the scent of the bamboo forest where I used to take you when you were little. If you miss me, just recreate it and smell it. Think of it as me being by your side, okay?”

No.

Not okay at all.

But it wasn’t her choice!

What could she do when her mother was terminally ill? She was powerless to change anything, forced to watch her mother die before her eyes. She never dared to recreate the fragrance formula her mother left her before passing. The mere thought of her mother’s scent made her heart ache so painfully she couldn’t breathe. How could she bring herself to make it and breathe it in day and night?

That would be like tormenting her own heart!

A year ago, this formula was stolen by Shen Qingzhu. In her previous life, Shen Qingzhu never took out this formula. Perhaps because so much had changed this time around, Shen Qingzhu felt threatened.

Shen Qingzhu actually turned this formula into a perfume and openly promoted it in front of the media, claiming she was the apprentice of the master perfumer and that this perfume was specially developed for her. Her master wanted her to shine like the morning light in the days to come.

And yet, Shen Qingzhu stole this formula.

In her last life, when she died, this formula had never seen the light of day.

But maybe because she was reborn and had changed so much, Shen Qingzhu took it out and claimed she was her mother’s disciple, saying this formula was her mother’s wish for Shen Qingzhu to live shining like the morning light.

Nonsense!

The bamboo scent of this perfume has nothing to do with Shen Qingzhu!

It was because behind her home was a bamboo forest. When she was young, her mother often held her as they wandered the sea of bamboo, listening to the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves, breathing in the fresh bamboo scent. Those were the memories of more than twenty years spent with her mother.

It was bad enough that Shen Qingzhu stole her man.

How could she even steal her mother?

Shu Ya’s anger felt like it was about to explode from her chest. She trembled uncontrollably, struggling to breathe. Before the clip finished, she had already pushed open the conference room door and rushed outside.

“This…”

Everyone in the conference room exchanged glances.

What just happened?

Zhu Ting’s lips curled into a smile.

Shen Qingzhu was right—Shu Ya couldn’t control her emotions after seeing the video.

Zhu Ting had finally claimed the seat of chief. It was a great position, sitting above everyone else. She enjoyed the feeling of looking down on them all. Raising an eyebrow, she said,

“I’ve never seen such an irresponsible chief before—running off in the middle of a meeting. What does she take us for? Enough, don’t pay attention to her. Since she’s incompetent as chief, I’ll lead the meeting. Now, everyone, share your thoughts on D&R’s new perfume.”

—

Shu Ya returned to her office.

She locked the door behind her.

Grabbing the vase on her desk, she smashed it hard against the floor.

The vase shattered into pieces.

Listening to the sound of breaking glass, her mood finally calmed down a bit. She sat down and rested for two more minutes before pulling herself together.

Then she took out her phone and searched for the interview online.

Suppressing her anger, she continued watching.

At the end of the video, Shen Qingzhu looked into the camera and said, “We have formulated the scent, but the packaging has not yet been finalized. Those who know me well understand that I am, at heart, a perfumer. Since this is the last thing my master left me, I will definitely design an exceptional package for this perfume to perfectly blend my work with my master’s!”

“In eight days, I will participate in the National Designers’ Competition.”

“I must win first place, to honor the perfume my master created!”

The video ended there.

Shu Ya’s eyes grew sharp.

Designer.

Ha.

She was an art student. When Fu Yichen’s company lacked a designer, she had stepped in. Later, when Shen Qingzhu joined the company, she had taken pity on her unfortunate background and taught her many things. In fact, many of Shen Qingzhu’s design drafts were plagiarized from her work!

She was going to enter the designers’ competition as well.

She would never allow Shen Qingzhu’s design to be worn on her mother’s perfume!