It was rare for Gu Yan to speak to him in such a tone. Fu Tingyu could tell that he was infuriated. Seeing Gu Yan, who had always been gentle and refined that he spoke to him so furiously that he lost his usual demeanor, he chuckled. “What a pity that you hadn’t learned martial arts back then.”


  How could he still make a joke of this at such a time? Gu Yan thought, and he repeated the words in a higher tone. “Did you hear what I said?” He was almost yelling.

  Fu Tingyu knew the seriousness in this matter before he mumbled, “Got it.”


  Only then did Gu Yan nod his head in satisfaction. “If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have forgotten. You had been away a few years to learn martial arts, and when you got back, you became an entirely different person. You weren’t so quiet in the past.”


  The corners of Fu Tingyu’s mouth twitched, but he did not utter a word.

  Gu Yan pulled over a chair and sat down. Seeing that Fu Tingyu was silent, he continued, “Didn’t you mention that you had wanted to go back and have a look? Why haven’t I seen you gone back before this?”


  Fu Tingyu replied indifferently, “Those who had left couldn’t go back in.”


  “Well, there is no surprise in that.” Gu Yan smiled, “The rules are strange, but it’s reasonable. It’s different from any martial arts dojo, and many had tried—and failed to get in. Such a rare place with high entry requirements would have set up stricter rules.”


  The corners of Fu Tingyu’s mouth curled up.

  Before Gu Yan left, he reminded Fu Tingyu again, “Do remember to take the prescribed medicine every day.”


  After Gu Yan had gone back, he asked Ji Fei to deliver the medicine to Bright Garden and handed it directly to Housekeeper Shi.

  ***

  Qin Shu had sat in the study for the whole afternoon. It was not until evening that she stretched and relaxed for a bit. Looking at the time, Qin Shu realized that it was almost dinner. Then, she walked out of the study room.

  Fu Tingyu had returned to Bright Garden at the agreed time. When Qin Shu got downstairs, she saw him making his way to the house. It had saved her a phone call to remind him to come home.

  After dinner, Fu Tingyu went to the study room.

  Qin Shu called over Ning Meng. “Let me know when the medicine is ready. I’ll bring it to him.”


  Ning Meng’s eyes were curved into a crescent shape. “Understood, Madam.” She walked briskly to the kitchen and started to brew the medicine.

  At 9 p.m., Ning Meng scooped up the medicine into a white porcelain bowl and placed it on a tray. Then, she carried the tray into the living room.

  “Madam, the medicine is ready.”


  Qin Shu looked up and turned her attention from the book in her head towards Ning Meng, who was walking over with the tray. She placed her read on the sofa, stood up, and walked up to her. She reached out and took the tray from her.

  Ning Meng glanced at the dark-colored medicine in the bowl. “Madam, the medicine seems to be bitter. Do you want me to prepare some candies?”


  “I have it.”


  Qin Shu had recalled that she had bought some candies in Xijin. She had two in her pocket, but she was unsure if Fu Tingyu would like them. Qin Shu carried the tray up to the second floor and headed towards the study. She raised her hand and knocked lightly on the door, then pushed the door open and walked in.

  The light in the study was gentle, and Fu Tingyu was sitting in front of the desk. He had a well-defined side profile. Under the shadow, Qin Shu had her focus on his high nose bridge and his tightly pursed lips, and he had looked tenderer under the effects of the warm light.

  Fu Tingyu heard the noise and turned his head. He noticed Qin Shu walking towards her, and in her hands, she was holding a tray. The rich scent of Chinese medicine had followed after her.

  Qin Shu had carried the tray to the desk and placed the tray on the side. She picked up the white porcelain bowl with one hand and handed it to Fu Tingyu.

  “This is the medicine that Gu Yan had designated. I had Ning Meng boiled it gently. It seemed a little bitter, but I have some candies with me if you want.”


  Qin Shu took out a piece of candy from her waist pocket with her unoccupied hand and handed it to him.

  Fu Tingyu took the bowl, and as he heard her saying that, he had noticed her taking out something from her pocket. The wrapper on the candy had indicated that it was not local but manufactured in Xijin. He looked up at Qin Shu with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. “How did the sweets in Xijin Taste?”


  Qin Shu reflected a genuine smile, “It’s sugary. It’s almost the same as the fruit candies we have here in China.”


  “How much did you buy?” Fu Tingyu’s eyes were lit up when he saw Qin Shu held up the piece of candy. With his slender fingers, he brought the white porcelain bowl to his mouth, and he could sniff the strong, unpleasant smell of Chinese medicine. He frowned slightly, raised his chin, and emptied the bowl in a gulp. Most Chinese medicines tasted horrible in general as Confucious said, “Good medicine tastes bitter.”


  Qin Shu blinked her lovely eyes in awe. She was surprised that he could tell that she had gotten the candy from Xijin with merely an exchange of words—he was sharp as a needle, cunning as a fox.

  Seeing that he finished the medicine in one go, his brows had furrowed, and his jaws clenched, she could tell how unpleasant the remedy had tasted. She hurriedly peeled the candy in her hand and handed it to him. “Here, have a candy to cleanse your palate.”


  Fu Tingyu placed the bowl on the desk and looked at the candy in her hand. He was not fond of sweets since he was young. In fact, he was less sensitive to sugary food. Yet, Qin Shu had always loved handing sweets over to him. He was appalled by her consistency, and it had become a habit since. He would have some occasionally now and then.

  His gaze had remained on the candy on her hand, and his slender fingers reached out to grab the candy. He removed the candy wrapper and put it into his mouth. His taste buds had access to the new sweet sensation, and the bitter residual taste had gradually disappeared.

  He raised his eyes to look at Qin Shu. The candy was still in his mouth, and his eyes looked a little dark. “It’s not sweet enough when I’m the only one tasting it.”


  Qin Shu was not sure what he meant, “Hmm?”


  Just at the next instance, the world began spinning. Qin Shu had felt something cool on her lips, and it was followed by a sweet flavor. This was when Qin Shu had comprehended what Fu Tingyu had meant a while ago.

  He was still a little unsatisfied when he broke the kiss and whispered. “Now it’s pretty sweet.”


  Qin Shu was locked into his stare, and she could notice his complexion was better than before. Was it something to do with her?

  She had turned her head to look at the desk and found that there were accumulated contracts that needed to be processed, reviewed, and signed. She met his gaze, “You go ahead with your work and don’t stay up too late. I’ll be waiting in the bedroom.”


  Fu Tingyu let out a sigh. “Alright.”


  As he let go of his hands, Qin Shu took the chance to get up as she glanced at him, taking the bowl and the tray with her as she left the room, wondering why he was sighing just now.

  Fu Tingyu watched Qin Shu left the study, and the closed-door had blocked his sight of the girl. He withdrew his gaze as he touched his lips with his long fingers. Then, he looked at the two fondant figures on the right side of the desk, and he could still feel the sweetness of the candy lingering within his lips.

  ***

  It was 10 p.m., and Qin Shu had taken a shower and was sitting on the bed. She had her laptop with her, and her attention was focused on the screen. Her beachy waves were cascading down her side because of her lowered head, covering her exquisite side profile.

  The bedroom door had opened out of nowhere, and Fu Tingyu had entered the room before he closed the door. His gaze caught Qin Shu on the bed, yet her face was not visible. He could only see her long, sleek hair reflecting the warm luminescence of the table lamp. Yet, she had not noticed him as she was attracted by something on the screen.

  Though he was curious to know what she had been looking at, he was not in a rush. He got his clean clothes and strode straight into the shower. He was done half an hour later, and Fu Tingyu walked out of the bathroom in a bathrobe. Qin Shu’s eyes were still stuck at the screen, and he frowned as he paced forward.