The wind blew, and the wooden blocks scattered across the floor like stones on a vast beach, falling chaotically, leaving inexplicable marks on one’s heart.

Lu Tong heard her calm voice.

“Back at the Prince of Wen’s residence, I saved both the lady and Baozhu’s lives…”

Pei Yunying gave a noncommittal laugh.

Lu Tong suddenly stopped speaking.

The gratitude for saving lives had been largely spent in the various matters at the Yuxian Tower later on. Trying to leverage that debt now seemed unrealistic, especially since Pei Yunshu and Baozhu were no longer in mortal danger. It would be easy for Pei Yunying to burn that bridge if he wished.

Such bargaining was perhaps for future calculations.

Lu Tong thought for a moment and said: “If next time Lord Pei wants to obtain someone’s medical records, I can help.”

The matter of Pei Yunying sneaking into the Medical Officials’ Bureau’s pharmacy storage to take medical records had happened just a few days ago. Lu Tong herself had been on duty at the Medical Bureau, effectively helping him.

Pei Yunying quietly looked at her, shaking his head.

Still not enough.

After a moment of silence, Lu Tong lifted her face and spoke coolly.

“If Lord Pei will tell me, I’m willing to prepare another set of Jin Xianrong’s health-maintaining medicine for Lord Pei.”

At these words, the calm expression of the person before her suddenly cracked.

Lu Tong inwardly sneered.

It seemed he wasn’t completely unresponsive after all.

She pressed on: “This medicine is precious, I guarantee it’s not available anywhere else. The General would benefit immensely from it.”

Pei Yunying gave a cold laugh: “Thank you, but I don’t need it.”

“Lord Pei may not know, but men often develop such conditions as they age – blood deficiency and yang deficiency. You may be fine now, but when you get older, there will inevitably be times when your strength fails you. With this medicine, I guarantee you’ll maintain your vigor.”

Pei Yunying looked at her incredulously.

Lu Tong sat at the small table, her eyes bright, speaking with complete seriousness, her gaze very sincere, truly like a kind-hearted doctor trying to persuade a stubborn patient.

She always used such ordinary, calm tones to say the most shocking things.

Pei Yunying pressed his fingers to his brow, almost grinding out through his teeth: “Won’t need it in the future either.”

“You’ll need it in the future,” she insisted.

He suddenly felt somewhat tired, or perhaps helpless, merely picking up the paperweight from the table and asking with a lowered head: “If I tell you, what does Dr. Lu plan to do?”

“Lord Pei,” after a pause, Lu Tong called to him, “you only need to tell me this matter, you don’t need to do anything else, there’s no loss to you at all. And I, now being in the Medical Officials’ Bureau, can help you in many ways. If someday in the future you need me, or if there’s someone you hold a grudge against…”

She said softly: “I can kill them for you too.”

Her voice was faint, like a spring night wind approaching early summer, bringing a thread of chill as it gently brushed past one’s face.

Pei Yunying looked her over: “Didn’t Dr. Lu say she had never killed before and would never kill in the future?”

Lu Tong paused slightly.

Those were words she had once said to Pei Yunying under Luoyue Bridge.

At that time, they had briefly cooperated, performing a mutually understood act in front of the military patrol station to catch people sent by Meng Xixian. Then he still didn’t know her background, testing her step by step, while she defended herself at every turn, not wanting the person before her to glimpse any traces.

“Killing can also be saving,” Lu Tong’s expression remained unchanged, “I can be your helper.”

“Helper?”

Pei Yunying smiled slightly, leaning back in his chair, looking at her faintly: “You don’t ask what I want to do?”

“That’s not important.”

What Pei Yunying wanted to do, and what his goals were, Lu Tong didn’t care at all. This was just a mutually beneficial transaction; whether it could be done depended solely on whether the other party’s stake was enticing enough.

Pei Yunying sighed.

His handsome features were captivating in the lamplight, but his voice carried hidden mockery as he spoke deliberately.

“Making deals with people whose background you don’t know, Dr. Lu isn’t afraid of losing everything.”

He smiled faintly: “No wonder you were tricked into archery at the lantern market. Dr. Lu still isn’t very good at business.”

Lu Tong looked at him: “Is Lord Pei agreeing?”

The room fell silent for a moment.

After a while, Pei Yunying’s voice sounded.

“There’s a tea garden at the foot of Tuoluo Mountain outside Shengking’s outer city.”

“The thrush you want to know about is there.”

Tea garden?

Lu Tong’s heart stirred.

She understood this was the key to the information, and asked Pei Yunying further: “What’s the name of that tea garden?”

“The tea garden has been bought by a private owner now, ordinary people can’t enter.”

These words were inevitably disappointing.

Lu Tong stared at him: “Could Lord Pei accompany me there tomorrow?”

Pei Yunying had an official position; if she went rashly, she might alert others. Having his cover would be better.

However, his answer was merciless.

“I have business tomorrow.”

Lu Tong: “…”

She felt somewhat disappointed.

The monthly leave only added up to three days, and two days had already passed. If she couldn’t enter the tea garden tomorrow, she would have to wait until next month’s leave, wasting quite some time.

The room’s light was dim, she slightly frowned, her eyes dark, her frail shoulders making her appear somewhat pitiful.

Pei Yunying’s gaze flickered slightly.

After a moment, he suddenly said: “I’ll pick you up at the hour of Si tomorrow.”

Lu Tong looked at him in surprise.

His eyes were lowered, thoughts unknown, his expression very faint, as if his previous words had been merely casual and unintentional.

Lu Tong thought for a moment: “Thank you, my lord. Your medicine…”

“Just look after Baozhu,” he cut off Lu Tong’s words, saying each word distinctly: “I don’t need it.”

Lu Tong’s lips curved upward.

She felt that somehow, she had learned some of Du Changqing’s bad habits, such as finding it extremely satisfying every time she saw Pei Yunying’s suppressed anger.

As if at these moments, she could see the helpless side of this usually composed person.

A trivial amusement, but very interesting.

He glanced at Lu Tong, seeing her good mood, paused before speaking: “It’s late today, and you’ve been busy all day, go back and rest first.” After speaking, he stood up: “I’ll escort you.”

Lu Tong: “No need.”

Pei Yunying frowned.

“An unmarried man and woman, going out together at night isn’t proper. West Street is crowded, if someone sees it, it will cause gossip,” her tone was gentle, “my fiancé wouldn’t like it either.”

Pei Yunying raised his eyebrows, looking at her with an ambiguous smile.

“Almost forgot, Dr. Lu still has a fiancé.”

He spoke teasingly, but didn’t insist further, saying: “I’ll have Qingfeng take you.”

Lu Tong didn’t refuse this time.

Qingfeng brought a carriage, Pei Yunying took Lu Tong to the Pei residence gate, and after Lu Tong got in and the carriage disappeared into the night, he turned to walk back. After just two steps, he saw Pei Yunshu hurrying out from the neighboring residence, looking regretfully in the direction the carriage had gone.

“Why did you come out?” Pei Yunying asked.

Pei Yunshu glared at him, her tone somewhat reproachful: “Didn’t I tell you to personally escort Dr. Lu back to the medical center, why did you have someone else take her?”

She deliberately emphasized the word “personally.”

Pei Yunying smiled carelessly, not answering her question, and then noticed Pei Yunshu holding a box that looked somewhat familiar, causing him to pause: “What’s this?”

Pei Yunshu looked down: “I was just going to talk to you about this. Dr. Lu came today saying she brought a gift for Baozhu. I thought it was some herbs or local goods, so I didn’t refuse. After she left, when Fangzi opened it, we discovered it wasn’t. Look—”

As she spoke, she had already opened the box, revealing a pair of beautiful golden butterflies inside.

The butterflies lay on black silk, their wings delicately spread, decorated with sparkling pink gemstones, gleaming in the night light. One look at the intricate craftsmanship showed they were not inexpensive.

Pei Yunshu was still speaking: “I’m thinking that Dr. Lu now serves at the Medical Officials’ Bureau, and her salary isn’t particularly generous. This gift is too precious – should we find an opportunity to return it… Yunying, Yunying, are you listening to me?”

Pei Yunying came back to himself, gazing at the pair of butterflies poised for flight on the black silk. After a long while, he gave a soft laugh.

“…She refuses to owe anyone a favor.”

In the end, Pei Yunshu kept the golden butterflies.

Pei Yunying told her it was just a piece of jewelry, and since it was meant for Baozhu, they should accept it. He could find other ways to repay Lu Tong’s kindness later.

Pei Yunshu thought this made sense – returning someone’s gift would seem impolite, and since Pei Yunying put it that way and there would be plenty of opportunities in the future, she kept the items.

After Fangzi helped Pei Yunshu return home, Pei Yunying also went inside.

The lamp in the study was still lit, and the oil in the bronze flower lamp was still warm. He pushed open the door and entered, immediately seeing the mess everywhere.

The wooden tower blocks that Lu Tong had knocked over were scattered all over the floor. His study had always been simply furnished, sometimes feeling almost too empty, but this was the first time it had been so disorderly. Yet somehow the chaos diminished that emptiness, creating instead a kind of busy crowdedness.

The young man bent down to pick up the fallen pieces.

He had stacked this tower long ago, piece by piece, over many years.

He never let others enter his study, so the wooden tower had remained safely here for many years.

Who knew that the first time he let Lu Tong in, she would knock it down?

With her light touch, the mountain-like wooden tower had flowed down like a waterfall, collapsing without showing any mercy.

“Sorry, I’ll help you build another one.”

That woman stood before the desk, speaking words of apology, but her tone held not a trace of remorse. She was as forthright as if she were the master of this study, and he an uninvited guest who had entered without permission.

Perfunctory yet righteous.

After a moment, he straightened up, casually placed the piece of wood he’d picked up on the table, and silently sighed.

Truly self-inflicted misery, beyond salvation.

…

Of Pei Yunying’s private troubles, Lu Tong remained completely unaware.

Perhaps it was the familiar medical center that put her at ease, or perhaps it was the excitement of potentially uncovering Qi Yutai’s secret tomorrow, but she slept very soundly that night.

Early the next morning, when Lu Tong awoke, Yinzheng was already standing by her bed holding clothes, smiling very insistently.

“Miss is going out with Commander Pei today, please wear this new dress. Otherwise, when the weather gets hotter and Miss is busy at the Medical Bureau, there won’t be another chance to wear it.”

Lu Tong: “…”

Yesterday when she went to Pei Yunshu’s residence to examine Pei Yunshu and Baozhu, because she had to carry her medical box, she had worn her usual old clothes, much to Yinzheng’s disappointment.

However, learning that today she would be going out with Pei Yunying, Yinzheng’s heart was filled with new hope.

She sat Lu Tong down before the dressing mirror, like a mother dressing up her daughter, wanting to adorn Lu Tong with everything beautiful and elegant. As she did Lu Tong’s hair, she said: “Song’s little sister from the silk shoe shop, who’s almost fifteen this year – when I had Master Ge the tailor make clothes for Miss, I showed the patterns to Madam Song, and she asked me to draw some for little Song sister too.”

“…Every time I see how little Song sister looks when dressed up, I think these clothes would look good on Miss too. Now that Miss is finally back, it hasn’t all been for nothing.”

Lu Tong allowed herself to be dressed, saying softly: “I’m not going out for pleasure.”

She was going to the tea garden to investigate Qi Yutai’s matter – what she wore, what she put on, was truly meaningless.

“Young Lord Pei is a man,” Yinzheng said while combing Lu Tong’s long hair. “He may seem unapproachable and calculating. But even heroes can’t resist beautiful women. If Miss dresses prettily, he might become Miss’s devoted servant, always looking after you – he might even provide more clues.”

Before Lu Tong could speak, she continued: “With men, whether Miss likes them or not is one thing, whether they can be useful is another. No need to resist too much.”

Lu Tong fell silent.

Pei Yunying was warm on the outside but cold within, not the type to be swayed by female charm – not that he was a hypocrite, he simply didn’t care for such matters of love.

Him, become her devoted servant?

Lu Tong didn’t think she had that kind of allure.

A knife, no matter how beautiful, was still just a weapon.

It could hurt people, but it couldn’t love them.

But there was no use saying this to Yinzheng, so Lu Tong could only remain silent.

After another half hour, Yinzheng finally finished her hair, then lightly applied the barely-used powder and rouge to Lu Tong’s face, helped her put on that light pink misty dress, and pulled her to look in the mirror.

“Miss, look, isn’t it perfect?”

Lu Tong looked into the mirror.

In the bronze mirror stood a young woman in a long dress, with skin like fresh lychees and a nose like polished jade, silently looking at herself.

She seemed somewhat unfamiliar.

Seeing her dazed expression, Yinzheng giggled and pushed Lu Tong toward the door. Miao Liangfang was crouching by the medicine cabinet comparing herbs, and Du Changqing was leaning against the counter listlessly looking at account books. Hearing movement, he glanced back, and his gaze instantly froze.

“Wow!” Acheng’s eyes widened as she threw down her broom and came forward, circling Lu Tong: “Dr. Lu, your new dress is so beautiful!”

In the past at Renxin Medical Center, she had never worn makeup, and her clothes were mostly simple and old, convenient for handling medicines. Seeing her in something more elaborate for once made everyone’s eyes light up.

Miao Liangfang raised his head from the pile of medicines, squinted for a careful look, and exclaimed: “Little Lu looks so much more spirited dressed up like this! Young ladies should wear such bright things!”

“Of course,” Yinzheng was very proud, “Master Ge’s new fabric – lucky I grabbed it fast, it was gone in two days. I drew the design for Master Ge too, the craftsmanship isn’t any worse than those ready-made clothes shops in the capital!”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Amidst the chorus of praise, only Du Changqing’s brows were tightly knitted, looking at Lu Tong with full alertness: “Dressed so finely early in the morning, where are you going?”

Lu Tong said: “Some matters to handle at the Medical Bureau.”

“Are you going alone? Are there others going with you? Men or women? Where exactly?”

He fired questions in rapid succession, and Yinzheng rolled her eyes: “Master Du, can you stop ruining the mood?”

“This isn’t ruining the mood, you don’t understand,” Du Changqing walked out from inside, “There are many bad people in Shengking, and Dr. Lu is a young woman in her prime, who doesn’t understand people’s hearts. What’s most frightening is making the wrong friends, and looking at how she’s dressed – does this look like someone going to handle business? No, stop right there, explain this clearly to me…” He made to grab Lu Tong.

Yinzheng gave Acheng a look, and Acheng understood. The two rushed forward, one on each side, holding Du Changqing around the waist. Yinzheng turned back to Lu Tong: “Miss, hurry and go, they’ll be anxious if you’re late.”

Du Changqing was furious: “What people? Why would they be anxious? I want to see who it is!”

Yinzheng: “What’s it to you who Miss’s fiancé is, Master Du!”

Du Changqing was stunned: “Fiancé?”

Ignoring the chaos behind her, Lu Tong lifted her skirt and walked out of the medical center. Miao Liangfang cheerfully waved to her: “Little Lu, come back early—”

The clamor gradually faded behind her.

When she reached the end of West Street, sure enough, there was a carriage waiting by the road. Qingfeng sat on horseback at the front, and seeing Lu Tong, nodded to her: “Dr. Lu.”

Lu Tong returned the greeting.

She had arranged with Pei Yunying yesterday to wait for her at the West Street entrance after the hour of Si. Lu Tong hadn’t let Pei Yunying wait in front of the medical center, to avoid Du Changqing seeing him and launching into another round of questioning – she really couldn’t be bothered to deal with that.

Moreover, Pei Yunying’s entourage was too eye-catching; staying too long in front of the medical center would not be good if noticed by anyone paying attention. Today they were going about serious business, better to keep a low profile.

Just as she was thinking this, the carriage curtain was lifted, and Pei Yunying’s face appeared from behind it. The sunlight illuminated his robes, making his face seem star-bright and his lips like peach blossoms, especially handsome and dignified.

He raised an eyebrow: “Dr. Lu is a bit late.”

Lu Tong: “Sorry.”

If Yinzheng and Acheng hadn’t held back Du Changqing, she would have been even later.

Pei Yunying nodded, his gaze falling on her, suddenly pausing slightly.

In the sunlight, the woman wasn’t carrying her medical box but wore only a light pink dress embroidered with paired butterflies, white butterfly patterns adorning the sleeves and collar, her black hair falling to her shoulders, a wooden hibiscus hairpin in her coiffure.

She usually wore cold colors, rarely such bright ones, and it seemed to soften that coldness in her bones, making her especially charming. The two pink ribbons hanging by her ears made her face seem painted with fine brushstrokes, radiantly beautiful, like a pink camellia about to bloom in spring, full of youthful beauty.

Completely different from usual.

Pei Yunying’s expression flickered: “You today…”

Lu Tong looked at him: “What about me today?”

After a pause, his lips curved: “Nothing.”

How strange.

Lu Tong didn’t say more, lifting her skirts to get into the carriage, but the carriage was too high, and Master Ge’s new dress was quite restrictive. Seeing her struggling, Pei Yunying held the curtain with one hand and gripped her arm with the other, pulling her up in one movement.

Once inside, with the curtain lowered, Lu Tong looked at Pei Yunying: “Lord Pei, are we going to the tea mountain now?”

He nodded and instructed Qingfeng outside: “Let’s go.”