Clouds filtered the setting sun, casting red shadows through bright windows.

Lu Tong slowed her steps, raising her eyes to look at the person beside her.

The setting sun gradually sank behind him, its lingering radiance outlining the young man’s silhouette in softer shadows. His black-gold cloud-patterned brocade robe shimmered with a light golden hue in the slanting sunlight, extraordinarily captivating.

Lu Tong felt slightly dazed.

She hadn’t expected that her casual placation would be remembered so clearly by Pei Yunying.

It was the same in Mangming Village – when he saw the yellow dog, he positioned himself between it and her. She had seen that blackhound at the Palace Guard before too; it was a beautiful and agile hunting dog.

Did he think she was afraid of dogs?

As if noticing her gaze, Pei Yunying looked down at her: “What is it?”

Lu Tong shook off the strange feeling in her heart: “Nothing.”

They walked side by side, their long shadows stretching out on the sunset-lit path, seemingly about to merge with the golden-red dusk.

Pei Yunying’s smiling voice came from beside her: “How should I thank Dr. Lu for helping me investigate the prescription?”

Lu Tong replied: “I said it was a transaction, Lord Pei need not take it to heart.”

“Is that so?” he casually spoke: “Then what about those golden butterfly hairpins?”

Lu Tong was stunned.

On New Year’s Eve, Pei Yunying had given her a pair of golden butterfly hairpins. The jewelry was precious, and such gifts were inappropriate to accept here. So when Lu Tong met with Baozhu during her ten-day break, she tactfully returned the golden butterflies.

“How can there be reason in taking back what was given?” Pei Yunying drawled. “Dr. Lu is being quite discourteous.”

Returning gifts given by others was indeed not the behavior of a well-mannered household. Even in her former Lu family, her parents would have scolded such actions.

But who told him to be so immoderate, giving such valuable gifts worth years of income at the Benevolent Heart Medical Hall?

Lu Tong pressed her lips together: “I don’t like butterflies.”

He asked: “Then what do you like?”

Lu Tong suddenly felt somewhat impatient.

She disliked owing favors to others, and equally disliked others owing her. Especially given her relationship with Pei Yunying – under such complex circumstances, the future remained uncertain. She hoped all their interactions would be clear-cut transactions, and she had expressed her intentions clearly, yet this person always acted this way.

The distance was difficult to grasp, the boundaries murky.

No matter how she calculated, she couldn’t figure it out.

She simply turned to look at him, speaking frankly: “I like Lord Pei’s fragrance sachet recipe. Can you give it to me?”

Pei Yunying was taken aback.

He lowered his head, his gaze falling on Lu Tong’s face, his expression somewhat strange.

Lu Tong looked at him candidly.

That fragrance sachet recipe appeared very precious, so much so that last time in the carriage he hadn’t agreed to share it. But Lu Tong still didn’t understand – she only wanted the recipe, not asking him to make an identical sachet. Even if the fragrant materials were expensive, she didn’t need him to provide them. Why did he look so troubled?

“Lord Pei knows that I’m now at the Imperial Medical Academy. I have no use for silver or jewelry,” Lu Tong said. “If you insist on thanking me, why not give me the fragrance sachet recipe? That’s what I want.”

His reluctance made Lu Tong more suspicious, and the more suspicious she became, the more she wanted it.

Wanting what one cannot obtain is only human nature.

He stared at Lu Tong for a while, then after a long moment, moved his gaze away and said flatly: “That’s not possible.”

He walked ahead on his own.

As expected.

Lu Tong watched his retreating figure, suddenly forming a guess in her heart. Perhaps she had been wrong – Pei Yunying didn’t seem like a petty person, and he was usually quite generous. Yet he was so protective of this sachet. Could it be that the fragrance recipe came from someone very important to him?

Emotional attachments were often more precious than silver and gold.

While she was thinking this, Pei Yunying had already reached the Palace Guard mansion’s gate. Further ahead, the carriage back to the Imperial Medical Academy was waiting at the street corner.

Pei Yunying handed her the medical box, saying: “Be careful on your way.”

Lu Tong took the medical box, responded with a sound of acknowledgment, and walked toward the carriage across the street. She had just crossed when she saw a familiar person standing at the entrance of a dye house not far ahead in the alley, under the vermillion roof beams.

The young man wore a peach-colored round-collared robe and carried something that looked like a food box. He was slightly plump and stood in front of the dye house, looking around.

Lu Tong’s steps suddenly halted.

It was the young master from the Imperial Court of State Ceremonial’s mansion, Dong Lin.

At the dye house, Dong Lin also saw Lu Tong and his face immediately lit up with joy.

He had come specifically to find Lu Tong.

Ever since Madam Dong had sent Old Woman Wang to make a scene at Benevolent Heart Medical Hall and openly severed ties, the Imperial Court of State Ceremonial no longer had any dealings with the medical hall.

Dong Lin was both angry and anxious – angry that his mother had ignored his objections and insisted on destroying his relationship with Lu Tong, and anxious that if Lu Tong was humiliated, she might hastily marry someone in anger – after all, it would be difficult for a young woman whose reputation had been damaged to continue.

But Lu Tong hadn’t.

Not only had she not become discouraged or furious because of this, but she had even taken first place on the spring examination’s red list and successfully entered the Hanlin Imperial Medical Academy, shocking the entire medical community in the capital.

Dong Lin felt both ashamed and admiring.

Ashamed that such an awkward situation had been created by his own hands, he had no good way to help Lu Tong and was even confined to the mansion by his mother. Admiring that even without anyone’s help and facing an uncertain path, Lu Tong could still forge her way forward.

After Lu Tong entered the Imperial Medical Academy, Madam Dong no longer confined him, but since Lu Tong was no longer at Benevolent Heart Medical Hall, it became much more difficult to see her at the Imperial Medical Academy.

Dong Lin had sent people to pass messages to Lu Tong, hoping she would come out to meet so he could personally clear up past misunderstandings and apologize to her. But each time she politely declined, only saying that working at the Imperial Medical Academy made it inconvenient to meet with him.

Today was the same – he had gone to the Imperial Medical Academy and heard that Lu Tong had gone to treat the guards at the Palace Guard mansion, so he waited at the mansion’s gate.

He waited and waited until dusk fell, finally seeing the person he had been thinking of day and night. Dong Lin couldn’t help but feel excited, hesitating as he was about to step forward. Yet he saw that person suddenly stop moving.

Lu Tong stopped in her tracks.

She hadn’t expected to encounter Dong Lin here.

This young master Dong’s intentions were too obvious.

Back then, she had allowed Dong Lin to show her favor by using her relationship with the Imperial Court of State Ceremonial and Madam Dong. Now Madam Dong already resented her for driving a wedge between mother and son; continuing to entangle would only bring harm and no benefit.

She had already refused Dong Lin’s invitations several times, implying rejection in her words, yet this young master Dong was particularly persistent.

Dragging things out wasn’t good, but to make him give up…

Lu Tong’s eyes flickered slightly, and she slowly stepped back two steps, suddenly turning around and quickly running back toward the Palace Guard mansion.

Dong Lin anxiously hurried after her.

In the small courtyard at the Palace Guard mansion’s entrance, Pei Yunying was still standing.

The setting sun slanted down, and a cool breeze began to rise. The young man stood under the parasol tree at the mansion’s entrance, lost in thought. That bit of warm evening light fell on him as he turned, just about to walk into the mansion when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him.

Pei Yunying raised his eyes to see Lu Tong running toward him.

She was always calm, and steady, like a quietly flowing dark river, hiding unseen turbulence beneath its peaceful surface.

Yet at this moment, she was quite urgent.

Like that frozen stream had thawed its seal, the flowing water becoming more dazzling in the evening light, leaping and vivid as it rushed into his sight, as if about to crash into his embrace the next moment.

Pei Yunying was stunned for an instant, but the woman had already rushed up to him. Just as she was about to reach his eyes, she suddenly twisted her ankle, as if stepping on a stone. He instinctively reached out to steady her, and she seized his arm, falling solidly into his embrace.

Caught off guard, he held her fully in his arms.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

The golden evening light grew more brilliant.

The spring flowers in the courtyard dimmed in comparison.

The sky was growing dark, the sun was setting, the clouds were darkening, and in the slanting sunlight covering the ground, the last ray of sunset became tender, flowing gently past the embracing figures in the courtyard.

The person in his arms gripped his sleeve very tightly, like a drowning person clutching at driftwood. Her posture was soft yet strange. As he was slightly stunned, he noticed something and his gaze swept past the courtyard gate behind him.

Not far from the gate stood a man in a peach-colored robe. That young master from the Imperial Court of State Ceremonial’s mansion stood there numbly holding his food box, looking at the two of them with utter disbelief. In this lonely dusk, he showed several parts of pitiful desolation.

Pei Yunying’s eyes flickered slightly as he looked down.

She still kept her head lowered, as if curled up in his embrace. Her thin, frail body reminded him of those butterfly hairpins’ delicate wings – seemingly so easily torn apart.

Pitifully weak.

One arm encircled her waist – that was his instinctive protection when she had rushed over earlier. And his other hand…

After a moment’s hesitation, he extended his other hand.

That hand was long-fingered and white, moving slowly and gently toward the back of the person in his embrace.

It was a posture of drawing someone into an embrace.

The evening breeze was cool and faint, brushing softly through the fragrant grass in the courtyard.

That hand ultimately didn’t come down.

It only hovered virtually behind her, restraining itself from leaving an unreachable distance.

The fragrance of spring flowers in the courtyard took on a hint of bitterness at dusk. The shadows of the intimate figures on the ground were also intimate.

Lu Tong calculated the time, estimating that Young Master Dong had seen what he should and shouldn’t have seen. She finally raised her head, and as soon as she did, she met a pair of dark eyes.

Pei Yunying was very handsome.

His bearing was elegant and distinguished, decisive and outstanding. Though he appeared kind and warm, there was always an innate sense of detachment that made people afraid to approach him.

However, at this moment, he just looked down at her, his black eyes reflecting her image.

The setting sun had only a trace of light left. When it shone from behind, the reflection seemed like the moon suddenly scattering on a silver pond, transforming into brilliant stars. It was as if there were more emotions she couldn’t understand, with deeper things rising from the bottom of his eyes, entangling until they couldn’t be seen clearly.

She was very close to him.

More intimate than the accidental touch when the carriage shook last time. At the cold place where their clothes met, his embrace seemed to carry warmth, and the faint orchid musk fragrance came and went, like a tempting forbidden realm, unconsciously giving rise to thoughts that shouldn’t exist.

Lu Tong was dazed for a moment.

His gaze lightly swept past not far behind her, and then he helped her stand steady, smiled, and asked: “What’s wrong?”

Lu Tong looked back. Outside the courtyard gate, she caught a glimpse of Dong Lin’s hurriedly fleeing figure.

She breathed a sigh of relief, then turned back to look at the person before her.

Pei Yunying stood in front of her, his expression very innocent. He showed neither surprise at her sudden return and actions just now, nor did he ask anything extra.

So calm and plain, quite different from the reaction she had expected.

Lu Tong couldn’t quite determine whether he had seen Dong Lin or not.

If he had seen, then he already knew her deliberate act, so why was he so calm? But if he hadn’t seen, given Pei Yunying’s personality, he would have already teased her with comments about “fiancé” and such.

After all, even she felt her actions just now were affected.

Moreover, this person was quite clever.

But since the goal had been achieved, if Pei Yunying didn’t mention it, Lu Tong certainly had no reason to create embarrassment for herself. Anyway, the young master Dong appeared to be the crying type. Since Madam Dong already thought she had something with Pei Yunying, deepening this misunderstanding another layer would at least end young master Dong’s obsession.

Lu Tong stepped back, readjusting the medical box strap on her shoulder, and said: “Nothing.”

After thinking for a moment, she looked up and added: “No need for golden butterflies, this is thanks enough.”

Pei Yunying looked at her, seeming to want to say something, but in the end didn’t say it, only nodding slightly and smiling: “Alright.”

Lu Tong felt somewhat relieved and said: “I’ll go first.”

“I’ll see you off,” he interrupted her.

This time Lu Tong didn’t refuse.

If Dong Lin had seen Pei Yunying’s intimate behavior with her, it would only make him more thoroughly give up his thoughts. Pei Yunying’s action suited her purpose perfectly. Fortunately, this time out, perhaps because young Master Dong was already too heartbroken and had left first, all the way until Lu Tong got into the carriage, she didn’t see young Master Dong’s figure.

Pei Yunying stood at the alley entrance, waiting until Lu Tong’s carriage drove far away. The smile at the corners of his lips gradually faded, and he stood at the alley entrance for a while longer before turning to walk toward the Palace Guard mansion.

He walked very slowly, his expression quiet, as if thinking about something. In the distance, the last trace of evening light had already sunk, and the courtyard no longer had the warm light from before, becoming cold and quiet in an instant.

When he entered the garrison’s small courtyard, he saw someone leaning under the parasol tree in the distance and was startled.

Xiao Zhufeng stood under the tree, his expression cold. It wasn’t clear when he had arrived or how much of what happened earlier he had seen.

“When did you return?” he smiled as he approached.

Xiao Zhufeng didn’t speak, waiting until the other person had walked close and was almost about to pass by before finally speaking meaningfully: “I want to obtain something, and need someone to remove obstacles from the path.”

Pei Yunying: “…”

These were words he had said not long ago. At the time, when Xiao Zhufeng asked why he showed such favoritism and protection toward Lu Tong everywhere, he answered this way.

“How nice,” Xiao Zhufeng glanced at him, his tone indescribable, “You’ve cleared another ‘obstacle’ from her path for her.”

“…”

“How absurd.” Pei Yunying sneered, then lazily waved his hand, “If you want to bask in the moonlight, do it yourself. I’m going in,” walking into the garrison.

Xiao Zhufeng stood without moving.

The sky had completely darkened, and there was no moon tonight. A breeze blew through the courtyard, and from the parasol tree, a leaf drifted down, floating onto his palm.

The leaf was half green and half yellow, but the color in the middle was unclear, murky, and indistinct. He looked down at it for a moment, then let his hand relax. The leaf slowly drifted down, like a withered butterfly sinking into the earth.

The man straightened up and left as well.