Three days after the start of autumn, Qixi Festival arrived.

Colorful awnings were set up early in the center of West Street, selling Qixi festival items: yellow wax mandarin ducks, small houses and villages made from wooden boards called “grain boards,” “laughing dimples,” “fruit food generals”… everything was available.

Renxin Medical Hall also joined in the festivities.

They placed two packets of qi-nourishing medicinal tea into the same grass-woven flower basket tied with colorful silk cords, topped with red cloth embroidered with black characters: “Forever United in Heart.”

These grass baskets were piled into small mountains in front of the medical cabinet, extremely popular with ordinary young couples. In less than half a day, an entire pile was sold out, and they hurriedly added another layer.

By near dusk, the last jar of medicinal tea was sold. Du Changqing secretly collected the extra silk cords. Turning around, he saw Yin Zheng sitting in the inner shop, dyeing her nails over a lit bronze lamp.

Du Changqing approached: “What are you doing?”

“It’s Qixi, boss,” Yin Zheng said. “In our Southern Su, we always dye our nails on Qixi to pray for eternal health and beauty. Look,” she extended her hand to Du Changqing: “Pretty?”

Bright red balsam flowers dotted her nails, making the originally clean, round nails bloom with vivid color.

The boss was momentarily dazed and looked away: “So-so.”

Yin Zheng made a “tsk” sound and heard A’Cheng say: “Our medical hall only has two young ladies who need to worship the Seventh Sister and eat skillful rice tonight. Uncle Miao even specially bought Qixi fruits, but why hasn’t Dr. Lu returned yet?”

Earlier, Lu Tong had said she was going to the street corner to buy sweet syrup, but hadn’t returned after the time it takes to brew tea.

Yin Zheng said: “Don’t wait, Miss went to the Pei mansion.”

Miao Liangfang asked: “What’s Little Lu doing at the Pei mansion?”

Du Changqing’s face darkened: “She snuck off to find that Pei fellow?”

Yin Zheng was speechless: “She’s not looking for Young Master Pei. Today is Miss Pei’s birthday, and Miss went to deliver a birthday gift to Miss Pei.”

…

When Lu Tong arrived at the Pei mansion gates, Fang Zi was already waiting at the entrance.

Seeing her, Fang Zi smiled and came forward: “Miss Lu arrives at a perfect time. Just now Madam was saying she was worried that as evening approached it wouldn’t be convenient, and was thinking of sending someone to fetch Miss Lu.”

“It’s fine,” Lu Tong said. “It’s not far.”

She had deliberately avoided Du Changqing and left first. Otherwise, with Du Changqing’s habits, after dealing with his interrogation and entanglement before reaching the Pei mansion, the birthday banquet would probably already be over.

Fang Zi led Lu Tong into the courtyard, smiling as she said: “Madam’s birthday happens to fall on the same day as Qixi, so a colorful pavilion has been set up in the courtyard.”

While talking, the two had already reached the courtyard.

Under layers of osmanthus trees and flowering plants, a wooden shed was decorated with colorful embroidery. Within it stood a long wooden table laden with many ingenious pastries and candies, wine, and fruits. Pei Yunshu wore a blue satin pearl-buttoned crossed-collar jacket and skirt, with an emerald-decorated flower crown on her head, holding Bao Zhu while talking to those beside her.

Fang Zi said: “Madam, Miss Lu has arrived.”

Pei Yunshu turned her head and immediately showed a smile: “Finally here.”

Bao Zhu babbled and waved at Lu Tong. Lu Tong stepped forward and said: “Sister Yunshu, happy birthday.” She then took out a coral-glazed gold-painted incense box and handed it over.

“This is an incense box I made myself,” Lu Tong said. “Use it for scenting clothes and applying – it harmonizes qi and blood and wards off external evil. Please don’t disdain it, Sister Yunshu.”

The Pei family didn’t lack gold and silver, and Pei Yunshu had seen too many pearls, jewels, and jade. After thinking it over, it was better to personally make a medicinal incense that would at least surpass the finished incense sold in the capital’s fragrance shops.

Pei Yunshu smiled as she accepted it, praising it fondly: “How could I disdain anything you give? You’re already so busy normally, yet you troubled yourself to make this for me. I feel bad about it.” She had Qiong Ying take the incense box back to the room, then looked toward the distance: “Why hasn’t A-ying come yet?”

“He was supposed to be off duty today and had agreed in advance to stay home and accompany me for the day,” Pei Yunshu explained to Lu Tong. “But then the Marshal’s mansion suddenly had business, so he hurried out again. I estimate he should be back by now.”

As she spoke, a young man’s cheerful voice came from outside the gate: “Sister Pei!”

It was Duan Xiaoyan’s voice.

Pei Yunshu said happily: “He’s back.”

Lu Tong looked forward and indeed saw three people approaching in the dim courtyard.

Leading was Duan Xiaoyan, walking with near-bouncing steps. Xiao Zhufeng walked beside him, carrying two large baskets of grapes. Last came Pei Yunying.

It was evening, with the sun setting in the west, only the courtyard lanterns flickering bright and dim. Today he wore a blue brocade robe with gold-woven qilin pattern and square patches, a turtle-pattern gold-woven brocade belt outlining his figure. His brow and eyes were refined and smiling. Walking through the darkness, he appeared extremely noble and handsome.

He also saw Lu Tong and couldn’t help but be slightly stunned.

Lu Tong wore a camellia-rubbed blue shirt with an apricot-yellow embroidered skirt below. The blue shirt was very similar in color to the blue robe he wore.

Duan Xiaoyan whispered: “Truly unintentional planting yields growing willows – today’s coordination has returned.”

Pei Yunying ignored him.

As the three approached, the lamplight grew brighter, illuminating all three. Duan Xiaoyan held a large bundle of colorful silk cords in his hands, making Pei Yunshu tease with a smile: “Xiaoyan got so many silk cords.”

On Qixi Festival, young ladies often gave colorful silk cords they had woven themselves to men they fancied to express their feelings.

“So Xiaoyan is this popular,” Pei Yunshu gestured for everyone to sit down.

“Sister Pei overestimates me.” Duan Xiaoyan grinned. “These are all for Brother Yunying. I’m just carrying them for him. There’s still a mountain of them at the Marshal’s mansion gates.”

Pei Yunshu was speechless.

She had forgotten that her younger brother was always very popular in the imperial city.

Pei Yunying glanced at Lu Tong. Lu Tong stood beside Pei Yunshu, and upon hearing this, her expression showed nothing. Her gaze was focused on the two baskets of purple grapes by Xiao Zhufeng’s legs.

The grapes must have been recently picked, each one crystal clear and plump like strings of glazed purple jade. Pei Yunying moved the bamboo baskets into the room and returned saying: “These grapes are for Bao Zhu.”

Pei Yunshu was puzzled: “Aren’t grapes out of season in the capital? Recently bought ones haven’t been fresh.”

“Yes,” Pei Yunying smiled, glancing at Xiao Zhufeng beside him. “Hearing that Bao Zhu likes to eat them, when Deputy Commander Xiao passed by estates outside the city, he specially waited two days at a farming family to buy these.”

Pei Yunshu was surprised, looking at Xiao Zhufeng with amazement.

She wasn’t very familiar with this colleague of her brother’s, having only seen him once or twice when occasionally visiting the Marshal’s mansion. She had only thought him a taciturn, silent person.

Xiao Zhufeng coughed lightly: “I happened to buy them, and today happened to pass by…”

Pei Yunshu smiled: “Then I’ll thank Deputy Commander Xiao on Bao Zhu’s behalf. Please sit and dine with us.”

Xiao Zhufeng hesitated: “I still have matters to attend to.”

“What matters?” Pei Yunying placed a hand on his shoulder, speaking lazily. “The Palace Guard has no work today. Since you ‘happened to pass by’ and ‘happened to bring’ gifts, why not ‘conveniently’ have dinner too?”

Xiao Zhufeng: “I…”

“Yes, Deputy Commander Xiao,” Duan Xiaoyan came to pull him. “Last time you left right at mealtime. Now that you’re here, if you don’t stay, it makes our Marshal’s mansion seem discourteous.”

Xiao Zhufeng looked up. Pei Yunshu stood under the colorful pavilion, smiling at him. He paused for a moment and said quietly: “Alright.”

This settled the matter.

Everyone gathered around the table in the colorful pavilion. As soon as Lu Tong sat down, she felt a shadow fall beside her. Looking up, Pei Yunying had sat down next to her.

She again smelled the clear, cool fragrance on Pei Yunying’s body, like cold mist on early autumn nights, carrying a layer of faint coolness.

But the lamplight was very warm.

The sun had completely set, and a yellow moon hung on the small building’s eaves. Several osmanthus trees had already bloomed in the courtyard, their fragrance assailing the nostrils.

Pei Yunshu had someone bring up osmanthus wine.

“Fragrant delicacies steamed with orchid mats, offering osmanthus wine and pepper wine.” Pei Yunshu’s smile was radiant as she pulled out the wine stopper. “Previously every year on my birthday, A-ying would buy osmanthus wine. Later when I had Bao Zhu, I didn’t drink for a long time.”

“The wine shop owner said osmanthus wine doesn’t intoxicate, so Xiaoyan and Miss Lu can also taste a little. A-ying,” she called to Pei Yunying, “you pour the wine.”

Pei Yunying rose and poured wine for everyone. When it was Lu Tong’s turn, his movements paused as he looked at her inquiringly.

Lu Tong pushed her cup forward.

He smiled and filled Lu Tong’s cup as well.

After serving everyone, he sat back down. Lu Tong picked up her wine cup and heard Pei Yunying ask: “Are you sure you can drink? You won’t randomly hit people when drunk, will you?”

He looked Lu Tong over. “You won’t randomly kill people when drunk, will you?”

“No,” Lu Tong said seriously. “I randomly kill people when sober.”

Pei Yunying: “…”

She lifted the wine cup and took a sip.

The osmanthus wine wasn’t bitter at all, but rather excessively sweet. It didn’t seem like wine but more like sweet syrup. As it flowed past her lips, her mouth and teeth also carried a trace of osmanthus sweetness.

She drank most of the cup. Pei Yunying glanced at her: “Drinking so much – do you have a good alcohol tolerance?”

Lu Tong set down the wine cup: “Probably a bit better than yours.”

Last time at Renxin Medical Hall’s celebration, Pei Yunying had only drunk some peach wine, but afterward seemed rather unclear, his behavior and attitude quite subtle.

This person’s alcohol tolerance was quite ordinary.

Under misty moonlight and vast starry sky, after tasting the osmanthus wine, Pei Yunshu looked at the table full of lively people in the courtyard and became increasingly happy.

She said: “A-ying is busy with official duties every day, and there are only these few people in the mansion. It’s inevitably rather cold. It’s rare to be so lively.”

Duan Xiaoyan immediately seized the opportunity, speaking righteously: “Really? Brother Yunying shouldn’t do that – how can he neglect family for official duties? Sister, if you don’t mind, I’ll often come eat at your place. Your cook makes really delicious food, even better than the dishes at Yuxian Tower… Ouch!” He jumped up: “Brother Zhufeng, why did you kick me?”

Xiao Zhufeng remained expressionless: “Unintentional. Sorry.”

Pei Yunshu was amused by him: “Alright, if you have time, you can come eat here more often. Bao Zhu likes you very much.”

Duan Xiaoyan became proud, but soon his pride turned to dejection. “But speaking of it, don’t blame Brother Yunying. These days have been alright, but I estimate it’ll get busier later.”

“What’s wrong?” Pei Yunshu asked.

“There are rebel troops at Qishui, and locust disasters in Southern Su. I heard the locust disaster killed many people, and plague has gradually begun.”

“Plague?” Pei Yunshu was startled, then looked at Lu Tong. “If plague breaks out, the Medical Academy will dispatch medical officers to accompany treatment efforts. Medical Officer Lu…”

“Medical Officer Lu probably won’t go,” Duan Xiaoyan scratched his head. “The accompanying medical officers are all experienced senior medical officers. I haven’t heard of new medical officers going – they lack experience and couldn’t handle it if they went.”

“I see,” Pei Yunshu nodded, then suddenly remembered that Lu Tong was from Southern Su. Fearing this matter might sadden her, she hastily changed the subject: “Court matters can’t be influenced by those outside court. It’s rare to be lively today – after dinner, let’s go out for a walk.”

“Medical Officer Lu,” she smiled at Lu Tong, “near Pan Tower, there’s a Qiqiao Market that specializes in selling items for the Festival of Skills. Young ladies new to the capital all love to browse there. The Qiqiao Market also has Spring Bridge gatherings, weaving happy spiders, and Orchid Night skill competitions. You and Yunying are both young people, and Yunying will need to escort you back to West Street later anyway. Why not browse on the way back? If you see anything you like, you can buy it.”

Before Lu Tong could respond, Duan Xiaoyan shouted first: “Great, great, great! I’ve wanted to go for ages but never found the time. Perfect that today is a rest day – I’ll go see the sights too!”

Pei Yunying glanced at him and simply said: “It won’t be long before Bao Zhu needs to sleep. After Bao Zhu sleeps, sister, you should come with us too.”

“Me?” Pei Yunshu instinctively shook her head. “I’m not an unmarried young lady – why would I join such festivities?”

“Why not?” Pei Yunying spoke leisurely. “Young, unmarried, lady – every condition matches.”

“You’re talking nonsense.”

“Not nonsense,” Duan Xiaoyan smiled cheerfully. “Anyway, today is also Sister Pei’s birthday, so come with us. With so many of us it’s livelier, and with Palace Guard protection, you won’t worry about troublemakers when going out.”

Pei Yunshu laughed out loud, wanting to refuse but secretly somewhat tempted.

“We’ll see,” she said evasively. “Bao Zhu might sleep late.”

When the jar of osmanthus wine was finished and the pale yellow moon had risen from the eaves to the sky, the banquet ended.

Servants cleaned up the remaining feast in the courtyard. Pei Yunshu first took little Bao Zhu back to the room to coax her to sleep. Duan Xiaoyan and Xiao Zhufeng couldn’t stay long at Pei Yunshu’s residence, so they went to Pei Yunying’s adjacent residence to drink tea, waiting for Pei Yunshu to come out after coaxing Bao Zhu to sleep.

Arriving at the main hall with hot tea served, Pei Yunying was nowhere to be seen. Duan Xiaoyan wondered: “Where did Brother Yunying go?”

Xiao Zhufeng remained calm: “Went to court favor.”

…

Meanwhile, Lu Tong was following Pei Yunying into his study.

Duan Xiaoyan talked too much, Xiao Zhufeng talked too little. There really wasn’t much to say with either of them, and being in the same place always created inexplicably awkward atmospheres.

Seeming to notice she didn’t want to sit in the main hall with the two men, Pei Yunying had brought her to the study.

This was Lu Tong’s second time in his study.

The study was the same as when she last visited – simple and casual, overly cold. The narcissus landscape on the desk had bloomed two flowers, delicate and timid. The two white blooms dispelled some of the coldness and added some vitality.

Pei Yunying went to the desk to pour tea.

Lu Tong saw that in the deepest part of the room, there was still that extremely small round table. The wooden tower mountain that she had accidentally knocked over last time lay scattered on the table like a chaotic pile of melted wooden hills, messy and abrupt.

Pei Yunying hadn’t rebuilt it.

As she was thinking, hot tea was pressed into her hands. Lu Tong looked down, and Pei Yunying said lightly: “You drank quite a bit of osmanthus wine just now. Sober up.”

The tea was warm, and gradual warmth spread when held in her palms.

Lu Tong sat at the round table and asked: “Why haven’t you rebuilt it?”

Pei Yunying glanced over: “I tried building it several times but couldn’t. I’ve been busy recently – I’ll rebuild it when I have time.”

Having said this, he poured himself a cup of tea and sat across from Lu Tong.

Lu Tong picked up a piece of wood.

The wood was carved smooth, each piece seeming finely polished. When held in her palm, it wasn’t rough.

“You carved this yourself,” she asked.

Pei Yunying nodded, looking at her with a smile: “Like it? I’ll give you a piece.”

Lu Tong was speechless. It was just an ordinary piece of wood, yet he spoke with the grandeur of offering pearls and precious stones.

She held the piece of wood, thought for a moment, and said: “Can I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead.” Pei Yunying answered readily.

“Does your wood stacking have any special meaning?”

Lu Tong found it strange.

She had examined this wood carefully – it was indeed ordinary wood, nothing rare. There were no gold mountains or silver pearls in that tower either, yet Pei Yunying had specifically built such a small mountain in his study. Even after she had knocked it down, he couldn’t bear to throw it away.

Pei Yunying was stunned, then smiled: “Nothing special.”

He paused before continuing: “In the past, when I encountered troubles that seemed difficult, I would carve a piece of wood.”

“It’s a way of venting. When focusing on one thing, my mind becomes much calmer.”

His fingertips touched the cup rim, his tone casual.

“If I solved the trouble, I’d place a piece of wood on top. Over time, it naturally became a wooden tower.”

“So,” Lu Tong was surprised, “you’ve already solved so many troubles?”

If each piece of wood represented Pei Yunying’s past difficulties, confusion, and pressures, then the small mountain she saw on her first visit was already the result of Pei Yunying’s accomplishments.

Truly amazing.

“Not bad,” he shrugged. “Dr. Lu is still more impressive – writing on paper, killing one and crossing out one. That sounds much more thrilling than carving wood.”

Lu Tong: “…”

Was he indirectly criticizing her for writing his name on her kill list too?

Lu Tong insisted stubbornly: “The feeling is mutual.”

Pei Yunying propped his head on his hand, smiling at her: “Since I answered one of your questions, by rules, you should answer one of mine.”

Lu Tong picked up her tea cup and sipped: “As long as I can answer.”

He nodded and suddenly said: “Earlier you said you came to the capital to find your fiancé. Was that fabricated fiancé based on Ji Xun?”

Lu Tong was stunned.

She had thought with his serious, solemn, roundabout build-up, he would ask about revenge plans or something similar. It turned out to be such an irrelevant question?

Lu Tong set down her tea cup: “No.”

He raised his eyebrows slightly: “Oh.”

The room was quiet for a moment.

He drank some tea, and in this silence, suddenly spoke again: “Then what kind of man do you like?”

Lu Tong’s hand loosened, and the wooden block she was holding fell with a sound, caught quickly by Pei Yunying.

She looked up at Pei Yunying.

In the flickering lamplight, Pei Yunying sat at the table. His blue gold-woven qilin brocade robe shimmered with fine light in the lamp’s glow. The young man’s brow and temples were like a painting, a pair of beautiful dark eyes looking at her – calm, sharp, leaving no room for escape.

Like warm-colored candlelight spreading in all directions, forcefully invading the darkness of night.

“I…”

She opened her mouth, and something vaguely floated up in her heart, like the osmanthus wine she had just finished creating a sweet and sour sensation in her chest. Strangely, even the strongest wine wouldn’t make her drunk or cloud her mind, yet at this moment, this simple question suddenly left her tongue-tied and unable to answer.

Someone knocked at the door: “Young Master, Miss Lu, the young lady has gone to sleep. Madam says we can leave now.”

Pei Yunshu was ready.

Pei Yunying still stared at her, smiling as he replied: “Understood.”

Lu Tong came to her senses.

“That’s the second question.”

She suddenly stood up, set her tea cup on the table with a clink, gathered her skirts, and hurried out of the room.