Shen Ruoxi and Foreman Hu were both startled at the same moment.

Foreman Hu looked at the newcomer, and her expression transformed as if by magic — the dark clouds that had gathered on her face vanished in an instant, replaced by the warmth of spring flowers in bloom.

“Mr. Dai, oh, why it’s Mr. Dai!”

Dai Jing glanced at Foreman Hu. “As I recall, these gold medals are exchanged once a week, aren’t they?”

“Yes, yes, once a week — I must have remembered wrong.” Foreman Hu knocked herself on the head. “Look at this memory of mine. The older I get, the more useless I become.”

She then took Shen Ruoxi’s hand and said warmly, “Ruoxi dear, hold onto all those gold medals. You can redeem them after a week. With Mr. Dai here, you’re guaranteed to win first place in gold medals.”

Foreman Hu was clearly saying this for Dai Jing’s benefit — if Dai Jing wanted to promote Shen Ruoxi, he could shower her with gold medals, all of which would translate into Foreman Hu’s own commission.

“There’s no need for Foreman Hu to concern herself with that.” Shen Ruoxi withdrew her hand, her face expressionless. “Please ask someone to keep the accounts in order. Foreman Hu may have a poor memory, but mine is excellent — I won’t forget a single cent of what’s brought in each day.”

Shen Ruoxi showed not the slightest courtesy to Foreman Hu in front of Dai Jing, causing the corner of Foreman Hu’s mouth to twitch. Yet she could only manage a hollow smile in return.

“Miss Shen.” Dai Jing said politely, “Do you have some time?”

“I’ve finished singing for today.”

“Would it be convenient to sit upstairs for a while?”

Shen Ruoxi gave a slight nod. “Alright.”

In the private room on the second floor, Dai Jing had already arranged the chess board.

He first had Shen Ruoxi sit down, then settled himself across from her.

Beside them, a small brazier held a kettle of water that had just come to a boil.

“I’ve prepared a light tea — they say it’s good for the throat.” Dai Jing poured the tea with practiced ease. “Playing chess over tea — what could be more delightful?”

Shen Ruoxi smiled slightly. “Best of three again?”

Dai Jing paused, then looked at her clean, unadorned face. “Did you just smile?”

Shen Ruoxi was also momentarily taken aback.

Dai Jing poured her a cup of tea. “That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile. You’re always so cold and distant, as though you’re above giving anyone the time of day.”

“I’m only a commoner — how would I dare.”

“I’ve heard about the time you refused the Prince Wenren’s invitation.”

“And how does Mr. Dai see it?”

Dai Jing shook his head. “No different from suicide.”

“Suicide is voluntary — they’re not the same thing. I believe Mr. Dai has other words in mind but is held back by propriety.”

Dai Jing smiled. “Such as?”

“Breathtakingly foolish.”

Dai Jing’s smile widened into a laugh, and he looked genuinely delighted.

“Will Mr. Dai take black or white?”

“Old custom — I take white, you take black.” She seemed to have a fondness for the black pieces.

Shen Ruoxi took a sip of tea, raised an eyebrow, and a look of admiration appeared in her eyes. “I’ve just thought of a wager for today.”

“The tea?”

Shen Ruoxi slowly set down her teacup. “Mr. Dai’s tea is truly exceptional. If by some stroke of luck I manage to win two games, I’ll be shameless enough to ask Mr. Dai for a packet of it.”

“And if you lose?”

“If I lose, I’ll brew tea and pour water for Mr. Dai during our games.”

“That wager sounds rather agreeable.” Dai Jing pointed to the board. “Miss Shen, please.”

The noise of the dance hall below was deafening, but inside the private room it was remarkably quiet — the only sound was the soft click of pieces placed on the board.

“Ha!” Dai Jing set down his last piece. “It seems today’s victory goes to me. Miss Shen, the outcome is decided.”

“Not necessarily.” Shen Ruoxi’s hand holding the piece stopped in midair, her face entirely calm. “What looks like a certain defeat may still leave room to turn the tide — as long as one finds an unexpected path, who is to say there isn’t a bright opening beyond the dark?”

When Shen Ruoxi set down her piece, Dai Jing’s expression shifted first, and then he clapped his hands in admiration. “That was a brilliant move, Miss Shen — truly the move that reverses the entire game.”

Shen Ruoxi said, “The battle has only been turned — victory is not yet secured.”

“No, that single piece has already won it.” Dai Jing set his pieces aside directly. “I concede.”

Shen Ruoxi smiled. “Mr. Dai is eager to give away his tea?”

“That tea was picked by my own hands.” Dai Jing gathered the pieces from the board. “It’s from the tea mountain in my hometown.”

“Your hometown isn’t in Shun Cheng?”

“Like you, I left home because of the war. Though I was more fortunate — my family is still there.” Dai Jing finished putting away the pieces. “Last year during the Qingming Festival, I returned to my hometown. The tea mountain is still there, though it has changed hands several times. I bought it back.”

He paused and suddenly asked, “Have you ever picked tea?”

“I’ve never seen a tea mountain. Xi Nan doesn’t produce tea.”

“If the chance arises, I’ll take you there. Drinking tea you’ve picked yourself — even the flavor is different.”

Shen Ruoxi revealed a touch of longing and curiosity. “How is tea picked?”

When it came to tea, Dai Jing became quite animated — clearly his feelings for his hometown were something altogether different.

“What interesting things does your hometown have?”

Shen Ruoxi shook her head. “I can’t quite remember it clearly anymore. I just have a sense that it was very poor — never enough to eat, never warm enough to wear.”

“Do you still want to go back?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it.”

Dai Jing gave a quiet sigh. Not everyone’s memories of home are sweet.

After the chess game ended, the two chatted for a while longer before Dai Jing personally escorted Shen Ruoxi back.

“That Foreman Hu — she won’t give you trouble, will she?” Dai Jing asked with concern. “You showed her no face just now.”

Shen Ruoxi said lightly, “Mr. Dai, don’t forget — I wouldn’t even give a prince face.”

“Then I am truly honored — at least Miss Shen still gives me a little face.” As he spoke, Dai Jing made a gentlemanly bow.

Shen Ruoxi was amused by his perfectly earnest manner. “Is this how Mr. Dai usually flatters women?”

Dai Jing said seriously, “I never flatter women.”

“Oh?”

Dai Jing didn’t answer, but said instead, “Tomorrow I’ll have someone send the tea over.”

“Thank you in advance, then.”

“Tomorrow evening I have an engagement, so I won’t be coming by.”

Shen Ruoxi said, “Mr. Dai is a busy man — besides, there’s no need for Mr. Dai to report such things to me.”

Dai Jing looked at her quietly, seeming to search her face for some particular expression. But her gaze was calm, even carrying a trace of detachment.

Dai Jing had seen many fawning women — women who went to every length to attach themselves to him, sparing no means. In his presence they bowed and scraped, not daring to show the slightest discontent, treating his words as sacred commands.

Conversing with such people was like drinking bland plain water — utterly flavorless.

But Shen Ruoxi was different. Though she came from poverty, she possessed an innate aloofness. In her eyes, people had no rank or class — she wore the same indifferent expression for everyone.

She would not deliberately lose to him simply because he liked chess, nor would she flatter and fawn over him because of the wealth and power he held.

What she wanted, she would earn through her own abilities — and even if she might not always succeed, she would never humble herself.

Dai Jing said he never flattered women, and it was no lie — for it had always been women who flattered him. He had no desire for more than a passing connection with such women.

“Then let me shamelessly call it a request for your attention.” Dai Jing’s expression carried a hint of hurt. “If Miss Shen ever needs anything, I reside at Dai Mansion on Xin Kai Road, Number 34. As long as Miss Shen gives her name, the housekeeper will receive you.”

“Does Mr. Dai disclose his address so freely to others?”

Dai Jing said helplessly, “My hope of inviting Miss Shen to visit as a guest seems to have made itself quite obvious.”

His half-joking tone drew a faint smile from Shen Ruoxi. “Mr. Dai, please head home.”

Yet Dai Jing did not leave. When Shen Ruoxi finished her shift and walked out of the dance hall, Dai Jing’s car was waiting outside.

He opened the car door and stepped out himself. “Miss Shen, let me take you home.”

Shen Ruoxi had just drawn a small advance from the foreman and had planned to hire a rickshaw. Now that Dai Jing offered to drive her, she weighed the situation briefly and agreed.

She finished work in the early hours of the morning — walking home alone wasn’t entirely safe. For the sake of her own safety, she decided not to take the risk.

Dai Jing seemed genuinely pleased that Shen Ruoxi agreed to get in the car.

“Mr. Dai, were those roses today sent by you?”

Dai Jing didn’t deny it. “I had a friend buy them on my behalf. Did Miss Shen like them?”

“I used them as a weapon.”

“A weapon?”

“A weapon for hitting people.”

Shen Ruoxi recounted the flower-throwing incident from earlier that day. Dai Jing was first taken aback, then burst out laughing. “Only you would think to use flowers to hit someone.”

“It wasn’t wasted either — they’re now arranged all over the dressing room.”

Shen Ruoxi glanced out the window. “I appreciate Mr. Dai’s good intentions, but I don’t particularly like fresh flowers.”

“You don’t like fresh flowers?” Dai Jing said, puzzled. “That’s rather unusual — very few women dislike flowers.”

Shen Ruoxi seemed to be recalling something from long ago, her voice dropping low. “When we were fleeing as refugees, we passed through a field of flowers. It was there we encountered enemy soldiers. They dragged my mother and sister into the flower field. I was still small — Father was holding me as we ran. When I turned to look back, I saw those beautiful flowers being trampled into the mud, and then my mother’s and sister’s blood splashed across the petals.”

Dai Jing saw the grief in her eyes and couldn’t help raising his hand to take hold of hers — but halfway there, he drew it back.

In the end, the gesture became words of comfort instead. “That’s all in the past now. Everything will get better.”

Shen Ruoxi did not respond. She stared out at the night, lost in thought.

Would it? Would things really get better?

All she could see was a darkness without end — no matter which way she walked, she could not find even a sliver of light.

Dai Jing drove Shen Ruoxi to the foot of her apartment building, then watched until she had gone upstairs before instructing the driver to leave.

And Shen Ruoxi, once home, did the first thing first: she latched the security chain on the door.

Last night’s lesson was still fresh in her mind. She had no wish to let that wolf in again.