When everyone had gone, Yan Qing gently took Wen Yan’s hand and asked softly, “Wen Yan, tell me honestly — did those men hurt you?”

This was what she had been afraid of all along. Rough, desperate men — how could they look at a woman as beautiful as Wen Yan and have no ill intentions?

The physical wounds could heal. It was the damage to the spirit that would be hardest to overcome. Left unaddressed, Wen Yan might spend the rest of her life living beneath this shadow.

Wen Yan heard the question and shook her head.

Yan Qing’s face brightened. “Truly?”

Wen Yan pointed to the bandage on her forehead. “They intended to — but I threw myself headfirst into a pillar. When they saw me bleeding like that, they had no appetite left.”

“You did that to yourself?” Yan Qing was startled.

“Yes.” Wen Yan sniffled. “Even if I died, I wasn’t going to let those bastards defile me. At least as a ghost I could haunt them and have my revenge.”

She glanced down at her clothing. “And as it happens, I was wearing red today.”

Yan Qing burst out laughing. “You foolish girl — there are no such things as ghosts and spirits. If ghosts could deliver justice, what would we need the military police for?”

Wen Yan laughed a little sheepishly. “In that moment, that was all I could think of. And strangely, I stopped being afraid.”

She spoke of it lightly now, but Yan Qing shuddered just imagining the scene. A defenseless young woman in the hands of violent criminals — in ordinary circumstances, the outcome would have been unimaginable.

She had always loved Wen Yan’s bright, open nature. She hadn’t known that when it truly mattered, Wen Yan was the kind of person who could turn that resolve on herself without flinching.

The thought made Yan Qing grip her hand a little tighter. “I’m sorry, Wen Yan. I didn’t protect you. This was your first time visiting Shun Cheng, and something like this happened. I’ve been a terrible host.”

“Don’t say that, Qingqing. It was my own bad luck — no one else is to blame.” Wen Yan said honestly. “I caused such a scene and dragged you and Uncle into it. And please, pass on my thanks to the Commissioner.”

Something seemed to come to her then, and she immediately asked with urgency: “Your maid Murong — is she all right? She was the one who shielded me from those men and said what she said to threaten them. If not for her, they would have silenced me right then and there.”

“Murong is at the hospital. She’s out of danger now. I have someone looking after her there — she’ll be fine.”

“I’m glad. When she wakes, I must thank her in person.”

Seeing that Wen Yan had steadied herself and was calm, Yan Qing finally felt the knot in her chest loosen.

“I won’t disturb you any further. Get some sleep first. When you wake, have a bath and change your clothes. The doctor said the injury to your forehead is not trivial — it should be looked at again tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry. I got my life back — what’s one scar compared to that?” Wen Yan smiled, unbothered.

After leaving Wen Yan’s courtyard, Yan Qing exchanged a few more words with Wen Xu. When he heard that Wen Yan was truly all right, the remaining tension finally released from him, and his expression lightened.

“Then I’ll go in and sit with Wen Yan. I won’t be easy until I see her sleeping peacefully.” Wen Xu smiled and went inside.

With Wen Xu gone, Yan Qing glanced at the man who had been standing in silence all this time. In a dry tone she said, “Has the Commissioner drunk his fill of tea? Would you care for another pot at my quarters?”

Shi Ting stepped forward and took the handles of her wheelchair with unabashed ease. “By all means.”

Since Jing Zhi and Murong were both at the hospital, Yan Qing’s courtyard was empty. Shi Ting entered and turned on the light. Warm illumination settled softly over the room.

Yan Qing rose from the wheelchair, walked to her bed, and sat down on the edge. She looked up at the man standing before her with a half-amused expression. “Isn’t the Commissioner going home?”

“I’ll sit for a little while.” Shi Ting came to her side, sat down beside her, and reached out to pull her close.

Yan Qing raised a hand to stop him. Her eyes, laced with gentle teasing, settled on his face. “No more jealousy?”

“When was I ever jealous?” The Commissioner had absolutely no intention of admitting it. He was a man of broad character — jealousy was something only petty people experienced.

Yan Qing didn’t press the point. She simply let out a soft sigh. “I only went to Long Yunxiao because I had no other option. And Dihuai was with me the entire time.”

“I know.” Shi Ting shamelessly drew her into his arms anyway. The faint stubble on his chin grazed her cheek.

“And yet you still had to be small-minded about it?” She didn’t push him away this time, only gave a quiet sound of exasperation.

The man immediately took on an aggrieved air. “I don’t blame you for going to him. I just felt that I wasn’t there when you needed me most. When you ran into trouble, another man had to be the one to advise you and help you find a way forward. That’s my failing.”

“And you still say you weren’t jealous?” Yan Qing looked at him squarely.

“All right, all right.” Shi Ting capitulated with what little grace he could muster. “I was a little envious of Long Yunxiao. Just a little.”

He held two fingers very close together, fashioning the tiniest possible measurement. “Only this much.”

Seeing his utterly childlike expression, Yan Qing couldn’t suppress her laughter.

For all that Commissioner Shi was brilliant and sharp and self-possessed, he was still barely past twenty. It was inevitable that he would have his unguarded, boyish moments.

Yan Qing touched his face gently, her voice soft with concern. “You rushed back through the night for my sake. Did the General not reprimand you?”

“We didn’t travel together. He’ll be back in a day or two.”

“Good, then. I would feel terrible if you’d gotten into trouble on my account.” She smiled lightly. “I never got to ask — this remarkably capable friend of yours, who is he? To have found Wen Yan’s location so quickly…”

“If you’re curious, I can take you to meet him.”

“He did us such an enormous favor. Of course I want to meet him. I’ll have my father prepare a proper gift, and when you have the time, we should go and call on him in person.”

Shi Ting’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. “Miss Yan has quite a habit of paying house calls to offer her thanks.”

She knew perfectly well he was still thinking about her intention to call on Long Yunxiao. She shook her head helplessly. “And you still say you weren’t jealous. You’re practically drowning in it.”

Shi Ting pulled her into his arms and held her firmly, indifferent to her teasing. “Long Yunxiao looks at you in a way that’s anything but simple.”

“Not simple?”

“One man can always tell what another man is thinking. I know exactly what goes through his mind.” Long Yunxiao had once had someone he cared for — but that person had ultimately become, of all things, his adopted sister. For some time now, whatever feelings he’d had for Shu Banxue had faded away. And a man whose feelings have been dormant for years — when he finally encounters someone who stirs them again, it’s like a tiger that has been lying in wait suddenly catching sight of its prey. That kind of look cannot be hidden.

Yan Qing gently pushed him back and fixed him with a straight, serious gaze. “Let me look. What kind of expression does Commissioner Shi have when he looks at me?”

His eyes were so deep — the color of his pupils like black obsidian — the kind that would pull you under if you looked too long.

She remembered the first time she had seen him. He had been standing on the white jade bridge, far in the distance, his features impossible to make out. And yet, strangely, she had never forgotten his gaze from that moment.

It had been calm. Distant. A world apart from the tender warmth it held now. Somewhere along the way, through every twist and turn, he had gone from being a stranger to the person she trusted most.

The thought moved something inside her, and on an impulse she could not quite explain, she leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his eyes.

Shi Ting stilled. Then, swiftly, he seized the advantage — one hand catching her shoulder and drawing her close, his head dipping as he captured her lips.

He still carried the faint marks of a long journey about him — travel-worn clothes, slightly rumpled from the road. But none of that mattered. That familiar warmth enveloped every one of her senses. All she could feel and breathe was his fervent longing, his boundless ardor.

He held her soft form tightly, eyes closed as the kiss deepened. His hands drew her slender waist closer, not allowing any means of escape. The kiss grew more intense — possessive, with an edge of something almost conquering. As it deepened further, the force behind it felt as though he wanted to press her into the broad shelter of his chest.

“Mrrrow.” Something white and fluffy suddenly scrambled up onto Yan Qing’s lap. Startled, she pushed Shi Ting away.

Erdan had climbed up on soft little paws and was now fixed on her face with an expression of pure grievance, as though she had been neglecting him shamelessly.

Yan Qing laughed and was just reaching out to gather him up when the fluffy little creature was nudged aside by a foot — not roughly, but enough that Erdan rolled once on the floor, let out another plaintive mrrrow, and blinked up at them with round, deeply wronged eyes.

“Hey — what are you doing?” Yan Qing objected at once.

Shi Ting wore a dark expression as he glared down at the entirely bewildered tiger cub. “Already learning to compete for attention. Can’t let that go unpunished.”

Yan Qing watched the man and the tiger locked in mutual indignation and couldn’t help laughing outright.

The Commissioner didn’t only feel jealous of people — he even felt jealous of a tiger. In this kind of vinegary atmosphere, she was beginning to worry about Erdan’s future.

Fortunately, Erdan proved himself a pragmatic creature. Realizing that his small and vulnerable self stood absolutely no chance against this man, he tucked his tail between his legs and retreated in defeat to his little bed, where he buried his face beneath his paws.

“How did things go in Qianguan City this time?” Yan Qing tugged gently at his sleeve.

“Several coal mines in Qianguan City ran into difficulties. A few of the larger operations had their management rights seized by people from the Di Kingdom. The General went to negotiate.”

By the look on Shi Ting’s face, the negotiations had not gone particularly well.

“They refused to hand back the mining rights, but agreed to give the Bei Di government a thirty percent share of the profits.”

“They use our country’s resources and give us a mere thirty percent in return?”

“There was no other way. We cannot afford a direct confrontation with them right now. Getting thirty percent was more than anyone had expected.” Shi Ting took her hand in his, and his eyes filled with quiet apology. “I’ve had less and less time to be with you lately. But it’s only for now. Once we’re past the fifteenth of the month, things will move more quickly. It won’t be long before I can be by your side every day.”

Yan Qing smiled and murmured her agreement, leaning her head against his chest and nestling there with quiet contentment.

Shi Ting saw the rosy flush of her lips, the warmth of her cheeks, the pale curve of her neck — as smooth and white as fine porcelain, like the throat of a swan. His throat moved. Unable to help himself, he leaned in to kiss her — and was stopped by her hand.

“If you don’t leave soon, my father really will break your legs.”

Shi Ting thought of his father-in-law’s fiercely menacing glare and pressed a hand gently to his own forehead. “All right.”

Yan Qing gave him a light push. “See you another time.”

Reluctant as he was, and conscious of the dignified image he needed to maintain before his future father-in-law, he stood up to go — but paused at the door and turned back, as though there was still something he wanted to say.

—