After breakfast the next day, Lin Yan’s attendant Liu Chang brought Shen Shaoguang a bedside screen, along with Lin Yan’s note in elegant, vigorous small script: “Your bedroom lacks this item. Place it beside the bed to block the wind, you’ll recover faster. Yan.”

Shen Shaoguang naturally wouldn’t refuse – at this point she wasn’t afraid of intimacy, only regretting it wasn’t intimate enough. If only he’d sent a pillow instead.

It was an autumn/winter folding screen that could be placed beside the bed inside the curtains, different from the foot-high summer screens used on daybeds. The frame was still sandalwood, just sturdier than the summer version, and the thin Su silk was replaced with thicker Song Prefecture silk. The scene appropriately changed to a vast autumn lakeside view with large empty spaces, giving an impression of distant skies and clear waters.

But Shen Shaoguang smiled at the screen’s corner, where reeds were depicted in the foreground. Was Deputy Minister Lin trying to reference the poem about reeds? She recalled asking him if the screens were a set – so they were a set. She wondered what pattern was on his bedside screen…

A Yuan was very capable with her hands and quickly set up the screen for Shen Shaoguang, praising: “Master Lin is so thoughtful, this will help Young Lady block the wind and recover faster from the cold.”

Shen Shaoguang wondered when Deputy Minister Lin had “won over” A Yuan – was he planning to surround the city from the countryside?

After taking her medicine, Shen Shaoguang calculated accounts, sunbathed in the courtyard, and inspected the newly cured ham and preserved meat from this autumn. Unexpectedly, before lunchtime, someone else came from the Lin residence – another familiar face, Zhou Kui. This time he didn’t bring any daily necessities, just a note: “I won’t be able to leave work early today, don’t wait, just take your afternoon nap. Yan”

Zhou Kui smiled: “Master asked me to inquire after Young Lady – are you feeling better? Is the fever severe?”

Shen Shaoguang first thanked Zhou Kui, then smiled: “Please tell your Master that I’m much better, the fever has subsided, and I’m just here checking on the preserved meat.”

Zhou Kui smiled, bowed, and withdrew.

Shen Shaoguang was lost in thought holding the note that was both domestic and intimate. Yesterday she had acted coquettishly, asking if he would come today, and Lin Yan said he’d come after work. She hadn’t expected him to especially send someone to let her know, worried she might wait for him and delay her afternoon nap. Such thoughtfulness, such natural tone of a man to his lady – Shen Shaoguang suddenly felt guilty. If she were to hurt him in the future…

Coming in to get the preserved meat and seeing Shen Shaoguang’s mix of sweet happiness and melancholy, Yu San frowned, his face full of disappointment – just a screen and two little notes… how pathetic!

On the side, A Yuan had to “add dishes,” urging Shen Shaoguang: “Master Lin said Young Lady should avoid drafts, don’t catch cold again, better go inside.”

Yu San quickly walked away with the meat.

Shen Shaoguang obediently ate her meal and medicine, digested for a while, and then went to take her timeless afternoon nap.

Shen Shaoguang felt she had never been so lazy in this life – such laziness had to be traced back to her previous life. This was probably the advantage of living two lives – endless old memories to reminisce about.

Back then during two-day weekends, on days without overtime, she could sleep until nine or ten in the morning, then wash her face and brush her teeth, carelessly tie up her hair with an elastic, throw on a sports jacket over her pajamas, and dare to go out. Though the sun was high and Deputy Minister Lin might be nearly done with court, 21st-century breakfast stalls would still be open.

She would queue at her regular stall for an egg pancake, tell the vendor to make it a bit crispier, with ham and lettuce inside, pickled vegetables, and spicy sauce but no chili oil, or buy a double-egg mung bean pancake with a spatula mark, or walk a bit further to buy a basket of xiaolongbao with pork and green onion filling, then take it to the small shop selling soy milk and tofu pudding, order a bowl of tofu pudding with gravy, sesame paste, minced garlic, and chopped cilantro.

As for whether she went home afterward to take off her jacket and read novels or play games, or meet friends to have fun – that was another story.

Those gloriously bubbly days…

In her dream, Shen Shaoguang seemed to still feel her silk quilt’s smoothness, hear the discordant piano from next door, and even instinctively reach for her phone by the pillow, but opening her eyes she first saw the half-closed screen, a rippling lake view, with reeds outlined and shaded in varying ink tones seeming to wave.

Shen Shaoguang slowly exhaled – this must be what they meant by “in dreams, not knowing one is a guest.” She had just dreamed of eating crayfish with friends but waking up, no spicy crayfish to be had.

“Awake?”

Shen Shaoguang pushed aside the screen. As a modern person, she didn’t even like drawing the bed curtains – this screen was purely because of Lin Yan.

“Mm, I dreamed about eating shrimp,” Shen Shaoguang answered lazily, still stuffing the pillow behind her back to half-sit half-recline.

It was still early, the room bright. Lin Yan looked at her complexion, and reached out to touch her forehead, “The fever’s back.”

This time Shen Shaoguang didn’t overthink, directly catching his hand.

Lin Yan’s hand stopped; Shen Shaoguang pulled it to rest on the blanket, adding her other hand on top.

“Ah Qi—” Lin Yan smiled, calling her name softly.

“Hmm?” Shen Shaoguang looked up, completely nonchalant.

“Want some water?”

“Mm. The black porcelain one is my regular cup, A Yuan just washed it at noon.”

Since she wouldn’t let go, Lin Yan had to use one hand to take the black porcelain cup, pour half a cup of water, test the temperature with his hand on the outside, and then give it to her.

Shen Shaoguang sat up straight, took the cup, drank the water, put the cup back on the bedside table herself, and then returned her hand to rest on Lin Yan’s.

Shen Shaoguang carefully studied Deputy Minister Lin’s hand – mm, it was a good hand, long, fair, slender, with slightly prominent joints. She turned his hand over, finding calluses from writing between his fingers and traces of sword-handling in his palm, gently rubbing with her fingertips – rough and sandy – was this what they called texture?

Lin Yan just smiled and let her do as she pleased.

Shen Shaoguang glanced up at him, then smiled and grabbed his palm.

Lin Yan turned his hand to hold hers, hesitated, and then offered his other hand too. Four hands clasped together as they gazed at each other smiling.

They were very close, closer than when they sat in the carriage returning from the West Market, close enough to see his eyelashes. A beautiful person was truly beautiful – though not quite an eyelash celebrity, they were still dense and long; the lines at his eyes when he smiled were also beautiful, should they be compared to orchids beginning to bloom or autumn pools rippling? His skin was good too, though not as good as A Yuan’s and her own; his nose was indeed tall and straight, such an enviable nose; then there was the stubble above his lips. Shen Shaoguang looked at his eyes, still smiling – what would he do if I reached out to touch that stubble?

Being stared at so intensely, Lin Yan swallowed, lowered his head slightly, and licked his lips.

Shen Shaoguang’s gaze settled on his lips… but finally held back, sighing deeply: “Master, you’re really handsome.”

Lin Yan raised his recently lowered eyes, smiling and asking softly: “Why not call me Yan Lang anymore?”

Shen Shaoguang readily complied, smiling and nodding: “Yan Lang.” Unfortunately, it lacked romance, sounding more like she was teasing Ming Nu.

Lin Yan smiled, then remembered something he felt appropriate to ask now: “Ah Qi, what is your full name?”

Shen Shaoguang paused, let go of his hands, and leaned back on her pillow laughing heartily, “Guess!”

Lin Yan smiled and pressed his lips together.

A Yuan lifted the curtain and entered, “Young Lady is awake? Want some water?”

Shen Shaoguang wiped tears of laughter from her eyes, “Already had some.”

What’s wrong with the Young Lady? A Yuan looked at Master Lin.

But Master Lin just smiled gently. A Yuan shook her head and left.

During the days Shen Shaoguang was sick, Lin Yan came to keep her company almost every afternoon. Two or three days would have been fine, but as the days went on, Shen Shaoguang grew uneasy: “Won’t this delay your work?”

Lin Yan smiled: “It’s fine.”

Shen Shaoguang detected a hint of “loving beauty more than power” and couldn’t help but smile – what woman didn’t have some vanity?

When together, they didn’t just engage in sweet nothings but also did real work.

After Shen Shaoguang’s fever broke and her spirits improved, she spent each day organizing and analyzing accounts and data from both taverns, making autumn summaries and new quarterly plans. Lin Yan read his own books or official documents, each occupying a desk in the hall, busy with their own tasks.

Though supposedly busy with their work, how could there be no interaction?

Lin Yan picked up what Shen Shaoguang had done to look closely.

It first listed various numbers, calculating by categories like ingredients, cooking methods, prices, sales volume, profit, and even whether customers left leftovers; then drew comparison charts; followed by analysis of these numbers and charts; then strengths and weaknesses, with recommendations.

Looking at her new quarterly planning in progress, was similarly analytical, and she had even written backup plans.

If only the various government departments’ year-end reports were this practical and clear… at least the Capital Prefecture could learn from this.

Shen Shaoguang raised an eyebrow at him.

Lin Yan smiled gently: “Ah Qi, it’s a shame you’re not working in the Ministry of Revenue.”

Shen Shaoguang seemed somewhat troubled: “Actually, I prefer the Ministry of Justice or the Court of Judicial Review…” She laughed after saying this.

But Lin Yan recalled her deductions about those thieves.

A Yuan brought their afternoon tea and snacks – Shen Shaoguang had extremely bland yam cake, steamed egg white lotus root, and lily bulb lotus seed soup, while Lin Yan had fragrant stir-fried crab and fried crab, even paired with osmanthus wine.

A Yuan had to add: “We all think this stir-fried crab has more flavor than the fried one, Master Lin should try it.”

Shen Shaoguang: “…” Do sick people have no rights? The Master once said “Worry not about scarcity but about uneven distribution, worry not about poverty but about instability” – aren’t you afraid I’ll take revenge on society?

Shen Shaoguang took a bite of yam cake – the cake was soft and glutinous with yam’s fresh fragrance, quite tasty, but even the best food gets tiresome eating it every day. Moreover, Yu San worried too much sweetness would harm her throat and specially reduced the sugar. Looking at the bland steamed lotus root and soup, especially compared to the opposite side…

Shen Shaoguang slowly spooned her soup, eyes fixed on Lin Yan.

Lin Yan finally couldn’t withstand her staring and smiled: “You really can’t eat it.”

Shen Shaoguang negotiated: “Just one piece of the stir-fried.”

Lin Yan shook his head.

“The fried one?”

Lin Yan shook his head again.

Shen Shaoguang compromised: “Just one crab claw. Just to taste.”

Lin Yan smiled even more.

Seeing his “blooming smile,” Shen Shaoguang’s mind turned.

“If you have another way to let me taste the flavor.” Shen Shaoguang’s gaze lingered on his lips, giving what she considered a flirtatious smile, like a playboy.

Lin Yan looked at her, wondering how much longer he could resist.

Author’s Note: Shen Shaoguang proudly: Hand-holding achievement unlocked