Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

The Third Prince's Residence.

"Snapped!"

The third prince slammed his fist on the pearwood desk, causing the celadon brush washer to overturn.

Ink spilled out, spreading large smudges on the spread-out rice paper, much like his gloomy face at that moment.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" he growled, his knuckles turning white from the force, his eyes filled with malice.

"A dozen or so men couldn't even kill a few people. Not only did they lose men, but they also alerted the Emperor!"

The leader of the men in black standing below the steps was tense, cold sweat trickling down his face. He clenched his fists tightly, not daring to look up: "Your Highness, please calm down!"

"Calm down! How can I calm down!" The Third Prince kicked a rosewood chair to the side, the chair legs scraping against the blue brick floor with a screeching sound.

"The Court of Judicial Review and the Imperial Guards have already located the stronghold on the outskirts of the city. If I hadn't been prepared, I would probably already be summoned for questioning by Father!"

He paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, the hem of his gold-embroidered robe sweeping across the mess on the ground, the ruthlessness in his eyes almost overflowing.

"As expected of the 'well-rounded' Young Master Wen! Tell them all to hide their 'tails'!"

Wen Zhimiao! You're lucky this time!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Over the next few days, Wen Zhimiao stayed indoors to recuperate. Liu Yunshu brought her nourishing soup several times, but she refused to leave.

"Big Brother! Wen Zhimiao is deliberately avoiding you!" Xiao Ba's voice was tinged with urgency.

"What's the panic! The fact that he's avoiding me means he's confused. If he weren't avoiding me, we'd be worried!"

Liu Yunshu leaned against the window, looking in the direction of Jingsi Courtyard, her fingertips gently twirling the ends of her hair, a knowing smile hidden in her eyes.

"So what do we do now?"

"Wait." Liu Yunshu tapped the windowsill lightly with her fingertips, her gaze falling on the crabapple tree in the courtyard that had just sprouted new buds.

That day, Wen Zhimiao got out of bed and walked towards the garden. As soon as she turned through the moon gate, she saw Liu Yunshu sitting in the pavilion.

He stopped in his tracks, instinctively wanting to turn around and avoid it.

Liu Yunshu seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up.

The moment their eyes met, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.

She immediately smiled and waved at him, "Big brother! What brings you here? Is your wound any better?"

"I feel much better. I thought I'd come out for some fresh air." His voice was a little lower than usual, and his gaze fell on the bluestone slabs outside the pavilion.

Liu Yunshu smiled and stood up, quickly walking to his side.

She took his arm and led him into the pavilion, her fingertips brushing against his sleeve and touching something warm.

"The kitchen just happened to have some white fungus and lotus seed soup. Brother, come and have a taste."

Her movements were natural and intimate, causing Wen Zhimiao's back to stiffen slightly. After regaining her composure, she nodded gently, letting her take her arm and walk towards the pavilion.

On the stone table in the pavilion, there was a white porcelain soup bowl, with the white fungus and lotus seed soup still steaming and its sweet aroma filling the air.

Liu Yunshu helped him sit down on the stone bench, naturally picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful, blew on it to cool it down, and then brought it to his lips.

"It's just been brought from the kitchen. Try it. I specifically asked them to put less sugar in it."

Wen Zhimiao looked at the spoon handed to her, and then caught a glimpse of the smile that she couldn't hide in her eyes. Her Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

"I'll do it myself."

Liu Yunshu placed the spoon in his palm and pushed the bowl towards him with a smile, saying, "Drink it quickly, it won't be sweet when it gets cold."

As he spoke, he picked up a bowl and drank from it himself.

Wen Zhimiao glanced at her lips, which were moist from drinking the white fungus soup, and his eyes flickered.

"That day..." He stopped abruptly as soon as he uttered the word, his fingers gripping the porcelain spoon tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white.

The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I didn't know how to ask them.

Liu Yunshu paused in her hand holding the porcelain spoon, and when she looked up, a perfectly timed look of doubt appeared in her eyes, as if she hadn't noticed the hesitation in his words at all.

"That day? Brother, are you referring to that day in the mountains?"

Wen Zhimiao gave a soft "hmm".

Liu Yunshu recounted what happened that day, and when she got to the part about feeding the baby, she subconsciously touched her lips.

The gesture of her fingertips lightly brushing against the corner of her lips was as clear as a slow-motion video in Wen Zhimiao's eyes.

His hand holding the porcelain spoon tightened suddenly, his fingertips touching the cold porcelain surface. The dream was real!

He closed his eyes, suppressing the distracting thoughts in his mind.

When she opened her eyes again, her gaze had returned to its usual calm, and she whispered, "Thank you for that day..."

"Brother, there's no need for thanks. You got hurt protecting me, so it's only right that I do these things." Liu Yunshu lowered her head shyly.

Wen Zhimiao gazed at the pearl hairpin swaying in her hair as she lowered her head.

He tightened his grip on the porcelain spoon slightly with the pads of his fingers, repeating it only once in a low voice: "You should thank me."

After their meeting at the pavilion, Wen Zhimiao went out every day, and Liu Yunshu almost never saw him again.

When Liu Yunshu went to pay her respects to Madam Wen, she happened to see Madam Wen sitting by the window flipping through account books, with a freshly peeled pine nut between her fingers.

Upon seeing her enter, Madam Wen quickly put down her account book and waved with a smile, inviting her to sit beside her.

"Shu'er is here! Quickly try the pine nuts that were just delivered. They're from Liaodong, and every single one is plump."

Liu Yunshu sat down and took the pine nut handed to her by Madam Wen. She picked up the white kernel with her fingertips, seemingly unintentionally.

"Mother, I haven't seen my eldest brother for the past few days. Where has he gone?"

Madam Wen sighed, reached out and tidied the stray hairs by her ear, a hint of helplessness in her eyes.

"It's all because of the black-clad men who set up the ambush last time. Your eldest brother has always been a serious person. Now that his injuries have just healed a bit, he's in a hurry to go to the Dali Temple to connect with the clues. Even his meal back home was rushed."

As Liu Yunshu ate pine nuts, she understood something. She realized that Wen Zhimiao was deliberately using the investigation as an excuse to avoid her.

She lowered her eyes, her voice tinged with worry: "This can't go on. My brother's health has already been damaged. If he continues like this, his body won't be able to take it."

Madam Wen sighed and patted the back of her hand: "Who can argue with that? But it's no use trying to persuade him. Once your brother has made up his mind, not even eight oxen could pull him back."

Liu Yunshu twirled a pine nut between her fingers, having already devised a plan in her mind, but her face only showed a worried expression.

"Mother, why don't I go tomorrow? I can bring the jujube cakes you just made, and tell him that you asked me to persuade my eldest brother to eat on time. Maybe he'll listen to me."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wen immediately nodded: "That's a good idea! If you go, he won't treat you like he did with Wen Lin."

The next morning, Liu Yunshu carried a food box to the entrance of Dali Temple and handed the Wen family's jade token to the guard.

Upon seeing that she was from the Wen family and noticing the gentle and refined air about her, the guards dared not be negligent and quickly led her inside.

After passing through several corridors, Wen Zhimiao's voice could be heard from the council hall in the distance. His tone was calm and steady as he discussed with the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review the remaining clues of the outpost in the suburbs.

Liu Yunshu slowed her pace and stopped under the eaves. She didn't rush in, but listened quietly.

Shortly after, the door to the council chamber was pushed open, and Wen Zhimiao was the first to walk out.

His dark official robe made his figure appear even more upright, but there was a hint of weariness in his eyes.

He looked up and saw Liu Yunshu standing under the eaves. He stopped abruptly, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily. He clearly hadn't expected her to come.

"Big brother." Liu Yunshu spoke first, carrying the food box as she stepped forward.

"My mother asked me to bring you some angelica and black chicken soup. She said you're always busy investigating cases and don't eat on time, and she's worried it might harm your health."

Wen Zhimiao stared at the food box in her hand, opened her mouth as if to tell her to go back, but the words that came out were: "Thank you for making this trip."

Seeing this, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review smiled and joked, "Young Master Wen is so lucky to have such a thoughtful younger sister. Since your sister is here, why don't you go to the side hall to rest for a while and have some soup before we discuss this further?"

Wen Zhimiao did not refute, but led Liu Yunshu to the side hall.

The side room was simply furnished, with only a square table and a few chairs.

He took the food box from her, placed it on the table, and opened it. The rich aroma of chicken soup instantly filled the air.

Liu Yunshu picked up the soup bowl, ladled out a bowl, and handed it to him.

"Drink it while it's hot. I had the kitchen simmer it for two hours. I didn't put in much angelica, so it's not bitter."

Wen Zhimiao took the soup bowl, the warmth of the porcelain bowl reaching her fingertips.

He lowered his head and took a sip; the rich chicken soup slid into his stomach, and warmth instantly spread throughout his body.

He looked up at Liu Yunshu sitting opposite him. She was resting her chin on her hand and looking at him with a smile in her eyes.

"Big brother, have you found out the identity of the man in black again?" Liu Yunshu suddenly asked, her tone filled with curiosity.

Wen Zhimiao put down the soup bowl and shook her head slightly. "It hasn't been fully investigated yet."

"Is it really that difficult to investigate? Then you'd better be careful, brother, and don't get hurt again."

"I'll be careful." He looked up at her, his gaze falling on her slightly furrowed brows. His heart softened, and his tone unconsciously became gentler.

"Don't worry too much. With the Imperial Guards helping us, we'll eventually find some clues."

The two were silent for a moment, then Liu Yunshu suddenly remembered something.

She took a small sachet from her sleeve and handed it to him: "Take this with you."

The sachet is light blue, embroidered with several orchids, the stitches are fine and dense.

Wen Zhimiao took it, her fingertips touching the hard object in the pouch, and looked at her in confusion.

"It contains some calming herbs, which I specially obtained from Dr. Jin's prescription."

She explained, "You always stay up late investigating cases, so you must not be sleeping well. Carrying this might help you sleep more soundly."

Wen Zhimiao held the sachet, the faint scent of herbs lingering around her nose, mixed with her elegant aura, and a strange feeling welled up in her heart again.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but felt that any words would be inadequate, and finally only whispered, "Thank you."

"Why are you being so polite with me?" Liu Yunshu smiled and got up to clean up the empty soup bowl.

As she approached the table, she suddenly stumbled and fell into Wen Zhimiao's arms.

Wen Zhimiao reacted quickly and instinctively reached out to support her waist.