Governing the country, enriching the people, an unparalleled imperial tutor

Lin Yanzhou was awakened by a slight stinging pain.

It wasn't a sharp pain; it felt more like someone had gently pricked the inside of his forehead with a needle, lasting for about two or three seconds before disappearing. He opened his eyes. The sky outside the window was already bright, and pale blue morning light filtered through the gauze curtains onto the foot of the bed. Lin Xiaoya was still asleep in his arms, breathing evenly, her shoulders rising and falling slightly with her breath.

He raised his hand and touched his forehead, but felt nothing beneath his fingertips. His skin was smooth, his bones were intact, as if the stinging pain was merely a hallucination in his sleep.

But then, a second wave came.

This time it was more noticeable than before, like a fine needle pushing half an inch deeper into his brow before suddenly disappearing, leaving behind a warm and blurry aftertaste. At the same time, a vague thought surfaced in his mind—not language, not words, but more like a pull from a very distant place.

It was as if something on the other end had gently tugged at a string in his mind.

He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing.

Mineral crystals. They rarely transmit information proactively. The last time he had this feeling was just before he was first pushed into the spacetime rift. This time, the signal was weaker, but clearer, like a light flashing twice in the distance before going out, the meaning clear: Come back.

Something went wrong on Xuan Shuo's side.

Or to be more precise—Xuan Shuo has something waiting for him.

Lin Yanzhou gently withdrew his arm and slowly got up from Lin Xiaoya's embrace. She gave a muffled hum as he moved, turned over, pulled the blanket tighter around herself, and went back to sleep. He stood by the bed, looked down at her for a moment, then tiptoed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

The living room was brighter than the bedroom, and most of the fog outside the window had dissipated, revealing the clear outlines of the distant buildings. Lin Yanzhou sat down on the sofa, rubbing his temples. The stinging sensation returned, as if someone was reminding him not to delay.

He took out his phone and glanced at the time—6:40 a.m.

He sat on the sofa for about ten minutes, sorting out his thoughts. Then he got up, went into the kitchen, poured himself a glass of water, and leaned against the edge of the stove, waiting for Lin Xiaoya to wake up.

At 7:15, the bedroom door opened.

Lin Xiaoya came out in her pajamas, her hair a little messy, her eyes still showing the weariness of just waking up. She saw Lin Yanzhou sitting in the living room, and was taken aback for a moment, as if she had just remembered that he hadn't left last night. Then, the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved into a smile.

"Up so early?"

"I can't sleep." Lin Yanzhou put down his water glass. "Xiaoya, I have something to tell you."

She walked over, sat down next to him, took his water glass, and took a sip: "Go on."

"I'm going on a long trip today, it'll probably last three to four days."

Lin Xiaoya paused, her hand holding the water glass still. "Where to?"

"I'm going to another city to take care of some business," he said, trying to keep his tone as normal as possible. "I mentioned to you before that I'm investigating the origins of some old objects. There's a lead in another province, and I need to make a trip there in person."

She looked at him without saying a word.

"Just three or four days," he added. "After I get back, I'll remember Professor Wu's appointment, so it won't be delayed."

Lin Xiaoya placed the water glass on the coffee table, paused for a few seconds, and then nodded: "Okay, take care of yourself. Keep your phone on."

Lin Yanzhou looked at her, hesitated for a moment, and then told the truth: "The signal over there might not be very good, so you might not be able to get through."

"Can't get through?"

"It's in the mountains." He said calmly, "There are some areas where there's no cell tower coverage, so you might not be able to get through. I'll try my best to find a place with a signal when I get there to let you know I'm safe, but don't worry if I can't contact you in the meantime."

Lin Xiaoya looked at him quietly for a few seconds, her gaze scrutinizing him. She wasn't someone easily fooled, but she didn't press further, simply nodding: "Then when you arrive, even if you only have one bar of signal, send me a message. I'll know you've arrived as soon as I receive it."

"it is good."

"And—" she reached out and touched his forehead, "why is it a little red here?"

Lin Yanzhou felt the cool touch of her fingertips against the skin between his brows. He knew perfectly well that it was the faint trace left by the mineral crystals beneath his skin, but naturally he wouldn't tell the truth. He took her hand, pulled it down from his forehead, and gently cupped it in his palm, a lazy smile playing on his lips:

"I exercised too much last night."

Lin Xiaoya was stunned for a moment. The next second, she realized what he was saying, and her ears turned bright red at a visible speed, spreading from her earlobes all the way to her cheeks. She tried to pull her hand back, but his grip was just right, and she couldn't break free even after struggling.

"You—" She wanted to say something, but her lips moved and then she pursed them.

Lin Yanzhou looked at her ears, which were bright red, and then at her slightly biting her lower lip, her eyes darting around with a hint of reproach—it wasn't the pure embarrassment of a girl in her early twenties after being teased, but rather a reaction between shyness and familiarity. It was as if she knew he was teasing her, and that she didn't really dislike him, but was still getting used to the sudden intimacy in their relationship.

She finally pulled her hand back, but instead of moving away, she leaned closer to him and gently patted his chest. It wasn't hard, but it conveyed a sense of "you really are something else."

"Okay, you win," she said. "Then next time you exercise too much, don't rub your forehead on the pillow."

"Then you keep an eye on things for me."

She didn't answer, but stood up and walked towards the kitchen. With her back to him, she muttered something under her breath, which he didn't hear clearly. However, when he saw her open the refrigerator to take out eggs, she was holding the platinum ring in her other hand, unconsciously twirling it between her fingers, and the corners of her mouth were curved.