The next day.

The stone steps of the dungeon wound their way upwards, and as Gu Zhixing stepped off the last step, the sky was just beginning to lighten with a crab-shell blue hue.

The damp night dew soaked the hem of his clothes, leaving dark stains on his black brocade robe.

He raised his hand and rubbed his temples, his fingertips stained with undried blood.

After a night of interrogation, even my cuffs were soaked with the rotten smell of the prison.

"Ye Qingzhou".

He called out in a hoarse voice, his tone carrying the chill of the dungeon.

Ye Qingzhou immediately jogged over, ran up to Gu Zhixing, and asked, "Boss, is there anything I can do for you?"

Gu Zhixing took out a handkerchief from his pocket and slowly wiped his fingers.

The blood-stained handkerchief fell to the ground, revealing a fresh wound on his palm—left from Wang Jian's struggle earlier.

"Wang Jian's residence," he suddenly spoke, his voice as cold as ice, "the mezzanine of the study."

Ye Qingzhou's eyes darted around, and he immediately understood what Gu Zhixing meant.

Just as he was about to respond, he saw Gu Zhixing take a bronze token off his waist.

The token traced an arc in the morning light, which he caught steadily.

It was cold to the touch and carried the scent of Gu Zhixing's blood.

"Bring a few more guards." Gu Zhixing turned to look towards the palace, where banners could be faintly seen fluttering in the morning light. "The Crown Prince's men... have probably already gotten wind of it."

Before he finished speaking, the first sound of a morning bell rang out in the distance.

The deep sound shook off the remaining night dew from the eaves, which dripped onto the stone steps, resembling the undried bloodstains in a prison cell.

"Alright!" Ye Qingzhou caught the token steadily and said, "Boss, don't worry about this matter, leave it to me!"

Just as he was about to turn and leave, his gaze fell on Gu Zhixing's shoulder.

The bandage was hastily applied, and bloodstains had seeped into the outer robe, spreading a dark patch on the black fabric.

"Boss, your injury..."

"It's alright." Gu Zhixing waved his hand, and as he turned around, his clothes fluttered, carrying a faint scent of medicine. "Go, I need to see something before dark."

After Ye Qingzhou left, Gu Zhixing let out a soft hiss and rubbed his shoulder.

A few clear birdsongs drifted from the book. He looked at the gradually brightening sky, suddenly remembered something, and hurried towards the main courtyard.

In the courtyard, a crabapple tree was in full bloom.

Gu Zhixing paused in front of the courtyard gate, brushed the fallen flowers off his shoulder, and then pushed the door open and entered.

Inside the room, Shen Jintang was leaning against a soft couch by the window.

The morning light shone through the thin gauze, giving her a soft silhouette.

She held a book in her hand, and didn't look up when she heard footsteps, but her fingertips paused slightly as she turned the pages.

"Is your injury any better?"

Gu Zhixing walked to the table, picked up the medicine bottle with practiced ease, shook it, and listened to the sound of the pills clinking inside.

Shen Jintang then looked up, but her gaze first fell on his shoulder.

The bloodstains were more noticeable than when he left, and she couldn't help but frown: "Lord Gu is concerned about others, but his own injuries..."

He swallowed his words halfway through.

She took the teacup from Gu Zhixing, the warm cup comforting her palm.

Their fingertips touched accidentally, and as if burned by fire, she quickly withdrew her hand, causing tiny ripples to appear in the teacup.

Gu Zhixing seemed oblivious to her odd behavior and added a spoonful of honey to his tea, saying, "The doctor said this medicine is bad for the stomach, so it's better to drink it with honey water."

Shen Jintang stared at her reflection in the cup and suddenly felt a tightness in her chest.

Was his meticulous and considerate manner a way of seeing others through her, or...?

She dared not think any further, only feeling a bitter taste in her mouth, even the honey water lost its sweetness.

"Lord Gu." She put down her teacup, the porcelain clinking together with a crisp sound. "Your wound... needs a dressing change."

Gu Zhixing paused in his work of arranging medicine bottles, then smiled nonchalantly: "It's just a minor injury, nothing serious."

A gust of wind blew in through the window, and crabapple petals fluttered in, one of which landed right in Shen Jintang's hair.

Gu Zhixing subconsciously reached out and gently took it down for her, then picked up the candied fruit box on the table.

"Take your medicine." He pushed the candied fruit in front of her, his voice a few decibels lower than before, "...Be good."

Shen Jintang was stunned.

Gu Zhixing's attitude was too intimate, yet it was also like a tiny thorn gently pricking into one's heart.

She looked up as if to say something, but saw that Gu Zhixing had already turned around to close the window. His back was as straight as a pine tree, and only the bloodstain on his shoulder was so glaring that it made her heart ache.

Just as he turned around, Shen Jintang was about to ask Gu Zhixing about his sweetheart when a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the window, startling the swallows under the eaves.

Xinghui practically ran in, the hem of her skirt still damp with morning dew.

"Miss!" She curtsied breathlessly. "Lord Shen's carriage has arrived at Zhuque Street. His Majesty has sent a ceremonial guard to welcome him. The manor is urging you to come and take charge."

Shen Jintang slammed the book shut, the air currents from the flipped pages lifting several letters from the table.

She instinctively tried to get up, but Gu Zhixing grabbed her wrist.

The hand was cold, but the palm had a rough, calloused texture.

Shen Jintang looked down and noticed that there were still unhealed abrasions on his knuckles.

"What's the rush?" Gu Zhixing's voice deepened, his thumb unconsciously rubbing her wrist. "Your injury isn't fully healed yet, and you're already in such a hurry to greet people?"

Shen Jintang struggled slightly but couldn't break free: "Shen Huaixu is, after all, my nominal elder brother. Now that there's no one left in the Shen family, it's only right that I step forward."

“Brother?” Gu Zhixing sneered, his grip tightening unconsciously. “During the disaster relief efforts in Yanzhou, you were always by his side. Why didn’t he show you any mercy?”

Gu Zhixing was referring to the incident where Shen Huaixu abandoned her in the epidemic area.

Shen Jintang sighed softly. If she had encountered this situation, she would have done the same.

It's just about considering the bigger picture; it's perfectly normal.

She had no complaints about how Shen Huaixu handled the matter.

The wind outside the window suddenly picked up, making the window frame creak.

Shen Jintang was about to explain, but then she noticed that Gu Zhixing's eyes were bloodshot and that he had unshaven stubble on his chin.

She suddenly remembered that Gu Zhixing had gone out to interrogate Wang Jian as soon as he woke up yesterday, so he must have stayed up all night.

Unconsciously, her heart softened a little, and she swallowed all the words of explanation.

She knew that speaking up for Shen Huaixu at this critical juncture would only cause trouble for Gu Zhixing.

So, she wisely chose not to say anything.

"Gu Zhixing," she said in a softer voice, "the matter in Yanzhou is over. The most important thing for you now is to rest."

“I know.” He released his hand and turned to pick up the cloak hanging on the screen. “You two cooperated perfectly and planned everything meticulously. Now that they’re back, you should naturally go and meet them. And I, who’s in the way, should rest and shouldn’t disturb you.”

His tone was flat, but he emphasized the word "you all" very heavily.

That's incredibly sarcastic.

Shen Jintang watched his retreating figure and shook her head helplessly.

She reached out and grabbed his sleeve: "Then will you come with me?"