Yu Jiuyuan was awakened by the chirping of birds outside the window.

The curtains weren't fully drawn, and a ray of golden morning light peeked in through the gap, falling on the quilt like a warm ribbon.

She opened her eyes, stared at the intricate chandelier on the ceiling for a few seconds, and then slowly sat up.

A hangover-like languor still lingered in my limbs, but that feeling was mixed with a more hidden, more burning warmth.

My fingertips unconsciously traced my collarbone, where the skin seemed to still retain the delicate touch and the sensation of rapid breathing.

She frowned, threw back the covers, got out of bed, and walked barefoot onto the soft carpet toward the bathroom.

The girl in the mirror had a calm expression, but her eyes had a faint blush at the corners, as if she hadn't slept well the night before.

She turned on the tap, scooped up some cold water and splashed it on her face; the icy touch cleared her muddled thoughts somewhat.

"It's just solving a problem," she said softly to herself in the mirror, her tone as flat as if stating a given fact.

The system panel clearly displayed Rong Shenghan's favorability rating in his mind—100, without changing at all.

The objective had already been achieved; everything last night was merely to ensure the integrity of "possessions," nothing more.

She told herself this, trying to cover up that unnecessary unease with cold rationality.

When I changed my clothes and went downstairs, the housekeeper had already prepared breakfast.

Western-style fried eggs and bacon, served with warm milk, and a small dish of strawberry jam that Yuanxu liked—the housekeeper always remembered everyone's preferences.

"Miss, Young Master Rong sent this over early this morning." The butler handed over an exquisite velvet box.

Yu Jiuyuan raised an eyebrow and opened the box.

Inside was the same necklace, only the pendant had been changed to a small scalpel shape, with tiny sapphires inlaid on the blade, gleaming coldly in the morning light.

Inside the box was a note with elegant, jade-like handwriting: "To be paired with a microscope, you might need it."

She ran her fingertips along the scalpel pendant, the cool metallic touch reminding her of Rong Shenghan's taut jawline as he suppressed his emotions last night.

On the system panel, Rong Shenghan's positive emotional fluctuations increased by a few points, like ripples spreading out from a stone thrown into a lake.

"Put it away." She closed the box and handed it to the housekeeper, her tone devoid of emotion. "By the way, has Yuan Xu returned to the lab?"

"I went back at three in the morning, saying I had new experimental data to process."

The housekeeper replied, "Before he left, he asked me to tell you that the mimicry bacteria he cultivated have been able to survive stably for more than twelve hours at low temperatures."

Yu Jiuyuan curved her lips into a smile, a genuine warmth in it. Only when Yuan Xu was mentioned would she let down her guard and reveal pure appreciation.

That boy, so engrossed in the world of biology, was like a blank sheet of paper, so pure that she didn't need to use any calculations.

My phone rang right after I finished breakfast.

It was Xie Zhecheng calling. His voice, still in that cool tone, came through the receiver: "I've finished preparing the final outline for the debate and sent it to your email. Also, the old lady of the Su family suddenly fell ill this morning and was taken to the hospital."

Yu Jiuyuan paused, her fingers gripping the phone. "A sudden illness?"

“It’s said to be a sudden myocardial infarction,” Xie Zhecheng said calmly. “But I had someone check, and last night after she went back to her room, she met a mysterious visitor, and the two argued for a long time.”

He was clearly feeling guilty.

A cold glint flashed in Yu Jiuyuan's eyes: "I understand. Thanks."

After hanging up the phone, she got up and walked to the window.

The morning light had already filled the courtyard, the snow shone brightly in the sunlight, and the icicles on the pine branches reflected a rainbow of colors. Everything seemed so peaceful and beautiful, as if the undercurrents and schemes of last night had never existed.

My phone vibrated again. It was a message from Lin Yanran, with a few more words than the last one: "My dad wants me to visit Madam Su in the hospital. Is there anything I can help you find out?"

Yu Jiuyuan looked at the line of text, tapped her fingertips on the screen, and replied: "Keep an eye on the caregivers around her, especially the new ones."

Lin Yanran's reply was still concise: "Understood."

On the system panel, Lin Yanran's favorability rating was still 46, but her neutral sentiment had decreased by 2 and her positive sentiment had increased by 2.

Like a reluctant child, clearly moved but stubbornly refusing to admit it. Yu Jiuyuan chuckled softly and put away her phone.

At 10 a.m., Rong Shenghan's car stopped in front of the Yu family's old mansion.

He was wearing a beige cashmere sweater with a black overcoat today, and he looked more mellow than last night.

Seeing Yu Jiuyuan come out, he opened the car door, his smile still just right: "Going to the lab to see Yuan Xu? He said the newly cultivated strain has undergone some changes."

Yu Jiuyuan got into the car. The heating was on full blast, and the air was filled with a faint scent of ebony, just like the scent on him.

"What do you think about the Su family's affairs?" She didn't mention the necklace or last night, as if the two of them had never had such an intimate entanglement.

Rong Shenghan started the car and said in a calm tone, "The old lady's illness is 'very timely,' which is perfect for avoiding the limelight."

As for that mysterious visitor, I've already had someone investigate. They're likely connected to the forces behind the Su family." He turned to look at her, a hint of inquiry in his eyes. "You seem... to be deliberately avoiding something?"

Yu Jiuyuan met his gaze with an innocent smile on her face: "Avoid what? I don't understand what you're talking about."

Rong Shenghan smiled and didn't ask any further questions.

He knew her temperament; once she decided to build a defense, she would never back down easily.

But deep within that smile lay a hint of understanding and certainty.

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