The night enveloped the entire Jing Garden, and the walls covered with roses emitted a rich fragrance under the moonlight. In the backyard, interwoven shadows of light created a hazy picture.
Su Lingzhi sat alone under the albizia tree, looking at the tea table she had been interacting with for a month, and a strange feeling welled up in her heart.
Coming out of her reverie, she took a piece of tea cake, placed it into a tea scoop, ground it into powder, and then used the tea whisk to create delicate foam, once again trying her hand at tea art.
Last night, Lili couldn’t tell she had drawn a cat, which left her quite frustrated. Tonight, she intended to recreate last night’s drawing so he could properly appreciate her artistry.
Before long, the image of a cat appeared in the tea.
Su Lingzhi contemplated the pattern for a mont and then drew a butterfly on the cat’s nose.
After completing it, she took out her phone, snapped a picture, and sent it to Fu Yinli.
Not long after she sent it, a ssage ca back from him.
[Still awake?]
Su Lingzhi changed his contact na to "Lili" and then replied: [Can you see what it is now?]
Seated on the plane, he hadn’t anticipated she would be so persistent about this, and he called her.
"It’s only been a few hours and you already miss ."
Su Lingzhi pouted, "I don’t miss you; I’m proving my skills to you."
He chuckled softly on the other end but said nothing.
Su Lingzhi asked, "What are you laughing at?"
"Doing all this is not as effective as improving your endurance."
Su Lingzhi’s face darkened; she instinctively tightened her hold on her phone and retorted, "Nine minutes."
"Zhizhi." He elongated the end of the word, with a tone that sounded particularly helpless yet carried a hint of warning.
"Well, you started it."
"Seems like you’re not satisfied with at all."
Su Lingzhi quickly shifted the topic, "Alright, alright, have you gotten off the plane?"
Fu Yinli was reluctant to change the topic, thinking that if he hadn’t been concerned about her experience last night and couldn’t bear to see her cry, it wouldn’t have ended so quickly, "This matter is a secret between us, don’t tell anyone else."
Su Lingzhi couldn’t help but giggle, deliberately teasing him, "Too late, I’ve already told soone else; now what?"
No sooner had she spoken than the line fell into a sudden cold silence.
Realizing she might have gone too far with the joke, Su Lingzhi panicked and coaxed, "You’re my man, how could I possibly tell anyone else."
In his airplane seat, Fu Yinli’s lips curled into a small smile.
His gaze swept over the PPT in the video eting and then he redirected his attention to ask her, "Did you et everyone you needed to today?"
"I still have to visit my grandparents tomorrow."
Saying this, she swirled the tea design in the bowl evenly and took a sip.
Hearing her voice, Fu Yinli reminded, "Don’t drink too much or you’ll struggle to sleep at night."
Su Lingzhi stood up, stretched lazily, lifted her gaze to the already slumbering albizia tree behind her, "Lili, I’m a bit tired, going to sleep now."
"Alright."
"ssage when you get to England."
"Okay." Fu Yinli responded, waiting for her to end the call first.
...
The next day.
Because of the half bowl of tea last night, it kept her awake until the early morning, leaving her so tired now that she could barely keep her eyes open.
Since the car accident, although not lacking in nutrition, she found her energy was not what it used to be, unable to stay up late anymore.
Housekeeper Zhao ca from the front yard with his phone in hand, asking her, "Miss, Sir has sent a private plane back, let know when you’d like to head to England."
Sending a plane back...
Is that really necessary?
Su Lingzhi was montarily stunned, then replied, "Tomorrow morning."
"Alright." After responding, Housekeeper Zhao turned back to the phone call he was on.
After breakfast, Housekeeper Zhao brought out a red wooden box from the storage room on the first floor, "This is a gift Sir prepared for the elderly."
Curious, Su Lingzhi approached, inspected it briefly, and asked, "When did he prepare this?"
"Sir had soone send it back last night."
Su Lingzhi was montarily stunned, then said helplessly, "Regardless of its value, my grandparents wouldn’t accept gifts easily, and they don’t even know Yinli."
"Sir ntioned not to bring up his na when giving the gift."
"So I’m just presenting it as my own offering."
Housekeeper Zhao chuckled, "Miss can see it that way."
"..." Su Lingzhi pondered for a mont, opened the red wooden box, and uncovered the lids of two jars, revealing a set of delicately crafted black and white chess pieces.
She paused, dazed.
When she first ntioned Grandpa to Lili, it wasn’t surprising that Lili could guess Grandpa’s preferences, but...
Su Lingzhi picked up a white piece, feeling it between her fingertips, and observed its texture under the light, imdiately recognizing it was made of Hetian jade.
Just the material alone was worth two to three million, and given that Hetian jade is already rare, if this were put up for auction, it could definitely fetch a higher price.
She frowned, complexion complicated, and returned the piece to its jar, closing the red wooden box, saying firmly, "Leave the gift at Jing Garden, I’m not taking it. If it’s to be given, he can do it face-to-face when he cos back."
"This..." Housekeeper Zhao found himself in a bit of a bind.
"My grandpa is very astute; he’ll notice the gift isn’t from outright. If he knew the truth, he’d no doubt scold . Uncle Zhao, just follow my lead, don’t ask his opinion again; I’ve accepted his gesture on behalf of my grandpa."
Housekeeper Zhao was montarily speechless.
After hesitating, he eventually stepped outside and called overseas, telling the person on the other end, "Miss said she’s afraid of getting into trouble with her family, so she doesn’t dare to give it."
...
At this mont, the car was parked at the entrance of Jing Garden.
Outside, the sunlight was intense and blinding, so when Su Lingzhi stepped out from under the eaves, she instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes. As she opened the car door, she felt a gaze on her from the front of the car.
She looked up to see a beautiful woman in a cheongsam standing there.
The woman was delicate, with an elegant and graceful posture, full of charm that captivated one’s gaze. However, the way she looked over was strange, part observing, part sothing else, and Su Lingzhi couldn’t quite place it.
This should be the first ti they t, so why was she staring at her like that?
Unbothered further by it, Su Lingzhi got into the car.
Soon after, she saw Housekeeper Zhao’s figure walking past the car window and directly toward the woman.
Whatever they discussed, it was brief, and Housekeeper Zhao returned shortly, sitting in the driver’s seat.
When the car started and passed by the woman, Su Lingzhi noticed the woman’s gaze remained on her until she was out of sight.
"Uncle Zhao, who was that?" Su Lingzhi voiced her question.
"That was the Shao Family’s Miss."
"The Shao Family? As in Shao Ming’s family?"
"Yes, that’s Young Master Shao’s cousin."
Su Lingzhi pondered for a mont, then asked, "So, does that an she knows Yinli as well?"
"Yes."
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