That scent… like mist, like smoke—lingering, stunning. He picked up a brush and wrote the na on paper: Gentle as Water, Endless as Ti.
Could it be just a coincidence?
With trembling hands, Fu Yi opened the incense box in front of Prince Ping. The fragrance that drifted out was so familiar it felt like it pierced through to his soul, nearly making him drop the box.
Prince Ping took a whiff. “It truly is a fine scent. Only because the Virtuous Consort and your mother were close would she be willing to part with it. I hear these were made by that Bai family girl for Princess Huaifu. She’s young, but quite capable—chard the princess into speaking well of the Duke of England before the Emperor more than once. His son has gotten no shortage of good posts because of it.”
Fu Yi didn’t register a single word. His mind felt split by lightning, dazed and unfocused.
How could this be a coincidence? A scent from a past life, the sa na, the sa formula—what kind of coincidence could that be?
Then… if it wasn’t a coincidence…
His eyes widened in shock. Of course—if he could live again, why couldn’t Qingqing?
Thinking back to how she had treated him in this life, sothing in Fu Yi’s heart began to take shape.
Gripping the incense box, he bolted out the door. Prince Ping called out several tis, but he didn’t hear a thing.
…
Business at Qingxin Pavilion was better than Bai Qingqing had expected.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Madam Qiao had told her it was normal to lose money in the first three months after opening. “Take your ti,” she said. “Only by managing it with care can you slowly get on the right track.”
But when Bai Qingqing looked over the ledger, she asked, “We’re already turning a profit?”
The shopkeeper bead. “Indeed we are. The incense the proprietor makes is extrely popular. I’ve run shops for years, and it’s rare to see sothing take off like this.”
Bai Qingqing knew full well that the success of Qingxin Pavilion owed much to the help of Princess Huaifu. When the shop opened, the Princess had gone out of her way to send an extravagant congratulatory gift, making sure that everyone in Xuancheng who paid attention would know she’d opened a fragrance store.
Any scent favored by the Princess couldn’t be ordinary. That alone made it worth taking ho to try.
In any case, business was booming, and nothing could please Bai Qingqing more. She strolled through the shop she had painstakingly put together, liking every detail she laid eyes on.
“Miss, Young Master Fu is outside asking to see you.”
Bai Qingqing’s smile faded. “Fu Yi? What’s he doing here?”
When he reached the door, her manners wouldn’t allow her to turn him away outright, so she had him invited in.
Fu Yi appeared perfectly composed, greeting her with politeness. “Last ti, you didn’t accept my congratulatory gift for your opening. I thought I’d bring it in person.”
Bai Qingqing almost laughed. “After your mother tried to manipulate , how do you manage to show up as if nothing ever happened?”
“I’m very sorry. What happened… was wrong. It was my mother’s doing. Let apologize on her behalf—”
“No need.”
Her expression was icy. “Let be clear. I want nothing to do with you. You have a bright future ahead of you, and we barely know each other. If possible, please do the courtesy of staying away.”
Fu Yi looked at her quietly, his eyes locking onto the resolute coldness in hers. Once, those sa eyes had brimd with joy and anticipation. Now, there was nothing left of that.
He lowered his head, as if seriously considering sothing, then said, “If that’s your wish… then at least take this box of ointnt. It should help with the burn on your hand. Apply it three tis a day—”
“Wasn’t it twice? Fine, I’ll take it, and you can—”
She broke off mid-sentence. A shiver ran through her. The ointnt, already in her hand, suddenly slipped through her fingers and fell to the floor with a thud.
Reviews
All reviews (0)