Thank you very much, Roz, for the ko-fi! :blobaww:

From a young age, Zhu Ming had always considered himself quite adept at handling social situations.

But at this moment, even he had to admit that this dinner was somewhat awkward.

The housekeeper walked into the dining room carrying three bowls of appetizer soup, only to see four people seated at the table. She was momentarily stunned before quickly turning to Zhu Yingying and apologizing, “Sister Ying, I’m sorry. I remember being told that there would only be three people dining tonight, so when I was preparing—”

Qian Duo hurriedly waved his hand. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I was the one who intruded unexpectedly. You all go ahead and drink.”

Xi Xianqing spoke calmly, “I was the one who joined later. You all can have it.”

Qian Duo was terrified, “No, I’m an outsider here. Mr. Xi, you should have it.”

Xi Xianqing frowned slightly, about to say something, but Zhu Ming couldn’t stand it anymore. He simply took one of the bowls and placed it in front of Qian Duo with a loud “thud.” “Xiao Qian, you’re the guest. You have to drink this soup.”

Qian Duo stammered out his thanks, while the guinea pig beside him shrank back, trembling slightly.

Xi Xianqing said nothing, but his jaw subtly tensed.

Zhu Ming opened his own bowl of soup and pushed it toward Xi Xianqing. “Here, we can just share one and be done with it.”

Xi Xianqing glanced at it and raised his chin slightly. “I won’t—”

Zhu Ming smiled faintly, already anticipating his response. “If you don’t want to drink it, you don’t have to. But if you do, just drink mine. What’s mine is yours, okay?”

Xi Xianqing didn’t speak again.

In any case, he ended up drinking without a sip.

After the meal, with drinks and food settling in, Zhu Yingying couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer. The little rabbit at her feet hopped around. “I heard from Xiao Qian that you two ran into each other while on vacation in District Two?”

“Yes. Our lab mentor had always hoped to collaborate with Professor Zhu, but after not receiving a response to our inquiries, we assumed it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Qian Duo’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Zhu Ming eagerly. “I never thought I’d actually get the chance to meet you.”

Zhu Ming, who had deliberately ignored the previous contact, let out an awkward chuckle. “Well, mainly because we had been planning to spend the year on our honeymoon outside, so I really didn’t have much time to check my emails…”

“I understand, no pressure at all.”

Qian Duo waved his hand. After hesitating for a moment, he couldn’t help but ask, his eyes lighting up again, “Then after this year-long honeymoon, what’s next? Do you have any plans?”

After one year?

Both Zhu Ming and Xi Xianqing froze for a moment. That was a question they had never really considered.

From District Two to District Four, and now finally to District Seven—without realizing it, their journey was gradually nearing its end.

“They call it a year-long honeymoon, but actually, Xiao Xi has been undergoing an assessment, so the two of them haven’t exactly had much free time.”

Seeing that neither of them responded, Zhu Yingying, who doesn’t know the full story, took the initiative to explain, “Once they wrap things up this year, they’ll finally be able to relax. By then, Zhu Ming, this kid, will have some time to think about his own matters.”

Qian Duo nodded in sudden understanding. “I see, no rush, no rush.”

To outsiders, the end of Xi Xianqing’s assessment would mark the true beginning of their marriage.

But they didn’t know that their agreement had only been for a year. For Zhu Ming and Xi Xianqing, once the assessment ended, so would the marriage.

Zhu Ming snapped back to the present and smiled at Qian Duo. “Qian Duo, let’s take a walk in the garden and chat about your lab and future plans, alright?”

The guinea pig’s butt trembled slightly, while Qian Duo, barely able to contain his excitement, replied, “Okay.”

The little rabbit at Zhu Yingying’s feet twitched its ears, but she remained nonchalant. “You two go ahead. I’ll ah, take Xiao Xi to see my little darlings.”

As she spoke, she enthusiastically pulled Xi Xianqing over to the other side of the living room. “Xiao Xi, come take a look at this little orange tree I’m growing.”

Zhu Ming and Qian Duo’s figures gradually disappeared toward the garden. Xi Xianqing withdrew his gaze and turned to the plant before him.

If Zhu Yingying hadn’t mentioned it beforehand, Xi Xianqing wouldn’t have even recognized it as an orange tree. Its fruit was irregularly shaped, with strange, jagged protrusions. The skin was rough, a mix of greenish and orange hues.

It was so ugly that Xi Xianqing couldn’t come up with a single appropriate compliment. All he could say was, “…It’s growing well.”

“This one ya, was left behind by Zhu Ming’s mother back then. She said it was a rare variety called Thousand-Star Tangerine, but I really don’t see the appeal.”

Zhu Yingying tossed a handful of hay into the rabbit’s enclosure. “My sister ah, never told me how to care for it, so I’ve barely managed to keep it alive. But this year, it suddenly bore so many fruits. Would you say that’s a good sign?”

“Dr. Wu called me two days ago about his rehab.”

She straightened up and looked at Xi Xianqing’s face, “Xiao Xi, I really… don’t have the words to express my gratitude to you.”

Xi Xianqing shook his head. “I was just accompanying him. He got through rehab on his own.”

“You don’t understand. That child… he always wants people to see the carefree side of him.”

Zhu Yingying studied his expression. “For something such as rehabilitation, the fact that he let you accompany him means you’ve already made your way into his heart. Even I couldn’t do that.”

Xi Xianqing was momentarily stunned.

“Oh, right. His birthday is on the fifth of next month.”

The little rabbit at her feet perked up its ears. Zhu Yingying clapped her hands and said, “Xiao Xi, bring your sister along. Let’s have a proper family gathering—a little party in the garden. What do you think ah…”

In the garden, Zhu Ming didn’t drag things out any further. Instead, he chose to speak openly and honestly with Qian Duo.

“Qian Duo, the reason my aunt invited you here is because she still holds onto a sliver of hope that I might return to the Academy as a professor.”

Zhu Ming looked at the young man before him, his voice gentle yet firm. “But I need to make my feelings clear to you—I won’t be going back.”

Qian Duo mumbled. “But our lab recently acquired a lot of new equipment—”

Zhu Ming knew this kid wouldn’t give up easily, so he decided to be even more straightforward. “No matter how much funding your lab has, it’s still an established team. If I were to join, I’d inevitably have to compromise my interests and research direction to fit in with you all.”

“I can’t do that.” He looked at Qian Duo and smiled. “Because right now, I enjoy having control over my own life.”

“We haven’t been solely focusing on mental anomalies in rodent-type spiritual manifestation in recent years. We’ve expanded into different spiritual manifestation types, which overlaps with your research interests ya.”

Qian Duo sniffled. “My mentor also asked me to tell you that as long as you’re willing, the lab will prioritize your research direction. In other words, the entire team will revolve around you.”

At this, Zhu Ming couldn’t hold back anymore. “…Is your mentor crazy?”

Qian Duo’s eyes welled up with tears. “Because without those groundbreaking papers a few years ago, my mentor wouldn’t have become a lead researcher, and our lab wouldn’t even exist ah!”

“I know asking this is extremely presumptuous.”

He looked at Zhu Ming and softly asked, “You’re still so young don’t… don’t you want to try for the next Chief Researcher position?”

Zhu Ming’s body tensed slightly.

“You should go, Qian Duo.” After a long time, he lifted his gaze and gave a calm, faint smile. “I’ll reply to your mentor’s email.”

He didn’t say whether he would refuse or agree.

Qian Duo was momentarily stunned. Though he looked hesitant, he knew better than to press further. Bowing slightly, he turned and left the garden.

Sitting alone in the garden, Zhu Ming stared into the distance.

Winter was approaching. The rose bushes no longer held the lush vibrancy of summer. A cold wind swept through, making the withered stems tremble as their leaves rustled.

Zhu Ming was only wearing a thin shirt, which wasn’t much. Just as he was about to maneuver his wheelchair to turn back, a sudden weight settled on his shoulders.

He reached up and touched it—it was a coat. Turning his head, he saw Xi Xianqing standing behind him. He smiled slightly. “Eavesdropping isn’t exactly a virtue, Mr. Xiao Xi.”

Xi Xianqing said nothing, simply watching him with an unreadable expression.

Zhu Ming tilted his head, studying his face. “What? Are you mad?”

“There was no eavesdropping, nor was I angry.”

Xi Xianqing denied it calmly. “I just think that if you were going to refuse, you should have done so more decisively instead of giving a vague response like ‘I’ll reply to your mentor’s email.’”

Zhu Ming’s lips twitched slightly.

“Since you’re not mad right now,” Zhu Ming said casually, smoothly changing the subject, “then it’s the perfect time for me to tell you something that will probably make you mad.”

Xi Xianqing: “…?”

“It might be a little early, but I don’t think I should keep delaying it. Otherwise, it’ll affect your assessment even more.”

Zhu Ming lowered his head, contemplating for a moment. “In just under half a month, you’ll be resuming your assessment in District Seven, right?”

Xi Xianqing’s brows moved slightly. “Yes.”

Zhu Ming nodded and said, “This time, I may not be able to go with you.”

Xi Xianqing’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

For a brief moment, he even thought Zhu Ming was joking. But there was no trace of his usual teasing or mischievous smile in his eyes.

He was serious—calmly and deliberately stating his decision.

After a long time, Xi Xianqing asked, “Why?”

Zhu Ming smiled at him, “You know why.”

Xi Xianqing said nothing.

“I’ll still be in District Seven, it’s just that I won’t be accompanying you to the universities or attending those visits and meetings like before.”

He gestured with his fingers, mimicking quotation marks. “After all, you and I are somewhat of ‘notable figures’ in District Seven. There are people and events from the past… that I simply don’t have the energy or patience to face.”

A part of Xi Xianqing’s rational mind could understand Zhu Ming’s choice.

But another part of him couldn’t help but recall the scene of Zhu Ming standing side by side with Qian Duo just moments ago. It compelled him to speak, his voice hoarse. “You don’t want to go with me—because you don’t want to face those people from the past…”

He paused, turned his face away, and asked coldly, “…Or because there’s someone new you’d rather meet?”

Here we go again.

Zhu Ming sighed silently in his heart and responded gently, “And even if I did want to meet someone new, what’s wrong with that?”

Xi Xianqing replied without hesitation, “But you’re my private doctor.”

“So my only responsibility is to treat you.” The soft glow of the garden’s night lights cast a warm, ambiguous atmosphere. Zhu Ming’s tone was just as gentle. “But haven’t I already found the cure for you?”

“Even if I want to make some plans for my own future, what’s wrong with that?” he asked.

Future.

The weight of that word pressed heavily on Xi Xianqing’s heart, so much so that he couldn’t find a rebuttal. It took him a long time before he finally forced out, “But the cure you found… its effects are unstable, aren’t they?”

Zhu Ming didn’t respond. He simply stared at him in silence.

Xi Xianqing’s chest rose and fell noiselessly as he finally realized that his words had been completely illogical—he was being irrational.

Taking a step back and turning around, he left the garden on his own.

They had fought before, had cold wars before, but this time was different—a strange new experience.

There was no direct confrontation. From beginning to end, Zhu Ming’s tone had been calm and gentle. And this time, every word he spoke was something Xi Xianqing simply could not refute.

Because Zhu Ming mentioned their future.

Since that night at the banquet, when he had been humiliated alongside Xi Mufei, Xi Xianqing had meticulously and calmly planned every step of his future, never allowing himself to make a mistake.

—The youngest jewelry designer whose work had been permanently collected by the Xi Star Museum. An artist whose very first piece had been showcased at an auction under his own name. Xi Jianfeng’s most valued grandson, and the future representative of District Six.

And the future he shared with Zhu Ming was just as certain—because their agreement would end after the final assessment.

Yet, after spending a full week back in District Six, Xi Xianqing realized something. He couldn’t picture a future without Zhu Ming.

Even just one examination without Zhu Ming’s company had already caused him to feel distraught.

“Xianqing.” Ye Lu knocked on the door. “Madam Xu is downstairs. She’s here to discuss the redesign of the necklace.”

Xi Xianqing came back to his senses.

“Aunt Ye.”

As if recalling something, he spoke in a deep voice, “Go and check… the details of Zhu Ming’s accident back then.”

After a pause, he frowned and added, “As well as whether he… had any conflicts with anyone before the Chief candidacy that year.”

The past few days hadn’t been particularly smooth for Zhu Ming either.

The reason he chose not to accompany Xi Xianqing to District Seven was simple—at the end of the day, he still had a heart.

Xi Xianqing’s assessment in District Seven meant he would be digging into the life and past of the current Chief, ultimately creating a piece that told their story.

Although the light boat had already crossed the ten thousand mountains,1Though time had passed. and Zhu Ming had long since moved on, he wasn’t so magnanimous as to stand by and watch with indifference.

Besides, his original duty was only to be a private doctor. Nothing more.

However, after expressing his decision not to accompany Xi Xianqing, Zhu Ming found that he didn’t feel any sense of relief.

The assessment might have been Xi Xianqing’s matter, but after everything they had been through, Zhu Ming had already come to see it as a part of his own life as well.

And precisely because he had once brushed past the most pivotal opportunity of his life, he wanted Xi Xianqing to seize everything that belonged to him.

After a week of hesitation, Zhu Ming finally decided to take the initiative and contact Xi Xianqing.

But before he could even dial the number, the doorbell rang.

The temperature in District Seven had been dropping these past two days, and today, a heavy rain had fallen—a transition between late autumn and early winter.

The moment he opened the door, Zhu Ming squinted slightly as the cold wind hit his face.

The air was damp. He lifted his gaze and saw Xi Xianqing standing quietly in the pouring rain, holding a black umbrella.

He was dressed in a black overcoat, his features sharp and strikingly cold as he stood at the door, gazing at Zhu Ming with an unreadable expression.

The hand holding the umbrella had distinct, slender knuckles, and faintly visible on his finger was the wedding ring, catching the light in a clear, shimmering blue.

“There are only three things I’m here for today,” he heard Xi Xianqing say.

Zhu Ming almost wanted to point out that the phrase “only” and “three things” was somewhat contradictory.

However, in the next instant, Xi Xianqing coldly raised his hand, and what he held up in front of Zhu Ming was an exquisitely packaged paper bag with a vaguely sweet scent.

“First, my sister asked me to bring this for you and your aunt,” he said.

Zhu Ming was stunned and took the paper bag. He opened it to find it filled with small cookies, all in oddly twisted shapes.

“Second,” Xi Xianqing didn’t look at Zhu Ming’s face, “I have something to discuss with you about the assessment in District Seven.”

“I also have something I want to say to you.”

Placing the bag of cookies on his lap, Zhu Ming tilted his head up and spoke first. “After thinking it over, I realized that other people’s opinions have never been something I cared about. So this time, I’m willing to go with you.”

“As for Qian Duo’s lab, I never planned on joining in the first place.” He said.

Xi Xianqing glanced at him and shook his head. “No. This time, I want to complete the assessment on my own.”

Zhu Ming thought he was still sulking, but before he could say anything, Xi Xianqing added, “Besides, I think you should at least take a look at Qian Duo’s lab to see the environment before deciding whether to reject his mentor’s invitation.”

Zhu Ming froze, finally sensing that Xi Xianqing was being serious. “Why… did you suddenly change your mind?”

The rain continued to patter softly, and after a long pause, Xi Xianqing said, “I just think that with your abilities, staying confined in that little lab pod would be a waste of your talent.”

Zhu Ming’s heart quietly trembled.

He saw Xi Xianqing turn his face away again, his voice somewhat muffled. “Although even now, you still haven’t completely cured me.”

“Third, tonight, I’ve been invited to attend the opening ceremony of a new store owned by a century-old jewelry family.”

He said, “The inviter is an old friend of my grandfather’s—ultimately, still a senior figure.”

Zhu Ming didn’t understand why he was voluntarily reporting his schedule. After a brief moment of surprise, he smiled. “If a senior takes the initiative to invite a junior to such an event… it means your grandfather’s connections hold you in high regard.”

Xi Xianqing didn’t deny it.

“There will be a group photo at the event,” he said. “As a courtesy, it would be more appropriate to show my spiritual manifestation.”

Zhu Ming finally caught on. “So…”

Xi Xianqing closed the umbrella in his hand.

Raindrops slid off the edge of the umbrella, seeping into the steps and leaving behind deep, dark water stains.

The hem of his trench coat lifted slightly in the wind. He walked up the steps one by one until he stood directly in front of Zhu Ming, his deep green eyes calm yet firm as they met Zhu Ming’s gaze.

“So, I’m here to get my medicine,” he said.

Author’s Notes:

Qing, treating medicine like a daily snack.