Gong Xue walked straight up to him.

In the next moment, An Wanggui’s mind plunged into a white fog of confusion and helplessness.

Gong Xue pressed forward, and An Wanggui retreated step by step until he was backed against the wall, nowhere left to go.

An Wanggui’s chest heaved violently, his own heartbeats drumming in his ears.

Gong Xue approached, even closer, until their lips were barely a finger’s width apart.

A sweet and intoxicating scent of alcohol wafted from Gong Xue; she seemed to have been drinking.

This sweet fragrance drove him crazy, penetrating his mind and heart, making him addicted.

“What… are you doing?”

An Wanggui’s voice was hoarse, his tone somewhat trembling. The blush on his face completely betrayed him.

Gong Xue stared at him unblinkingly, her bright eyes flashing with luminous light. Her voice was utterly solemn and serious: “An Wanggui, you have feelings for me, don’t you?”

The sentence struck him like a torrent, breaking down his precarious defense.

An Wanggui pursed his lips without answering, his breathing heavy and disordered.

Gong Xue pressed her entire body against him, so close that An Wanggui’s body stiffened. He could feel the burning heat through their clothes.

“An Wanggui.” He couldn’t remember how many times she had called his name tonight, only that every time she did, the restlessness in his heart deepened.

“You have feelings for me, so why won’t you say a word to me?”

Faced with Gong Xue’s question, An Wanggui lowered his raven-like eyelashes, biting his lips without explaining, yet the flame hidden in his shadowed gaze grew fiercer.

His prominent Adam’s apple bobbed, his hands by his sides clenched tightly to his clothes, sweaty.

Gong Xue didn’t wait any longer. She closed her eyes and leaned in. An Wanggui felt her breath coming nearer and nearer, his heartbeat reaching its maximum, quicker, so fast it almost suffocated him.

Suddenly, An Wanggui pushed her away and bolted as if running for his life.

Gong Xue stood there watching his ridiculous and embarrassed figure, a smile playing on her lips. This was precisely the outcome she wanted.

The bait had been cast, now to wait for the fish to bite.

Mu Xian interjected here: “Wait, what kind of tactic is this? You flirted with him and scared him off, how are you still so smug?”

Gong Xue clicked her tongue and lightly tapped his head: “Don’t interrupt.”

Gong Xue’s touch was very gentle, almost a caress, yet Mu Xian still pretended to be in pain, holding his head and looking aggrieved: “Heartless.”

This scene was witnessed by Shu Ran, who had just arrived. He smiled knowingly and tactfully left.

Gong Xue continued, “After that night, whenever I saw An Wanggui, I pretended not to notice him. He also seemed to avoid me, but I deliberately acted all chummy with An Cheyan in front of him, doing intimate gestures that, in his eyes, seemed like flirtation. His jealousy couldn’t be contained anymore.”

That day, An Cheyan was not at home. Gong Xue got up early and, upon opening the door, saw An Wanggui drying herbs under the bamboo house.

Gong Xue leaned over the bamboo railing, watching him for a while. An Wanggui was always very focused when working. Under the sun, his green robe looked like ink, his sharp features exuding an air of cold elegance. His calm and steady movements made him seem like a gentleman with kindness embedded in his bones, yet he always wore a frosty demeanor, aloof and unapproachable.

An Wanggui’s long black hair almost reached his waist, but he never liked tying it up, preferring to let it flow behind him lazily. He looked graceful, like someone out of a painting.

Sensing an unusual gaze, An Wanggui looked up and saw her. As their eyes met, Gong Xue’s heart skipped a beat. She averted her eyes, feeling it was too obvious, then decided to look back at him.

“Ahem! Is An Cheyan out today?”

Gong Xue didn’t know what to ask, so she randomly picked a topic.

“He’s not here.”

An Wanggui turned his head indifferently and continued handling the herbs.

“What are you doing? Need any help?”

“Just some herbs. No need, I’m almost done.”

An Wanggui’s voice was cool, as always.

Gong Xue pouted but decided to help anyway.

She walked over to him and peeked at the items on the rack. Picking one up, she sniffed it and wrinkled her fine eyebrows: “This one is so bitter. What is it?”

She pushed the herb towards him: “What’s this one?”

“Huanglian,” An Wanggui answered curtly.

“What’s it used for?”

“Clearing heat and drying dampness, reducing fire and detoxifying.”

Another succinct answer.

“And this one?”

“Tinglizi.”

Gong Xue tirelessly asked questions, and An Wanggui patiently answered them. This went on all morning until Gong Xue realized she had asked about almost every herb in the yard.

To her amazement, An Wanggui had stayed with her the entire time, answering all her questions without a hint of impatience.

Later, An Wanggui went into the kitchen to prepare a meal. In fact, it was usually An Cheyan who did the cooking, and An Wanggui rarely stepped into the kitchen. Worried about his culinary skills, Gong Xue went in to ask if he needed any help.

“No need.”

An Wanggui declined, but Gong Xue still didn’t give up on offering her assistance.

“Are you sure? What are you planning to cook?”

An Wanggui lifted his head and saw the concern on Gong Xue’s face. He immediately understood why she was being so eager to help.

“Never seen me cook before and afraid my food will poison you?”

He straightforwardly voiced Gong Xue’s concern, rendering her speechless for a moment.

“Okay, you cook, I’ll go check on the wine I’m brewing.”

Embarrassed, Gong Xue hurriedly found an excuse to leave the awkward setting.

Seeing Gong Xue’s flustered look, An Wanggui’s long, narrow eyes curved into an attractive arc, bringing warmth to his once frosty face.

The meal was a feast for the senses – visually appealing, fragrant, and undoubtedly delicious. Gong Xue could hardly believe it. She had always thought An Cheyan’s cooking skills were inherited from his mother. Now it seemed An Cheyan had actually inherited them from An Wanggui.

Gong Xue’s eyes were fixed on the dishes, almost drooling.

“Eat,” An Wanggui said, and Gong Xue eagerly dug in, praising each bite.

Soon, Gong Xue’s cheeks were puffed up like a hamster’s, and An Wanggui paused his own eating to watch her. He found her manner of eating more enjoyable than the food itself.

Immersed in the joy of eating, if Gong Xue had a tail and ears, they would surely be wagging enthusiastically.

Suddenly, Gong Xue remembered something was missing. She ran into the house and came back with a jug of wine.

“I brewed this myself. Try it,” Gong Xue proudly boasted as she poured. “My skills aren’t just talk – even the elixirs of the gods can’t compare to this.”

Gong Xue poured a sizable bowl of the wine for An Wanggui. Under Gong Xue’s expectant gaze, he took a sip.

He anticipated an overwhelming spiciness, but to his surprise, it wasn’t as harsh as he’d imagined. Instead, it had a fruity aroma that balanced out the wine’s original sharpness, with a hint of sweetness.

This fragrance took him back to that night, evoking memories that made his heart race and his face flush.

Gong Xue had been persistently assertive; her forwardness left An Wanggui feeling a mix of regret and self-disgust for his own timidity.

“So, how is it?” Gong Xue’s voice pulled him back from his thoughts.

“Not bad,” An Wanggui replied calmly.

Gong Xue’s nose lifted proudly. “Of course! I learned this technique from a tavern owner I once saved during my travels in the Mortal Realm. This tavern has been in business for a hundred years and is always bustling. However, their best recipes are never shared with outsiders, so he only taught me how to brew some of the more common wines, but those are good enough.”

“A tavern?” An Wanggui was intrigued.

“Yeah! It’s called the ‘Fragrant Tavern.’ Even more interesting are the delightful names of their exclusive wines,” Gong Xue continued.

“What are the names?” he asked.

“One is called ‘Blossom Wine,’ and another is ‘Elegance Beauty Wine.’ Very poetic, don’t you think? It’s said that the first owner’s wife named them in memory of someone dear to her.”

“That must have been someone unforgettable,” An Wanggui mused, returning to his meal and occasionally sipping the wine.

“Unforgettable… I have people like that too, but now they are all my enemies,” Gong Xue said, her voice tinged with sadness as she looked into the distance, her grip on the bowl and chopsticks making her knuckles appear jade-like.

An Wanggui could sense she was suppressing something, something deeply painful.

It seemed that Gong Xue had been here for several months, yet neither he nor An Cheyan had ever inquired about her past.

The girl before him appeared strong and cheerful, but An Wanggui had no idea what kind of soul and stories were housed within her exterior.