Qin He brought the vegetables to the stove and quickly began to stir-fry.
She felt very skilled, almost instinctively knowing which seasonings to add. The side dishes were soon arranged into eight dishes, not one more, not one less.
When the dishes were placed on the workbench, Qin He fell silent, looking at the plates before her.
These eight dishes were familiar; they should all be Gu Qishen's favorites. She had seen them on her old phone.
Steam rose from the dishes on the table. Qin He sat by the table, lost in thought, vaguely recalling the things she had once recorded.
In the past, she also always made these eight dishes and quietly waited for Gu Qishen to come home.
But since their marriage, Gu Qishen had never eaten a single meal she cooked!
A sudden sourness welled up in Qin He's chest. She looked up; Gu Qishen had already started to eat.
"Gu Qishen, what do you mean by doing all this today?"
She felt she was vaguely realizing something.
The places Gu Qishen had taken her today, if she thought about it carefully, were all places that housewives who stayed at home frequented!
And those perfume shops. Perfume making was one of her hobbies, and it seemed she used to often make perfume for Gu Qishen.
Was he trying to make her recall the past?
Gu Qishen ate, his gaze distant. "I just want to know what the past life was supposed to be like."
Qin He pursed her lips tightly. "Although I'm very grateful to you, I only see you as a business partner now. In private, at most, we're good friends. Don't dwell too much on the past; people have to move forward."
Gu Qishen didn't answer, just ate in silence.
Qin He took a deep breath.
She ate this meal with mixed feelings. She never even knew her cooking was so good.
Qin He's heart ached. For so many years in the Qin family, she hadn't cooked for her mother or brother, yet she had cooked for Gu Qishen!
Having cooked for two years, even with her memory lost, Qin He, from an outsider's perspective, still felt it wasn't worth it for herself.
After the meal, Gu Qishen took Qin He to a small studio next door.
"You used to like making perfume here."
Qin He's eyes flickered.
Gu Qishen continued, "The sinking agarwood perfume you made before had a very good scent and a calming effect, but now I can't find anyone who can make that fragrance."
His expression remained unchanged. "Can you make some for me again?"
This was not a problem. Qin He quickly sat down, picked up a few incense boxes, and examined the materials. They were quite well-prepared.
However, the process of making incense actually took many days.
Qin He thought about it and temporarily made a simplified version for Gu Qishen.
"Your perfume was sinking agarwood mixed with some herbs and flowers that calm the mind. Due to different crafting techniques, some ingredients need to be boiled, some steeped, and then mixed together after being powdered..." Qin He said calmly. "It takes a long time. If you want it, I can make it at home later and have someone send it over."
Qin He's expression was as if nothing had happened, seeming to have let go of the past.
It was already afternoon when the perfume was finished.
Gu Qishen drove her back to the Qin residence.
In the car, both were somewhat silent. Qin He's mind was restless and agitated, a subtle fear stirring deep within her.
What was she afraid of?
Qin He bit her lower lip. She seemed to be afraid of Gu Qishen getting closer because if he did, she feared she might truly fall for him!
So, falling in love with Gu Qishen two years ago was not an accident.
Perhaps this was truly the type of person she liked.
Qin He clenched her hand, forcing herself to be clearer-headed!
She wouldn't fall in the same place twice!
...
Weekend.
Today was the day Qin He, Mo, Jueqing Liulang, and Di Shi had agreed to meet.
Qin He messaged Mo, deciding to bring Shen Ruiyi along.
Since all four of them would be present this time, it would serve as an assessment for him.
Qin He booked a Chinese restaurant and, as the host, arrived early.
Given the highly secretive identities of everyone attending today, she had booked the entire restaurant and was waiting in the front courtyard.
The front courtyard had a pleasant view. Through the bamboo grove, peacocks could be seen strolling in the distance.
A gentle breeze blew. After about half a cup of tea, Di Shishi arrived.
When she wasn't working, Di Shishi liked to wear a floral dress, which made her look quite different from her usual self.
Shen Ruiyi had gone to pick up Jueqing Liulang. They chatted in the courtyard.
Di Shishi rested her chin on her hand. "I've never met Mo before. I wonder what he looks like. Didn't you say he was a young master from Jiangcheng? Which young master?"
Qin He smiled. "You'll know when he gets here!"
After waiting in the courtyard for over ten minutes, there was movement at the front gate.
The owner personally escorted a man wearing a baseball cap inside. The man was about 1.8 meters tall and slender.
Di Shishi immediately looked over with curiosity. Since Shen Ruiyi had gone to pick up Jueqing Liulang, this person arriving must be Mo!
Mo walked up to them, removed his hat and mask, revealing a bright smile.
His handsome features gave him an androgynous aura. His phoenix eyes were exactly like those of the noble sons in ancient paintings.
Di Shishi stared after seeing him and was stunned.
Then, she felt the world was too absurd. "It's you?!"
Mo chuckled lightly. "Di Shi, long time no see."
Qin He chuckled softly beside them.
Mo's full name was Qian Zimo, the young master of the Qian family in Jiangcheng, a well-known figure there.
The outside world often said this young master had poor health, a congenital illness since birth, always appearing like a sickly male version of Lin Daiyu.
He would cough incessantly even from a slight gust of wind and would fall ill from a light rain!
Yet, the Qian family had considerable influence in Jiangcheng, and he was their only son. People in Jiangcheng said the Qian family's legacy would end with Qian Zimo.
Di Shi had met Qian Zimo before. When she was in Jiangcheng, during a mission, she had once found herself in a desperate situation.
At that time, she happened to encounter the passing young master of the Qian family. The young master was on his way to the hospital, and Di Shi held him hostage.
Di Shi successfully escaped afterward, but it was said that the young master of the Qian family fell ill for half a year because of it!
Di Shi felt extremely guilty about this incident and had mentioned it many times in the Qingyan Mansion group chat.
Every time she spoke of it, Mo would chime in from the side, saying how terribly Di Shi had harmed the young master of the Qian family!
Di Shi stared at Mo now, grinding her teeth.
Look at this man. He still had the same thin and frail appearance as before, but now his whole demeanor was different!
Back then, Qian Zimo always appeared slightly hunched, with a fresh, elegant, and otherworldly aura.
Young Master Qian was perfect in every way, except for his weak constitution.
But now—Qian Zimo smiled broadly, standing tall, exuding an air of ethereal grace.
Di Shi was so angry she wanted to hit him.
Mo immediately raised his hands in surrender. "You can't blame me for this; it's your own lack of discernment! Back then, I knew you were in danger and even went to the hospital. I presented myself as a hostage for you to abduct! You didn't use your brain, didn't you consider that that street was the only way to the hospital for the Qian family?"
Di Shi gritted her teeth and chased Qian Zimo, intending to beat him.
After a few rounds of sparring, Di Shi was defeated.
She roared in anger and mocked him, "You really are Jiangcheng's Lin Daiyu!"
Qian Zimo released his grip, turned, and glanced at Qin He. "I wasn't hiding myself deeply; the one truly hiding deeply is the one in front of you. If Qin He hadn't revealed her identity as Qingxie to you herself, we might still be kept in the dark by her!"
With these two sentences, the spotlight shifted to Qin He.
Qin He, who had been watching the fun, raised her eyebrows slightly upon hearing this.
Di Shi, standing beside them, clearly hadn't thought that far and immediately chimed in, "Yes, she even pretended not to know my identity and let me be her little assistant for a long time!"
She felt like such a fool.
Qin He sneered. "Qian Zimo, you're quite good at deflecting blame!"
"No, no, I'm just stating facts!"
The three of them bantered for a while when there was movement at the courtyard gate again.
Shen Ruiyi stood at the front, respectfully ushering a man into the courtyard.
Di Shi and Qin He had both met Shen Ruiyi before. As for Jueqing Liulang?
Normally, in the group chat, Jueqing Liulang lived up to his name with his roguish behavior.
But looking at the man before them.
All three of them fell silent. What was this?