◎This fellow really is a libertine!◎

Third Young Master Li stepped out of the temple and descended the stone steps, followed closely by a graceful female Taoist in a goose-yellow robe.

The young Taoist had an oval face, small eyes with slightly upturned corners, and, paired with her wide-sleeved robe, she seemed ethereal and elegant, radiating a certain charm.

They stopped in front of the Li family carriage, standing side by side, exchanging smiles and light conversation.

The stone-paved road between the temple and the pharmacy was wide, so Chu Yufu couldn’t hear what they were saying. She could only see Third Young Master Li, mid-conversation, suddenly reach out, pluck a stray lock of hair from the Taoist’s face, lean close to sniff it, then laugh as he tucked it behind her ear.

After a moment of tenderness, he turned and boarded the carriage to leave. The female Taoist leaned against a gray stone lion by the steps, watching him depart before returning to the temple.

Watching the whole scene, Lán Zhu’s brows shot up, and she clutched the medicine bottle tightly. “Miss, you guessed right! That fellow really is a libertine! In broad daylight, no less—he actually, actually—”

Back at the Li residence, she had held onto a sliver of hope, thinking perhaps Chu Yufu was overthinking. But now, seeing Third Young Master Li and the Taoist girl behaving ambiguously with her own eyes, she fully believed her mistress.

Chu Yufu patted Lán Zhu’s arm, signaling her to calm down, then adjusted her veil and headed across the street.

Jinma Street was one of the busiest areas in the capital, with many street vendors lining both sides. She sat down at a small stall selling fragrant drinks beside Yu Zhen Temple and ordered a bowl of golden pear drink.

When the stall owner brought the drink, he coughed lightly and smiled: “Has your uncle been doing business here all this time? I didn’t even know our Yu Zhen Temple had female Taoists.”

Chu Yufu knew how to make conversation feel natural; saying “our Yu Zhen Temple” sounded warmer than simply “Yu Zhen Temple.”

At this hour, the stall was quiet, and the owner, hearing a polite young lady with a sweet voice, leaned on the counter, happily opening a conversation.

“You don’t come here often, do you? I’ve been running this drink stall beside Yu Zhen Temple for over four years, every day without fail.”

“As for the female Taoists, that’s not unusual. Besides our Yu Zhen Temple, the Xuán Miào Palace in the southern suburbs has them too.”

When Lán Zhu was six, her family could not afford food and sold her to a pawnshop. Because of her proper appearance, she eventually ended up in the Chu household under Madam Wan. She rarely left the residence and knew little of such matters, so she asked curiously, “What kind of girls become Taoists?”

The stall owner smacked his lips, thinking for a moment: “Those who’ve suffered misfortune, those bedridden praying for longevity, concubines sent away from wealthy families—any of them could enter!”

Chu Yufu sipped the pear drink lightly and asked, “Uncle, just now I saw a female Taoist in a yellow robe standing at the door. She looked quite exceptional, very spirited. Do you know her?”

“How could I not? That’s Taoist Wang Xuánjing. I heard she used to be a government official’s wife but later divorced her husband and came to Yu Zhen Temple.”

Speaking of Taoist Wang, the stall owner shifted his stance with a mischievous smile.

“This Taoist girl is not only spirited but talented. Often young masters come to discuss poetry and philosophy with her. See, just now she came out to see off a guest.”

“Oh? Does she have many visitors?” Chu Yufu raised her brows slightly.

The stall owner was momentarily taken aback but finally replied, “I suppose so? But recently, I only saw her see off that young master just now.”

Chu Yufu set down the drink bowl and straightened, speaking gently:

“In that case, I’d also like to discuss poetry with Taoist Wang. Uncle, could I trouble you to keep an eye on when that young master comes so I can avoid him?”

At the right moment, Lán Zhu pulled a small piece of silver from her pouch and handed it to the stall owner: “Uncle, thank you very much.”

…

Leaving the drink stall, the two walked slowly toward the Chu residence. Lán Zhu, visibly excited, kept saying, “Miss, this is perfect! You don’t have to marry him! We have proof now—we can go back and tell your father!”

Chu Yufu laughed. “What proof do we really have from just seeing this? Besides, it’s not uncommon for rich young masters to be wild before marriage. If he were favored and backed, it could cause trouble. But me? I have no one to back me up.”

Seeing Lán Zhu visibly deflate, Chu Yufu nudged her with her elbow, a smile rising on her porcelain-like face.

“No need to get too discouraged. Knowing this news is better than being in the dark—it might come in handy someday.”

After walking for about half an hour, they reached the Chu residence, and a few drops of rain began to fall. They hurriedly lifted their skirts and scuttled into their courtyard.

Chu Yufu lived in the Zhuyu Courtyard at the northwest corner of the Chu residence, consisting of one main hall, one side room connected to the main hall, and two small side chambers.

After sunset, the rooms grew dim and chilly. Only after Lán Zhu lit candles and dug out leftover red charcoal from last year, setting up a brazier in the sleeping chamber, did the chill subside.

By candlelight, the young girl sat before the brass mirror, removing each hair ornament and placing it in her makeup box. Her delicate neck truly bore the fatigue of a long day wearing all those adornments.

Lán Zhu put away the medicine, hung up the cloak, and warmed her fingertips with breath before helping loosen Chu Yufu’s hair bun. “Miss, it’s really cold this year. Only September, and we already need to burn charcoal. I wonder what winter will be like.”

Chu Yufu replied, “Yes. Today I noticed many chrysanthemums in the Li family garden are wilting. If we’d come even a few days later, we probably wouldn’t have been able to see them properly.”

Once the room had warmed up, she pulled open her robe to expose her shoulders. On the right shoulder, fair and smooth, a small purplish-red bruise stood out. Seeing it, Lán Zhu’s heart ached, and she took out some medicinal oil to carefully rub it in.

In her previous life, Chu Yufu had studied traditional Chinese medicine and had done quite well. Unfortunately, after graduating from university, she lacked the means to continue further studies and instead took a job at a community hospital.

The medicinal oil smelled a bit pungent, but on closer sniffing, she could identify ingredients like Chuanxiong, turmeric, and safflower—all herbs used to invigorate blood circulation and dispel bruising.

Thinking of this, she pulled at her robe and asked, “Lán Zhu, what about the two unfinished sachets in my room?”

“They’re safely stored with me,” Lán Zhu replied as she continued applying the medicine.

The second young lady’s maternal grandfather had been a well-known physician in his hometown. Later, after misfortune struck, he had no choice but to marry his only daughter into the Chu household as a concubine. Aunt Wan knew some medical knowledge, and the second young lady, having grown up surrounded by it, had picked up a little herself. She was also particularly interested in making scented sachets.

Not long ago, she learned that her stepmother was choosing a husband for her. Overjoyed, she stayed up late embroidering sachets to present as a filial gift to her stepmother, and that was how she caught a cold.

After the medicine had been applied and allowed to dry a little, Chu Yufu got dressed properly. “Later, you can fetch the sachets from my room, and we’ll finish them,” she said.

At Zhuyu Courtyard, besides Lán Zhu, a second-class maid, there was also a third-class maid named Yinsuo.

Shortly after Aunt Wan passed away, the old maid who had cared for her also fell gravely ill and died. Yinsuo, only twelve, was sent to serve. Small and thin, she was like a young sprout.

After dinner, Chu Yufu called both of them into the room. They gathered around the charcoal brazier, working while keeping warm.

Lán Zhu used a mortar to crush the dried herbs, which Chu Yufu then ground into fine powder with a pestle. Following the fragrance recipe, she packed the mixture into the small cotton pouches sewn by Yinsuo, placing them into sachet bags.

Outside the courtyard, the sound of the gong struck twice in succession, signaling that it was the hour of Hài.

Once all the sachets were finished, they tidied up. Lán Zhu laid out the clothes that the young lady would wear tomorrow over a screen, while Yinsuo went to the side room to fetch hot water for the bedwarmers.

After night fell, the rain had stopped, but the wind howled, rustling branches against the window. Using the original owner’s memory, Chu Yufu pulled another bedwarmer from a corner wooden box. Placing it with the previous two on the table, she told Yinsuo, “Fill all three with hot water.”

“Yes.” Yinsuo nodded, holding the copper kettle high, carefully pouring hot water into the open spout.

After tending to the young lady’s washing and preparing the bed, the two little maids were about to leave, but Chu Yufu called them back.

“Wait.”

She handed each of them a bedwarmer, smiling gently. “It’s really cold tonight, and the bed is icy. Your hands and feet won’t warm up inside. Take these back to warm yourselves, and be careful not to burn yourselves.”

The warm candlelight lit her profile, her eyes soft and gentle.

Lán Zhu, a year younger at fifteen, was like a modern middle schooler, yet she busied herself around the household like a little adult. Yinsuo, just twelve and barely finished elementary school, had done all sorts of chores; her hands were rough and reddened.

Maid salaries were modest, mostly relying on their mistress’s rewards. But Second Miss Chu was not favored and had limited means, so the two little maids were also frugal; even their clothes were worn thin.

Chu Yufu remembered her own harsh childhood. She still recalled one particularly cold winter when her aunt didn’t pay the heating fee. Wrapped in only a thin quilt, she shivered all night, unable to sleep.

“These are the young lady’s things—we can’t use them!” Lán Zhu caught them after a moment of surprise, while Yinsuo nervously shook her hands, trying to refuse.

Chu Yufu took Yinsuo’s hand, helping her hold it steady. “They’re old items. Nothing will happen if you use them. Just don’t lose them.” With that, she gently pushed them out of the room.

Outside, the autumn wind whistled. The warmth of the bedwarmers filled the girls’ arms. They walked silently for a few steps, and Yinsuo’s eyes glistened. “So warm,” she whispered.

Then she added softly, “Miss is really kind today.”

Lán Zhu smiled, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. “What do you mean, she wasn’t kind before?”

“I didn’t mean that… it’s just that, these past two days, the young lady has been especially kind!” Yinsuo murmured.

Lán Zhu, the personal maid, usually rested in the side room of Zhuyu Courtyard to be close to her mistress. Yinsuo, a general servant, had to sleep in the large dormitory. On the way back, Yinsuo clutched the bedwarmer like a treasure and couldn’t help smiling.

Once everyone had left, the room was quiet except for the soft crackle of the candle.

Chu Yufu stretched her stiff neck, poured herself a cup of hot tea, and, resting her face on one hand, slowly enjoyed the bitter aroma of the green tea leaves being crushed.

On the desk, the sachets filled with powdered herbs were tied with cord loops, round and adorable. She held one up, shaking it lightly. The tassels swayed, releasing a faint fragrance.

The sachets were pale blue, coincidentally matching Third Young Master Li’s clothing.

Speaking of Third Young Master Li…

Chu Yufu tapped her pinky against the teacup.

During the marriage discussion and after the divorce, there had been a scandal with the female Taoist, which was indeed shameful. Complaining about the other person’s bad character might justify calling off the engagement.

However, she first had to find support in the Chu household—a person willing to stand by her side and whose words carried weight.