Fu Teng paused at the doorway when Bai Ming stopped him.

"At least take a bowl with you," she said. "Give it to that friend of yours. Let us know if he would like it."

Fu Teng turned slightly to look at her.

For a brief moment, he said nothing.

Then he gave a small nod.

"Alright," he replied.

Fu Li quickly brought out a covered basket and handed it to him.

"Do not drop it," she added.

Fu Teng took it without another word.

Then he left.

...

The rain had not stopped.

By the time Fu Teng reached the pavilion, the ground was soaked, and the air carried the scent of wet earth.

He walked through the outer hall without slowing down.

The guards at the entrance recognized him and allowed him to pass.

Inside, everything felt more controlled.

He made his way directly to An Yu’s office.

When he arrived, the door was slightly open.

Inside, An Yu was seated, speaking to two workers who stood respectfully before him.

Fu Teng stepped in without knocking.

An Yu noticed him immediately.

His gaze shifted, and he raised his hand slightly.

"That will be all," he said to the workers.

They bowed their heads.

"Yes, Master An."

They left at once, closing the door behind them.

Silence settled in the room.

An Yu leaned back slightly, a faint smile forming on his lips.

"You came earlier than I expected," he said.

Fu Teng let out a quiet sigh.

He knew very well that he was late.

"There was a small commotion at home," he said calmly. "That is why I was delayed."

An Yu raised a brow slightly, but he did not press further.

Instead, his attention shifted to the basket in Fu Teng’s hand.

Fu Teng walked forward and placed it on the table.

The movement was simple and unhurried.

An Yu’s gaze followed it.

"What is this?" he asked.

Fu Teng did not answer immediately.

He moved past the table and sat down at the desk opposite An Yu, his posture relaxed.

"Open it and see," he said.

His tone was calm and indifferent.

An Yu smiled faintly.

"You brought something and still expect me to guess," he said.

But he reached out and lifted the cover.

The aroma spread immediately.

Warm and rich.

Filling the space between them.

An Yu paused.

Then he looked down properly.

Congee.

Simple, but carefully made.

His expression shifted slightly.

"You brought me food?" he asked.

Fu Teng rested his arm on the table.

"A test," he replied.

An Yu glanced at him.

"A test?" he repeated.

Fu Teng nodded once.

"You said you needed a cook," he said. "So I brought something for you to try."

An Yu looked back at the bowl.

Then he picked up the spoon.

"You made this?" he asked.

"No," Fu Teng replied.

An Yu took a small taste.

The room fell quiet.

Fu Teng did not speak.

He only watched.

An Yu swallowed.

Then he took another spoonful, this time without hesitation.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"This is good," he said.

Fu Teng did not react.

But his gaze sharpened slightly.

"Only good?" he asked.

An Yu let out a quiet breath, amused.

"It is more than good," he corrected. "The flavor is balanced. Nothing is wasted."

He set the spoon down.

"Who made it?" he asked.

Fu Teng leaned back slightly.

"A woman in our unit," he said.

An Yu’s interest grew.

"What is her name?" he asked.

"Bai Ming," Fu Teng replied.

An Yu repeated the name softly, committing it to memory.

"And you are recommending her?" he asked.

Fu Teng did not answer directly.

"She has skill," he said.

An Yu tapped his fingers lightly on the table, thinking.

"She will not come easily," Fu Teng added. "So if you want her, you will need to give her a reason."

An Yu smiled slightly.

"There is always a reason," he said.

His gaze lingered on the bowl.

Then he leaned back.

"You do not usually involve yourself in things like this," he said. "Why now?"

Fu Teng’s expression did not change.

"I am not involved," he replied. "I only brought food."

An Yu let out a quiet laugh.

"You are not convincing," he said.

Fu Teng did not respond.

Silence settled again.

Then An Yu spoke.

"This is useful," he said. "Bring her to me. I would like to meet her."

Fu Teng stood up.

"I will tell her," he said.

He did not promise more.

As he turned to leave, An Yu called his name.

"Fu Teng.

He paused.

"If she cooks like this," An Yu said calmly, "she will not remain unnoticed for long."

Fu Teng’s hand rested on the door.

"Keep your eyes of her.. she’s my cousin sister," he replied.

Then he opened it and walked out.

Leaving behind a quiet room.

And something that was only just beginning.

.....

Later that day,

Fu Teng stood by the counter with several papers spread before him, carefully calculating the cost of the renovations. His attention remained on the figures as he adjusted the numbers, making sure nothing was overlooked.

He did not notice when An Yu approached.

A shadow fell across the counter, followed by a familiar voice.

"Are you free tonight?"

Fu Teng did not look up. He already knew who it was.

"No," he replied calmly.

An Yu leaned against the counter, one arm resting casually as he watched him. He had changed into a dark green hanfu, the fabric neat and well-fitted, giving him a more relaxed appearance.

"You did not even consider it," An Yu said, his tone carrying a faint complaint.

Fu Teng continued writing without pausing.

"There is nothing to consider," he replied.

An Yu let out a soft sigh and tilted his head slightly.

"I just got a new set of wines.. I wanted to do some wine testing in the rooftop tonight and anyways, what could be more important than spending time with me?" he asked.

Fu Teng paused briefly before answering, his eyes still on the papers.

"I am getting engaged," he said.

The words were calm and direct, as though they carried no weight.

An Yu went still.

For a moment, he did not react, as if he had not heard correctly. Then his expression shifted.

"Engaged?" he repeated.

The teasing tone from earlier was gone.

Fu Teng finally set the brush down and looked up.

"Yes," he said.

His expression remained unchanged.

An Yu straightened slowly, his gaze fixed on him as if trying to find any sign that this was a joke, but there was none.

"You are serious," he said.

Fu Teng met his eyes.

"Yes," he replied.

The room fell quiet, and even the sounds from outside seemed distant.

An Yu let out a slow breath before speaking again.

"When did this happen?" he asked.

"Recently," Fu Teng answered.

His response was brief but steady.

An Yu continued to look at him for a moment, then a faint smile returned to his lips, though it did not reach his eyes.

"You did not tell me," he said.

Fu Teng held his gaze.

"There was nothing to tell," he replied.

An Yu let out a quiet laugh.

"You can be quite heartless," he said.

His tone sounded light, but something beneath it remained restrained.

Fu Teng did not respond. He simply returned his attention to the papers in front of him, as though the matter had already been settled.

However, the atmosphere between them had already changed.

An Yu did not move away after that. He remained where he was, watching Fu Teng with a gaze that had grown more serious.

"Why so soon?" he asked after a moment, his voice quieter but firm. "You just arrived in the barren lands, and now you are already getting engaged."

Fu Teng did not answer immediately. He kept his attention on the papers in front of him, adjusting the numbers as though the question did not affect him.

"It is because of the announcement," he said at last. "If my brother and I do not get married, we will be taken away."

An Yu’s expression shifted slightly as he processed the meaning behind those words. He understood the situation, but it did not soften his stance.

"Even so, marriage is not something you rush into," he said. "It is not something you treat lightly."

Fu Teng’s hand paused briefly over the paper, but he did not look up.

An Yu continued, his tone steady but more direct.

"Do you even like the girl?" he asked.

Fu Teng leaned back slightly and gave a small, indifferent shrug.

"I will marry her," he said.

The answer was calm, but it avoided the question.

An Yu frowned faintly.

"That is not what I asked," he said.

Fu Teng did not respond, and the silence between them stretched, carrying a quiet tension.

An Yu exhaled slowly before speaking again.

"You are making a decision that will tie you down for life," he said. "You should at least be certain about it."

At that, Fu Teng’s expression changed.

It was not sudden, but the shift was clear.

He set the abacus down with a sharper sound than necessary and finally lifted his gaze to meet An Yu’s.

"Why are you advising me?" he asked.

His voice had lost its earlier calm and now carried a faint edge.

An Yu paused, slightly caught off guard by the change.

Fu Teng did not stop.

"You already have a fiancée," he said. "So why are you telling me how I should handle my own marriage?"

An Yu’s expression tightened.

Fu Teng continued, his tone steady but no longer restrained.

"This is my life," he said. "I will marry whoever I want."

He held An Yu’s gaze without hesitation.

"Why do you care?" he added.

The question lingered between them, heavy and direct.

An Yu did not answer.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, and the air between them grew tense.

Fu Teng looked at him for a second longer before lowering his gaze again. He picked up the abacus, but only briefly, as if reconsidering, before letting it fall back onto the counter with a quiet but firm sound.

Without another word, he turned and walked away.

He did not look back.

And he did not wait for any response.