Chapter Six: Discovering the Red Envelope

“To preserve one’s true heart throughout a lifetime is already a rare feat in itself. Why waste your spirit meddling in the affairs of others?” Chu Bing suddenly sat down on the ground, gazing up at the starry sky. A slight smile touched her lips. “Besides, you don’t intend to submit so easily, do you?”

Li Haoran glanced at her, then sat down beside her, his eyes reflecting the dazzling brilliance of the stars. “What they won’t do, what they fear to try—I’ll do it. I must see the farthest reaches of the land, the heights of the court. I have to see it with my own eyes!”

Looking at Li Haoran, brimming with ambition, Chu Bing seemed to see a reflection of her younger self. “You will succeed. You certainly will.”

She remembered that this was the first thing she told herself every morning when she rose before dawn.

Li Haoran was startled for a moment and turned to look at her, only to find Chu Bing’s eyelids fluttering drowsily as her head gently fell onto his shoulder.

The soft rhythm of her breathing seemed to sync with Li Haoran’s heartbeat. He had never imagined that in this courtyard, filled only with the sorrowful memories of his past, someone would one day sit by his side and gaze upon this vast, boundless sea of stars with him.

Li Haoran studied Chu Bing’s delicately curled lashes, a faint warmth stirring in his chest. This feeling was… not unpleasant at all.

Dawn crept closer.

“Congratulations, you’ve received the Master Chef Award.”

“Hmm?” Chu Bing gradually woke, her mind suddenly flooded with information about countless recipes and ingredients.

She closed her eyes to process it all, and when she opened them again, an assured smile played on her lips. Now this was good—she could open her own restaurant at last.

Stretching comfortably, Chu Bing turned her head—only to be startled by an up-close view of Li Haoran’s handsome, sleeping face.

She’d never really looked closely before. Now that she did, he was astonishingly fair-skinned.

Unable to resist, Chu Bing reached out and poked his cheek. Wow, so smooth—just like a freshly peeled egg.

The next moment, Li Haoran’s eyes slowly opened, his deep gaze meeting hers directly.

Wow, Chu Bing screamed inwardly. Those lashes were just too long and thick.

“Miss Chu.” Li Haoran called to her softly.

“Ah?”

“Your drool,” Li Haoran reminded her, “perhaps you should wipe it off first.”

Chu Bing froze for a second, then realized what he meant. She hurriedly stood up, but her leg went numb and she tumbled backward.

“Careful!” Li Haoran reacted swiftly, catching her around the waist. For a moment, their breaths mingled, their faces nearly touching.

“Are you alright?” Li Haoran asked gently.

Chu Bing swallowed, unable to tear her gaze from his face.

Seeing her cheeks flush a deeper red, Li Haoran gave a soft, muffled chuckle and slowly helped her up, releasing her.

“Miss Chu, you still haven’t wiped your drool.”

Flustered by his words, Chu Bing quickly raised her sleeve and wiped at her mouth, not daring to look up at him.

Just then, the system chimed in: “A reward envelope has appeared five hundred meters ahead. Please claim it as soon as possible.”

How timely, Chu Bing thought with relief.

“Um, I have something to take care of outside.” With that, she turned to leave, but Li Haoran suddenly grabbed her arm.

“When will you be back?” he asked softly.

The skin beneath his touch felt as if it were burning. Chu Bing quickly wriggled free. “I’ll be back as soon as I’m done. It’s urgent, so I have to go now.”

Watching her hurried departure, a faint smile flickered in Li Haoran’s eyes, but it soon faded into deep contemplation.

If, in the future, she could be persuaded to work for him, she would be a most valuable ally. The only question was what lay in her heart.

As for Chu Bing, what she really wanted right now was to dump a bottle of ice water over her own head.

What was wrong with her?

Had years of singlehood in the twenty-first century left her so susceptible to a man’s charms in this world?

Ah, beauty is a dangerous thing!

Chu Bing glanced around in irritation, realizing she’d already reached her destination, though she saw no sign of any reward envelope.

Looking up, she found herself in front of the very shop she’d noticed yesterday but hadn’t entered—Ten Thousand Families House.

“You heartless scoundrels! You poison people with your food and won’t even admit it!” a furious shout rang out.

Chu Bing looked toward the commotion and saw a crowd gathered inside the restaurant. A middle-aged man was waving several sheets of paper, bellowing at a table.

“Everyone, look carefully! It’s this place—my brother had noodles here this morning, and by noon he collapsed in bed. The doctor says it’ll take all these medicines listed here to cure him!”

The middle-aged man jabbed a finger at the manager, his voice menacing. “If you don’t give me an explanation today, we’ll take this to the magistrate. You can forget about keeping your doors open!”

“Our food is absolutely safe!” The manager was sweating profusely. “Ten Thousand Families House has been open in this county for decades. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”

“Just because it never happened before doesn’t mean it won’t happen now,” the man retorted, pressing his advantage. “My brother desperately needs money for medicine—five hundred taels. Hand it over, or if anything happens to my brother… Hmph!”

“Five hundred taels?” The manager was dumbfounded. “It costs five hundred taels to see a doctor?”

“Oh? You don’t believe me?” The man tossed the papers aside. The prescriptions scattered across the floor, caught by the wind. “These are from the most reputable pharmacy in Yong’an County. If you doubt it, you can ask the doctor yourself.”

A thin sheet drifted to Chu Bing’s feet. She bent to pick it up, read it carefully, then frowned. Looking it over again, understanding dawned, and she smiled faintly.

“You’ve said plenty, but are you going to pay or not?” the man demanded, his expression fierce. “My brother needs those medicines to save his life. If you keep stalling and something happens, we’ll be taking this to the magistrate!”

The manager was almost ready to fall to his knees. He was just a small business owner; he simply didn’t have that kind of money.

At that moment, a clear, ringing voice broke the tense silence from outside the door.

“In that case, let’s go together!”

As she spoke, Chu Bing strode in and placed the prescription on the table.

The middle-aged man looked her up and down. “And who are you, boy? This isn’t your business.”

He’d reminded her—Chu Bing had nearly forgotten she was dressed as a man.

Even better, she thought. In ancient times, a man’s words always carried more weight than a woman’s.

“I’m not here to meddle,” Chu Bing said calmly. “Since your brother urgently needs money, and the manager can’t produce such a sum, why not report this to the authorities right now? What does everyone think?”

The manager nearly fainted, thinking Chu Bing had come to his rescue, only to find her pouring oil on the fire.

But the moment she finished speaking, the middle-aged man’s face went deathly pale. The domineering air he’d displayed just moments before vanished without a trace.