Jiang Zhi and Zhou Xufang didn’t go out in the afternoon and holed up in the hotel all afternoon.

Zhou Xufang practically treated him like a patient, and she was beside herself with worry when he took a bath, guarding the door and giving all kinds of admonitions.

“Jiang Zhi, don’t shower for too long.”

The internet says you can’t be in contact with water for a long time after getting a tattoo.

“You can only take showers.”

You definitely can’t soak in water.

And also, “Don’t use shower gel.”

Shower gels might contain all sorts of additives, only clean water is allowed after getting a tattoo.

Another thing, “Don’t set the water temperature too high.”

If it’s too high, it could cause burns and secondary damage.

The internet also says, “Don’t rub the tattooed area with your hands.”

It would cause inflammation.

“Zhou Xufang,” Jiang Zhi turned off the water, “how about you come in and wash me?”

The ever-serious Zhou Xufang replied, “No, men and women should not touch each other.”

Jiang Zhi: “…”

Zhou Xufang briefly gave him space, and oh, one last thing, she returned to the bathroom door and solemnly instructed, “After washing, dry off with a clean, soft towel, gently dab, don’t rub too hard.”

Jiang Zhi couldn’t help but chuckle, it turns out Lord Black Impermanence can be quite nagging too.

At eight-thirty, he had a video conference in the outer room of the suite.

Zhou Xufang was at the bedroom door, waving at him.

He said ‘pause the meeting,’ and asked Zhou Xufang, “What’s wrong?”

She ran over, “You need to sleep early.”

“It’s just past eight.”

“Sleeping early helps with faster recovery.”

Anyone who didn’t know would think he had suffered serious injuries.

But seeing her care so much about him put him in a great mood, “Let’s stop here for today, everyone prepare the materials, I’m not patient, next time if it’s still this clueless, consider handing in your resignation.”

Saying this, he turned off the video.

“Did you just turn it off?”

“No, I didn’t.”

Zhou Xufang, frowning: “Then did they hear me speaking?”

“What would happen if they did?”

She looked distressed, “They might think I’m the sort of ‘little demon’ trying to seduce you to sleep.”

Indeed, a fairy.

One that ensnared his soul.

He laughed, his eyes revealed his captivation, his gaze lingering tenderly, “They won’t call you a ‘little demon,’ they should thank you, or they would have faced my wrath.”

By nine, Zhou Xufang was pulling him to bed, perhaps because it was too early, he was not sleepy at all and began to act coquettishly.

“Zhou Xufang, it hurts.”

Hearing him complain of pain, Zhou Xufang immediately panicked, “What should we do?”

He lay there, like a delicate flower awaiting ravishment, “Blow it for me.”

“Oh.”

She peeled off his clothes, leaned over his stomach, and gently blew on the tattoo, “How about now, does it still hurt?”

He moaned, “It hurts.”

She continued to blow on it gently…

The delicate flower turned into a little demon.

His eyes were moist, as if rain had fallen, softly and seductively entrancing, and he even turned the tables, “Fang Bao, you’re seducing me.”

She wasn’t.

He lay there, looking like he was yours for the taking, “You have to take responsibility.”

Zhou Xufang played dead off to the side.

He entangled himself with her.

Zhou Xufang: “…”

She’s not the little demon.

Jiang Zhi is the real little demon!

Jiang Zhi only went to sleep after eleven and didn’t know how long he had slept before he awoke groggily and felt around the pillow, which was empty.

He immediately sat up, the room was dark, the light wasn’t on, and his brain was foggy.

“Fang Bao?”

“I’m right here.” She was sitting by his feet.

His hair was a mess from pressing against it himself, “Why aren’t you sleeping?”

Zhou Xufang was energetic, “I need to watch over your feet.”

“?”

She explained, “You can’t kick around.” He had just gotten a tattoo and should not move around too much, but he slept terribly.

“Stop fussing.” Jiang Zhi pulled her down, “Let’s sleep.”

Oh, sleep.

She closed her eyes, trying to summon sleepiness, summoning and summoning…

He pressed one foot on her stomach.

She tried to muster up some sleepiness again and again…

He leaned over her and turned, rolling from the inside to the outside of the bed.

She opened her eyes, got up, and sat down at his feet.

Ah, Jiang Zhi’s sleeping posture was terrible!

A week later, the scabbing on his tattoo had mostly come off, revealing the clearly inked black font that bore her name below the right side of his abdomen.

These past few days in Imperial City had grown warmer, signaling the fast approach of summer.

Jiang Zhi’s health had mostly recovered, though he was still taking medication. Xu Jiuru would come by every few days to check on him, and occasionally, they would both visit the hospital for examinations.

On the evening of May 15th, Jiang Zhi went to bed early.

He seemed to be in a poor mood, talking less than usual and not saying much. After giving Zhou Xufang a kiss, and just as he was about to fall asleep, he suddenly called out to her.

“Xu Fang.”

Zhou Xufang immediately opened her eyes, “Hm?”

“Accompany me to a place tomorrow.”

“Where to?”

“To the cemetery,” Jiang Zhi said. “Tomorrow is my mother’s memorial day.”

Jiang Zhi’s mother had passed away when he was less than a hundred days old.

Zhou Xufang snuggled into his embrace, hugging him obediently, “Do I need to prepare anything?”

“No, the old house will have it prepared.”

She went to sleep at nine.

When Jiang Zhi got up at eight in the morning, she was already ready, sitting at the dining table waiting for him. She had made porridge and fried bacon and ham.

After brushing his teeth, Jiang Zhi asked, “What time did you wake up?”

“A little after six.”

“Why so early?”

She went to the kitchen and carried out a bamboo basket filled with food, including fish and meat. “For the cemetery. I thought it was better that we prepare it ourselves.”

It was then that Jiang Zhi noticed the many offerings beside the table, packed in two large cardboard boxes.

She crouched beside the boxes, “Let me check if anything is missing.”

Gold and silver ingots, paper money, sandalwood…

“Who told you to prepare all these?”

“My uncle,” Zhou Xufang finished checking the items, feeling a bit regretful, “But I didn’t steam the fish and meat well, there’s no time to redo them, so we’ll have to use what the Jiang Family prepared.” She looked at the time, “Why haven’t they delivered it yet?”

Jiang Zhi glanced at the bamboo woven basket: “We’ll use what you’ve made.”

“It’s okay if it’s overcooked?”

He said, “It’s fine.”

She noticed his eyes were slightly red.

“Jiang Zhi,” she came over to comfort him, “don’t be sad.” Frowning, she felt upset too.

Jiang Zhi shook his head and hugged her: “In my past life, I must have done many good deeds.”

Without having accumulated much fortune, where would he have had the luck to meet such a wonderful girl?

Just before ten, Jiang Chuan finally delivered the prepared offerings and paper money. Jiang Zhi received them, sent him away, and did not use the items sent by the Jiang Family, opting instead for the ones Zhou Xufang had prepared.

His mother’s memorial day, due to Xu Jiuru’s influence, meant that the Jiang Family usually did not go to the cemetery. In past years, it was always Jiang Zhi alone, but this year was different, Zhou Xufang was with him.

His mother’s gravesite wasn’t located with his father’s; it was more secluded but also peaceful.

Today there was no sunlight, and the wind had picked up.

Jiang Zhi lit six incense sticks, gave three to Zhou Xufang, and together they respectfully bowed.

“This is my girlfriend, Xu Fang, your future daughter-in-law.”

Jiang Zhi stood in front of the grave, introducing the person beside him in this manner.

The paper money burned in a small pit made of stone bricks, immune to the wind, emitting only a few wisps of smoke.

As it was nearly burnt out, he added more paper: “The food was prepared by Xu Fang, her cooking isn’t great, so please bear with it. Normally, I don’t really let her cook.”

Zhou Xufang remained silent, placing the lilies she had brought in front of the tombstone.

“There isn’t much else to say to you, just protect me as always and look after her too.” Jiang Zhi offered three cups of wine, finished burning the paper, and after hoeing the weeds in front of the tombstone, he led Zhou Xufang down the hill.

May 16th was also Lu Jingyuan’s memorial day; he had passed away exactly one year after Guan Wansu.

The cemetery was on the hillside, and as they finished the memorial and descended, Lu Jingsong spotted Jiang Zhi, who had reached the foot of the hill on the opposite trail, “Isn’t that the Jiang boy?”

Lu Sheng, following behind, glanced over, “What boy? The man has a name.”

The Jiang Family did not like the Lu Family.

Similarly, the Lu Family held no affection for the Jiang Family.

Lu Jingsong refused to use his name: “That boy, just took over the Jiang Group and replaced a whole lot of people, quite ruthless indeed.”

Just like his father, both ruthless and merciless.

“That project with the Drug Administration, the Jiang Group is contending for it too, right?” Lu Jingsong asked casually.

The project, initiated by the government, would be lucrative and prestigious for any medical enterprise lucky enough to be chosen as a partner, leading many to vie fiercely for a piece of the pie.

Lu Sheng made an affirming sound: “The Jiang Group is our biggest competitor.”

Both the Lu and Jiang Families were in the medical field, sharing dominance and grappling for the top position for many years.

Though Lu Jingsong wasn’t in the business world, he understood some of the rules, cautioning his daughter, “People from the Jiang Family are all scheming, be cautious around them.”

It’s not the overt attacks that are feared, but the hidden ones.

Lu Sheng revealed an angelic smile, “You make it sound like I’m not scheming.”

“…”