[The Bitter Birthday Remnant]
Inside the lavish halls of the Li Mansion, the birthday banquet was in full swing. Li Furong sat in the place of honor, adorned in silk and jewels, her smile perfect and practiced. To the guests, she was the picture of elegance; to herself, she felt hollow.
Late that night, after the last guest departed, she found a simple wooden box on her dressing table. Inside were the hibiscus cakes—imperfect, hand-carved, and smelling faintly of herbs. A single tear fell, splashing onto the wood.
"We all once loved the same woman..." Sang Qi's words echoed in her mind like a curse. She clutched the box to her chest, the sweetness of the gift now tasting like heartbreak. It hurts... why does it hurt so much?
[The Jealous Physician]
For days, the medical tent was silent. No twisted ankles, no "accidental" scratches, no laughter. Sang Qi pounded his herbs with a ferocity that made his apprentices tremble.
"That woman..." he muttered, his jaw tight. "She kisses me and then vanishes? Is she a ghost or just cruel?"
On his way to deliver medicine at the Glass Market, he spotted a flash of primrose yellow. It was her. She was walking beside a handsome, well-dressed gentleman, chatting and smiling.
Sang Qi froze, his fingers digging into his medicine chest. The sight of her smile—a smile that wasn't directed at him—made his chest ache with a bitterness no medicine could cure. So, this is why you haven't come back. You found a "suitable" match.
[The Realization]
Beside the wealthy Lord Liang, Furong felt a growing sense of suffocation. He spoke of rare jade and expensive delicacies, yet all she could think of was a man in a white robe who stayed up all night learning to bake for her.
"Lord Liang, I apologize," she said suddenly, stopping in her tracks. "We are not a match. I must go."
Before the confused man could respond, she turned and ran. She didn't care about decorum or her silk slippers. She only knew one thing: she had to see Sang Qi.
[The Confession in the Alley]
She reached the pharmacy just as Sang Qi stepped out. Their eyes met, and panicking, Furong turned to run again.
"Hey!" Sang Qi shouted, catching her by the wrist in a nearby alley. "Why are you running?"
"I know you love someone else!" she cried, her voice trembling. "I overheard you talking to Ling Dang. I shouldn't have bothered you."
Sang Qi froze, then realized the misunderstanding. "You vanished for days because of that? Or because you were too busy with that Lord Liang?"
"He's nothing to me!" she shouted back. "I came back to ask... if you'd make those cakes for me again."
Her eyes glinted with a familiar mischief. She leaned in close, her breath warm against his cheek. "But don't worry. I won't feed you with my mouth this time."
She touched her own lips softly. "This time, I want you to feed me."
Sang Qi's entire face erupted in a crimson flush. His throat went dry, and his heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird. Without a word, he turned and walked away at a frantic pace, trying to hide his burning ears.
"Why are you walking so fast?" Furong laughed, lifting her skirts to chase after him. "You haven't answered me! Will you do it?"
The autumn sun bathed the alley in gold as the two figures—one fleeing, one chasing—disappeared into the distance, leaving the scent of hibiscus and sweet hope behind.