Ling Hanlu stared at a series of short numbers, feeling puzzled. It seemed unfamiliar, but evidently, it was a call from a colleague from the foreign department.

　　After hanging up the phone, she seemed to fully wake up. In a few minutes of conversation, she received a formal invitation to join a research project group. She hesitated but eventually agreed.

　　During the call, the person praised Ling Hanlu's previous academic achievements, especially commending her self-authored textbook that won a provincial-level gold award. However, there was also a hint of regret in the words, with a touch of "parting with Zhong Yong."

　　Overall, Ling Hanlu hesitantly accepted the invitation, although she could hardly remember what the project was about.

　　The next day, Ling Hanlu added the number of the latest call to her contacts. "Director Fang Yucheng."

　　Following the address left by Director Fang, Ling Hanlu found her way to "Yuzhuxuan," an ancient-style teahouse.

　　The project group's "kick-off meeting" was scheduled in a private room on the second floor of the teahouse.

　　The teahouse lobby was elegantly simple, with a group of original wooden root-carved tables and stools in the center, adorned with ceramic tea sets. On the beige background wall, a pair of couplets in cursive script read, "Clear springs flow with fragrance, honored guests enjoy tea."

　　Ling Hanluo, the esteemed guest, got lost in this almost labyrinth-like teahouse. She couldn't find the entrance to the second floor until Director Fang's call came from between two sets of open shelves.

　　"Ling Teacher, we've been waiting for you!"

　　Following the sound, Ling Hanluo saw Director Fang standing just beneath the halo of a Zen-like pendant lamp. Inside the room, the melodious sound of a guzheng filled the air. This man's smile was genuine and warm, his posture elegant. It was a pity he lacked a whisk in his hand; otherwise, he'd resemble a messenger from the heavens.

　　She followed him into the private room. Including Fang and Ling, there were a total of six people seated. Except for one unfamiliar face, all were colleagues from the foreign department's English department.

　　The unfamiliar face, introduced by Director Fang as his former graduate student, currently taught at a university in City A. Only this disciple of Director Fang, being far from the rumors circulating in the foreign department, greeted Ling Hanlu with a clear and friendly smile.

　　Director Fang handed a printed draft to Ling Hanlu. "The initial proposal is here, take a look."

　　He poured tea for Ling Hanlu, brought the refreshments closer, then lifted his gaze and said, "Everyone, this time we won't assign tasks individually. I've arranged tasks for each of you based on your areas of expertise, so rest assured."

　　Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

　　Fang Yucheng quickly glanced at Ling Hanlu, seeing her engrossed in reading the draft, he raised his cup and said, "I am fortunate to have invited Ling Hanlu to join us this time. Our project team is truly strengthened by her presence. You may have heard of her. Ling Teacher's self-authored textbook has won provincial-level awards, and she has considerable practical experience..."

　　As they listened, everyone simultaneously flipped back to the first page of the initial draft. They all unconsciously reexamined the "Project Leader" column, and Ling Hanlu's name was prominently listed after Fang Yucheng's. Then, two individuals exchanged glances, while the rest nodded as if suddenly realizing something.

　　The members of the project team exchanged opinions and discussed their doubts. About half an hour later, Fang Yucheng, as the first host, saw that dinner time had arrived. He called the restaurant staff to bring a table of exquisite Chinese dishes, including a portion of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall for each person.

　　The meeting adjourned. As they headed downstairs, Ling Hanlu relied on her somewhat better sense of direction to find her way to the ground floor entrance. At that moment, Fang Yucheng hurriedly caught up from between the two open shelving units in the lobby, his hands still covered in undried moisture, his hand backs and fingertips turning red. Except for Ling Hanlu, who had gone down first, the other four had all shaken hands with Fang Yucheng before saying goodbye.

　　"Sorry, got held up in the restroom. Which direction is your home? Let me give you a ride."

　　"I just called a ride-hailing service. It'll be here shortly."

　　"Apologies for taking up your personal time on the weekend."

　　"Thank you for your trust, Director Fang. However, I feel unworthy of the position of the second host."

　　"Ling Hanlu, don't overthink it. With great ability comes great responsibility." Fang Yucheng once again took his hands out of his pockets, subconsciously rubbing his hand backs and fingertips.

　　"Director Fang, my ride's here. Thank you for dinner."

　　"Alright then. Have a pleasant weekend!"

　　As Fang Yucheng saw Ling Hanlu getting into the car, he turned and headed towards the parking lot. Along the way, he eagerly searched through his backpack for the small spray bottle. After a couple of sprays on the backs of his hands and fingertips, he breathed a sigh of relief, as if the whole world had returned to peace.

　　Returning to Green Garden Community, the buildings were already brightly lit between the clusters. Ling Hanlu arrived at the front of the apartment building. She made a special effort to inspect the bushes, confirming that a person had stood motionless here a few nights ago. It wasn't a sculpture. Yet, for her, a resident who passed by here every day, this confirmation seemed unnecessary.

　　Ling Hanlu looked up at the apartment building. From a certain angle, under the cover of the leaves, the entire building seemed to exude a surreal beauty. She couldn't pinpoint the exact spot where the person had stood. She moved back and forth, trying different angles. But the more she tried, the more her heart seemed to convulse. Even her exhaled breath felt shaky.

　　She didn't know if the person had looked up at the half-drunk woman holding the wine bottle. And if they did, she didn't know if her narrowed eyes had met theirs... She hated herself for still speculating about the person's identity after several days. How much she wanted to deny that she clearly remembered that young man!

　　"Hey sis, are you playing the piano? Got me on speaker?" Ling Hanlu lounged on the bed. She wasn't even willing to open her eyes, fearing it would drain her energy. But disturbing each other on weekends was a joy, and no matter how lazy she felt, she couldn't give that up.

　　"Asking the obvious, how could it be me? With two kids at home, all my time belongs to them. It's Dabao practicing the piano. I'm playing with Erbao!" Xu Shuping flipped through flashcards, pointing to a banana and asking Erbao how to say it in English.

　　"What a great mom!" Ling Hanlu praised before rolling over.

　　"Thanks for the compliment. Judging from your voice, you're still lying down, right?" Xu Shuping, having spent countless days with her best friend, even knew the details revealed in her breathing.

　　"Yeah... I only slept at 2 in the morning. I'm still not fully awake. If I'm incoherent, please bear with me." Ling Hanlu adjusted her blanket, protecting her shoulders and neck. Lately, she often found herself unconsciously wrapping herself in fabric. And sometimes, it wasn't just because she felt cold.

　　"Watching dramas? Or..."

　　"Shuping, I'm about to get busy lately!" Ling Hanlu recounted the previous day's invitation to meet at the teahouse and poured out her thoughts. "Started doing homework as soon as I got back yesterday. It's a pretty big project. The position they gave me is quite important. I'm both excited and worried."

　　"So, you're making a comeback in the academic world?"

　　"It's been a while since I've fought dragons. My sword might be a bit rusty... Haha, am I shameless?"

　　"To be honest, it's a good thing that Director Fang dug you out. Although I'm not in your field, and I don't have a high education, I always felt like what you show to everyone is just the tip of the iceberg... Am I wrong?"

　　"It was quite sudden, really caught me off guard. I barely interact with Fang Yucheng on a regular basis, so how did he think of me?" Ling Hanlu shifted to a prone position again.

　　"Put it in plain terms, a nugget always shines. Don't overthink it! Just seize the opportunity, I'm rooting for you!"

　　"Yeah. Shuping, I think you have a real talent for making nourishing soup!" Ling Hanlu's stomach grumbled, prompting her to steer the conversation in a different direction due to physiological urges.

　　"Here we go again... So, tell me more?"

　　"The Buddha Jumps Over the Wall you made is simply on par with a celebrity chef's."

　　"Oh really? Have you tried the authentic one?"

　　"Just yesterday, at Fang Yucheng's dinner. It was there. I feel like the only difference is you used a bit less dried scallop."

　　"...Hanlu, I'm getting a weird vibe here. Think about it, he shows up and bumps into you at the magazine, then a few days later invites you to join a project. We have dinner, and coincidentally, he orders the same Buddha Jumps Over the Wall we had. I remember the whole room was filled with that smell, he must have noticed..."

　　"And what does that mean?"

　　"One, he's rescuing you from the cage, pulling you out of your self-imposed swamp. Two, he's catering to your preferences. He thinks you like Buddha Jumps Over the Wall!"

　　"Oh my, you really have a knack for this. Weren't you the one telling me not to overthink?"

　　"Alright, just wait and see. By the way, did Fang spray yesterday?"

　　"Spray... Oh, you mean Director Fang? Didn't see him do it. But, he did go to the bathroom quite a few times." Ling Hanlu recalled seriously.

　　"Frequent urination? Urinary urgency? Incomplete voiding? It could be a urological issue? This could involve the kidneys, Hanlu, you gotta consider that."

　　"Shuping, tone it down a bit with the talk."

　　"Fear what? Little treasure is right beside me, busy poking at the cake on his card, pretending to stuff it into his mouth! Ain't got no time for us. I'll take him to the supermarket later; his sister said she wanted seafood soup in the morning, so I gotta prep the ingredients." Xu Shuping's pace quickened as she talked about household chores.

　　"What about your helper?"

　　"She doesn't come on weekends or holidays. My husband says as long as I'm around, everything's fine. Hehe... You just asked if it was me playing the piano earlier, remember? You said something about being light and flying, if it had actually happened, it might've been my swan song."

　　"..."

　　"So, I said I envied you last time, and I really wasn't being melodramatic. Hanlu, listen to me, get up soon and embrace your new life."

　　"Envy..." Ling Hanlu wouldn't misinterpret; she understood her friend's good intentions, but was this "envied" life really what she wanted?

　　"Seriously envious! You'll figure it out if you think about it." Xu Shuping tried to convey encouragement through her words but inadvertently revealed a sense of melancholy.

　　"But your current life is still what many women dream of..." Ling Hanlu swallowed this sentence. Even facing her best friend, she felt any hint of advice would be impolite. When you can't be in someone else's shoes.

　　After hanging up the phone, Ling Hanlu retreated back into her covers. The sunlight filtering through the lace curtains painted warm, dappled patterns on her face.

　　Her vision was golden. After intense mental labor, under extreme exhaustion, the golden hue released a sense of Zen. It didn't need the low hum of the guzheng in the teahouse or the presence of incense; it still transported her to a transcendent realm... But she forced herself to fully wake up.

　　She spent an hour cleaning the entire apartment. She wanted to eliminate all traces of sickness from this space as a prelude to embracing her new life.

　　After finishing the cleaning, she spent nearly an hour applying the most delicate makeup within her abilities. Of course, about half of those sixty minutes were spent dealing with clumps of mascara.

　　Confirming that the "spider legs" on the edges of her eyelids were cleanly removed and the perfume behind her ears transitioned to the middle notes, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed out the door.

　　At the deepest part of the café, there was a row of extra-long sofa seats. Ling Hanlu chose to sit down closest to the corner.

　　On the small round table in front of her, she arranged a cup of Americano and a plate of waffles, which she intended to use as her lunch. The café's sound system was playing Chantal Chamberland, and the staff behind the counter occasionally called out for Miss or Mr. So-and-So to come and collect their orders. The scent of wheat, coffee, cream, and the various fragrances of passersby... In this sweet and rich atmosphere, Ling Hanlu immersed herself in her academic studies.

　　In the field that Fang Yucheng believed she excelled in, Ling Hanlu furrowed her brows.

　　Indeed, her sword had dulled somewhat. After being away from the academic world for three years, she found that some essential research skills had deteriorated and needed time to be reactivated.

　　Ling Hanlu stared at the screen intently, completely unaware of the "danger" looming ahead.

　　She chose to sit in the corner to avoid being disturbed, but she didn't expect it to be a thoroughfare for people going to and from the restroom. A girl went in, and soon came out. As she passed by, a careless movement caused Ling Hanlu's Americano to spill onto the floor.

　　The girl's face paled, staring blankly at her coffee-stained shoes. Ling Hanlu was astonished to see that the girl's focus wasn't on the accident she caused or the aftermath. She decided to recline back in the sofa, leaning against the backrest, quietly observing the situation.

　　At that moment, the girl beckoned to the booth area on the other side of the café. The name she called out sent a shiver down Ling Hanlu's spine.