The English Department faculty office where Ling Hanlu works is on the top floor of a quaint four-story building. Tucked away from the main road and surrounded by lush greenery, it stands there serenely like a poised fairy, come rain or shine.

　　In this building, it's rare to see a full house. The professors and lecturers mostly pop in every now and then, so it's not uncommon for colleagues to go years without running into each other.

　　Including the month-long winter break, Ling Hanlu hadn’t been to the office for over forty days. On the first day of the new semester, she made a point of getting up early to tidy up and do some cleaning.

　　As soon as she pushed open the door, Ling Hanlu was greeted by that unmistakable smell of wood floors and furniture that had been shut away for too long. It was a bit musty, a bit damp, carrying an air of neglect.

　　Determined to bring some life back into the place, Ling Hanlu strode in with purpose. But after just a couple of steps, she felt something under her shoe.

　　She looked down to find an envelope lying near the door, probably slipped in through the crack. She picked it up and, wouldn’t you know it, it was almost addressed to her. “Almost” because the last name was wrong—“Lin” instead of “Ling.” But considering how unique “Hanlu” was in the English Department, and probably the whole Foreign Languages School, it was clear who it was meant for. That little mistake was no big deal.

　　Checking the postmark, she saw it was sent just before the holiday. Local mail. With the few clues she had, Ling Hanlu pieced things together. The letter must have arrived just as everyone in the "Fairy Tower" had wrapped up the semester and left. The mailroom staff probably figured slipping it under the door was the safest bet. Who sends letters for anything urgent these days, anyway? Once she was back on campus, naturally, she got it. No biggie. She reasoned it out, justifying the staff’s actions.

　　She opened the envelope. Inside was no letter, just a single sheet of A4 paper with no salutation, no signature, no date. Just a stark white page with a few printed words that felt like a punch to the gut:

　　“Stay away from Fang Yucheng !!!”

　　Three huge exclamation marks! Handwritten in black ink, repeatedly thickened, almost cutting through the paper.

　　Ling Hanlu read it twice. She was surprised, but she didn’t dismiss it as nonsense.

　　Although it was a bizarre warning, on closer thought, it wasn’t entirely baseless.

　　Since being invited to join Fang Yucheng’s project, she had indeed been spending more time with him than usual. But just from those seven words and the exclamation marks, it was hard to tell if this was friendly advice or a malicious threat. The difference was significant, and it reflected drastically different images of Fang Yucheng.

　　The writer didn’t seem to know Ling Hanlu’s exact name. They had somehow found out and chose to use the increasingly rare method of traditional letter writing. Did they think it was less traceable than an anonymous call or email?

　　This was a mystery person with unclear motives. And this air of mystery had surfaced a little over a month ago.

　　---

　　Ling Hanlu remembered hearing strange footsteps behind her when she was walking alone outside her neighborhood after watching the New Year's fireworks show with Fang Yucheng. Could it be related?

　　As these wild thoughts raced through her mind, the vast, empty office started to feel eerily cold and foreboding, even in broad daylight.

　　Ling Hanlu took slow, deep breaths, trying to relax her shoulders and combat the creeping fear in her heart. She folded the paper along its creases and slipped it back into the envelope. Just as she pinched the flap shut, having finally calmed herself, someone lightly tapped her on the back.

　　"Ms. Ling, I knew it was you..." A male voice. Deep and steady, but given the timing, still startling. Completely oblivious to the tension, he added, "Heh, just you!"

　　Ling Hanlu's heart skipped a beat, and she almost lost her balance. A pair of hands from behind quickly steadied her by the shoulders.

　　"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you!"

　　Fang Yucheng's voice cut through the unusual atmosphere of this already strange morning, adding an extra layer of eeriness. Ling Hanlu turned around to see Director Fang smiling brightly. Clutching the piece of paper about him, she found herself momentarily at a loss for words.

　　"Oh, Ms. Ling, it's like this. You might not believe it, but yesterday I had this sudden feeling that you'd be the first one in our department to show up for work today. When I saw someone in the distance at the campus gate, I thought it looked like you. So I came up to check. You got here pretty early!" Fang Yucheng was in high spirits, his middle-aged frame radiating a youthful excitement, like a student who'd just aced a prediction on an exam.

　　"Director Fang, you're practically a fortune teller." Ling Hanlu couldn't help but clutch the envelope a bit tighter, feeling slightly uneasy. For some reason, she felt less at ease facing Fang Yucheng than usual. Not that she was panicking. At her age, she wasn't about to hide the letter behind her back like a lovestruck teenager with a secret note. If she did that, she'd either be seriously immature or overly dramatic.

　　"Oh, come on, Ms. Ling, you're giving me too much credit. Just call me Fang, no need for formality... Haha, I really miss those years spent here!" Fang Yucheng glanced around the office, reminiscing about his early days, "I've never understood why the college decided to put all the department heads in one building, far away from their own colleagues. It's not great for team building, you know?"

　　"Well, if communication helps, you could push for a change, Director Fang. But a team is a team, that's a fact, and it has nothing to do with physical distance," Ling Hanlu replied, trying to keep her tone calm to discourage any further conversation.

　　"Good point. Alright, I won't disturb you any longer. Please come by my office before the end of the day. There's something we need to discuss in person about the project."

　　Ling Hanlu turned the envelope upside down and pressed it into a drawer. But the doubts in her mind weren't squashed along with it. She was sure the mysterious person wasn't targeting her regular interactions with Fang Yucheng. The only thing that went beyond work was their New Year's Eve fireworks outing. But what exactly was that person hinting at?

　　Furrowing her brow, Ling Hanlu pondered.

　　After a moment, her rational side kicked in, telling her that overthinking wouldn't help. As long as she was doing her job right and staying aboveboard, she didn't need to worry about these spooky antics.

　　She decisively grabbed a bag of cleaning supplies from the floor and set about giving this neglected space a makeover.

　　After a thorough cleaning session, the room looked as good as new. Ling Hanlu opened the window—spring had arrived.

　　Before leaving for the day, Ling Hanlu headed to Fang Yucheng's office.

　　The director's door was wide open as usual. On the coffee table sat a cup of tea with a lid, as per the norm. The burgundy ceramic cup was visible from afar.

　　Ling Hanlu instinctively shuffled her shoes on the doormat and lifted her foot to check if her everyday kicks were worthy of the freshly cleaned floor inside.

　　Fang Yucheng looked momentarily surprised when he saw her, then broke into a smile and welcomed her over.

　　He gestured for her to come in and take a seat.

　　He gave up the window-side of the couch for her and settled on the other side himself.

　　He motioned for Ling Hanlu to try the tea, saying it was a new health blend he'd recently discovered. "The temperature should be just right now, give it a taste."

　　Ling Hanlu lifted the lid of the cup, revealing the floating plants inside, some recognizable, some not. But it smelled good. Housed in an exquisite ceramic cup, it felt like life itself, cherished and flourishing. Ling Hanlu, feeling sentimental, opened her mouth to take a sip.

　　"Mmm, it's tasty." Ling Hanlu was less reserved now than the first time she had tea here. She preferred to interpret this gesture from Fang Yucheng as a display and promotion of personal lifestyle quality. It was not just luxurious, but also friendly. She'd rather give a positive interpretation to something that wasn't obviously wrong, as it felt more comfortable than suspicion and speculation. So she conveyed goodwill again, saying, "It really is delicious."

　　"That's good to hear. I went on a trip to the Southwest during the break, stayed in a mountain lodge for a few days. The locals recommended this exclusive tea recipe from the region's centenarians. Lots of exotic flowers and plants that I didn't recognize. My friend got them as a gesture of hospitality and gave me a few boxes. Since you're enjoying it, I'll give you one too." Fang Yucheng fetched a tea box from under the coffee table. The packaging was minimal, no plastic wrap. "It's pretty basic packaging, hope you don't mind."

　　"Oh, not at all. All-natural, no industrial additives, this is how the packaging is. It's just that I haven't finished the tea you gave me last time, and now..." Ling Hanlu's dilemma was evident in her eyes.

　　"Don't worry about it. We're a team, remember?" Fang Yucheng shifted in the middle of the couch as he spoke.

　　"Of course. Thank you! Director, can we start today's discussion now?"

　　Fang Yucheng noticed Ling Hanlu checking her phone for the time. He stood up to grab his laptop, the screen reflecting Ling Hanlu's silhouette. Her silent, serene demeanor reminded him of many words associated with purity and detachment. He felt this was a kind of unconscious beauty, more worthy of respect than those women on the street who caked on makeup and pursued extreme beauty with all kinds of cosmetic enhancements.

　　It was worth respecting her in his own unique way.

　　After their chat wrapped up, Ling Hanlu took off first, and Fang Yucheng didn't push to escort her out.

　　But within five seconds, he jumped off the couch and made a beeline for the window. Leaning against the frame, he half-hid behind the curtain, waiting for Ling Hanlu to stroll by from the lobby below, carrying the health tea from her trip out West. Finally, she came into view.

　　With no big trees blocking his view, he watched Ling Hanlu stride briskly through the outdoor air. He figured her sprightly steps were her way of showing she enjoyed their talk. It had to be the reason. It just had to be. She was stepping out for a bit, probably needing some quiet time to soak in the joy she'd just picked up, to mull over and refine the fantastic mental dance they'd shared.

　　"It has to be this way. Besides, there's nowhere else worth her journeying to."