"Stop crying."

But Bai Qingqing wouldn’t. Ning Yan pressed his thin lips together. He had little patience for women weeping and wailing—by his usual temper, he would’ve thrown her out already and let her cry to her heart’s content.

Yet he sat there, unmoving for a long time. When Bai Qingqing finally calmed down a bit, he even poured her a cup of water. “Have some. Take a break.”

Bai Qingqing shot him a watery glare but didn’t refuse. She cupped the porcelain in both hands and sipped quietly.

“It’s not as bad as you think. Whoever tried to copy your fragrance probably lacked the skill—couldn’t reproduce the same fierce, biting effect…”

Ning Yan paused, then the corner of his mouth curved up. “I owe you a favor from before. Should I repay it now?”

At his words, Bai Qingqing’s hand instinctively moved to her slim waist. Ning Yan noticed and blinked. “You carry that token with you?”

“Why—not allowed?”

Her lashes were still heavy with tears, her gaze unfocused. Ning Yan suddenly felt thirsty and drained his cup in one go. “Whatever makes you happy.”

Bai Qingqing’s fingers traced the smooth outline of the jade token. She shook her head. “I won’t use it.”

“You were scared enough to cry, and you still won’t? Want to hold onto it that badly?”

She lowered her head and, with surprising resolve, nodded. Ning Yan’s gaze swept past her waist, his voice slow and unhurried. “Fine. Don’t use it then. Keep it. It’s not that big a deal either way.”

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“Really? It really doesn’t matter?”

“The laws of Xuan Dynasty aren’t so unjust as to punish the innocent. Like—if someone stabs with a knife, they won’t go after the one who made it.”

It’s the intent to harm that truly matters.

From Ning Yan’s face, Bai Qingqing caught a glimpse of that upright, unwavering sense of justice. Her heart skipped a beat. When Lord Ning got serious, he was… kind of good-looking.

After triple-confirming that she truly wouldn’t be held responsible, Bai Qingqing finally relaxed. But something still felt off. “So, you were scaring me on purpose earlier?”

Ning Yan almost laughed—so now she was settling accounts?

“I only told you the truth. If you're easily frightened, what does that have to do with me?”

Bai Qingqing thought about it—he had a point. She couldn't help feeling annoyed, but… across two lifetimes, she had never encountered anything like this. Just thinking about it made her hands and feet go cold.

“The favor still stands. Keep the token with you. When you’ve decided you want to use it, bring it to me.”

At the thought that her promise hadn’t been used up yet, Bai Qingqing couldn’t help but smile. But in Ning Yan’s eyes, that smile meant something else entirely.

His brows lifted slightly, his voice teasing. “Just because you get to keep the token, you’re this happy?”

He only meant to poke a little fun at her—he didn’t expect Bai Qingqing to nod, completely earnest. “Mm. I’m happy.”

Ning Yan: “…”

His lips tugged upward before he could stop them, though he quickly forced them down again. Taking a deep breath, he averted his gaze from her still-damp eyes and muttered, as if to himself, “Girls should learn to be a bit more reserved.”

“But I really am happy.”

Bai Qingqing found herself seeing Ning Yan in a new light today. He truly was the loyal, honorable Jin Yiwei officer her older brother had described. Maybe she had misjudged him before—maybe he really could help the Bai family!

Ning Yan didn’t quite know what to say. Oh well, there was nothing shameful about a young girl who couldn’t hide her thoughts. He just hadn’t expected her to be this bold when it came to feelings.

“If someone else copied the scent, would the one you gave me help with the symptoms?”

“You mean the ‘calm down’ one, my lord? I think it should work. But if I could get a whiff of the imitation, I might be able to make one that’s even more effective.”