As the time to play the piano approached, Qin Nian checked the clock. His medicinal pot was nearly ready.
Lin happened to come into the kitchen to clean and, seeing Qin Nian carefully pouring the soup, teased him with a smile, “Mr. Qin, you’re making soup yourself? Whoever ends up with you is really lucky.”
Qin Nian shook his head, “No, this is for Mr. Feng.”
As they chatted, Feng Ning wheeled herself into the kitchen, sniffing the air with an exaggerated expression, “What a wonderful smell. Xiao Nian, are you cooking something?”
Qin Nian blinked, “Just brewing a sleep aid medicinal pot.”
Feng Ning perked up at this, “That sounds great! What’s a medicinal pot? I’ve never heard of it in England. I’d love to try it. Not that I’m saying I want to drink it, but if you could spare some, that would be wonderful.”
Qin Nian: …
Even from across the kitchen, it felt like Feng Ning’s calculating intentions were about to hit him in the face.
Qin Nian poured half a bowl for Feng Ning.
The freshly made medicinal pot was so hot that Feng Ning could barely hold it. She placed the bowl on the table, gently blew on it, and took a small sip.
Though it was a medicinal pot, the taste of the herbs was faint, with the rich flavor of bone broth more prominent.
“Have you given it to Xiao Wang yet?”
Qin Nian shook his head, “No, I was just about to go play the piano and take the soup over.”
Feng Ning set down her bowl, a sly look in her eyes, “Since Xiao Nian shared the soup with me, I’ll tell you a little secret.”
“Xiao Wang doesn’t like drinking medicine.”
When Qin Nian arrived at Feng Wang’s room, Feng Wang was wearing a gray bathrobe, browsing through documents that Yang Huan had just delivered under the lamplight. He seemed like a machine that never tired, never growing weary of the papers in his hands.
Qin Nian placed the soup on Feng Wang’s desk.
Feng Wang glanced at the dark concoction, his brow furrowing instinctively, “Why are you suddenly bringing me medicine?”
“This is a soup I made for you, Mr. Feng. It helps with sleep.”
As he said this, Qin Nian felt an inexplicable warmth in his cheeks. Strangely, he felt like a high school student bringing a bottle of water to their crush on the sports field.
He suspected his face was probably turning red again. Fortunately, the lamp in Feng Wang’s room cast a soft yellow light, so even if he blushed, it might not be too noticeable.
Qin Nian was grateful to Feng Wang. Since his rebirth, Qin Nian had always believed in reciprocating kindness. Feng Wang had helped him repeatedly, so he responded with a warm heart.
Yet whenever he spoke to Feng Wang, he felt a bit intimidated. On reflection, it wasn’t fear, more like shyness.
This was a feeling he hadn’t experienced with others before. Qin Nian couldn’t understand it, but he didn’t like to dwell on things. Knowing he was easily embarrassed, he decided to put it out of his mind.
“If you’re having trouble sleeping, maybe you should avoid coffee. It can cause insomnia,” Qin Nian suggested, pointing to the coffee nearby.
Feng Wang picked up the medicinal pot Qin Nian had brought, sniffing it, “Is it medicine?”
Though it was bone broth, the herbal aroma was quite strong.
Feng Wang instinctively wanted to push the bowl away.
Qin Nian had anticipated this. He gripped the edge of Feng Wang’s desk tightly and quickly recited the words Feng Ning had taught him, “Sister Ning said if you don’t drink it, she’ll tell me stories from your childhood.”
Feng Wang’s hand paused immediately.
Qin Nian was a bit shocked. Just how embarrassing were Feng Wang’s childhood stories that he cared so much?
Feng Wang looked up at Qin Nian. The young man’s hands were gripping the desk edge, his fingers straight and tense, clearly nervous.
Was he really that intimidating?
Did speaking to him make others so tense?
With this thought, Feng Wang felt an urge to tease the young man before him.
“You’re quite familiar with her. She’s only been back half a day, and she’s already using her words to manipulate people.”
Manipulate, meaning to coerce or threaten.
It didn’t sound like a compliment.
Hearing this, Qin Nian’s eyes widened, and he quickly denied it, “No, I didn’t mean to manipulate you, Mr. Feng. That’s not what I meant. I mean—”
Qin Nian paused. What was his original intention?
To help Feng Wang with his insomnia?
Or was he curious about Feng Wang’s childhood stories?
For a moment, his mind couldn’t keep up. Qin Nian felt he couldn’t explain it, but he didn’t want Feng Wang to think he was being coerced. He quickly reached out and took the bowl from Feng Wang’s hands.
“It’s not good. Mr. Feng, don’t drink it.”
With that, he prepared to take it away.
Feng Wang chuckled, grabbing Qin Nian’s arm to retrieve the bowl, “Why are you taking it away now?”
Qin Nian pressed his lips together, saying nothing.
In an instant, their roles reversed.
Feng Wang took the bowl, stirring it with a white porcelain spoon, and drank it slowly.
The soup was rich, the tender bone meat nicely diluting the herbal taste, making the whole bowl quite delicious.
However, when Feng Wang finished, he noticed Qin Nian watching him with a hint of grievance in his eyes.
“I’ve drunk the soup. Why do you still look unhappy?”
“No, Mr. Feng, you misunderstood.” Qin Nian, caught in his emotions, set the bowl aside.
Sitting at the piano, he lifted the lid and played a few random notes, “What would you like to hear today, Mr. Feng?”
“Anything is fine.”
As soon as he spoke, Qin Nian struck a few powerful notes, and the room filled with the intense rhythm of the Croatian Rhapsody. The piano’s echoes in the enclosed space made the already passionate piece even more intense.
It had nothing to do with a lullaby.
Feng Wang: …
Even if Feng Wang didn’t know much about piano, he could tell that such a lively piece wasn’t meant for sleep.
It seemed Qin Nian was genuinely a bit upset.
When the energetic piece ended, Qin Nian saw Feng Wang still sitting there and asked, “Mr. Feng, aren’t you going to sleep?”
Feng Wang thought that if he could sleep through such a piano piece, he must have a unique talent.
“You go ahead and play. I usually fall asleep directly, but I rarely get to see you play.”
Initially, Qin Nian hadn’t felt much under Feng Wang’s gaze, but once Feng Wang mentioned it, he realized Feng Wang had been watching him the whole time.
He felt a bit nervous.
His palms were slightly sweaty, and his fingers felt stiff.
“Why did you stop playing?” Feng Wang asked, looking at the young man with his head down.
Qin Nian replied softly, “I’ll play now.”
He placed his hands back on the piano, unsure of what to play. All he wanted was to lull Feng Wang to sleep. A gentle piece should do the trick.
As he began to play “Für Elise,” Qin Nian inexplicably felt his fingers tense and heavy.
“Thunk—”
A prolonged wrong note stood out awkwardly in the piece.
Qin Nian startled himself, and in his fluster, hit a few more wrong notes, hurriedly withdrawing his hands like a child caught doing something wrong.
“You made a mistake,” Feng Wang noted.
For some reason, Qin Nian recalled the saying about a flawed performance.
“I know,” Qin Nian replied sullenly, wondering what was wrong with him today.
Feng Wang smiled gently, “Well, shall we continue?”
“There’s still plenty of time left on the contract,” Qin Nian muttered, “And Mr. Feng, you haven’t gone to sleep yet.”
Feng Wang chuckled, “Why are you so easily upset today?”
Qin Nian paused, looking up with an innocent expression, his hands retreating from the piano, unconsciously clutching his clothes, “Am I?”
“I just haven’t played in a while and forgot a few notes,” he explained, then asked, “Mr. Feng, aren’t you the one acting strange today? You usually fall asleep by now.”
Qin Nian’s expression was inexplicably a bit puffed up, his tone carrying a barely audible hint of reproach.
Feng Wang laughed, “Seeing you like this, how could I possibly sleep?”
Feng Wang originally meant that Qin Nian’s expressions were too amusing.
But Qin Nian thought he was referring to his appearance, so he instinctively touched his face, even giving it a couple of rubs.
“Am I making it hard for you to sleep?”
Feng Wang watched those hands, the young man’s cheek flesh peeking through his fingers, looking soft and elastic.
He felt a slight itch in his palms.
Qin Nian nodded, “I understand.”
Feng Wang: ?
Understand what?
“Mr. Feng, wait a moment.”
Qin Nian hurried out, even skipping the surname.
Feng Wang didn’t have time to react before the young man left like the wind, heading straight out the door.
He tidied up and prepared for bed. After a while, there was a knock at the door.
Feng Wang looked up.
He was immediately taken aback.
The young man before him wore a mask and had somehow found a fisherman hat larger than his head, covering the upper half of his face completely.
Feng Wang: …
He looked quite the part of someone ready for mischief on a dark and stormy night.
Qin Nian felt quite pleased with himself, especially since the brim of the hat was long and low, perfectly shielding him from Feng Wang’s gaze. Qin Nian was very satisfied.
Not only could he hide his face from Feng Wang, but he could also block Feng Wang’s gaze. Qin Nian thought his plan was flawless.
He even looked up, cheerfully asking Feng Wang, “Mr. Feng, how do I look?”
Feng Wang replied, “It looks good. Just don’t wear it again next time.”
Qin Nian: ?
Feng Wang, with a touch of helplessness, removed the young man’s hat and mask. His long fingers brushed against Qin Nian’s cheek, causing Qin Nian to flinch as if shocked.
“In the middle of summer, aren’t you hot wearing a mask and hat?”
Qin Nian obediently answered, “As long as it helps Mr. Feng sleep, it’s worth it.”
The young man’s expression was resolute, his eyes fixed on Feng Wang as he spoke, the depth of his gaze sparkling like stars under the wall lamp.
Feng Wang teased, “Are you really that dedicated?”
Qin Nian nodded emphatically, “Of course. I’ve been paid, and if I keep playing sleep-inducing piano, I need a good review from you to expand my business.”
The young man tried to make a joke, but his words came out earnest and straightforward, not at all like a jest.
Feng Wang watched the young man, “Alright, but if you don’t cure my insomnia, you can’t leave.”
“Otherwise, I’ll ruin your reputation everywhere.”