As evening fell, Ye Ximeng lit a burner of incense in the living room of the villa.
Wispy blue smoke rose, carrying a faint scent of pear that drifted into her senses.
She relaxed her body, delighting in the aroma.
This was a fragrance she had blended herself—Goose Pear Bed-curtain Incense.
The genuine Goose Pear Bed-curtain Incense.
The recipe had been passed down through generations in her biological mother’s family.
It was not of the same caliber as the “fake Goose Pear Bed-curtain Incense” found on the market—either incomplete, watered-down, or simply imitated from ancient texts.
Anyone who understood incense would be able to discern the difference with just a gentle sniff.
The elegant, lingering sweet fragrance spread from the incense burner, soothing the breath and nourishing the spirit with every inhale and exhale, lingering for a long time.
This was also a wellness incense, known for calming the mind, aiding sleep, easing tension, and reducing stress.
She had more than just this one recipe in her hands, but Goose Pear Bed-curtain Incense was particularly suitable for burning in the evening.
In her previous life, she had married Lu Xuan, and it was her perfuming skills and the recipes she held that enabled Lu Xuan and the entire Lu family to rise from the ashes.
Her stepsister, Ye Xiaorou, thought that by stealing a man, she could steal the life Ye Ximeng had lived in her previous life. But Ye Xiaorou had simply made things too simple and too idealistic.
The Lu family was no place of kindness or beauty.
But now, none of this had anything to do with her anymore.
Evil people would be dealt with by other evil people. Let Ye Xiaorou drag the Ye family into a fight with the Lu family. Whichever side won or lost, she would be happy to see it.
She would be even happier if both sides suffered.
For now, though, she was more concerned about another matter.
Watching the wispy blue smoke rising from the incense burner, she recalled the phone call Jiang Yufeng had answered not long ago.
Perhaps influenced by her previous life, she had developed a habit of gathering useful information from even the most casual snippets of conversation.
From Jiang Yufeng’s video call, she had picked up on a few things.
During their conversation, incense had been mentioned more than once, along with a woman named Miaoyin.
The person on the other end of the video had also said that appreciating incense, drinking tea, and discussing Buddhism were Jiang Yufeng’s three great joys in life.
Piecing together these fragments of conversation, she deduced a fairly accurate piece of information.
Jiang Yufeng was most likely someone who loved incense, as well as tea and discussing Buddhism.
And that woman named Miaoyin knew how to blend incense and shared mutual friends with Jiang Yufeng.
In Buddhist circles, there probably weren’t many women.
Combined with what Ye Xiaorou had said before the wedding—that Jiang Yufeng had a soulmate—this soulmate was most likely Miaoyin.
Ye Ximeng raised her hand and made a grasping motion toward the wisp of blue smoke rising in a slender column.
Instantly, the smoke scattered and disappeared without a trace.
A soulmate who knew how to blend incense.
What a coincidence—she knew how to blend incense too.
…
In her previous life, Ye Ximeng had been shaped by her circumstances into a highly efficient person—decisive, capable, and swift in action.
In her world, if she set her sights on a man, of course she had to find a way to make him hers.
A smile crept onto the corners of her lips as she imagined pinning Jiang Yufeng against a wall.
Such a cool and aloof man—she wondered if his lips would feel cold when kissed.
Perhaps the imagined scene was too delightful, as a mischievous smile spread to the corners of her eyes and brows.
A moment later, she pulled her thoughts back, her smile fading slightly as she began to consider the practicalities.
That man was not hers yet.
The first step in a relationship should be pursuit, right?
But how exactly does one pursue a man?
Past and present lives—this was a realm she had never ventured into before.
…
As night fell, Ye Ximeng deliberately picked out a romantic movie to learn how to pursue a man.
Scenting the fragrance, sipping tea, and watching the movie.
Ye Ximeng sighed contentedly. This was what life should be like. If she could also lean into Jiang Yufeng’s embrace, occasionally kissing his cheek, touching his abs…
Just the thought of it made her heart flutter.
The two-hour romantic movie was not watched in vain.
Ye Ximeng already had a plan in mind.
For a man as aloof and almost ethereal as Jiang Yufeng, pursuing him couldn’t be rushed.
She shouldn’t scare him off all at once.
She had to take it slow, step by step.
Just like fishing—first, she would lay out the bait.
Once Jiang Yufeng took the bait, she would proceed to the next step.
As for what bait to use for Jiang Yufeng, she already had an idea.
She didn’t know much about Jiang Yufeng, but from the limited information she had, she deduced that he was likely someone who loved fragrance.
So, she would start with fragrance, using it as the bait.
Before going to bed, Ye Ximeng deliberately lit a burner of Pear Blossom Incense in the living room of the villa.
Jiang Yufeng had said he wouldn’t come to this marital home unless necessary.
But then again, opportunities always favor those who are prepared.
As long as Jiang Yufeng set foot in this marital home again, as long as he truly was someone who appreciated, understood, and loved fragrance, she didn’t believe he wouldn’t take the bait once he caught a whiff of the scent in the villa.
Outside, the sky had turned completely dark.
Ye Ximeng also lit a burner of Pear Blossom Incense in her bedroom.
The delicate, sweet fragrance slowly spread throughout the room.
And in the faint, lingering scent, she drifted into a sweet sleep.
…
In the thick of the night, Jiang Yufeng, who had said he wouldn’t come to the marital home unless necessary, returned once again.