At the entrance to the bridal suite, Jiang Yufeng’s brows were tightly knit together due to a severe headache.
He entered the password for the villa’s main door.
Pushing the door open, he was about to step inside when, in the next moment, his footsteps paused.
A faint, ethereal fragrance drifted into his senses.
It was a layered scent—sweet and crisp notes of fruit, rich agarwood, and warm sandalwood.
Blended together, yet so delicate and refreshing.
It was a fragrance he had never encountered before.
It smelled wonderful, seemingly even carrying a soothing effect that eased tension and released stress.
Whether it was his imagination or not, as he inhaled this subtle fragrance, the throbbing blood vessels in his head seemed to quiet down a little.
Entering the room and passing the foyer, the faint fragrance in the air was slightly stronger than what he had smelled outside, yet it remained elegant and refined.
Gently inhaling, the serene and graceful scent lingered in his senses, giving him a feeling of comfort and relaxation.
Jiang Yufeng’s gaze swept across the room and soon landed on an exquisite incense burner on the coffee table.
He didn’t open the burner but instead wearily sank into the sofa, his back deeply cushioned by the soft upholstery.
Inhaling the wispy fragrance, his tightly wound nerves gradually loosened.
The throbbing pain in his head also seemed to ease bit by bit within the gentle aroma.
This time, he was certain—the headache had genuinely lessened, and it wasn’t just his imagination.
Was it the effect of this incense?
Jiang Yufeng remained on the sofa for a while longer until the headache subsided to a tolerable level. Then, he straightened up and opened the small incense burner on the coffee table in front of him.
He thought that if there was still plenty of incense left in the burner, he would take it to the guest room to enjoy.
He really liked the scent.
Unfortunately, when he lifted the lid of the incense burner, he saw the last bit of incense powder burning out.
It was impossible not to feel regret.
It was rare to come across a fragrance he liked so much, one that also seemed to alleviate his migraines.
If he had returned earlier, perhaps he could have taken the remaining incense to the guest room to savor it slowly…
Jiang Yufeng set down the incense burner, his thoughts involuntarily drifting to Ye Ximeng, his newlywed wife.
During the day, Ye Ximeng had left him with the impression of being beautiful, rational, and decisive.
When signing the divorce agreement set to take effect in three years, she hadn’t caused any trouble at all.
She also wrote with elegant penmanship.
His first impression of Ye Ximeng was quite favorable.
This incense burner must have been lit by her.
It seemed Ye Ximeng was also someone who appreciated incense.
Her taste in fragrances even shared some similarities with his.
He thought to himself that he must ask Ye Ximeng tomorrow where she bought this incense, which brand it was, and what type of fragrance it was.
He would buy some for himself as well.
…
Early the next morning, before 7 o’clock, Ye Ximeng woke up following her biological clock.
Whether in her previous life or this one, she had always maintained good sleep habits.
Opening her eyes, for a brief moment, her gaze was alert, and her body tensed up.
After a while, her thoughts settled, and she remembered her rebirth, recalling that in this life, she hadn’t remarried into the Lu family or married Lu Xuan. Only then did her body gradually relax.
A faint smile touched the corners of her lips. It was truly wonderful not to have fallen back into the Lu family’s pit of fire.
She wondered if Ye Xiaorou had started to regret her choices yet.
After getting up and washing, Ye Ximeng left her room and descended to the first floor via the corridor and staircase.
Walking into the living room, she did not notice Jiang Yufeng’s arrival.
Nor had she ever imagined that Jiang Yufeng would return last night.
With light steps, she first approached the coffee table and opened the incense burner.
The incense inside had long since burned out.
She fetched the incense chopsticks and leisurely began to tidy the ashes.
After loosening and evenly mixing the incense ash, she started to press it down.
Once the ash was flattened, she swept it clean, placed the seal, and filled it with fresh incense powder.
Finally, she lit the new incense.
Every step, every movement, was as precise as a textbook example, yet when she performed them, they carried a natural, effortless grace and artistic flair.
This time, the incense she lit was called “Spring in the Snow.”
A faint, cool fragrance began to spread.
Ye Ximeng took a gentle sniff—the crisp scent of plum blossoms mingled with the chill of frost and snow, refreshing her spirit.
It was a completely different atmosphere compared to last night’s “Pear Blossom Bedroom Incense.”
After settling the incense burner, she headed to the kitchen to prepare today’s breakfast.
Seafood porridge—the ingredients were ordered last night.
She placed the prepared ingredients into the pot to simmer.
While waiting for breakfast, she returned to the living room and laid out her yoga mat.
Removing her outer shirt, she began her workout wearing only a backless yoga bra and form-fitting yoga pants.
Breathing in the faint, cool fragrance, listening to soothing music, and stretching every muscle and bone in her body…
From the moment she married Jiang Yufeng in this lifetime, everything had changed.
No stepmother to criticize or mock her, no overwhelming pressure from all sides, and no need to worry, as in her previous life, that a single misstep would plunge her into an abyss of ruin.
What a delightful life…
Unbidden, she recalled Ye Xiaorou’s words—that Jiang Yufeng was incapable, that her marriage was destined to be a lonely, ascetic existence.
A trace of quiet mockery flickered in her eyes. Only those who had never experienced the hardships of life would think a peaceful, solitary existence was undesirable.
As for whether Jiang Yufeng was capable or not—how could she know without trying?
Hearsay was unreliable; seeing was believing.
She preferred to believe that Ye Xiaorou was simply sour grapes.
A man as aloof and pristine as Jiang Yufeng—why would he ever touch someone like Ye Xiaorou?
He was a man standing atop a snow-capped mountain, a figure upon a divine altar…
Perhaps it was love at first sight. She was drawn to the clarity in Jiang Yufeng’s eyes and wanted to claim that clarity for herself.
She wanted to pull him down from his altar.
She wanted to take up the brush herself and paint bold, vivid strokes upon that untouched canvas.
Ye Ximeng carefully recalled everything in her mind—from yesterday’s wedding to signing the marital agreement, and then Jiang Yufeng’s departure.
Every word, every action, his temperament and upbringing—there wasn’t a single aspect that didn’t suit her preferences.
In the past, if someone had asked her what type or personality she liked in a man, she might not have been able to answer.
But now, she could say with certainty: she liked exactly Jiang Yufeng’s type—aloof to the point of seeming asexual.
Jiang Yufeng—she was determined to have him.
Within a month? No.
To win over a man like that, she needed a gradual approach—subtle, imperceptible, like a gentle rain that moistens everything silently.
Then, within three months, she would conquer Jiang Yufeng!
Victory was assured!
As her thoughts raced, Ye Ximeng’s movements never ceased.
She stretched her body freely, as if pouring out all her thoughts and desires through the motions of her limbs.
Arms extended, twists, forward bends, handstands…
Just as Ye Ximeng was holding this inverted posture, she suddenly heard soft footsteps coming from the stairs.