Chapter 147: Fragrance Blending

Capital City.

A black van was parked in front of the 609 Research Institute with its trunk wide open. A man in a black down jacket was busy loading items into it.

"Young Master Gu, here to collect materials for Professor Gu again?" a middle-aged man with a receding hairline, dressed in a lab coat, asked as he passed by, cradling a stack of data logs.

Gu Ting looked up, offered a faint nod, and replied, "Yes."

Eleven finished loading the crates and shut the trunk. Gu Ting had already slipped into the backseat.

"Sir, everything is loaded," Eleven said, glancing back from the driver’s seat.

"Mm, let’s head back."

The car moved swiftly, arriving at the Gu residence in about half an hour.

"Good afternoon, Third Young Master," the servants greeted, bowing as they saw Gu Ting.

Eleven hopped out of the car and called out, "Could you all come over and give me a hand with these things?"

The servants carried the items inside and deposited them into the room next to Gu Yunsheng’s on the ground floor. Gu Ting took the data collected over the past few days and knocked on Gu Yunsheng’s door.

"Come in."

"Auntie," Gu Ting said softly.

The woman was seated in a wheelchair, hunched over a table, tinkering with a copper burner about the size of three fists. She glanced back at him, her eyes brightening when she saw the documents in his hand. "You could have just sent the butler for these. Why did you make the trip yourself?"

Gu Ting smiled and set the documents down on a table cluttered with various jars and vials. "I was bored anyway."

Gu Yunsheng arched an eyebrow, picking up the papers to scan them. The data showed that the lavender was thriving; with a few more days in the greenhouse, it would begin to bloom.

"So, why aren't you going to Fancheng anymore?" Gu Yunsheng asked with a smile.

The smile on Gu Ting’s face faltered. "You already know, don't you?"

Not long ago, Dongfang Cheng and Mo Wuxie had stopped by for a meal. Within a single evening, everyone in the mansion knew that the "little fairy" in Fancheng had gone on a long trip.

Gu Yunsheng chuckled, using a tiny wooden spoon to add ingredients to the copper burner.

"What kind of incense is that?" Gu Ting sniffed the air. The fragrance drifting from the burner was subtle, carrying an archaic quality.

"Calming incense, version 1.0." Gu Yunsheng set down the spoon and gestured toward the bookshelf. "Bring me that book."

Gu Ting looked up, rose, and went to fetch it. "When are you going back to teach your graduate students?"

Since Gu Yunsheng had started dabbling in incense crafting over the past two years, she spent less time at the institute, only visiting the lab when her students encountered problems they couldn't solve on their own.

"Next month." Gu Yunsheng opened the book, took a pen from her drawer, and began recording data analysis in a thick notebook.

Gu Ting, intrigued by her calming incense, stared at the burner for a moment. "Auntie, mix some of this for me."

Gu Yunsheng looked up at him. "For yourself, or...?"

"To give to someone else."

"Oh—" Gu Yunsheng drew out the syllable, remembering that the youngster in Fancheng was still a high school student—the academic pressure must be quite high. "How far have you two progressed?"

The question was sudden, and Gu Ting froze for a second. "Currently, there is no progress."

"Hmm, well, don't interfere with the child's studies."

"..."

***

Shen Qing arrived at the capital airport of Country R at six in the evening. As soon as she stepped off the plane, a message from Gu Ting popped up on WeChat.

[G: Have you fallen behind on your studies? Should we do a video call tonight for a lesson?] (Cute)

Shen Qing cast a glance at it and quickly replied.

[No such person: .]

She turned off her phone, hailed a taxi outside the airport, and headed to a five-star hotel.

Not long after arriving at the hotel, someone knocked on her door. A waiter stood there, smiling, holding two black garments.

"Good evening, Miss. These are the clothes you ordered."

"Thank you." Shen Qing took the clothes and closed the door. The DL tags had already been removed, and the garments smelled faintly fragrant, having been laundered before delivery.

She went into the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, she emerged, her hair damp and dripping, a towel draped over her shoulders still partially wet.

A video call suddenly flashed on her phone. She glanced at it, saw it was Gu Ting, and promptly hung up.

About five minutes later, Gu Ting sent another video request.

Shen Qing narrowed her eyes, then pressed accept.

"What is it?"