Wang Dong'er lowered her head and dried the tips of her hair with a towel. As she listened to Li Changsheng's question, she shuffled lightly over to her bed and sat down. Her weight pressed a shallow indentation into the soft bedding. She placed the towel on her lap, her fingers unconsciously twisting the fabric, and said in a voice as soft as a feather landing, "It's nothing. It's just... we hadn't seen you around for several days, so Sister Nannan and I mentioned it in passing."
She made it sound casual, but a faint, barely noticeable disappointment hid in her eyes. Li Changsheng had been coming and going without a trace lately. Whenever she asked, he only said he "had things to do." It inevitably made her uneasy, yet she was too embarrassed to press him too closely.
Li Changsheng gave an "Mm," not paying much attention. He had always been used to acting alone and had not noticed the subtle emotion in Wang Dong'er's tone. Reaching into his clothes, he took out a small jade box, set it on the table, and gently opened it.
A layer of soft velvet lined the box, upon which lay a peculiar plant. It was about the length of a finger, its entire body a brilliant gold. A faint crimson glow rimmed its leaves like burning flames. At its tip was a flower bud the size of a grain of rice, with a subtle shimmer flowing within it, emitting a pure and warm aura.
"This is..." Wang Dong'er's attention was instantly drawn to it. She rose curiously, walked to the desk, and bent down for a closer look. Leaning in very close, her pink-blue hair fell over the edge of the table, carrying the fresh fragrance of her bath. A few mischievous