The arch of her brows, whether bold or faint, was just as fashion dictated.

There was a fresh and pleasant scent on Young Master Hongxiao’s body. When their eyes met, Lingran almost started trembling.

But he was perfectly composed. He even frowned slightly, those strikingly handsome brows furrowing as if he were merely examining a flawed piece of art.

Then, she saw him pick up a brush and gently lower it.

Lingran couldn’t help but close her eyes.

The cool, soft brush tip touched her skin, stirring a faint tickle in her heart.

Lingran was completely flustered, frozen in place, letting him do as he pleased. It felt as though only a moment passed, and yet as if a century had slipped by. At last, that unique scent faded from around her, and she heard the crisp sound of the brush being tossed back onto the dish. She finally came to her senses, fretting that she must look terribly ugly and smudged now. In a panic, she stood and searched for a mirror.

Just then, a mirror was handed to her.

She snatched it up immediately.

Reflected was a face glowing with a delicate blush, eyes black and bright with extraordinary spirit. Her eyebrows, which had been bare and featureless for so long, were now traced in a light indigo, like distant spring mountains in the rain—subtle, yet full of charm.

He had only brushed her brows with the faintest touch, yet it gave her entire face a lively elegance, a touch of refinement—a true stroke of genius! Young Master Hongxiao was truly a master of this art!

Before Lingran could express her admiration, a maid returned with new clothes.

It was a matcha-green satin robe, the fabric shimmering with a subtle pearlescent sheen, clearly not of ordinary make, yet not at all ostentatious. Beneath it was an embroidered white silk skirt.

As the maid presented the clothes to her, Lingran was still dazed. Young Master Hongxiao said, “Aren’t you going to change? Or do you want my help as well?”

Lingran snatched the clothes at once, and another maid gestured politely, leading her behind a folding screen in the inner room.

Time was running short—if she dawdled any longer, the temple fair might be over before they arrived! She no longer cared about what Young Master Hongxiao truly meant, and hurriedly changed into the new outfit.

When she reappeared in the main hall, there was a flicker of something unusual in Young Master Hongxiao’s eyes, but he turned away at once and said coolly, “Let’s go.”

The maids dared not ask where they were headed. Lingran followed him straight along the central axis of the Prime Minister’s residence, soon reaching the main gate.

Along the way, she endured countless curious and astonished stares, but gradually grew at ease with it all.

“Young Master, are you going out?” A man in a brocade robe, perhaps in his early thirties, hurried over and bowed. “Shall I prepare a carriage or a horse? How many attendants will you require?”

Young Master Hongxiao glanced back at Lingran and replied, “A carriage. One driver is enough.”

The man dared not ask further and hurried off to make arrangements.

No sooner had they reached the gate than a silver-adorned carriage rolled up. Lingran noticed that the wooden wheels were covered in black rubber! In the past, she would’ve been endlessly astonished, but now, knowing that Chu Liuxiang might also be a time traveler, she let it go.

The carriage was tall, and though a young servant set a stool by the door, it still took Young Master Hongxiao’s steadying hand for Lingran to ascend gracefully.

This carriage was nothing like those she’d ridden before. Inside, everything was wrapped in silk and satin, with a thick white fur rug underfoot and two large cushions tossed about—comfortable enough to sleep in. The ride was smooth too, no doubt thanks to the rubber-coated wheels.

Once inside, Young Master Hongxiao instructed the driver, “Take us wherever the temple fair is most lively.”

The driver, evidently quick-witted, asked no questions and cracked his whip, setting off down the avenue before the residence.

Lingran wanted to look out the window, but Young Master Hongxiao blocked her with his hand. “There’ll be plenty of time for sightseeing later. Weren’t you going to tell a story? Why did you stop?”

“It’s all because you kept interrupting me!” Lingran complained, then settled herself comfortably against a cushion.

Young Master Hongxiao sat upright, dignified.

Lingran considered for a moment, then began telling the story of “A Step into the Past.” In truth, she’d never read the book, only remembered fragments from the TV adaptation. Beyond the time travel premise, most of the plot she recounted was her own fanciful invention. Still, she mentioned the protagonist meeting Qin Shi Huang, Prince Dan, and other famous figures, but focused mostly on how Xiang Shaolong used his modern knowledge to invent things like generators, paper, and whatever else she could think of. She was making things up, but her point was to convey that knowledge from later eras was always more advanced.

At first, Young Master Hongxiao listened with his usual calm, but as Lingran spoke on, his eyes grew more expressive, until finally he was frowning deeply.

When Lingran concluded that Xiang Shaolong had a son named Xiang Yu, the story came to a satisfying end.

Young Master Hongxiao was silent for a long time, and the atmosphere within the carriage grew strange.

If he didn’t believe her, he could simply think of it as a story. Lingran watched him surreptitiously for any change in his expression.

“If what you say is true, it’s almost beyond belief. If you made it up, then I must admire your imagination,” Young Master Hongxiao said softly. “But the existence of the Prime Minister in the Ming Dynasty makes me inclined to believe it.”

Lingran replied, “Since I’ve said this much, it seems you believe me. Then, could you tell me what exactly the Prime Minister is capable of?”

Young Master Hongxiao thought for a moment. “You’ve seen all kinds of glass? The Prime Minister improved those! And all manner of firearms—the cannons he supervised can fire in succession, with far greater range and power than before. Though he knows nothing of medicine, he managed to make a kind of pill from herbs, zinc powder, and willow bark that cured diseases even famous physicians could not treat. He once saved the young prince’s life when he was critically ill... The most baffling thing is, he always seems to know what will happen, who can be trusted and who cannot, and he is almost unfailingly successful in all things…”

Lingran’s heart tightened. That old fox was far more capable than she was! She’d been in the past for months, not for lack of trying, but even making a toothbrush was beyond her, let alone antibiotics! How could anyone remember so much?

They both sat in silence as the clamor of a crowd grew louder outside.

Suddenly, Lingran thought of something. “Does the Prime Minister have a laboratory?”

“Laboratory?” Young Master Hongxiao suddenly leaned in close, barely suppressing a surge of excitement. “There is a place filled with all kinds of glass jars and bottles. It’s said he used to spend hours there, but since I came to the residence, he rarely goes. It’s a forbidden area of the residence. He’s mentioned it to me, but I’ve never been inside.”

Could Chu Liuxiang be a chemistry or biology fanatic? Lingran shrank back, murmuring almost inaudibly, “I don’t care whether he’s from the same place as me or not. I’m nowhere near as skilled—I just want to live a good life.”

Young Master Hongxiao let out a long sigh, then said, “Forget everything you’ve told me today.”