Chapter 24: · Mint Part 2

“It felt like you were spacing out the entire time. Han Fu, you need to understand—because you’re Wenzhe’s friend, I’m only reminding you of this. Even if it’s just replicating someone else’s fragrance, you still need to put your heart into it. Against these newbies, it’s one thing, but when you face a truly formidable opponent later, being so distracted will definitely get you utterly destroyed.”

“…”

Han Fu froze, then silently looked up at the sky.

Gu Jingxing was completely right. His mind had been full of distractions. This… Zhenzhen had clearly taught him: blending requires focus, immersion, blending all kinds of genuine emotions into it. How could he have forgotten it all just because he was momentarily thinking about that Yi guy?

Damn, he needed to reflect!

Even though he’d won a sweeping victory today, he had to go home and seriously reflect!

Otherwise, in a few days, how was he supposed to win when competing against opponents who could see through his lack of focus at a single glance like that?

“You were really amazing just now. Those finishing moves were so beautiful.”

“…”

The little white rabbit, Yi Changkong, had appeared behind him at some point. Han Fu just wanted to laugh. Also an opponent—look how honest Fatty was, coming straight over to criticize me. And you come bouncing over with a face full of admiration, telling me I’m “so amazing”?

If it weren’t for Fatty, I might’ve actually believed your innocent act!

“What do you want?”

Yi Changkong had clearly noticed the slight narrowing of his eyes and the chill in his tone. He flushed, but then, mustering his courage, whispered: “You, you’re pretty close with Big Brother Pei, aren’t you? About what happened last time… if it’s possible, I’d like a chance to talk with Big Brother Pei again.”

Han Fu: “…”

“I think, between Big Brother Pei and my brother, there must be some really serious misunderstanding.”

Oh, for f’s sake… Han Fu’s hand itched uncontrollably to punch someone on the spot.

“Misunderstanding? What fing misunderstanding?”

His voice was so loud that not just Yu Wenzhe and Gu Jingxing, but the surrounding spectators all looked over. Left with no choice, he grabbed the little white rabbit and dragged this disaster of a person to a quiet, deserted corner.

“Come on, come on. I just wanna know, how the hell is it a ‘misunderstanding’? How exactly did your brother spin this to you?”

Back then, abandoning a person who was still injured and couldn’t stand up, leaving them utterly alone. Then later refusing to help with the money.

If you could whitewash that…

But then again, that Yi Changqing was a “legend” after all. If he could brainwash judges with a bottle of cilantro water, brainwashing a little white rabbit probably took no effort at all.

…

…

Outside the window, the sky had darkened completely, and the little streetlights were automatically switching on one by one.

Pei Zhen was pulled to his feet by Han Fu.

Hadn’t he said he wanted his reward?

Being led toward the study, Pei Zhen was completely bewildered.

What kind of reward could there be… in the study?

The last time Han Fu wanted a reward, what the little wolfdog had said was “You.”

Although in the end it was just resolved with a candlelit dinner…

There wasn’t even a bed in his study, let alone a sofa.

The chairs were of a hard, wooden, minimalist style, not very comfortable to sit on. Of course, the discomfort was intentional—the study couldn’t be too comfortably arranged, otherwise it would be too easy to fall asleep while reading.

On the study desk, there was also a collection of prickly succulents and little cacti, a real nuisance. Even if you wanted to sit on the desk, you couldn’t; they’d stab you.

Wait, no—what was he even thinking?!

When the study’s light was switched on, his eyes were gently shielded by the little wolfdog’s palm for a moment.

Really so attentive.

He knew his eyes carried a heavy burden from the injury, was very wary of these sudden shifts between dark and light. Yet Pei Zhen himself hadn’t even thought to shield them.

The little wolfdog’s palm carried the faint citrus scent of hand soap, warm and very comforting. When it was taken away, Pei Zhen actually felt, just a tiny bit… reluctant.

In the study, the entire row of four bookshelves against the wall had glass doors, making it very easy to see everything displayed inside.

For a perfumer, the function of a “bookshelf” was different from ordinary households. Only one large cabinet was filled with actual books. The remaining three cabinets were all lined with bottles of every kind—beautiful, exquisite little bottles.

Some he liked for the scent, some were impulse buys, some were “must-own classics,” and some were vintage perfumes he hadn’t opened and didn’t plan to. Honestly, a collecting habit is practically universal human nature. It’s just that some people collect books, some collect fine wine, some collect a mountain of lipsticks.

Comparatively speaking, Pei Zhen’s collecting habit wasn’t even that extreme among fellow perfumers.

The BBC had once shot a documentary on Grandpa Lister’s villa—that was walls and courtyards full, bottles, bottles, bottles everywhere…

“Zhenzhen, I want this as my reward. Is that okay?” Beside him, the handsome young man stretched out his hand, pointing straight to the center of the bookshelf.

“…”

So, this time he really did have a specific “thing” he wanted?

Pei Zhen deliberately ignored the tiny, peculiar feeling inside him and perked up to look.

The little wolfdog was pointing at a set of beautifully crafted glass blending bottles that had been displayed prominently on the shelf for a long time—bottles he’d used long ago.

That set of bottles was indeed a great item.

High aesthetic value and great to use, custom-ordered by him years ago in Austria. On each little bottle, in an inconspicuous spot, his name was engraved on it – Pei.

In the perfumer’s industry, the most highly regarded glass blending vessels were Murano glass from Venice.

Lister, for example, always carried around an entire case of custom, high-end Murano bottles.

However, Murano glass, as a treasure with a long history and scarce production, was only willing to do special customizations for “aristocratic descendants” like Lister of Cranberry. Even when Pei Zhen had been a rising new star in the industry back then, he hadn’t had that kind of status. In the end, he’d chosen the famous Austrian wine-glass brand Star Gem and custom-ordered this set of exquisite and unique blending vessels there.

…

Earlier, when he’d said he wanted to get Lanrui essential oils for Han Fu, the little wolfdog had said he wasn’t picky.

Why was he suddenly having a change of heart today, coming to ask for professional equipment? He even had sharp eyes, picking out the best and most expensive set in the house at a single glance.

But after thinking about it, he could understand.

What perfumer who throws themselves completely into the craft wouldn’t wish for a handy set of tools? Famous national ping-pong players had their lucky paddles, top figure skaters had their custom blades—professionals were always like this.

So, after a whole day of competition, was the little wolfdog starting to develop the true passion of a perfumery enthusiast, the drive for constant improvement?

At this thought, the disappointment suddenly wasn’t so strong.

After all, the only career he’d ever had in this life was perfumery.

If the little wolfdog could truly fall in love with the things he loved… that would be everything he could ask for. It might even be more gratifying than if Han Fu could truly fall for him.

Thinking this, a faint smile touched his eyes. He turned to glance at the little wolfdog’s profile, and his gaze met Han Fu’s pair of dark pupils, which were turned toward him, full of utter seriousness.

“Zhenzhen, if I win the qualifier, how about giving me this set of bottles? They’ll be my things from then on. If by any chance I accidentally break a few, you’re not allowed to be mad.”

Pei Zhen froze.

This kid really was strange. Why was he thinking idly about breaking them? Then, his heart gave a “thump.”

Hazily, he remembered the true origin of this set of bottles.

When he’d gone to Austrian Star Gem to order the blending vessels, what he’d ordered was actually one red and one blue—a pair, two sets.

The red set was here with him now. And the blue set…

Pei Zhen finally had a moment of sudden clarity. After all that—the big circle he’d gone around—the blue set, he’d ordered it for Yi Changqing back then!

In the little wolfdog’s dark eyes, he couldn’t actually detect any tell-tale emotional fluctuations right now.

But wasn’t this clearly saying he knew?!

“…Actually, if Han Xiaohua hadn’t brought it up, I would’ve nearly forgotten about this whole thing.”

That glass set was just sitting there because it really was beautiful and decorated the shelf perfectly. After all, the object itself wasn’t at fault. Just because it had a history didn’t mean…

Not to mention, the set in Yi Changqing’s hands had probably long since been smashed and thrown away, right?

As the Gold-Medal Perfumer of Belle, the case he carried with him every day nowadays was high-end custom Murano glass. Who’d still care about your Austrian Crystal?

“…You really want it that badly.”

Silently, Pei Zhen sighed inwardly. At thirty years old, he was still seized by a rebellious impulse, and he really wanted to tease Han Xiaohua on the spot by saying, “No.”

Because it really wasn’t that he couldn’t bear to part with the bottles. It was—couldn’t he just ask directly?!

Whether this set of bottles was part of a pair with Yi Changqing’s. Could he smash them!

He just had to beat around the bush. Annoying and funny at the same time.

“If you truly want them, taking them away isn’t out of the question.”

Forget it, don’t bully him.

“You’ll really let me have them?” Hearing the consent, the little wolfdog’s eyes instantly lit up. “Then I really have to push hard in this qualifier. Gotta win no matter what!”

Pei Zhen, on the other hand, was thinking: the fact that the bottles were a pair—not many people knew that at all. Who had told the little wolfdog?

Wasn’t hard to guess, really. Who else could it have been?

The little wolfdog had been busy competing at the academy all day. Who could he have run into?

The little brother.

He was honestly speechless. Back then, hadn’t he sent you a few clothes and tasty treats. Why were you so hauntingly persistent?