I just wrote a love poem, how did that make me so powerful?

On the table, two letters were placed under a clean teacup.

One letter was written in Song Yao's handwriting, and the other in Li Yedao's.

Xu Qing quickly opened Song Yao's letter.

The handwriting is neat and tidy, but some strokes seem to show signs of shaky writing.

The first line contains only one line:

Brother Qing, I'm sorry, I'm leaving. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to leave if I said goodbye in person, so I left a note.

I've always remembered the poem you taught me.

If these two feelings are long, how are they going up and down.

I used to be skeptical, thinking that things only mattered if we met in person. But now I believe it; some people are truly in my heart, and I can't let go of them no matter how far apart we are.

There was no signature at the end, only a small ink dot.

It seems the stroke is paused there, as if it wanted to write but didn't...

Xu Qing read it twice, folded it neatly, and put it in the pocket close to her body. Then she opened Li Yedao's letter.

Doctor Li's handwriting, like his personality, is casual. The ink varies in density, flowing and unrestrained.

I've taken the person with me, don't worry. Also, I've seen several interesting living creatures under your microscope these past few days, and I've already made a rough classification of them.

I've already started using the infection prevention and control methods you mentioned last time. I'll write to you in detail once things have settled down in Beijing.

A crooked gourd was drawn at the end of the signature.

Xu Qing couldn't help but smile after reading it.

A renowned physician, famous throughout the land, wrote a letter to him in the tone of a primary school student reporting his homework.

It's understandable, though, since Li Yedao was starting from scratch when it came to microorganisms, just like a primary school student.

Xu Qing put the letter away and sat at the table for a while.

As the sun sets and dusk falls, the sky darkens.

Smoke rose from chimneys everywhere, mingling with the faint smell of firewood in the evening breeze.

He was lost in thought for a moment, then muttered something under his breath.

"Yaoyao, don't worry."

As he stood up and was about to turn and leave, the door opened first.

Su Man carried in a tray with a pot of freshly brewed tea and two cups on it.

She wore a light green chiffon top today.

Unlike usual, her collar was plunging low, revealing her collarbone and a patch of fair, firm skin, as well as a deep, white cleavage...

The bra was visible at the edge of the neckline.

Xu Qing's gaze swept over it and she immediately looked away, but she still saw it clearly.

She was wearing...

It's clearly a half-cup version that wasn't publicly sold!

This half-cup style perfectly accentuated Su Man's full, fair, and firm figure.

Su Man walked to the table and put the teapot down.

Before he could retract his hand, Xu Qing got up and walked out; their movements were almost simultaneous.

Su Man traced a line on the handle of the teapot, and the teapot suddenly tilted downwards, about to fall to the ground!

Xu Qing reacted quickly and reached out to grab it.

Su Man also bent down and reached out to take it.

The two men's hands collided at the bottom of the teapot, and the teapot was caught by both of them, preventing it from breaking.

But because of this movement, the two of them suddenly moved closer together.

Su Man's shoulder bumped into his chest, and half of her body was almost pressed against him.

Through the thin gauze dress, Xu Qing could clearly feel Su Man's body pressing against the outside of his arm without any obstruction...

A rich, warm touch wafted through the thin fabric...

It possesses a softness that makes you forget to breathe...

……

……

Both of them were stunned for a moment, and then hurriedly separated.

Xu Qing took a step back, picked up the teapot that had been rearranged, and poured himself a sip.

He didn't care whether the tea was hot or cold, and gulped down a big mouthful.

He only realized it was hot tea after he finished drinking it, and it scalded his entire mouth, making it numb, but he was too embarrassed to spit it out.

Su Man stood still, turned her head to tidy up the stray hairs by her ears, trying to hide her panic.

But her bright red ears betrayed her.

Su Man cleared her throat.

"Well, Yao Yao came to my place before she left and sat for half an hour. She said she was worried you were busy, so she didn't wait for you."

Xu Qing swallowed the hot tea with difficulty and responded with a sound.

"Yes, I saw her letter."

Su Man nodded, hesitated for a moment as if considering her words, and finally spoke.

"She asked me to do something, saying that while she's away, I should... take good care of you..."

Xu Qing paused for a moment, then remained silent.

The atmosphere in the room was subtly quiet for a while.

After a short while, Xu Qing found a way to change the subject.

"Um, what? Young Master Xiao said that since he has some time today, he wants to go and look at a few houses. He's still waiting for me."

Su Man glanced at the still-dark sky outside the window, her tone regaining its previous composure.

"I'm free too, let's go together."

As she spoke, she casually picked up a plain-colored blouse from the clothes rack next to her and put it on, completely covering the outline of her fair skin that had been visible in varying shades.

The movements were so natural and skillful, as if they were done unintentionally.

But Xu Qing noticed that she put it on after glancing at her.

She looked away and went out first.

"Let's go then."

……

……

As a vital transportation hub, Hengyang County sees frequent business travel, resulting in a considerable number of vacant houses.

Su Man was accompanied by two attendants, while Xiao Mingyuan was accompanied by a bodyguard.

With Xu Qing joining them, the group was quite large.

The broker led them to a three-courtyard house in the south of the city. The courtyard was spacious, but the layout was too regular and lacked interest.

We then looked at another house by the river. The view was nice, but the house was too old and would cost a lot to repair.

The third alley near the academy has a small and exquisite courtyard, but only two main rooms.

Xu Qing thought that it would be fine for her mother to live alone in the future, but if Xiao Mingyuan or Li Yan came to visit often, there would not even be a place for her to rest.

When the broker led them out of the third courtyard, his expression already showed some difficulty.

He walked at the front, slowed his pace, and hesitated for a while before speaking.

"Young Master Xu, there is another house in a good location with a large yard and a cheap price, but... I'm afraid it's not suitable either."

Xiao Mingyuan, who was walking beside him, raised his eyebrows upon hearing this.

"Why is it unsuitable? Are you afraid we can't afford it or what? Is there any price in Hengyang County that my Xiao family can't afford?"

The broker looked distressed and quickly waved his hand to explain.

"The price is really cheap. The market price has dropped by 40% or 50% and no one is willing to buy it, but there are problems with the house itself."

Xiao Mingyuan's brows furrowed even more deeply.

"What's wrong that makes you sound so mysterious?"

The man shook his head and sighed.

"To be honest, I wouldn't dare hide it from you two young masters, but that courtyard... it's... haunted."

Upon hearing this, Su Man quickly chimed in from the side.

"That won't do. The feng shui of those houses is bad. Don't buy them. Don't be greedy for small gains."

Xiao Mingyuan nodded in agreement, "Then we really can't accept it. Let's just forget about it and see what happens when we find something else."

But Xu Qing stopped in his tracks. He looked at Xiao Mingyuan, then at Su Man.

"I think we can take a look first."

"what?"

Su Man and Xiao Mingyuan were both shocked.

Su Man glanced at herself and her two attendants.

Xiao Mingyuan then looked at the guards he had brought.

They then calmed down.

"Let's go, if you want to see it, let's go take a look."

The broker led them through two turns and two alleys, stopping in front of a large black lacquered door.

The brass rings on the door were polished to a shine, and the paint was new.

Xiao Mingyuan asked, "What? If this place is said to be haunted, is someone actually maintaining it?"

The broker said, "Yes, Young Master Xiao, the previous owner couldn't bear to let such a nice courtyard go to waste. He regularly paid people to clean it, so he's always wanted to sell it."

Xiao Mingyuan nodded, and the group went inside.

Pushing open the gate, the courtyard inside was more spacious than the previous ones. The ground was made of blue bricks, and a clump of slender bamboo grew in the corner, its shadows sparsely scattered on the pinkish-white courtyard wall.

Beyond the screen wall lies a courtyard of moderate size, with an old locust tree in the center. Its trunk is thick and its branches and leaves form a canopy, casting a large shadow in the twilight.

There was a blue stone table and a stone bench under the tree. The table was clean and tidy, without even a fallen leaf.

There are two rooms on each of the east and west wings, and three main rooms. The doors and windows are intact, and the beams and pillars are sturdy. The carvings are also complete and without any damage or signs of insect infestation.

Xu Qing walked through the middle courtyard and then to the back courtyard.

They all have the same configuration.

There is a well in the backyard, with pebbles on the surface. Next to it is a semi-abandoned flower stand, with most of the vines withered, but the stand itself is still sturdy.

He walked around the three-courtyard house, pondering silently.

The house has a clean and refreshing layout and is well-arranged. Although the three courtyards are not large, they reveal the careful management by the garden designer.

It's a place where every step reveals a new scene, much more vibrant than those rigid, square-shaped official residences.

They returned to the front yard, and Xu Qing glanced at the old locust tree.

He turned to ask the broker.

"Tell me, how exactly is it haunted?"