His physiological preference

Yang Zhiyan remained motionless. Because she dared not move.

Qin Yuzheng's body was burning hot; even through the fabric of his shirt, the scorching heat threatened to burn Yang Zhiyan.

杨栀言感觉到了他的身体变化，某处……

Her body froze.

She dared not move, and Qin Yuzheng also felt her stiffness. He closed his eyes, pulled her body closer to his, and did not move again.

He held her like that, his arms around her waist, trying to calm his racing heart.

After about two minutes, his breathing finally calmed down. He released her and helped her sit up.

"Are you hungry?" His voice had returned to normal. "Get ready, let's go eat roast whole lamb."

He stood up, didn't look at her, turned and went upstairs. His steps were quick.

Yang Zhiyan sat on the sofa, her hands still in the same position as when she had been supporting her chest, her fingers slowly curling up to grip the edge of the blanket.

At eight o'clock sharp, the two people came out of the villa.

Qin Yuzheng changed his clothes into a white polo shirt, and his hair was washed and dried again, making him look much more energetic.

The whole roasted lamb was served on a lawn by the lake, with several long tables pushed together, covered with white tablecloths and set with tableware.

The grill was set up in the middle of the lawn, with a lamb on it. The skin was roasted to a dark brown, and oil dripped down onto the charcoal fire with a sizzle, sending up a wisp of white smoke.

The aroma was carried by the wind, a mixture of cumin and chili, so rich it made your mouth water.

Mu Cheng and Zhou Zhanyu had already arrived, along with the same group of people they had met that morning. They sat around a long table, some holding wine glasses and others chatting.

Seeing Qin Yuzheng and Yang Zhiyan approaching, Mu Cheng stood up from his chair and shouted at them.

"You've finally arrived! If you hadn't come soon, the whole roasted lamb would have been nothing but bones!"

Everyone laughed. Qin Yuzheng pulled out a chair for Yang Zhiyan to sit down, and then sat next to her.

The waiter came over, sliced ​​the roasted lamb into pieces, and served them plate by plate.

The lamb is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. When you take a bite, the juices burst in your mouth, and the aroma of spices rushes from the tip of your tongue all the way to your nasal cavity.

Yang Zhiyan had been starving for most of the day, and now she felt like she could eat a whole cow.

Qin Yuzheng placed the best-roasted lamb chop into her bowl, put the skewers on the plate in front of her, and unscrewed the cap of her drink and placed it next to her.

He did these things very naturally and thoughtfully, as if afraid Yang Zhiyan would feel uncomfortable. These were all people from his circle.

The others arrived one after another and sat around the long table. Some brought their girlfriends, some brought their wives, and including Yang Zhiyan, there were about ten people in total.

As everyone ate, they chatted, discussing everything from whether the whole roasted lamb was delicious to the recent stock market, and then from the stock market to which newly opened restaurants were worth visiting.

They were subtly discussing politics and work, using their own coded language.

Halfway through the meal, Qin Yuzheng stood up to get a drink.

He had just left when a woman sitting opposite him came over with a wine glass in her hand.

She was wearing a white dress, her hair was down, and her makeup was exquisite; she looked very comfortable. She walked over to Yang Zhiyan and sat down in the empty chair that Qin Yuzheng had made.

"Sister-in-law, my name is Yu Zhouzhou, Mu Cheng's girlfriend." She raised her wine glass and waved it at Yang Zhiyan.

「上次在穆丞的餐厅见过你，没来得及打招呼。你那天穿的那条裙子真好看。」

Yang Zhiyan also picked up her drink and clinked it against hers. "Thank you, your white dress looks beautiful too."

Yu Zhouzhou smiled and took a sip of her drink. The two chatted for a few minutes. She was a jewelry designer and also very interested in cheongsams. She asked where Yang Zhiyan's studio was and if she could go take a look.

Yang Zhiyan said of course. Yu Zhouzhou then added her on WeChat.

When she added Yang Zhiyan on WeChat, she glanced at Yang Zhiyan's profile picture, which featured a white magnolia flower, and commented, "This is beautifully embroidered." Yang Zhiyan explained that it was a button she had made herself and that she had taken a picture of it to use as her profile picture.

Yu Zhouzhou said she definitely wanted to visit her studio next time. When Qin Yuzheng returned with drinks, he saw Yu Zhouzhou sitting in his seat, chatting animatedly with Yang Zhiyan.

He placed the drink in front of Yang Zhiyan, but instead of sitting down, he leaned against a nearby pillar and watched them chat.

Yang Zhiyan smiled happily, a genuine smile, with her eyes crinkling, the corners of her mouth turned up, a smile from the bottom of her heart.

After everyone had eaten most of the roasted whole lamb, they dispersed in twos and threes.

Some people went to soak in the hot springs, some went back to rest, and some were still drinking and chatting.

Mu Cheng put his arm around Yu Zhouzhou's shoulder and left, while Zhou Zhanyu walked behind alone.

Qin Yuzheng and Yang Zhiyan slowly walked back along the lakeside. A breeze was blowing across the lake, making them feel cool and refreshed.

The moonlight spilled onto the lake, breaking into pieces of silvery-white that swayed gently with the ripples.

The distant mountains were black, the nearby trees were black, only the lake was bright. Neither of them spoke. They walked side by side.

"Are you happy today?" he asked.

Yang Zhiyan looked at the shattered moonlight on the lake.

"I'm happy," she said. She was telling the truth.

Horse riding was fun, shooting was fun, roast whole lamb was delicious, and the people were very friendly.

Yang Zhiyan was unaware that others were friendly to her because of Qin Yuzheng's formal introduction.

Otherwise, why would these scions of high-ranking families treat her with such friendliness and respect?

These experiences were all new, all brought to her by him. She was truly experiencing the joys of the wealthy today.

His world was vast and wonderful, with horse farms, shooting ranges, lakeside villas, whole roasted lamb, and polite, well-mannered people.

Her world is small: her studio, her home, Teacher Mu, Jiang Siya, and him.

After returning from their autumn outing, the two went back to their busy lives.

In October, the sky is high and the clouds are light, and the wind carries the last traces of osmanthus blossoms. The sweetness has faded, but it has not yet completely dissipated.

Qin Yuzheng was extremely busy. The city was preparing for a large-scale science and technology exhibition, and he was a core member of the preparation team, leaving early and returning late every day.

Qin Yuzheng's message frequency remained the same, but his reply speed slowed down.

Previously, replies were almost instantaneous, but now sometimes it takes half an hour, and sometimes an hour.

"In a meeting," "Just finished a meeting," "There's another meeting later"—these phrases became frequently used in his messages.

Yang Zhiyan would always reply with "okay" or "um" without asking any further questions. She knew he was busy, and she was busy herself.

Yang Zhiyan has been working at Mufei for three years. From being taught by Teacher Mu how to cut fabric, draw lines, and make buttons, she can now independently design and produce an entire haute couture cheongsam.

She has learned almost everything that Teacher Mu can teach. What remains is time for reflection, accumulation, and a deeper understanding of fabrics and needlework; these things cannot be rushed.

The essence of culture can only be understood intuitively and cannot be explained in words; it requires her to slowly perceive and experience it herself.

One afternoon, Teacher Mu came out from the inner room, holding a cup of tea, and stood for a while next to Yang Zhiyan's worktable.

"Zhiyan, stop for a moment."

Yang Zhiyan put down the needle and looked up. Teacher Mu's expression was more serious than usual.

Have you heard of the "International Cheongsam Design Competition"?