Lan Yan saw that Jun Yelan was silent and continued, "I hope that Your Excellency will eat on time every day from now on. Even if you are busy, you must tell me, okay?"
Her soft voice reached Jun Yelan's ears, making him feel a tickle in his heart. He composed himself and nodded. "I'll have Song Cheng pick up the food box from now on."
"Good." Lan Yan smiled slyly, seeing her plan succeed.
Jun Yelan was once again captivated, thinking he couldn't stay like this any longer. "I remember I have official business to attend to. I'll take my leave." He stood up, still holding the pastry, and walked towards the door.
Lan Yan saw him off at the entrance and called out from behind, "Your Excellency, mind the snow as you walk."
Jun Yelan couldn't help but shift his body inwards, a faint smile playing on his lips as he walked forward.
Lan Yan smiled, turned, and walked back inside. It was truly cold.
After a few days of rest, when she returned to the kitchen, she was greeted warmly by the kitchen staff.
"Lan Yan, you wouldn't believe it, that Jin Sanniang has finally left. From now on, this kitchen is yours to command."
"That's wonderful, Lan Yan! We love working with you. If you need any help in the future, just let us know."
Lan Yan felt a bit unaccustomed to these words. Looking at the crowd gathered around her, she said, "Everyone, although this kitchen isn't large, it's crucial for the entire household's meals. So, if we all work together with one heart, we'll surely do a great job."
With that, she quickly withdrew to the back to plan the day's menu.
The kitchen staff still wanted to surround her, but Hui Niang stopped them. "Alright, Lan Yan has just recovered. Let her rest a bit." She then followed Lan Yan alone.
Seeing Hui Niang, Lan Yan sighed, "I still need time to sort things out properly." She looked at the menu in her hands and the procurement list, noting the mess Jin Sanniang had left behind.
"Lan Yan, you can definitely do it," Hui Niang smiled. "Once the menu for today is finalized, I'll take you out for shopping. Before, Jin Sanniang only chose based on price, resulting in expensive and poor-quality ingredients."
Lan Yan nodded, "Okay, Sister Hui, I'll listen to you." As a newcomer, it was difficult for her to manage everything, and she was fortunate to have Hui Niang by her side.
She quickly wrote down the menu, instructed the kitchen staff to prepare the listed dishes, and then, with a basket, set out with Hui Niang. This was her first time out on the streets since arriving, and she looked around with curiosity.
Hui Niang, familiar with the vendors, led the way.
Lan Yan followed, spotting some fresh, dewy cabbages, which she bought. She also picked out several seasonings, filling the basket completely. "Sister Hui, it's still early, let's stroll around."
Hui Niang, remembering Lan Yan's past, nodded and treated her like a younger sibling. "There are many clothes and accessories over there, most suitable for someone your age, Lan Yan."
"Alright, let's go there." Lan Yan approached a stall selling accessories and saw many exquisite stones with carved patterns. "Boss, what are these?"
The boss introduced, "These are newly arrived goods. They say they can bring peace and safety. If you have family working hard elsewhere, you can buy one to protect them."
Lan Yan thought of Jun Yelan often being out on missions and indeed in danger. She picked out a stone with a green pattern, paid promptly, and tucked it into her embrace.
Hui Niang, understanding immediately who it was for, stifled a smile.
Lan Yan then saw food stalls by the roadside and bought some steamed buns with meat and some flatbreads.
At that moment, a beggar rushed out and fell in front of her.
Lan Yan stopped. The beggar had appeared too suddenly. The buns in her hand were still warm, so she squatted down, placed a bun into the beggar's hand, and said, "Here, eat this."
Afterward, she pulled Hui Niang and returned to the mansion.
After she left, the beggar on the ground raised his head, staring intently at Lan Yan's retreating back, memorizing her face. He touched the dagger at his waist, on which were engraved the characters "Wuming."
Upon returning to the mansion, Lan Yan went to find Jun Yelan, intending to give him the stone.
At that moment, Jun Yelan was handling official business with Song Cheng, saying, "Regarding this corruption case, find the evidence as soon as possible and have all involved individuals arrested and brought to the Eastern Depot."
"Yes, Your Excellency." Song Cheng recalled something. "Your Excellency, according to reports from our spies, someone is targeting you and has dispatched the foremost assassin in the land, Wuming. Please be careful recently."
Jun Yelan nodded. In his current position, he was already accustomed to walking on a knife's edge. He had grown used to it, as if he were living for such a purpose.
Song Cheng then left. Seeing Lan Yan at the entrance, he was slightly surprised and about to inquire, but Lan Yan had already entered. "Is this the woman by Your Excellency's side? His wife?"
Seeing that Lan Yan could enter without announcement, he became increasingly suspicious of her identity. However, he had important matters to attend to now, and he would ask her the next time they met.
Lan Yan walked in and saw Jun Yelan lost in thought. She placed the stone on his desk. "Your Excellency, this is a stone for peace and safety. You can carry it with you when you go out."
Jun Yelan stared at the stone. He had always believed only in himself, but looking into Lan Yan's eyes, he still accepted it. "Mm, I will remember it."
"Good." Lan Yan couldn't help but smile and continued, "Your Excellency, I know the missions outside are very dangerous, and you have to undertake them. I hope this stone can truly protect you when you encounter danger."
"More importantly, remember to protect yourself."
Jun Yelan was slightly taken aback. He had long been accustomed to danger and hadn't paid much heed to it. Yet, this person before him was telling him to be careful, to stay alive.
His seemingly bleak life seemed to have gained some new dimension, his palm tightening slightly around the stone.
Seeing that Jun Yelan had taken her words to heart, the smile on Lan Yan's lips deepened. "Then, Your Excellency, I won't disturb you further. I'll be going." She turned and walked towards the door.
"Wait." Jun Yelan blurted out, "It's cold outside, stay here." He moved the brazier closer to the center, then sat down at the table himself to continue working on his official documents.
Seeing this, Lan Yan sat down and warmed her reddened fingers. Her fingers had turned this way after waiting outside for a while. She turned to look at Jun Yelan and found him even more handsome in this posture, unable to resist stealing a few more glances.
Perhaps it was because the brazier was too close, but her eyelids slowly drooped, and she rested her head on the table, feeling sleepy.
When Jun Yelan put down his brush, he saw that Lan Yan had fallen asleep. He got up, draped the hanging blanket over Lan Yan's shoulders, and glancing at her hands, took out two gloves from the drawer and carefully put them on Lan Yan's hands.
Lan Yan slept soundly, completely unaware.
Jun Yelan smiled helplessly, a warmth filling his heart, and then sat back down to look at his documents. But this time, he looked at them for longer than usual, wishing in his heart that he could stay like this for a while longer.