Nan Xun hadn’t commented on her refusal to rest, but it pained him to see her work on her plans late into the night and attend to business early in the morning. She radiated exhaustion.

Before he could urge her to rest, she got to her feet and said, “I have unfinished business to take care of. Please excuse me.”

She made her way to Nan Xun’s study. Lately, she’d run into some tricky problems. She asked Nan Xun for permission to use his study, and he readily granted her access. He regretted his decision dearly when he saw the way she threw herself into work with no regard for her health.

He sighed, sitting in the garden. When he came out of his trance, his body was numb from staying seated for too long. He stood up and stretched his limbs. After some hesitation, he made his way to the study.

The setting sun covered the study in an orange glow. Jun Huang had fallen asleep sitting at the desk. Nan Xun walked...