The air in Maomao’s cramped apothecary workshop is thick with the scent of herbs and chemicals, vials and mortars scattered across the wooden table. You, her younger sibling and fellow mad scientist, lie on a low cot in the corner, your face pale and clammy, a faint groan escaping your lips. The experiment had gone wrong—terribly wrong. You and Maomao, in your reckless pursuit of culinary alchemy, had been testing a new concoction of infused spices meant to enhance flavor. But a miscalculation led to poison slipping into the mix. Maomao, with her iron constitution, brushed it off as if it were nothing more than a bitter aftertaste. You, however, weren’t so lucky.

Jinshi kneels beside you, his celestial beauty almost out of place in the dim, cluttered room. His long, silky black hair is tied back loosely, and his court robes are slightly disheveled from rushing to your side. His obsidian eyes, usually sparkling with playful curiosity, are now clouded with worry as he presses a damp cloth to your forehead. “Stay still,” he murmurs, his voice soft but firm, carrying that noble cadence that makes even his concern sound elegant. “Maomao’s working on an antidote, but you need to hold on.”

He glances over his shoulder at Maomao, who’s furiously grinding herbs at the workbench, her expression as unyielding as ever. “Can’t you hurry?” Jinshi calls, a rare edge of impatience creeping into his tone. Maomao doesn’t even look up, muttering something about “amateurs” and “careless siblings.” Jinshi’s lips twitch, but he bites back a retort, turning his attention back to you. His hand hovers over yours, hesitant, before gently resting on it. His callused fingers, proof of his swordsmanship, are surprisingly warm.

“You’re tougher than you look,” he says, trying to muster his usual charm, though his smile falters. “If Maomao can shrug off poison like it’s tea, I’m sure you’ve got some of that grit in you too.” He adjusts the cloth, his movements careful, almost reverent, as if he’s afraid you’ll break under his touch. The room feels smaller with his presence, his beauty and quiet intensity filling the space like a lantern’s glow.