The Return of Dust Studio was so quiet that only the faint electrical hum of the lights remained.
Su Muchen lowered his head and looked at the line written by Xia Lanshi.
──If Physician Su is free, Lanshi would like to ask: Can a frail person take the nutritional powder from the other world? Are there any restrictions?
The handwriting was neat and slender, every stroke carrying the bearing of a scholar.
Just by looking at the writing, one could imagine that the person who wrote it was probably extremely calm and restrained.
Completely different from Xiao Yuan.
Xiao Yuan’s handwriting was sharp, like it had been carved with a knife.
Xia Lanshi’s handwriting, on the other hand, was like jade pressed beneath snow—cold, beautiful, yet faintly carrying the fragility of illness.
Su Muchen suddenly found it somewhat subtle.
They were clearly separated by an entire world, yet they had already begun to know one another through paper and medicine.
Xia Lanshi asked him whether nutritional powder could be consumed.
Chi Banyue had received the hand cream on which he had written “cannot be used.”
And every night, Xiao Yuan returned carrying gold and news.
To him, the people of Great Sheng were gradually becoming more than just names mentioned by Xiao Yuan.
They were beginning to have outlines.
Beginning to have warmth.
Su Muchen withdrew his thoughts and picked up his pen.
“I’ll reply to him.”
Xiao Yuan stood to the side, watching him lower his head and write.
This time, Su Muchen wrote very slowly.
It was not like the sloppy medical instructions he gave Xiao Yuan—”as long as you can understand it.”
This time, he was genuinely writing seriously for another patient to read.
──For Young Master Xia.
When he wrote those words, Xiao Yuan’s gaze shifted slightly.
Su Muchen did not notice. He continued writing.
The nutritional powder may be taken in small amounts, but first observe whether the stomach and intestines can tolerate it.
Do not take too much the first time.
Dissolve it in warm water and take small amounts several times.
If bloating, diarrhea, or nausea occurs after taking it, stop temporarily.
If it is tolerated, it may be used as a supplement during recovery, but it cannot replace regular meals.
After finishing, he thought for a moment before adding another sentence.
──Young Master Xia’s constitution is weak, and overexertion is most contraindicated. Though it is admirable that you continue to concern yourself with military affairs while ill, if your health collapses, you will instead become a burden to Prince Su. Please take care.
When Xiao Yuan saw the final sentence, he fell silent for a moment.
Su Muchen looked up. “What?”
Xiao Yuan said, “You’re rather polite when speaking to him.”
Su Muchen froze.
“He’s a patient, and unlike you, he’s not so difficult to manage.”
Xiao Yuan: “……”
Su Muchen folded the paper and placed it inside a waterproof bag, then took out several packets of nutritional powder and a simple instruction sheet.
“Give these to him. Don’t give him too much at once. Let him try it first.”
Xiao Yuan accepted them, but did not immediately put them away.
He lowered his head and looked at the words “For Young Master Xia,” then suddenly said, “You can call him Xia Lanshi, or by his courtesy name, Huaiyu.”
Su Muchen was puzzled. “Wouldn’t that be impolite?”
Xiao Yuan said, “When you call me by my name, you never thought it was impolite.”
Su Muchen: “……”
He was rendered speechless by that.
Thinking carefully about it, that did indeed seem to be the case.
Sometimes he called Xiao Yuan by his name because the other man was seriously injured yet refused to follow medical instructions. Whenever he became anxious, he would call him by his full name.
Afterward, the habit simply stuck.
Su Muchen lowered his head and tidied the table, his tone deliberately calm.
“You’re a patient. Since you don’t follow medical instructions, calling you by your full name makes it convenient to scold you.”
Xiao Yuan looked at him.
“And now?”
Su Muchen’s hands stopped.
Now?
Now, calling Xiao Yuan by his name seemed no longer to be because he wanted to scold him.
It was more like, apart from those two characters, he did not know what else to call him.
Prince Su was too distant.
Your Highness was too cold.
Xiao Yuan was the name that felt like the person standing before him—the man who would travel while wounded, who would keep his promises and return, who would ask him whether he was afraid.
Su Muchen’s heart became confused for a moment.
He immediately stuffed a packet of oral rehydration salts into Xiao Yuan’s hands.
“It’s still convenient for scolding you now.”
A faint smile surfaced in Xiao Yuan’s eyes.
“Mm.”
Su Muchen: “……”
Was this man becoming harder and harder to deal with lately?
◆◇◆◇◆
After Xiao Yuan left, Su Muchen did not immediately sleep.
He sat behind the counter, staring at that door for a long time.
The look in Xiao Yuan’s eyes when he had looked at him just now still lingered in his mind.
That gaze was different from Sheng Chengxiu’s.
When Sheng Chengxiu looked at him, it was like looking at something he wanted to possess.
Aggression, assessment, control.
Xiao Yuan was aggressive as well.
But that aggression was more like wildness suppressed deep within his bones and blood.
When he looked at someone, he resembled an injured wolf, confirming whether the person approaching him would hurt him, and whether that person could be protected within his territory.
When this thought surfaced, Su Muchen himself froze first.
Territory?
What kind of nonsense was he thinking?
He raised a hand and pressed it against his brow.
“That’s it. I really should see a psychiatrist.”
Xiao watched him from the side.
“See who?”
Su Muchen answered casually, “Nothing.”
Xiao looked at him for a while, then suddenly smiled.
“Muchen, do you know what you look like right now?”
“I don’t want to know.”
“A rabbit in a panic, being watched by both a jackal and a wolf.”
The pen in Su Muchen’s hand dropped onto the table with a snap.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Xiao narrowed his eyes with a smile.
“I’m not talking nonsense.”
Su Muchen: “……”
Xiao was truly annoying.
Su Muchen coldly picked up the pen.
“I just think he’s an important business partner.”
Xiao nodded. “Mm, an important business partner.”
“He’s also a patient.”
“Mm, a patient.”
“He’s also currently Return of Dust Studio’s biggest customer.”
“That’s right, the biggest customer.”
Hearing his excessively agreeable tone only made Su Muchen even more annoyed.
“If you keep talking like that, I’ll really dock your salary.”
Xiao laughed and stopped teasing him.
But after a moment, he suddenly said, “Actually, you may not be unable to cross over forever.”
Su Muchen abruptly raised his head.
“You mean I can cross through the door too?”
Su Muchen looked as though someone had thrown a bomb at him, completely stunned.
Xiao’s smile disappeared.
“I shouldn’t have told you this yet.”
“Then why did you bring it up?”
Xiao looked toward the door, his expression rarely becoming somewhat complicated.
“Because the Sheng family has their eyes on you. Sheng Chengxiu is far too dangerous. Even I can’t guarantee that he won’t resort to some dangerous trick.”
Su Muchen’s heart began beating faster. It was the first time he had seen Xiao so serious.
He sat upright and listened carefully.
“The Su family’s bloodline has always been connected to the door. And I am the Gatekeeper. I cannot allow the door to fall into someone else’s hands.”
Xiao said quietly, “The people of the Su family who can truly open the door don’t rely on bloodline alone. There are other conditions as well.”
Su Muchen frowned. “But I tried. I couldn’t get through.”
Xiao looked at him.
“Because the door has not truly acknowledged you yet.”
“The door can recognize people?”
“It always has.”
Xiao walked to the door and lightly touched the bronze ring with his fingertips.
The ring was cold and silent, without the slightest reaction.
“Xiao Yuan can open the door because, besides his bloodline, his destiny is extremely weighty and his will extraordinarily strong. When he was on the verge of death, he obtained the ‘key’ to opening the door.”
“What key?”
Su Muchen asked.
He had never seen Xiao Yuan use a key to open the door.
“You are the key.”
Xiao turned his head and looked at him.
“……”
“This is a long story.”
He reached into a hidden compartment beneath the counter, took out an ancient book, and handed it to Su Muchen.
“This is an ancient book passed down by the Su family. Your grandfather gave it to me before he died and told me to pass it to you at the appropriate time. It records matters concerning this door. Read it slowly when you have time, but this book must never fall into another person’s hands.”
Su Muchen accepted the book.
He had not expected that his grandfather, who had already passed away, seemed to have anticipated many things long ago and had secretly arranged numerous paths of retreat for him.
It allowed him to once again feel the warmth of the grandfather who had once given him so much affection.
“Simply put, the Su family’s bloodline is the key to opening this door. It is the ‘key.’ And Xiao Yuan inherited the imperial bloodline that controls the key, giving him the qualification to open the door.”
As he spoke, he paused, then looked toward Su Muchen and continued.
“You have the bloodline, so you can also open the door and cross through it. But you’re still missing one thing.”
Su Muchen asked, “What?”
Xiao did not answer immediately.
He looked at Su Muchen for a long time before finally saying, “You have never truly wanted to cross over.”
Su Muchen froze.
“I……”
He wanted to argue, but found that he could not say anything.
Yes.
He had always said that he could not cross over, that he could only remain in Return of Dust Studio.
But deep down, he was actually afraid.
Great Sheng was too dangerous.
There was imperial power, swords, disease, a Crown Prince, and countless unfamiliar rules.
And he was merely a twenty-year-old who had just graduated and had not even figured out his modern life yet.
How could he dare to go?
Moreover, the door was not absolutely safe. There was also the danger of failing to cross over.
He did not dare imagine whether, if the crossing failed, he would be torn apart by the door in that instant, becoming nothing more than a mass of flesh and blood.
If one day Xiao Yuan truly encountered trouble over there.
If the door was open, and if he had the ability to cross over—
Would he cross?
Su Muchen’s fingers tightened slightly.
He……had no answer.
Xiao seemed to see his hesitation and said softly, “Don’t rush.”
“If you go over now, you’ll only become a burden.”
Su Muchen: “……Really, thanks.”
That statement was truly realistic.
Xiao smiled.
“I told you this only as a precaution. First, stay alive. Protect Return of Dust Studio. Learn how to use the door instead of being pushed around by it.”
Su Muchen remained silent for a long time.
Finally, he said quietly, “How many other things are you still hiding from me?”
Xiao thought for a moment.
“A lot.”
Su Muchen stared coldly at him.
Xiao smiled innocently.
“But I’ll tell you slowly.”
“Better.”
◆◇◆◇◆
Top floor of the Sheng Corporation building.
Sheng Chengxiu looked at the investigation report in his hands, his brows slightly furrowed.
“Nothing?”
The assistant said quietly, “That shop assistant named Xiao has a very clean identity record. Too clean to be normal.”
Sheng Chengxiu raised his eyes.
“Explain.”
“He has a household registration, but there are many gaps in his history. His education and employment records look as though they were filled in afterward. There are no obvious flaws, but there are also no traces of an ordinary person’s life.”
The assistant paused.
“What’s stranger is that he doesn’t have many assets under his name, yet he has access to several very discreet antique-trading channels.”
Sheng Chengxiu slowly closed the report.
“He’s not an ordinary shop assistant.”
“Yes.”
“What about Su Muchen?”
“No unusual outings for now. But Return of Dust Studio has been stocking up frequently recently, mostly ordinary medical supplies, soap, water filters, food, and cold-weather supplies.”
Sheng Chengxiu’s fingers paused.
“Medical supplies?”
“Yes. The quantity isn’t large, but there are many different types.”
“Purpose?”
“On the surface, it looks like overseas curios for the shop to sell, or supplies for personal use. But……” The assistant hesitated. “The quantity and categories are somewhat strange.”
Sheng Chengxiu’s eyes darkened.
Medical supplies.
Surveillance interference.
Return of Dust Studio.
These clues were like scattered fragments on a table.
They still could not form a complete picture.
But he could already smell the abnormality within them.
Sheng Chengxiu said quietly, “Keep watching.”
“Yes.”
“What about the bronze cauldron’s probe?”
“Su Muchen didn’t accept it.”
Sheng Chengxiu let out a cold laugh.
“He’s certainly cautious.”
The assistant asked, “Should we change our approach next?”
Sheng Chengxiu did not answer immediately.
He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked at the darkening sky over Yunjing City.
“Making someone make a mistake doesn’t necessarily require an object.”
He said calmly, “It can also be done through people.”
The assistant’s heart tightened.
“What does President Sheng mean?”
Sheng Chengxiu turned around.
“Investigate Su Muchen’s classmates and teachers at medical school, as well as the hospital he was originally supposed to join.”
He paused, a coldness surfacing in his eyes.
“Didn’t he want to become a doctor? Start there.”
◆◇◆◇◆
The next morning, Su Muchen received a call from Yunjing City Third District People’s Hospital.
The caller was from the Human Resources Department.
Their tone was more polite than last time, but also more distant.
“Mr. Su, regarding your original employment arrangement, we’d like to confirm something with you.”
Su Muchen’s fingers paused.
“Please go ahead.”
“Because you have recently become involved in relatively complicated debt and asset disputes, the hospital, based on risk considerations, may need to temporarily suspend your onboarding process.”
Su Muchen fell silent.
Actually, he had already guessed that he might not be able to keep this job.
These past few days, he had been dragged along by debt, the Sheng family, Return of Dust Studio, and Great Sheng, leaving him almost no time to think about the job that had originally represented a “normal life.”
But when he actually heard those words, something still seemed to slam heavily into his heart.
It was not excruciating.
But it still hurt.
In order to become a doctor, he had worked tirelessly day and night, gritted his teeth while carrying student loans, lived frugally, and finally managed to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Yet in the end, because of a few matters, someone had casually kicked his dream to pieces……
He was unwilling to give up and continued asking, “Is it a temporary suspension, or has it been canceled?”
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment.
“At present, it is a temporary suspension.”
Adults all understood.
“Temporary suspension” was simply the more dignified way of saying it before cancellation.
Su Muchen gripped his phone, his voice calm.
“Understood.”
The other party probably felt somewhat awkward as well.
“Mr. Su, we recognize your abilities and qualifications very much. It’s just that the current situation—”
“I understand.”
Su Muchen hung up.
He sat behind the counter, covering his face with both hands, and remained motionless for a long time.
Xiao walked out from the back courtyard. When he saw Su Muchen’s expression, the smile on his face instantly faded.
“The hospital?”
Su Muchen silently nodded, and only after a long while slowly exhaled.
“Mm……the onboarding has been suspended.”
Xiao fell silent.
Everyone knew that saying it was suspended actually meant they were telling him not to come.
And after offending the Sheng family, forget about a small hospital—even other medical institutions would probably not dare to hire him.
Su Muchen lowered his head and looked at his hands.
These hands should originally have been working in a hospital.
Holding medical records, treating wounds, typing, working night shifts, slowly learning to become a real doctor.
Now they were opening soap packages, writing manuals for cross-world epidemics, and counting gold.
It was absurd.
Even more absurd was that he had already become somewhat accustomed to it.
He did not know whether he should feel disappointed—that all his years of effort had been wasted and his dream had been shattered—
or whether he should feel fortunate that he still had this shop to work at.
Xiao asked quietly, “Are you angry?”
Su Muchen was silent for a moment before nodding hard.
“Angry.”
He raised his eyes.
There were no tears in them, only a layer of calmness that was almost icy.
“But this works out perfectly.”
Xiao was slightly stunned.
Su Muchen stood up and took the folder he had originally prepared for his hospital employment from the drawer.
Inside were still his résumé, medical examination report, and photocopy of his graduation certificate.
He looked at them for several seconds, then closed the folder and set it aside.
“I was still hesitating about whether to keep the hospital as a fallback. Now I don’t have to.”
Since Sheng Chengxiu wanted to pressure him like this, then he absolutely refused to yield!
Sheng Chengxiu had underestimated his psychological resilience.
After all, he had lost his mother when he was young, been abandoned by his father, and been bullied by his stepmother and younger half-brother, yet he had still relied on himself to get this far.
He had experienced every kind of damned mess.
Now he had inexplicably taken on an enormous debt.
What did this little setback even count as?
Xiao looked at him and suddenly felt somewhat impressed by his ability to adapt.
Su Muchen turned around.
“Since they blocked my path, then I’ll insist on keeping this shop open. I’ll make the Sheng family furious and make sure Sheng Chengxiu gets nothing.”
Xiao was silent for a moment.
In the end, he let out a quiet laugh.
“Muchen.”
“Mm?”
“You really look a little like the owner of Return of Dust Studio now.”
“I am the owner.”
Su Muchen looked outside the shop.
The light rain in Changning Alley had already stopped.
The black business vehicle at the entrance of the alley was still parked there.
Like an eye hidden in the darkness.
Su Muchen looked at it, then suddenly took out his phone and took a picture of the vehicle.
Xiao raised an eyebrow.
“What are you doing?”
“Keeping evidence.”
“They’ll change vehicles.”
“Then I’ll take a picture every time.”
Su Muchen’s tone was calm.
“The Sheng family likes watching people. I can learn too.”
Xiao laughed.
“You’re becoming corrupted.”
“I’m being forced into it.”
Su Muchen knew that he was not relying entirely on himself.
If not for his grandfather’s secret arrangements, Xiao’s assistance, and Xiao Yuan’s help, he might not even be here now.
He was no longer alone.
◆◇◆◇◆
Over in Great Sheng, one of the children among the refugees had a slight reduction in fever on the second morning.
The child was not completely out of danger yet.
But at least the child could open his eyes and call out “Mother.”
The mother knelt on the ground and repeatedly kowtowed heavily in Xiao Yuan’s direction.
“Thank you, Your Highness Prince Su, for saving my life. Thank you, Your Highness for saving my life……”
Xiao Yuan stood some distance away and did not step forward to help her up.
He merely looked at the rough porcelain bowl tightly clutched in the child’s hands.
There was still a little pale salt-and-sugar water inside.
Xiao Yuan said quietly, “It wasn’t me who saved him.”
Chi Banyue happened to hear him.
She glanced at him and smiled.
“Then how does Your Highness plan to tell Physician Su?”
Xiao Yuan did not answer.
Xia Lanshi walked over wearing a cloak, a recent record in his hand.
“Among the patients last night, three had slightly reduced fevers, while two remained in critical condition. The fluid replacement method is indeed effective.”
Xiao Yuan accepted the record.
Xia Lanshi continued, “It’s just that the oral rehydration salts are being consumed faster than expected. If all the refugees along the route are like this, the supplies may not be enough.”
Xiao Yuan looked toward the north.
“Then have the local officials open the granaries.”
Xia Lanshi frowned.
“They may not be willing.”
Xiao Yuan said indifferently, “If they refuse, replace them with someone who is willing.”
His words were extremely cold.
Yet Xia Lanshi did not try to persuade him.
The Emperor had given Xiao Yuan authority to act at his discretion.
The Crown Prince wanted to use this blade to injure Xiao Yuan himself.
But if used properly, the blade could first cut through the hands of those local officials.
Chi Banyue said quietly, “Two more days ahead, we’ll reach Linzhou. The Governor of Linzhou has always been close to the Eastern Palace.”
Xiao Yuan’s eyes darkened.
“Then we’ll start with Linzhou.”
◆◇◆◇◆
That evening, what Xiao Yuan brought back was not only gold and information about the refugees.
There was also news about Linzhou.
After hearing it, Su Muchen’s brows furrowed tightly.
“So you suspect Linzhou will deliberately obstruct your grain supplies?”
“Not suspect.”
Xiao Yuan said, “It definitely will.”
Su Muchen was silent for a moment.
“You have authority granted by the Emperor. Can’t you simply open the granaries directly?”
“I can.”
Xiao Yuan said, “But if I use force directly, the local officials will push all the blame onto me. Opening the granaries is easy. Maintaining what comes afterward is difficult.”
Su Muchen lowered his head and looked at the map.
He had already looked at the map of Great Sheng’s northern border many times. Although he still wasn’t completely familiar with it, he could generally understand the routes.
Linzhou was an important supply point before entering the northern border.
If they were blocked here, Xiao Yuan would have a great deal of trouble afterward.
Su Muchen thought for a moment before asking, “What is Linzhou most afraid of?”
Xiao Yuan looked at him.
“What do you mean?”
“Local officials usually refuse to provide grain not because there is no grain, but because they don’t want to bear responsibility, or because the grain has already been diverted.”
Su Muchen said, “If you want him to open the granaries, you have to make him feel that the cost of not opening them is higher.”
Xiao Yuan’s eyes shifted slightly.
Xia Lanshi’s thinking was similar to his.
But Su Muchen’s explanation was more straightforward and more like the pressure logic of modern society.
Su Muchen continued, “Is there an epidemic in Linzhou?”
“Refugees have already entered the territory.”
“Then use the epidemic to pressure him.”
Su Muchen picked up his pen and began writing on the paper.
“If he refuses to cooperate with quarantine, opening the granaries, and providing water, once the epidemic spreads, the local gentry and common people of Linzhou will also be affected. You can first find influential people there and make them understand this point.”
Xiao Yuan said, “Use public opinion to pressure the officials?”
“Not just public opinion.”
Su Muchen said, “Responsibility too. Have Xia Lanshi write an epidemic-prevention notice and stamp it with your seal. Clearly state that if local officials conceal the epidemic or obstruct resettlement, causing the epidemic to enter the city, the local chief official will bear responsibility.”
A glimmer appeared in Xiao Yuan’s eyes.
“Then add the imperial decree.”
“Exactly.”
Su Muchen said, “You have the authority to act at your discretion, so push the responsibility back onto them. Don’t let them only see that you’re abusing your authority. Make everyone see that it is their inaction that is harming people.”
Xiao leaned against the side, looking thoughtfully at Su Muchen.
This young man indeed did not understand Great Sheng’s officialdom.
But he understood very well how to break a problem apart.
Who feared what.
Who wanted what.
Who should bear the responsibility.
He was like someone who had never held a blade before, yet had already begun learning how to transform the rules of society into a blade that could be used in ancient times.
Xiao Yuan said quietly, “I understand.”
Su Muchen raised his eyes.
“Don’t go killing people recklessly again.”
Xiao Yuan was silent for a moment.
“What if it’s necessary?”
Su Muchen looked at him.
He knew that he could not completely impose modern rules on Xiao Yuan.
Great Sheng was not Yunjing.
There, power and life-and-death were far more naked than in the modern world.
He was silent for a moment before saying, “If it really is necessary, at least make sure this blade cuts where it will actually be useful.”
Xiao Yuan looked at him, his gaze deepening.
“Good.”
Su Muchen lowered his head and continued writing his suggestions for the notice.
He did not notice that Xiao Yuan’s gaze upon him was deeper than the night outside the window.
Xiao saw it.
He lifted his tea and gently sighed.
This door had never merely been a road leading to gold.
It would also drag people’s hearts into it, little by little.
No one could escape.