The very next morning, Lin He, along with Ziyu and Dahei, planned to head home. Yet, as the carriage passed the town limits and reached the familiar fork in the road leading to her house, it suddenly stopped. There was no sound from outside. Lin He called out, "Uncle Chang Geng, what is it? Why has the carriage halted?"

"Miss, someone is blocking the road," Chang Geng replied.

Lin He lifted the carriage curtain and peered out. Indeed, a horse stood directly in front of them, carrying a lone rider. Lin He looked up, and her gaze locked instantly with the eyes of the person on the horse—the very eyes that had first captivated her, and the very eyes that had once saved her life. The rider was none other than Wen Ningxuan, the 'Second Brother' Wen Ningmo had mentioned.

Lin He felt that the common saying, 'Heaven is fair to everyone,' was somewhat inaccurate; at least, this truth didn't apply to Wen Ningxuan. This man was practically a masterpiece of creation. Several years had passed, yet his features had become even more refined, shedding the last vestiges of boyishness. If his former appearance could draw attention, his look now, three years later, could truly bewitch the masses.

Ziyu, standing beside her, cried out upon seeing him, "Second Young Master! Miss, it’s the Second Young Master!"

Lin He rolled her eyes at Ziyu. The man was standing right there, large as life; did Ziyu think she couldn't see? Lin He smiled lightly and asked, "Second Young Master, it’s been a long time. Is there something you require of me?"

Wen Ningxuan stared intently at Lin He and said, "Get down. I need to speak with you."

Hearing this, Ziyu immediately jumped down from the carriage and then helped Lin He descend. Over on the other side, Wen Ningxuan dismounted, handed the reins to Ziyu, and began walking towards a spot slightly away from the road. Seeing Wen Ningxuan’s retreating back, Lin He felt a pang of confusion. This young master remained as taciturn as ever. After a moment's thought, she decided to follow him.

Wen Ningxuan hadn't gone far, only a short distance from the carriage. Lin He followed him discreetly. Wen Ningxuan glanced swiftly at Lin He’s wrist and spoke, "Why aren't you wearing the bracelet I gave you?"

Lin He paused, thinking she must have misheard him, and asked, "What?"

Wen Ningxuan didn't reply, merely fixing his gaze on the cuff of her sleeve. Lin He realized she hadn't misheard; he had just asked why she wasn't wearing the bracelet. Lin He found this rather odd. The young master was being petty; it wasn't an especially valuable gift, so why did he need to ask about it every time they met? Lin He said casually, "Second Young Master is asking about the bracelet, aren't you? Do you want it back? I can bring it next time I’m in town, if you like. It’s new; I haven't worn it."

Lin He said this deliberately, as she genuinely couldn't figure out why Wen Ningxuan brought up the bracelet every time. She wanted to prompt a response to see how he would react. Wen Ningxuan showed no expression upon hearing Lin He’s words, simply stating, "No need."

He then started to turn away, but after taking a few steps, he turned back, pulled a purple box from his person, and handed it to Lin He. Lin He looked at the box and asked, "What is this?"

Wen Ningxuan didn't speak, yet he maintained the posture of offering the box, holding it out as if he would stand there indefinitely until Lin He accepted it. Having no other choice, Lin He reached out and took the box. Wen Ningxuan turned, mounted his horse, and rode away.

Now Lin He was truly perplexed. Wen Ningxuan had stopped her carriage after three years, saying he needed to speak with her. When she got down, the subject was a bracelet. What kind of important matter was that? And now he insisted on giving her a box. What on earth was he playing at? After three years away, Wen Ningxuan was still this strange and unfathomable.

Lin He opened the box in her hand, and her eyes immediately lit up. Inside lay a crystal bracelet. At its center was an oval, pale violet crystal, flanked by smaller pieces of purple crystal, all connected by delicate silver chains at the ends.

Lin He knew that in her previous life, such a chain wouldn't be particularly rare, as crystals were quite common then. But in this era, it was likely a treasure of immense value. Crystals here were called 'Liuli Stones' and were seldom seen—at least, Lin He had never encountered them. For a Liuli Stone of this color and cut to be fashioned into such a delicate bracelet would have required considerable effort. She wondered where Wen Ningxuan had acquired it, but Lin He adored it. She wasn't interested in other jewelry, but she had a distinct weakness for small ornaments worn on the wrist.

Ziyu gasped from beside her, "Miss, what is that? It’s so beautiful; I’ve never seen anything like it, and the color is lovely. Did the Second Young Master give this to you?"

Lin He shot Ziyu a glance, causing Ziyu to stick out her tongue. Lin He carefully placed the chain back into the box and tucked the box into her small purse. She felt a strange pang regarding herself. She hadn't seen Wen Ningxuan for years; though she sometimes recalled him, it was only for a fleeting moment. Yet, seeing him now, Lin He realized that despite the long separation, her memory of his features was startlingly clear.

This might not be unusual for some people, but for Lin He, it was different. People come in different categories: some possess an uncanny ability to recall faces—they see someone once and can sketch their likeness perfectly. Others are different; unless they see someone daily or if that person is immensely important, even if they’ve met them many times, they might recognize them when they are present but fail to recall their appearance when they are absent. Lin He belonged to the latter group.

Lin He had met Wen Ningxuan only a few times, and they weren't particularly close. Yet, after seeing him just once, she could describe his appearance vividly. Lin He pondered this for a long time, finally deciding to attribute it all to Wen Ningxuan’s otherworldly beauty. People who look that stunning are naturally unforgettable.

With that thought, Lin He called Ziyu and headed back toward the carriage. Dahei, seeing Lin He return, barked a few happy greetings. Lin He stroked its head, and Dahei quieted down. Outside, Chang Geng also smiled and remarked, "He'er, which young master was that? He is truly handsome."

Lin He replied with a smile, "That is Wen Ningmo’s Second Brother."

"No wonder. One look at that young master told you he wasn't ordinary. He must be from the Wen family," Chang Geng commented. Having been with Lin He’s family for several years, he had changed considerably; from being taciturn, he was now much more talkative, and he always drove Lin He into town, making them quite familiar with each other.

Once Lin He, Ziyu, and the others were settled in the carriage, it was driven away. Once seated, Lin He found herself unable to dwell on Wen Ningxuan any longer; there were numerous matters waiting for her at home this time.