Ning Yan simply didn’t want to see her acting foolishly infatuated with Qi Yue. He didn’t expect her to provide any useful information. That person was already dead, and after investigation, it was confirmed to be an accident, with no signs of foul play. Even if he wanted to dig deeper, there were no clues to follow.

  The Western Region perfumer had long left Xuancheng, but the fragrance he had replicated had stirred an undercurrent of trouble in the city. The authorities had already received several reports, all involving people being manipulated by the scent. In a few days, the matter would likely reach the emperor’s ears.

  Irritation crept into Ning Yan’s heart, and out of habit, he reached for the sachet at his waist—only to suddenly recall where he was. He looked up, catching sight of Bai Qingqing’s peculiar expression. The hesitation and struggle on her face were obvious. After a long pause, she timidly asked, "Lord Ning, if someone had no intention to harm others but accidentally caused trouble, could they be forgiven?"

  "That depends on what kind of trouble they caused."

  Bai Qingqing’s lips drooped in disappointment. After some thought, she decided to confess. Summoning all her courage, she blurted out, "The scent that made you uncomfortable… might have been made by me."

  Ning Yan: "?"

  He was rarely caught off guard, but this time, he nearly spilled his tea. "What makes you say that?"

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Bai Qingqing spilled everything in one go. "It was a failed batch I made, but someone took advantage of it for profit. I've already punished the maid involved, but since this incident started because of me, I sincerely apologize."

  She lowered her head and didn’t notice how Ning Yan’s gaze changed. "Who did your maid sell the fragrance to? Do you know?"

  "She said she didn’t know his real name, only that others called him ‘Huang Mazi.’"

  Ning Yan’s eyes narrowed. That unlucky man who had been crushed to death in the street was known by the same alias. That meant she was telling the truth.

  But this was too unbelievable—could a fragrance made by a sheltered young lady truly have such effects?

  Bai Qingqing was still racking her brain for ways to make amends. "But I didn’t make much of it! And the one I gave you—‘Calm Down’—was meant to alleviate discomfort…"

  "Do you realize that the scent others used against me was meant to take my life?"

  Bai Qingqing shuddered and bit her lip. She glanced up but quickly lowered her gaze again. "I was wrong."

  Ning Yan almost laughed—at least she admitted fault quickly. "Even if it was unintentional, your failure to manage your servants led to the fragrance leaking out. And now, it has caused far more trouble than you realize. Someone has taken your scent and replicated it to harm others."

  Bai Qingqing gasped sharply, her voice turning panicked. "How… how could that be? I… I had no idea…"

  She had never encountered anything like this before, never even harbored ill intentions. The thought of someone suffering because of her fragrance filled her with unease. "What should I do now? I swear I didn’t mean for this to happen!"

  Her eyes welled up with tears in an instant, shimmering with distress. She looked utterly helpless.

  Ning Yan hadn’t expected her to be so easily frightened—so easily moved to tears. He frowned. "Why are you crying?"

  But instead of stopping, Bai Qingqing seemed to give up entirely. "I’ll cry if I want to! It’s not bothering you. Am I not allowed to be scared?"

  Her tears fell even more fiercely, her lips trembling in grievance. How could he be so heartless? This was terrifying! And yet he wouldn’t even let her cry? Was he a demon?

  Ning Yan had never been directly contradicted like this before. Seeing her watery eyes, he found himself unexpectedly at a loss.

  How was he supposed to make her stop crying?