Steadying herself, she bit down on the man's tiger's mouth, and as he loosened his grip, she slipped out. "Lord Ning?"

  In the darkness, Ning Yan's low laughter sounded twice. "How did you know it was me? Are you so familiar with me already?"

  "Lord Ning is joking. I just smelled the incense I made myself."

  Bai Qingqing calmed down, groped in the dark to light the lamp, and kept her distance from Ning Yan, her delicate brows tightly locked, her eyes full of wariness.

  "Lord Ning, what is the meaning of this? Breaking into my room in the middle of the night, even if you are a Jinyiwei official, I can still have my father impeach you."

  Ning Yan took a step forward, and Bai Qingqing quickly retreated, grabbing an unlit candlestick in her hand. "Don't come any closer! I'm going to call for help!"

  Bai Qingqing was actually very flustered. She weighed her options repeatedly, not wanting the Bai family to offend the Jinyiwei, but this man was too rude. If, if he wanted to do something to her, she wouldn't care about anything else...

  Just as she was thinking, Bai Qingqing saw Ning Yan stagger and slump onto the soft couch.

  "?"

  Bai Qingqing stood still for a moment, then realized that Ning Yan looked a little strange. His face was abnormally red in the candlelight, the veins on his forehead and neck were bulging, and despite the cold weather, sweat was seeping from his temples.

  Bai Qingqing moved closer with the candlestick, tentatively asking, "What's wrong?"

  Ning Yan raised his lowered head and glanced at her. Bai Qingqing gasped and shrank back. His eyes were bloodshot, looking as terrifying as a vengeful ghost.

  But Bai Qingqing saw his hands supporting himself, the veins on the back of his hands bulging, clearly enduring something.

  "I, I'll go find someone, get a doctor for you."

  "Stop!"

  Ning Yan's voice was unusually hoarse, and Bai Qingqing stopped in confusion. "Then... you go find someone yourself?"

  Ning Yan chuckled, realizing she wanted to clear things up with him.

  But that wouldn't do. Her bite had directly stirred up his suppressed inner evil qi, the warm, wet sensation magnified, making him want to do something to soothe his restless blood.

  "It's the incense. I smelled an incense, and now I feel very uncomfortable."

  Ning Yan leaned his head against the window frame, the cold wind coming in through the window helping him feel a little better.

  Bai Qingqing was stunned. "Incense?"

  She quietly took two steps closer, observing Ning Yan's condition. His qi and blood were surging, his mind was confused, it seemed she had accidentally created something similar before.

  "Calm down. Do you have it on you?"

  "Huh?"

  Ning Yan took a moment to think, then realized she was talking about the incense she had given him earlier. He shook his head. Why would he carry it with him?

  "Then wait a moment, I happen to have some with me."

  Bai Qingqing quickly opened her luggage and rummaged through it before finding a plain little incense box. She hurried back, opened it, and thrust it directly into Ning Yan's hand. "Smell this."

  Without Ning Yan having to make an effort, the unique spicy and clear scent of the strangely named incense had already entered his nose.

  As if in an instant, his mind cleared up, like a hazy veil being torn away. The evil, restless heat was well subdued.

  Ning Yan couldn't help but look up at Bai Qingqing. Her incense actually had such an effect?

  Bai Qingqing had been staring at him. Seeing him look up, she quickly asked, "Do you feel better? When I made this incense, I was thinking about whether it could handle some emergencies, but I wasn't sure. You'd better go see a doctor."

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  The abnormal flush on Ning Yan's face gradually subsided, and his breathing became steady. Bai Qingqing secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed like it was over?

  No, it wasn't!

  Bai Qingqing's expression became serious again. "Lord Ning, please leave my room immediately. If you think that I, as a woman, am too shy to make a fuss because of my reputation, you're wrong. I dare to."

  The bloodshot in Ning Yan's eyes had subsided a lot. He looked at her with the corner of his eye raised. The once shy and timid girl in his memory seemed to have changed. He could tell from her eyes that she was serious.

  Ning Yan had never been treated coldly. Everyone else flattered him. He had always disdained those who didn't know how to appreciate his favor, but for some reason, Ning Yan had no intention of moving.

  "Since you are so proficient in incense, can you help me with a favor?"

  The unfamiliar indifference on Bai Qingqing's face froze for a moment, and a look of doubt appeared in her bright eyes. "Help you?"

  "What? Am I so untrustworthy?"

  Bai Qingqing was stunned and nodded honestly, almost making Ning Yan laugh in anger.

  He curled his lip and said, "The incense I was affected by today was very strange, almost making me lose my mind. If it were someone else, they would probably be at the mercy of others. If such a dangerous thing is not clarified, it will definitely leave hidden dangers."

  Ning Yan bent his eyes towards Bai Qingqing, and the smile in his phoenix eyes was something that even those close to him rarely saw. "People say that the daughter of the Duke's mansion is beautiful and kind. How could she turn a blind eye to such a thing?"

  Bai Qingqing didn't answer him, but frowned slightly and said, "Has anyone ever said that your smile looks like a fox? Character comes from the heart. I didn't believe it before, but now I believe it a little."

  Ning Yan: "..." Was she scolding him?

  If it were before, not too long ago, just a few days ago before she went to Yanlai Tower, Bai Qingqing would have definitely agreed to help. She might have even been overjoyed and done her best.

  But she wouldn't now. She still stood far away from Ning Yan, her eyes full of wariness.

  "Lord, you hold an important position in the Jinyiwei and will definitely protect the people of the Xuan Dynasty, and will not allow such things to happen. I only have a little knowledge of incense and may not be able to help much."

  Bai Qingqing changed the subject. "But if you think highly of me, I can try."

  The smile in Ning Yan's eyes deepened, and he quietly waited for her to continue.

  Bai Qingqing looked directly at him. "Since you are asking for my help, you will owe me a favor, won't you?"

  "So, what do you want to use this favor for?"

  "If one day I need your help, it won't be too late to repay it then."

  Bai Qingqing spoke to him calmly, but her hands were sweating in her sleeves. She wouldn't let herself show any weakness. She needed this favor!

  Thinking that building relationships or flattering someone could help the Bai family with their future troubles was nonsense. Favors are fickle and unreliable. She wanted real connections. That's why she came here to try to get close to the princess. She wanted Ning Yan to owe her a favor, which would give her more reason to ask for his help.

  Bai Qingqing waited for Ning Yan's answer. She wasn't sure if he would agree, but even if he didn't, it wouldn't matter. Bai Qingqing wouldn't rely on anyone. Favors could be obtained later.

  Ning Yan found it amazing. In just a few days, Bai Qingqing seemed to have transformed, as if the person who blushed and was shy when she saw him before wasn't her at all.