The pale light of dawn filtered through the gaps in the window as Qin Yu awoke, pleased that his sleep duration was steadily increasing and his spirit getting brighter, even energetic enough for exercise.
After running a lap around the riverside and returning to the villa, Uncle Wen approached Qin Yu to inform him that the family doctor had arrived.
Qin Yu wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel, striding into the villa with his long legs, the sportswear clinging perfectly to his well-proportioned, fit, and muscular body—a testament to his daily exercise routine.
Four doctors dressed in white coats and wearing masks were already waiting in the living room for him and stood up immediately upon his entry, "Mr. Qin."
Qin Yu nodded indifferently, handed the towel to Uncle Wen, and sat down on the sofa.
The chief physician, Doctor Zhu, had been leading the team responsible for treating Qin Yu's insomnia for the past two years.
They would visit for routine check-ups every week.
Doctor Zhu asked, "Mr. Qin, how has your health been recently?"
"I've been able to sleep for more than four hours these past few days," Qin Yu said in a calm voice, briefly.
Doctor Zhu exclaimed with surprise, "Congratulations, Mr. Qin, it seems the last treatment was effective. We'll start with a routine check-up, and my team and I will quickly organize the next course of treatment."
Uncle Wen couldn't help but feel happy for him too; Qin Yu's insomnia had been getting worse over the past two years, and with the hectic work of the Qin Corporation, he was truly worried for Qin Yu.
Facing a figure at the pinnacle of the Capital City's elite, Doctor Zhu had to be extremely cautious and delicately asked, "Mr. Qin, besides the improvement in sleep, have you experienced any other issues, such as with your body?"
Qin Yu's dark eyes narrowed slightly, feeling something was not quite right with the events of the past couple of days, yet he couldn't pinpoint what it was and simply said, "Does dreaming count as a sequelae of insomnia?"
After a moment of thought, Doctor Zhu said, "We cannot discount that possibility. The long-term lack of sufficient sleep can lead to deterioration of mental and physical functions. The condition of having frequent dreams may need some time to completely disappear."
"Mm," Qin Yu nodded lightly, his expression subdued; dreaming itself could hardly be considered a disease.
Doctor Zhu couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine, internally remarking that Mr. Qin truly was sparing with words and exuded an oppressive presence, a figure in Capital City who could strike fear into others by reputation alone.
Being Qin Yu's personal doctor for so long, Doctor Zhu still couldn't maintain his composure around him. Fortunately, the generous remuneration was motivation enough, and he immediately rallied his full attention.
After the check-up was finished, Uncle Wen saw the visitors out.
Qin Yu pressed on the needle mark on his arm, harboring no expectation of receiving answers from the doctors about the little girl from his dreams and the faint sound of crying he initially heard.
After all, it was only a dream.
That night, Qin Yu bathed as usual and went to bed, but strangely, he found himself in an insomniac state once again, his consciousness sharply attuned to every faint sound, such as his breathing and heartbeat, the world feeling so lonely as if he was the only person left.
There were no cries, and the dim room no longer held that peculiarly sweet scent of fruit.
When one cannot sleep, lying in bed for extended periods becomes a torturous ordeal for both body and mind.
Restlessly, Qin Yu sat up and grabbed a piece of clothing, walking out to the balcony without turning on the lights. He just sat in the chair, lit a cigarette, and remained in the embrace of the night until dawn broke.
The next day, as he descended the stairs, Uncle Wen immediately noticed his lack of vigor and stepped forward with concern to inquire,
"Young Master, did you have trouble sleeping again last night?"
Qin Yu sat at the dining table, massaging his temples with his long fingers, his brow tightly furrowed, his body overwhelmed by fatigue after enduring an entire night.
"Uncle Wen, where did you put the incense burner Tang Bufan brought over?" Suddenly, Qin Yu asked this question.
Uncle Wen was taken aback. He remembered that antique incense burner, but he didn't understand why the young master suddenly asked about it, knowing full well the young master never "regretted" his actions.
"I put it in the storeroom in the basement. If the young master wants it, I can go down and bring it up right now."
"Put it in my room," Qin Yu picked up the knife and fork and spoke indifferently. His voice, as always, showed no emotional fluctuation, leaving Uncle Wen unable to guess his thoughts.
"Yes, young master."
After breakfast, Qin Yu changed his clothes and went straight out to play ball, not returning until evening.
Uncle Wen told him that he had placed the incense burner in the room. Qin Yu just nodded, showing no emotion, leaving Uncle Wen completely puzzled. The young master had been acting a bit strange recently.
In the dead silence of the night, stars scattered across the vast expanse of the sky, as if countless pairs of eyes were peering down upon the earth.
Clad in a bathrobe, Qin Yu picked up the incense burner from the box with one hand and sat down on the sofa. He first visually inspected it as a whole, then opened the lid and bent his head to smell it.
The Green Jade Incense Burner itself had no scent, other than its smoothness, as soft as skin, there was nothing special about it.
Could he have been mistaken?
Qin Yu's eyes were perpetually soaked in frost, his gaze as cold as the winter wind. He was accustomed to staying calm and collected, and he didn't believe in coincidences without reason.
The first day the incense burner was brought into his bedroom, he smelled that scent that allowed him to fall asleep with ease. The next day, he had Uncle Wen take away the incense burner, and that night he dreamed of an ancient-dressed girl he had never seen before who told him not to keep her locked up.
Locked up?
Qin Yu was certain that no one dared to enter his bedroom casually, Uncle Wen included. He remembered every single item in his room very clearly. The only difference in the past few days was the presence of that antique green and white jade incense burner.
He looked at the incense burner for almost an hour with no revelations. Upon close inspection, it was just an ordinary yet extraordinary jade carving, superb in craftsmanship, naturally perfect.
But why, exactly?
Suddenly remembering something, Qin Yu placed the incense burner on the marble coffee table, stood up, and took some incense out of the box. It was square-shaped and wrapped in golden paper. He untied the ribbon on top, and a strong floral scent rushed out.
Qin Yu frowned; the scent was off, not what he was looking for.
In the end, Qin Yu still poured the incense into the burner and lit it. The white smoke rose slowly like wisps of fine mist, resembling a soft ribbon dancing, creating a dream-like feeling. The scent of the aloes was clear, sweet, and cool, a common calming formula.
Qin Yu sat in front of the incense burner for a long time, with nothing happening. He didn't know what he was waiting for and scoffed quietly in the end.
Heh, he must be haunted by delusions. What was he doing all because of an elusive dream?
The lights in the room went out, and silence was restored.
In the darkness, the incense burner slowly exhaled smoke, quickly filling the room with the fragrance of flowers. The scent moistened the Jade, seeping into it and turning into sparkling lights that descended on Ah Da, who lay with her eyes closed, quietly asleep, absorbing the moisture as if her body were parched land welcoming sweet rain until she was enveloped by the lustrous glow.
When Ah Da woke again, it was morning. She looked at the incense ash remaining in the burner, blinking her bright, watery eyes, momentarily stunned.
Was it... lit?
The surprise came too suddenly. Could the incense burner have been lit while she slept?
How could it be? She thought she had failed.
Ah Da's heart pounded with excitement. She quickly flew upward, her body passing straight through the transparent barrier that had always confined her.