On the third day, Dean left the house as usual, wondering why the courtyard was so quiet today… He left, puzzled… Had he become addicted to signing bills? Why did it feel odd not seeing any bills? He chuckled at himself in the car… Perhaps there would be something new when he returned… As usual, Dean came back in the evening, and through the glass, he saw Ye Xie with Baron in her greenhouse, the setting sun casting its glow through the glass into the transparent space… This was Dean’s first time stepping into the greenhouse. Ye Xie was seriously measuring something around a central rectangular table. Upon closer inspection, the table was covered with measuring cups, conical flasks, test tubes, alcohol burners, incense burners, heaters, and flower petal distillers… It was like a chemistry lab…
“What are you doing?” Dean asked.
“Extracting essences, what else? Making bombs?” Ye Xie didn’t look up, continuing her work, and added, “The perfume I gave you was made this way…”
“You really know how to do everything!” Dean embraced her waist from behind, resting his head on her right shoulder, blowing into her ear. He also checked her right clavicle, displaced by a car accident — it was healing well…
“Heh, I’m Ye Xie, of course, I can do anything!” Ye Xie said proudly.
“Didn’t buy anything today?” Dean asked, somewhat disbelieving she would spend the whole day as a perfumer.
“Who said that!?” Ye Xie exclaimed incredulously.
Dean smiled; he knew it was impossible…
“Look — all these bottles, jars, and equipment were just delivered today.”
“Why no bill?” Dean felt like he was asking for trouble, as if not paying for Ye Xie’s extravagances would bite him back.
“The rest will arrive tomorrow, so the bills are combined!” Ye Xie honestly answered Dean’s question…
