In the novel "Joy of Life," the protagonist wakes up at Li Chengze's residence.

Amidst the rising steam of hot tea, Li Chengze gazed intently at Tao Jingyang's movements through the hazy white light.

After a long silence, he said to Tao Jingyang in a cool tone, "Why tear up a perfectly good collection of poems?"

[Good job tearing it.]

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Tao Jingyang was carefully tearing off the rough edges left on the book cover when he heard Li Chengze's words and replied:

"I wasn't tearing up a book."

She looked at the poetry collection from left to right, muttering to herself, "Isn't this just Fan Xian I'm tearing up?"

But in her heart, she was wailing: I've torn apart the cracks that are about to grow between us, Li Chengze!!!

After saying two sentences, Li Chengze didn't react.

So Tao Jingyang continued, "These poems are all good poems, but the scrawled handwriting on the book cover lowers the overall quality."

The ugly handwriting is one thing, but the main thing is that this old Fan Xian is really shameless to even put a signature on it.

"Is this your poem? Then sign it." Tao Jingyang mentally ranted.

"Fan Xian is now recognized as a great talent in the entire capital. When I left court today, his poetry collections were being sold everywhere along the way."

Li Chengze took the poetry collection that Tao Jingyang had "organized," flipped through it briefly, and then put it back on the table.

Tao Jingyang's lips curled down, and he said with a sneer, "He didn't write it. Didn't he say it was copied from the Immortal Realm?"

“Where in this world is there a celestial realm… Fan Xian, he is truly talented.” Li Chengze sat opposite him, and as he spoke, he let out a soft sigh.

[Tao Jingyang]: How can I change the subject away from this unfortunate Fan Xian?

Before Tao Jingyang could come up with a solution, Li Chengze changed the subject, his eyes carrying a strange meaning: "Did you two know each other before?"

No, how come we can't separate them?

Tao Jingyang quickly waved his hand and denied it without hesitation: "I didn't know him before. The first time we met was when he beat up Guo Baokun."

That's no lie; this really is the place where we first met.

However, at that time, it was Tao Jingyang who knew Fan Xian unilaterally... so it doesn't count as them knowing each other, right?

Li Chengze didn't seem to believe what Tao Jingyang said. He seemed to want to continue the topic and discuss it further.

【Tao Jingyang】Life is meaningless: Baa baa, let's not continue this topic.

Her eyes lit up, and a brilliant "topic" popped into her mind.

Tao Jingyang couldn't control her expression for a moment, and a slightly "sly" smile vividly appeared on her face.

"Oh right, Chengze."

"You've given me so many things, so I've been thinking about it and I also have a 'little gift' to give you." Tao Jingyang said very "calmly" as he talked about something else.

He was calm, but a little too stiff.

But the other party still gave her face, knowing that she didn't want to continue talking about "Fan Xian," and asked in a very cooperative manner:

"Oh? What are you going to give me?"

In fact, Li Chengze was already looking forward to it. In a flash, he had already imagined countless possibilities:

What will Jingyang give me...? Did she embroider something for me? Will it be a sachet? Or a handkerchief?

Comrade Li Chengze had already taken off the sachet he used to wear a long time ago.

From then on, he would linger in front of Tao Jingyang every day.

This was all so that Tao Jingyang would discover his "meticulous" little scheme—he needed a sachet to hang on his body.

This situation arose after Xie Bi'an reported to Li Chengze:

On the first day after "You Ran went outside the manor to purchase several bolts of cloth today," Li Chengze had officially begun this practice...

However, Li Chengze's current mood is a mixture of anticipation and a hint of distress.

"What can I give as a token of our love? A sachet tied to the back of my elbow." I should give her a hairpin; it would be best if we both presented such a token of our love together.

But... I haven't finished making that hairpin yet...

At this moment, an indigo-red "half-finished" hairpin was lying quietly in a hidden compartment under Li Chengze's pillow.

Of course, there were also countless slightly "flawed" "half-finished" hairpins, all of which were piled together in another small box.

Only this one is relatively intact, carefully wrapped in silk cloth, with several layers of padding underneath, for fear of any damage.

Remembering this, Li Chengze tentatively suggested, "How about you give me the gift another day? We can meet then..."

Give me some time to prepare.

Assuming we can start working on it this afternoon... it should be finished in a few days.

"Why wait until another day? Let's do it today."

At this moment, Tao Jingyang beckoned to Li Chengze with his finger, signaling Li Chengze to come closer.

Li Chengze understood immediately and bent down.

Tao Jingyang whispered in his ear, in a voice barely above a mosquito's buzz, "Outside the capital, just outside the city gate, due east."

The fifth mountain in sight, halfway up, lies a hidden cave. Hidden inside that cave is the gift I want to give you.

The hot air hitting Li Chengze's ears made him feel a little dazed for a moment.

My ears are itchy, and so is my heart.

Li Chengze pressed his temples with the hand he was resting on the table, trying to clear his mind as much as possible.

He went through the address Tao Jingyang had just told him: Kyoto...due east...the fifth...a cave halfway up the mountain...

She raised her eyes, blinked, and said incredulously, "Jingyang, do you really need to hide the things you're giving me so well?"

He then thought that during the time he had known Tao Jingyang, he had never seen Jingyang go to such a place.

Thinking of this, in an instant, it seemed as if he suddenly understood something.

If it wasn't recently, then it could only be... from the past.

He hesitated in his mind, wondering whether to ask Tao Jingyang about her past. But the words lingered on his lips as he looked at the person in front of him, and he just couldn't bring himself to ask.

Li Chengze thought for a moment and then kept quiet.

The fact that he didn't mention it must mean Jingyang had his own reasons. Everyone has their own secrets, and he didn't want to put pressure on Tao Jingyang.

Whether it's something that should be said or not, let Tao Jingyang speak when she wants to. Anyway, whatever she says, good or bad, doesn't matter.

If things go well, I'm happy for her; if things go badly, I'll smooth things over for her.