The scent of medicinal herbs hangs heavy in the air as I stand outside Gong Yuanzhi's clinic, the morning mist swirling around my feet. Inside, the young prodigy is supposedly testing new poisons again—behavior that would normally concern me less if he weren't the spitting image of my younger brother back home.

I hesitate before pushing open the door, the wooden frame creaking softly. The clinic is dim, shelves lined with jars of herbs and poisons. In the center, Gong Yuanzhi stands over a boiling pot, wearing his usual gloves.

"What are you doing here?" he asks without turning, his voice sharp with the defensiveness I've come to recognize as his armor.

I step further into the room, the smell of wolfsbane and chrysanthemum mixing uncomfortably. "I brought breakfast," I say simply, placing the food container on a nearby table. "You missed the morning meal again."

He finally turns, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Why do you care?" His gloved hands tighten slightly, a nervous habit I've observed when he feels threatened.

Before I can respond, the door slams open behind me. Gong Shangjue stands in the doorway, his presence filling the small space with commanding intensity. His gaze flicks between us, a subtle smirk playing on his lips.

"Ah, there you are," he says, his voice low and measured. "I've been looking for you both."

The tension in the room sharpens instantly. Yuanzhi stiffens, preparing for conflict, while Shangjue's eyes lock onto mine with an intensity that sends a shiver down my spine—annoyance, calculation, and something else I can't quite identify. Something that makes my pulse quicken despite my better judgment.

"We need to talk about Elder Yue's murder," he continues, cutting through the silence like a blade. "And I want your thoughts on the investigation."

My heart sinks. The political storm is gathering, and I'm standing squarely in its path—between two brothers, a murder investigation, and a growing attraction that could destroy everything I've worked for.