Chapter 5: The Blue Bottle

The bottle sat in Lu Chen's pocket all afternoon, and it felt heavy.

He knew what was in it.

In the first life, the court had read the name aloud: aconite tincture, a clear liquid with a sharp spirit smell.

Six drops would have put the chairman in the ground by spring.

Su Lu had not wanted that yet.

The first life had waited for the anniversary dinner, when everyone sat at one table.

So this was not the same plan.

She was moving faster, and that meant she was afraid of something.

Lu Chen went to the kitchen at four.

The cook was out buying fish, and the room was warm and empty.

He unscrewed the dropper and poured the whole bottle down the drain.

He ran the tap for a full minute.

Then he rinsed the bottle, filled it with plain water from the filter, and screwed the cap back on.

It looked exactly the same.

That evening he carried the chairman's tea up himself.

The old man sat in his study with his feet on a stool and a crossword on his knee.

"Six drops, Su Lu says," Lu Chen said.

He held up the bottle in plain sight, so that nobody could say he had hidden it.

The chairman grunted. "Stupid doctors. I sleep fine."

"I know. Drink it anyway."

He counted six drops of water into the tea and stirred.

The chairman drank it with a sour face.

"Tastes like nothing," he said.

"It's good for you."

"Everything is, according to you young people."

Lu Chen almost smiled.

He came out into the corridor with the empty cup.

Su Ye was leaning on the wall outside with his hands in his pockets.

"So," Su Ye said. "You're also my grandfather's nurse."

"Su Lu asked me to."

"Su Lu asks you for a lot."

It was said lightly, but Su Ye was watching him.

"Come with me," Su Ye said. "I want to show you something."

He led Lu Chen down the hall to the library and shut the door.

"What is it?"

"This."

Su Ye turned him around by the shoulder, pressed him against the nearest bookcase, and kissed him.

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