Chapter 94 (2/2): A Key in the Rain

In the next instant, Duan Ling’s white piece followed, surrounding her black piece and capturing it.

She lost again.

Duan Ling didn’t mind, smiling lightly he said, “No matter, it’s only a few pieces of clothing.”

He gathered the chess pieces and asked, “Want to play another game?”

Lin Ting pushed away the chess box and reached for some preserved fruit.

“No, I’ve lost several games in a row.”

When she played chess with Tao Zhu, Tao Zhu always lost; with Duan Ling, she always lost.

Lin Ting finally understood why Tao Zhu didn’t like playing chess with her—losing all the time made it no fun.

The rain outside hadn’t stopped.

Duan Ling lowered his eyes slightly, collecting the board and chess box.

“Then we won’t play.”

She offered him a piece of preserved fruit.

Duan Ling ate it.

At that moment, Lin Ting faintly heard a knocking sound, but wasn’t sure because of the rain outside.

“It sounds like someone’s here.”

Duan Ling had already heard the knocking, but since she hadn’t, he didn’t react.

He got up and headed outside.

“I’ll go take a look.”

Lin Ting hurriedly finished the fruit in her hand and followed.

“I’ll go with you.”

Duan Ling declined, “No need.”

She grabbed his hand and wouldn’t let go, looking at him earnestly.

“I remember the courtyard gate is locked too. It’s hard to unlock it while holding an umbrella, you might get wet. Let me hold the umbrella for you, alright?”

Duan Ling looked at her.

Lin Ting clearly knew he’d sent the servants away and wouldn’t let her go out or see anyone, all to keep her trapped.

Yet she continued to act as if nothing was wrong.

At first, Duan Ling had imagined how Lin Ting would react to being trapped—anger, resentment, and so on.

He never thought she would treat him just as before.

Was she still acting to lull him into lowering his guard, or did she truly like him?

In the end, Duan Ling agreed.

Lin Ting’s face lit up with joy.

She hurried to get an umbrella and walked with him to open the courtyard gate.

When the gate opened, the first person they saw was Xia Zimo.

He stood outside holding a pale blue oil-paper umbrella, dressed to the nines, his hand still raised from knocking.

Lin Ting had thought it was Duan Xinning again, but seeing Xia Zimo, she quickly put away her smile.

No sooner had she done so than she saw Duan Xinning, holding her waist, come out from behind Xia Zimo, with Zhilan beside her holding an umbrella.

“Second Brother, Leyun.” Duan Xinning hadn’t seen Lin Ting in days and was nearly moved to tears.

She feared she’d said something wrong and upset Lin Ting, which was why Lin Ting hadn’t come out to see her these past days.

Lin Ting took a step forward, then remembered she was sharing an umbrella with Duan Ling and would get him wet, so she stepped back.

“Linguan.”

Duan Xinning took a few steps closer and said, “Leyun, I thought you didn’t want to see me anymore.”

Lin Ting couldn’t help but laugh.

“Don’t overthink things. How could I not want to see you?”

Even if she was a bit exasperated with Duan Xinning, it wasn’t nearly enough to break off their friendship.

If Lin Ting truly wanted to cut ties, she wouldn’t have visited so often before, worrying about her mood, or bought her sour fruits and medicine for her pregnancy.

At this, Duan Xinning glanced at Duan Ling, speaking nervously.

“These past few days when I came to see you, Second Brother either said you were resting or busy, that you couldn’t come out to see me, and told me to focus on my pregnancy and come again later.”

Lin Ting: “…..”

She couldn’t tell them she was trapped in the courtyard and couldn’t get out even if she wanted to.

“Your Second Brother wasn’t lying, and I wasn’t making excuses. I really did have things to do these past days.”

But the “things to do” excuse was a bit weak.

In Jingcheng, Duan Xinning knew she had a fabric shop and could say she was busy with business, but in Ancheng that didn’t work.

Lin Ting wasn’t like Duan Ling, who came to Ancheng on official business.

Even so, Duan Xinning didn’t doubt her and trusted her completely.

“It was just me overthinking.”

Xia Zimo, on the other hand, picked up on something but didn’t say it.

He waited until they finished talking before speaking.

“Second Young Master Duan, Miss Lin.”

Duan Xinning then remembered their purpose for coming.

“Leyun, Zimo has something to discuss with you.”

Lin Ting hadn’t forgotten that Duan Ling suspected she wanted to drug Jin Anazai or Xia Zimo with Aprodisiac, so she kept her distance.

“What does Young Master Xia want with me?”

Duan Ling listened quietly, expression calm, taking the umbrella from her hand.

For some reason, Xia Zimo felt a chill.

“Young Master Jin asked me to see if you could meet with him in five days. Same time and place—three quarters past the hour of the Dog, Sui Zhang Restaurant.”

Lin Ting wanted to agree right away, but reality wouldn’t allow it.

She gave a vague answer.

“Let me think about it.”

Xia Zimo had thought Lin Ting would agree as readily as last time, but instead she hesitated.

“How long will you need to think, Miss Lin? Young Master Jin is waiting for my answer.”

She didn’t respond, looking at Duan Ling instead.

Duan Ling didn’t look at them—his gaze was on the rain outside the umbrella, the water forming curtains that blurred everything, making it impossible to see far.

After a moment’s thought, Lin Ting replied, “How about this, Young Master Xia? You go back for now. When I’ve decided, I’ll have someone inform you.”

Xia Zimo hesitated but agreed.

“Alright.”

Duan Xinning was completely lost.

Before coming, he’d only told her he had something to discuss with Lin Ting, not what it was, so she had no idea who this Young Master Jin was.

“Who is this Young Master Jin you’re talking about?”

Xia Zimo didn’t know how to answer.

Lin Ting gave a vague reply.

“A friend of mine from Jianghu. You don’t know him. If there’s ever a chance in the future, I’ll introduce you.”

Once Jin Anazai had avenged himself and survived, she’d introduce them.

Duan Xinning happily agreed.

Lin Ting pinched Duan Xinning’s now slightly plumper cheek.

“How have you been feeling these days?”

Duan Ling had told her about Duan Xinning’s condition, but she still wanted to ask in person.

“I’m alright.”

Xia Zimo had found many foods said to ease morning sickness for Duan Xinning recently, so she’d been eating more.

Lin Ting said, “That’s good.”

Duan Xinning looked into the courtyard.

“Leyun, can I come in and sit for a while?”

She hadn’t seen Lin Ting in days and had a lot to say.

Since she was here, she wanted to chat until the rain stopped.

“She’s going to take a nap,” Duan Ling said, twisting his wrist so the rain rolled off the umbrella.

Duan Xinning was surprised, looking at them in disbelief.

“Since when did Leyun start taking naps? How come I didn’t know?”

Lin Ting thought to herself that she didn’t know when she’d developed the habit either, but said aloud, “After coming to Ancheng, I started napping. Resting a bit at noon is good for the body.”

Duan Xinning could only leave, disappointed.

With her gone, Xia Zimo had no reason to stay and followed after her.

Shortly after they left, Lin Ting returned to the room.

Several times she wanted to bring up meeting Jin Anazai in five days, but didn’t know how.

He seemed to see right through her and asked, “You want to see Young Master Jin?”

Duan Ling walked over with a new pair of embroidered shoes, half-kneeling before Lin Ting.

He removed her rain-spattered shoes, then her slightly damp white silk socks, revealing her feet.

Lin Ting’s feet rested in Duan Ling’s hands, against the palms that so often held a brush or the Spring Embroidery Dagger.

She looked down at him and asked, “Do you want me to go?”

“I don’t want you to go.”

While speaking, Duan Ling put clean socks on her, tying the two ribbons, and repeated, “I don’t want you to see him.”

Her feet tingled with warmth where he touched them.

“But what if I have to go?”

Duan Ling slipped her feet into the embroidered shoes, looked up with a smile, as if he didn’t understand, his voice gentle.

“Then go. Why ask me?”

Lin Ting leaned forward, observing his expression.

“You won’t stop me?”

He said, “No.”

She glanced at the door—it was still locked, the chain glinting coldly.

“Let’s not talk about this. I’m hungry.”

Duan Ling gently set her feet down and stood up.

“What would you like to eat?”

Lin Ting lay on the Luohan Couch’s small table, her face resting on her hand, speaking softly, “Anything is fine.”

She wasn’t picky, as long as there was meat.

Duan Ling went to prepare food for her.

Lin Ting, by now used to it, stared absentmindedly at the door, now locked from the outside again.

Five days from now, she had to go to Sui Zhang Restaurant to see Jin Anazai, and give Xia Zimo the Aphrodisiac.

So she needed to go out and buy the Aphrodisiac within these five days.

That night, before bed, Lin Ting asked, “Is Ancheng still so unsettled these days?”

Duan Ling turned over, his long hair mingling with hers on the soft pillow, indistinguishable.

He twined a strand around his finger.

“What are you trying to say?”

She shifted closer and got straight to the point.

“I want to go out tomorrow.”

Duan Ling remained silent.

Lin Ting opened her arms and hugged Duan Ling, using him as a heater.

“We both have Nanli Poison. I absolutely won’t go more than a hundred steps from you.”

After a long while, Duan Ling agreed.

“Alright, we’ll go out tomorrow.”

She fell asleep in his arms.

Duan Ling laid Lin Ting down, left the bed, slowly opened the door, and walked barefoot into the courtyard to gaze at the moon, half-hidden by dark clouds.

The sharp stones in the yard cut his feet, staining the pebbles red with blood.