At the Duan Family Manor, Lin Ting and Duan Ling first went to Madam Feng’s courtyard to pay their respects.
Madam Feng already knew about Duan Xinning’s pregnancy and had been worried since last night.
Seeing Lin Ting return brought a smile to her face.
“Leyun is back. Let me see—you’ve lost weight. Ziyu isn’t taking good care of you.”
Duan Ling didn’t reply.
Lin Ting seriously suspected Madam Feng was selectively ignoring her slightly fuller face.
Otherwise, how could she say such things?
“No, Mother said yesterday my face has even gotten rounder.”
Madam Feng slowly took her hand and smiled gently.
“But to me, you look thin. Take good care of yourself now that you’re back.”
Lin Ting nodded, “I will.”
Seeing Madam Feng’s mood was poor, probably because of Duan Xinning’s pregnancy, Lin Ting didn’t stay long and returned to her own quarters.
Tao Zhu, who had been anxiously waiting, was overjoyed to see Lin Ting and cried with happiness, pulling her into a long conversation about all that had happened while she was away.
Lin Ting listened patiently and only returned to her room after Tao Zhu calmed down.
***
Duan Ling was changing into his official robes to enter the palace.
He undid the sash, took off his usual clothes, leaving only a white undergarment and thin long pants, revealing his delicate collarbones and a graceful waistline.
He didn’t hide from Lin Ting, so she saw the entire process of him changing.
Though she had grown accustomed to seeing and touching him during this time, she suddenly felt a little dry-mouthed.
She touched her nose and lifted her gaze to Duan Ling’s face. “How long will you be in the palace?”
He pulled the two straps hanging from his official robe tightly and buckled the sash again.
“Not sure, but I’ll be back before nightfall.”
Lin Ting was bored and lazily walked over to pick up his black official hat, handing it to him.
He didn’t take it but bent down.
She understood his meaning, lifted her hand, and put the hat on him.
His bound hair was covered by the hat, only his beautiful face visible.
Duan Ling straightened and was a head taller than her.
The black hat framed his jade-like face, adding an air of natural charm.
The crimson robe emphasized his slim waist and long legs.
Lin Ting glanced at him a few more times.
“I’m going out this afternoon and will be back before nightfall too.”
He asked, “Where to?”
“The Study.”
Her cloth shop was managed by a steward, so no worries there.
But the Study wasn’t, so she hoped no one stole her books—they were bought with real gold and silver to show off.
Duan Ling looked down at the faint shadow under his eyes.
After a moment of silence, she said, “It’s not impossible, but if you come back from the palace and then go to the Study with me, won’t that be too tiring?”
She hoped he would come back early and rest.
He smiled and replied, “It’s no problem.”
She didn’t mind him coming along and agreed, “Then I’ll wait for you to come back before we go.”
Only then did Duan Ling leave for the palace.
With nothing to do, Lin Ting sat at the desk grinding ink and painting to pass the time.
Halfway through a drawing of Duan Ling, she stopped, put down her brush, and went to do something else.
At sunset, Duan Ling returned.
As he entered the courtyard, he saw Lin Ting sitting on the windowsill, facing the courtyard.
The sunset bathed her face and flowing robes in a warm red glow.
Lin Ting saw Duan Ling too.
She jumped down from the windowsill and walked toward him; he did the same.
She pushed her long hair blown by the wind behind her and pointed at the room.
“Go change your clothes, then we’ll go to the Study. Wearing the Imperial Guard’s red flying fish uniform is too conspicuous in the streets. It’s better to change back into common clothes.”
Duan Ling passed Lin Ting and went inside to change.
He didn’t keep her waiting long—soon he came out dressed and ready to follow her.
—
The Study was quiet and empty.
Lin Ting pushed the door open; the wind chime hanging on the door rang, breaking the silence and dispersing the chill.
She didn’t know if Jin Anazai would come back after deciding to help Treading Snow Mud Sect with revenge.
She called out a few times inside, but no one answered.
It seemed Jin Anazai would live at the place Treading Snow Mud Sect found for him and no longer return to the Study.
After running the Study for over a year, it might be closing soon.
Lin Ting had hoped her martial arts, improved with Duan Ling’s guidance, would help her manage the business better, but now her partner was gone.
Lin Ting walked deeper inside.
Duan Ling followed, and as the door closed, the wind chime rang again.
She picked up a feather duster and began sweeping.
“Actually, this Study isn’t entirely mine. Jin Anazai is also a co-owner. We publicly run the Study selling books, but he deals with people from the Jianghu, running Jianghu business.”
She emphasized this point.
“We help find things, find people, escort people. But I swear, the Study has never taken contracts to kill or harm anyone.”
Duan Ling watched her sweep dust that only made the shelves dirtier.
“I know.”
She turned around, “You know again?”
Duan Ling took the feather duster from her hands to prevent her from dusting dirt onto her dress.
“When I realized I wanted you to stay by my side, I investigated everything.”
At first, he sent the Imperial Guard to investigate but got no results.
So he went personally.
Lin Ting felt Duan Ling could work as a special agent in the modern world, skilled at surveillance and intelligence gathering.
“Is there anything you don’t know?”
Duan Ling put down the duster and said slowly, “You. I don’t know you.”
She was confused so she asked, “Don’t know me? You know everything about the people around me, and the things around me. How could you not know me?”
He stared at her and replied, “I know the people and things around you perfectly, but I don’t know you. You sometimes act strangely, without rules, leaving no trace. I really can’t guess what you’re thinking right now.”
Duan Ling curved his eyes into a smile.
“But it’s fine as long as you’re willing to stay by my side forever.”
Lin Ting squeezed his hand.
Suddenly, someone pushed open the Study door.
Lin Ting instinctively looked over.
Jin Anazai’s ugly mask came into view.
“Jin Anazai? I thought you wouldn’t come back.”
A cold wind blew in from outside.
Jin Anazai held a dog in one arm and shut the door against the wind with the other, eyes fixed on them.
“The Study isn’t just yours. I put money in it too. Why don’t you come back?”
The dog had been losing weight wherever it was boarded, so he set it down and took out some food.
Lin Ting took Duan Ling’s hand and crouched down to pet the dog.
The dog was listless and let her touch it.
“Weren’t you going to help Lord Jin get revenge?”
Duan Ling watched her pet the dog.
“Do people behind the scenes all like dogs? I don’t get it.”
“Does me coming back to the Study have anything to do with helping Lord Ying get revenge?” Jin Anazai glanced at their joined hands, twitching his mouth.
They were newly married.
Lin Ting snatched the meat from his hand and fed the dog.
“Alright, I misunderstood.”
“Why did you come to the Study today?”
She looked around the bookshelves without hesitation.
“To see if anyone’s stealing my books. So far, no. But I haven’t checked upstairs yet. I’ll have to check later.”
Jin Anazai was speechless.
“How valuable can books be to make you rush back to Jingcheng the day after arriving?”
Lin Ting said, “No one’s allowed to steal my things. Not a single coin.”
Jin Anazai silently rolled his eyes.
She pulled out a book and lightly tapped it against his eye through the mask, then tugged at Duan Ling’s wrist guard.
“I have something to say to Jin Anazai. Can you wait upstairs for me?”
Duan Ling looked at them and said nothing, going straight upstairs to wait.
Jin Anazai rubbed his eye where Lin Ting had tapped him and groused, “What’s this about? Making it all mysterious.”
Lin Ting knew Duan Ling had excellent hearing, so she pulled Jin Anazai outside into the windy courtyard, speaking softly to ensure he couldn’t hear.
“I have something I want to ask your help with.”
“Ask? You suddenly so polite?” Jin Anazai got goosebumps but also had a bad feeling.
“Speak.”
***
Half an hour later, Lin Ting went upstairs to find Duan Ling, who was sitting in a chair reading the account book she wrote.
Lin Ting leaned over to look, flipping through a few pages with pride.
“This is the account book for the Study’s Jianghu business. I wrote it. How is it?”
“Clear and straightforward,” Duan Ling said.
Lin Ting glanced at the rows of bookshelves upstairs.
“The books upstairs seem intact too. Let’s go back.”
She had originally planned to clean the Study before leaving but now Jin Anazai had returned, so she could leave it to him.
Duan Ling put the account book back in place and stood to go downstairs.
Jin Anazai was cleaning downstairs when Lin Ting tapped his shoulder.
“We’re leaving first. Thanks for cleaning the Study. I’ll treat you to a meal at the tavern another day.”
He snorted in response, clearly not believing she’d treat him.
Lin Ting was a tight-fisted woman, never spending freely.
But Lin Ting didn’t manage to leave the Study.
She fainted again.
Jin Anazai frowned.
“Lin Leyun, what’s wrong? You’re not joking with me again, are you?”Â
She had pretended to faint before to fool him, then kicked him hard when he came over.
But this time seemed different.
Jin Anazai was at a loss.
The feather duster fell from his hands.
“Lin Leyun?”
Duan Ling also looked stunned but quickly regained composure.
He squeezed Lin Ting’s hand and carried her, still breathing, out without a word.