As he spoke, he casually glanced at Li Jingqiu but was speaking to Lin Ting and Duan Ling.
“I have other matters, so I won’t disturb Miss Lin and Commandant Assistant Duan any longer.”
Duan Ling didn’t stop him.
Li Jingqiu, standing near the door, hurriedly took Lin Ting’s hand and moved aside to make way.
“Factory Supervisor, please take care.” Â
Though this was just a common polite farewell, it made Ta Xuening hesitate for a moment before continuing outside.
They brushed past each other.
After Ta Xuening left, Li Jingqiu worriedly asked, “Why did the Factory Supervisor come to see you? I’m afraid he’s here to cause trouble.”
Lin Ting replied, “He came to deliver the hundred-year ginseng, which I refused, so he took it back.”
Li Jingqiu was puzzled so she asked, “He’s on good terms with Ziyu? To come personally with a hundred-year ginseng?” Â
She only knew about the Eastern Depot but not the intrigues in the officialdom, so she was unaware that Ta Xuening and Duan Ling had been vying against each other.
“They’re on okay terms,” Lin Ting lied, unable to explain why Ta Xuening had come today.
Duan Ling didn’t expose her.
Li Jingqiu felt regretful.
Now that she wasn’t afraid of owing anyone, as long as it could cure Lin Ting’s illness: “At least it’s someone’s good intention. Why not accept it? Maybe it really works.” Â
Lin Ting lowered her head, leaning against her shoulder.
“I know my body better than anyone.” Â
Li Jingqiu didn’t bring up the hundred-year ginseng again.
“Mother found another doctor for you. He’s said to be skilled at treating strange illnesses but won’t be back in Jingcheng until tomorrow. You’ll have to wait one more day.”
Lin Ting rubbed Li Jingqiu’s slightly swollen eyes, her nose tingling.
“Mother, please don’t go looking for doctors everywhere anymore.” Â
“No!” Li Jingqiu couldn’t just stand by and watch her die.
She gripped Lin Ting’s hand tightly and said, “Leyun, just one question: If it were me who was ill, wouldn’t you seek doctors for me everywhere?” Â
Lin Ting couldn’t bear to hear her say she herself was sick and blurted out, “I’m not like you.”
Duan Ling looked up at Lin Ting.
Li Jingqiu was a little angry.
“What’s the difference? Can you watch me die without doing anything?” Â
Lin Ting fell silent.
Li Jingqiu softened her voice, “I’m begging you, see a few more doctors.” Â
“I know.”
Lin Ting was so guilty she didn’t dare meet her eyes.
“Mother, I’m sorry to make you worry.” Â
Even though Li Jingqiu knew the chances of recovery were slim, she said, “Since you know to be sorry, then get better soon.”
Lin Ting responded softly.
Li Jingqiu stroked her hair and suddenly remembered Duan Ling was still with them.
“Ziyu, I’ll trouble you to take care of Leyun these days.”
Duan Ling smiled faintly and calmly said, “She’s never been a trouble to me.”
Lin Ting’s fingers curled into a slight fist.
Duan Ling’s affection for her seemed even greater than she imagined.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have cut his wrist to give her his blood today. Â
In the following days, Lin Ting saw over a hundred doctors, all with the same diagnosis.
Li Jingqiu finally gave up, no longer seeking doctors for her, and changed from finding one every two days to cooking her a good meal every two days.
In this way, Lin Ting even gained a few pounds, and her complexion grew rosier.
However, Lin Ting’s pulse remained as before, and she still fainted occasionally.
The doctors gently told others she might die in her sleep or during one of her future fainting spells.
To better care for Lin Ting, Li Jingqiu temporarily stopped returning to the Lin Family and agreed to stay at the Duan Family’s next-door courtyard, also avoiding seeing Lin the Third master, who ignored Lin Ting. Â
Lin Ting longed to live with Li Jingqiu and stuck to her whenever she could.
Mainly, Lin Ting wanted to comfort Li Jingqiu before dying—afraid that if she died, Li Jingqiu wouldn’t be able to bear it and might do something foolish.
Today, Lin Ting stayed in Li Jingqiu’s courtyard for half a day before returning to her own.
She pushed open her room door and took a few steps inside, only to see Duan Ling’s face before her eyes.
He hadn’t gone to the Imperial Guard’s Northern Command Office lately, taking a long break.
Lin Ting stared at Duan Ling.
He stood by the windowsill, lost in thought.
The jade hairpin’s bell in his hair jingled in the wind, his profile sharper than before, as if he’d lost some weight—but the inherent radiance in his bones remained.
Lin Ting snapped out of it and walked over to close the window a little.
It was bitterly cold; standing at the window letting cold wind in would easily cause illness.
Duan Ling noticed her and his unfocused gaze gradually brightened into a smile.
“You’re back.” Â
She looked up, “Mm.” Â
Lin Ting untied Duan Ling’s wrist guard and saw the wound he’d cut for blood to give her.
Several days had passed, and the wound was already scabbed over.
She took out a box of ointment and applied some on it.
“Your scar was almost completely gone, and now there’s another one.”
The ointment was cool to the touch as it landed on Duan Ling’s skin at his wrist, but when Lin Ting pushed it in and rubbed gently, it warmed with her heat.
His gaze unconsciously followed.
“As long as you keep applying the ointment, it will fade.” Â
Lin Ting cared less about whether Duan Ling would have scars and more about the wound before it scarred.
She pinched him hard and asked, “Does it hurt?” Â
Duan Ling’s expression remained unchanged as he touched the reddened wrist where she pinched.
“It doesn’t hurt.” Â
Lin Ting threw down the ointment, grabbed his collar, pulled his garment beneath his arm, leaned in, and bit hard into his bare shoulder, leaving a bite mark.
“Does it hurt?” she asked again.
He answered the same.
“It doesn’t hurt.” Â
She pressed on the bite mark she left.
“Do you really not feel pain?” Â
Duan Ling picked up the ointment she’d tossed on the ground but smiled with curved eyes.
“What you give me isn’t pain. I like it. I call it pleasure.” Â
Lin Ting was speechless.
After a while, she pulled his torn garment back up, covering the large expanse of smooth, fair skin.
“Besides me, no one else can hurt you. You can’t hurt yourself either.”
“Okay.”
Duan Ling handed the ointment back to Lin Ting—it was the ointment she had bought herself.
Lin Ting’s gaze swept over the casual portraits she’d drawn in her spare time.
“Almost forgot one thing. Go get the double portrait we painted before we married and show it to me.”
They’d been back in Jingcheng for some time, and she only just remembered this today.
Duan Ling went to the study and brought the painting.
He moved his hand, and the rolled-up portrait slowly unfurled before Lin Ting.
The two of them were drawn with stunning beauty; their eyes especially vivid and lifelike, as if staring right at her.
She had thought the artist was bad and that Duan Ling hid the portrait for that reason, but it was so well done it looked exactly like them.
“So beautiful.”
Lin Ting examined it for a moment, gently touching the painted version of herself, then the painted Duan Ling.
Duan Ling didn’t look at the painting; he watched her.
Suddenly, Lin Ting thought of something and stopped looking at the portrait.
Carefully, she took off the Jin Caishen Pendant hanging around her neck and placed it on Duan Ling.
“Keep this safe for me.”
She didn’t want to be buried wearing the Jin Caishen Pendant.
Duan Ling lowered his eyes to the pendant, which felt warm under her hand.
“You want me to wear it?”
Lin Ting, afraid he’d lose it, tied the red cord in a tight knot.
‘You wear it first. After I die and come back to life, I’ll take it back.’
She touched the Jin Caishen Pendant several times before reluctantly letting go, tucking it inside his clothing to hide it, reminding him, “Don’t lose it.”
Duan Ling looked at her close-up face.
“I won’t lose it. Don’t worry.” Â
Lin Ting rolled her eyes and suddenly said, “Let’s go out the day after tomorrow.”
Since her “illness” began, she rarely went outside.
Madam Feng had invited some monks tomorrow to pray for her blessing, and almost the entire household would be present.
Lin Ting wanted to be there too, so she chose to go out with Duan Ling the day after tomorrow. Â
Duan Ling asked, “Where do you want to go?”
Lin Ting seemed prepared and answered without hesitation, “I want to fly kites outside the city.”
“Okay.”
She took out the bamboo sticks, string, and rice paper the servants had prepared yesterday.
“I’ll make my own kite tonight.”
Duan Ling picked up a few bamboo strips emitting a fresh scent.
“I’ll make one with you.” Â
He had never made a kite before, but he learned quickly at everything.
Lin Ting divided the bamboo into two sets.
“You make yours, and I’ll make mine. Two kites.” Â
That night, Lin Ting was exhausted after finishing her kite and collapsed on the bed.
Duan Ling also finished his but wasn’t sleepy, lying on the bed watching her.
At first, Lin Ting’s breathing was steady and normal, but it gradually slowed until it stopped altogether.
Duan Ling’s heart stopped along with hers.