After Jin Anazai regained his senses, he quickly pushed the door open and chased after them.
He saw Duan Ling bringing Lin Ting to a medical clinic famous throughout Jingcheng. Â
He was utterly baffled.
Lin Ting looked healthy; how could she suddenly faint?
Besides, it seemed this wasn’t the first time Duan Ling had encountered such a situation, otherwise he wouldn’t have calmly carried her to the clinic like this. Â
Jin Anazai took a deep breath, suppressed all his doubts, and strode briskly into the clinic.
The moment he stepped inside, he heard the doctor speak to Duan Ling with a tone full of regret: Lin Ting was suffering from an incurable disease, and there was no medicine to treat it.
His footsteps froze.
Jin Anazai thought he must be hallucinating—Lin Ting has an incurable disease?
How could that be?
She was so strong and spirited before; she wouldn’t even gasp for breath when hitting him. Â
“Doctor, are you sure you didn’t make a mistake?”
Jin Anazai hurried to the doctor’s side and looked at Lin Ting, who was lying in Duan Ling’s arms.
The doctor withdrew his hand, stroked his long beard, and pondered: “It’s strange. I took this young lady’s pulse three times just now. Both the first and last readings indicated her life was nearing its end, but the middle reading was completely normal.”
Duan Ling held Lin Ting’s hand and gave a slight movement.
It was the same again—her pulse fluctuated between good and bad. Â
Jin Anazai pressed further: “If that’s the case, why did you say she has an incurable disease? You just said the middle reading was normal.”
The doctor gave a look that said, ‘You don’t understand.’
He explained, “That’s precisely the danger. We can’t be certain when the ‘death pulse’ will dominate and take her life, so I said it’s incurable—there is no medicine for it. Â
“However, from her pulse, there’s also a chance the death pulse might suddenly disappear. It all depends on fate now.”
Jin Anazai still couldn’t believe it, clenching his fists tightly: “Really, no medicine can cure her?”
The doctor understood their disbelief: “Why would I lie to you? Doctors naturally want to save more lives. But this illness is too strange, with the pulse constantly changing—it’s unprecedented.”
Duan Ling said nothing, paid the consultation fee, and carried Lin Ting away.
She was still unconscious, completely still—like she was asleep, but unlike before, because when asleep she would move and hit people. Â
Jin Anazai followed them out of the clinic.
“Are you taking her back?” Â
Duan Ling touched Lin Ting’s still warm skin, ran his fingers through her hair, his voice unchanged: “I’m going to find another doctor.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Without turning his head, Duan Ling neither agreed nor refused, and Jin Anazai followed close behind.
Within just two hours, they visited dozens of doctors.
The diagnosis was unanimous. Â
Jin Anazai couldn’t help but ask, “Lord Duan, has Lin Leyun experienced this before?”
Duan Ling’s fingers slipped through Lin Ting’s relaxed hand.
She didn’t grip his hand back like before, not a hint of response.
“Once on the road from Ancheng back to Jingcheng.” Â
Jin Anazai rarely saw Lin Ting so quiet; it felt very unfamiliar.
He wished she would get up and quarrel with him like usual: “Didn’t you see a doctor back then?” Â
Duan Ling replied, “I did.”
“What did the doctor say?”
Jin Anazai now desperately hoped Lin Ting was pretending to faint just to deceive him, then suddenly wake up and kick him.
“The same as today—some said she has an incurable disease, others said she’s fine.”
Jin Anazai looked up at the now pitch-black sky, his heart sinking to the depths, feeling helpless again.
When his mother had been ill, medicine could cure her, giving them hope.
But Lin Ting’s illness was incurable—only fate could decide. Â
He averted his eyes and stopped looking at the seemingly lifeless Lin Ting.
“What do you intend to do?” Â
Duan Ling’s gaze never left Lin Ting, even though she didn’t grip his hand back.
He held her firmly: “She’ll be fine. I’m taking her back to the manor.” Â
Jin Anazai couldn’t help but admire Duan Ling.
As an Imperial Guard who had faced countless storms and witnessed life and death, he remained so calm now.
Jin Anazai almost suspected that he didn’t care about Lin Ting’s life or death.
“Does she know?” Â
“She knows.”
With that, Duan Ling carried Lin Ting and climbed into the carriage headed back to the Duan Mansion.
Jin Anazai couldn’t follow them inside, so he stood there watching the carriage move forward, gradually fading into the distance, disappearing at the end of the street.
***
Lin Ting only woke after returning to the Duan Mansion, still remembering faintly what had happened before she lost consciousness: “I fainted again?”
Duan Ling lowered his gaze and replied, “Yes.” Â
Lin Ting refused to let Duan Ling carry her down from the carriage, lifting the curtain and stepping out on her own, but naturally grasped his hand once on the ground.
“After I fainted in the Study, you took me straight home?”
Her hand finally gripped his again.
Duan Ling’s heart stirred slightly, unconsciously clasping hers back. Â
“I took you to see the doctor first, then brought you back.”
Lin Ting guessed what the doctor must have said: “Did the doctor say I have an incurable disease again?”
“There were doctors who said you’re fine too.”
Duan Ling stepped onto the stone steps of the Duan Family’s gate.
At the same time, Lin Ting passed through the vermilion door and entered the lantern-lit mansion, bright as day.
As the door closed, the darkness seemed locked outside. Â
Even though Lin Ting knew she would come back to life after death, her heart was heavy.
For her, it was just closing and opening her eyes—like sleeping.
For everyone else, it was not. Â
“Jin Anazai knows too?”
Duan Ling walked at a steady pace and spoke softly: “When I took you to the doctor, Young Master Jin also followed, so he knows.”
She tilted her head, rubbing the back of his hand with her fingertip.
“What do you think?” Â
“I believe you’ll be fine.”
A cold wind brushed her face, scattering strands of hair behind her ear, her eyelashes fluttering with it.
“But I might die…”
Duan Ling’s steps barely paused, glancing at her before continuing forward with a smile, interrupting her: “You won’t.”
Lin Ting didn’t reply.
“Leyun, Second Brother, you just got back from outside?”
Duan Xinning was on her way to find Madam Feng when she saw them entering through the main gate and stopped to ask.
“Yes.”
Lin Ting walked over and adjusted Duran Xinning’s slightly open collar, shielding her from the cold wind.
“It’s this late already. Why aren’t you in your room?” Â
Duan Xinning looked at Zhilan holding a cup of Anshen Decoction.
“I heard from the servants that Mother had a bad night’s sleep and barely fell asleep past midnight. I told Zhilan to prepare some Anshen Decoction and wanted to deliver it to her myself.” Â
Duan Xinning felt guilty knowing her mother’s sleeplessness was surely because of Lin Ting’s condition.
Lin Ting understood and said, “Go ahead.” Â
Duan Xinning sensed something was off between Lin Ting and Duan Ling but couldn’t quite place it.
“I’m going then.” Â
As Jingcheng moved from autumn into winter, Lin Ting shivered in the cold, not lingering outside long.
She grabbed Duan Ling’s hand and dashed back to her room, moving swiftly, showing no sign of having fainted earlier. Â
After bathing, she intended to discuss life and death with Duan Ling, but remembering he likely hadn’t slept well the previous night, she let him rest first.
Duan Ling lay on the outer side of the bed.
Lin Ting lay on the inner side, sleepless, turning her head to look at him as she used to.
***
A month passed.
Because Lin Ting still fainted occasionally, Duan Ling hardly left her side, accompanying her even to handle affairs at the Imperial Guard’s Northern Command Office in Ancheng.
Until news arrived from the Palace that the Empress wanted to see Lin Ting again—this was the Empress’s second summons.
Lin Ting hadn’t expected a second summons, especially since she heard the Empress had fallen so ill she couldn’t even leave her bed, barely swallowing her medicine, and was awake less and less.
She couldn’t help but wonder about the Empress’s intentions.
Even if the Empress was, like her, a modern person transported into the book, Lin Ting wouldn’t blindly trust her without knowing whether she was friend or foe, to avoid bringing trouble upon herself.
The Empress had done many things beneficial to women in this era, but as the Emperor’s wife, she generally stood on his side.
Lin Ting had to be cautious. Â
On the way to the Palace, Lin Ting grew nervous and lifted the curtain to let in some air and calm herself.
This time, Duan Ling accompanied her inside, sitting beside her: “Why do you think the Empress wants to see you again?”
He knew the reason for the first summons was because Lin Ting had revealed the Indigo Root, which could temporarily suppress the Plague.
Lin Ting lowered the curtain and rested her head against the carriage panel and replied, “I don’t know.” Â
“I’ll wait for you outside the Palace gates.” He stopped asking and carefully draped a red fur-lined cloak over her shoulders.
The gentle movement was enough to awaken desire.   Â