Chapter 121: Extra- Childhood Sweethearts (8)

Lin Ting quickly finished a few skewers of candied hawthorn and rode with Duan Ling in the carriage to the Duan Mansion.  

She needed to see Duan Xinning, so she didn’t return to the Lin Mansion first.  

Just as they reached the gate of the Duan Mansion, they bumped into Madam Feng returning home.  

As a junior, it would be disrespectful to slip inside to find someone without greeting the elder first.

Lin Ting stopped on the steps before the gate, waiting for Madam Feng to get off the carriage, behaving quite properly.  

After Madam Feng descended, she first glanced at another carriage being led away by servants, then looked at them and asked, “You two went out together today?”  

Lin Ting didn’t elaborate: “Yes.”  

Madam Feng climbed the steps, took Lin Ting’s hand, and glanced behind them and asked, “Just the two of you? Isn’t Linguan going out with you?”  

They usually went out in threes, or else it was Lin Ting and Duan Xinning without Duan Ling—he was often busy.

It was rare for Lin Ting and Duan Ling to go out together without Duan Xinning.  

Lin Ting kept calm and lied, “She has something to do today, so she didn’t come with us.”  

Madam Feng led her inside, then glanced at Duan Ling without much expression, casually asking, “Lin Ting, I heard from Madam Li that you’ll be having a formal meeting with the Fifth Young Master of the Xie Family in a few days?”  

Mentioning this, Lin Ting awkwardly scratched her nose.

“There is something like that.”  

Elders always loved to discuss the younger generation’s marriage plans, hoping for early weddings—even Madam Feng, who usually ignored worldly matters and spent her days chanting and fasting, was no exception.

She silently grumbled inwardly.  

Madam Feng, unaware of Lin Ting’s thoughts, spoke gently, “I’ve heard a bit about the Fifth Young Master of the Xie Family. He’s different from other playboys in the capital—he never chases after women, is devoted to studying antiquities, talented and handsome; truly a good match.”  

Lin Ting forced a smile and said, “The Fifth Young Master of the Xie Family is good, but he’s not quite right for me.”  

Madam Feng held her hand and rotated the smooth Fengzhu beads.

“You thinks he’s not suitable? Have you met him yet?”  

Duan Ling had been quietly listening all along, not interjecting once.  

Lin Ting answered truthfully, “Not yet.”  

Madam Li had sent her a portrait of the Fifth Young Master of the Xie Family, but Lin Ting hadn’t opened it and instead folded it under her desk leg.

This meeting was doomed to fail, whether she looked at his portrait or not made little difference.  

“How can you know he’s unsuitable without meeting him?” Madam Feng’s eyes were warm as she looked at her.

“Could it be that you’re shy and saying this deliberately?”  

Lin Ting opened her eyes wide and lied, “I like those skilled in martial arts. The Fifth Young Master is talented and learned, but he can’t fight, so he’s not right for me.”  

Duan Ling lowered his gaze.  

Madam Feng seemed amused by Lin Ting’s bluntness, covering her lips with her Handkerchief, then said, “Not skilled in martial arts, so definitely unsuitable?”  

Lin Ting cleared her throat and said, “That’s right—not only must one know martial arts, but the skills can’t be too weak either.”  

Madam Feng pursed her lips and said, “That being the case, the Fifth Young Master of the Xie Family is indeed not very suitable. His grandfather and father were both generals, but he knows nothing about martial arts and can’t learn it no matter what.”  

She shifted tone: “But since Madam Li has decided on this meeting, I won’t interfere. Go back and have a good talk with Madam Li—see if she might change her mind and find another martial-arts-skilled noble young master for you.”  

“Alright.”  

Lin Ting didn’t plan to ask Madam Feng to intervene.

Even if Madam Feng succeeded once, there would be countless times after that.

If she wanted to stop Madam Li, she would have to use her own methods.  

Madam Feng changed the subject from the meeting.

“Are you going to find Linguan now?”  

Duan Ling spoke up, “Yes.”  

“I won’t disturb you then.”  

Madam Feng’s courtyard was in a different direction from Duan Xinning’s and quite far.

They weren’t on the way, so soon after entering the mansion, they would split paths.  

Lin Ting watched Madam Feng leave and tugged on Duan Ling’s wrist.

“I’m going to formally meet the Fifth Young Master of the Xie Family at Nan Shan Pavilion in a few days. We have to act within these few days. To avoid any complications, come find me at the Lin Mansion tomorrow.”  

Duan Ling asked, “At the Lin Mansion?”  

She stroked her chin and said, “Like before, just come find me. Don’t do anything else, or it’ll look too deliberate. My mother has been very suspicious lately. As for other things, I’ll arrange them—I just need you to cooperate then.”  

His gaze didn’t leave her as he replied, “I understand. I’ll come to the Lin Mansion tomorrow.”  

Lin Ting patted Duan Ling’s shoulder and said, “Madam Feng hasn’t pressured you into the meeting yet, but I’m in a hurry, so you help me first. Don’t worry, I’m loyal and won’t betray you.”  

Duan Ling’s eyes curved slightly as he smiled, “I believe you won’t betray me.”  

She withdrew her hand from his shoulder.  

“Let’s go find Linguan.”  

Lin Ting didn’t want to hide this from Duan Xinning; if necessary, she could help them out.  

At this moment, Duan Xinning was sitting in the shade beneath a large tree, embroidering a Handkerchief.

Upon hearing from a servant that Lin Ting had arrived, she immediately put down her needle. “Leyun, second brother, why did you both come together?”  

She looked at the servants in the courtyard and said, “You all may leave; we have something to discuss.”  

Once the servants left, she whispered in complaint, “Alright, just tell me quickly. You’ve been secretive all day, making me curious.”  

Lin Ting straightforwardly explained their purpose.  

After a moment, Duan Xinning stared in disbelief.

“Are you really going to do this?”  

She sat on a nearby swing and asked, “If you could think of a better way, we wouldn’t be doing this. Can you?”  

Duan Xinning shook her head. “No.”  

Lin Ting kicked the ground hard, swinging the swing.

“Then that’s settled. You don’t know the pain of being forced into a meeting like this.”  

Duan Xinning wouldn’t have such experience—after all, she had the male lead, Xia Zimo.  

Duan Ling walked to the stone table beneath the tree, picked up the teapot, poured some flower tea, and handed it to Lin Ting.  

The weather was hot, and Lin Ting, having eaten several skewers of candied hawthorn in a row, was quite thirsty.

She took the tea, drank it all at once, then returned the cup to Duan Ling, who put it back on the table.  

Duan Xinning glanced at Lin Ting, then at Duan Ling, hesitating before softly asking, “Will you two marry in the future?”  

Fortunately, Lin Ting had finished her tea, or she might have spat it out.

“What are you thinking? We’re pretending to like each other to fool them, not actually in love. How could we marry?”  

Duan Ling’s hand paused on the teacup.  

Duan Xinning still thought this plan wasn’t quite right.

“If you never want to marry later, they’ll definitely notice.”  

Lin Ting took it in stride.

“That’s a problem for the future. Let’s focus on the present, live as we wish, and get what we want.”  

Swinging back and forth, she glanced at Duan Ling and asked, “Don’t you agree?”  

Duan Ling seemed deep in thought, not putting down the cup.

When she called him, he came back to focus, rubbing his lips along the cup’s rim, smiling as he repeated, “You’re right. We’ll live for the moment, follow our hearts, and get what we want.”  

She pondered, “Linguan, I remember you’re going out of town with Madam Feng tomorrow for the temple visit.”  

Duan Xinning asked, “You want to come too?”  

A mischievous glint flashed in Lin Ting’s eyes.

“No. I want you to persuade Madam Feng to send a formal invitation to my mother to go out of town for the temple visit tomorrow. And the invitation should mention that you’ll be going too.”  

“Why?”  

She stopped swinging, stood up, and pinched Duan Xinning’s cheek.

“Do as I say. After tomorrow, you’ll understand why.”  

Although Duan Ling didn’t ask why Lin Ting wanted to do this, he looked thoughtful.  

Lin Ting suddenly stepped in front of Duan Ling and stretched out her hand, palm up.

“Give me the Incense Sachet you have hanging at your waist. I need it.”  

He took off the Incense Sachet and handed it to her.  

She brought it to her nose and took a deep sniff to check if the agarwood scent was still strong.

Then she noticed Duan Xinning watching her with a puzzled look, realizing this might seem a bit strange.  

Lin Ting explained, “Don’t think too much. It’s part of my plan.”  

Duan Xinning cleared her throat awkwardly.

To her, an Incense Sachet was very intimate and wouldn’t be given to just anyone lightly.

But since they were acting, it was somewhat understandable.  

Lin Ting put away the Incense Sachet and pulled out a Handkerchief from her sleeve to give to Duan Ling.

“Here.”  

Duan Ling looked down at it.  

The Handkerchief was pink, embroidered with a plant that resembled an insect and a single character—‘Leyun’.

It was obviously not store-bought; no one would dare sell a Handkerchief embroidered like this in a shop.  

Duan Xinning knew Lin Ting’s embroidery skills well and immediately recognized it as her work.

“You’re giving my second brother the Handkerchief you embroidered?”  

Lin Ting snapped her fingers.

“Yes.”  

Duan Ling raised his hand to take the Handkerchief, studying it a moment.

“Is this our token of betrothal?”  

Lin Ting choked on her saliva.

“No, it’s not a betrothal token. I want you to find a chance to show this Handkerchief in front of my mother.”  

He stroked the character ‘Leyun’ on the cloth.  

“Alright.”  

***

Early the next morning, before dawn, Lin Ting fought off sleep and got up from her bed, summoning a maid to help her get dressed and made up.  

Tao Zhu saw how sleepy she was and felt sorry for her.

“Seventh Miss Lin, it’s still early. Why don’t you go back to bed and rest a little more?”  

Lin Ting yawned, “I have an appointment to watch the sunrise at Lianxin Lake. I need to leave early.”  

“Who did you make an appointment with?”  

She wiped away tears caused by yawning and said, “Linguan and her second brother, Duan Ling. Oh, and you don’t need to follow me today. They’ll come to pick me up and send me back.”  

Tao Zhu looked disappointed.  

Fifteen minutes later, Lin Ting was dressed and ready.

Before leaving, she teased Tao Zhu a little.

“Be a good girl and wait for me to come back.”  

“Aren’t you having breakfast?” Tao Zhu asked worriedly, chasing after her to stop her.  

Lin Ting waved her off.

“We’ll eat breakfast after watching the sunrise with them. It’s not too late.”  

Lin Ting strode out of the courtyard. Passing through the garden, she was called by Li Jingqiu.  

“Leyun, where are you going?”  

Li Jingqiu was superstitious and believed that offering dew water to the gods was especially auspicious.

She would get up early every day to collect dew from the garden herself.

Anyone passing by at this hour would meet her.  

But all of this was under Lin Ting’s control.

She stopped and said, “I’m meeting Linguan and her second brother at Lianxin Lake to watch the sunrise.”  

Li Jingqiu squinted, “You made an appointment to watch the sunrise at Lianxin Lake this early?”  

Lin Ting’s face remained calm.

“Yes. After watching the sunrise, we’ll go for a spring outing outside the city and might not be back until evening. They’re here to pick me up; they should be outside the gate now. I have to go.”  

“Just right, I have a few words to say to Leyun. I’ll see you off.”  

With that, Li Jingqiu carefully handed the porcelain bottle filled with dew to her maid, asking her to bring it to the small Buddhist shrine inside the mansion.  

Lin Ting deliberately said, “If you want to tell her something, I can pass it on.”  

“I want to say it to her in person.”  

She raised an eyebrow, “Oh?”  

At the gate, they didn’t see Duan Xinning but only Duan Ling.  

Li Jingqiu smiled at the carriage and asked, “Is Leyun inside? I have something to say to her. Zi Yu, can you ask her to come out for a moment?”  

Duan Ling calmly replied, “Linguan already went to Lianxin Lake. I came to pick her up.”  

Li Jingqiu’s eyes flicked between them with a smile.

“No rush then. I’ll talk to Linguan another day. You two go ahead.”  

“We’ll be going then.”  

Lin Ting entered the carriage under Li Jingqiu’s gaze.  

Once the carriage had gone far enough, Li Jingqiu sent a servant to tell Madam Feng that she was feeling unwell and couldn’t accompany her out of town for the temple visit today.

Then she followed them at a distance in her own carriage.  

How could Duan Xinning, who was going out of town for the temple visit, be at Lianxin Lake watching the sunrise?  

Meanwhile, Lin Ting confirmed Li Jingqiu was tailing them and breathed a sigh of relief.

She took out the snacks Duan Ling had prepared.

“Half the plan succeeded.”  

Duan Ling smiled silently.  

By Lianxin Lake stood a pavilion.

When they arrived, they told the carriage driver to wait nearby with the horses and entered the pavilion to watch the sunrise.  

There was almost no one around—quiet and peaceful.

Lin Ting sat for a moment before seeing the sun slowly rise, a brilliant beam breaking through the sky, dyeing the lake red and casting a glow on their faces.  

Lin Ting glanced outside the pavilion and quickly spotted Li Jingqiu, who thought she was hiding well.  

“Kiss me.”  

She secretly hooked Duan Ling’s hand and turned around, facing away from Li Jingqiu, aiming for a misaligned kiss.  

His Adam’s apple moved slightly, “Kiss you?”  

Lin Ting felt like a director explaining a scene to an actor.

“Not a real kiss. I’ve adjusted the angle. You just need to lean towards me and stop your face in front of mine. Don’t move. My mother will think you’re kissing me.”  

Duan Ling leaned forward, and the distance between them shrank instantly.

Lin Ting instinctively held her breath.

He asked, “Is this good?”  

She mentally measured the distance.

“Come a little closer.”  

He leaned in a bit more.  

Lin Ting was afraid that if she turned to look, Li Jingqiu would realize they were doing this on purpose.

“Check if my mother is still there.”

She knew Li Jingqiu—after seeing them “kiss,” she wouldn’t linger but would quietly leave.  

Duan Ling looked outside the pavilion.

Li Jingqiu had already left, leaving just the two of them.

Yet he said, “Madam Li is still here.”  

‘Still here?’ Lin Ting was puzzled.  

The next moment, Duan Ling kissed her—lips meeting hers.

Her eyes widened, frozen on the spot.

He gave a light, fleeting kiss and quickly pulled away.  

Lin Ting: “……”  

She—she had actually been kissed by Duan Ling!