Lin Ting froze.
Why did someone else ask this question?
Was it really that obvious?
Why did everyone notice?
Lin Ting examined her hand carefully under the candlelight and saw that it was indeed quite red.
She had naturally pale skin, and while her palms usually had a healthy pink hue, they rarely turned this red.
The last time it had happened was when she had been burned or frozen.
She deliberately didn’t recall the events at the Moonlight Pavilion and tried to downplay it.
“It’s nothing serious. I just gripped something for too long.”
Tao Zhu was naive and wouldn’t think of that.
Tao Zhu asked worriedly,
“Does it hurt?”
Lin Ting buried her face in the soft pillow, not letting Tao Zhu see her strange expression.
“It doesn’t hurt.”
It really didn’t hurt, but it did feel numb.
Tao Zhu continued to dry her hair.
“Was the urgent matter you had to deal with related to gripping this thing?”
“Let’s not talk about it. It’s all in the past now.”
Lin Ting’s expression grew even stranger, and she didn’t want to answer any more questions about it.
Tao Zhu didn’t see Lin Ting’s expression.
“Miss, what did you and Master Duan talk about in the private room at the Moonlight Pavilion today? I saw you two chatting for quite a while. Was he angry that you sought out a male escort?”
The rain grew heavier, pattering against the window.
Lin Ting raised her head.
“I just wanted to stall him for some time and think of a way to convince the princess to let me leave the Moonlight Pavilion… Wait, why would you think he’d be angry that I sought out a male escort?”
Why would Duan Ling be angry that she sought out a male escort?
They weren’t in that kind of relationship.
Was he worried she would “corrupt” Duan Xingning?
Even if he was worried, he shouldn’t be angry-he should be disgusted.
Lin Ting seriously suspected that Tao Zhu had gone mad, saying that Duan Ling would be angry about this.
Tao Zhu said matter-of-fact,
“Doesn’t Master Duan like you? If he likes you, he’d definitely be jealous and angry that you sought out a male escort. Soon, you’ll be able to humiliate him and abandon him.”
“Tao Zhu, why do you have such strange thoughts?”
Lin Ting sat up and reached out to feel Tao Zhu’s forehead.
“You don’t have a fever, so why are you talking nonsense?”
Lin Ting laughed.
“Duan Ling likes me? Unless the sun rises from the west.”
Tao Zhu pouted.
“I’m not talking nonsense. I just think that you’ve done so much for Master Duan, so he must have developed feelings for you.”
Then Miss could start carrying out her revenge plan.
Lin Ting flicked her forehead.
“You’ve thought this through well, but don’t think about it again.”
“I was just speculating. I was wrong.”
Tao Zhu pursed her lips.
Even now, Miss continued to hide her plan to take revenge on Master Duan.
Fine, she’d pretend not to know.
Tao Zhu finished drying Lin Ting’s hair and folded the cloth.
“The day after tomorrow is Madam Feng’s birthday. The Duan family sent an invitation tonight, asking if you’d like to attend. Will you go, or will you decline as usual and send a gift?”
Lin Ting thought for a long time. “I’ll go.”
This wasn’t just any flower-viewing banquet-it was Madam Feng’s birthday.
As a junior, she should attend.
After all, Madam Feng wasn’t just Duan Ling’s mother; she was also Duan Xingning’s mother.
Lin Ting left the daybed and lay down in bed, pulling the quilt up to her stomach.
“It’s late. You should go rest too. No need to stay on night duty.”
“Alright.”
Tao Zhu didn’t disturb her rest, lowered the bed curtains, and left the inner room.
After a while, faint rustling sounds came from behind the curtains.
Lin Ting tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.
Every time she closed her eyes, she felt something lingering on her palm, refusing to fade.
What Lin Ting found most unforgettable was Duan Ling’s reaction in the private room at the Moonlight Pavilion.
He had tilted his head back, his exquisite features flushed red.
At the final moment, he had lost control and kissed her, their lips and teeth intertwining over and over, their breaths mingling in a seductive, chaotic dance.
After it ended, Duan Ling had buried his face in her neck, his warm breath brushing against her skin.
Lin Ting wasn’t a pure soul even before transmigrating into this world.
She had read many explicit novels and watched plenty of explicit films, but this was the first time she had personally touched a man…
It left her somewhat disoriented.
In the quiet of the night, Lin Ting felt even more disoriented, as if she were still at the Moonlight Pavilion, with Duan Ling kissing her and then burying his face in her neck, his hands gripping her waist tightly.
No, no, she couldn’t keep thinking about this.
It was too strange.
She patted her head.
Lin Ting was used to seeing Duan Ling neatly dressed and composed, so she couldn’t quite adapt to seeing him with his hair disheveled and his body bare, exuding a captivating, seductive aura.
It was too intense, leaving a strong impression.
This version of Duan Ling was like a pool of water reflecting sunlight-beautiful at first glance, but if you got too close, it would drag you in.
The water would surround you from all sides, entangling your limbs, drowning you, and devouring your bones.
Indeed, people or things wrapped in poison often had beautiful exteriors, meant to deceive.
Lin Ting kicked off the quilt and got out of bed, sitting at her desk to read a novel.
Since she couldn’t sleep, reading would help distract her.
By midnight, Lin Ting was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.
Just as she was about to put the novel down and return to bed, she caught sight of the dressing table.
A golden hairpin she had casually removed earlier lay quietly on the table.
Lin Ting walked over and picked up the cool golden hairpin, its tassels brushing against her fingers.
She shook the hairpin, listening to the sound of the tassels clinking against the gold, and her heart was once again drawn to making money.
She needed to earn more to buy gold.
Gold was so beautiful-even more beautiful than Duan Ling.
At the thought of gold, Lin Ting instantly pushed aside the events at the Moonlight Pavilion.
She pulled out a small box hidden under her bed and began counting her silver.
Then, holding the box filled with silver, she fell into a deep sleep, no longer plagued by insomnia.
In the blink of an eye, Madam Feng’s birthday arrived.
Lin Ting dressed up slightly and brought Tao Zhu to the Duan residence.
She first went to greet Madam Feng and present her gift, then went to find Duan Xingning.
Madam Feng wanted to keep Lin Ting by her side for a chat, but with so many guests today, there were some things that couldn’t be said openly.
So she let Lin Ting go find Duan Xingning, as they could always talk later.
Duan Xingning wasn’t surprised to see Lin Ting.
She had already heard from her mother that Lin Ting would be invited today.
“I feel like my mother has taken you as her second daughter. A few days ago, I wanted to write an invitation asking you to come today, but my mother said she had already sent one to you, beating me to it.”
Duan Xingning teased with a smile.
Lin Ting thought to herself, Because your mother mistakenly thinks your brother and I are in love.
She masked her discomfort.
“It’s because I’m your close friend that Madam Feng values me so much.”
Duan Xingning hugged her.
“Nonsense. It’s because you’re so wonderful that my mother likes you.”
Lin Ting picked up a soft, sweet pastry to eat.
“I saw the Marquis of Xia at the entrance earlier. Is he here to celebrate Madam Feng’s birthday too?”
Mentioning Xia Zimo, Duan Xingning blushed, embodying the phrase “young love” perfectly.
“Yes. The major families in the capital usually send someone to celebrate my mother’s birthday.”
It was true that the major families in the capital usually sent someone to celebrate Madam Feng’s birthday, but the Marquis of Xia could have sent someone else.
There was no need for the heir himself to come, yet he had come personally.
Lin Ting knew exactly why and teased,
“So you’re hiding here instead of going out to see him?”
Duan Xingning held her hand, shy and bashful.
“Le Yun, I… I’m not sure how to face the Marquis of Xia right now.”
Lin Ting raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
Duan Xingning dismissed the servants and whispered,
“Have you ever been… close with a man?”
Lin Ting: “……”
Lin Ting, who had just been close with Duan Ling two days ago, choked on her pastry and nearly died on the spot.
“Why are you asking this?”
Was there some sign on her body that she had been close with a man?
Seeing Lin Ting choking, Duan Xingning poured her a cup of tea and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz,
“I’ve been close with the Marquis of Xia, and it felt strange, so I wanted to ask you. But I was being silly. You don’t have a love interest, so how could you have been close with a man?”
Lin Ting grasped the key point.
“You’ve been close with the Marquis of Xia? What did you do?”
Duan Xingning turned her face away, not looking at Lin Ting, her ears bright red.
“Don’t ask anymore. The Marquis of Xia said he’ll propose to the Duan family soon.”
Lin Ting roughly understood what they had done and was silent for a long time.
After drinking several cups of tea, she asked,
“When?”
Although she had read the original novel and knew they would do this early on, hearing it from Duan Xingning still felt unreal.
“A few days ago.”
Duan Xingning didn’t go into too much detail with Lin Ting.
She was naturally shy.
Before Lin Ting could say anything, someone knocked on the door, calling for them to come out and join the banquet.
The birthday banquet was bustling with guests, all dressed in luxurious clothing and smiling as they offered their congratulations to Madam Feng.
It was clear that the Duan family was highly regarded in the capital.
The Duan residence was brightly lit, with music and laughter filling the air.
The clinking of glasses and the sounds of string instruments and flutes mingled together, creating a somewhat jarring atmosphere.
For some reason, Lin Ting felt that some of the smiles were fake.
The Duan family was a prominent target, and with a son in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, it was inevitable that they would attract envy.
Lin Ting glanced around but didn’t dwell on it.
She followed the corridor to the women’s seating area but was called over by Madam Feng just as she was about to sit down.
Madam Feng wished to dine at the same table as her.
Today was Madam Feng’s birthday, and by tradition, only family members should share the table with her.
As an outsider, Lin Ting felt it was inappropriate for her to join.
However, Madam Feng spared Lin Ting any awkwardness by thoughtfully inviting several other noble ladies who were distantly related to the Duan family, as well as the young lord of Xia, to sit with them.
Whether intentional or not, Lin Ting was seated next to Duan Ling.
Duan Ling was on her left, while Duan Xinning was on her right.
Lin Ting felt as though she were sitting on pins and needles.”Miss Lin Qi,” he called to her.
Lin Ting turned her head to look at Duan Ling, realizing how close they were seated.
A simple turn of her head brought her close to his shoulder, and if she wasn’t careful, she might brush against his waist or hand.
“Lord Duan.”
Even after a day apart, seeing Duan Ling again still filled her with lingering awkwardness.
Duan Ling lowered his gaze to Lin Ting’s hand.
Her wide sleeve had shifted slightly, revealing her wrist adorned with a jade bracelet, which looked quite beautiful.
He had actually noticed the bracelet earlier.
“This jade bracelet…”
“Madam Feng gave it to me.”
Duan Ling shifted his gaze to her face, his eyes carrying a hint of something unusual, though it disappeared upon closer inspection.
“Do you know the meaning behind this jade bracelet?”
Lin Ting raised her hand to examine the bracelet, puzzled.
“What meaning does it have?”
Madam Feng had mentioned that Duan Xinning also had a similar bracelet, and she had accepted it as a pair.
“This jade bracelet…” he began.
Just then, the system interrupted, and Lin Ting was unable to hear the rest of what Duan Ling had to say.
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