Chapter 78: Lin Can’t Hear (2/2)

She replied breezily, “Fine by me.”

Returning to the residence while it was still early, Lin Ting told Duan Ling to rest in his room.

She stayed in the courtyard, mulling over the day’s events until her thoughts grew too tangled, so she picked up the newly purchased storybook and read until dusk.

Apart from them and the servants, there were also other Imperial Guards who had accompanied Duan Ling from the capital to Ancheng residing in the estate.

However, Lin Ting rarely saw them, as the rear courtyard was divided into the east and west wings.

She lived in the east wing, while the Imperial Guards stayed in the west wing.

Lin Ting spent the entire afternoon reading undisturbed, hearing no commotion.

Yet, reading for too long had one drawback-eye strain.

Tossing the book aside, she performed a set of eye exercises.

Once her eyes felt better, she went inside to check on Duan Ling.

Pushing the door open, she found him still asleep.

Not wanting to wake him with any noise, she tiptoed back toward the exit but hesitated after a few steps.

By dusk, the temperature in Ancheng had finally cooled slightly.

Duan Ling had shed his outer robe, lying on the bed in only crimson inner garments, uncovered.

Lin Ting thought to drape a thin quilt over him.

Leaning in, she reached into the bed to pull out the quilt and gently laid it over him.

Whether from exhaustion or her light movements, he didn’t stir-his long lashes remained still.

After covering him, Lin Ting lingered by the bedside, her gaze drifting downward to his pale face.

Duan Ling’s striking features softened in sleep, appearing gentle and harmless, even more captivating than when awake.

Unconsciously, she stared for a long while, her eyes tracing his faintly pink lips before settling on the strands of hair scattered over his collarbone.

The quilt only reached his chest, leaving some areas exposed-including his hands.

Lin Ting lightly took his hand, intending to tuck it under the covers, but his sleeve, unbound by a wrist guard, slipped slightly, revealing a glimpse of his wrist.

Before she could properly see, Duan Ling withdrew his hand.

At first, she thought he was waking, but he merely shifted.

A sliver of fading sunlight spilled onto the bed, cold and weak.

Lin Ting blocked it with her hand, casting a silhouette that moved with her, occasionally falling over Duan Ling’s sleeping form.

Playfully, she shaped her hands into different gestures, stopping only when the sunlight vanished completely.

She watched him a moment longer.

Then, almost without realizing, she reached out and touched his face.

The moment she registered her action, she snatched her hand back, turned, and hurried out, closing the door behind her.

Once she left, Duan Ling slowly opened his eyes and sat up, staring at the shut door.

The warmth of her touch lingered on his skin.

***

Outside, thunder rumbled as rain poured down, pelting the glazed tiles and cascading from the eaves like curtains.

Lin Ting sat drowsily under the eaves until lunchtime, when a servant came to call her in.

She entered to eat.

Having been in Ancheng for four days now, the servants had grown familiar with her preferences, and the dishes prepared suited her tastes more with each meal.

Five of her favorite dishes were laid out, and she picked up her chopsticks to eat.

Duan Ling was out during the day and wouldn’t return until evening, so Lin Ting dined alone at noon-much like their routine back in the capital.

These past few days, she had mostly stayed within the estate, seldom venturing outside.

It wasn’t that Duan Ling forbade Lin Ting from going out, but rather she was suffering from mild acclimatization.

On her first day in Ancheng, she felt fine, but these past few days had brought discomfort-lethargy and a desire to just sit or lie around.

However, today was much better than the previous days.

Lin Ting felt she was finally adjusting to Ancheng.

After lunch, the rain continued to fall.

Having finished all the storybooks she had bought earlier, Lin Ting now found herself bored.

As the rain lightened, she decided to visit the bookstore to buy more.

Grabbing her umbrella, she stepped out, followed at a discreet distance by two plainclothes Imperial Guards who also carried umbrellas.

She was aware of their presence and thought it polite to inform them of her plans.

“I’d like to go to the bookstore to buy some books,” she said.

The Imperial Guard nodded and said: “Understood.”

Lin Ting twirled her pale blue oil-paper umbrella, watching raindrops scatter from its white-feather-patterned surface before splashing onto the ground and grazing the hem of her skirt.

“Is your master at the government office today?” she asked.

The guard replied, “Yes.”

“Was he there yesterday as well?”

“Yes.”

After hearing the same single-word response three times in a row, Lin Ting couldn’t help but turn to look at them, amused.

“Is that the only word you know how to say?”

“…Yes I mean, no,” the guard hesitated.

“What would you like us to say?”

Realizing they were simply men of few words, Lin Ting didn’t press further.

Stepping into the carriage, she said, “Never mind. Do as you please.”

Upon arriving at the bookstore, the rain grew heavier again.

Though Lin Ting was sheltered in the carriage, the two guards following her would inevitably get drenched despite their umbrellas.

Since she wasn’t in a hurry to return, Lin Ting decided to browse the bookstore for a while.

The two Imperial Guards assigned to protect her wore civilian clothes, so their presence didn’t draw too much attention though “not too much” was relative, given that they still stood out.

Most Imperial Guards had lean, athletic builds, and those serving under Duan Ling seemed to share his good looks.

Even standing expressionless at the bookstore entrance, they attracted the gazes of passing young women, some bold enough to approach and strike up conversations.

Growing impatient but unable to react harshly, the guards shot pleading glances at Lin Ting.

“Young Madam,” they called, careful not to reveal their identities as Imperial Guards and addressing her as a servant would.

Lin Ting: “…”

In the end, she intervened to help.

The heavy rain persisted until evening before finally easing.

Carrying her newly purchased books, Lin Ting stepped outside and loaded them into the carriage.

Remembering Duan Ling, she thought she might as well take a detour to pick him up from the government office on their way back.

She instructed the coachman to head there.

Upon arrival, Lin Ting stepped out with her umbrella and asked the officer at the gate, “Has Lord Duan left yet?”

“Who are you?”

Before she could answer, the government office doors swung open.

The thin curtain of rain seemed to part in response as Duan Ling strode out.

At first, he didn’t look up, listening instead to an official beside him.

But the flicker of a red skirt in his peripheral vision made his steps falter slightly.

Duan Ling turned his gaze forward.

Under the light drizzle, water trickled along the bluestone pavement.

A young woman stood in the rain, holding a pale blue oil-paper umbrella.

The wind carried misty raindrops past her face, and crimson silk ribbons fluttered over her shoulders.

The gloomy, overcast day lacked brightness, but her red silhouette stood out vividly-like a ray of sunlight piercing through the shadows.

Duan Ling’s fingers twitched slightly as he descended the stone steps one by one, walking toward her.

He ignored the oil-paper umbrella an official tried to hand him, as if he didn’t even see it.

“What brings you to the government office?” he asked.

Lin Ting also walked toward Duan Ling, raising her hand high so the oil-paper umbrella could cover him despite his much taller stature.

“I came to take you home.”

“Take me home?”

She made a soft sound of agreement.

“I was bored this afternoon and went to the bookstore to buy some new storybooks. When I was about to head back, I remembered this was your time to leave duty, so I came. You’re off duty now, right?”

“I am.”

Duan Ling took the umbrella from Lin Ting’s hand and lifted the carriage curtain for her to enter.

Just as the carriage passed by a restaurant, the rain stopped.

Lin Ting leaned out to breathe in the fresh post-rain air.

“Shall we have dinner at the restaurant tonight?”

She didn’t want to be cooped up in the residence anymore.

“Sure.”

Lin Ting held her skirt as she stepped down from the carriage.

Duan Ling glanced at the imperial guards and the coachman.

“You all should go get something to eat too.”

“Yes, sir.”

An hour later, they finally left the restaurant.

Lin Ting had eaten so much that she wanted to walk off the fullness and stroll around, so she didn’t get back into the carriage.

The coachman led the horses to follow behind them.

Duan Ling usually ate just enough—not too little, not too much-so he never ended up uncomfortably full like Lin Ting.

Still, he got out of the carriage to walk with her.

Lin Ting stopped to look at every stall they passed, as if everything piqued her interest.

She bought paper pinwheels and gave one to Duan Ling.

Not that she particularly wanted to gift it to him, but since one pinwheel cost three coins and two cost five, buying two was more economical.

They might as well have one each.

When the wind blew, the colorful paper pinwheels spun.

Lin Ting raised hers high.

Duan Ling glanced down at the pinwheel in his hand-it was also turning, stirred by the wind, yet generating its own breeze.

The imperial guards following behind exchanged glances.

They had never associated their lord with something as whimsical as a paper pinwheel.

Seeing it now felt strange, like watching a beautiful but bloodstained demon seamlessly blend into a crowd.

They all fell silent in unison.

Lin Ting spotted a pastry shop not far away and wanted to buy some for the next day.

She tugged on Duan Ling’s wrist guard.

“I want to go to that shop to buy some pastries. Wait here for me.”

Duan Ling finally looked away from the pinwheel.

“Just tell them what you want, and they’ll get it for you.”

He meant the imperial guards.

Lin Ting shook her head.

“No, I want to choose myself.”

Every pastry shop had different offerings, and she wanted to pick her favorites.

If the guards went, unsure of her preferences, they’d buy one of everything what a waste.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Lin Ting headed off.

While she was buying pastries, chaos suddenly erupted on the street.

A group of covert guards and constables rushed out with drawn blades, chasing a slender black figure.

Archers took aim at the rooftops where the shadow had fled, loosing arrow after arrow.

The townspeople scattered for cover.

Lin Ting heard the commotion and curiously turned to look-only to find the fleeing figure strangely familiar.

A royal guard hurriedly ran up to Duan Ling and reported:

“Lord Duan, the Crown Prince has been assassinated and injured. They are currently pursuing the assassin, who is severely wounded. Should we assist the Crown Prince in capturing the assassin?”

Duan Ling didn’t answer the guard.

Instead, he first looked toward the pastry shop-it was empty.

Lin Ting was gone.