Time passed quietly, and in the blink of an eye, two months went by.
After entering the twelfth lunar month, two heavy snows had fallen, and the weather grew ever colder.
Charcoal braziers were lit in every courtyard of the Ling residence. Outside, the world was covered in ice and snow, with a cold wind whistling through the air; even the thickest cloak couldn’t keep out the chill. But inside the rooms, it was warm and cozy.
“This wretched weather is enough to freeze a person to death,” Ling Jingyan said as she entered the inner hall and removed her thick cloak, her pretty face flushed red from the cold.
Sun Shi looked at her with concern. “Come sit over here quickly. It’s closer to the brazier, so it’ll be warmer.”
Ling Jingyan murmured in agreement and sat down beside Sun Shi, cupping a cup of hot tea and drinking half of it. Once her stomach warmed up, most of the chill in her body faded, and she finally had the energy to speak. “Mother, where’s Eldest Sister-in-law? Didn’t she come to pay her respects to you today?”
Ever since Jiang Shi had become pregnant, Sun Shi had excused her from the morning and evening greetings. But Jiang Shi hadn’t grown arrogant from this favor, and she still came every day at the same time to pay her respects to Sun Shi. On the rare occasion she felt unwell, she would send a maid to let Sun Shi know.
Sun Shi shot her a reproachful glance. “In weather like this, how could she possibly come out and about while pregnant? I sent someone over first thing this morning to tell her to stay in her room and rest, focusing on the pregnancy. She doesn’t need to come.”
Ling Jingyan deliberately said in a sour tone, “Mother only worries about Eldest Sister-in-law, and doesn’t care one bit about me, your own daughter.”
Sun Shi didn’t know whether to laugh or scold her. “Shameless girl, how can you, an unmarried young lady, compare yourself to a pregnant daughter-in-law? Yuniang is in a delicate condition, so of course I need to look after her a bit. You’re full of energy and bouncing around all day, so it’s only right that you come pay your respects and keep me company.”
Ling Jingyan was already used to being scolded like this, and just stuck out her tongue with a grin.
A short while later, Ling Jingshu and her younger brother arrived as well.
Ling Jingyan teased with a smile, “A’Shu, you’re usually the early one every day, but today you couldn’t beat me here.”
Joy sparkled in Ling Jingshu’s eyes; she was in an excellent mood. “There’s a reason I’m late today.”
“Oh? What happened?” Ling Jingyan’s curiosity was piqued. “Could it be that after drinking the medicine continuously these days, your illness has improved?”
Sun Shi also looked over with concern.
Two months earlier, Ling Wuye had brought Ling Jingshu back from Huichun Hall, along with a large supply of medicine. Ever since then, Ling Jingshu had taken her medicine three times a day without fail, and a faint scent of herbs always lingered about her.
To mask the smell of the medicine, Ling Jingshu had developed the habit of wearing a scented sachet.
“My condition seems to have improved a little. I’ve been feeling calmer and gentler lately, and my appetite is much better than before,” Ling Jingshu said with a smile. “But that’s not why I’m late today. It’s because of A’Xiao!”
What had happened to Ling Xiao?
Sun Shi and her daughter both turned to look at Ling Xiao.
Over the past several months, Ling Xiao had been eating and sleeping well, and his body had continued to grow. Standing side by side with Ling Jingshu, he was already a bit taller than her. His handsome, fair face brimmed with excitement and joy as he couldn’t wait to announce, “Today when A’Shu changed my bandages and removed the cotton cloth, I could already faintly see A’Shu’s face.”
Sun Shi and Ling Jingyan were stunned for a moment, then overjoyed beyond words.
“A’Xiao, is everything you’re saying true?” Ling Jingyan couldn’t suppress her excitement and immediately leaned in close to Ling Xiao. “You can really see A’Shu now? Does that mean your eye condition is about to heal?”
Ling Xiao’s mouth curved into a wide grin, his voice full of delight. “It’s a bit blurry, but I can already make out the shape of a person.”
“This is truly wonderful!” Sun Shi couldn’t help pressing her palms together, smiling so widely she couldn’t close her mouth. “Heaven be praised. Bodhisattva be praised! This is truly excellent news!”
If he could already see the outline of a person, then the day his eyes fully recovered couldn’t be far off.
Indeed! What could possibly be more joyful than Ling Xiao’s eyes being on the verge of full recovery?
Ling Jingshu smiled as she gazed at her brother’s joyful face, her own heart filling with happiness as well.
···
Ling Wuye soon learned of the happy news as well, his face lighting up with joy as he asked again and again, “A’Xiao, can your eyes really see now?”
Ling Xiao answered with a smile, “It’s a bit blurry. I can only make out outlines, not very clearly yet.”
“Whatever the case, you can finally see something.” Ling Wuye stroked his short beard and laughed.
Ling Xiao had been blind for many years, and Ling Wuye had gone from being full of hope at first to gradually growing disappointed; he’d stopped having expectations or hopes for Ling Xiao, and had, whether intentionally or not, neglected and overlooked this son of his.
Over the past two months, Ling Wuye had accompanied Ling Xiao to the Crown Prince’s residence once every five days, personally witnessing Ling Xiao endure the pain of the needles time after time, which had stirred up what little fatherly love remained in his heart.
Now that there was hope for Ling Xiao’s eyes to fully recover, Ling Wuye naturally felt gratified. “Tomorrow is another acupuncture day. I must tell Imperial Physician Wei this good news and thank him properly.”
Ling Xiao nodded in agreement.
Ling Wuye then turned to look at Ling Jingshu, his tone full of hope. “A’Shu, it’s been two months since you started taking the medicine. Has your condition improved?”
Under Ling Wuye’s expectant gaze, Ling Jingshu shook her head with remarkable composure.
Disappointment washed over Ling Wuye, and he couldn’t help saying, “You’ve been under treatment for two months already—why hasn’t there been any improvement? If Imperial Physician Wei can’t cure your condition, perhaps we should invite another renowned physician. The capital is so vast, there are plenty of skilled doctors—maybe one of them could cure you…”
“No!”
Ling Jingshu and Ling Xiao objected in unison, without having planned it.
Ling Wuye’s face darkened with displeasure. “Why not?”
“Imperial Physician Wei is highly skilled, and I trust him,” Ling Jingshu said calmly, ignoring Ling Wuye’s sour expression. “If he was able to cure A’Xiao, he’ll surely be able to cure me too. I’ve never had any thought of changing physicians.”
Ling Xiao immediately picked up where she left off. “A’Shu is right. Switching physicians halfway would be terribly disrespectful to Imperial Physician Wei. If he found out, he’d surely be displeased. And then what face would Father and I have to see him with? Besides, Imperial Physician Wei has kept this completely confidential—A’Shu’s illness has never gotten out. If Father brings in an outside physician and the secret accidentally leaks, what then?”
“So I’d advise Father to drop this idea sooner rather than later.”
Ling Wuye was speechless for a moment, and only after a long pause did he give a resentful snort. “I was just making a casual suggestion. Look at the two of you, siblings ganging up against me in unison. Can’t I, as your father, even say something in passing?”
Thinking about all this, Ling Wuye genuinely felt aggrieved.
Children obeying their father’s wishes was simply how things should be. But these two children of his had grown more and more opinionated—not only did they refuse to listen to him, but they would also occasionally nitpick his words and actions.
A father as pathetically powerless as he was, was truly a rare sight.
Ling Jingshu and Ling Xiao exchanged a glance and silently ignored the resentment in Ling Wuye’s tone.
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