He possessed a full chest of talent and ambitions, yet could only dwell within the confines of his square courtyard, drinking tea, admiring flowers, and living a life of idleness.
All because of this frail body. If his heart ailment could truly be eradicated, it would be a stroke of immense fortune for him.
When Feng Jin pulled him back from the brink of death, the extinguished hope in his heart reignited, bringing to mind the divination he received three years ago: "Emerging from peril, fate arises from fate."
He had initially dismissed it as a mere jest and never took it seriously, but the events unfolding now made him believe in its truth.
"Actually, it's just that... I injured my wrist a few days ago and can no longer use needles..."
Feng Jin lifted her sleeve to reveal a section of her fair wrist, upon which was indeed a purplish-blue bruise, appearing quite striking.
"Eldest sister-in-law, when did you get injured? How am I not aware of it at all?"
Ling Muzhu tried hard to recall, but had no recollection. Feng Jin was a prominent figure in their Ling Manor; her every move was closely watched. If she were injured, the manor would surely have had some news of it.
"Shut up. Say one less word, and no one will think you're mute!"
He was usually not one for much talk, yet at this moment, he was truly eloquent.
Feng Jin glared fiercely at Ling Muzhu and turned her gaze to Sheng Xu Bai, "Young Master Sheng, my younger sister has been practicing medicine with me. Would it be alright to have my younger sister give you acupuncture?"
"Second Miss..."
"Eldest sister-in-law, I..."
Ling Wan was about to refuse, but Feng Jin pressed her hand and signaled her to remain silent.
"Young Master Sheng, what do you think?"
"Since Madam trusts Second Miss, I naturally have no objections. I will abide by Madam's arrangements."
Feng Jin had done her best for him; if he were to be picky now, he would be truly ungrateful.
"Very well, let Ling Wan treat you then," Feng Jin said with a smile, pausing before continuing, "However, it's not convenient for Ling Wan, a young lady, to frequent Sheng Manor often, as it might invite gossip. It will be troublesome for Young Master Sheng to take a few more steps."
"That is only natural. Madam's considerations are thorough. It is indeed difficult for a young lady like Second Miss to travel back and forth. Naturally, I, Sheng, will visit the Ling Manor daily."
He, seeking medical treatment, would indeed be unreasonable to ask the physician to travel back and forth for his treatments.
"Young Master Sheng is truly accommodating. Then this matter is settled."
Feng Jin sealed the deal, unable to suppress the smile on her lips. Finally, she had created a legitimate reason for the two of them to meet.
After dinner, once Sheng Xu Bai had left, Ling Wan, with a heavy heart, approached Feng Jin.
"Eldest sister-in-law, I've only learned the basics. Young Master Sheng's heart ailment is so severe, how can I possibly treat it? If I were to worsen his condition, it would be trouble."
Since the banquet, her heart had been pounding with worry. It had been difficult enough for Sheng Xu Bai's condition to improve slightly; if she were to cause further problems, even ten lives wouldn't be enough for her to compensate.
"It's alright, you don't need to worry. Since I dared to say you can treat him, I naturally have a way to handle it. Tonight, I will teach you the acupuncture method for treating Sheng Xu Bai. Just follow suit, and there will absolutely be no mistakes."
Regarding Sheng Xu Bai's condition, she was already fully confident. The Thirteen Needles of the Ghost Doctor she had used previously had already healed his incomplete heart meridians.
Today, she had observed Sheng Xu Bai's complexion; he had recovered quite well over the past month. However, heart ailments are deeply rooted and cause great damage to the body.
Now, all that was needed was proper recuperation. The acupuncture was merely to stimulate acupoints and promote recovery.
"Can this work?" Ling Wan still felt uncertain. "Eldest sister-in-law, why don't you do it?"
"Of course it can work, don't worry."
Feng Jin patted Ling Wan's shoulder, telling her to set her mind at ease and just follow her method.
"What are you two discussing?"
Ling Mohan's stern voice rang out. Feng Jin, without thinking, quickly denied, "Nothing?"
"Ling Wan, you tell me?" Ling Mohan ignored Feng Jin and directly questioned Ling Wan.
"I..."
Ling Wan was startled. She cautiously glanced at Ling Mohan. The fear ingrained in her since childhood enveloped her, and in her fright, she confessed everything.
"Eldest sister-in-law wants to teach me acupuncture and have me treat Sheng Xu Bai."
Having spoken her mind, Ling Wan felt a sense of relief.
Feng Jin's lips twitched uncontrollably. She cast a resentful glance at Ling Wan for selling her out so easily. Ling Mohan hadn't even started questioning them, and she had already confessed everything. It was truly unexpected; she wished he had at least given her some time to prepare herself.
"Sheng Xu Bai..."
Ling Mohan repeated the name, finding it familiar yet unable to recall where he had heard it.
After a long pause, he suddenly realized, "The one who dared to request thanks from the carriage that day was Sheng Xu Bai, wasn't it?"
"What is destined to happen cannot be avoided," Feng Jin took a deep breath. "It was indeed Sheng Xu Bai, the third young master of the Sheng family. He came here to express his gratitude for saving him, and Ling Wan and Ling Muzhu were also present at the time."
To dispel Ling Mohan's suspicions, Feng Jin brought in witnesses to prove her innocence.
Ling Wan's gaze darted between the two. The atmosphere seemed rather tense. Ling Wan swallowed hard and said nervously, "Eldest brother, eldest sister-in-law, I just remembered... remembered I have some other matters to attend to. I... I'll be going back now."
As soon as she finished speaking, Ling Wan bolted and disappeared. If she lingered any longer, she might get caught in the crossfire; it was best to leave quickly.
"I have already explained everything to you, not a single word is false, all true. If you don't believe me, you can go and ask Sheng Xu Bai for clarification."
A clear conscience fears no slander. She had done nothing wrong, so she wasn't afraid of ghosts knocking at her door in the middle of the night.
Whether Ling Mohan believed her or not was his affair. Even if she had three heads and six arms, she couldn't control someone's thoughts.
"I naturally believe you. What makes me angry is that you concealed things from me at first. We are husband and wife, one entity. We should help and trust each other, but you always choose to hide things from me, forcing me to guess. However, my energy is limited, and sometimes when I try to guess your thoughts, I also get tired."
Ling Mohan stepped forward and embraced Feng Jin, resting his head lightly on her slender shoulder. The scent unique to Feng Jin filled his nostrils, bringing him a rare sense of peace.
"Promise me, don't hide things from me in the future, okay? Whether it's right or wrong, I won't blame you."
"Okay."
Feng Jin's heart was finally touched. She embraced the man's back and replied in a deep voice, "From now on, no matter what, I will not hide anything from you. I will tell you the truth."