He possessed a wealth of talent and aspirations, yet could only linger in his square courtyard, drinking tea and admiring flowers, leading a life of idleness.
All because of his frail body; if the ailment of his heart could truly be eradicated, it would be an immense fortune for him.
When Feng Jin pulled him back from the brink of death, the hope that had been extinguished within him reignited, reminding him of the divination he had received three years prior: "Emergence from despair, fate born anew."
He had initially dismissed it as a jest and never took it to heart. However, what was happening now made him unable to help but believe it.
"Actually, it's just that... I injured my wrist a few days ago and can no longer use needles..."
Feng Jin lifted her sleeve, revealing a fair section of her wrist. Indeed, there was a purplish-blue bruise, quite conspicuous.
"Eldest sister-in-law, when did you get hurt? How come I didn't know at all?"
Ling Muzhu tried to recall, but had no recollection. Feng Jin was a prominent figure in the Ling manor, her every move closely watched. If she were injured, there would surely be no news of it in the manor.
"Shut up. Say less, and no one will think you're mute!"
He was usually not one for eloquent speech, yet at this moment, he was remarkably talkative.
Feng Jin shot Ling Muzhu a fierce glare, then turned her attention to Sheng Xu Bai. "Young Master Sheng, my younger sister has always practiced medicine with me. Perhaps you would allow my sister to treat you with acupuncture?"
"Second Miss..."
"Eldest sister-in-law, I..."
Ling Wan was about to refuse when Feng Jin held her hand, her eyes signaling 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 whatever Madam arranges."
Feng Jin was doing her utmost for him; if he were to be picky, he would be ungrateful.
"Very well, then let Ling Wan treat you," Feng Jin said with a smile, then paused before continuing, "However, it is not appropriate for Ling Wan, a young lady, to frequently visit the Sheng manor, as it might invite gossip. It will be a hardship for you, Young Master Sheng, to take a few extra steps."
"That is naturally the case. Madam's consideration is thorough. For Second Miss, a woman, to travel back and forth is already arduous. Naturally, I, Sheng, will visit the Ling manor daily."
He was seeking medical treatment; it would be unreasonable to ask the physician to travel back and forth to treat him.
"Young Master Sheng is indeed magnanimous. Then, this matter is settled."
Feng Jin settled the matter definitively, her smile unwavering. At last, she had created a legitimate reason for the two of them to meet.
After dinner, as Sheng Xu Bai was leaving, Ling Wan, with a heavy heart, sought out Feng Jin.
"Eldest sister-in-law, I've only learned the basics. Young Master Sheng's heart condition is so severe, how can I possibly cure it? If I were to worsen it, it would be a terrible problem."
Her heart had been pounding with worry since the banquet. If Sheng Xu Bai's condition, which had just started to improve, were to be aggravated by her treatment, even ten lifetimes would not be enough to compensate.
"It's alright, you don't need to worry. Since I dared to say you could treat him, I naturally have a way to handle it. Tonight, I will teach you the acupuncture methods to save Sheng Xu Bai, and you just need to follow them exactly. There will be no mistakes."
Regarding Sheng Xu Bai's condition, she had already been fully confident for a long time. The Thirteen Needles of 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. It was just that heart conditions are deeply rooted and cause significant damage to the body.
Now, he only needed proper recuperation. Further acupuncture would merely be a simple stimulation of acupoints to promote recovery.
"Can this work?" Ling Wan was still unsure. "Eldest sister-in-law, why don't you do it instead?"
"It will certainly work. Don't worry."
Feng Jin patted Ling Wan's shoulder, telling her to put her mind at ease and just follow her methods.
"What are you two discussing?"
Ling Mohan's stern voice rang out. Without thinking, Feng Jin 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 she was so frightened that she confessed everything.
"Eldest sister-in-law wants to teach me acupuncture methods so I can treat Sheng Xu Bai."
After speaking her mind, Ling Wan felt much more at ease.
Feng Jin's lips twitched uncontrollably. She cast a mournful glance at Ling Wan, who had sold her out so easily. Ling Mohan hadn't even started interrogating her, and she had already confessed everything. It was so unexpected; she wished she had at least had some preparation.
"Sheng Xu Bai..."
Ling Mohan murmured the name repeatedly, finding it familiar yet unable to recall where he had heard it.
After a long pause, he suddenly realized, "That person who dared to thank me from behind the carriage that time, was that Sheng Xu Bai?"
What was destined to happen could not be avoided. Feng Jin took a deep breath. "It was indeed Sheng Xu Bai, the third son of the Sheng family. He came here to thank me for saving him. Ling Wan and Ling Muzhu were also present at the time."
To dispel Ling Mohan's suspicion, Feng Jin brought in witnesses to vouch for her innocence.
Ling Wan's gaze darted between the two of them. The atmosphere seemed somewhat off. Ling Wan swallowed and said hesitantly, "Eldest brother, Eldest sister-in-law, I just remembered... I remembered I have some other matters to attend to. I... I'll be going back now."
As soon as she finished speaking, Ling Wan darted away, disappearing in a flash. If she lingered any longer, she might get caught in the crossfire. It was best to leave first.
"I've already explained everything to you. Not a single word is false, every word is true. If you don't believe me, you can go and ask Sheng Xu Bai yourself for clarification."
A clear conscience fears no slander. She hadn't done anything wrong, so she wasn't afraid of a knock on the door in the middle of the night.
Whether Ling Mohan believed her or not was his concern. Even if she had three heads and six arms, she couldn't control someone's thoughts.
"I naturally believe you. What angers me is that you initially concealed things from me. We are husband and wife, one body. 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 get tired."
Ling Mohan stepped forward and embraced Feng Jin, resting his head lightly on her slender shoulder. The scent of Feng Jin, unique to her, filled his nostrils, bringing him a rare sense of peace.
"Promise me, from now on, don't hide things from me, okay? Right or wrong, I won't blame you."
"Alright."
Feng Jin's heart finally softened. She embraced his back and, in a deep voice, replied, "From now on, no matter what, I will never hide anything from you again. I will tell you the truth."