FMT 56

Chapter 56 Recovery

Three days later, Liandan wrapped his head with a scarf against the wind, dressed tightly, and sat on the bed.

On the bed, Chen Shuangning’s face was even more ashen. Lying there, without looking carefully, one could hardly see the rise and fall of his chest.

Someone knocked on the door. Soon after, Shuangruo entered.

She walked to the bedside, checked her brother’s condition, then looked at Liandan sitting there. She sighed softly. “At night Changle will still fuss. Go back and rest early.”

These days Xiaodan was with Liang Yun. Shuangruo kept watch over her brother every night. Liandan did not trust the servant woman to care for Changle, so he kept the baby with him at night, resting only by swapping with her during the day.

Liandan listened. He knew if his own body collapsed, not only would he be unable to care for the children, but he would also add to Shuangruo’s burden.

Shuangruo helped him stand. Liandan said, “Shuangruo, you’ve worked hard.”

She shook her head. “Not me. When we weren’t here, you carried a big belly and still took care of my brother. You were the one who worked hard.”

Liandan shook his head again. Shuangruo looked at him seriously. “Liandan, you must recover well. Better days are still ahead.”

Liandan gazed at her, a little lost. Shuangruo’s eyes shone. “I just came from Master. The antidote… it will be ready in two or three days.”

Three days may sound short, but each day was filled with peril.

In those three days, Shuangning vomited blood twice again, just like last time. The sight was terrifying, as though he would cough out all the blood in his body.

Once, he even stopped breathing. Shuangruo’s eyes were red as she clenched her teeth and pulled him back from death’s door. When his chest finally rose again, she collapsed onto the ground, nearly fainting with exhaustion.

Liandan, pale-faced and still trembling, held her in his arms, rubbing her arms and shoulders again and again until she slowly recovered.

When Shuangruo caught her breath, the two hugged each other, weeping in fright.

On the third night, Shuangning’s fever did not break. He muttered deliriously, at first calling Liandan and the two children, also Shuangruo’s name. Later, he called for his father, mother, grandfather, grandmother.

Liandan lay half on the bed, tears falling as he called his name again and again. “Shuangning, Shuangning, hold on, hold on, just a little longer!”

Xiaodan stood by the bed, wiping his eyes with his sleeve, calling, “Father.”

Newborn Changle, lying by Shuangning’s side, seemed to feel something and cried loudly.

Shuangning’s brow furrowed, his eyes still shut, his head tilted, as if he was listening to the sounds around him.

Soon he slipped into another vision, murmuring, “Father, Mother…”

Liandan wept as he kissed his sunken cheeks and cracked lips. “Please, don’t leave, Shuangning, I beg you…”

Shuangning’s brow furrowed tighter. He tilted his head, listening to Liandan’s voice, his face showing struggle.

Liandan held him, pressing his cheek against his, tears streaming. “Shuangning, I can’t do it. I will fail you. I really can’t… If you leave, I won’t be able to raise Changsheng and Changle. I will have to hand them to Shuangruo…”

“I know why you wouldn’t answer me. You feared if you died, I would love too deeply and never get out. But you were wrong. From the first moment I saw you, I was already trapped.”

“If you leave, I will go with you.”

Beside them, Shuangruo’s eyes went wide, her face pale. She grabbed Liandan’s hand. Her voice shook. “You must not! If you do this, how will I live? How will the two children live?”

Liandan shook his head. “I’m sorry, Shuangruo. I’ve done my best. I’m sorry…”

Just then, the door creaked open. An old man with a messy appearance entered, holding a porcelain bottle he shouted, “No one is allowed to die!”

Liandan and Shuangruo froze. Feng Xingzhou walked quickly to the bed, lifted Shuangning’s neck, and poured the medicine into his mouth.

Then he let go, stepped back, stretched long, and said, “I’m finished. I’m about to die of exhaustion. I need three days and three nights of sleep.”

He was about to leave when he felt someone grab his arm.

He turned his head, his face flushed. “You again, little ge’er, really…” His complaint stopped short when he saw the look in Liandan’s eyes.

Liandan stared at him with a gaze full of disbelief and hope. He opened his mouth several times before forcing out the words. “Th-that… was that the antidote?”

Feng Xingzhou nodded quickly. “Yes.”

Liandan turned to the bed. “He… he…?”

Feng Xingzhou slapped his thigh. “Ah, I forgot to tell you clearly. He took the antidote. By tomorrow, he will be fine.”

“Fine?” Liandan repeated blankly.

Feng Xingzhou nodded hard. “Tomorrow he will wake. After that, feed him good food every day. In a month or so, he will be no different from any other man.”

Liandan kept staring. Feng Xingzhou slapped his thigh again. “I guarantee Chen Shuangning will live a long life. Will that do?”

Liandan let out a breath, finally released his arm, and sat down on the chair. Feng Xingzhou hurried to run out, calling to his disciple, “Watch him tonight. He’ll still toss and vomit some blood, but that’s normal. No more medicine needed…”

Saying that, he left the room, slammed the next door shut, and went to sleep.

That night, Liandan and Shuangruo kept watch over Shuangning. He vomited blood now and then, but unlike before, it was not much, and all of it was black.

Shuangruo said it was poisoned blood. Once it was all out, he would be well.

By dawn, Chen Shuangning finally stopped vomiting blood. His face was white as paper, but no longer carried the gray lifelessness from before. His breathing was no longer so labored either.

His expression eased. This time he was truly asleep, not unconscious from exhaustion.

Shuangruo helped Liandan back to his room to rest. She tucked the quilt over him, smiled, and said, “When you wake, we will eat something good. Tonight I will cook.”

Liandan answered with a soft “Mm.” Shuangruo smoothed his hair, then left.

Liandan was exhausted. His heart held both joy and uncertain anxiety. He closed his eyes, tossed and turned many times before falling asleep.

He could not tell how long he slept. When he woke, the sun was already overhead.

Voices and laughter came from the corridor outside. Liandan sat up, dazed at first, then suddenly realized something. He quickly dressed, combed his hair, washed his face. After making himself ready as fast as possible, he went to the door.

As soon as he opened it, he saw Xiaodan and Bai Wushuang’s daughter playing in the corridor. Liang Yun was standing with his back to him, watching them.

Their group had rented out the whole floor of the inn. The children playing here would not disturb anyone.

The doors to the other rooms nearby were open, including the one that had been tightly shut these past days—Chen Shuangning’s.

Liandan saw chubby Xiaodan holding a grasshopper woven from bamboo strips. He pulled the little girl’s hand and the two of them ran clattering into that room. Liandan heard Xiaodan shout, “Father, Father, look, look at this…”

From inside came a hoarse, low voice. “Uncle Bai made this for you? Amazing.”

Liandan’s eyes went wide.

Liang Yun turned, saw him, smiled with eyes curved, and raised a hand beckoning him over.

Liandan walked forward without thinking. Each step felt like stepping on cotton.

When he reached Liang Yun, he turned his head to look into the open room.

Inside, the two children leaned on the bed, playing with the bamboo grasshopper.

Shuangruo stood by the bed, watching them.

On the bed, the thin figure rested against the headboard. His long hair fell down his cheeks and over his shoulders. The white robe that once fit snugly now hung loose and wide.

Across the room, Chen Shuangning looked straight at Liandan standing at the doorway.

After a while, he smiled faintly. His gaze softened and he reached a hand toward him.

Liandan’s face looked torn between laughing and crying. He ran into the room, and threw himself into the arms stretched open for him, crying aloud.

Chen Shuangning needed careful rest, and Liandan was still in confinement after childbirth. Neither was suited for long travel.

That year’s New Year’s Eve, they stayed in Liuli City.

Since the start of December, the weather in Liuli City had turned cold. Snow fell heavily. The vast lake was covered in a thick crust of snow. But in the middle, parts had not yet frozen solid. From afar, under the sunlight, they gleamed golden, like a peerless pearl.

Changle was too young and slept most of the day, watched by the servant woman.

Xiaodan was bundled so tightly he looked like a ball. Shuangruo was helping him build a snowman.

Liandan supported Chen Shuangning. The two of them walked slowly along the lakeshore.

After a month of nourishment, Shuangning had improved greatly. He was no longer so thin. His face and lips had regained color.

The first half of Liandan’s confinement had been hard, but the latter half made up for it. With good rest, good food, a good mood, and the careful guidance of Feng Xingzhou and Shuangruo, his recovery was thorough. When he came out of confinement, his eyes were bright, his cheeks filled, his whole body fair and healthy.

It was afternoon. The sunlight was warm. Though the air was cold, standing in the sun felt comfortable.

After walking for a while, Shuangning tired. They stopped at a pavilion by the lake. Liandan brushed dust off the bench and let him sit to rest.

When Liandan was about to sit, Shuangning stopped him. He took off his padded gloves and placed them on the bench. He said softly, “You just gave birth. Be careful not to catch cold.”

Liandan answered “Mm” with his cheeks slightly red, then sat down.

The sun shone overhead. Liandan squinted, his gaze shifting toward an open patch of ground by the lakeshore not far away. His expression flickered.

Shuangning, watching him closely, noticed. “What is it?”

Liandan thought a moment. “That time, you told me, one day you wanted your final rest by this lake. The second day I came here, I had already chosen that place.”

Shuangning looked too. The open ground by the shore was bathed in sunlight. The land was wide. Come spring, it would surely bloom with grass and wildflowers. He nodded. “It is indeed a good place.”

Liandan turned back. The two exchanged a smile. Looking back, the grief of that time had vanished with Shuangning’s recovery. Now they only sighed as they spoke about it.

Liandan said, “I thought then, I would ask Brother Leng and the others to help. By the place where you slept, there—” He pointed again. “I would build a house. Xiaodan, Changle, and I would live there. Every day we would be with you, and you would not be lonely.”

His hand, hanging at his side, was gently taken by a warm one. Liandan turned his head. Shuangning was looking at him.

Liandan’s gaze flickered. His genuine thoughts slipped out. “You are so good-looking.”

Shuangning’s lips curved into a smile. Sunlight fell across his lashes like scattered diamonds.

Liandan stared at him in a daze, unable to look away.

Shuangning did not avoid his eyes. His smile deepened. His gaze was as gentle as flowing water.

“Liandan…” He called his name.

Liandan blinked, his answer dreamy. “Mm.” The two looked at each other. Shuangning’s lips moved, just about to speak.

Children’s footsteps pattered closer. Xiaodan ran over, Shuangruo out of breath chasing behind.

Xiaodan rushed up and flung himself into his father’s arms. Shuangning lifted him onto his lap.

Shuangruo sat down beside Liandan and laughed. “Xiaodan clings to my brother now. I told him, father and dad are talking, wait a while before going. He refused.”

Liandan lowered his head, smiling with pressed lips. “It’s fine. We weren’t saying anything important.”

When he looked up, his eyes met Shuangning’s. Something in that gaze made Liandan blush with embarrassment.

He turned his head away. His heart skipped a few beats faster.