Ling Jingshu quietly felt a pang of awkwardness, cleared her throat, and changed the subject: “Let us not speak of this anymore. Elder Cousin Yan, your health has not fully recovered — you should go back to your room and rest. Jingyu and the others are currently decocting medicine for A’Xiao, and I still need to go apply the medicinal ointment to A’Xiao’s eyes. I must go see to it. Please forgive me for not keeping you company.”

Ling Jingyan immediately responded with great energy: “I have been lying in bed all morning; I am quite well-rested now. You are going to apply medicine to A’Xiao’s eyes? I shall come along with you.”

Very well — it seemed there was no shaking her.

Ling Jingshu laughed helplessly: “If you do not find it dull, come along then.”

“Not dull at all — keeping A’Xiao company and chatting is far better than lying in bed.” Ling Jingyan smiled brightly, rose to her feet, took Ling Jingshu’s hand, and led her out.

A’Xiao’s bedroom was right next door — only a few steps away.

Jingyu had especially brought a small, neat stove from the kitchen, with a medicine pot set atop it specifically for decocting the medicine. Waves of steam mingled with the bitter fragrance of herbs drifted through the air.

Ling Jingyan had been drinking medicine for several days straight; the mere smell of it made her reflexively wrinkle her nose: “So bitter.”

Ling Jingshu said with an amused smile: “You haven’t even tasted it — how do you know it will be very bitter?”

“I can smell it! This medicine smells far more bitter than what I have been drinking.” As she spoke, Ling Jingyan turned and instructed her personal maidservant Bi Tao: “There are candied preserves in my room — bring a generous portion over.”

Bi Tao assented and quickly withdrew.

Ling Jingyan was usually careless and rough in her ways, which made her occasional moments of thoughtful consideration all the more touching.

Ling Jingshu smiled and offered her thanks: “Elder Cousin Yan, thank you.”

She had thought about preparing some candied preserves beforehand for A’Xiao to eat after taking his medicine, but had not yet had the chance.

“I have more than enough in my room — I cannot finish them by myself. It is good to share some with A’Xiao. Such a small matter hardly warrants thanks.” Ling Jingyan shrugged without concern, then lowered her voice and said with a smile: “If you truly want to thank me, speak on my behalf and ask my mother to bring me along when she visits the Crown Prince’s residence tomorrow.”

Ling Jingshu suppressed a smile: “Your health has not fully recovered — Great-Aunt will certainly not be willing to take you out. I would not dare intercede for you. Be good and stay in the residence to recuperate.”

Sun Shi did dote on Ling Jingyan, but on this particular point she would absolutely not yield.

Ling Jingyan knew this in her heart, and could not help but heave a long sigh, murmuring to herself: “Had I known it would come to this, I should never have gotten out of bed in the middle of the night to gaze at the moon…”

Ling Jingshu: “…”

Gazing at the moon in the middle of the night, indeed! It was more likely she had crept out to cry over the matter of Prince Yan, and had taken a chill.

Ling Jingshu remarked on this silently to herself, but out of consideration for Ling Jingyan’s dignity and self-respect, she held her tongue and said nothing.

Bi Tao soon returned bearing a large platter heaped with candied preserves.

The medicine was also ready — a large bowl of it, dark and murky.

Ling Xiao sat at the table. Before he had even taken a sip, his nostrils were already flooded with the bitter and unpleasant smell of the medicine.

Ling Jingshu first tasted a small sip herself… the flavor was indeed deeply, indescribably profound…

“A’Xiao, this medicine is just the tiniest bit bitter. Bear with it a little as you drink. After you finish the medicine, eat plenty of candied preserves.”

Ling Xiao smiled faintly: “A’Shu, I am not a child of only a few years old, needing someone to coax me through my medicine…”

(Ling Jingyan, who herself required coaxing to take medicine, felt the need to observe: medicine this bitter is simply too hard to choke down. When someone coaxes you through it, your spirits are always lifted just a little. This has nothing whatsoever to do with one’s age!!!)

“What does a little bitterness matter? As long as it can cure my eye condition, no medicine is too bitter to bear. You need not feed it to me either — I can drink it myself.”

With that, Ling Xiao felt around for the medicine bowl and lifted it, then gulped down a large mouthful…

“Careful — the medicine is very hot!”

Ling Jingshu’s warning came too late.

Ling Xiao had drunk too quickly and too urgently, and was scalded. His fair complexion flushed red as he held back his reaction.

Ling Jingshu looked on, both pained and amused, and scolded gently: “Really now. Drink slowly — why the great hurry? Did you burn your tongue?”

It was not only his tongue — his throat and stomach burned like fire as well.

Ling Xiao suppressed the urge to burst into tears and complain, and bravely straightened his slight, slender frame: “It is nothing. A real man does not make much of a thing like this.”

Ling Jingyan was tickled, and teased without mercy: “Yes, yes — a real man indeed. There is still more than half a bowl left; kindly finish it all in one go. We can go back to Huichun Hall another day to get some medicine for burns.”

She then burst into laughter.

Ling Xiao’s face burned crimson with embarrassment.

Ling Jingshu also found it funny, but could not bring herself to laugh aloud. She took the medicine bowl, blew on it carefully for a while, then placed it back in Ling Xiao’s hands: “Drink slowly — do not get scalded again.”

Ling Xiao did indeed drink much more slowly, taking small sip after small sip until he finished every last drop of the remaining medicine.

The moment he set the bowl down, a sweet-and-sour candied preserve was held up to his lips: “Open your mouth.”

Ling Xiao obediently opened his mouth and took the preserve. The sweet-and-sour flavor immediately swept away the bitter taste of the medicine.

Ling Jingshu said gently with a smile: “A’Xiao, let me apply the ointment for you now.”

Ling Xiao nodded compliantly.

Before applying the ointment, a warm damp cloth was first pressed against the eyes for a moment. Then the ointment was spread evenly over the eye area, and clean gauze was wrapped around several times.

Ling Jingshu attended to all of this carefully and gently for Ling Xiao — applying the warm cloth, the ointment, and the gauze. Even with such a tedious task, she was extraordinarily patient.

Ling Jingyan watched from the side, finding it all novel and interesting, and asked with a smile: “How long must this ointment be used? Will he be able to see again once it is applied?”

“It must be used continuously for three months,” Ling Jingshu replied offhandedly. “According to Imperial Physician Wei, the primary cause of A’Xiao’s eye condition is a stagnation of blood clotting in the brain that has not dispersed. The treatment centers on acupuncture, with medicine as a supplement. This ointment has no direct curative effect on the eye condition, but it clears the mind and brightens the eyes.”

A’Xiao’s eyes had been sightless for six years. Now that the ointment was applied, he was to avoid light for three months while his eyes healed and rested.

Ling Jingyan picked up the porcelain vial with curiosity.

The ointment inside was semi-translucent and semi-solidified, milky white in color, and emitted a faint, refreshing fragrance that, upon a single breath, left one’s mind and spirit at ease.

“A’Shu, may I use a little of this ointment?” Ling Jingyan asked with fanciful enthusiasm. “After applying it, perhaps my eyes would become even brighter and more beautiful!”

Ling Jingshu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “Elder Cousin Yan, this is an ointment for clearing the mind and brightening the eyes — it has no beautifying or complexion-enhancing properties. Please do not mischievously use it without reason. What if something unexpected were to happen? Who would you complain to then?”

“Very well, I shall not use it carelessly then.”

Ling Jingyan set down the porcelain vial with some reluctance.

Ling Jingshu smiled and added: “Besides, your eyes are already large and bright — who could hope to match them?”

Ling Jingyan immediately brightened up, lifting her head with a touch of pride: “That is also true.”

Everyone present: “…”