Chapter 27: Enemies Everywhere, Joy Everywhere This chapter is dedicated as an extra for dear Little Fang and Miss Crystal, with love.

Pfft! Hua’er laughed as she picked up the bowl and stuffed a wonton into Linglong’s mouth.

“What are you laughing at?” Linglong bit fiercely into the wonton, as though it were someone’s meaty elbow.

Hua’er pushed another wonton into her mouth before teasing, “The young master is treating you better and better! I’m happy.”

“Who do you mean by your young master? If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll pull out your tongue for marinating,” Linglong grumbled.

Hua’er muttered, “It’s true though. When you fainted from hunger, he gently fed you sweet soup, instructed the doctor to tell me what foods to make for you, and even carried you over himself to eat. If it were before…”

“If it were before, even if I died, he wouldn’t spare me a glance, would he?” Linglong sneered, suddenly finding the food tasteless.

Realizing she’d upset Linglong, Hua’er fell silent, only quietly continuing to feed her wontons.

“Hua’er, about Qin Daofei… if he doesn’t have some motive, he wouldn’t bother pretending with me. So don’t harbor any illusions about him!” The words seemed meant for Hua’er, but more so for herself.

Hua’er kept her head down, thinking for a moment before saying, “After you were taken away by the Capital Prefecture, the young master returned and was furious with the second madam. Later, there was a fire in the Capital Prefecture prison…”

“Stop, just stop!” Linglong didn’t know what news Hua’er might bring, and she was afraid—afraid her resolve would waver, and even more frightened of hearing something that would cut deeper. Whatever it was, she could not bear it.

“Alright, alright, I won’t say anything. But can you tell me how you escaped from the Capital Prefecture prison, and where you’ve been these past two years?” Seeing Linglong so fragile, Hua’er didn’t press, but she couldn’t help wondering what ordeal had changed Linglong so.

As Hua’er asked, Qin Daofei was about to enter. He paused, quietly standing at Linglong’s doorway.

Linglong gently patted Hua’er, smiling, “Do you think your mistress has wings? When I woke, I was lying among corpses. Afterwards, I went beyond the frontier… just breathing, eating, sleeping, that’s all.”

Hua’er shot Linglong a look, stuffed another wonton into her mouth, and huffed, “That’s just like you. No matter how much hardship you endure, you retell it as if you were dining at Cloud Pavilion. It makes my heart ache!”

With that, Hua’er placed the bowl down and turned her back, crying pitiably.

Linglong scratched her face in a fluster, “Wait, let me finish this bite and I’ll comfort you!”

Pfft!

Hua’er was amused, “Who needs your comfort? Just eat, will you?”

Outside the door, Qin Daofei frowned, his fingers tense and restless, finally gripping the railing so hard that splinters spilled from his grasp and fluttered down to the grass below.

After lingering for a moment, Qin Daofei returned to his room, expressionless, only to see Linglong clutching her bowl and pitifully asking Hua’er, “Still hungry?”

“The doctor said you can’t eat too much at once. Rest for half an hour before eating again—it’s better for your stomach!” Hua’er reached out to take Linglong’s bowl.

Ahem! Qin Daofei feigned a cough to remind them of his presence.

Upon seeing him, both women set their bowls aside.

Qin Daofei calmly took the empty bowl, handed it to Hua’er, then turned to Linglong, “Let’s go eat Old Zhu’s special braised pork knuckle.”

“Old Zhu’s place?” Linglong swallowed, then said with an air of restraint, “I used to tease her. She must hate me by now. If she doesn’t kill me when I go, I’ll be lucky.”

“She wouldn’t dare.” Qin Daofei replied, then instructed Hua’er, “You may go. You don’t need to accompany your mistress today.”

“Yes, sir!” Hua’er curtsied and left the room.

Qin Daofei sat at the desk, his tone bland, “Do you need me to help you change?”

“Hmph!” Linglong snorted, stomping her foot before rushing off to find her clothes.

But upon opening the wardrobe, she found only unfamiliar new garments of all colors. Her beloved black robes were nowhere to be seen.

“Hua’er, where are my clothes?” Linglong ran out to ask.

Qin Daofei leisurely poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and replied, “She’s in the kitchen.”

“So it was you?” Linglong marched up to Qin Daofei, standing on tiptoe to look up, trying to intimidate him with her presence.

Qin Daofei cooperated, bending down until their noses nearly touched. He stopped, smiled faintly, and said, “No.”

As if! Linglong knew full well it was his doing, but now, standing in his domain, she didn’t dare retort too loudly. With only a thin layer of clothing on, she feared if Qin Daofei lost his temper and acted like a brute, she would suffer greatly.

Linglong retreated, tightened her undergarments, and laughed, “I was just asking. I’m afraid if you bought them, you’ll make me pay. You know I have little money… And I have things to do. Go out, and once I’m dressed, we’ll leave.”

“So you eat my food, live in my home—do you intend to pay for that as well?” Qin Daofei’s voice was cold.

Linglong forced a smile, “Who was it, back then, who begged me to return?”

“Mind your words,” Qin Daofei said calmly.

Linglong came closer, looking up at him, “So, will you charge me or not?”

“I’m not so desperate as to extort your paltry coins.” Qin Daofei, irritated, gave her a cold glance and left.

Linglong muttered behind his back, “I wouldn’t wear those gaudy clothes even if you forced me! My black robe was so commanding!”

She searched and searched, unable to find anything to her liking. In the end, she had no choice but to put on a smoky-grey gauze dress, her hair simply pinned with a white jade hairpin, graceful and poised.

Seeing her attire, Qin Daofei frowned in silence.

She truly had changed.

“Come on, let’s eat pork knuckle!” Linglong grinned, pulling Qin Daofei’s hand as they walked out. Passing the shattered railing, she only glanced at it, showing no reaction.

Qin Daofei’s gaze lingered on Linglong’s natural gesture, his mind turning over the past. The old Linglong would cling to him without dignity, craving the slightest kindness as if it were the world. Now she still clung, but her manner was elusive—sometimes cold, sometimes warm.

Before, to display her status as the eldest Miss of the Feng family, she wore bright reds and greens embroidered with gold thread, her hair adorned with countless jade ornaments. Now she preferred black robes, a single white jade pin, nothing else.

It was as if the true Linglong had been locked away.

Qin Daofei’s “Old Zhu” was the finest informant at Freehold Manor, always hidden in the marketplace, outwardly just a pork knuckle vendor. She was a burly, broad-shouldered woman who could split a person in two with her cleaver in an instant.

Yet, such a person…

“Master, you… Feng Linglong?” The coquettish voice instantly became a shriek at the sight of Linglong.

Indeed, Old Zhu was a woman—a burly figure with a delicate voice.

Upon seeing Linglong, Old Zhu brandished her cleaver at the door, blocking her entry.

Linglong poked Old Zhu’s belly and laughed, “Old Zhu, two years and you’ve grown even rounder!”

“You wretch…”

“Old Zhu!” Qin Daofei’s calm voice halted Old Zhu’s insults. She pouted, hands on hips, glaring with eyes like copper bells. “You’ve been half-dead these past two years, skinny as a rake—guilty conscience keeping you up, eh?”

“Indeed. I’ve eaten poorly, slept worse, just worried that Concubine Tan and your master are living too well, while I can’t return… to reclaim my dowry!” Linglong’s brows danced with mirth, not a trace of sorrow.

Yet even Old Zhu, hardened as she was, heard despair in her tone.

Still, Old Zhu was always on Tan Xiyin’s side. Pointing at Linglong, she told Qin Daofei coldly, “Master, my shop doesn’t welcome murderers.”

“Old Zhu, wait until I slap your face before you learn to sew up that mouth,” Linglong said mildly, pushing past Old Zhu and swaggering inside.

Old Zhu’s temper was notorious; she swung her greasy cleaver, ready to throw Linglong out.

“Old Zhu, bring her two pork knuckles!” Qin Daofei’s calm glance subdued her.

Linglong sat on a stone bench, watching Old Zhu with a triumphant smile.

Reluctantly, Old Zhu went out to her stall. Qin Daofei followed, speaking loudly enough for Linglong to hear, “Pick out two big ones for her.”

“Old Zhu, send someone to the frontier to investigate what Linglong experienced these past two years…” he added in a lower voice.

Old Zhu sliced the pork knuckles, her tone icy, “Master, keeping such a viper close, aren’t you afraid she’ll bite?”

“Old Zhu, you know more about Xiyin’s affairs than I do…” Qin Daofei watched her closely. Though she appeared unchanged, he knew her well enough to detect any flicker of emotion.

He paused, then said softly, “But I understand Linglong better than anyone. She’s not so heartless.”

On this point, Old Zhu had to agree.

In the end, she grudgingly brought the pork knuckles to Linglong.

“Thank you, Old Zhu!” Linglong’s words were more mockery than gratitude.

Hmph!

Old Zhu ignored her and stomped off.

Linglong happily devoured a pork knuckle and carefully wrapped one to take back for Hua’er.

Just as they left, a woman dressed in white, her face veiled and wearing a white bamboo hat, entered Old Zhu’s shop.

Old Zhu, upon seeing her, immediately pulled her inside and shut the door.

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