Chapter Fifteen: Mutual Torture

"Sister! If you don't get a doctor to come and see me, I'll go and tell Mother right now!"

The boy's clear voice boomed in Qingfeng Courtyard. Li Yu clung tightly to the door frame, refusing to let go, no matter how the two servants behind him pulled him, he remained unmoved.

He stared intently at the figure in the courtyard like a cat with its fur standing on end.

Under the pear blossom tree, Li Bao'er leaned lazily on the soft couch, her eyes lightly closed, as if she were isolated from the world.

Linglong, who was serving her from the side, whispered to her mistress, "Miss, please listen to the young master. I'm also worried about your health."

After Li Bao'er explained why she was willing to marry Prince Jing, Wang Qingzhi felt relieved and left the courtyard.

Unfortunately, Li Yu had a keen sense of smell and caught a faint whiff of blood.

Li Yu accurately stabbed at the wound where Li Bao'er had shielded Mu Cenlin from the arrow.

The pain made Li Bao'er gasp.

Then he stayed in the yard and refused to leave.

"Get out," Li Bao'er said displeased.

"No!" Li Yu said, her neck stiff, but her eyes were red.

"From childhood to adulthood, every time you got injured, wasn't it me who secretly stole medicine for you? Now you're even hiding it from me?"

The courtyard was utterly silent for a moment, with only the soft rustling of pear blossoms falling.

After a long while, Li Bao'er slowly opened her eyes.

Sunlight filtered through the flower branches, casting dappled shadows on her pale face. As her long eyelashes trembled slightly, she revealed a rare vulnerability.

Li Bao'er sighed softly, "Ayu, you're like a big-eared, braying donkey."

Li Yu was taken aback. "What kind of donkey is that? Why have I never heard of it before?"

Forget it, I wouldn't understand if I talked to people from ancient times.

"I need to rest, you should go back quickly," Li Bao'er said, losing some patience.

If Li Yu really calls a doctor, she won't be able to hide her injury anymore.

At that time, the charge of stealing the military tally will likely be brought up again.

Li Bao'er analyzed the situation and found that, apart from Mu Cenlin, Li Xiangyuan, and Mu Yuan, no one else knew about this matter.

Even the emperor was kept in the dark; otherwise, why would he have granted the marriage?

Thinking of Mu Yuan... Ha, at least I can finally get rid of this two-faced guy. I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"I'm not going back!"

"I'm not going back unless you see a doctor today."

To show her determination, Li Yu let go and sat down on the ground.

Li Bao'er raised an eyebrow, "Do you think you're still a three-year-old child?!"

Li Yu spoke with self-righteousness, even proudly raising her chin.

Anyway, I'll always be your younger brother in your eyes.

Only in Qingfeng Pavilion can you be yourself without reservation.

The servants standing nearby couldn't help but chuckle.

Because they knew that the vast Prime Minister's mansion was full of hidden schemes, and only in this Qingfeng Pavilion could their two masters play around without any restraint and be their most authentic selves.

"Alright, alright, little brother, give me your best wound medicine."

"But no one else is allowed to know."

Li Bao'er couldn't outlast this stubborn ox and had no choice but to give in.

"Okay! I'll go get it right away! Wait for me."

Li Yu had been waiting for Li Bao'er to say those words, and ran back to her own yard in a flash.

The courtyard fell silent for a moment, with only the scattered pear blossoms on the ground and that ever-silent figure remaining.

Ling Jin.

He stood under the pear tree, his dark robes almost blending into the shadows, only his face stood out in the dappled light and shadow.

It was an extremely eerie face.

His narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes were slightly upturned at the ends, his nose was high and straight like a blade, but his lips were so pale they were almost white.

When he stands quietly, he is like a lotus blooming in the night, dangerous and alluring.

Li Bao'er narrowed her eyes.

This is a death row inmate that she and Ayu rescued from the execution ground three years ago.

The boy was chained up and covered in blood, but his eyes shone with an astonishing light, like a lone wolf.

"Guard Ling is unusually quiet today."

The person who would usually blush after being teased by her was now pursing her lips tightly.

Ling Jin finally spoke, his voice low and hoarse, "Miss, do you really intend to marry Prince Jing?"

Li Bao'er's smile faded slightly.

Ling Jin's fingers clenched so tightly within his sleeves that they turned white. "That person is not a good match."

He spoke with restraint, but Li Bao'er could clearly see the turbulent emotions surging in his eyes.

“Ling Jin.” Li Bao’er suddenly called him by his full name.

The boy froze.

"look up."

Ling Jin obeyed instinctively, but then he saw Li Bao'er leaning over, carrying a faint medicinal fragrance.

She reached out and gently brushed her fingertips across his furrowed brow.

Are you worried about me?

Ling Jin's breath hitched.

The hand was cold, but the spot it touched was burning.

He should have stepped back, but his feet seemed rooted to the spot, and he could only watch helplessly as she drew closer and closer.

I was so close I could see the shadow cast by her eyelashes, so close I could smell the fragrance of pear blossoms in her hair.

"I……"

"Sister, the medicine is here!"

Li Yu's voice came closer from afar.

Ling Jin suddenly woke up as if from a dream, took three steps back, and his face turned bright red.

Li Bao'er tilted her head to look at him, then suddenly chuckled: "Guard Ling, your ears are red."

"Li Bao'er! You're bullying an honest person again!"

Li Yu rushed into the yard and pulled Ling Jin behind her like a mother hen protecting her chicks.

Li Bao'er rolled her eyes: "Big brother, don't talk about second brother, you're the one who makes him laugh the most."

"Alright, alright, give me the medicine and take your men and leave."

Li Bao'er lazily reached out, and as soon as the bottle of wound medicine landed in her palm, she immediately gave Linglong a wink, "Show the guest out."

Linglong understood and coaxed the two of them out.

The courtyard gate slammed shut, and the world finally became quiet.

Li Bao'er slumped back into the recliner, feeling that the ups and downs of the past few days had been more exhausting than in the past few years.

A gentle breeze swept by, and the snow-white pear blossoms fluttered down, with a few petals playfully settling in her hair.

As she gazed at the falling blossoms, a thought suddenly occurred to her.

What expression would Mu Cenlin have when he received the imperial edict?

“001, come out,” Li Bao’er called out in her mind.

[Ta-da! Your little cutie has arrived!]

001 bursts out waving a rainbow cheering flower, with exaggerated star effects floating among the petals.

"I've figured it out: you play dead when there's danger, but you're always jumping around when there's no danger!"

【Waaaaah, host is so fierce!】001 immediately covered its head and curled up into a ball, sending out a crying cat emoji.

[They were only 0.01 seconds slower in their reaction!]

"I don't have time to play along with your act. What's the Demon King's reaction?"

【Huh? Didn't you already have a shared feeling?】001 scratched his head in confusion.

Li Bao'er was taken aback.

Indeed, from the moment she received the imperial decree, she subconsciously paid attention to the emotional fluctuations in her heart.

"But I didn't notice anything unusual at all."

Any emotion is possible, but the worst thing is to be completely indifferent.

[This shouldn't be happening] 001 pulled out the "Empathy Binding Manual" in confusion. The virtual pages flipped through rapidly, then suddenly froze.

Ah! I remember what the side effects are!

When they were binding, Li Baoer asked 001, and he said that he always felt like he had forgotten something!

Li Bao'er's body trembled, and she gritted her teeth; "Side effects??"

How scary, Bao'er looks like she wants to eat it.

001 quickly took three steps back and raised the small white flag: "I know you're in a hurry, but don't rush!"

[In the initial stages of the bond, the two individuals' emotional perception will decrease with distance, but their pain perception will double!]

Just then, Li Bao'er felt a tightness in her chest, and the biting cold overcame her senses and caused pain.

It emanates from the very core of one's being.

"Mu...Cen Lin, have you gone mad? Ouch...it hurts!"

001 was terrified: [Host! What's wrong with you?]

"001, pain sensation is transmitted in a mutual way, right?"

[Yes] 001 suddenly had a bad feeling.

Li Bao'er's red lips curled slightly, and she suddenly stabbed her still unhealed arrow wound hard.