Chapter 99 The Bitterness of Piercing Lin Zhi took off the jade pendant from her ear...

Lin Zhi sat in the courtyard, holding Mianmian, lost in thought, staring at the frost-covered branches with a somewhat detached expression.

"Madam, the master developed a fever after returning to his room. The doctor prepared medicine, but the master refuses to drink it..."

When the maid replied with distress, Lin Zhi finally came to her senses and placed the child in the arms of the wet nurse beside her: "Take Mianmian back to the room, it's cold today."

"Yes, Madam, I will go back and give the young lady some more warm water."

When Lin Zhi arrived at Pei Lang's bedroom, she wrinkled her nose as soon as she entered because of the strong smell of medicine.

She hated bitter medicine since she was a child, and she hasn't changed even now that she's a mother.

"Hmm..."

Looking at Pei Lang lying on the couch with a flushed face and a slight frown, he looked extremely uncomfortable.

She gathered her sleeves and reached out to touch his smooth forehead; it was indeed burning hot.

"You can go out now. Tell the kitchen to make some fish porridge so I can give it to the adults after I've given them their medicine."

"Yes, madam, you've gone to a lot of trouble."

The last wisp of wind carrying the scent of snow was kept outside the door, but Lin Zhi's heart began to ache subtly.

She never wanted to go this far with Pei Lang, but she had done too many things against her will, and she was unwilling to compromise any further.

Touching his hot, soft earlobe, Lin Zhi wrung out a damp cloth to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead and gently woke him up.

"Take your medicine before you sleep."

Pei Lang's eyelashes trembled with a struggle before he finally opened his eyes. His hazy eyes lit up the moment he saw Lin Zhi clearly.

"...Ah Zhi...I had another dream..."

Pei Lang acted faster than his still-unconscious mind, encircling Lin Zhi's slender waist in his arms and resting his face on her soft legs.

Feeling the intense heat emanating from her waist even through several layers of clothing, Lin Zhi's breath hitched, and her hand holding the porcelain bowl trembled slightly.

Even her usually soft voice trembled involuntarily: "...What are you doing? Get up and drink your medicine..."

But her words came to an abrupt halt at Pei Lang's action.

The man buried his face in her lower abdomen and rubbed it affectionately a couple of times...

Lin Zhi turned her face away and put the medicine bowl aside. She couldn't help but reach out to push him, but stopped after seeing the dark circles under his eyes.

He was stuck in mid-air, unable to bring himself to do it.

"How did you get so tired?"

Lin Zhi frowned and stared at his profile. To be fair, Pei Lang's face, which was so alluring, was always kind to him over time.

But for some reason, Lin Zhi just didn't look like the boy he used to be.

Perhaps it was because he carried too much on his shoulders that he became more mature and aloof.

This is the person who should be giving her peace of mind the most, but now...

Lin Zhi felt she wasn't ruthless enough; just looking at him like this, the longing in her eyes seemed about to materialize and flow out...

But when a tear fell onto Pei Lang's cheek, Lin Zhi realized with a start that she had started crying again without even noticing.

She frantically tried to wipe away her tears, but as soon as she raised her wrist, someone grabbed it tightly.

Why are you crying?

Pei Lang propped himself up and sat up, his already pale lips dry and white.

Even in such a vulnerable position, he was like a wolf that had been lying in wait, casting a shadow that tightly suppressed Lin Zhi in the cage named Pei Lang.

Lin Zhi turned her head away from him, saying, "After you take your medicine, I'll go back and pack my things to leave..."

But just as she straightened her back to get up, someone pressed down on her waist and made her fall back down.

"I'm not leaving."

"There's no need to leave. I, Pei Lang, can still protect my wife and daughter."

Pei Lang, having been blown by the wind and snow all night, finally realized that if Lin Zhi were to take Mianmian out of his sight, things would be fraught with danger.

Even though Xiao Ting's attitude is unclear now, he can still feel more at ease with him by his side. If something really happens, he probably won't be able to get there in time, even if he rides a horse.

It's better for the family to be together than to live in constant fear.

Pei Lang's expression softened, but he didn't see the mist in Lin Zhi's eyes turn into frost.

With a "thud," she flung his hand away, leaving it on the bed. Lin Zhi felt like laughing; it was too ridiculous.

"The Grand Secretary has truly been in a high position for too long; now he treats everyone with such an arrogant attitude."

"You can leave whenever you want, or stay whenever you want."

Lin Zhi felt a dull pain in her chest. She gritted her teeth and glared at him, her red lips trembling slightly: "What do you take me for? Someone you can summon and dismiss at will?"

Did you listen when I said I didn't want to come back?

Pei Lang was startled by the intense anger in Lin Zhi's eyes, but his hands didn't slow down at all. He quickly grabbed Lin Zhi's hand to restrain her: "What are you saying?"

"You... when have I ever been arrogant towards you? I cherish you too much to even think about it..."

Pei Lang became embarrassed by what he said next, and his voice grew softer and softer.

But Lin Zhi coldly refused to look at him: "Let go of me, I want to go see Mianmian."

"What Lord Pei decides to do is none of my business. If you tell me to leave, I will leave. If you want me to stay, I will pretend I didn't hear you."

Lin Zhicai struggled to get up, but then her vision blurred and she was spun around and pressed back onto the couch.

Pei Lang's vision went black from the fever, and his mind became muddled, but there was one thing he couldn't forget.

"You're so eager to leave? Who do you really care about?"

"Where do you want to go? To Pingyi?"

The massive, iron-claw-like hand, veins bulging, gripped Lin Zhi so tightly that her face contorted in pain: "Pei Lang! Are you insane!"

"Let me go!"

"Don't make me hate you."

Lin Zhi's voice was extremely cold, colder than the wind and snow of the previous night.

A hint of hurt flashed in Pei Lang's eyes. He loosened his grip, but he never intended to let her go.

"Want to go find Luo Qinzhi? Don't even think about it... Even if I die, you will be my wife for all eternity."

Pei Lang's thin lips were already terribly dry from the high fever and his coma, and now, with the stimulation, they were torn open with fine, bloody gashes. His crimson lips made his snow-white face look like a bewitching ghost from the underworld.

He leaned down to kiss her, but there was no intimacy, only a furious biting.

Lin Zhi's long hair was disheveled, and he pressed her down on the bed, but there was nothing romantic about it.

The only words exchanged between the two were violent hatred and resentment.

The sweet and pungent smells mingled, and Lin Zhi felt as if she herself had fallen ill, as Pei Lang's sickness and resentment had been transferred to her.

"Hmm!"

Lin Zhi felt a weight on her chest, finally freeing her lips and teeth. Pei Lang was burning up and probably had fainted.

Pushing away the tall body pressing down on her, Lin Zhi sat up, still panting heavily, her lips numb and devoid of feeling.

He slapped Pei Lang hard across the face, finally finding an outlet for his resentment.

But that wasn't enough. Lin Zhi frowned and looked around the room, only to find a small bag of embroidery needles that she used to love carrying with her.

She hasn't seen the embroidery workshop since it was destroyed.

As she watched the neatly arranged, exquisite embroidery needles being carefully put away, a dark glint flashed in her eyes.

She didn't understand why Pei Lang was hiding these things, or why he was doing these unseen skills.

Is he trying to move her when she finds out? Or is he trying to blackmail her with something else?

Thinking of the past, the last ripple in Lin Zhi's heart vanished. Her expression changed, and she lifted her skirt, flipped herself onto the bed, and sat on Pei Lang's waist and abdomen as he fell into a deep sleep. She ripped open the front of his shirt, revealing his strong and muscular chest.

She briefly heated the embroidery needle over a candle flame before piercing it into Pei Lang's left breast without hesitation.

After a series of sharp, intermittent pains, Pei Lang did not wake up; he merely frowned slightly.

Lin Zhi took off the jade pendant from her ear and put it on, her eyes filled with complex emotions: Even if she were gone, no matter who Pei Lang married again, he would never forget her in this life.

After roughly feeding him the medicine, Lin Zhi estimated the time she had arranged to meet Fang Shiyun and Xie Zheng. Despite her immense pain, she still opened the door and left without any hesitation.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

The moment Xie Zheng heard the woman's voice, he couldn't help but tremble, spilling some of the teacup he was holding.

"How are you... these days?"

Xie Zheng's eyes swept over Lin Zhi's face with a hint of greed. He never thought he would see her again.

Without making a sound, Xie Zheng pressed his trembling hand under the table, afraid of startling her and waking her from this beautiful dream.

"I'm fine, but I need your help to leave the Pei residence."

“You all know the rumors circulating in the capital. I do not want to stay in the Pei residence and be humiliated, nor do I want to be imprisoned by Pei Lang’s side.”

"Now all I want is to return to my hometown in Jiangnan, take Mianmian back to pay respects to my parents, and live a peaceful life."

Upon hearing this, Xie Zheng and Fang Shiyun exchanged a glance. They naturally knew that the current rumors in the capital concerned Pei Lang and Princess Na Chaoya.

They seemed to know more than Lin Zhi, but neither of them spoke up.

"Now that you've made up your mind, you should act without delay, lest things get complicated."

"How did you get out today? Did it go smoothly?"

Lin Zhi pursed her lips: "Pei Lang is ill, and I was able to leave the manor while he was unconscious."

Fang Shiyun slammed his hand on the round table: "Then what are we waiting for! It's getting late today, how about we pick you up and leave tomorrow afternoon?"

"There is no one in the Pei residence who knows you better than the two of us. When the time comes, one of us will stay behind to deal with Pei Lang, and the other will come to pick you up and take you away."

Fang Shiyun seemed to have thought it through long ago, and before Xie Zheng could speak, he spilled his beans about his plan.

Xie Zheng frowned slightly, "Do you really think Pei Lang would still allow us into his house?"

Fang Shiyun choked, "Wasn't it all because you fought with him back then! You brute!"

Xie Zheng ignored him and continued to instruct Lin Zhi with a frown: "Things are different now. It's fine if you go alone, but you also have to take Mianmian with you. I'm sure there are even more things to consider."

"I will go back to my residence and prepare a wet nurse and maid with a clean background for you. You don't need more than one, and they will be able to protect you and your daughter."

Lin Zhi pursed her lips, unsure of what to say: "I believe I have done no favor for either of you, nor can I ask for anything in return. Yet you have helped me so much, Lin Zhi... is deeply grateful."

Neither of them was being completely open about their own thoughts, and they couldn't accept Lin Zhi's thanks, so they quickly told her that there was no need for her to thank them.

"You just need to take care of yourself and the child, and leave the rest to us."

Lin Zhi couldn't linger too long, so after a brief meeting, she boarded the Pei family's carriage and left.

Fang Shiyun and Xie Zheng were left standing there, watching for a long time, neither willing to leave first.

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Author's note: I dare not write too much detail, please just get the gist of it, but Xiangxiang hehehehe.

It must really hurt, so please don't try this at home!

Let me also recommend my new article in my column, "The Crematorium of Restricted Wife-Slave Literature," thanks for adding it to your favorites! [heart emoji]

The update schedule has been a bit irregular these past few days, but I'm working hard to finish it!

I can't let myself procrastinate any longer!