The sun filtered gently through the old wooden shutters, casting golden lines across the polished floor. Yun Lan was in the kitchen, kneading dough beside her grandmother, the scent of herbs and warm rice drifting lazily in the air.
Leon had gone out earlier to gather firewood with a few village men, something he insisted on doing himself instead of letting others serve him. It made Yun Lan smile—he was trying to blend into her world, even if he looked entirely out of place in dusty boots and rolled-up sleeves.
After helping prepare breakfast, Yun Lan made an excuse to step out. Her chest felt heavy again, and she could feel a dull throb building behind her ribs.
She slipped a small porcelain jar of her grandmother's herbs into her sleeve and walked toward the eastern part of the village, where a narrow, shaded path led to a small thatched hut hidden among the trees.
She knocked lightly.
A soft, raspy voice answered, "Come in."
It was Doctor Hai, an old family friend and the only one besides her grandmother who knew about her condition. Yun Lan entered the dark hut and sat on a low stool.
"I've brought the herbs, but the pain is worse," she whispered.
Doctor Hai examined her pulse, his frown deepening. "Your body is weakening faster. The poison must have been accelerated somehow. Were you emotionally agitated recently?"
Yun Lan gave a faint smile. "I'm married now. That's agitating enough."
Hai did not laugh. He scribbled something on a parchment and handed it to her.
"This formula might ease the symptoms. But it's not a cure. And I still haven't located the origin of the poison."
Yun Lan nodded, tucking the paper into her sleeve. "Please don't tell anyone. Especially not Leon."
Doctor Hai's eyes met hers. "Are you sure? That man clearly cares for you. He deserves to know."
"He doesn't need another burden."
That afternoon, Leon returned from the forest, his shirt clinging to his chest and the scent of pine clinging to his skin. He expected Yun Lan to be in the garden or feeding the fox cub, but she was nowhere in sight. Curious, he wandered around until he saw something—or someone.
In the distance, behind the herbalist's hut, Yun Lan stood speaking to a man. She looked pale, her voice soft. The man—older, with graying hair—was holding her wrist. His posture was firm, almost too familiar. Leon's eyes narrowed.
A spark of jealousy flared in his chest.
She hadn't mentioned meeting anyone today.
He didn't approach. Instead, he turned on his heel and walked back toward the house, fists clenched at his sides.
When Yun Lan returned, her face was flushed. She paused when she saw Leon seated on the veranda, sharpening a small knife with unnecessary intensity. She gave him a soft smile.
"You're back early."
"Am I?" he asked without looking up.
Her smile faded. "Is something wrong?"
"You tell me, wife. You've been gone a while. Making secret visits?"
Yun Lan stiffened. "I just went for a walk."
"With an old man who held your wrist like a lover?"
Her eyes widened in shock. "It's not like that. He's a doctor."
Leon stood, the blade forgotten on the ground.
"You're sick?"
"No—I mean, not really. Just fatigue. The herbs help."
His voice turned quiet, dangerous. "You're hiding something."
"Leon, please—"
He stepped closer. "Is he your lover? Is that why you keep your distance from me?"
Her hand trembled. "No! How could you think that?"
He grabbed her arm—not harshly, but firmly. "Then tell me the truth. Why do you look so tired every day? Why do you cry at night when you think I'm asleep?"
Yun Lan's throat closed. She couldn't speak. Her heart ached with the weight of a thousand unspoken words.
Leon released her with a bitter laugh. "Fine. Keep your secrets. Just don't expect me to stand by like a fool."
He walked away.
That night, Yun Lan sat on the floor beside the fox cub, brushing its soft fur with trembling fingers. She didn't know where Leon had gone. The stars outside blinked like judgmental eyes.
Her grandmother approached quietly, placing a blanket over her shoulders.
"You should tell him."
"He'd only hurt more."
"He's already hurting."
Yun Lan looked up. "But I'm not ready to lose him yet. If I tell him, it'll make it real."
Grandma sighed and left her to the silence.
Hours passed.
Then the door creaked open.
Leon stood in the doorway, his hair disheveled, a bottle of rice wine in his hand.
"I went out to calm down. Didn't work," he said flatly.
Yun Lan stood. "Leon—"
He set the bottle down and stepped toward her. "I shouldn't have yelled. But you're breaking me, Yun Lan. Bit by bit."
She reached for him, but he caught her hands.
"If I've done something wrong, punish me. But don't shut me out. Don't let me love a ghost."
Her breath caught. " I love you,but I can't tell you the secret now?"
He pulled her into his arms. "I've loved you from the moment you saved me. Even when you were a stranger, I belonged to you."
She wept quietly into his chest, saying nothing.
He kissed the top of her head. "I'll wait. As long as it takes. But please—don't leave me in the dark."
She nodded slowly, lying to him once again. "I won't."
They stood like that for a long time, wrapped in each other, surrounded by shadows neither of them was ready to name.
Outside, the wind carried the scent of pine and something darker beneath it—a foreboding of truths yet to come.
And she later began to feel bad again in her sleep but after a while she was quiet in Leon's arms.
What do you think that will happen in chapter 20,will Wu Mei tell him the truth or not.
And if you like my book don't forget to add to library.