Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The rain went on for days, soft and unrelenting.

The weather swung from cold to warm and back again. In the end, Wen Lin couldn’t hold out. He spiked a high fever and coughed as if his little lungs were being torn apart, his small face flushed scarlet.

My elder sister was beside herself with worry. My brother-in-law held the child and murmured soothingly to him, but Wen Lin only cried louder.

At some point, Jiang Zhi arrived. Seeing the scene, he said nothing and simply took Wen Lin straight from my brother-in-law’s arms.

One hand supported the back of the child’s head, while the other gently patted his back.

“Be good, Nian Ge’er. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid…”

Strangely enough, Wen Lin really did gradually stop crying. Still hiccuping with sobs, he burrowed into Jiang Zhi’s arms, and his eyes slowly closed.

My brother-in-law stared, dumbfounded, then sighed sincerely. “Your Highness clearly has experience caring for children. You’re so careful and thoughtful.”

Jiang Zhi’s hand paused almost imperceptibly. Something seemed to flicker through his eyes.

“I once helped my imperial elder brother look after his child.”

My elder sister nodded, her tone carrying a touch of relief. “No wonder.”

I stood to the side, watching Wen Lin sleep quietly in Jiang Zhi’s arms, while chill after chill ran through my heart.

When had he ever helped the Emperor look after a child?

That experience had clearly come from taking care of Wen Lin in our previous life.

So… Jiang Zhi had been reborn too.

Heaven truly was blind.

It was one thing to compensate me. But why compensate him as well?

The man who ruined the first half of my life-what right did he have to do it all over again?

Wen Lin finally recovered from his illness.

My elder sister had stayed by the child’s side for days on end. She had lost a frightening amount of weight, with dark shadows beneath her eyes and a pointed chin that made my heart ache.

Jiang Zhi, however, was attentive enough. He had several boxes of tonics delivered.

Bird’s nest, donkey-hide gelatin, ginseng-each one was of the finest quality.

My elder sister could not refuse them. Seeing that I had also grown thinner after staying up these past few days, she divided half of them for me.

Jiang Zhi’s gaze swept over, his words barbed.

“Madam, these were sent for you. Certain people are sturdy enough and have no need for such things.”

My hand stilled.

But I did not want to argue with him in front of my elder sister, so I hurriedly smiled and said, “Elder Sister, I don’t need them. Someone like me will gain it all back after a few meals. Don’t waste such good things.”

Before I had even finished speaking, Jiang Zhi picked up where I left off, adding another cut in that strange, mocking tone of his.

“Exactly. Since Second Young Lady can recover after just a few meals, why put on such a pitiful act in front of your elder sister?”

At that, my elder sister frowned.

She set down the brocade box in her hands, her voice displeased.

“Your Highness, Ah Shu is my younger sister. Since we were little, whenever one of us had something good, we would give half to the other. To me, it is only natural that I want to give her the best.”

My elder sister had always been gentle and mild. It was rare for her to push back so firmly.

My nose stung, and my eyes grew faintly hot.

In my previous life, I had swallowed all those bitter consequences alone. I never dared show even the slightest grievance in front of my elder sister.

I was afraid she would worry about me, and even more afraid that she would offend a prince because of me.

After all, Prince Cheng held power in his hands. If she offended him, how could my elder sister live peacefully in the future?

I was also afraid-afraid that if everything was exposed, my brother-in-law would look down on her.

So I let every word rot in my stomach and shouldered it all alone.

……