Feeling Uneasy

In the bedroom, Su Li leaned tiredly against the headboard.

Xiao Zetian took Xiao Yun to handle the aftermath at the mountain stronghold, leaving Su Li alone with a cup of hot tea by her side.

After an unknown amount of time, Lingdang knocked and entered.

Su Li looked at Lingdang and sighed, "Finished handling it?"

Lingdang nodded, "Yes, Master, everything has been taken care of."

"Hmm." Su Li wearily rubbed her brow, finding it hard to imagine that a living person had died just like that, especially since it was by her own order that Tang Shi was killed.

Though she knew she did it to prevent Tang Shi from harming her family in the future and had no choice, it was still a life taken, which made Su Li feel very uneasy.

Lingdang sat by the bedside and looked at her, "Master, are you feeling uneasy?"

"Yes." Su Li nodded, not hiding it.

Lingdang sighed, "The first time is always like this. After all, it’s your own kind. No matter how deep the hatred, killing one’s own kind always leaves a bad feeling."

As she spoke, Lingdang looked at her hand and sighed, "When I killed for the first time, I was only six. I vomited for a whole day and night, and for a whole month after, I couldn’t even stand the smell of blood. But later, after killing many, I got used to it and became numb. Now, killing someone is no different from slaughtering a chicken. Just a flick of the hand, and a life is gone."

Su Li looked up at Lingdang, this child younger than herself, suddenly realizing that Lingdang was still just a child but seemed to carry much more burden than she did.

A wave of pity surged in Su Li, but she understood that everyone has their own path to walk.

Lingdang stood up and said, "I’ll go boil some hawthorn water. Master, drinking something sweet and sour will help you feel better."

Su Li let her go and continued to sit dazed. So much had happened in the past two days that she hadn’t had time to think it through.

The hawthorn water brewed quickly. Lingdang brought it over, already sweetened with brown sugar, warmed it, and handed it to Su Li, saying, "Master, the temperature is just right. Try it, the sweet and sour taste will stop the nausea."

Su Li took it and sipped a mouthful, indeed feeling much better.

She put down the bowl and said to Lingdang, "You made the hawthorn water well, very tasty. Lingdang, you have a talent for cooking. From now on, learn culinary skills with me and stay by my side."

Lingdang was stunned for a moment, then realized that learning cooking from Su Li and becoming her apprentice meant that although she would still carry out some covert guard tasks, she wouldn't be sent on extremely dangerous missions. She would just be Su Li's personal bodyguard and apprentice.

Su Li was trying her best, in her own way, to keep Lingdang away from life-threatening dangerous missions.

A warmth filled Lingdang’s heart, and her eyes unintentionally welled up. She quickly turned away awkwardly and said, "I, I still have chicken stewing in the kitchen. I’ll go check on it!"

With that, she hurriedly ran out of the room, quickly wiping away her tears.

Lingdang didn’t even remember how long it had been since she last cried, but this time the tears were especially heartwarming.

After drinking the hawthorn water, Su Li felt better and went to Yuan Jie’s room.

Yuan Jie and Chen Shi were both there. Chen Shi was by the desk sketching new jewelry designs. Seeing Su Li arrive, she put down her brush and came over.

In the inner room, Yin Dou was sleeping. Since the incident, Yin Dou had become especially timid. Although Li Huahua stayed with her at night, she still didn’t dare to sleep alone and had moved to live with her parents.

Su Li sat down, and Yuan Jie looked at her nervously, waiting for her to speak.

Su Li glanced at her fourth uncle and aunt, then lowered her voice and said, "Tang Shi has already been... dealt with..."

"Dealt with..." Chen Shi murmured, a brief dazed look flashing in her eyes. Then she looked at the sleeping Yin Dou and her expression grew firm again. She whispered, "Good that she’s dealt with! That woman was a major threat. Leaving her alive made me uneasy even when I slept! We can’t blame ourselves for being selfish; we just can’t let that poisonous woman ruin our Yin Dou."