Our days passed peacefully and harmoniously. Ling’er and I spent our time just like before as we recounted the story of our lives when we were separated from each other. Ling’er would lay in my embrace in the garden as we admired the blooming flowers just like we used to. We would sometimes go on strolls together, sometimes play board games together, and occasionally be disturbed by the Fatty who came to boast about how many beauties he had saved.

As usual, Ling’er was laying in my embrace as I leaned against the slab of rock in the garden. We admired the beautiful flowers and the occasional butterfly that glided into our garden. I glanced down at Ling’er who had her eyes closed and sleeping peacefully. I smiled gently as a feeling of fulfillment rushed into my heart. I couldn’t wish for a better life that what I have now. I wish time can just pause here and never move forward.

Perhaps that would have been an amazing thing to happen for me, but that would be an uninteresting story if it was written into a novel. Hence, the time did not pause for me as the wind continued to blow gently, causing the flowers to sway and brushing some of Ling’er’s lustrous black hair over her beautiful face.

I smiled as I raised one of my hands and gently brushed away the hair to reveal her beautiful face once more. As if she felt my touch, Ling’er stirred and her eyelids gradually fluttered open.

“Mm .. did I wake you? If you are tired, sleep more,” I said in a soft voice.

“Mmm … I have slept enough,” Ling’er whispered as she shifted upwards in my embrace to get a better view of the garden.

I chuckled as I glanced at the beautiful garden before asking, “Beautiful isn’t it?”

“Mmm,” Ling’er sofly responded.

“So … which flower do you like the most?” I asked with a hint of mirth as I glanced down at Ling’er.

Ling’er glared back at me with a tint of blush on her face, “How many times do you have to ask that? Do you not get tired of hearing it?”

“I will never get tired of hearing you say it,” I responded cheekily, “Comon Ling’er, tell me which flower do you like the most?”

Ling’er blushed as stated softly, “The Lover’s Heart of course.”

“And why is that?” I continued to ask.

“Humph, because you gifted it to me,” Ling’er stated in a shy tone as she got up and tried to escape from my embrace.

I hurriedly leapt at my prey, hugged her, and we both tumbled to the ground with Ling’er below me. I stared at the beauty laying on the flower bed below me. The colorful contrast from the flowers emphasized her silky, black hair as it laid spread out. Her beautiful face with a faint tint of blush was mesmerizing as it took away my breathe. I couldn’t help myself but began to sink downwards towards those attractive lips of hers, but was interrupted by one of her hand.

“D-don’t do it here, my grandpa is watching,” Ling’er shyly said with a blush.

I chuckled at her shyness and was about to push her hand aside to devour my prey, but I then noticed a tint of red on her hand. I focused my attention on it and noticed that it was blood and it was coming from a thorn that had probably pierced Ling’er’s hand during the fall.

I hurriedly stood up and helped Ling’er up as I worriedly asked, “Ling’er, does it hurt?”

Ling’er stared at me queerly before she followed my sight to her hand where there was blood. She stared blankly at it for a bit before she softly said, “No, it doesn’t …”

“I’m sorry Ling’er, I was too careless. I shouldn’t have pushed you down so roughly. Still, to not notice you were pierced by a thorn, did you not feel pain?” I could not help but ask worriedly as I pulled the thorn out and began to suck on her thumb to heal it with my saliva.

Ling’er silently watched my suck on her thumb with a bitter smile before she replied, “Don’t worry … it’s fine. I was distracted by you earlier so I didn’t notice, that’s all.”

I couldn’t help but stare at the one who I love in front of me. It doesn’t seem she was lying to me, but I couldn’t help but feel worried nevertheless. After I took her thumb out of my mouth, it has already recovered as if it was never pierced. I sighed in relief. I glanced at Ling’er as I held her hands with mine, “Ling’er, is there anything worrying you these days? I noticed that you are blanking out a lot … it seems you are even getting thinner. If there’s something that’s bothering you, you can tell me and we can find a solution together. Ling’er, remember that no matter what happens, I will always be with you.”

Ling’er stared back at me in a daze for a long time. Then, she snapped out of her daze as she giggled, “Squishy, why are you being so seriously. I told you, I am fine. I’m not worrying about anything, I’m just … reminiscing the past, that’s all.”

I stared at her as she stared back at me. I sighed in relief as her eyes never shook once. I smiled gently as I said, “Then, that’s good.”

I then looked at the gradually darkening sky before gently pulling Ling’er along, “Let’s go prepare dinner.”

“Mmm,” Ling’er responded softly.

That night, I had an odd sense of anxiousness within me. I couldn’t help but think that I had forgotten something, and this thought was bothering me. I rolled around in bed and couldn’t sleep, so I decided to go out for a stroll.

As I walked down the hallway to the garden, I heard some soft groaning sounds. I couldn’t help but frown, did someone break it or is there a monster? I followed the sound and it led to Ling’er’s bedroom. I frowned even more as I listened to the groans coming from within. I know I shouldn’t invade her privacy, but curiosity and my worry for her got the better of me. I activated {Ghost Emperor’s Voyage} and headed into her room.

The room was dark, only illuminated by the faint moonlight that filtered into the room. Even so, with my {Night Emperor’s Eyes}, I was able to see the room clearly. I glanced around the room and noticed Ling’er, but not in her bed. She was crouching in a corner as she groaned. I could see her coughing as she seemed to be spitting out something from her mouth into a bucket below. My heart clenched as I slowly crept up behind her and stared into the bucket below.

In the bucket, I saw familiar chunks of food. Even though they were mushed a bit, I was still able to recognize that they were the food that we just had for dinner. What worried me was not that, but the fact that there were clumps of blood mixed with the food. I watched as Ling’er continue throwing up into the bucket. My heart clenched in pain and I wanted to step out to comfort her, but I held myself back. She didn’t want to tell me, and even if I confront her now, she may still not want to tell me or find an excuse for her current situation.

I know my food has no problem as multiple people has tried it … so the problem laid within her. I clenched my fists as I forced myself to step out of the room. I took a deep breathe as thoughts spun in my mind. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place as the thing that I have forgotten seemed to have finally showed up once more in my brain.

The next day during breakfast. I delivered breakfast to Ling’er the same as before.

“Here, Ling’er try these new specialties I just made and tell me what you think about it,” I said gently as I added some food to her bowl with a bright smile.

“Mmm,” Ling’er nodded quietly as she placed the first piece in her mouth.

“How is it?” I asked.

“Delicious,” she responded softly.

“Mmm … then try this one, too, and this one,” I said and watched her try two more different dishes.

I watched her face that didn’t even change a single bit while muttering delicious even after eating all three specialties. I then calmly stated, “The first specialty, I made it with multiple types of pure spice that would cause even cultivators to howl in anger. The second one I added tons of salt on purpose, enough to cause others to spit out the food due to saltiness. The third, I added lots of sour seasoning to make it as sour as possible. Any normal person eating these would have reacted.”

I watched as Ling’er trembled in agitation as she stared at me. I stared at Ling’er with melancholic eyes as my trembling hands reached out to grasp her cold hands firmly, “Ling’er, are you still going to tell me that there’s nothing wrong?”