“You don’t have to worry about your parents finding out.” Cao Peizhi made sure that his shadow guards took care of the matters of Lin Ning’s parents since they would surely be angered by her actions if they found out that she had snuck out into a bandit’s hideout.

“Oh, thank you.” Lin Ning followed Cao Peizhi who took her to the horse that he had taken to find her. ‘How did he manage to get on the horse???’ Thinking back again, she then recalled that he would not be so easily defeated by trying to get on a horse. ‘He knows martial arts. I do not know why I was so surprised.’ She thought, taking a hold of his right hand. Cao Peizhi was a bit shocked by her sudden move, seeing how she was not afraid to take his hand into her own.

“Are you not afraid of me?” Cao Peizhi asked, looking to see that Lin Ning was so confident and grabbed onto his hand so casually as if it were nothing to worry about.

“Why should I be afraid?” Lin Ning did not understand why Cao Peizhi felt that it was strange for her to grab onto his hand. The only reason she grabbed onto his hand was due to the fact that she could not see where she was going, but also she still felt afraid from everything that had happened.

“I am a crippled man. Do you not see me as abnormal like everyone else?” Cao Peizhi turned to face Lin Ning again, not being able to see her eyes, but just her face.

“You are normal. It doesn't matter if you have three limbs or even two. It does not matter as well if you were deaf or blind like me. If you are seen as abnormal, then I am included as abnormal.” Hearing Lin Ning say that, it made his heart skip a beat as if it was the first time that someone would have told him such comforting words to cheer him up. Feeling him wrap his only arm around her, Lin Ning did not think that he would cry since he would be the kind of man who would see that crying was only for girls or children. “Just let me be like this for a while longer.” Hearing him say that, Lin Ning opened her eyes to see that he had a blue color emitting again with sadness surrounding her.

‘I will not let you see yourself like a monster. You have only been misunderstood throughout this entire time. I do not wish to see you crumble in the future. I will be sure to take care of you if you are led astray. If I am only a sister in your eyes, then I will be sure to make sure that no one bullies you.’ Patting his back, Lin Ning did not think that she would witness her favorite side male character cry in front of her. Thinking back, everything about the novel made it more and more like a lie which she was only going to depend on the novel for its upcoming events. Two people hugged each other that night, one comforting the other as both came to realize how important they were with each other, but still held doubts in their mind.

***

The fifth princess had woken up two days later, she was informed by one of the physicians that she had lost her child, but she had also lost the ability to have children in the future. The fifth princess had fainted again after hearing such news which left the palace in a fright to see that she was unconscious once more. The emperor and empress did not think that their daughter would be in this situation, but it was important for every woman to be able to bear children. Now that their daughter could not, they did not know how they were going to help her in the future in finding a husband. The emperor and empress were alone, they knew that they needed to discuss some matters about their infertile daughter.

“Your Majesty, how are we going to find our Jiao’er a husband?” The empress was the most upset one out of everyone, she only had a son and daughter. Now that her daughter could no longer bear children, she did not know how she was going to be able to support her daughter for her entire life without a son-in-law. No man wanted a infertile woman in their home, even the in-law would not want her.

“…” The emperor was thinking for some time, he could only think of one man who would be able to marry his daughter. “Duke Cao’s second son.”

“What!?” The empress did not think that her husband would make their daughter marry a crippled man who may not even be stable in the future. “Do you really want to make our daughter more miserable than she already is?!”

“He is the only one who would likely be able to marry our daughter with no worry. Besides, how do we know that he will ever get married in the future with other women? No woman would want a crippled man as their husband or son-in-law. Also, think about his background. Do you not recall his mother.” The emperor knew that Cao Peizhi was a man who did not care about anything, but he also had familial connections to those that they despised. So, he figured that he would not care if he married his daughter or not. The emperor figured that if his daughter married Cao Peizhi, then maybe she would be able to tie him down like a dog. “I will announce this decree after the hunting event.” The emperor had made it settled, he was going to make Cao Peizhi marry his daughter; the fifth princess. His empress could only agree, they knew that their daughter would also be upset if she found out.

‘I will make sure that those who harmed my daughter will pay for it!’ The empress knew who had done it, but she then held a thought in her head which made her smirk with evil behind it.

***

Lin Ning had Hun Cuifen become a maid in her home, there was no way that she would ever be able to go back to being Hun Ming if the fifth princess were to try and look for her again. “Young miss, why did you want me to help Duke Cao’s second son?” Hun Cuifen did not understand why Lin Ning would want her to help him when he did not look like an open book.

“Cuifen, sometimes there are those who need the help. They may not look easy to read, but they are someone who seeks it without knowing it.” Lin Ning had Hun Cuifen still confused, pulling out a scroll which she had Hun Cuifen take a look at. “Can you find someone who can design this?” Lin Ning did not know who could find all the best people other than Hun Cuifen.

“Young miss??? Did you think of this???” Hun Cuifen was in shock to see such a well-designed drawing of a wooden arm and hand with all the details and functions written around.

“En, I believe that you can do far more in the future, Cuifen. Do not let your gift be wasted away. Please find someone who can design this, and then we will need it in the future.” Lin Ning could not see, but being able to feel the sketches of the drawing was enough for her to make her way around the scroll.