After the Sickly Child Differentiates into A - Chapter 16

The scent of snow pressed in.

A blood-stained palm trembled, slender fingers instinctively curling to conceal the faint traces.

“Don’t move.”

Wen Jingzhi frowned as she placed the candy on the coffee table, cradling the small hand in her palm. With her other hand, she gently tapped the curled knuckles. “Let me see.”

“I’m not hurt, Sister.” Lin Li was too exhausted to muster a smile but obediently spread her fingers. The faint red marks were not deep, having rubbed off in places, leaving a pale pink hue.

One could almost believe it wasn’t blood.

Wen Jingzhi lifted her gaze to glance at her, pressing her cool fingertips against the palm and lightly rubbing along one of the red streaks.

There were indeed no wounds.

“How did this happen?”

“I’m not sure.” Lin Li couldn’t suppress a yawn and smiled weakly. “Maybe I brushed against some flowers?”

But there were no flowers in the garden that would “shed color.”

Wen Jingzhi raised an eyebrow, knowing the young girl wasn’t telling the truth. Seeing how drowsy she was, her eyelids drooping, she didn’t press for an answer. Instead, she took the bowl and spoon to the kitchen, then returned to carry Lin Li upstairs to the third floor.

The candy was forgotten, left alone on the coffee table.

Arriving at Lin Li’s room, Wen Jingzhi reached for the doorknob, about to open the door and set her down, when the girl in her arms suddenly hooked an arm around her neck.

Wen Jingzhi paused, lowering her gaze. “What is it?”

Lin Li squinted, mustering an obedient, slightly pleading smile. “Can I sleep with you, Sister?”

She desperately needed that cool, soothing presence.

Even if only for a little while—

She didn’t want to hurt so much.

Wen Jingzhi studied her for a long moment, unable to harden her heart. Releasing the doorknob, she carried Lin Li to the adjacent room.

After opening the door and settling her on the bed, Wen Jingzhi finally spoke. “If you feel unwell, wake me.”

If this delicate girl developed a fever because of her again, she would never agree to such a thing in the future.

Lin Li was far too tired. She nodded and closed her eyes, falling asleep almost instantly.

Wen Jingzhi watched her for a few moments before slipping under the covers and closing her eyes.

She needed to catch up on sleep too.

It was only a little past seven. On rest days, she usually woke around eight, but during her estrus cycle, she required more rest and often slept until ten.

The previous night’s banquet had ended late. Aside from Old Master Wen, who retired early, Wen Jingzhi, her siblings, and little Lin Li had stayed until the very end.

Thus, the spacious mansion remained quiet until well past ten in the morning.

None of the siblings had risen yet, while the old master, true to habit, had gone out to meet his old friends shortly after eight.

The butler and housekeeper tidied up the place. Nearing eleven, the first to come downstairs was Wen Xihe, who was usually the last to get up.

Dressed in an iris-red tailored suit, she lightly gripped the banister and descended in her high heels. A quick glance around confirmed no one else was about.

The butler, noticing her searching gaze, understood. “The young master and third young lady haven’t come down yet.”

“And Xiao You?”

“Miss Lin Li isn’t in her room. The surveillance shows she didn’t leave the house, so she’s likely in the third young lady’s room.” The butler had naturally seen the footage of Lin Li leaving her room early that morning, but since the third young lady had also gone out afterward, there was no need to mention it again.

“In her room again? Why didn’t Xiao You come to find me?” Wen Xihe raised an eyebrow, a hint of jealousy in her tone. “It’s almost mealtime, so she should be getting up. I’ll go check.” With that, she turned and headed to the third floor.

Arriving at Wen Jingzhi’s door, the bold second young lady hesitated for a few seconds before knocking.

“The sun’s shining on your butt, my dear sister.”

No response.

Wen Xihe figured since she’d already called out, and she was bound to get an icy glare from the ice block anyway, she might as well just wake her up properly.

With that thought, she knocked a few more times with a bit more force.

“You two lazy bugs, stop sleeping. It’s time for lunch.”

A few seconds later, the door opened.

Wen Jingzhi stood there in a pale blue shirt and white trousers, looking clear-eyed and alert, as if she’d been up for a while.

“Noisy.” The woman in muted colors had a cold expression, her gaze flicking toward the bed. “Lin Li is still asleep.”

A chilly aura washed over Wen Xihe, who frowned. “Huh? Why are you sleeping with Xiao You again during your special time? Don’t make her catch a fever.”

Though Wen Jingzhi shared the concern, she wouldn’t admit it in front of Wen Xihe, merely casting her a cool glance.

“Fine. But it’s about time she got up anyway.” Wen Xihe knew she had her reasons and changed the subject, smiling as she nudged past her into the room. “It’s time to eat. After lunch, you still need to take your medicine.”

Seeing her march straight to the bed to pick up Lin Li, Wen Jingzhi released the doorknob, strode over with her long legs, and blocked Wen Xihe’s hand. “I’ll do it.”

Wen Xihe pouted. “Stingy.” But she stepped aside nonetheless.

Wen Jingzhi shot her a glance, then bent down and pressed the back of her hand against the child’s forehead.

Not hot. No fever.

She breathed a silent sigh of relief and was about to wake her when the small figure curled under the blankets suddenly opened her eyes. Blinking sleepily a couple of times, she recognized the person in front of her and instinctively broke into a smile. “Good morning, Sister.”

Being near her sister made her body ache less, and she’d slept very comfortably.

“It’s noon, Xiao You.” Before Wen Jingzhi could respond, Wen Xihe squeezed over and scooped her out of the blankets.

Lin Li nestled in Wen Xihe’s arms, still smiling. “Is it that late already? Then good afternoon, Sister Xihe.”

“Oh my, you’re too adorable.” Wen Xihe nuzzled the child’s warm, sleep-flushed cheek. Lin Li peered over her shoulder at Wen Jingzhi behind her. Having slept so well, she felt an extra surge of gratitude and closeness toward Wen Jingzhi and greeted her again with a beaming smile. “Good afternoon, Sister.”

Wen Jingzhi’s eyebrow twitched, and the corner of her lips lifted slightly. “Good afternoon.”

She really was quite adorable.

“Since you’re holding her, take her back to change.”

Wen Jingzhi went to the desk to tidy the open book, then passed Wen Xihe and left the room first. Wen Xihe chuckled in agreement and brought Lin Li back to her own room.

“Do you need help changing, Xiao You?”

“No need, Sister. I can do it myself.”

“Alright then.”

Wen Jingzhi, waiting at the staircase landing, overheard their conversation. A few images flashed through her mind, and her expression stiffened slightly as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

Next time, she really shouldn’t drink so much.

By the time Wen Jingzhi reached the first floor, Old Master Wen had just returned. Spotting her, he asked gently, “How long are you resting this time?”

“Not sure.”

The old man settled on the sofa and gestured for Wen Jingzhi to join him. She walked over and sat beside him, thinking for a moment before explaining, “Haven’t found a script I like yet.”

Wen Jingzhi only accepted scripts she genuinely liked, of course, provided the scripts themselves were of high quality.

In her early debut years, there was a whole year when she didn’t come across any scripts she fancied. She simply attended events, walked red carpets or ceremonies, and spent most of her time at home.

In recent years, her popularity had soared, and the number of scripts coming her way had increased significantly, with many being of excellent quality. Wen Jingzhi always managed to pick one or two she liked, leaving her with far less free time. She joined at least two film crews a year and hardly had any time to spend at home.

Old Master Wen never interfered with their careers. After listening, he simply nodded and changed the subject: “It’s good to have more time to rest. Make sure to spend more time with Xiao You.”

“I’ve noticed she’s quite fond of you. She’s in poor health and has a sensitive nature, so do pay a little more attention to her.”

Fond of me?

Not necessarily.

Wen Jingzhi paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “Alright.”

Footsteps approached as Wen Xihe brought Lin Li downstairs. Wen Chende smiled and stood up, taking the child into his arms. He carried her outside for a short stroll, not going too far, and returned about ten minutes later.

It was time for the meal.

Wen Xize didn’t come down for dinner, likely having retreated to his studio after last night’s banquet. Everyone was used to it and didn’t ask.

After the meal, Wen Xihe left for the company, while Wen Jingzhi had an advertisement shoot. Her assistant picked her up around one in the afternoon.

The advertisement shoot wrapped up quickly, finishing shortly after four.

As Wen Jingzhi stepped out of the car and walked into the estate, she spotted a small figure lying on the lawn from a distance. She approached and stood beside Lin Li, not leaning in to block the child’s sunlight but asking softly, “Do you like sunbathing?”

Lin Li opened her eyes to look at her and nodded with a smile. “Yes.”

That expression, it seemed she really did like it.

“How long have you been lying here?” In the morning, there was dew, and though the afternoon sun had dried the grass somewhat, it probably wasn’t completely dry. Lying on damp grass for too long could easily lead to a cold or fever for this frail child.

“A little while,” Lin Li replied, thinking her sister was urging her to go inside. She got up first, brushing off the grass from her clothes. “It’s about time to head back.”

Wen Jingzhi’s brow twitched slightly, sensing that the child might not actually be in a hurry to return. Though she wore a smile, her movements as she brushed off her clothes were slow, carrying a faint trace of reluctance.

“Then let’s go back.”

Since the child had suggested returning on her own, and Wen Jingzhi was already worried about her falling ill, she chose to overlook that subtle reluctance. She reached out, picked Lin Li up, and felt the fabric on her back with her palm.

Sure enough, it was slightly damp.

Holding Lin Li, Wen Jingzhi walked slowly toward the main house, her gaze fixed on the child in her arms. A flicker of tenderness passed through her cool eyes.

No matter when she held this child, she always felt so thin and fragile.

In winter, with thick layers of clothing, it wasn’t as noticeable. But now, with the weather still warm and clothes thinner, she could easily feel the bones beneath the fabric.

She had thought that after staying with the family for so long, the child would have gained some weight. But it seemed it still wasn’t enough.

Far from enough.

Carrying Lin Li back home, Wen Jingzhi set her down on the sofa. “Wait here for a moment,” she said before heading upstairs. She soon returned with a weighing scale, placing it on the carpet beside the coffee table. Gesturing to Lin Li, she said, “Come, let’s check your weight.”

Lin Li didn’t understand why but obediently got up and walked over, stepping onto the electronic scale.

Seeing the number on the display screen, which was far too low, Wen Jingzhi frowned.

Lin Li felt a strange heaviness in the coolness of the snow. He turned to Wen Jingzhi and asked, “What’s wrong, sister?”

“Nothing.” Wen Jingzhi let out an almost imperceptible sigh, carried Lin Li to the sofa, and went to put away the weighing scale.

As she descended the stairs and turned the corner on the second floor, she glanced up and saw Lin Li staring blankly out the window.

The sunlight streaming through the window fell upon Lin Li’s face, rendering it so pale it seemed almost translucent.

“Cough, cough, cough!”

Suddenly, Lin Li covered his mouth as coughs wracked his body. Two patches of sickly red bloomed on his cheeks, and the coughing grew increasingly violent. Wen Jingzhi’s expression darkened at the sound, and she quickened her pace down the stairs.

Abruptly, a streak of crimson seeped from the corner of his lips, slipping through the gaps between his unclenched fingers and staining his slender, pale hand.

Wen Jingzhi’s pupils constricted sharply.

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