[The Sanctuary of the Li Mansion]
Li Furong settled Ling Dang into a warm guest room, her voice soft and reassuring. She didn't just call the estate physician; she personally oversaw the preparation of ginger tea and "monthly linens"—the essentials for a woman's cycle.
"Don't be afraid," Furong whispered, patting Ling Dang's hand. "You trusted me with your secret; I will guard it. There is no shame in this."
When Madam Li (Furong's mother) burst in, shocked to see a "lad" in the guest quarters, Furong quickly explained the truth. Seeing the pale, delicate girl on the bed, Madam Li's heart melted. "Poor child... stay as long as you need. Furong always wanted a sister, and now she has one."
[The Tragic Truth Revealed]
Under the care of the estate's physician, the truth about Ling Dang's pain came to light. "She is suffering from severe Qi imbalance," the old doctor noted. "And it is being worsened by... male strength tonics. She must stop taking them immediately."
Once they were alone, Ling Dang finally broke down and confessed everything to Furong. She told her of Xiling City, the fall of her home, the death of her maid Xiang Zhu, and how she had to become a boy just to survive.
"I'm terrified," Ling Dang sobbed. "If Luo-Dage finds out I'm a girl, he'll kick me out of the Yao Mansion. I have nowhere else to go. I can't lose him."
Furong's heart ached. "Those two fools (Luo Ye and Sang Qi) were trying to help, but they nearly killed you. Don't worry, I'll find a way to switch your medicine secretly."
[The Scent of Trouble]
That evening, Furong personally escorted a recovered Ling Dang back to the Yao Mansion. But the moment Ling Dang stepped onto the porch, she was met with a thunderous roar.
"Ling Dang!" Luo Ye stood in the shadows, his face dark with fury. "Where have you been all day?!"
As he stepped closer, his nose twitched. He caught a scent—not the usual medicinal herbs, but a faint, floral fragrance of feminine rouge.
His eyes narrowed. "Why do you smell like a woman's rouge?" he hissed.
Ling Dang panicked, her face turning white. "I... I met a kind lady... she helped me when I felt unwell..."
[The Fire of Jealousy]
"A kind lady?" Luo Ye's voice dropped to a dangerous growl. He stepped into her personal space, looming over her. "You're barely a man, and you're already wandering into brothels or chasing skirts?"
"No! It's not like that!" Ling Dang cried, tears welling in her eyes.
Seeing her tears, Luo Ye's anger wavered, replaced by a confusing, sharp pain in his chest. "Fine! Don't let it happen again!" he barked, turning on his heel and storming away.
But as he walked, his heart felt like it was being scorched. Why am I so angry? he asked himself, rubbing his temples in frustration. Why does the thought of him being with some 'sister' make me want to burn the whole city down?
He couldn't admit it yet, but he was no longer looking at Ling Dang as a subordinate. He was looking at "him" as someone he couldn't bear to lose to anyone else.