Mute Beauty

Chapter 13: Lullaby

Yu Ting was very gentle with the patient, lowering her head and using her hand to brush away the strands of hair sticking to Ran Ling's face. She smiled and said, "Don't be afraid; I'll take care of it."

After saying that, she hung up the phone.

Ran Ling blinked, gently nodding under her palm.

So docile and compliant.

Yu Ting felt that Ran Ling had an overly trusting demeanor towards her. It wasn't just about an arranged marriage; she exuded a generosity as if she would offer anything Yu Ting asked for with open hands. They had spent so little time together and had missed each other for so many years, yet their understanding of one another was scant.

Just like now, even though they were still strangers, the two of them stayed together in this private and intimate space without feeling awkward. It was almost magical how comfortable they felt with each other.

At times, Yu Ting was a patient and gentle person, just like in this moment. She was keenly interested, slowly feeding the porridge to the patient, savoring each moment.

Ran Ling seemed to enjoy it as well. Aside from a bit of initial shyness, she showed no intention of taking the porridge bowl from Yu Ting's hands to eat by herself. Weak and delicate, she could not care for herself.

However, she was ill and had a poor appetite, only able to eat a third of the bowl before gently pushing Yu Ting's hand away, signaling that she couldn't eat anymore.

Yu Ting turned to fetch a glass of hot water to prepare for her medicine. The water was scalding hot and could not be drunk immediately; after eating porridge, she couldn't take her medicine right away either, so she set the water on the bedside table to cool. Ran Ling seemed to look a little better than before, but it was only a slight improvement. It was still evident that she was sick and uncomfortable, lacking energy.

Fever made her head feel heavy, and all she wanted to do was lie down and close her eyes. But with Yu Ting in front of her, she seemed reluctant to rest, no matter how uncomfortable she felt, still sitting up and gazing intently at Yu Ting. She wanted to hear Yu Ting's voice, to feel her gaze, to crave their interaction, to crave Yu Ting.

Ran Ling was surprised by Yu Ting's visit, not knowing how long she would stay. She could probably guess that once she fed her the medicine, there would be no reason for her to remain. Yu Ting would leave soon; her presence at this moment felt fleeting. It was like a vivid, hot dream while having a fever.

Ran Ling's desire and appreciation were written in her eyes, reddened from the fever, vivid yet fragile. She didn't want Yu Ting to feel bored during this brief moment, to think it uninteresting to be with a mute person. Her fingertips tugged at the bedsheet, twisting for a moment before releasing. As if she had found a topic, she reached out to take Yu Ting's hand. However, the moment her fingertips touched Yu Ting's, her wrist was pulled by Yu Ting, who took the initiative, and she found herself crashing into the warmth of Yu Ting's embrace.

Ran Ling froze for a moment, rigid against her.

Yu Ting let go of her wrist, wrapping her arms around her waist and gently stroking her back. She leaned down, resting her cheek against Ran Ling's face, and whispered, "Lying down right after eating might make your stomach uncomfortable. Lean against me and rest for a while; we'll take the medicine once the water cools down."

Ran Ling, who rarely saw sunlight and had no habit of exercising, had very fair skin—thin enough that a light pinch could leave a mark. Just like her wrist, which had just been caught by Yu Ting, and like her ears, which turned red after Yu Ting whispered in them.