After I Am died, You Tell Me This Is A Life Simulation?
Chapter 18 - Ling Shu and Su Wen

Chapter 18: Ling Shu and Su Wen

“Miss Cheng, your gift is truly as heavy as Mount Tai.⁽¹⁾ I feel unworthy, yet I’m greedy and can’t bear to give it back. You’ve put me in a bind.”

Cheng Lingsu had been watching Fang Han’s expression all along. Seeing his initial look of delight, she knew she had chosen the right gift. Hearing these words, she couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh, her smile blooming sweetly:

“I’ve already given it away. There’s no reason to take it back. You… you like it?”

Strangely, when he had first met her, she hadn’t seemed especially pretty.

But now, with her radiant smile, a delicate charm emerged.

That smile, combined with her clear, water-like eyes, made even Fang Han momentarily dazed.

But when he heard her question, he smiled with genuine joy and said,

“Of course I do! Miss Cheng, how should I ever thank you?”

Though Fang Han was obsessed with martial arts, he had never lacked a passion for medicine either.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have persevered through the Life Simulation.

Regardless of how valuable the books were, they would surely deepen his medical skills.

How could I not be thrilled?

Cheng Lingsu pursed her lips lightly and said softly,

“I don’t want anything from you… only hope that you…”

Her voice trailed off—clearly a bit bashful.

Fang Han looked at her increasingly flushed face, and after a moment’s pause, said warmly,

“You need only speak your mind.”

Cheng Lingsu lowered her head and whispered,

“You said not to be so formal… yet you still call me Miss Cheng…”

Fang Han froze for a second, then chuckled.

He gently patted her on the head and teased,

“Then what should I call you? How about ‘little sister’?”

Cheng Lingsu lightly shook her head.

Lifting her delicate chin, her bright eyes sparkled earnestly:

“Brother Fang, my name is Cheng Lingsu.”

Then she reached for the Ling Shu and Su Wen on the table, pointing with her slender finger:

“‘Ling’, from Ling Shu; ‘Su’, from Su Wen.”

“Brother Fang… will you remember?”

It wasn’t as though he couldn’t remember a name.

That wasn’t what she truly meant.

What she wanted to ask was:

“How will you call me from now on?”

But when the words reached her lips, she realized—

As a village girl, she even knew such things were too forward.

So she changed it to, “Will you remember?”

When Fang Han heard the name “Cheng Lingsu,” his heart gave a slight jolt.

He was stunned.

Cheng… Lingsu?!

Wasn’t that…

A look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He truly hadn’t expected that this frail, delicate little girl before him would turn out to be the intelligent and talented heir of the Medicine King.

With this sudden revelation, many things now made sense.

Why Elder Zhen had praised her so highly despite her young age.

Why she looked so ordinary at first—simple clothes, small frame, sickly appearance.

Why hadn’t I realized sooner?

For one, during the Life Simulation, he had mostly skirted the edges of the martial world and never interacted with any of the characters from the original story.

Later, when he returned to Linshui County for decades, he didn’t encounter any “famous” figures.

So naturally, he never considered the possibility.

And second, this girl’s “fame” in the original story wasn’t particularly strong.

Not compared to the more iconic female leads.

If she had been that quirky beggar girl with the mischievous streak, he probably would have recognized her right away… right?

In short, he had simply never made the connection.

“Brother Fang?”

Cheng Lingsu tilted her head in confusion when she didn’t get a reply, and softly called out.

Fang Han came back to himself and quickly composed his emotions.

After decades in the simulation, his temperament had matured.

If this had happened when he first transmigrated, meeting a fictional character from the novel would’ve left him reeling.

But now, though he was surprised, it didn’t shake him.

Seeing the disappointment forming in her expression, he smiled gently, smoothed her hair, and said,

“Lingsu, Lingsu… Ling Shu and Su Wen—your name is elegant and fitting. I’ll remember it.”

“In the future, if we’re in front of others, I’ll still call you Miss Cheng. But when it’s just the two of us… I’ll call you Lingsu. Is that alright?”

In this era, women’s names were often kept private, especially among noble families.⁽²⁾

But for martial folk, such customs were less rigid.

Still, because he had a special fondness for this girl, he chose to be respectful.

Cheng Lingsu’s expression held a bashful joy and a hint of feigned irritation.

Calling it “when others are around”… is he saying I’m… one of his people?

Turning her head away shyly, she responded,

“Call me whatever you like.”

Fang Han laughed,

“It should be something you’re happy with, too.”

Cheng Lingsu tucked her hair behind her ear and murmured,

“Of course I’m happy…”

Fang Han watched her every movement—

Graceful, modest, and beautiful in a quiet way.

His eyes shone softly.

He also noticed her hair—fine, soft, but slightly yellowed.

As a physician, he could tell she had no particular illness.

And with her skills, if she were ill, she would have known.

It must just be malnutrition.

Then, piecing together her story, he suddenly understood.

In the original novel, when she first appeared, she was also thin and frail.

But as time passed, descriptions of her began to change.

Her complexion turned snowy fair, sometimes pale, and her appearance, once ordinary, grew increasingly enchanting.

She had come from a rural village and not a prominent family.

Later, even though she was taken in by the “Poison Hand Medicine King” Master Wuchen⁽³⁾, he had died early.

So when she first entered the story at age fifteen or sixteen, her master had already passed away.

A girl that young, losing her only support, life must have been very difficult.

Elder Zhen had said she was a distant relative’s child, seeking shelter due to hardship.

That “hardship” was now self-explanatory.

Looking closely at her now, she did seem healthier than when they first met.

Subtle, but real.

Perhaps because she now had a safe place to stay and enough food, her health had begun to recover.

Fang Han blinked slowly, feeling more pity and affection rise in his heart.

He asked,

“Do you have time today?”

Cheng Lingsu had been blushing from being stared at.

Hearing his question, she remembered yesterday—

She thought he was trying to send her away, but he wasn’t. So what now?

“Yes… I do. Brother Fang, is something the matter?”

Fang Han stood up, smiling:

“Nothing much. I just noticed your complexion isn’t quite right. I’d like to take you out for a nourishing meal. Let’s go—right now.”

At his words, Cheng Lingsu’s heart trembled.

Warmth surged within her, followed by flustered confusion.

She instinctively touched her face.

Her skin felt soft, but she knew she wasn’t beautiful.

Her face dimmed slightly.

“I… I suppose it’s because…”

Because… what? She couldn’t finish.

She pressed her lips together and said,

“Brother Fang, your kindness is appreciated. But I’d hate to delay anything important.”

Fang Han laughed aloud,

“The most important thing right now is making sure you’re well-fed. No more excuses.”

Without waiting for her reply, he gently took her wrist.

Even through the fabric, he could feel how delicate and slender she was.

Cheng Lingsu blushed furiously and instinctively tried to pull away—

But she had no strength to resist.

Step by step, she followed him without complaint.

Footnotes:

1. 1. 重如泰山 (zhòng rú Tàishān)– “As heavy as Mount Tai”: An idiom meaning something extremely significant, solemn, or valuable.

1. 1. Avoiding the public use of a woman’s given name: In traditional Chinese etiquette, especially among nobility, a woman’s given name was not publicly spoken. She would be referred to by titles, courtesy names, or by male relatives.

1. 1. 毒手药王 (dúshǒu yàowáng)– Poison Hand Medicine King: A legendary physician character trope in wuxia novels, often skilled in both poison and healing, symbolizing power, danger, and mastery.