An Yunli

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	An Yunli (安允梨)
Alias(es)	Li'er; Second Miss
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Qingcheng Teahouse
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 22

Background

An Yunli is the younger sister of Xia Ruzhen, the proprietor of Qingcheng Teahouse. The sisters came from the Shu Region to the Capital City seeking treatment for An Yunli's unusual illness. Though born to a major tea-merchant family, An Yunli and her sister are living in reduced circumstances in the capital. 23

Her condition leaves her frail, with an undetectable wrist pulse and an exceptionally weak heartbeat. An Yunli believes a “Great Immortal” cursed her, while doctors have been unable to cure her. Lin Shou concludes that, without intervention, she may not survive past the following spring. 23

Believing that her illness had burdened her sister for too long, An Yunli attempts to run away from home by climbing over the teahouse wall. She sprains her ankle in the alley beside Lin Shou's Corpse-Stitching Shop, where he treats the injury and discovers her connection to Qingcheng Teahouse. 22 23

Lin Shou later leaves prescriptions anonymously at the teahouse. The medicine improves An Yunli's health and extends her expected lifespan by one year. 24 27

Appearance

An Yunli is a striking but sickly young woman whose frailty sharply contrasts with her natural beauty. Lin Shou describes her as resembling a pure, unadorned “white moonlight.” 22

• Dark hair and a fair, innocent face. 22
• Clear, water-bright eyes. 22
• A peach-blossom-like complexion and natural beauty without makeup. 22
• Thin, pale, and visibly undernourished due to chronic illness. 22
• Wears ill-fitting, worn linen clothing that exposes her bony wrists and ankles. 22

Personality

An Yunli is sheltered, trusting, and inexperienced with the dangers outside her home. When Lin Shou asks her name during their first meeting, she answers immediately, unaware that a stranger could mean her harm. 22

Her prolonged illness and isolation have left her fearful of unfamiliar people. Lin Shou's deliberately intimidating behavior causes her to see him as a “great Devil King,” and she repeatedly panics when he raises his voice. Even so, she gradually recognizes his kindness after he treats her injury, prepares medicine for her, and gives her sugar cubes to ease its bitterness. 22 32

She is grateful and courageous in her own quiet way. Despite being afraid of Lin Shou and forbidden from leaving the teahouse, she climbs the wall again to give him a hand-sewn sachet in thanks. 37

Health

An Yunli suffers from a mysterious, life-threatening illness.

• Her wrist pulse cannot be detected, despite her being alive. 23 32
• Her heartbeat is faint but improves after taking Lin Shou's prescription. 23 32
• Before Lin Shou's intervention, her prognosis was that she would not live past the next spring. 23 24
• Lin Shou's prescription extends her life by approximately one year, though it does not cure the underlying condition. 23 24
• She previously suffered from frequent coughing, which lessens after beginning the medicine. 27

Skills

Needlework

An Yunli is capable of delicate hand sewing, demonstrated by the sachet she makes for Lin Shou. 37

• Hand-sewed a sachet as thanks for the sugar cubes he gave her. 37

Relationships

• Xia Ruzhen — Her elder sister and caretaker. Xia brought An Yunli from Shu to the Capital City and spent their savings seeking treatment for her illness. 23
• Lin Shou — Her physician and neighbor at the Corpse-Stitching Shop. She initially fears him intensely, but trusts his treatment enough to take his medicine and thanks him with a sachet. 22 23 32 37

Story Role

First encounter and diagnosis

While attempting to flee Qingcheng Teahouse, An Yunli falls and injures her ankle near Lin Shou's shop. He treats the sprain with Yunnan White Ointment, interrogates her about her circumstances, and diagnoses the alarming absence of a detectable pulse. 22 23

Anonymous treatment

Moved by An Yunli's condition and Xia Ruzhen's past kindness, Lin Shou leaves a prescription at Qingcheng Teahouse without revealing himself. The prescription improves her condition and grants her another year of life. 23 24

Growing gratitude

Although she still flees from Lin Shou when she sees him at the teahouse, An Yunli accepts his continued medical monitoring. He crafts a stethoscope to examine her heartbeat more properly and gives her homemade sugar cubes to take with her bitter medicine. 27 32

Sachet gift

An Yunli secretly climbs the wall to visit Lin Shou again and gives him a hand-sewn sachet as thanks for the sugar cubes. Unable to climb back alone, she accepts his help returning to Qingcheng Teahouse. 37