Kou Zimo’s hand that had been clutching her clothes loosened, her heart feeling empty and hollow.

She was desperately seeking any remedy due to her anxiety. Such precious scar-removing medicine was so valuable—never mind that Miss Qiao was almost out of it, even if there was more, they didn’t have a very deep friendship. How could she ask someone to part with such a treasure?

Taking in Kou Zimo’s disappointment, Qiao Zhao smiled: “Although it’s almost finished, Physician Li taught me the formula for preparing this medicine, and this formula is rather special.”

“How is it special?”

“Miss Kou should know that cuts and bruises, sword wounds, and even burn injuries you just asked about all form different types of scars on human skin, so the formulas used to remove these scars are also different. Physician Li’s formula is just a basic recipe, with several herbs that are adjusted according to different types of scars.” Qiao Zhao paused here and looked deeply at Kou Zimo.

Kou Zimo listened with rapt attention.

Qiao Zhao continued: “It’s not just different types of scars—even scars all caused by burns require adjusting the quantities of certain herbs according to the severity. It can be said that this one basic formula can be modified into dozens of different prescriptions. This is why physicians emphasize observation, listening, questioning, and examination…”

With the effect on Qiao Zhao’s right cheek as evidence, and her explanation being both profound and accessible, well-reasoned and clear, Kou Zimo couldn’t help but listen in fascination.

After Qiao Zhao finished, she offered Kou Zimo a way out: “Does Miss Kou need scar-removing medicine?”

“Yes.” Kou Zimo nodded lightly. After hesitating for a moment, she finally made up her mind, pursed her lips, and said: “I have a cousin whose face was burned, leaving frightening scars. I want to… seek medicine for him.”

At this moment, Qiao Zhao’s heart finally truly settled.

She frowned, appearing somewhat troubled: “Different injuries require seeing the person to adjust the formula—”

Kou Zimo suddenly reached out and grasped Qiao Zhao’s hand: “Third Miss Li, please help examine my cousin. I know this request is somewhat unreasonable, but I really can’t find a better solution.”

Qiao Zhao smiled calmly: “I’m not troubled at all. I’d be very happy to help Miss Kou.”

After waiting so long, she could finally see her brother.

Qiao Zhao suddenly felt her eyes welling up and quickly blinked to suppress the tears.

“Then I’ll invite you to visit our residence tomorrow.” Kou Zimo considered for a moment: “I’ll go back now and send invitations to a few familiar sisters, so it won’t attract too much attention.”

“Whatever Miss Kou arranges is fine.”

After Kou Zimo left, Qiao Zhao went to see He Shi.

He Shi was humming a little tune while arranging fruit.

Watermelon with sandy flesh was cut into similarly-sized small pieces, filling a white porcelain bowl, while another jade-colored bowl contained crystal-clear grapes.

“Why is Mother personally preparing fruit?”

He Shi’s smile didn’t diminish as she said happily without looking up: “For your father to eat. Your father’s face was scratched by someone, so he hasn’t gone to the office these past few days—”

Speaking of this, He Shi suddenly stopped.

Oh no, she let it slip!

Zhaozhao naturally knew long ago, but the key was that Master didn’t know that Zhaozhao already knew!

Li Guangwen emerged from behind the screen with a dark expression, asking word by word: “Scratched by someone?”

He knew it—expecting this woman to keep secrets was pure wishful thinking. His image of being wise and mighty in front of his daughter was gone just like that!

“Master, I—” He Shi looked to Qiao Zhao for help and crashed into the jade bowl with a clang, sending grapes rolling everywhere.

But He Shi paid no attention to this, rushing straight to Qiao Zhao: “Zhaozhao, your face, your face is healed?”

After hugging Qiao Zhao, He Shi turned and hugged Li Guangwen: “Master, look, is Zhaozhao’s face healed?”

Li Guangwen was equally excited: “It’s healed, really healed.”

He Shi covered her face, tears streaming down: “I thought I was seeing things. My Zhaozhao’s face is really healed—Physician Li truly is a living immortal!”

“A living immortal, truly a living immortal.” Li Guangwen had lost his ability to speak and could only repeat He Shi’s words.

The news of Qiao Zhao’s restored appearance instantly spread throughout the West Residence.

Old Madam Deng summoned Qiao Zhao and examined her carefully from head to toe, repeatedly saying “Heaven bless us” several times.

Second Madam Liu Shi chimed in: “I said long ago that Third Miss has her good fortune and would be fine. Look, isn’t everything perfectly well now?”

See, see how prescient she was! She knew that whenever Third Miss encountered trouble, others would ultimately be the unlucky ones. Look—this time, even the daughter of the Jinlin Guards Commander gained a reputation for being arrogant and domineering, while Third Miss was completely unscathed.

It seemed she needed to instruct her two daughters again: when encountering anything in the future, follow Third Miss’s lead, just like her mother taught her before marriage: being slow-witted isn’t scary—learning to follow smart people will still lead to smooth sailing. What’s most frightening is being slow-witted yet thinking oneself clever—that’s courting death.

Looking at it now, this was truly a golden rule.

With Qiao Zhao’s appearance undamaged, all the masters of the West Residence were beaming with joy. Only Li Jiǎo forced a smile, then went back to her room and kicked over a small stool to vent, so angry she couldn’t sleep all night.

The next day was somewhat overcast, but Qiao Zhao’s mood was bright. She took the invitation Kou Zimo had sent and rode in a carriage to Minister Kou’s residence.

Kou Zimo stood at the gate, personally welcoming Qiao Zhao inside.

“Am I late?” To avoid appearing too eager, Qiao Zhao hadn’t left too early.

“Not late at all—Miss Su hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Who did Miss Kou invite?”

“Miss Su from the Minister of Rites’ residence, Seventh Miss Zhu from the Marquis Taining’s residence, and Miss Xu from Assistant Minister Xu’s family.”

Kou Zimo had invited these young ladies merely as a cover; her only purpose was to create an opportunity for Qiao Zhao to examine Qiao Mo’s face. The people she invited were at least those who hadn’t shown hostility toward Qiao Zhao at the Fushan Society gathering.

Qiao Zhao nodded secretly.

Cousin Zimo was still very thoughtful in her arrangements—she just wondered how she would arrange for her to meet her brother.

The small gathering was set in a lakeside pavilion.

Three graceful figures sat in the pavilion: the one in apricot robes was Zhu Yán, the one in purple was Xu Jinghong, and the one in green silk was Second Miss Kou Qinglan from the Kou residence.

Hearing footsteps, Kou Qinglan turned around and came forward with a smile: “Big sister, this is Third Miss Li?”

Her gaze fell on Qiao Zhao’s face. Compared to Kou Zimo’s gentle demeanor, there was a barely perceptible scrutiny that was hard to detect.

A teenage girl, carefree and worry-free—even this trace of scrutiny that Qiao Zhao inadvertently caught had an endearing, playful quality.

Qiao Zhao couldn’t help but purse her lips in a slight smile.

“Third Miss Li, this is my second sister, whose given name is Qinglan.”

“Hello, Second Miss Kou.”

“Please come in quickly, Third Miss Li. Miss Zhu and Miss Xu are playing chess. I heard your chess skills are superb—you can see who wins and who loses.”

While Qiao Zhao was greeting Zhu Yán and the others, Kou Qinglan quietly asked Kou Zimo: “Big sister, isn’t she a bit too young? Does she understand medicine formulas?”