“You should drink the bird’s nest soup quickly—it won’t taste good when it gets cold.” Shi Fa Ke pretended to change the subject casually.

Lu Chi was very understanding and didn’t tease her anymore, obediently sitting down to pick up the soup bowl.

After eating, Shi Fa Ke brought over the freshly brewed medicine for him to drink. Perhaps because she had a favor to ask of him, she seemed particularly attentive and fawning, which made Lu Chi find it somewhat amusing.

So much so that when he drank the medicine, he was smiling.

The medicinal soup smelled terrible just from the scent, and it was impressive that he could still smile while drinking it. Shi Fa Ke couldn’t help but regard him with respect.

After all, when she had been sick and needed to take medicine before, she had stubbornly refused to drink it properly… As she thought about this, Shi Fa Ke secretly glanced at him again, then remembered the famille rose dish she had deliberately broken, and wondered with heartache whether he truly didn’t know martial arts.

Wouldn’t that mean Zhu Yanyan had mistaken him for someone else?

Shi Fa Ke naturally didn’t know that her supposedly unnoticeable secret glances were all under Lu Chi’s watchful eyes. Lu Chi drank his medicine while silently thinking… A’Ke had been stealing glances at him quite frequently today—what was she puzzling over now?

But since she didn’t seem inclined to speak, Lu Chi couldn’t very well ask. He could only considerately pretend not to notice her secret glances, to avoid making Miss A’Ke angry from embarrassment.

After drinking the medicine, Lu Chi changed clothes and prepared to go to the academy.

“Ah? You’re still going to the academy today?” Shi Fa Ke was very surprised.

With all the commotion this morning that had dragged on until now without him making any move, she had thought he wouldn’t go to the academy today.

“Since I haven’t requested leave, naturally I should go.” Lu Chi adjusted his sleeves and said.

“But going at this hour is already quite late, isn’t it? Why not just request leave?”

“It’s not too late—my classes are scheduled for later today.”

“But…” Shi Fa Ke was somewhat worried.

“I feel much better already, didn’t I already drink the medicine?” Lu Chi suddenly reached out and patted her head. “Don’t worry.”

Shi Fa Ke was stunned by his pat, feeling that this gesture… was a bit too intimate.

Seeing her dazed expression as if she sensed something inappropriate, Lu Chi naturally wouldn’t give her a chance to think about it, so he put on a serious face and looked at her solemnly. “However, you must remember what you promised me.”

His solemn manner startled Shi Fa Ke, and she immediately forgot to think about whether his previous behavior was inappropriate, only staring wide-eyed and asking, “I… what did I promise you?”

“It seems you haven’t taken it to heart at all.” Lu Chi frowned slightly, his eyes dimming with a somewhat disappointed expression. “I took what I promised you very seriously.”

Shi Fa Ke was confused by his roundabout way of speaking. “…So what exactly did I promise you?”

Such vague statements were quite frightening! What on earth had she unknowingly promised!

“You promised to make me minced meat porridge.” Lu Chi looked disappointed. “I remember very clearly what I promised about painting for you.”

Hearing this, Shi Fa Ke’s heart finally settled back into her stomach. She twitched her lips. “Don’t worry, I’ll pass by the butcher shop on my way back and buy some meat to stew porridge for you. You should be able to drink it tonight…”

It was just a pot of porridge—was it worth being so solemn about!

She had thought she had unknowingly promised something serious.

So on her way back, when passing the butcher shop, Shi Fa Ke indeed bought a piece of meat. Since it was for making porridge, she specifically chose lean meat from the tenderloin.

He’s not a child—how could he crave minced meat porridge to this extent… Shi Fa Ke grumbled inwardly as she paid and carried the meat home.

Just as she reached her family’s gate, she saw an unfamiliar carriage parked outside. Shi Fa Ke curiously walked forward and saw her third brother talking to a servant woman at the door.

“My little sister really isn’t home—I’m the only one in the house.” Shi Chonghai was getting a headache. This servant woman had neither a visiting card nor would she say who was sitting in the carriage, but came up asking if Miss Shi was home. He had already said A’Ke wasn’t home, yet she still wouldn’t leave, just kept pestering him.

“Then do you know where Miss Shi has gone?” The servant woman said very earnestly, “My young lady and Miss Shi are close friends, and she rarely gets to go out. If she can’t see Miss Shi, she’ll surely be disappointed.”

…What does that have to do with me!

Shi Chonghai silently complained, and these words were truly suspicious. A’Ke had been unpopular since childhood, and as far as he knew, she only had one close friend—He Ke Tian. When did another close friend appear, and one who was being so secretive? How could he possibly reveal A’Ke’s whereabouts just like that.

“Well… I’m not entirely certain either. How about when my sister returns, I’ll tell her that her close friend came looking for her today?” Shi Chonghai put on a refined and gentle expression, smiling as he said, “I just don’t know which young lady your mistress is?”

Sure enough, the servant woman hesitated and refused to reveal her mistress’s name.

Shi Chonghai sneered inwardly.

Indeed suspicious!

While they were tangled in conversation, Shi Fa Ke had already emerged. When she got closer, she immediately recognized the servant woman—wasn’t this Zhu Yanyan’s wet nurse?

What was she looking for her for?

Shi Chonghai had sharp eyes and saw Shi Fa Ke returning, which made him somewhat nervous. Since he couldn’t figure out the other party’s background, if there were villains in the carriage, he couldn’t fight four hands with two fists, and if he couldn’t protect A’Ke… when Father returned, he’d surely be devoured alive. His imagination ran wild and he became anxious, repeatedly winking at A’Ke, telling her to leave quickly.

Shi Fa Ke looked strangely at her third brother who kept winking at her. “Third Brother, what’s wrong with your eyes?”

Shi Chonghai’s eye twitched violently—they really had no understanding at all!

The wet nurse heard Shi Fa Ke’s voice and hurriedly turned around. When she saw her, her eyes lit up. “Miss Shi, you’ve finally returned!”

“Uh… what do you need from me?” Shi Fa Ke met her overly eager gaze and felt somewhat puzzled.

“My young—” Before the wet nurse could finish speaking, she was interrupted by a soft, sweet voice.

“A’Ke!”

That soft voice filled with surprise came from the carriage behind her.

Shi Fa Ke turned to look and saw the carriage curtain being pulled open eagerly, revealing a face that was pitifully thin but still delicate and beautiful… Zhu Yanyan?! She could hardly believe her eyes. Previously, Madam Zhu wouldn’t even let her see Yanyan once in the residence—how could she let her go out?