“Oh my, Miss!” The wet nurse became anxious upon seeing this and hurried forward to help pull the carriage curtain closed.

But Zhu Yanyan wouldn’t listen to her at all. Not only did she refuse to close the curtain, she even held onto the carriage door wanting to get out… Looking at her frail body, and thinking of how she had been lying in bed unable to get up when they met yesterday, even struggling to speak, Shi Fa Ke couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat for her.

“Oh Miss, you said you would only exchange a few words with Miss Shi from inside the carriage.” The wet nurse was so anxious she was jumping up and down.

Shi Fa Ke understood… she had indeed snuck out, and Madam Zhu had no idea.

“Wet nurse, since we’re already at A’Ke’s door, please let me go in and sit for a while.” Zhu Yanyan spoke pitifully, a layer of mist quickly rising in her eyes. “It’s so rare for me to have a friend… just sit for a little while, Mother won’t know.”

Seeing that she was about to cry, the wet nurse’s heart clenched, and she hurriedly supported her. “Alright, alright, take it slow, my poor Miss…”

Watching the wet nurse carefully help Zhu Yanyan out of the carriage, Shi Fa Ke twitched her lips, feeling that Zhu Yanyan had completely figured out how to handle her wet nurse.

Noticing Shi Fa Ke’s gaze, Zhu Yanyan shyly fluttered her long eyelashes, walked up to her, and said softly, “A’Ke… may I sit in your home for a while?”

Over there, the wet nurse had already alertly instructed the coachman to drive the carriage further away, not to stop at the Shi family’s door and attract attention. When it came to anything concerning Zhu Yanyan, this wet nurse could never be too cautious, which was probably why Madam Zhu could trust her so completely.

Hearing her young miss’s quiet request, the wet nurse immediately looked at Shi Fa Ke.

Shi Fa Ke felt immense pressure being stared at by this master and servant pair, somehow feeling that if she dared to say no, that loyal wet nurse would pounce on her and fight desperately…

Seeing her silence, Zhu Yanyan’s eyelashes fluttered even faster, and her two slender, pale fingers were tightly clasped together, appearing very nervous.

“Come in and sit.” Shi Fa Ke smiled and said.

Zhu Yanyan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled sweetly at her, following Shi Fa Ke into the Shi family’s small courtyard.

Standing to the side, Shi Chonghai touched his nose. Seeing that they truly knew his little sister, he realized he had been overly suspicious. Moreover, seeing that wet nurse staring at him with a face full of wariness, as if afraid he might be improper toward her young miss, he withdrew his gaze and tactfully retreated to his study to review his books.

Avoiding suspicion—he understood.

Zhu Yanyan had changed greatly. Shi Fa Ke had only seen her twice: once in the Zhu family’s garden, where she sat alone in the pavilion loosening soil for flowerpots, like a beautiful porcelain doll, and also like a startled little deer where even the slightest disturbance would make her tremble with fear.

The second time was yesterday in her boudoir, where she lay in bed so thin she was unrecognizable, with breath as faint as gossamer, even struggling to speak.

However, after just one night, the Zhu Yanyan before her was completely different from yesterday. Although still pitifully thin, her cheeks had gained some color, and her spirit was much more robust. At this moment, this slender and delicate young lady stood gracefully before her, showing no trace of yesterday’s life-threatening appearance as she lay in bed.

Zhu Yanyan felt shy under her gaze. “A’Ke, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Your complexion looks much better.” Shi Fa Ke praised her.

“Really… really?” Zhu Yanyan blinked her big eyes, becoming even more shy. She pressed her lips together and said quietly, “I’ve been eating well.”

As she spoke, she even puffed out her small chest, then unconsciously let her gaze fall on Shi Fa Ke’s chest, then looked down at herself. Her brightened eyes immediately dimmed again—it seemed… there was still a long way to go.

“I… I will continue to work hard!”

Shi Fa Ke twitched her lips… Hey, wake up! It’s only been one night, Miss Zhu! No matter how hard you try, it won’t work!

“Is it alright for you to sneak out like this?” Shi Fa Ke thought of Madam Zhu’s level of protection over her and asked with some worry.

“Mother actually doesn’t mind—it’s wet nurse who’s overly nervous.” Zhu Yanyan stuck out her tongue, showing a somewhat exasperated expression.

The wet nurse standing to the side looked disapproving. “If anything happens to Miss, this old servant would be guilty of an unpardonable crime.”

Shi Fa Ke smiled, already accustomed to the wet nurse’s extremely protective behavior, and made no comment. “You sit first, I’ll take the meat to the kitchen.”

“This is… meat?” Zhu Yanyan looked curiously at what Shi Fa Ke was carrying, a red strip of something.

“Mm, this is uncooked raw pork. You haven’t seen it before, have you?”

Zhu Yanyan shook her head with a blank expression.

Shi Fa Ke was somewhat surprised, but thinking of how both Madam Zhu and her wet nurse seemed overprotective of her, it wasn’t strange that she hadn’t seen raw meat. She wanted to explain, but seeing that the wet nurse already had a look of disgust on her face, her expression clearly saying “don’t bring such filthy things to pollute our Miss’s eyes”… she silently closed her mouth.

“You sit for a moment, I’ll be right back.”

With that, she carried the meat to the kitchen.

Although it was surprising that Zhu Yanyan would come looking for her, Shi Fa Ke knew exactly what her intentions were.

However, compared to Zhu Yanyan actually coming to find her, what shocked Shi Fa Ke more was… it had only been one day, and she couldn’t help but sneak out to find her.

Thinking about it gave her a headache—how should she tell her?

Shi Fa Ke placed the meat in the kitchen, then washed her hands and brought out some tea and refreshments. She saw Zhu Yanyan sitting obediently in the courtyard waiting for her—truly obediently, sitting properly and upright, clearly a young lady from a wealthy family raised with strict discipline.

This well-behaved little girl, upon seeing her approach, immediately straightened her somewhat thin back a bit more, looking at her with bright, shining eyes full of expectation.

Shi Fa Ke’s mood was somewhat complex. She thought again of that previous failed attempt at testing, which not only failed but also required her to beg Lu Chi to paint to compensate for He Ke Tian’s dish, making her feel rather depressed… No, that wasn’t the point. The point was, if Lu Chi truly didn’t know martial arts, then Zhu Yanyan very likely had mistaken him for someone else.

And now, facing Zhu Yanyan’s expectant, bright shining eyes, Shi Fa Ke felt she couldn’t bear to say such words… she would be very sad and disappointed.

Although Shi Fa Ke always grumbled about Madam Zhu and the wet nurse being overprotective of Zhu Yanyan, but… in all conscience, facing such a delicate and well-behaved girl, who would have the heart to make her sad and upset? At this moment, Shi Fa Ke miraculously understood the wet nurse’s mentality.

Shi Fa Ke sat down in front of her and silently poured her a cup of tea.

Seeing that Shi Fa Ke didn’t speak for a long time, Zhu Yanyan’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and her expression gradually became somewhat uneasy.

“A’Ke, did you… mention my matter to Young Master Lu?” Zhu Yanyan bit her lip, as if enduring great shame. Her face was completely flushed, and she spoke with some difficulty, “I know that coming to visit suddenly today was wrong, very impolite, and… very immodest, but I truly couldn’t wait any longer…”

Shi Fa Ke saw her enduring shame with a look of embarrassment on her face, yet still gritting her teeth to confess her feelings, and couldn’t help but feel great sympathy. She reached out and grasped her hand.

It was slightly cool to the touch and trembling slightly.

Shi Fa Ke felt even more heartbroken, but despite her reluctance, some things still had to be said. After all, compared to momentary disappointment, it was better than letting her remain immersed in this mistaken delusion… that would be the greatest cruelty.