Ever since leaving the Marquis Dingxi’s manor, Qi Yue never paid attention to what happened there. She hadn’t before, and certainly not now—Qianjin Hall kept her so busy she didn’t even have time to take a sip of water.

When Wang Qian pulled Wang Qiao’er inside, the main hall was bustling with people queuing up.

“Consultation or medicine?” a disciple immediately came over to ask.

Wang Qian glanced at Wang Qiao.

Wang Qiao’s eyes were still filled with tears, sniffling.

“The child scraped her arm,” he said. “We’d like Lady Qi to take a look.”

The disciple hesitated for a moment.

“Lady Qi has many patients. How about letting Senior Brother Zhang take a look first, so we don’t delay the child’s treatment?” he said earnestly.

Wang Qian nodded.

The disciple then hurriedly led them inside.

“Yan’er, Yan’er, bring another bundle of white cloth!” someone called out loudly in the hall.

A little girl about the same age as Qiao’er responded.

“Is this the child with the cleft lip that Lady Qi cured?” Wang Qian couldn’t help asking.

The disciple smiled and nodded.

“That’s right, Miss Liu. She just loves coming here to help,” he said.

Wang Qian nodded and said nothing more.

Yan’er was already running over from the equipment storage room, carrying two bundles of cloth. As she passed by Wang Qian, the sniffling Wang Qiao’er suddenly stuck out her foot.

A child’s scream rang out in the hall.

Yan’er fell to the ground, the white cloth bundles in her hands scattering everywhere. Because she had been running fast, this sudden fall was quite hard. Tears immediately welled up—not because she wanted to cry, but because the pain was involuntary.

Everyone hurried to help her up.

“Yan’er, what happened?” A’Ru also ran over.

“She tripped me!” Yan’er was helped up, wiping her tears while shouting shrilly, pointing at Wang Qiao’er beside Wang Qian.

Wang Qiao’er looked startled and grabbed her father’s sleeve, hiding behind him.

“I didn’t, I didn’t,” she said timidly.

“You did stick out your foot!” Yan’er shouted, rushing forward.

Wang Qiao’er didn’t dodge but instead stepped forward, staring wide-eyed at Yan’er.

“Oh my, why are you so ugly!” she exclaimed.

Wang Qian’s face darkened as he scolded her.

Yan’er’s lips, before her second surgery, were indeed still somewhat unsightly.

“Aunt said that people with ugly hearts are truly ugly. So you’re the ugly one!” Yan’er glared and shouted back.

Qi Yue came out from inside at this moment, hearing the commotion. Seeing Wang Qiao’er, she couldn’t help but jump in surprise.

This little troublemaker is here again…

“Quick, put away everything in the room,” she hurriedly turned back to instruct.

A disciple immediately responded.

“Alright, alright.” Qi Yue walked over, crouched down to examine Yan’er. “Did you hurt yourself badly?”

She rolled up Yan’er’s clothes to check.

Her knees and elbows were scraped, but fortunately it wasn’t serious.

“Qiao’er, apologize,” Wang Qian said sternly, shaking off Wang Qiao’er’s hand.

Wang Qiao’er immediately burst into tears.

“Father,” she lifted her little face, looking pitifully at Wang Qian, “I was wrong.”

Wang Qian was unmoved.

“Don’t apologize to me. It’s useless,” he said.

“Alright, alright, let’s go inside to talk,” Qi Yue hurriedly suggested.

In the room, Wang Qian sat to one side with a stern face, while Wang Qiao’er stood in the middle with her head down, sniffling from time to time.

Qi Yue applied antiseptic to Yan’er’s wounds.

“Does it hurt?” she asked.

“No,” Yan’er said. “Yan’er has had major surgery before, so she’s not afraid of this little pain.”

Qi Yue smiled and kissed her cheek.

“How brave,” she said. “But since Yan’er is injured, she needs to rest a bit. After resting well, she can help Aunt even better.”

Yan’er nodded.

A’Ru brought over a plate of pastries.

“Come, Qiao’er, have some too,” Qi Yue offered.

Wang Qiao’er stood still without moving.

“Don’t expect anything before apologizing,” Wang Qian said.

Qi Yue smiled and walked over.

“What kind of apology is it if it’s not sincere? Don’t teach your daughter to be insincere and two-faced…” she leaned slightly beside Wang Qian, saying in a low voice.

The woman carried a distinctive herbal fragrance, and being so close, Wang Qian couldn’t help but lean away slightly. After hearing her words, he couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“Then I’ll trouble Lady Qi,” he also said in a low voice.

Though Wang Qiao’er kept her head down, she had been secretly watching Qi Yue. Seeing her so close to her father, she immediately raised her head, a flash of anger in her tearful eyes.

Qi Yue smiled at Wang Qian.

“I dare not and am not worthy of such courtesy,” she said with a low laugh, walking past Wang Qian to stand in front of Wang Qiao’er.

“Miss, did you scrape your arm? Let me take a look,” she said.

Wang Qiao’er resumed her fragile demeanor.

“Thank you,” she said timidly.

Qi Yue smiled slightly and pulled up Wang Qiao’er’s sleeve, revealing the wound on her arm.

It was similar to Yan’er’s—a scrape that didn’t damage bone or muscle, not serious.

“It’s nothing. I’ll apply some medicine, and as long as you don’t get it wet for a few days, it’ll be fine,” she said with a smile.

A’Ru brought over white cloth, cotton, and medicinal solution.

“Use solution number two,” Qi Yue told her.

A’Ru was momentarily stunned but said nothing and went out, soon returning with a new tray.

“It might hurt a bit, Miss. You’ll need to bear with it,” Qi Yue said with a wide smile.

Without waiting for Wang Qiao’er to nod, she used tweezers to pick up a piece of cotton, dipped it in the solution, and pressed it on the wound.

Wang Qiao’er let out a sharp scream, her whole body jerking backward, tears instantly streaming down—this time she was truly crying.

“Bear with it,” Qi Yue reached out and held her, not letting her escape, finishing the cleaning in two or three swift motions.

Wang Qiao’er wailed loudly.

“External wounds are quite painful due to the irritation,” Qi Yue said to Wang Qian.

Wang Qian nodded.

“It hurts so much, Father!” Wang Qiao’er grabbed Wang Qian’s hand, crying hard.

Yan’er, who had finished a plate of pastries, looked on disdainfully, clapped her hands, and jumped down from the chair.

“Crybaby,” she snorted, with a somewhat proud and boastful air. “Aunt, I’m going back to work.”

Qi Yue smiled and rubbed her face.

“Yan’er is so capable!” she praised generously.

Yan’er became even more proud, lifting her head high, glanced at the still-crying Wang Qiao’er, snorted, and left.

“Does it hurt?” Qi Yue asked Wang Qian in a low voice as she saw the father and daughter out, leaning close again.

Wang Qian smiled.

“Not as much as it would hurt you to lose something precious, I imagine?” he said quietly.

Qi Yue smiled with pursed lips and nodded, patting her chest with her hand, making a heartbroken expression.

Wang Qian couldn’t help but laugh and looked away.

Watching the father and daughter walk away, Qi Yue nodded with satisfaction.

“I bet that child will never come here again,” A’Ru said, standing behind her.

“That would be perfect. She wanted me to dislike her, and I don’t want her coming either. Everyone gets what they want,” Qi Yue laughed.

She did love children, but she wouldn’t be soft on troublemakers.

Wang Qian returned home with Yan’er.

“Go face the wall in the study!” he said sternly.

Wang Qiao’er grabbed his hand.

“Father, now that you have a new lady, don’t you like Qiao’er anymore?” she asked pitifully, her big eyes full of tears.

Wang Qian crouched down to meet his daughter’s gaze.

“Qiao’er, that trick won’t work on Father. Face the wall, and you can’t come out until dinner time,” he said.

He stood up and walked away.

Wang Qiao’er’s tears stopped as she stomped her foot—where was the pitiful look now? She snorted and stomped toward the study.

After dinner, the freed Yan’er threw herself into her grandmother Lady Ning’s arms, crying and complaining.

“Oh, so our Qiao’er was bullied?” Lady Ning asked gently, rocking Qiao’er.

“That woman is a bad woman. She wants to marry Father,” Wang Qiao’er said seriously.

Lady Ning made an “oh” sound and looked at Qiao’er with a slight smile.

“So she bullied Qiao’er?” she asked.

Huh? Wang Qiao’er was stunned for a moment. Something didn’t seem right about connecting these statements.

In the past, she had met other women who wanted to marry her father, and she had always been the one bullying them, while they would pretend to be extremely kind to her no matter how embarrassed they were.

This Lady Qi…

Wang Qiao’er’s mind filled with the image of Qi Yue’s wide smile, then pressing that medicine on her arm, the instant burning pain…

Wang Qiao’er shivered.

“She’s a bad person!” she shouted, burying herself in her grandmother’s arms again.

The fifteenth of every month was when the disciples received their wages.

Coffin Boy had just finished teaching a class on the structure of the human body’s five organs and six viscera. He was having tea with Qi Yue, listening to the cheerful noise outside.

“We still can’t start dissection classes,” Qi Yue said, turning her teacup.

“Right. It’s one thing for the authorities to ignore it, but if they decide to intervene, you’ll be in trouble,” Coffin Boy laughed.

Qi Yue also laughed.

“That’s one aspect,” she said. “But also, surgical techniques shouldn’t be used carelessly, or it really would become murder.”

Coffin Boy nodded.

He turned his teacup, somewhat absent-minded.

“…so for now, everyone just needs to recognize the organs,” Qi Yue continued, looking at Coffin Boy. “Hey, what are you thinking about?”

Coffin Boy came back to his senses.

“Nothing…” he said, hesitating. “Tonight, you…”

As he spoke, Hu San bounded in.

“Little Coffin, your wages,” he said, tossing over a money pouch.

Coffin Boy caught it with a smile and thanked him.

“What about tonight?” Qi Yue continued asking.

“Uh…” Coffin Boy said, “Don’t you still owe me a meal?”

“Great!” Hu San laughed. “Coffin Boy, you’re treating everyone to dinner.”

Qi Yue quickly glared at him.

He said I owe him a meal! How did this guy hear it?

“Hey, your wages aren’t small either…” she said.

“Master, rather than let him lose it gambling, better to let everyone eat it,” Hu San laughed, patting Coffin Boy’s shoulder.

Coffin Boy smiled.

“Alright, I’ll treat everyone today,” he said.

Hu San immediately ran out making a big fuss to announce the news.

“That guy’s just a miser. Every time he gets paid, it’s like drawing blood from him. He tries every way to get something back. Don’t mind him,” Qi Yue laughed.

“I don’t need this money anyway. Having enough to eat and drink is sufficient,” Coffin Boy smiled.

“What do you mean you don’t need it? Getting married, taking a wife, raising children—which of these doesn’t cost money?” Qi Yue shook her head.

Coffin Boy laughed heartily and stood up.

“Getting married—who would want to marry me?” he laughed, turning to look at Qi Yue. “You…”

Qi Yue looked at him with a smile.

“…remember to come too,” Coffin Boy said. “That way, you’ll owe me two meals.”

Qi Yue laughed heartily and nodded in agreement.

When night fell, the tea stall at the bridge run by Granny Wang was busier than ever before.

More than ten disciples filled the stall, with several tables hastily set up, but it still wasn’t enough. Qi Yue, A’Ru, and others simply stood.

“Sorry I can only treat you here,” Coffin Boy said with a smile.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Granny Wang’s roasted meat is really delicious.”

“…Didn’t you order a feast from Qingfeng Restaurant…”

“…This wine is from Old Sun’s place in the east of the city, isn’t it? Not bad, Little Coffin. They limit it to five jars a day, and you managed to get two…”

The disciples chattered noisily and laughed.

Coffin Boy just smiled, while Granny Wang’s face bloomed like a flower.

“Eat more, eat more,” she kept urging everyone, occasionally wiping sweat with her hand, smiling so much that tears came to her eyes, unable to close her mouth.

Little Coffin has friends now… and is treating people to dinner…

Qi Yue stood by the river, watching the lively river scene.

“Here,” Coffin Boy walked over.

Qi Yue saw it was a cup of wine and quickly looked around.

A’Ru was over there helping Granny Wang with her work.

“A’Ru gave special permission for one cup,” Coffin Boy smiled.

Only then did Qi Yue take it.

“Cheers,” she said, clinking her wine cup with Coffin Boy’s.

Cheers? Coffin Boy smiled. This woman always had such fresh expressions.

He drank his in one gulp, while Qi Yue couldn’t bear to waste it and sipped slowly.

“I’m leaving tomorrow,” he suddenly said.

Qi Yue was startled and turned to look at him.

“Leaving?” she asked in surprise.