The siblings looked in that direction together and saw Qiao Wan lifting her skirt and running over quickly.

In the blink of an eye, Qiao Wan had run up close, positioning herself in front of Qiao Mo and glaring at Qiao Zhao: “What are you doing?”

How could she be so shameless, sitting so close to her elder brother! Elder brother even touched her head!

The more the little girl thought about it, the angrier she became, and her glare at Qiao Zhao grew increasingly hostile.

Qiao Zhao had finally recognized her elder brother and was in excellent spirits. Her slight jealousy toward her half-sister that couldn’t be shared with outsiders had long since dissipated. She reached out to poke the little girl’s cheek and said: “If a little girl is always angry, she’ll grow uglier and uglier, you know.”

Qiao Wan was stunned, then said indignantly: “You’re lying!”

“I’m not lying. Didn’t your brother-in-law tell you that I’m a physician?”

Qiao Wan turned around, but found that Shao Mingyuan was still standing in the distance without moving. She lifted her skirt and ran back to him, looking up to ask: “Brother-in-law, is Sister Li a physician?”

“Yes.” Shao Mingyuan suppressed his shock at what he had just witnessed and replied calmly.

“She, she’s so young, how can she be a physician?” Qiao Wan looked completely disbelieving.

Shao Mingyuan said patiently, “Miss Li is indeed a physician. She once cured someone who was mentally impaired.”

Qiao Wan was startled: “So being prone to anger really will make you grow uglier?”

Shao Mingyuan couldn’t help but glance at Qiao Zhao from afar, then looked down at Qiao Wan: “You’d have to ask the physician about that—brother-in-law doesn’t know either.”

The little girl bit her lip: “But I still can’t help getting angry. Brother-in-law, did you see just now? Sister Li was so close to my elder brother—even Cousin Zimo has never been that close to my elder brother. What gives her the right?”

Shao Mingyuan’s eyes flickered slightly.

They say children’s intuition is the sharpest, so he hadn’t seen wrong just now—there was an unusually intimate atmosphere between Miss Li and his brother-in-law.

But why was this? Just a few days ago, his brother-in-law had been completely guarded against Miss Li, even willing to hurt her with harsh words.

Shao Mingyuan walked over with his doubts, leading Qiao Wan.

Qiao Zhao’s expression had already returned to normal, and she couldn’t help but give Shao Mingyuan a reproachful look.

Hadn’t he taken Wan Wan to pick out a little foal? Why had he returned so quickly? She had just finished telling her elder brother about her experiences and hadn’t had a chance to ask him to clear up her confusion yet.

Shao Mingyuan was baffled by Qiao Zhao’s glare, and having already made up his mind to maintain appropriate distance, he simply didn’t look at her and spoke directly to Qiao Mo: “I picked out a little foal for Wan Wan. Seeing that it’s getting late, I’ve instructed the kitchen to prepare a meal to be brought here so we can all have a reunion dinner together.”

Only then did Qiao Zhao and Qiao Mo realize that their conversation had gone on for so long—it was already nearly noon.

“Good, thank you for the trouble, Marquis.” Though Qiao Mo said these words, his gaze couldn’t help but fall on Qiao Zhao.

Having lost and regained, at this moment, no one could understand the meaning of these four words better than he could.

His elder sister was still alive.

“Is Sister Li also going to eat the reunion dinner with us?” Qiao Wan asked with pursed lips.

How shameless—it was their family reunion dinner, yet she was staying and refusing to leave!

“Of course.” Qiao Mo said lightly.

“Elder brother!” Qiao Wan stared in disbelief.

Qiao Mo patted Qiao Wan’s head: “Wan Wan, from now on, you should call Miss Li your elder sister.”

Qiao Zhao looked sharply at Qiao Mo, then involuntarily glanced at Shao Mingyuan.

Was her elder brother planning to reveal her true identity in front of Shao Mingyuan?

She wanted to stop him, but couldn’t speak directly, so she could only quietly extend her foot to kick Qiao Mo.

Shao Mingyuan silently looked elsewhere.

Though he didn’t know why Miss Li had suddenly become intimate with his brother-in-law, it would be rather awkward if Miss Li discovered he had seen her kick someone.

“Why call Miss Li elder sister?” Qiao Wan asked, biting her lip.

Qiao Mo chuckled softly, his eyes full of gentleness: “Because elder brother has taken Miss Li as a sworn sister, so from now on she’ll be your elder sister.”

Hearing Qiao Mo say this, Qiao Zhao quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Being able to recognize Grandfather Li and her elder brother was already extremely fortunate. Such an incredible thing was naturally better known by as few people as possible, especially since her half-sister was still young—it would be even more impossible to let her know.

As for Shao Mingyuan—

She sighed inwardly.

Even if he knew, why would he believe it?

She and her elder brother at least had shared childhood experiences, but what did she and Shao Mingyuan have between them?

Even when she had been his wife, there had been nothing between them. Their only meeting had ended in life and death.

Taking it even further, even if he believed it, it would only make things more awkward for her.

Shao Mingyuan had never loved Qiao Zhao. Previously, they had been bound by parental arrangements and matchmaking, with no choice but to become husband and wife. Now they were both free—if he knew she was Qiao Zhao, what should Shao Mingyuan do?

Marry her for such an absurd reason? Ahem, she didn’t want that either.

And if he still treated her as a stranger, that would only add to the awkwardness.

So this way was fine. She would be her Li Zhao, and he would be his Marquis Guanjun. After she helped him eliminate the cold poison, they would each go their separate ways and find their proper places.

“My elder sister?” Qiao Wan bit her lip and stepped back, staring straight at Qiao Zhao.

“Wan Wan, why aren’t you greeting her?”

Qiao Wan shook her head frantically, tears suddenly flowing: “Elder brother, you’ve changed.”

“How has elder brother changed?” Qiao Mo’s smile faded.

“Have you forgotten elder sister? Elder sister was the best sister in the world—I don’t want anyone else to take her place!” Qiao Wan had never argued with her elder brother before. After saying this, she was both panicked and heartbroken, covering her face and running away.

“Brother-in-law—”

Qiao Mo smiled: “Children have big tempers. It’ll pass.”

Shao Mingyuan stood up: “I’ll go bring Wan Wan back.”

After Shao Mingyuan left the courtyard, Qiao Mo withdrew his gaze to look at Qiao Zhao and said meaningfully: “The Marquis Guanjun has a good temperament—completely different from his rumored performance on the battlefield.”

From their time together, Qiao Zhao naturally understood what kind of person Shao Mingyuan was, and smiled: “On the battlefield, he’s a general commanding thousands of troops—naturally different from his usual self.”

“Iron bones with tender feelings.” After a moment of silence, Qiao Mo suddenly uttered these four words.

Qiao Zhao was startled.

Qiao Mo stared at her intently, his eyes holding teasing laughter: “So what exactly is little sister thinking?”

Qiao Zhao’s face inexplicably reddened as she chided: “Elder brother, don’t tease me.”

“Elder brother isn’t teasing—elder brother is asking you very seriously.”

“I’m not thinking about anything. In front of my elder brother, I am Qiao Zhao, but in front of him, I’m only Li Zhao.”

“But what if he likes Li Zhao?”

This question came so suddenly that Qiao Zhao answered almost without thinking: “Then let him go die! Li Zhao doesn’t like him at all!”

As her words fell, Qiao Mo was already chuckling softly: “Yes, Li Zhao doesn’t like him at all.”

“Elder brother!” Qiao Zhao’s face grew hot, and she quickly changed this embarrassing topic to ask about the fire at their home.