Yang Houcheng was even more confused: “Then why do you come running here every day and wait all day long? Is it just to catch a glimpse?”

“To catch a glimpse and confirm she’s safe and sound—isn’t that enough?” Chi Can turned around gracefully, raised his hand to pat Yang Houcheng’s shoulder, “Let’s go, time to drink.”

“What about Miss Li—”

“Tomorrow I’ll wait for her at the Tingquan residence.” Chi Can mounted his horse with a fluid motion.

“Tomorrow I’m on duty.”

Chi Can cast Yang Houcheng a sideways glance: “You don’t need to go.”

Yang Houcheng: “…” Even valuing romance over friendship shouldn’t be like this, right?

The two men rode their horses and gradually disappeared into the distance.

On the way back to the residence, He Shi kept holding onto Qiao Zhao, looking at her continuously while tears flowed: “You child, you don’t let me worry!”

Qiao Zhao’s heart felt bitter, and she softly said while hugging He Shi’s arm: “Mother, I’m sorry for making you worry.”

“Cough, cough.” Li Guangwen cleared his throat with a stern face.

“And Father, too, it’s all the daughter’s fault.” Qiao Zhao’s heart was full of guilt, but even more so, helplessness.

She had no way to be purely Li Zhao. The real Li Zhao was long gone. All she could do was not let the Li family suffer harm because of her, and do her best to make their lives better.

“I haven’t played chess in a long time.” Li Guangwen said with a stern expression.

“When we get back, I’ll play chess with Father.”

“My study is still missing a painting.”

“Shall I paint Father a Spring Mountains in Misty Rain?”

Only then did Li Guangwen smile with satisfaction, reaching into his sleeve to pull out an oil paper package and hand it over: “Sauced beef. You’ve been eating vegetarian food in the mountains all this time, you must be craving this, right?”

“Thank you, Father.” Qiao Zhao smelled the fragrance of the sauced beef, but suddenly remembered that roasted chicken she had eaten at the end of the bamboo grove that night.

Mm, that roasted chicken had tasted very good, but unfortunately there would be no opportunity to eat it again in the future.

The carriage sped along the road, and as soon as it stopped at the entrance to the Li residence, the news reached Old Madam Deng.

“Old Madam, Third Miss has returned!”

“Really?” Old Madam Deng suddenly stood up, but was immediately struck by dizziness and fell back into the grand master’s chair.

“Old Madam, what’s wrong with you—”

Before Qiao Zhao had even entered the room, she heard news of Old Madam Deng’s physical discomfort and hurriedly lifted her skirts to run inside.

Old Madam Deng had already recovered her usual composure, and seeing her granddaughter rushing in, she smiled: “Zhaozhao, slow down.”

Qiao Zhao knelt down and kowtowed to Old Madam Deng: “Grandmother, granddaughter has returned. Granddaughter has been unfilial, making you worry all these days.”

“It’s good that you’re back.” Old Madam Deng waved her hand, dismissing the irrelevant people.

“Third girl has gotten thinner.” Old Madam Deng looked Qiao Zhao up and down, then said to He Shi, “Eldest daughter-in-law, go instruct the kitchen to prepare several good dishes. Today our family will have a reunion dinner.”

“Yes, daughter-in-law will go right away.” He Shi went out joyfully.

Qiao Zhao lowered her eyes and curved the corners of her lips.

Mother was still so straightforward.

Qiao Zhao’s guess was correct—Old Madam Deng had sent He Shi away because she naturally had something to say.

“Come, sit beside Grandmother.”

Qiao Zhao obediently sat down.

“Zhaozhao, what happened at Dafu Temple?”

The bell sounds from that night had left everyone in the capital speculating and discussing.

Regarding the Shuying Nunnery incident, the Jinlin Guards had already instructed that it must not be disclosed to outsiders, but Qiao Zhao didn’t intend to hide it from Old Madam Deng.

She briefly recounted what had happened over these days, making Old Madam Deng’s heart race: “Thank goodness you’re all right. Who could have imagined that there would be people at Dafu Temple and Shuying Nunnery who dared to commit murder! Zhaozhao, let’s not go there anymore in the future, all right?”

“Mm, I won’t go anymore.”

Old Madam Deng breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: “If you get restless staying at home in the future, we can just stroll around the city.”

“All right, I’ll listen to Grandmother.” Qiao Zhao nodded obediently, “Grandmother, let me check your pulse. Weren’t you feeling unwell just now?”

“When you get old, it’s like this—nothing serious.” Though Old Madam Deng said this, she still extended her wrist.

After taking her pulse, Qiao Zhao felt relieved.

Though the old lady was somewhat mentally fatigued, her body was still very healthy.

“I told you it was nothing. When Grandmother was young, I even worked in the fields—I’m not like those pampered old ladies.” Old Madam Deng said this while winking and tilting her chin toward the east, “But your great-aunt’s eyesight is getting worse and worse. A few days ago, she was asking Grandmother about how you cured that little beast from the Earl of Changchun’s family.”

Hearing this, Qiao Zhao’s heart stirred.

The old county lady from the East Residence was setting her sights on her? Fortunately, having medical skills had this advantage—she could claim she didn’t know how to treat something, and no one could do anything about it.

“Zhaozhao, you should go back and take a bath first and change your clothes. When dinner is ready, I’ll have the maids call for you.”

“Then granddaughter takes her leave.”

Qiao Zhao returned to the West Side Courtyard, and A’Zhu quickly came forward: “Miss—”

The usually steady maid grabbed Qiao Zhao’s sleeve, her eyes reddening.

Qiao Zhao could also be said to have walked through the gates of hell once, and feeling emotionally moved, she patted A’Zhu’s hand: “It’s all right, everything is fine.”

Binglu reached out and gave A’Zhu a big hug, leaving A’Zhu stunned: “Binglu?”

“Mm, I suddenly feel you look much more pleasing to the eye than those bald monks at Dafu Temple.”

A’Zhu: “…”

Qiao Zhao had a thoroughly refreshing bath and changed into clean, comfortable clothes before taking out the invitation that Jiang Shiyi had stuffed into her hands to look at it.

Qiao Zhao didn’t think this invitation was really from Jiang Shiran. In her opinion, it should be Jiang Tang using his daughter as a cover to want to meet her. She hadn’t expected that after reading it, she would discover she had guessed wrong.

This invitation was truly from Jiang Shiran, and the meeting place she had arranged was the Jiang Residence.

That time they had met, Miss Jiang had practically wanted to dismember her into eight pieces, yet now she was sending her an invitation?

“Miss, why are you looking at this invitation? You’re not thinking of going, are you? You must not lose your mind—Miss Jiang is not a good person.” Binglu had personally witnessed Jiang Shiyi stuffing the invitation to Qiao Zhao and couldn’t help but speak up.

“Haven’t you toured the Grand Commander’s residence yet? Tomorrow I’ll take you there.” Qiao Zhao said with a smile.

The invitation was given to her by Jiang Shiyi, proving that Jiang Tang knew about this matter. So even if she declined this time, she still couldn’t avoid it. Since that was the case, it was better to face it directly and resolve any trouble as early as possible.

“You’re going? What if Miss Jiang bullies you?”

“Isn’t there Binglu here?” Qiao Zhao teased her.

Hearing this, Binglu immediately became fired up and headed outside: “Miss, this servant will go practice a set of boxing forms before coming back to serve you!”

She needed to practice martial arts well to protect Miss!

That day, everyone from the West Residence gathered in Qingsong Hall for a lively reunion dinner, and even Miss Li Jiǎo, who hadn’t stepped out of her room for a long time, appeared.

Although Li Jiǎo’s melancholy gaze frequently fell on Qiao Zhao, Qiao Zhao wasn’t affected in the slightest. She comfortably finished her meal and was pulled by He Shi to rest together in the main courtyard of Yahe Courtyard.

Li Guangwen silently went to his study.

Having slept in the study for so many years before, how was it that after just a few days of not sleeping there, he had become somewhat unaccustomed to it? Lying on the hard, narrow couch in the study, Master Li thought sadly.

The next day, Qiao Zhao got ready and went to the Jiang Residence as agreed.