After not seeing her for several months, the originally tall and graceful young lady’s plump cheeks had sunken in. Her duck-egg blue padded dress paired with a snow fox fur cape gave the delicate girl an air of melancholy that couldn’t be dispelled.

“Miss Kou has grown thinner,” Qiao Zhao said as she approached.

Kou Zimo gazed at the young woman before her for a moment, then reached out to grasp her hand: “Third Sister Li has grown taller. It’s cold outside – let’s go inside to talk.”

Her voice was gentle and calm, yet inexplicably made one feel somewhat sorrowful.

Qiao Zhao followed Kou Zimo into the house.

Several braziers were arranged in Kou Zimo’s boudoir. Upon entering, heavy outer garments became unbearable. She removed her cape and handed it to a maid, gesturing to Qiao Zhao: “Please sit, Third Sister Li.”

The maid served hot tea and quietly withdrew.

“It’s almost noon. Third Sister Li, please stay and dine with me.”

“That’s not necessary. I told my mother when I left that I’d return home to eat. Another day, I’ll host and invite Miss Kou for a meal, and we can call Miss Zhu and the others for a small gathering.”

Kou Zimo looked at Qiao Zhao seriously, pursed her lips slightly, and said softly: “I heard that my cousin acknowledged Third Sister Li as his sworn sister.”

Qiao Zhao nodded frankly: “Yes, Brother Qiao and I get along very well.”

“How do you get along well?” Kou Zimo pressed.

Qiao Zhao looked deeply at Kou Zimo. In her eyes, she saw no wariness or displeasure that a girl might feel when her beloved became close to another woman, but rather full curiosity and confusion.

Qiao Zhao smiled slightly: “When I met Brother Qiao, I felt he was just like my real brother, as if we had been siblings in a previous life.”

Upon hearing this, Kou Zimo lowered her head and silently twisted the handkerchief in her hands.

“Miss Kou?” Qiao Zhao felt that Kou Zimo was different from usual, as if she carried infinite worries, and called out gently.

Kou Zimo raised her head and looked into Qiao Zhao’s eyes: “Third Sister Li, please call me Sister Kou. Since you and my cousin have become sworn siblings, you’re like a sister to me, too.”

Qiao Zhao nodded with a smile: “Alright, Sister Kou.”

Seeing the young woman before her trying not to laugh, Kou Zimo suddenly realized what she’d said and blushed: “Don’t misunderstand – I, I don’t mean anything else—”

Qiao Zhao looked at her with a bright smile.

She had always known that Kou Zimo harbored deep feelings for her brother, and her attitude toward this was to let nature take its course.

She hoped her brother could marry a girl with whom there was mutual affection.

“I don’t mean that…” But Kou Zimo suddenly became agitated. By the end, she couldn’t help choking up, and then, like a dam bursting, she instantly collapsed into tears.

“Sister Kou—”

Kou Zimo suddenly embraced Qiao Zhao, her hands trembling violently as tears slid down her cheeks, already cold: “Third Sister Li, you don’t need to say anything. Just let me lean on you – just for a moment…”

Qiao Zhao remained silent, reaching out to gently pat Kou Zimo’s shoulder.

She didn’t ask why Kou Zimo was crying, but vaguely guessed it was related to her brother.

Since her brother had moved from the Kou residence to Marquis Guanjun’s residence and had been imprisoned, Kou Zimo had visited him many times. What had transpired between them was unknown.

Kou Zimo straightened up, wiped her tears with her handkerchief, and said bashfully: “I’ve made a spectacle of myself in front of Third Sister Li.”

“Sister Kou needn’t feel embarrassed. Everyone has times of sadness. If you don’t cry when sad, should you laugh instead? Cry when you should cry, laugh when you should laugh – there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Kou Zimo lowered her eyes, pursed her lips, and smiled faintly: “Third Sister Li is right. Thank you. Please stay for the meal today – just to keep me company for conversation.”

Hearing Kou Zimo say this, Qiao Zhao nodded in agreement.

After they chatted briefly, it was mealtime. A maid brought a food box from the main kitchen and set the dishes on the table.

Having cried in front of Qiao Zhao, Kou Zimo unconsciously felt much closer to her and casually asked: “Didn’t I tell you to inform the main kitchen to add a dish of yam and mutton soup plus two bowls of rock sugar stewed snow clam?”

The maid bit her lip, glanced quickly at Qiao Zhao, then lowered her eyes: “The main kitchen said Miss gave the order too late – there wasn’t time to prepare the yam and mutton soup.”

“What about the rock sugar stewed snow clam?”

The maid’s head drooped lower: “The snow clams happened to be finished. They’ll purchase more tomorrow.”

Kou Zimo’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. After carefully examining the dishes again, her heart suddenly stirred as she understood something.

Though she had a steady temperament, and despite her knuckles turning white from clenching her fists within her wide sleeves, her face remained impassive as she said to the maid indifferently: “You may withdraw.”

After the maid left, Kou Zimo smiled reluctantly at Qiao Zhao: “Today was rushed, and the hospitality was inadequate. I apologize, Third Sister Li.”

Qiao Zhao smiled lightly: “How could that be? Sister Kou’s family meals are much more sumptuous than those at our residence. This braised carp happens to be my favorite.”

Kou Zimo breathed a sigh of relief: “As long as it suits your taste. Food cools quickly in winter – let’s eat first and chat afterward.”

Following the rule of not speaking during meals, the two ate silently.

The half-cold fish meat felt like chewing wax in Qiao Zhao’s mouth.

Her eyes stung slightly, and she blinked to suppress the bitter feeling.

A married daughter returning to her natal home was a precious guest, and as a granddaughter, she was also considered a little precious guest. She had visited her maternal family many times and knew they had six grades of hospitality. Previously, she had received first-grade treatment, but today she was getting the lowest grade.

Little Miss Li Zhao might not understand, but she remembered clearly that the Kou family’s lowest-grade hospitality was reserved for respectable servants brought by honored guests.

The Kou residence used food meant for servants to entertain the eldest daughter’s friend – the meaning was self-evident.

They were bullying the Li family girl for not understanding, intending to tell Kou Zimo that she shouldn’t invite Li family girls over anymore.

Her eldest aunt had been confined under the pretext of madness, and the Minister’s residence was now managed by her second aunt, Dou Shi.

But Dou Shi had no reason to embarrass Kou Zimo this way. As an aunt, interfering in her niece’s friendships was purely thankless work – why not use that time to educate her children instead?

So the person who had instructed the main kitchen to do this was clear: her grandmother Xue Shi.

Previously, her grandmother had been warm and loving toward her, more affectionate than to her granddaughter during each visit. Now, as Li Zhao, she could only receive a meal meant for servants.

After the initial hurt passed, Qiao Zhao straightened her spine.

This was nothing. She had loving parents and a grandmother because she was Li Zhao, and now she received such treatment also because she was Li Zhao.

Where there was gain, there must be loss. At least she could live again – that was already a tremendous profit.

Qiao Zhao’s heart suddenly felt clear, and the food regained its flavor.

But Kou Zimo sat as if on pins and needles. After Qiao Zhao left, she went to Old Madam Xue’s room.

“Zimo has come.” Old Madam Xue glanced at Kou Zimo indifferently. “Now that you’re at Grandmother’s, why aren’t you speaking?”

Kou Zimo bit her lip: “Grandmother, today—”

“You want to ask about lunch, don’t you?”

Kou Zimo lowered her eyes in silent acknowledgment.

Old Madam Xue said indifferently: “Zimo, don’t associate with the Li family girl anymore.”

“Why?”