The abdominal pain grew increasingly severe. Li Jiǎo bit her lower lip and gently pressed her abdomen.

What was happening? Could she have eaten something bad?

Facing the young and handsome music teacher, she absolutely couldn’t bring herself as a young lady to mention needing the privy.

Li Jiǎo endured with difficulty, her stomach pain twisting like knives, every moment pure torture. Cold sweat dripped continuously until an unseemly sound emerged, causing her face to turn deathly pale.

It was over—had that sound come from her?

Just as she was dying of shame and anger, Li Jiāo had already stood up, her face flushed red. Without saying a word, she covered her stomach and rushed out.

Second Sister?

Li Jiǎo was stunned for a moment, then immediately stood up and hurriedly said to the music teacher: “Teacher, Second Sister seems unwell. This student will go check on her—”

Without waiting for the music teacher’s permission, the usually steady and gentle eldest miss hurried after her, leaving the bewildered music teacher to look at the remaining female students.

Third Miss and Fifth Miss showed no abnormality, Fourth Miss had an ashen expression, and Sixth Miss was teary-eyed with a conflicted, pained look.

What was wrong with these students today?

Thinking of the earlier unseemly sound, the music teacher suddenly understood.

The students had eaten something bad?

The young music teacher became embarrassed as well and quickly said: “Since Second Miss is unwell, let’s end today’s lesson here.”

The music teacher hurried away with his qin.

As soon as he left, Sixth Miss Li Chan immediately stood up, dropped the words “I’m going to the privy,” and promptly disappeared through the doorway.

Fourth Miss Li Yan forced a smile at Qiao Zhao: “I’ll go check on them.”

In the blink of an eye, only Qiao Zhao and Fifth Miss Li Shu remained in the music room.

Qiao Zhao’s expression was calm as she lowered her head and casually plucked the qin strings.

Fifth Miss Li Shu secretly swallowed and gathered courage to call out: “Third Sister.”

Qiao Zhao turned her head, a faint smile on her lips: “Mm?”

Meeting her unperturbed gaze, Li Shu suddenly forgot what she wanted to say.

Should she ask Third Sister why Eldest Sister and the others all got stomach trouble while only the two of them were fine?

She had followed Third Sister’s lead and only eaten the silver thread rolls—wouldn’t this mean Third Sister had known beforehand that the food was problematic?

Fifth Miss Li Shu became more confused the more she thought about it.

How did Third Sister know the food was problematic? Had she accidentally discovered someone putting something in the food? That should be impossible—the sisters from the West Residence had all come early and never left the school. Could Third Sister have noticed during the meal? That was even more incredible—Third Sister hadn’t taken a single bite.

The East Residence women’s school’s small kitchen was specially set up for the young ladies and had always been careful. There couldn’t be spoiled food. If someone had instructed the cook to add medicine to the food, that person could only be Second Sister, yet Second Sister had eaten more than anyone.

“Did Fifth Sister call me for something?” Miss Qiao’s voice was gentle.

Li Shu heard it like a sudden clap of thunder and snapped back to attention.

Stop thinking about it! Whatever the reason, following Third Sister in the future was right!

The usually cautious girl carefully raised a flattering smile: “I wanted to tell Third Sister that the hair ornament you’re wearing today looks beautiful.”

Qiao Zhao was speechless with amusement.

She only had a single magnolia flower in her hair—white with a hint of green, as plain as could be. How could it be called beautiful?

Among the Li residence misses, the only one of concubine birth, Fifth Miss, was indeed thoughtful. Such a person understood self-preservation and naturally wouldn’t rashly cause trouble for her.

Qiao Zhao showed a genuine smile: “Fifth Sister has a discerning eye.”

She said no more, withdrawing her gaze to the ancient qin before her.

Li Shu felt moved.

Third Sister indeed knew!

The music room was quiet as Qiao Zhao lifted her slender hands and began playing casually.

She didn’t follow any particular score, half-closing her eyes as she played freely. Li Shu gradually became entranced.

She seemed to see birds in an exquisite cage under the eaves, gently flapping their wings and hopping about, playfully avoiding people’s teasing. Finally, the cage opened and the bird soared into the sky, flying higher and higher until it could no longer be seen, leaving only blue sky and white clouds, unchanging year after year, for people to gaze upon.

The music stopped abruptly only when several maids and matrons surged through the door.

Li Shu’s face paled when she saw the leading matron.

It was Nanny Wang from her legitimate mother’s side!

Nanny Wang approached and gave Qiao Zhao a perfunctory bow: “Third Miss, Fifth Miss, Second Miss and the others have stomach trouble, which has alarmed Madam. Madam requests that you two come for questioning.”

“Questioning?” Though Nanny Wang seemed urgent, Miss Qiao remained unhurried and asked back.

Nanny Wang originally didn’t think her words were inappropriate, but when Qiao Zhao questioned her like this, she suddenly felt guilty.

Madam had instructed her to be polite to the West Residence misses to avoid causing more gossip.

She quickly forced a smile: “Madam requests that the two misses come to understand the situation, as the other misses are currently indisposed.”

Though she said “two misses,” she never once looked at Li Shu from beginning to end.

Li Shu had always known her place and couldn’t even muster indignation.

“Since Great Aunt wants to understand the situation, Nanny Wang may lead the way.” Only then did Qiao Zhao rise leisurely.

Nanny Wang secretly twitched her lips.

She didn’t know why Madam was being so polite to the West Residence when they had depended on the East Residence’s favor all these years.

Hmph, whatever airs Third Miss was putting on now, she’d be in trouble soon!

There was a place for the misses to rest at noon beside the school. Qiao Zhao was led there by Nanny Wang and saw maids and matrons coming and going, with girls’ sobbing faintly audible from the inner room.

Lady Wu waited in the hall with Fourth Miss Li Yan and Sixth Miss Li Chan sitting beside her.

As soon as Qiao Zhao entered, Li Yan reflexively stood up, not forgetting to pull up the oblivious Li Chan and bow to Qiao Zhao: “Third Sister.”

Qiao Zhao nodded in return and curtsied lightly to Lady Wu: “Great Aunt.”

Lady Wu glanced at the tense-looking Li Yan and thought: To make such a splash at Dafu Temple, this Third Miss was indeed not so simple. Even Fourth Miss now knew to be wary.

“Zhaozhao, Great Aunt called you here to understand the situation. How did your Second Sister and the others suddenly get stomach trouble when everything was fine?” Lady Wu looked at the Li Yan sisters as she spoke. “I just asked Yan’er and Chan’er. They ate little at lunch, which is why they’re fine, but your Eldest Sister and Second Sister had continuous diarrhea. They only stopped after drinking medicine just now.”

Qiao Zhao pondered for a moment and answered seriously: “Then it should be because Eldest Sister and Second Sister ate more.”

Fifth Miss Li Shu, who had entered behind Qiao Zhao, quickly lowered her head further to hide her amusement.

Lady Wu couldn’t maintain her composure as the household’s main wife. She took a secret breath before saying, “Great Aunt naturally understands this.”

Of course—whoever ate more of something problematic would naturally have a stronger reaction!

Qiao Zhao blinked: “Then is Great Aunt asking why I’m fine?”

She looked at the Li Yan sisters and smiled: “I thought Fourth Sister and Sixth Sister had told you. I’m fine because I didn’t eat.”