“Grandmother.” Qiao Zhao walked in with light steps, greeted Old Madam Deng, then bowed to Physician Li. “Grandpa Li, you’ve come.”

“Child, come here, let grandpa take a look at you.” Physician Li beckoned to Qiao Zhao.

Qiao Zhao walked over openly and smiled: “Grandpa Li, look—I’ve gained quite a bit of weight these past days.”

From the corner of her eye, she glanced at the guard standing beside Physician Li and was immediately stunned, unable to help but look again.

It was Shao Mingyuan!

How could Grandpa Li be together with Shao Mingyuan? During their journey south, she clearly remembered that Grandpa Li had quite a few complaints when mentioning Shao Mingyuan.

Shao Mingyuan was the distinguished Marquis Guanjun, yet he was dressed like this and appeared at the Li Residence together with Grandpa Li—

Qiao Zhao was perceptive, and after brief consideration, she had a guess: Shao Mingyuan must be asking something of Grandpa Li. Having him dress as a guard was probably just Grandpa Li’s small way of making things difficult for him.

Grandpa Li was a divine physician known throughout the world. What others sought from him was nothing more than medical treatment. Who did Shao Mingyuan want Grandpa Li to treat?

Thinking this, Qiao Zhao couldn’t help but glance at Shao Mingyuan again, her expression changing slightly.

The young man close at hand had elegant brows and starry eyes, a nose like a hanging gall, and a face as pale as cold jade; even his thin lips were so light they had no color.

So Shao Mingyuan’s cold poison had penetrated his body to such a severe degree.

As a military general who had campaigned for years in the icy northern territories, with years of new and old injuries under the assault of cold poison, he must be suffering unbearable torment.

Looking at Shao Mingyuan’s calm brows and eyes, Qiao Zhao thought: He is strong.

Hearing that a young lady from the Li Residence was coming, Shao Mingyuan felt it inappropriate to look too much and kept his eyes lowered. However, martial artists had keener hearing and perception than ordinary people, and though the young lady had been chatting cheerfully with Physician Li since entering, she had glanced in his direction at least three times.

Shao Mingyuan quickly lifted his eyes for a glance and was stunned.

It was the little girl who had thrown a cactus at him.

Uh, the last time they met, she had blocked his path to ask about preserving corpses.

Shao Mingyuan couldn’t help but glance at Physician Li.

The elderly man who had always been stern and fierce now had gentle eyes and brows, even the wrinkles on his face carried a hint of loving kindness, completely unlike what he had seen before.

From this, it was clear that Physician Li was very fond of this young lady.

Shao Mingyuan couldn’t help but look at Qiao Zhao again, thinking: So this is what they mean by birds of a feather flock together? Both are people whose words and actions differ from ordinary people.

Li Jiǎo, hiding behind the door curtain, observed the interaction between Qiao Zhao and Shao Mingyuan, secretly gritting her teeth.

What—that Marquis Guanjun had an impression of Li Zhao? Just because of her clumsy attempt at striking up a conversation in public?

Li Zhao was truly shameless enough. Previously, she had been pestering her cousin relentlessly, and seeing that Cousin Feiyang didn’t care for her at all, now she was setting her sights on Marquis Guanjun?

What kind of person was Marquis Guanjun? How dare someone like Li Zhao, who had lost her virtue, harbor such fantasies about him? Yet looking at Marquis Guanjun’s manner, he did seem to have an impression of Li Zhao!

Li Jiǎo became increasingly unbalanced and, after pondering for a moment, tiptoed back to the couch and pushed the pillow to the floor.

The sound from the inner room drew the attention of those in the main hall.

Physician Li glanced toward the inner room.

Old Madam Deng was quite surprised and asked: “What happened?”

After a moment, the gentle sound of ornaments chiming was heard, and a young lady wearing a lake-blue daffodil-scattered green-leaf skirt lifted the door curtain and walked out gracefully.

The young lady’s eyes held some moisture, as if she had just awakened. Seeing the people in the main hall, her face gradually reddened, and she said to Old Madam Deng, “Granddaughter took a short rest and accidentally knocked the pillow to the floor.”

She curtsied to Physician Li with a shy expression: “Please forgive me for making a spectacle before our honored guest.”

Seeing this, Old Madam Deng couldn’t scold her too much and introduced her to Physician Li: “This is my eldest granddaughter. Eldest girl, this is your third sister’s godfather, Physician Li.”

Li Jiǎo curtsied to Physician Li again with a radiant smile: “Greetings, Grandpa Li.”

Physician Li immediately frowned and said bluntly, “Just call me Dr. Li.”

“That would be too impolite. Since you are Third Sister’s godfather, I should also call you Grandpa.” Li Jiǎo smiled gently.

Physician Li chuckled: “The key point is that this old man never intended to acknowledge so many granddaughters.”

Ignoring Li Jiǎo’s face that instantly flushed red, Physician Li turned his head and patted Qiao Zhao’s head: “Having one Li girl is already enough.”

He seemed to remember something and smiled: “No, that’s not right. There are too many people in the residence who could be called Li girl. From now on, I’ll call you Zhao girl instead.”

Qiao Zhao was very happy.

Compared to Li girl, Zhao girl naturally made her feel more intimate.

“You can also call me Zhaozhao.”

Shao Mingyuan suddenly looked up sharply.

Zhaozhao?

It wasn’t common for girls to have “Zhao” in their names, but he didn’t know which “Zhao” hers was—

Noticing that the little girl was glancing over from the corner of her eye, Shao Mingyuan immediately lowered his brows and eyes, thinking somewhat awkwardly: It seemed that this Miss Zhaozhao made such a deep impression every time they met that he unconsciously paid her more attention. This wasn’t appropriate—he should be more careful in the future.

Thinking this, Shao Mingyuan never raised his eyes again, standing properly beside Physician Li like an ordinary guard.

But Qiao Zhao’s heart stirred.

Shao Mingyuan had reacted to hearing her name.

She and he had an engagement arranged by their elders when they were young, but they had never had the opportunity to meet.

She had been attending to illness in the south while he campaigned in the northern territories.

She delayed marriage to care for her grandfather’s health, while he delayed taking a wife to repel the barbarians.

It wasn’t until both their elders could no longer bear it—her grandfather lost his temper with her, and Marquis Jing’an petitioned for an imperial decree—that the wedding took place. Absurdly, they had only completed the ceremony of bowing to heaven and earth; Shao Mingyuan hadn’t even had time to enter the bridal chamber before donning armor again to return to the northern territories.

She didn’t think Shao Mingyuan would know her name.

Qiao Zhao’s thoughts raced, and she reached a conclusion: It must have been her brother who told him.

Shao Mingyuan had met her brother—what had they discussed? How was Big Brother doing now? Was there something suspicious about that fire at home?

Qiao Zhao had too many questions she wanted to ask the person before her, but unfortunately, neither her identity nor the timing was right.

Physician Li was also stunned for quite a while before saying, “Right, I can also call you Zhaozhao.”

Old Madam Deng smiled until her eyes crinkled: “However, the Divine Physician wishes to address her is fine. Having a grandfather like you is Third Girl’s good fortune.”

The old lady glanced at Li Jiǎo and helped smooth things over for her eldest granddaughter: “Please don’t blame this girl for her presumption, Divine Physician. The girls’ grandfather died early, and they’ve never had the chance to call someone ‘Grandpa’ since they were born.”

“Oh.” Physician Li responded coldly.

Over the years, he had seen all manner of people trying to curry favor in various ways. If not for his goddaughter’s sake, his words would have been even less polite.

At this moment, Qingyu entered and whispered in Old Madam Deng’s ear: “Old Madam, the Rural Lady from the East Residence has come.”

The Rural Lady had come?

Old Madam Deng was quite surprised.

Normally, her sister-in-law never set foot in the West Residence. If there was any matter, she would always send a servant woman to deliver a message.

Old Madam Deng’s gaze fell on Physician Li, vaguely guessing what this was about, and quietly instructed Qingyu: “Tell her that I’m receiving a guest and it’s not convenient. Ask the Rural Lady to wait in the flower hall for a while.”