When Lady Qiao saw Hong Dou staring intently at her younger daughter, she frowned and repeated her words.

“Lady Qiao wants to see our young miss?” Hong Dou pressed her lips together. “Please wait a moment, I’ll go inform the young miss.”

As for whether the young miss would agree to see her, that was uncertain.

At this moment, Luo Sheng was sitting under a tree in the back courtyard, using a small hammer to crack walnuts.

Xiao Qi wasn’t attending school today. Seeing this, he hurried over. “Boss, let me do this rough work.”

“Cracking walnuts hardly counts as rough work.” Luo Sheng patted the stone bench, indicating for Xiao Qi to sit down, then casually grabbed a handful of shelled walnut kernels and handed them to him. “Eat.”

Xiao Qi stuffed the walnut kernels into his mouth, eating until his cheeks bulged.

“Eat slowly.” Luo Sheng watched with some helplessness.

Over a decade of life as a mountain bandit had made Xiao Qi incompatible with the people she was familiar with.

This was fate playing tricks. To her, as long as her younger brother was still alive, never mind that he grew up as a mountain bandit—even if he were a beggar, she would still feel fortunate.

Luo Sheng’s gaze toward Xiao Qi unconsciously grew tender.

At this time, the sky had not yet darkened. The evening glow hung at the horizon, reflected in the young woman’s eyes.

Luo Chen stood at the doorway connecting the main hall to the back courtyard, watching coldly, the corners of his lips gradually tightening.

After Xiao Qi swallowed the walnut kernels, he snatched the small hammer from Luo Sheng’s hand and said cheerfully, “Let me do it instead. Boss, you rest.”

With one hammer strike, walnut shells flew everywhere, and the kernels also shattered into pieces.

The dark-faced youth held up the small hammer awkwardly, saying dumbly, “These are too fragile.”

Luo Chen walked over, took the small hammer from Xiao Qi’s hand, picked up a walnut and gently tapped it open, extracting the kernel intact.

The youth’s movements were practiced, his strength just right. Soon he had shelled a small pile of walnut kernels, and then those beautiful eyes of his indifferently swept over Xiao Qi.

Xiao Qi sincerely praised, “You’re really good at shelling walnuts.”

The corners of Luo Chen’s lips twitched.

Was this dark-skinned boy stupid?

The “stupid boy” in Luo Chen’s eyes picked up a walnut and squeezed it hard. The walnut cracked open, revealing intact kernels.

Luo Chen’s gaze straightened.

His strength… was that great?

Xiao Qi carefully extracted the walnut kernels and presented them to Luo Sheng. “Boss, eat walnuts.”

The corners of Luo Chen’s lips immediately went rigid.

This dark-skinned boy wasn’t stupid at all!

The youth’s slender, fair fingers reached out, pushing a small dish of walnut kernels before Luo Sheng.

He wanted to see whose walnuts his sister would eat.

Luo Sheng looked at one, then the other, and with a calm expression poured the walnut kernels both youths had offered into the small bamboo basket beside her.

Both youths froze.

Luo Sheng smiled slightly. “Since you’re both so good at shelling walnuts, shell them together. Xiu Gu will use these kernels later to make candied walnuts.”

Luo Chen: “…”

Xiao Qi, on the other hand, cheerfully agreed and picked up a walnut, cracking it open with a snap.

Luo Sheng brushed off the shell fragments that had fallen on her, leaving the two walnut-shelling youths behind as she walked toward the main hall.

Hong Dou ran into Luo Sheng face-to-face and reported, “Young miss, Minister Qiao’s wife is sitting in the private room and wishes to see you.”

Having previously investigated the Crown Princess’s situation before visiting the Eastern Palace, Luo Sheng immediately made the connection. “The Crown Princess’s mother?”

“That’s her, and she brought Second Miss Qiao along as well.”

After brief consideration, Luo Sheng lifted her feet and headed to the private room.

Lady Qiao waited in the private room, anxiety burning in her heart.

Miss Luo had a terrible reputation and wasn’t easy to deal with, while the Crown Princess couldn’t afford to wait any longer.

There was movement at the doorway.

Lady Qiao saw the maid who had just left return accompanied by a plainly dressed young woman. She quickly rose and greeted her.

Luo Sheng nodded slightly. “Lady Minister.”

Second Miss Qiao also rose, furious in her heart.

By generational ranking, Luo Sheng was of the younger generation; by status, her mother was the Crown Prince’s mother-in-law.

Even though they had come asking for help today, this Luo woman’s airs were far too grand.

Luo Sheng’s gaze fell briefly on Second Miss Qiao before she asked Lady Qiao, “I wonder what business Lady Minister has with me. Are the dishes not to your taste?”

Several dishes were arranged on the table, currently untouched.

This was quite rare at the Youjian Restaurant.

“How could that be.” Lady Qiao forced a smile, then revealed her distress. “To be honest, I’ve come to ask Miss Luo for help with a matter.”

“Please sit first, Lady Minister.” Luo Sheng sat down generously, calmly accepting the teacup Hong Dou handed her.

Ask her for help?

Over these past few months, those who had approached her saying such things had all come to request the Divine Physician.

Sure enough, Lady Qiao’s next words confirmed Luo Sheng’s guess.

“I’ve heard that Miss Luo and the Divine Physician are friends despite the age difference, and that you’ve successfully requested the Divine Physician’s assistance multiple times. Someone in my household is ill, and we’ve truly run out of options. I can only shamelessly come to ask Miss Luo for help.”

“I see.” Luo Sheng set down her teacup, revealing a helpless expression. “I’m afraid I must disappoint Lady Minister. The Divine Physician and I aren’t friends despite our age difference. Previously, I was fortunate enough to obtain the Divine Physician’s assistance only because the gift I brought happened to catch his fancy.”

“If that’s the case, could Miss Luo deliver a gift on our behalf? The Qiao household will reward you generously.”

Luo Sheng shook her head. “The last time I went to request the Divine Physician’s help, he said he no longer needed such gifts and told me to stop bothering him.”

“Regardless, we’d still like to try. Could Miss Luo reveal what gift you previously gave the Divine Physician?”

“I apologize, I cannot reveal that.” Luo Sheng refused outright.

Lady Qiao’s expression changed slightly, her fingertips trembling.

Seeing her mother rebuffed, Second Miss Qiao could bear it no longer. “Miss Luo, my mother has come to you with sincere intentions. If you have any conditions, please state them openly. We will certainly satisfy them.”

Luo Sheng looked at Second Miss Qiao and smiled faintly. “What does Second Miss Qiao think I lack?”

Second Miss Qiao faltered.

Luo Sheng withdrew her smile, her tone cold. “I naturally understand that Lady Qiao has come to ask for my help with sincere intentions. But I’ve also said that the Divine Physician made it clear he will no longer do me favors. This is help I cannot provide. What, just because your mother came sincerely to ask, I must agree? I wasn’t aware there was such an overbearing expectation.”

“You—”

“Second Daughter!” Lady Qiao stopped her daughter and apologized to Luo Sheng. “Miss Luo, please don’t hold it against her. This girl has been spoiled by me.”

Luo Sheng smiled. “I understand. I’ve also been spoiled by my father.”

Lady Qiao felt a wave of suffocation.

What kind of young woman was this, capable of being so infuriating!

“Miss Luo, please just try once more. Whether or not you can obtain the Divine Physician’s assistance, the Qiao household will be grateful.” Lady Qiao’s tone carried pleading.

Such a humble posture was something Second Miss Qiao had never seen before.

Her heart ached with anger, but she dared not show it.

Her mother had already sacrificed her dignity—how could she be willful?

“I truly apologize. If I go bother the Divine Physician again, I’ll be thrown out. I cannot help your household with this matter.”

Lady Qiao remained silent for a long while before forcing out an ugly smile. “We’ve imposed on you today.”

Watching Lady Qiao and her daughter leave with cold eyes, Luo Sheng fell into thought.

Who in Minister Qiao’s household needed the Divine Physician?

On the road back to the residence, Luo Sheng instructed Kou’er, “Investigate the situation at Minister Qiao’s household later.”