After all, unable to compete with Hong Dou for the time being, Kou’er skillfully suppressed the little maids from other courtyards with practiced ease.

Luo Sheng played with a pear in her hand, listening expressionlessly.

After Kou’er finished her report, she asked with both admiration and puzzlement: “Miss, how did you predict that Young Master Tao would definitely seek out the eldest miss?”

Luo Sheng smiled slightly: “It’s merely taking extra precautions. Continue watching. If the eldest miss goes out, have Shi Yan follow her and send me word immediately.”

Kou’er received her orders and departed.

Luo Sheng brought the pear to her lips and took a bite.

If Young Master Tao’s meeting with Luo Ying was only to bid farewell to this relationship that could no longer continue, then she would pretend not to know.

But if Young Master Tao said unnecessary things that made Luo Ying’s already terrible mood even worse, then she wouldn’t be polite about it.

In Binfen Courtyard, Luo Ying was caught in indecision, constantly pulling out the letter tucked in her sleeve to look at it again.

Reason told her that since the two had broken off their engagement and become complete strangers with no relationship whatsoever, naturally they shouldn’t meet.

She had always thought herself fairly rational, but at this moment she discovered that her supposedly rational self was utterly fragile.

Going to meet him had many improprieties, but if she didn’t go, it would surely become a knot in her heart that could never be untied for the rest of her life.

She would spend countless long nights wondering what he wanted to say to her.

Luo Ying looked at the letter once more, folded the paper neatly and tucked it into her bosom, having made her decision.

She would meet him one last time. From this point on, they would part ways and both be free.

After preparing herself, Luo Ying quietly left the Grand Marshal’s residence through the back gate with Lu’e.

They had agreed to meet at a teahouse.

Luo Ying had barely left when Luo Sheng followed right behind.

“Didn’t a young lady wearing a veiled hat just come in?” As soon as she entered the teahouse, Luo Sheng asked the approaching waiter.

Upon hearing this, the waiter thought this sounded like someone looking for trouble and was about to deny it when an ingot of gold rolled into his palm.

The waiter’s eyes went straight, his lips trembling uncontrollably.

Gold, gold!

He wasn’t mistaken—it really was gold!

“Was there or wasn’t there?”

The waiter nodded vigorously: “Yes, yes, there was!”

For the sake of gold, even if there wasn’t one, there had to be!

“Which private room did she enter?”

“The Orchid Room.”

“Which room is next to the Orchid Room?”

The waiter answered quickly: “The Chrysanthemum Room.”

Upon hearing the word “chrysanthemum,” Luo Sheng suddenly recalled that large bouquet of chrysanthemums someone had sent.

Distracted for a moment, Luo Sheng said coolly: “Take me to the Chrysanthemum Room.”

The waiter looked troubled: “The Chrysanthemum Room currently has customers.”

An even heavier ingot of gold fell into the waiter’s hand: “Trouble them to vacate the room. This is compensation money for their drinks.”

The waiter clutched the gold tightly, wanting to shout: It doesn’t need to be this much!

They just came for tea—drinking tea anywhere is drinking tea. Even giving them one or two taels of silver would have delighted them. Where did this spendthrift young lady come from?

“Be quick about it, and don’t make a commotion.”

With Luo Sheng’s reminder, the waiter suddenly snapped to attention.

It wasn’t his gold anyway—what was he feeling sorry about?

Soon the Chrysanthemum Room was vacated.

Perhaps money really could make ghosts turn millstones—the tea customers who received gold to change rooms didn’t make even the slightest sound, fearing that if the goddess of wealth became even slightly displeased, she might take the gold back.

Luo Sheng sat down and instructed Kou’er: “Go quietly stand guard outside and watch for any movement next door.”

Kou’er smiled: “Miss, going outside is less convenient than staying inside.”

As she spoke, she picked up an empty teacup, pressed it upside down against the wall separating them from the Orchid Room, and pointed at the bottom of the cup: “Put your ear here to listen, and you can hear what people next door are saying. The walls in this kind of ordinary teahouse are all thin.”

Luo Sheng fell silent for a moment.

She truly hadn’t known that Kou’er was such a talented person.

In the private room next door, Luo Ying and Young Master Tao sat facing each other, looking at one another without speaking.

Lu’e stood in an unobtrusive corner, trying her utmost to minimize her presence.

As for Young Master Tao, today he hadn’t brought a manservant.

After an unknown amount of time passed, Young Master Tao gazed at Luo Ying and spoke: “Ah Ying—”

Luo Ying lowered her eyes, her voice trembling slightly: “We’ve already broken off our engagement. Young Master Tao should call me Miss Luo instead.”

“Ah Ying, do you really want to be so distant with me?” Seeing Luo Ying so cold, Young Master Tao couldn’t help but reach out to grasp her hand.

Luo Ying forcefully pulled her hand away: “Young Master Tao, we now truly have only a relationship of strangers. You sent me a letter asking to meet, saying you had something to say. I wonder what you want to say?”

She had held hands with him once before—it was during the Lantern Festival when they viewed the flower lanterns together.

The vow of growing old together was also what he had said to her at that time.

This hand was still as warm as in her memory, but it was no longer one she could hold in return.

“Ah Ying—”

Luo Ying stood up: “Call me Miss Luo, or I’m leaving.”

Young Master Tao’s face showed an expression of pain. Finally compromising, he dejectedly called out “Miss Luo.”

Luo Ying silently sat back down, her heart aching as if pierced by needles.

From Ah Ying to Miss Luo—her pain would only be greater than his.

“I… just learned about the broken engagement. Are you all right?”

Luo Ying forced a slight smile: “Just like this.”

Having had an engagement broken, could she be overjoyed?

That she would even sit here—she couldn’t help but despise herself.

“Miss, you should know my feelings.”

Luo Ying smiled bitterly: “Young Master Tao, you and I have already had our engagement broken. There’s no need to speak such words.”

“No, I must speak!” Young Master Tao’s voice rose, showing some agitation.

Luo Ying looked at him quietly.

“Miss, wait for me. I won’t abandon you!”

Hearing these words, Luo Ying’s heart warmed slightly.

Hearing him say this made it worthwhile that she had brazenly come out to see him one more time.

It was only unfortunate that no matter how much affection Young Master Tao had for her, it couldn’t change the outcome of their broken engagement.

What was done could not be undone—it would only make her think of him for the rest of her life with regret.

“I’m very grateful for Young Master Tao’s feelings, but please don’t speak of asking me to wait for you. A broken engagement cannot be reinstated. Young Master Tao’s persistent obsession only makes things difficult for himself.”

“It won’t be difficult. In any case, no matter what happens, you must wait for me. I won’t let you down.”

Luo Ying detected something off in his words and asked with furrowed brows: “Could Young Master Tao speak more clearly? I don’t quite understand your meaning.”

“I know about the Luo residence’s troubles. If… if that difficult day comes, I won’t stand by and watch you fall into misfortune. Miss, you mustn’t lose heart either. No matter how difficult things become, you have me.”

Luo Ying’s brows knitted tighter and tighter. She vaguely thought of a possibility but dared not believe it.

She raised her hand to smooth her hair and asked directly: “Your mother has already come to break off the engagement under the current circumstances. If that day truly comes, how does Young Master Tao plan to treat me?”

“I’ll bring you to my side. No matter how the world gossips, I won’t abandon you, so you must wait for me.”

Luo Ying’s eyelids trembled. She felt she understood, yet also felt she didn’t understand.

She let out a soft “oh” and stared unblinkingly into the eyes of the man across from her: “Is Young Master Tao asking me to become your concubine?”

Next door, Kou’er nearly failed to steady the teacup, her pretty face full of fury.

Luo Sheng couldn’t help but ask: “What did he say?”

Kou’er’s ear was still pressed to the wall as she said indignantly: “Young Master Tao wants the eldest miss to be his concubine!”