Xiu Yue looked at Xu Fang and couldn’t help thinking: Miss Xu really resembles the Huayang Princess.

However, in her memory, the Huayang Princess had always been radiant and dazzling, while Miss Xu before her eyes was pale and helpless.

She used iron tongs to deftly place the roasted sweet potatoes one by one into a rattan basket that had been prepared earlier.

The sweet potatoes, roasted to a golden brown, emitted hot steam, all of similar size.

The sweet and fragrant aroma unique to roasted sweet potatoes immediately rushed toward people’s noses, tempting them to swallow their saliva.

In the depths of winter, people probably had especially little resistance to such soft and sweet treats.

Hong Dou immediately reached out with two fingers to pinch one, hissing as she called out that it was hot, yet she persisted in grabbing it, passing it from her left hand to her right hand as it burned her.

Kou’er was much more composed, taking out her handkerchief to cushion it as she picked up a sweet potato.

The two little maids ran to Luo Sheng’s presence almost simultaneously, saying in unison: “Miss, have some roasted sweet potato.”

Then the two exchanged glances, their gazes quickly separating, though both were thinking the same thing: That little hussy Kou’er (Hong Dou) is competing with her for favor again!

Two steaming hot roasted sweet potatoes were placed before her eyes. Luo Sheng had no intention of choosing between them, but instead took both sweet potatoes, passing one to Xu Fang.

Hong Dou immediately smiled with pursed lips.

Although the miss had accepted both her and Kou’er’s roasted sweet potatoes, she had given Kou’er’s to Miss Xu and would eat the one she had brought.

Hmph, that little hussy Kou’er still wanted to compete with her for the position of first senior maid—how had she not woken from that dream yet?

After a moment of disappointment, Kou’er had grown accustomed to it.

Whatever, why compete with Hong Dou, that brainless little hussy? She knew why Miss Xu was in such a daze—did Hong Dou know?

When it came to serious matters, the miss still valued her more.

Hong Dou, seeing Kou’er’s expression, curled her lip disdainfully.

No need to ask—she knew what Kou’er was thinking.

What, gathering information for the miss was a serious matter, but snatching pretty men for the miss wasn’t?

What kind of discrimination was this?

Luo Sheng had long grown used to the two little maids’ secret rivalry, and asked Xu Fang with a smile: “Has Miss Xu eaten roasted sweet potatoes before?”

In the eyes of many wealthy families, sweet potatoes were coarse food, unfit for proper tables.

Xu Fang had thought Luo Sheng would ask her why she had run to the Youjian Tavern.

At this moment, she felt embarrassed and at a loss, hardly knowing how to answer such a question.

But unexpectedly, Miss Luo asked this instead.

Xu Fang breathed a sigh of relief, even feeling a few threads of gratitude rising in her heart.

“I have eaten them before.”

After her mother’s death, the adults said she had to observe mourning, forbidding her to eat chicken, duck, fish, or meat, forbidding her to eat refined rice and fine flour, even stopping the bowl of milk she had every morning.

She had found the milk’s smell heavy and needed her mother to coax her to drink it every day, but after that, she craved the milk so much she couldn’t sleep.

When she grew older, she finally understood—what she missed wasn’t that bowl of milk at all, but her dear mother.

During those difficult days, one day she had accidentally seen several little maids roasting sweet potatoes, and had pitifully smelled the fragrance for a long time.

Her senior maid Hong’er had traded a pearl flower for a sweet potato and secretly brought it to her to eat.

Later, on the pretext of inadequately caring for her, Hong’er was summoned by her father, and a matchmaker was called to sell her away.

Xu Fang smiled at Luo Sheng: “It was very delicious.”

“Then Miss Xu should eat it while it’s hot.”

Xu Fang carefully peeled away the hot sweet potato skin, revealing the red flesh inside, and lowered her head to take a bite—sweet, soft, and fragrant.

Just as she had told Miss Luo, it was very delicious.

The great hall was filled with the aroma of roasted sweet potatoes and cheerful laughter.

Luo Sheng accompanied Miss Xu standing by the window, silently eating roasted sweet potatoes.

Outside the window, the wind blew slantwise through fine snow, with few pedestrians about.

The roasted sweet potato was both sweet and soft, its fragrance lingering between teeth and cheeks.

Xu Fang, holding the hot roasted sweet potato and eating it in small bites, suddenly shed tears.

She glanced at Luo Sheng awkwardly, only to find that the other’s expression showed little change.

Calm with a hint of tenderness.

This was very different from the Miss Luo who had carried her brother and made a scene at the Changchun Marquis Estate that day, yet it was also the Miss Luo she knew.

Family scandals should not be made public.

Xu Fang understood this principle, but at this moment, facing this person, she suddenly had the desire to confide.

“Miss Luo, if a person has developed the bad habit of gambling, how can one make him quit?”

“Miss Xu is referring to your younger brother?”

Xu Fang was startled.

Luo Sheng’s face was calm as clouds and light as wind: “I encountered him at the gambling den, though he didn’t see me.”

Xu Fang: “…”

Miss Luo also gambled?

She suddenly felt somewhat regretful about speaking up.

Wouldn’t Miss Luo seek out her brother as a gambling partner in the future?

Thinking of this possibility, Xu Fang suddenly felt the roasted sweet potato in her hand wasn’t so sweet anymore.

Luo Sheng, perceiving Xu Fang’s thoughts, curved her lips in a smile: “I have a heavy curiosity and want to see everything… Gambling indeed harms people deeply. That day I even saw someone who couldn’t repay their gambling debt have a finger chopped off.”

With a splat, the roasted sweet potato in Xu Fang’s hand fell to the ground, and her face turned deathly pale.

“Miss Xu?”

Xu Fang grabbed Luo Sheng’s wrist, her voice trembling: “Miss Luo, my brother has become addicted to gambling. Can you help me think of a way to make him turn back from his wayward path?”

All her caution and forbearance, her tolerance and consideration, were completely helpless when facing her brother’s situation.

And Miss Luo—perhaps it was the impression left from that time when she made her father and stepmother suffer a loss that was too deep; she inexplicably felt that Miss Luo was someone who had solutions.

Only, seeking help like this was somewhat presumptuous of her.

Luo Sheng readily nodded: “Sure.”

Even if Xu Fang hadn’t come seeking help, she would have involved herself anyway, and now that Xu Fang had spoken up, it was all the more natural.

Luo Sheng’s agreement came too readily, leaving Xu Fang momentarily stunned, briefly doubting whether the other had heard clearly.

“I can help Miss Xu with this favor, as long as Miss Xu doesn’t feel heartache,” Luo Sheng said, looking at Xu Fang.

Xu Fang nodded without hesitation: “I won’t feel heartache!”

As long as it could make her brother mend his ways, what did suffering some consequences matter?

She wasn’t that muddled.

Luo Sheng smiled and nodded slightly, gazing at the swirling snow outside the window and saying softly: “Then Miss Xu, please wait.”

At Qianjin Pavilion, the atmosphere was lively and bustling.

Those fond of gambling wouldn’t let foul weather block their enthusiasm for coming to the gambling den.

At this place where fortunes were scattered and returned again, naturally some were wildly joyful while others were in despair.

In an inconspicuous corner, Xu Xi’s face was deathly pale, dripping with cold sweat: “It can’t be, it can’t be…”

Why had he lost again!

The people gathered at the table had long since lost patience: “What, you can afford to play but can’t afford to lose?”

“Who can’t afford to lose? Again!” Xu Xi shouted with reddened eyes.

“Again?” The speaker was a man with triangular eyes. “Again is fine, but first pay back the money you owe. By the way, how much was it again?”

A subordinate nearby said with a grin: “Five thousand taels.”

The triangular-eyed man patted Xu Xi’s shoulder: “Did you hear that? Five thousand taels of silver. Pay it back and we’ll play again.”

Five thousand taels?

Xu Xi felt as if someone had struck him on the head with a blunt object; his brain was exploding.

How could it be five thousand taels?

“You’re, you’re talking nonsense—”

“Nonsense?” The triangular-eyed man slapped a stack of IOUs in front of Xu Xi and smiled sinisterly. “Boy, open your eyes wide and look carefully. Did you or did you not write these with your own hand!”