The orange trees in Funing Hall wore the evening glow, their emerald leaves tinted with a faint red.

The large red lanterns hanging beneath the eaves had already been lit, enveloping the courtyard’s liveliness.

Luo Sheng’s arrival caused the maid guarding the door to freeze for a moment before calling out: “Young Miss Cousin has arrived.”

As Luo Sheng stepped through the doorway, she could clearly feel the room fall silent.

The family banquet was set up in the flower hall. At this time, aside from the cousins who had been frightened away by Luo Sheng, everyone else had already assembled.

In this slightly awkward atmosphere, Luo Sheng bowed to Old Madam Sheng, who sat in the seat of honor: “Sheng’er has arrived late.”

A flash of surprise and doubt crossed Old Madam Sheng’s eyes, but the corners of her mouth carried a smile as she said: “Sheng’er, please sit quickly.”

The First Madam and Second Madam exchanged glances, both feeling their hearts sink.

Young Miss Cousin never used to attend family banquets—why had she suddenly come today? Could she really have set her sights on their sons?

Quietly scanning the several empty seats, the First Madam and Second Madam secretly felt fortunate: Thankfully, for some unknown reason, their sons hadn’t appeared—they’d escaped disaster!

Old Madam Sheng suddenly asked: “Why haven’t Dalang and the others arrived yet?”

The First Madam’s lips twitched as she feigned displeasure: “Who knows where those few have gone off to make mischief. Please don’t be angry—when Dalang and the others return, this daughter-in-law will give them a good talking to.”

“They’re becoming more and more outrageous.” Old Madam Sheng raised her chopsticks.

Seeing Old Madam Sheng move her chopsticks, the others followed suit.

Since this was a family banquet, the rule of silence during meals wasn’t strictly observed, and the atmosphere was relatively warm.

Luo Sheng’s status was special. Old Madam Sheng and the other elders asked her a few more questions to show their care, but seeing her elegant eating manner, they inexplicably felt that such gestures seemed to invite disdain, so they stopped speaking.

Luo Sheng hadn’t eaten long before she set down her chopsticks, holding the cup of clear tea offered by a maid and coldly observing everyone.

Though Old Madam Sheng was advanced in years, her appetite was quite good. At this moment, she was using her chopsticks to eat some smoked duck breast.

First Uncle Sheng was in his prime years, dressed as a scholar. He drank wine more than he moved his chopsticks, and his face already carried a rosy flush.

Sitting close beside the First Madam was the eldest young miss, Sheng Jiayu. The murderous glare Luo Sheng had received upon entering was a contribution from this cousin.

Seated next to Sheng Jiayu was a girl with willow-leaf eyebrows and almond eyes—the second young miss, Sheng Jialan.

Luo Sheng deliberately looked at Sheng Jialan a few more times.

Sheng Jialan kept her eyes lowered as she ate, appearing refined and demure.

“Does Young Miss Cousin find the food not to your taste?”

Luo Sheng turned her eyes and met the smiling face of the First Madam.

“Whatever Young Miss Cousin likes to eat, just say so. Later, First Aunt will instruct the kitchen to prepare it.” The First Madam wore a smile on her face, but in reality, her heart was extremely vexed.

Not just vexed—panicked too.

Could this Young Miss Cousin be about to cause trouble again?

The First Madam had barely completed this thought when she saw Luo Sheng set her teacup down on the table.

The blue-and-white porcelain teacup collided with the rosewood tabletop, producing a sound.

This sound was very slight, yet everyone’s spirits lifted as they looked over.

It had finally come—as if Luo Sheng would ever be someone who ate quietly.

Luo Chen’s refined brows knitted tightly as he gripped his chopsticks.

Meeting everyone’s gazes, Luo Sheng’s face showed no emotion. She merely said flatly: “There’s a matter I’d like to explain to Grandmother.”

“What does Sheng’er want to say?” Old Madam Sheng asked with full alertness.

“I didn’t intend to hang myself.”

A light sound came—Second Young Miss Sheng Jialan had dropped one of her silver chopsticks.

This commotion was louder than the sound Luo Sheng had just made, but was quickly covered by the mocking laugh of First Young Miss Sheng Jiayu.

“Ha ha, everyone knows Elder Cousin Sister didn’t really want to hang herself.”

This was the first time Luo Sheng had heard Sheng Jiayu call her “Elder Cousin Sister” since waking up, yet it was full of sarcasm.

“Jiayu, don’t speak nonsense!” The First Madam rebuked her daughter, though her eyes remained entirely calm.

Of course she wouldn’t be angry at her daughter. Though her daughter’s words were harsh, it was only because this Young Miss Cousin was truly too dramatic.

Creating drama in heaven and on earth, stirring up the entire Sheng family so they couldn’t have peace.

Luo Sheng had a father the Sheng family couldn’t afford to offend, so these elders couldn’t say much, but a few disputes between peers wouldn’t bring trouble to the Sheng manor.

If this were her daughter— The First Madam’s thought frightened her so much she couldn’t catch her breath.

She could never raise such a daughter!

Her mother-in-law used to always speak of how gentle and understanding her younger sister-in-law was—didn’t she feel ashamed seeing such a granddaughter?

Thinking this, she looked at Luo Sheng and couldn’t help but freeze.

The young girl’s spine was perfectly straight, her eyes and brows composed—quite different from the feeling she usually gave people.

Luo Sheng didn’t even give Sheng Jiayu a glance. She explained seriously: “What I mean is that I did not hang myself.”

From the corner of her eye, she kept watching Sheng Jialan, and saw the other’s face turn pale, the corners of her lips tense, no longer showing that earlier demure appearance.

Old Madam Sheng’s expression became grave as she stared at Luo Sheng and asked in a heavy voice: “Sheng’er, what do you mean by this?”

Listening to her granddaughter’s implication, could someone have harmed her?

Luo Chen’s expression also changed.

Luo Sheng courting death was one thing; someone harming her was another matter entirely.

“Young Miss Cousin, some words shouldn’t be spoken carelessly.” The First Madam, suppressing her wildly racing heart, advised.

The corners of Luo Sheng’s lips curved slightly.

Her eyes were bright and her skin snow-white, but there wasn’t a trace of smile on her face—cold and clear like a jade figurine.

This coldness inexplicably made people take seriously what she was about to say next.

Luo Sheng spoke: “I had no intention of hanging myself, yet that incident occurred. Thinking it over, perhaps it was my sleepwalking condition acting up, causing me to do something absurd in confusion.”

“Sleepwalking?” Everyone froze.

Luo Sheng nodded slightly: “I originally didn’t want to mention this hidden ailment, but the incident three days ago worried the elders. Today I should still explain it clearly.”

The stagnant atmosphere flowed freely again with Luo Sheng’s explanation.

Old Madam Sheng breathed a sigh of relief and asked with concern: “Is the condition severe? Has your father had a physician see you?”

“He has. It used to act up frequently when I was young, but stopped when I grew older. Perhaps changing locations made me somewhat unaccustomed, causing a relapse.”

“Then tomorrow we’ll have a physician come take a look.”

Luo Sheng shook her head in refusal: “There’s no need to trouble anyone. Hong Dou used to prepare medicine for me and still remembers the prescription.”

Old Madam Sheng wanted to persuade her further, but Luo Sheng said directly: “I don’t want more people to know about my hidden ailment.”

Only then did Old Madam Sheng give up.

From the corner of Luo Sheng’s eye, she caught a glimpse—Second Young Miss Sheng Jialan’s face had already regained its color.

She curved the corners of her lips slightly and took a shallow sip of tea.

When the family banquet dispersed, a crescent moon already hung in the sky, sprinkling down sparse moonlight.

Luo Sheng didn’t have Hong Dou carry a lantern, walking calmly along the bluestone path.

Luo Chen quickly caught up and blocked her way.

In the moonlight, the young man’s eyes were profound, carrying scrutiny: “Do you really have sleepwalking disorder?”

Luo Sheng nodded.

“Why would you dream of hanging yourself?”

Luo Sheng felt this question from the youth was rather sharp. After thinking, she said: “Perhaps because I don’t dare try it when awake?”

“Incomprehensible!” The young man’s face went pale with anger at this response, and he swept his sleeves and left.

Luo Sheng stood by the roadside watching the slender youth depart, feeling no ripples in her heart.

She would soon be leaving this place and had no energy to build good relationships with people.

By the roadside were lush flowers and trees, their indistinct shadows casting patches of darkness on the young girl’s clothing.

Suddenly, a man’s voice could be faintly heard drifting over.