Inside, the elderly Madam Xie was hastily helped to her feet by a maid.

“Yue Niang, have you eaten?” she asked with a smile.

“Ah, not yet,” Qi Yue replied, glancing toward the reclining Madam Xie.

Madam Xie was asleep, a feeding tube inserted, her mouth slightly open, the cannula exposed at her neck, dressed in the standard hospital gown. All vestiges of her noble household dignity were gone; she appeared suddenly much older.

This time, she had truly suffered.

“It’s better than being dead,” Madam Xie remarked, following Qi Yue’s gaze, a mixture of relief and joy in her expression.

Qi Yue said nothing, offering a small smile before moving forward to conduct the examination.

“With Imperial Physician Zhou and Old Master An here, her recovery is truly excellent,” she said, clicking her tongue in approval. “We can probably remove the tube in another seven or eight days.”

“That’s because you are here. Without you, she’d already be six feet under,” Madam Xie stated.

Qi Yue looked at Madam Xie, opening her mouth as if to speak, but then closing it.

“That’s right, without me, she’d have kicked the bucket long ago,” she affirmed. “When she wakes, remember to tell her that.”

Madam Xie couldn't help but chuckle.

This woman was doing it on purpose.

“Yue Niang, she has wronged you,” she said, her smile fading.

“I know she wronged me,” Qi Yue interrupted. “So, let’s skip the empty, meaningless pleasantries. Just remember to pay the consultation fee generously; that’s the only tangible benefit.”

Saying this, she tucked her stethoscope into her pocket.

“You rest now. I’m on duty today; have someone call me if anything arises,” she said, turning and stepping out.

Madam Xie could only watch her leave.

“Madam, have some tea,” the maid quickly and carefully helped her sit down.

Madam Xie had no appetite for tea and waved her hand dismissively.

The curtain rustled, and Chang Yuncheng stepped inside, the hem of his robe soaked with rain.

“Grandmother, what is it?” He looked up, startled by Madam Xie’s glare and sour expression, and immediately turned his gaze toward Madam Xie.

She seems fine…

“Not arriving when you should have…” Madam Xie shot him a look, speaking without warmth.

“What?” Chang Yuncheng asked, not understanding.

“Where have you been?” Madam Xie pressed.

“Handling some official matters,” Chang Yuncheng replied with a slight smile, accepting the towel offered by the kneeling maid to wipe his damp hem. “Did you miss me, Grandmother?”

Madam Xie shot him a sidelong glance.

“I have no time to miss you,” she chided, then frowned, a touch of worry clouding her features. “Why hasn’t Yue Niang been around our rooms as often lately… Is she perhaps tired of looking after us?”

Chang Yuncheng lowered his head, waving the maid away, and took the towel himself to methodically dry his soaked robe.

“With Imperial Physician Zhou and Old Master An here, you can rest assured, Grandmother,” he murmured.

Madam Xie regarded him intently.

“I trust Old Master An, but this so-called Imperial Physician Zhou—he just looks entirely unreliable…” she grumbled. “You’ve come back at the right time. Young Mistress Qi is on duty today; go see her.”

Chang Yuncheng continued to dry his hem, head bowed.

“See her? For what reason?” he said softly.

Madam Xie clicked her tongue irritably.

“Ask her about your mother’s condition—how is she doing? What should we watch out for?” she demanded, glaring.

“But Old Master An already explained all that,” Chang Yuncheng countered.

Madam Xie became infuriated, raising her cane to tap his hand.

“Stop fiddling with that cloth! Will wiping your wet clothes dry them? Stop playing the timid bird! Go ask her now!” she barked in a low, sharp tone. “She is the one who cured your mother; no one else’s word matters!”

Chang Yuncheng looked at her with exasperation and called out, “Grandmother.”

Madam Xie raised her cane again, eyes fixed on him.

Chang Yuncheng was somewhat awkwardly ushered out of the room. The rain was pouring down, forcing him to quicken his pace to the opposite eaves. He looked back to see Madam Xie glaring at him through the doorway before she shut the door.

Chang Yuncheng sighed in resignation.

“Young Lord Shizi,” someone called from behind him.

He turned to see a handyman carrying a basket of medicinal herbs.

The handyman looked at him with undisguised excitement.

“Protect her well. She’s likely to face increasing trouble from now on,” Chang Yuncheng murmured quietly.

The handyman nodded. Since Chang Yuncheng’s return, these former guards, now serving as handyman staff, hadn't had a chance to see him. Given Madam Xie’s illness, they naturally avoided disturbing him.

“Shizi, rest assured,” the man stated solemnly.

Chang Yuncheng didn't speak further, his gaze fixed on the rain-swept courtyard.

“Shizi,” the handyman called softly, not moving away.

“If there’s nothing else, go on. Don’t let her find out. She is terribly stubborn,” Chang Yuncheng said without turning around.

The handyman assented and walked off with his basket, though he returned a few steps later.

“When the good news of the Shizi’s accomplishments arrived, Young Mistress Qi was deeply worried. She tried every means possible to find out if you had been injured,” he said in a low voice.

Chang Yuncheng turned to look at him. The handyman bowed deeply and then walked away.

The rain hammered down. Because of the weather, there were few patients seeking consultation, leaving the surroundings unusually quiet. Chang Yuncheng stood motionless.

Will wiping wet clothes dry them?

Madam Xie’s words echoed in his ears: Wet is wet; what use is wiping?

He lowered his head, looking at the saturated hem of his robe. Whether due to the wind or the warmth of his body, a small patch was beginning to dry.

Perhaps... there was still time... or perhaps...

He gritted his teeth and turned toward Qi Yue’s quarters nearby.

“Madam, Madam, the Young Lord Shizi is moving!” The young maid, standing by the window, couldn't help but exclaim excitedly.

“I’m not blind yet,” Madam Xie retorted, glaring. “Move over there; you’re crowding me. What are you looking at?”

The young maid giggled, covering her mouth, and obediently shifted aside.

“Oh dear, it stopped again,” she murmured.

Madam Xie couldn't resist tapping the window with her cane.

“Oh, this useless man, he’s making me anxious to death…” she whispered. “What is he doing now?”

“Madam, it seems someone has arrived,” the maid said, tiptoeing to look.

Six or seven people suddenly rushed into the quiet hall through the misty rain, instantly bringing a stir of activity.

The disciples rushed to meet them.

“It’s an emergency case!” they shouted, their voices laced with a hint of joy.

An emergency visit at this time was truly a timely rain.

Qi Yue heard the noise and ran out of her room.

“How is it?” she asked, then paused upon seeing the man removing his bamboo hat. “First Young Master Wang, why are you here? Is this about your…”

“Brothers from the Yamen,” Wang Qian replied with a smile.

“From where you are?” Qi Yue asked, surprised.

Good heavens, how far was that? And in this rain...

Did they bring him all this way specifically?

“It wasn’t raining when we started,” Wang Qian explained, pointing outside with a grin. “It only started halfway. Since we were halfway there, it made more sense to come here than turn back.”

Qi Yue nodded, offering him a smile, and focused intently on the patient.

“…It’s a penetrating wound infection; we need to debride it again…” Qi Yue stated.

“Yes, yes, we thought it looked bad too. The supervisor said Young Mistress Qi is the best at this, so we rushed him over,” said a man beside the injured, introducing himself. “I am also a doctor, but my skills are shallow; I am truly ashamed.”

“Not at all. We all specialize in different areas. I’m just more proficient in this one; I can’t compare to you in others,” Qi Yue laughed, already directing the setup for surgery.

The accompanying doctor was surprised. This legendary Young Mistress Qi, known for being so domineering that anyone who didn't follow her methods was deemed wrong, turned out to be so humble and kind.

With the preparations underway, Qi Yue led her team to clean the wound.

“Are you heading home or…?” Qi Yue paused again as she walked away, looking back at Wang Qian.

“The rain is too heavy. I’ll wait for it to ease up a bit. Besides, now that the man is here, I should at least stay until the procedure is finished before leaving,” Wang Qian replied with a warm smile.

Qi Yue smiled back at him.

“Come to my office; my maid just brought up some small pastries. You can sample them,” she said, pointing toward her room. “Though, the tea isn’t very good; you’ll have to make do.”

Wang Qian’s smile deepened, his eyes narrowing contentedly.

“Hurry along then,” he urged.

Only then did Qi Yue turn and leave.

The hall returned to quiet.

“First Young Master Wang, please come this way. Shall I brew you some tea?” the guiding disciple offered enthusiastically.

“No need, I can manage myself,” Wang Wang Qian replied, removing his straw raincoat. “Find a place to hang this, and don't soil her room.”

The disciple acknowledged the order and took the cloak away.

Watching Wang Qian enter Qi Yue’s room, Chang Yuncheng, who had been hiding behind a pillar, finally stepped out slightly.

No need, I can manage myself…

He certainly made himself at home...

Were they that close?

He clenched his fists, staring intensely at the door to her room.

So familiar... so natural and at ease... That person... it wouldn't be him... never again would it be him...

In fact, the infection in the patient wasn't severe, and Qi Yue finished the surgery quickly.

The rain had stopped, leaving the courtyard fresh and clean. Several disciples walked by, carrying meals and laughing, when Madam Xie called them to a halt.

“Where is Young Mistress Qi?” she inquired.

“She just finished surgery and is about to eat,” the disciples replied, politely asking in return, “Has the Old Madam eaten? Do you need us to help with anything?”

“No, no need,” Madam Xie waved them off, leaning on her cane as she crept toward the vicinity of Qi Yue’s door.

“…I was just thinking about it since the last time I had it. What a coincidence that she made braised pork today…”

The man’s clear, gentle voice drifted out.

“Then eat more. If you want to pack some up, I’ll give you a discount…”

Qi Yue’s laughter followed immediately.

Madam Xie ground her teeth. Thinking about it? That old fool Wang Tongye’s family background is so prominent that he fixates on a mere dish of braised pork? He isn't afraid of being struck down by heaven for lying!

Shameless!

Madam Xie cursed him inwardly with indignation, then turned and walked away. After pacing several times, she found Chang Yuncheng by the wash basin in the courtyard, staring blankly at the flowing water.

This useless man... He says he's let go, but is this what letting go looks like?

Isn't life maintained by one's sense of propriety? If you can't save face, how can you possibly live well?

Madam Xie tapped him with her cane to rouse him.

“Come with me,” she commanded.

Chang Yuncheng looked confused but was prodded by Madam Xie's cane toward Qi Yue’s side.

“Grandmother, stop making a scene,” he said softly when he recognized the direction, stopping in his tracks.

“Making a scene? What scene?” Madam Xie said. “Is asking about your mother’s condition making a scene?”

Chang Yuncheng looked at her, his expression pleading.

“Grandmother, this is too cruel,” he whispered, glancing toward Qi Yue’s room.

Madam Xie gave him a hard shove.

“Young Mistress Qi!” she shouted loudly.

At that point, it was too late to retreat. Chang Yuncheng was awkwardly pushed right up to the doorframe. Madam Xie lifted the curtain and pulled him inside along with her.

Inside, Qi Yue was eating, with Wang Qian sitting opposite her, also lifting his chopsticks. Both looked up.

“Oh dear, we caught you at mealtime. What bad timing,” Madam Xie said apologetically.

Qi Yue stood up.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. What is it?” she asked, casually inquiring, “Have you eaten?”

“We haven't had a moment yet,” Madam Xie replied. Before Qi Yue could say more, she turned to Chang Yuncheng. “Perfect. You can eat here too. Once you’re done, you can ask about your mother’s condition.”

Without waiting for any reaction from the others, she added, “I just remembered. Doctor Liu asked me to call him after I ate. I completely forgot. I’ll go now,” she announced, turning and walking out.

Leaving the three of them staring at each other in the room.