Madam Gu pulled Shen Jiao around, looking her over: "Too high."

Master Gu and Gu An nodded: "It's too high, too high."

Shen Jiao: No, I measured it, it hasn't grown even a millimeter.

Madam Gu added, "You've lost weight."

Master Gu and Gu An said seriously, "You've lost weight."

Shen Jiao: No, I haven't had any of that either. I weighed myself and I've gained three pounds.

"Jiaojiao, are you tired from preparing for the Four Flowers Banquet?" Madam Gu asked with concern, pulling Shen Jiao to sit beside her.

Before she could speak, the Gu father and son kept saying, "Yes, definitely, absolutely!"

Most daughters would stay up all night preparing for the Four Flowers Banquet, even to the point of exhaustion, hoping to make a name for themselves one day, much like preparing for the college entrance examination.

Shen Jiao was unaware of this.

She only asked for good food and enough sleep; as for her dream of becoming famous?

She didn't at all.

Her attendance at the Four Flowers Banquet was merely a pact with the tyrant.

Otherwise, even if she, Shen Jiao, were beaten to death or jumped off the second floor, she would not attend this Four Flowers Banquet!

Shen Jiao chatted with Madam Gu and had dinner at the Gu family's house before returning to the palace. However, she did not expect to run into an acquaintance on the way.

yes……

The Qin family.

The original owner's mother.

Shen Jiao didn't have a very good impression of Marquis Anbo, but she didn't feel much aversion to her gentle and beautiful mother.

But to take the initiative to get close to her would seem to put her in an awkward position.

Qin Shi had heard rumors that Shen Jiao had gone to the Gu family, so she specially waited for her daughter on this only road back to the palace.

She had imagined countless times what it would be like for the mother and daughter to meet.

But there is no scene like the one right now.

The mother and daughter stood on either side of the bustling street.

No arguing or quarreling.

Silence.

Like a stranger who is most familiar, it was calm and gentle, yet it deeply pierced Qin's heart.

"I'm so sorry, Jiaojiao, I'm so sorry..."