The last drawing is exquisitely crafted, and the girl in the drawing is even more delicate, with her eyebrows and eyes depicted with exceptional realism.

Qiu Ling'er looked up, her lips trembling as she stared at Zhou's mother, unsure of what to say.

Zhou's mother watched Qiu Ling'er's reaction carefully.

“Young lady, I think the girls in these paintings are all quite beautiful, but there are so many that I’m overwhelmed. Today, if you like any of them, just pick one. If I find it pleasing to the eye, I will ask my son for his opinion after the autumn imperial examinations.”

Zhou's mother looked at Qiu Ling'er, waiting for her choice.

As for Qiu Ling'er... she lowered her eyes slightly, looking at the ground.

Just because Zhou Zifang changed his personality,

She started paying more attention to him.

Mrs. Zhou's tentative gesture left her unsure of what to say.

Over the years, Brother Zifang had treated her extremely well, but she had never known that he had feelings for her, nor had she ever considered it.

Therefore, she wanted to use time to find out the answer in her heart.

But now that she knows that Brother Zifang has already been set up with so many girls, she feels somewhat lost.

Suddenly, she didn't want Zhou Zifang to pay attention to other people anymore.

She felt that she had inexplicably developed a possessive desire for Zhou Zifang.

But does this possessiveness come from the older brother, or from...?

For example, she was also somewhat unhappy when her brother, Ah Xu, was going to marry Sun Wan.

Qiu Ling'er's mind was a little fuzzy, so she simply shut herself up and stopped thinking about it.

"Miss Ling'er?" Zhou's mother noticed that Qiu Ling'er was lost in thought, so she got up and walked to her side in small steps.

On the day of the coup on Dragon Boat Festival, she recognized Qiu Ling'er instantly from the moment she first saw her because of the portrait.

She knew at the time that Zifang's feelings were one-sided, and she even advised her son that what he couldn't have was always the best, and told him not to focus his attention on this girl anymore.

Unfortunately, while the son verbally complied, he still harbored unrequited feelings for the girl.

She's been through it all herself and knows her son can't let go of this girl.

Now that she's actually met her, she thinks the girl is quite nice.

“Madam Zhou…” Qiu Ling’er forced a smile and put down the scroll in her hand.

With so many girls around, is this clearly meant to make her jealous?

Madam Zhou appears kind on the outside, but is actually a cunning old fox.

"The girls are all very beautiful, each with their own unique charm."

Madam Zhou? Madam Zhou froze. Did this girl already know her identity, or had she just guessed it?

She didn't dwell on it, but simply smiled and said:

“I think so too.” With that, she randomly pulled out a few paintings from the scroll. “Ling’er, can you take a look?”

"Uh... um," Qiu Ling'er suddenly felt that the distance between the two of them had become intimate because of Zhou's mother's call of "Ling'er".

She tightened her fingers, "The choices Madam made are all very good."

"It's not enough for me to like it; my son has to approve of it too. In my opinion..." Zhou's mother suddenly pulled out the last one.

"This one is the best."

Qiu Ling'er...

She stared blankly at her reflection in the portrait, then forced a stiff smile as she looked at Zhou's mother.

"Madam... has good taste."

"It's not that I have good taste, it's that Zifang has good taste." Without saying anything more, Zhou's mother took Qiu Ling'er's wrist and led her to the kitchen.

Upon arriving at the kitchen, a large table was laden with fragrant dishes.

Zhou's mother smiled and said:

"Ling'er, I don't know if this will suit your taste. If not, I'll have the kitchen make something more delicious."

Qiu Ling'er looked closely and found that all the dishes on the table were her favorite foods.

"Mrs. Lao has gone to great lengths; this is more than enough."

"Look at you, why are you being so polite?" Zhou's mother smiled and shook her head, pulling Qiu Ling'er to sit beside her.

Throughout the meal, Zhou's mother kept putting food on Qiu Ling'er's plate, her enthusiasm as warm as the summer sun.

Qiu Ling'er endured an awkward lunch that seemed harmonious but was actually fraught with hidden 'schemes'.

After finishing a meal,

Qiu Ling'er thought that she should be able to go to the Hall of Forgetfulness by now.

Otherwise, Master Susu will be furious.

Unexpectedly,

As Zhou's mother got up, she suddenly cried out "Ouch!" and her expression changed instantly.

Qiu Ling'er: "Madam, what's wrong?"

"My back hurts!" Zhou's mother said with a pained expression.

Qiu Ling'er... Madam Zhou, the timing of your waist twist is just too perfect.

"Let me help you inside to lie down." As she spoke, she had already supported Zhou's mother's waist.

"Okay, okay, okay, Ling'er, then I'll trouble you." Zhou's mother said "okay" three times in a row, her smile becoming even more kind.

Qiu Ling'er smiled and shook her head: "It's no trouble at all."

Ever since Zhou's mother twisted her waist, she has been groaning incessantly.

Qiu Ling'er had no choice but to delay her departure, helping Zhou's mother into the bedroom.

"Madam Zhou, please lie down first."

Amidst a series of groans, Zhou's mother lay down as instructed.

She didn't need to make a request.

Qiu Ling'er had already carefully begun to examine her waist.

The result is that it hurts wherever you press.

"Please bear with it." Qiu Ling'er had no choice but to cooperate with Zhou's mother and put on an act.

"No need for that, I'll take my time."

"It's no trouble at all."

During the massage,

Zhou's mother said, half-jokingly and half-seriously:

"Ling'er, about that girl we just picked out, I'm planning to have Zifang go and propose marriage to her. What do you think, Ling'er?"

"..." Qiu Ling'er couldn't stop laughing, and the smile froze on her face.

She pursed her lips and remained silent.

Zhou's mother shook her head. Was Ling'er truly reserved, or did she have absolutely no feelings for Zi Fang?

She really couldn't be sure.

Ling'er refused to budge, and Zhou's mother had no choice.

"Ling'er, I'm afraid my old back won't get better anytime soon. I'll have to trouble you to come every day. Don't worry, you'll definitely get your share of the consultation fees."

"Brother Zifang and I are old acquaintances, so I won't charge you for your consultation," Qiu Ling'er said with a smile, declining the offer.

"I won't charge you for the consultation, but I'll make sure the medicine costs less. Miss Ling'er, when you come again tomorrow, remember to bring me a few plasters."

…………

By the time Qiu Ling'er left the Zhou family that day, it was already past dinner time.

That's right, she ate two meals at the Zhou family's house today.

Upon returning to the manor, I heard Steward Gu report:

"Second Miss, where have you been all day? The Princess Consort has been waiting for you."

"Thank you for your trouble, Steward." Qiu Ling'er ran quickly to find her sister.

When Qiu Yan saw that Qiu Ling'er had finally returned home, the first thing she said was,

"So you still know how to come back?"

"Sister, I'm sorry."

"Qiu Ling'er, do you know how worried your sister is about you?" Qiu Yan asked, feigning seriousness.

What happened to Duan Tianzhang today has kept her on tenterhooks.

That woman, at first glance, seemed completely innocent.

In reality, it's not advisable to develop a close relationship with them.

Now, her malicious intentions have made her furious.

Duan Tianzhang is more than just malicious;

Qiu Yan herself wasn't afraid of her, but she was afraid that this woman would threaten her family, especially Gu Qian.

Now, let her stay in prison and reflect on her actions.

"Sister..." Qiu Ling'er smiled awkwardly and grabbed her sister's wrist, "That Duan Tianzhang today..."

"Your brother-in-law sent her to the Ministry of Justice." Qiu Yan couldn't contain her anger when she mentioned this person.

"I've chosen two maids for you. I'll choose a few more later. When you're traveling, you'll need to have a few more people with you." Qiu Yan said, glancing towards the courtyard.

Two maids then came out one after the other, bowing to Qiu Ling'er.

"Your servants, Emerald and Glass, greet the Second Young Lady."

Qiu Ling'er pursed her lips. She wanted to say that Duan Tianzhang had already been brought to justice.

However, she still obediently nodded.

Practice makes perfect.

Ever since Zhou's mother twisted her back, Qiu Ling'er has come to examine her every day for the past three days.

However, there were now jade and glass behind them.

She brought several days' worth of plasters at Zhou's mother's request.

During this time, she encountered Zhou Shao twice.

The two had known each other since Baiyang. After exchanging pleasantries, Zhou Shao exclaimed, "What a coincidence!"

Little did he know that this clever idea came entirely from his own wife.

Three days later,

Zhou Zifang returned from the autumn imperial examination.

Unfortunately, Qiu Ling'er had just left.

The two elders of the Zhou family reacted differently when they saw their youngest son return.

Zhou Shao's first sentence was,

"Zifang, how did you do on the exam?"

Zhou's mother glared at Zhou Shao.

"Master, is fame and fortune all you care about? Zifang has just returned and must be very hungry. Why don't you go to the kitchen for a meal first?"

Zhou Zifang was indeed hungry, and nodded repeatedly.

Of course, he didn't want to discuss the autumn imperial examinations with his father either.

In his view, much of his father's business acumen had been applied to him.

Unexpectedly, his mother followed him in after he had just finished eating and was resting in bed.

"Mother, is there something you need?" Zhou Zifang didn't want to mention a single word about the autumn imperial examinations.

Why? Because I'm tired.

For three days in a row, he racked his brains and poured his heart and soul into it. At this moment, all he wanted to do was lie in bed and sleep for days and nights.

"Can't I come looking for you if there's nothing wrong?" Zhou's mother said with a hint of reproach.

Zhou Zifang yawned repeatedly.

"That's not what my son meant."

"Zifang, I have something to tell you."

"What is it, Mother?"

"You've seen the portraits of the girls, and tomorrow..."

"Mom, I've only just gotten some peace and quiet." Zhou Zifang was already overwhelmed when he heard that his mother wanted to set him up on blind dates again.

"I don't care. I want to see you get married and have children next year."

"Mom, I want to sleep." Zhou Zifang was upset about the blind date, so he simply covered his head with the blanket.

Zhou's mother originally wanted to talk to Zhou Zifang about Qiu Ling'er, but she was so affected by his appearance that she lost her mood.

She decided to stop trying to persuade him, and seeing that her son was truly exhausted, she tiptoed away. In her heart, however, she smiled secretly.

Early the next morning,

Zhou Zifang was just about to leave when

He was met head-on by his own mother, who blocked his way.

"Zifang, where are we going?"

God knows how ugly Zhou Zifang's face looked at that moment.

He was always forced to go on blind dates.

This time,

He made up his mind.

I absolutely refuse to go.

Unexpectedly, this time, his mother didn't force him to go at all.

Instead, he said:

"Stay home and behave yourself. The girl will be here soon."

"What kind of girl is this, so unreserved, actually coming to our door in person?" Zhou Zifang muttered, but was silenced by a glance from his mother.

In Dongjin, there is generally no concept of arranged marriages.

It was Zhou Zifang himself who refused to propose marriage.

Furthermore, because his family was a prominent merchant family, there were many willing buyers.

So his parents thought that he should find a suitable girl, which is why they arranged for them to meet in secret.

Right now, a girl has actually come to their door, and before they've even met, his positive feelings towards her have already dropped to zero.

Unbeknownst to him, at that very moment, Qiu Ling'er's figure appeared in his line of sight...

"Ling'er, my little sister?" Zhou Zifang's eyes lit up with joy the moment he saw Qiu Ling'er.

"Mother, you're not talking about Ling'er, are you?"

Zhou's mother remained noncommittal, saying, "I had no idea that I had given birth to such a lovelorn son."

Qiu Ling'er entered the Zhou residence, first bowing to Zhou's mother, and then inquiring of Zhou Zifang.

"Brother Zifang, you just said, who isn't reserved?"

"Nobody, you misheard," Zhou Zifang said with a smile, trying to smooth things over after his earlier casual remark.

Why are you here?

"What a question." Zhou's mother glanced at Zhou Zifang, then cleared her throat: "My back is not feeling well, so I need Miss Ling'er to come and examine me."

"You two chat, I'll go tell the servants to prepare some tea, fruit and snacks."

Whenever Qiu Ling'er visited, Zhou's mother would serve her all sorts of food.

"It doesn't need to be that complicated," Qiu Ling'er whispered, but it clearly had no effect.

She followed behind Zhou's mother.

After Zhou's mother finished her other tasks, she presented several plasters.

"Madam Zhou, this plaster is different from the previous ones; it's a new product developed by Ling'er." Its main purpose is to maintain the health of Madam Zhou's still relatively strong back.

"Good, good." Zhou's mother smiled and accepted it, not forgetting to praise, "Ling'er knows so much."

Who wouldn't like a girl who understands medicine?

Zhou Zifang watched from the sidelines the whole time.

He was very puzzled.

How did Ling'er and her mother meet?

"Zifang, what do you think of the young lady we met today?" Zhou's mother asked meaningfully.

Zhou Zifang's face was full of faint smiles.

"Ling'er, come for a walk with me."

Qiu Ling'er was bewildered by Zhou's mother's words.

But suddenly, it dawned on me...

"But I..."

“Go ahead.” Zhou’s mother suddenly stood up straight. “With the ointment that Ling’er provided these past three days, my old back has stopped hurting.”

Qiu Ling'er: What should she say?

"Okay," she nodded in agreement.

Under the loving gaze of Zhou's mother, he and Zhou Zifang left the Zhou residence together.

On the road,

Zhou Zifang asked aloud:

"Ling'er, aren't you going to ask me how my exam went?"

"Whether it's good or bad, it doesn't matter." Qiu Ling'er turned her gaze and looked earnestly at Zhou Zifang's eyes and brows.

"Brother Zifang, Ling'er doesn't want you to be under too much pressure. Just do your best on the path of the imperial examination."

"Mm," Zhou Zifang replied with a smile.

However, since I promised Ling'er, I must read this book.

He didn't know his results in the autumn imperial examination yet. If he didn't pass, he would continue to study diligently.

If he passed the exam, he would continue to study diligently, preparing for the palace examination three years later.

Uh... I'm thinking a bit too far ahead. Let's look at the present and see if I can pass the exam. He was a little uneasy because he was cramming at the last minute.

He reached out, wanting to pull Qiu Ling'er's slender wrist, but he never had the courage.

The two followed each other, and before they knew it, they had arrived at Bihu Villa.

As for why we came here...

This place is secluded and has charming scenery, making it a gathering place for handsome men and beautiful women.

Inside the pavilion,

Qiu Ling'er sat relaxed, her mind filled with thoughts of...

Master Susu, you must hold on while I'm gone.

And I don't know,

Today, there is one more person in the Hall of Forgetfulness: Gao Chong, whom Qiu Yan had long forgotten.