Such filial piety and parental love felt like a hundred needles piercing Shi Yi's eyes. She wanted to leave, but since she had not yet achieved her goal, she could only wait for her father to turn his attention back to her.

Sure enough, after a moment, Shi's father noticed Shi Yi standing in the middle of the room and said calmly, "Is there anything else?"

Shi Yi paused for a moment, then said, "I heard that you were the second scholar in the dynasty to achieve the highest honor in the imperial examinations, and that you were the first to do so. I used to be introverted and although I knew a few characters, I was not very talented in writing. I was worried that I would tarnish your reputation if I went out in the future, so I came to ask you for guidance."

After a moment of contemplation, Shi's father looked up at Shi Yi, who was calm and composed, and who, despite her young age, already possessed an elegant demeanor. He reached out and took the calligraphy copybook placed in front of Shi Lan, saying, "You should first trace these characters. Tomorrow, you and Lan'er will go to the teacher's place together to study."

Shi Yi accepted the calligraphy copybook, pursed her lips, bowed, and left.

Shi Lan stared at Shi Yi's retreating figure, pouting, her face full of displeasure.

Mr. Shi turned his head and saw it, then chuckled and said, "What, you can't bear to part with it?"

Shi Lan twisted her chubby little body and said coyly, "No, I didn't."

Mr. Shi chuckled. If a high-ranking official of the third rank didn't know her little schemes, then he shouldn't be working in the imperial court.

"Those were just calligraphy copybooks I bought casually from the study. I'll rewrite two more for you as an apology, okay?"

Shi Lan turned her little head, her bright eyes looking at him, "Really?"

With a smile, Shi's father picked up his pen, and one by one, the characters, as upright as bamboo and as vigorous as pine, leaped onto the paper.

The calligraphy copybook was taken away, and Shi's father buried himself in making more copybooks for her. Shi Lan sat in the chair, looking left and right, feeling quite bored. Before long, her stomach started growling. Shi Lan lowered her head and her gaze fell on the soup pot on the table.

The study was quiet. When Mr. Shi heard the noise, a smile appeared on his lips.

Shi Lan jumped off the stool, sidled up to her father, and quietly touched the soup pot with her chubby little hand.

Shi's father glanced at her sideways and saw that she was as cute as a little mouse stealing food, cautious and sneaky. He couldn't help but grin, put down his pen, and opened the soup pot. A rich aroma immediately wafted into the room.

Mr. Shi picked up the soup bowl and poured her a bowl of bright yellow, clear soup.

Shi Lan suppressed her saliva, drank it all in a few gulps, and then stood on tiptoe to look at the soup pot.

Shi's father covered the soup pot and warned her that one should not overindulge in highly nourishing foods.

Shi Lan smacked her lips and nodded reluctantly.

Shi's father shook his head and chuckled. Looking up, he saw that it was getting late and, to prevent her from sneaking a drink, ordered Cuizhi to serve Shi Lan as she returned home.

Cuizhi pulled Shilan out of the study. Shilan's father shook his head and chuckled, thinking of the look in her eyes before she left, which resembled that of a puppy begging for food.

Walking along the dark, tree-lined path, Cuizhi saw Shilan's craving and said guiltily, "When we get back, I'll go to the kitchen and learn how to make soup."

Shi Lan strode forward and said calmly, "No need. Do you really think I like that lousy soup? Go find me some red dates and longans later."

Cuizhi followed closely behind and advised, "Dates are hard to digest. How about I steam some sweet date cakes for you tomorrow?"

Shi Lan shook her head and lowered her voice, saying, "Just do as I say, and remember not to let anyone see."

Seeing Shi Lan's serious expression, Cui Zhi didn't dare to ask any more questions and simply nodded in agreement.

The next morning, Cuizhi lifted the curtain of the canopy bed, which was carved with images of mischievous children picking peaches and ladies breaking branches, and cried out in surprise, "Miss, Miss, wake up!"

Shi Lan groggily opened her eyes and looked at her.

Cui Zhi looked at her with trembling lips, unable to speak for a long time.

Shi Lan moved her lips, a strange feeling making her feel that something was wrong, and she raised her hand to touch it.

Cuizhi quickly grabbed her and turned to call out, "Someone, go and invite the madam. Tell her that the young lady is ill."

The maid who brought in a basin of water at the door didn't have time to check what was going on before she hurriedly put down the basin and ran out in a flash.

Shi Lan shuffled to the bronze mirror in her embroidered shoes and saw that her lips, which had been as red as flower petals yesterday, had turned pale and dry, and several swollen and shiny blisters were prominently displayed near the corners of her mouth.

Cui Zhi moistened a handkerchief and carefully wiped her face. Shi Lan looked up, glanced at the room, and seeing that no one else was around, whispered, "Throw away the date pits and stuff?"

Cui Zhi sighed, nodded, and looked at the corner of her mouth, blaming herself inwardly for letting Shi Lan act recklessly.

Seeing the conflicted look on her face, Shi Lan couldn't help but laugh. The muscle spasms caused blisters on her lips, making her wince in pain.

When Shi Lan's mother heard that Shi Lan was sick again, she rushed over. Before Shi Lan could get ready, a doctor with a white beard was summoned.

After a period of chaos and turmoil, Shi Lan was drinking a bitter herbal tea to clear heat when her mother summoned a doctor. Upon learning that the cause was due to eating the wrong food and getting internal heat, she immediately became furious.

Cuizhi and a room full of maids knelt down on the ground, intending to tell the truth. However, Shi Lan jumped off the soft stool, grabbed Shi's mother's sleeve, and said, "It has nothing to do with them. I was just craving something last night and had a bowl of nourishing soup at Father's."

Shi's mother frowned and asked suspiciously, "Where did this soup come from? Didn't your father check your homework yesterday? You've fallen behind recently."

Shi Lan touched her nose and grinned sheepishly, "It was sent by my second sister."

Shi Muxiu stood up and said coldly, "What is she going to do?"

Shi Lan nestled against her mother, looking bewildered, and said, "She said she asked Father to teach her how to write, and Father even promised to let her go to school with me."

Upon hearing this, Shi's mother's tone grew even colder, "That lowly thing has mastered her own mother's little tricks perfectly."

Shi Lan blinked, listening intently to what followed.

Stone Mother did not want to say more and got up to leave.

Seeing her aggressive demeanor, Shi Lan knew she was going to cause trouble for Shi Yi, so she quickly pulled her away, "Mother, don't go looking for Second Sister. I was hungry yesterday, so Father gave me some to drink. Second Sister didn't know."

Mother Shi frowned and asked, "Did your father give it to you?"

Shi Lan nodded.

After a moment's hesitation, Shi's mother's anger subsided considerably. "Never mind, we'll talk about it when your father comes back."

Shi Lan nodded obediently and leaned against her mother.

As Shi's mother stroked her soft hair, her thoughts drifted back to a day more than ten years ago. At that time, she was seven months pregnant with Shi Xi. It was the birthday of Shi's father's mentor, and because he was his favorite student, Shi's father inevitably drank a few extra cups. When he returned home, it was already late, and Shi's mother had long since gone to bed.

Fearing the smell of alcohol would offend Shi's mother, Shi's father went to the study. It was too late to make love, but in the middle of the night, as he was half asleep, he found a woman quietly in his arms. In his dazed state, Shi's father thought it was his mother and embraced her passionately.

At daybreak, Shi's mother came to serve Shi's father as he went to court. Upon discovering the scene inside, she was shocked and angry, and her pregnancy was threatened.

Shi's father was startled awake by the maid's scream. He got up and found Shi Yi's birth mother lying in his arms. He immediately pushed her away and hurriedly went to see Shi's mother.

Not long after, Shi Xi was born. Because she was premature, Shi Xi was never very healthy. It took her five or six years of careful care to become as healthy as other children.

As Shi's mother stared into the void, thinking about how her relationship with Shi's father had almost reached a freezing point in those years, and how she had to worry about her daughter day and night despite her frail health, her heart clenched, and the thought of letting things go slowly disappeared.

Shi Lan watched her mother leave the courtyard, chuckled, glanced at the sky, and then took Cui Zhi to the school. (To be continued.)